by Jill Maguire
She slowly looked around, shoving her back up against the building, and noticed a woman watching her timidly. Mercy dropped her eyes immediately. This was all so overwhelming, being in a strange place, having neglected her plan of safety and the assurance of being cared for. It was too late now to go back to the station now and the desire to hide herself from everyone was entirely new to Mercy.
Then, Mercy heard steps approaching her hesitantly.
“Excuse me, miss,” a soft voice begged her attention. Reluctantly, Mercy raised her head and met the gaze of a woman about her age. Mercy self-consciously secured her shawl, partly shielding her face from the strange woman.
“Yes?”
“Hello, my name is Patience, Patience Shaw,” the woman smiled sweetly and extended a hand. Mercy nodded slightly but refused to take her hand out from behind its protective covering. Patience went on, “I - I couldn’t help but overhear you talking to that man, or rather him speaking to you. I felt that I should tell you about him, and warn you against taking his offer of shelter. His name is Cole Boone. He may seem charming and handsome, but he is a reckless outlaw. He has had his share of run-ins with the law and if I were you, I wouldn’t take him up on his offer.” Patience awaited a reply from the frightened young woman, but it never came so she simply offered her best wishes. “Good luck to you.” And with that Patience went on her way.
Mercy backed farther into the shadows of the building, hoping no one else would see her and everyone would stay away. Finding a bench near the back of the building, Mercy sat down and dropped her head into her hands. How could she bear it? What was she to do? Patience’s words of warning echoed through her mind. She could never take an offer from a man who was reputed to be an outlaw. Mercy allowed her tears to finally fall as she sat on the shadowed bench.
Try as she may, Mercy could think of nothing else to do. No one else was offering her a place to stay, and even if the man in the shadows was an outlaw like Patience had said, his offer of a warm, comfortable place to stay seemed genuine and kind. She rolled all of her options through her mind, regaining rational thoughts as her tears ebbed. She had no money to get back on the train, and even if she did, Mercy had no idea where she would go. She could not go back to her father or to Adam. Not like this. And she had no money to even stay at the hotel in town.
Mercy stood and steeled herself against her fears. She was not about to refuse a free, warm and safe place to stay based on the words of a stranger. Mercy turned in the direction that the cowboy had indicated and headed towards the awaiting barn.
Chapter 4
Cole Boone had been in the barn cleaning and killing time, waiting to see if the woman hiding behind the train station would show up. The sun was setting on the horizon, shooting through the jagged distant mountains and beaming through the gaping barn door. Cole took extra time tending his horses as supper was already prepared and staying warm on the stove inside.
Cole thought back to his interaction with the intriguing woman earlier that day. He wondered what her story was, what caused her to wear her shawl in such a secretive way. It had covered up most of her face but the one eye that peeked out was as blue as a sapphire and mesmerizingly beautiful. Cole was entranced with her immediately and although her fear had startled the strength within her, he had seen an undertone of fire in that one eye and it was quite bewitching.
As he was busy putting fresh hay in one of the stalls, Cole happened to look up into the piercing sun and he saw a hooded figure striding toward the barn. A grin came unbidden to Cole’s face. The woman walked with a limp on the right side which made Cole even more curious to learn of her story. He quickly put his pitchfork away and leaned against the barn door, waiting. When the woman noticed Cole, she slowed and studied the ground as she walked.
“You came,” Cole noted.
“Yes.” The word was barely perceptible as the woman approached Cole.
“I didn’t get your name, ma’am. I’m Cole Boone, at your service.” Cole swept his hat off of his head and bowed slightly. Finally, the woman’s bright eye rose and met his.
“I’m Mercy,” she said simply. There was definitely something defiant and untrusting in her gaze and now that she had finally looked at him, Cole felt uncomfortable under her scrutiny.
“Well, Mercy,” he went on doggedly, “You must be hungry. I have supper ready if you would like to join me inside.”
At the mention of food Mercy looked ready to faint dead away on the spot and Cole quickly led the woman towards the house.
When they reached the warm kitchen the sun had completed its descent and dusk was taking over the land. Cole was glad he had started a fire earlier as it was going to be a cold night.
Cole pulled out a chair at the small kitchen table for Mercy to take a seat and she fell into it gratefully.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Cole moved to the stove and served up a generous portion of rabbit stew which he placed in front Mercy. She took up her spoon and ate quickly, though still maintaining a lady-like manner. Cole sat across from her, his spoon suspended in mid-air as he watched her thoughtfully.
“So, Mercy, where were you travelling from, today on the train?” Cole began. He didn’t want to frighten Mercy with his questions, but he had to know more about this beautiful woman.
“Back east,” was the only answer he got. Mercy slowed her eating, but she didn’t look up at him again.
“Alright, back east. And what brought you west?”
“I - I had no other choice,” Mercy sighed resignedly. She didn’t say another word, afraid Cole may try to get more information from her.
When she had finished her delicious feast of rabbit stew, Mercy asked to be shown to the hay loft. Cole did as she asked and led her out to the barn with a lantern in hand to light their way through the falling dark. He took her to the bottom of the ladder that led to the hay loft.
“There’s fresh hay and I’ve put some blankets up there for you. You can take this light, I can find my way back in the dark.” Cole held the burning lantern out to Mercy, who drew back quickly as if it had burnt her.
“No! No, thank you. I don’t need a light.” Mercy turned then and climbed stiffly up the ladder.
Cole found her reaction rather odd and was surprised that such a shy woman, staying in an unfamiliar place would refuse a lantern, but he dismissed it with a shrug and went about shutting up the barn for the night.
Mercy lay burrowed in a nest of warm blankets and hay for some time, grateful to have a full belly and a safe place to sleep where no one would find her. Still, she thought herself such a fool. If she had approached her intended husband as she had planned, she wouldn’t be in this awful situation, sleeping in a barn of a man she knew nothing about.
Mercy thought back on their supper together and she couldn’t imagine such a gentle man as Cole as being an outlaw. The woman who had spoken to her in town must have been talking about someone else. This man was kind and thoughtful and there was something about him that Mercy felt drawn to. The way Cole had looked at her as they were eating left Mercy feeling a little unnerved. It was not a threatening look or one that caused discomfort. No, the way Cole looked at her was different than any look Mercy had seen in a man’s eyes before. Sure, Adam had confessed his love for her, but Adam regarded her as any man would a beautiful woman. She knew she had been a treasure to him, and nothing more. Cole though, seemed like he was staring straight into her soul each time his eyes fell upon her.
Mercy wondered at these things as she drifted off into a comfortable sleep. Here, in this barn, far away from anyone who knew her, Mercy felt safer than she had since she was a child. She slept soundly and peacefully, with the lulling noise of shifting hooves singing up to her from the horses below.
A noise of a different kind woke Mercy suddenly the next morning. She sat upright and looked around her, trying to remember why she was surrounded by hay. The events of the previous day flooded back to her, and Mercy slowed her brea
thing. She was still safe. She looked out the open window over fields threaded with delicate webs of dew and touched by the warmth of the dawning sun. It was so beautiful and Mercy sighed contentedly.
Very soon a pleasant smell entered her senses and Mercy looked down at her side to see a tray perched next to the ladder, laden with a simple breakfast and a cup of coffee. That must have been what woke her, Cole bringing in breakfast.
Mercy was surprised by the tears that blurred her eyes. This was too much to ask for. Cole was a thoughtful man, and Mercy reminded herself to thank him later.
Mercy took up the tray and ate her breakfast slowly, savoring each bite and sipping the warm coffee as she watched the sun continue to rise in the east. When her plate and mug were empty, Mercy set the tray aside and lay down again, still feeling tired from the long journey and still riddled with anxiety from the day before. Mercy stole one more peek at the beautiful landscape before closing her eyes, thinking about how lovely it would be to see this view before her for the rest of her days.
Chapter 5
When Mercy woke again, the tray was gone and it was late in the afternoon, judging by the position of the sun. She stood slowly and stretched her cramped muscles, gingerly rubbing her leg where the scars still caused her significant pain.
Climbing carefully down the ladder, Mercy looked around her and noticed that both horses were missing from their stalls. She walked outside and drank in the warm sunshine, feeling more at peace than she had in a very long time.
Mercy walked idly around the fields, enjoying the beauty around her, until she found a small creek. Gratefully, Mercy took off her shoes and stockings and waded into the stream. She took her time washing, clothes and all, and when she started to get cold, Mercy climbed the bank and lay in the warming sun.
“Fancy meeting you out here. Feeling better?” Cole’s deep voice startled Mercy out of her peaceful reverie and she bolted upright, grabbing her shawl to cover her face.
“It’s alright, Mercy. I already saw your face when I took breakfast to the loft this morning. You have no reason to cover yourself up.” Cole looked at Mercy intently, in the way that gave her an odd sensation. It seemed as if he was trying to communicate something to her in that look, but Mercy couldn’t decide what. She watched as he dismounted his horse, dropping the reins on the ground. He took a seat on a rock near Mercy and she blushed at his closeness.
“Thank you for breakfast this morning,” Mercy said shyly. She wanted to tell him how wonderful she felt out here, how nice it was to sleep for as long as she had, but the words seemed out of place and inexpressible to her.
“You’re welcome. I hope you were comfortable last night.”
“I was very comfortable, thank you.” Mercy averted her eyes, unable to hold his intent gaze. “I feel I owe you an explanation,” she continued and then she began to tell her story. Mercy felt that Cole deserved to hear the truth for all he had done for her.
“There was a fire. I barely got out alive,” she began, still not looking up.
“And that drove you to Whistle Stop?” Cole asked slowly. There was a hush to his tone as if he were afraid of scaring Mercy back into her silence.
“No, that was merely a catalyst. It – it was my father, really, who drove me away. Though I’m not sure he even survived the fire. I just ran.” Mercy sighed deeply and moved into a more comfortable position. Cole was twirling a long piece of grass between his fingers and looking thoughtful at the woman before him. “My father is very overprotective and overbearing, he can become angry very easily and even violent. I think he may have started the fire to punish me.”
They both looked up then and their eyes met. Cole realized for the first time that perhaps Mercy’s fear and self doubt was about more than just her burns. Maybe she harbored a fear of all men in her heart.
Mercy went on. “He wasn’t always like that, though,” she said, a little defensively, as if trying to convince herself of her father’s innate goodness. “When I was younger, my mother ran away with another man. My father loved her so much and after she left he began to spiral into despair. At first he was silent so I learned how to take care of myself and tend to the household. Then, he immersed himself in his work. He refused to talk to me or anyone hardly, he just worked all the time. After about a year he seemed to snap out of it, although I almost wish he hadn’t. He suddenly became very protective of me, and wouldn’t let me out of his sight. He was angry at me all the time.”
Cole heard the resentment in Mercy’s tone and looked up to find bitterness etched over her face. She looked off into the trees, her thoughts obviously far away from this place.
“Then what happened?” Cole encouraged her to go on.
“As I grew older I wanted to go out and do things with friends, go to dances and such, harmless fun. My father wouldn’t have it, so I began to sneak out to do things. He caught me at it a few times and raked me fore and aft with his words, but didn’t do any other harm. Until the last time when I pushed him too far.”
“The last time? You mean the fire.” His concern drew Mercy back to the present and she looked at him sorrowfully.
“He locked me in my room. I don’t know when he would have let me out, or what he would have done next if it weren’t for the fire. He was sinister and crazy that night.” Mercy shook her head. Suddenly she felt a touch on her trembling hand. Cole had reached over the grass between them and caressed her in a comforting manner, but Mercy drew her hand away quickly and rose. The spell was broken. She had shared too much.
Cole slowly stood and they walked back to the house together.
Days went by and Mercy remained aloof, sharing no more of herself with Cole. She still loved waking up every morning in the warm hay loft and watching the sunrise, though now she took herself to the house to help prepare breakfast. Still, from time to time, Cole surprised her by delivering her breakfast in bed before Mercy could rise.
Mercy helped out around the farm as much as she could and she watched Cole through her silence. He continued to impress her with his kindness to her and all creatures, but one night, Cole seemed a different man altogether.
Chapter 6
It was a subtle change that had come over Cole, a restless feeling that he hadn’t been able to shake since Mercy’s arrival. He was used to spending days out in the woods alone just to get away, but he hadn’t wanted to leave Mercy on her own. He wanted to care for her and earn her trust, but his inner wildness was yearning for escape.
“Say Mercy, do you like surprises?” Cole asked over supper. Mercy looked up at him and her eyes widened slightly. Cole had a glimmer in his eye that Mercy had not seen before.
“I don’t know, I suppose it depends on the surprise,” Mercy admitted.
“Well, you’re in for a treat tonight.” Cole flashed a grand smile that warmed Mercy to her toes.
As Mercy did the dishes after supper, Cole ran outside to prepare. When the sun had fully set and darkness covered the fields, Cole clambered back inside and grabbed Mercy’s wrist.
“Come on, she’s ready,” Cole said mysteriously as he led her out back behind the house. Cole drew a match out of his pocket, and held it to the biggest pile of wood that Mercy had ever seen. As the flames grew higher Mercy shrank back. Cole let out a wild whoop and for a moment Mercy wondered what bewitchment he was under. She hugged her shawl tightly around her arms and backed away from the blazing heat as Cole began a crazy dance around the fire.
“Come on, Mercy! It’s alright!” he called.
Mercy just shook her head and shrank away farther. The rowdiness in Cole’s eyes, in his movements, scared Mercy almost as much as the fire itself. Perhaps that woman in town had been right. Maybe she shouldn’t trust a reckless cowboy like Cole Boone. The sound of Mercy’s heart pounding in her ears nearly drowned out the crackling of the huge flames. Suddenly, Cole stopped in his tracks and moved slowly toward Mercy, placing a hand on her arm.
“Is this frightening for you? The fire?” Cole�
��s question came across in such a tender and warm tone that Mercy couldn’t help but nod timidly and blink back threatening tears. She began to tremble when Cole reached up with both hands to caress her face. One hand held her smooth unscarred cheek, his thumb making gentle strokes across her skin, while his other hand carefully traced her scars. Mercy winced more from embarrassment than from any pain she felt but Cole didn’t relent. He continued his exploration of her face with a look of wonderment and delight in his eyes.
Did she realize how beautiful she was? Cole pondered to himself. He had never seen anyone so beautiful and he had never met a woman as tenacious and smart as this woman. Cole slowly lowered his hands from her face to her shoulders and drew her into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and was not surprised at all to feel her shudder under his touch.
Mercy gave in willingly and clung to Cole like a lost child. How she had longed for this protection for so long.
Cole drew back slightly and tilted her chin up with his finger. He looked at her again as if he were entranced.
“There now, feel better?” Cole asked. The softness had returned to his eyes and a roguish grin lit his handsome face. Mercy nodded almost imperceptibly. She felt she could stay in his arms forever. “You have nothing to be afraid of. Come on, the fire is well-contained and it won’t hurt you at all.”
Cole drew Mercy out of the shadows and took her in his arms as if to dance. Together they swayed slowly next to the roaring flames and before she could help herself, Mercy was lost in the dance, as she had so often done before the accident. Mercy’s eyes sparkled with youth and beauty as Cole led her around and around in their dance.
