Rafferty's Bride, page 13
And that everything would change.
A fanciful idea struck her and, before she thought to censure it, she said, “I wish we could run away. For once in my life I want to just forget obligations and consequences.”
Rafferty drew her closer to his hard chest. “Actions always have consequences, Meredith.”
Chapter Twelve
They made love again. This time Travis took his time with Meredith, savoring every inch of her soft body. When they were satiated, they slept together in the hay until morning.
With the night gone, reality beckoned like the bright sun. There was no denying that the time had come to leave.
Silent, they rose and dressed. Neither spoke as Travis guided Meredith back to the house. He reached for the doorknob, twisted it and shoved it wide open. Sunlight streamed into Meredith’s cabin.
For an instant, the scene didn’t register in Meredith’s mind.
It did in Travis’s. “Damn it.”
As his warrior’s eyes canvassed the room, Meredith stared in shocked horror at the overturned chairs, the broken crocks of sugar and flour littering the floor, the blankets strewn and slashed and the overturned tables.
It looked as if a windstorm had swept through the room.
Meredith pressed her fingertips to her mouth. The violation she felt sickened her. Someone had been in her home and had destroyed her belongings. “I’ve never had this kind of trouble before. Who could have done this?”
Travis righted an overturned chair. “They’re looking for something.”
She looked over her shoulder at a torn curtain. “What?”
He raised his gun and started to move toward her room. “I don’t know. And until I’m sure they’re gone, stay put.”
Goose bumps puckered her flesh as Travis moved away from her and began to search the cabin. From the main room, she could see her mattress had been turned over, sliced down the middle and her blankets lay in a tattered pile in the corner.
Travis looked under her bed and then moved through the kitchen. Satisfied, they were alone, he released the hammer of his gun. “Whoever did this is gone.”
She went into the bedroom. Her clothes lay in a heap on the floor and on top of them lay her wedding photograph. The frame was twisted, the glass broken.
Gingerly she shook the broken shards of glass from the frame. The once-smooth photo was now scarred and scratched. “Who could have done this?”
Rafferty moved behind her, studied the picture over her shoulder. “I don’t know.” He took the picture. “You look different there. Younger. Happier.”
She studied her bright smile. “Aren’t all brides?”
He looked at the picture again. “James was just a kid.”
“Twenty-one.”
“He looked like he hadn’t started shaving.”
She smiled. “We felt so grown-up, so smart that day, yet we were just babies. It’s as if we were playing dress-up. Me in my fairy-tale gown, he in his freshly pressed uniform.”
“The wedding was a big fancy affair, no doubt,” he said, frowning.
“Yes. James’s mother invited the whole town. The day before we wed, he received his orders. He knew he was going to leave with his men right after the ceremony the next day, but he didn’t tell me. He wanted the day to be perfect.”
A lingering guilt washed over her as she looked at James. She realized that if she’d met him today, she’d not have married him. Whatever love they’d shared was gone.
So much of life had changed, been lost, since that day.
The trespassers had bent the frame. Suddenly she needed to right it. She struggled with the twisted silver, but the frame wouldn’t budge.
“Let me.” Travis took the frame and with his strong hands tried to bend it back. “We’ll have the blacksmith in town look at it.”
“It doesn’t really matter. It’s part of a life that’s gone forever.”
He studied her face and shook his head. “No. We’ll fix it. Some things shouldn’t be forgotten.”
Rafferty laid his hands on her shoulders. “Whoever did this will come back,” he said. “We need to get into town.”
She laid her hand over his fingers. “I thought we weren’t going into town.”
“It’s safer for you in town right now. Once we figure out who’s behind this, then we’ll leave. Pack what you need.”
She found her carpetbag strewn in a corner and began the tedious task of picking through the heap of her clothes. “Almost everything is destroyed. There’s so little to save.”
“Do the best you can. We’ll buy what you need in town.”
“Maybe all this was random—a very unfortunate coincidence.”
“It wasn’t.” He glanced out the bedroom window. Grasslands skimmed blue sky. But there wasn’t a soul in sight. “They’ll be back.”
She shoved her brush, comb and silver-trimmed hand mirror into the bag. “How can you be so sure?”
He nodded to the picture frame. “They’d have taken that for one. It’s silver. Your money box was not disturbed. The food in the kitchen’s untouched. No, whoever was here was looking for something specific.”
“I don’t have anything of real value,” she whispered.
“Maybe they just wanted you.” He frowned at the mess.
A shiver snaked down her body as she put the last of her belongings into the bag. “I just don’t understand this.”
“Neither do I, but now’s not the time or place to question. We’re leaving.”
Ten minutes later her bag was packed. Rafferty had saddled his horse and Blue. He took her bag.
As he laced her bag to his pommel, she studied his face. He was frowning, but the expression no longer intimidated her. Already she’d come to recognize the look. He was angry yes, but not at her. He was worried and trying to think through all the possible scenarios so he could head off trouble.
Her heart tightened as she watched him. There was so much to love about that man. So much.
“Meredith, are you listening?”
Startled, she blinked. “What?”
“Get the saddle blankets.”
“Sure. And I’ll get the other animals, too.”
He swung his head around. “The what?”
“The other animals. Sam, the cats, Shorty.”
“Excuse me?”
Her protective instincts went into high gear. “They have to come. It’s not safe for them here. Whoever destroyed my house could return.”
“Absolutely not.”
She folded her arms over her chest. “They don’t go, I don’t go.”
Travis shoved his fingers through his hair. “If I weren’t in such a rush, I’d argue.”
She smiled. “But you won’t.”
He muttered an oath. “Pack them up.”
She grinned and handed him a kitten with black paws and a white face. “I’ll get the other kittens.”
The kitten licked his face. “Terrific.”
* * *
Ten minutes later, they were on the trail. Travis stole a glance at Meredith as they rode into town. She held on to a lead line attached to the nag’s bridle as the animal clumped happily behind her. Attached to the nag’s back was a basket filled with the mother cat and kittens. Shorty, the hound, trailed behind barking at stray rabbits.
When had he changed from a respected soldier feared by men to leader of a damn circus procession?
And when had he lost control?
Worse, why didn’t he care?
When he was with Meredith everything just felt right. And it went beyond the physical attraction. He wasn’t fool enough to think it was anything close to love.
Love.
Lord, help him.
He couldn’t be in love with Meredith Carter.
He still wanted her in his bed. Once had not been enough. No, never enough.
But love? He’d been in love before with Isabelle and that had been a heady, out-of-control feeling that left as quickly as it came. What he felt for Meredith was completely different. Deeper, stronger.
Hell, he hadn’t yet figured out what had happened at Libby Prison. Yet, he was waxing on about love.
He let out a sigh. He was certain now that whatever had happened that fateful night, Meredith Carter hadn’t acted out of spite or anger. Maybe she’d slipped up and, without even realizing it, mentioned a critical detail to the wrong person. She’d had a lot on her plate that night. And she was tired. No doubt, alone and afraid.
The image bothered him and he forced it aside. If he had his way, she’d not struggle like that ever again.
He owed Meredith, could admit he cared about her, but whatever he was feeling, it sure as hell wasn’t love.
* * *
It took less than a half hour to reach Trail’s End. The farming town was small, sporting only a single main street and a collection of weathered buildings. The saloon and the mercantile were the largest buildings, each two stories with wide front windows. The other buildings were little more than dugouts with false fronts.
Travis chose the eastern trail into town because, last week when he’d been in town, he’d noted folks seemed to congregate on the west side. He’d hoped to slip into town and stall the onslaught of questions he knew would come before he had a chance to meet with the sheriff.
But the trail into town was anything except quiet. Hundreds of people, wagons and horses that weren’t there last week filled the streets. “What the devil?”
“The new doctor,” Meredith supplied. “He’s due in town today. People have come to see him.”
Travis shoved a hand through his hair. “Of course. My timing’s been off since I left Washington.”
“Maybe no one will notice us.”
“With this procession. Don’t count on it.”
“Miss Meredith!” A young boy who looked to be about ten bolted out the church’s back door.
Travis shifted in his saddle. “Perfect.”
“Miss Meredith!” The boy’s brown pants were stained with grass at the knees and his white shirt was splattered with mud. The child pushed back a lock of blond hair. “Mrs. Harper is gonna be glad to see you. I think she was fixing to send the sheriff out to your place if you didn’t show up today.”
Meredith’s smile was warm, genuine, as she pulled her horse to a stop in front of the weathered church. “That’s sweet of her to worry. But as you can see I am just fine, Danny.”
The boy’s gap-toothed grin vanished when he glared at Travis. “Who’s he?”
Travis shifted, ready to reply, but Meredith answered first. “Captain Travis Rafferty, meet Danny White.”
The boy shoved his hands in his pockets. “He looks mean.”
Travis tipped his hat back with his forefinger. “I am mean.”
Meredith glared at Travis. “Danny, don’t you believe a word he says. He’s not mean at all. He saved my life.”
Something in her tone touched the deepest part of Travis’s soul. He pictured her at his side for a lifetime. For a moment, he struggled to breathe properly.
Meredith tugged the lead line forward. “Danny, would you take this horse over to the livery and ask Rob to look after him? I’ll be by soon and have a word with him about his care and feeding.”
Distracted, the boy tore his gaze from Travis and settled it on the horse. He took the rope as he studied the horse. “He’s just an old nag.”
Meredith lifted her chin. “He’s a fine animal, just in need of good care. Make sure you tell Rob he likes oats. And mind you’re careful with the basket. There are kittens inside.”
“Kittens!” Danny stood on tiptoe and peered into the basket. The three kittens had awoken. They’d started to mew and reached for the lip of the basket. “You think I could have one?”
Meredith laughed. “Talk to your ma.”
“They got names?” Danny asked.
Meredith leaned over and pushed the black-and-white one back into the basket. “That one’s Sparky. Always gets into trouble. The tabby that’s kinda quiet is Spot and the one chasing its tail is Spooky.”
The boy glanced up at Meredith, his blue eyes sparkling with excitement. “Maybe Ma will let me keep them all.”
Meredith lifted an eyebrow. “Maybe. But just in case she doesn’t, tell anyone you see that the kittens and all my animals need a home.”
The boy squinted his left eye and tilted his head to the right. “What for? Don’t you want them no more?”
Meredith’s hands trembled a little as she tightened her reins around her hand. “I want them all, but I may be going away for a while.”
The boy squinted against the sun as he stared at her. “Where you going?”
“East.”
“Where East?”
Meredith stiffened, and her smile became forced. “Washington.”
“That’s mighty far! How come you’re going so far?”
Travis leaned forward in his saddle. “Boy, just do as Mrs. Carter asked. Now hurry along.”
Travis’s deep voice left no room for argument. The boy scampered toward the livery with the horse in tow. “Come on, Shorty, I bet Ma’s got a bone for you.” Shorty barked and followed behind the child, wagging his tail.
Travis stared at Meredith’s profile. The sparkle had gone out of her eyes. He didn’t like seeing her so sad. “They’ll find homes.”
The smile she offered didn’t touch her eyes. “I know.”
He moved his horse beside hers and his leg grazed hers. “You’ll get more animals one day.”
“I know.” Her voice sounded stilted, as if it were all she could do not to cry.
He supposed he could have kept throwing nice words at her, but the plain truth was that none were likely to do any good now. She was losing what she cared about and it hurt.
He understood.
He’d lived through the same feelings often enough. Words just didn’t matter when your insides were in knots.
“There’s a small restaurant in town. I saw it when I first came.”
“Jackson’s Café.”
“That’s it. Any good?”
She sniffed. “The steaks are good.”
“Just what I need.” She looked as if she could use a good meal, one she didn’t have to serve.
Meredith brushed a tear from her face before she met his gaze. “I thought we were going to see the sheriff?”
As he stared at her watery gaze, he wasn’t interested in much more than sitting and having a normal meal with her. They’d been through a lot together. Hell, they’d made love. But he’d never done anything nice for her. And she deserved something nice.
But she was right. He wanted to see the sheriff before they ate. Her safety came first.
He squeezed her hand. “Once we see the sheriff, we’ll eat.”
A sigh shuddered from her chest and a bit of color returned to her cheeks. “I’d like that.”
As they rode down the dusty main street together, Travis was aware that everyone had stopped what they were doing to watch them. Women gathered in clusters, menfolk set aside their chores and the children stopped playing as they passed.
Folks just naturally smiled when they saw Meredith. Many of the women waved and called out to her. She knew all the children by name and they swarmed around her.
But as soon as anyone’s gaze shifted from her to him, the smile turned to a scowl.
Without a word spoken, Travis knew he wasn’t welcome in Trail’s End.
A rush of shame washed over him. He was taking her away from her friends, the only home she’d known.
He steeled himself against the unwanted thoughts.
He’d come to Trail’s End to do a job and he owed it to his men who’d been killed in the escape attempt to see it through.
Once he found out who was after Meredith, they’d head east. Back there they’d figure out who was behind this and then he’d be his old self.
Travis glanced over at Meredith. So lovely. He remembered how soft her mouth had felt against his. How her body had felt under him.
Hell, who was he kidding?
He’d never be his old self.
Chapter Thirteen
The sheriff’s office was at the north end of town. Sunlight slanted across the adobe-style building’s rough gray walls and reflected on the murky water in the horse trough out front. A bay tied to the hitching post nickered as Meredith and Travis dismounted.
Travis tied the horse reins to the post then guided Meredith by the elbow into the jail. She climbed the steps, paused on the boardwalk and then faced him, eye to eye. “Do you think what’s happening here is connected to the past?”
His gaze was intense. “It has to be. Those men who shot me were only interested in killing you.”
She paled. “Why, after all this time?”
He took her hand in his. “I don’t know. The pieces don’t fit yet, but they will, given time.” He traced circles on her palm with his thumb. “Do you trust me?”
She nodded without hesitating. “I do.”
Though she’d been by the building a hundred times, this was the first time she’d ever been inside. “For criminals and ruffians,” Sheriff Harper had said. “No ladies allowed.”
There wasn’t a soul in the main area or the two barred cells. Morning sun trickled into the dim room by way of a barred window. The only furniture in the spartan room were the single cots in each cell, a scarred desk, a chair near the door and a gun rack sporting three rifles chained together.
The simple room was a true reflection of Sheriff Harper’s no-nonsense style. The clean floors, fresh sheets on the cots and the scent of beeswax were Mrs. Harper’s doing.
Travis tugged Meredith behind him. “Hello!”
“The sheriff usually goes home for breakfast this time of day,” Meredith offered.
“And leaves the place wide open?” Travis didn’t hide the disgust in his voice.
“Trail’s End is a quiet place,” she explained. “Except for a drunken cowhand or two during the drives, we have little trouble.”
The answer didn’t seem to satisfy Travis, a man who’d lived his life on alert, his guard always up. “Anybody here?”
“Hold your horses,” a man shouted just outside the door. There was no mistaking the Georgia accent.
