A Heart Divided (23 page)

Ruth Ann walked up at that moment with a little, flower-painted china teapot and cup and saucer, with matching sugar bowl and creamer, on a tray. “Here you go, sweetie,” the older woman said, her chubby cheeks flushed, her smile open and warm. “Would you like a menu to look at while you wait?” she asked as she set the teapot and the other utensils on the table before Sarah.

“Yes, that’d be nice.”

A few steps to a nearby long work table against the far wall, and the Wildflower Café’s proprietor was back with a small, framed slate on which she’d written the day’s offerings. “I change the menu most days,” she explained, “depending on what’s available and however I feel inspired. That way it keeps things as interesting for me as it does for my customers.”

“And also keeps things fun for everyone,” Sarah said with a grin.

“So, you like to cook too, do you?”

She considered that question for an instant, then nodded. “Yes, I suppose I do. It was always a challenge trying to make something different with the limited amount and variety of food we had. Still, more often than not, I surprised all of us with how tasty and nourishing most of my meals were.”

“Well, I’m always needing extra help in the kitchen, if you’re ever looking for a job.” Ruth Ann indicated the menu in Sarah’s hands. “See what you think of what I came up with today. This time of year, my choice of fresh ingredients gets a bit limited. And there’s only so many things you can do with root crops.”

“I’m not at all worried. I’ve heard nothing but praise for your café ever since it opened.”

The older woman beamed. “I’m glad to hear it. I—”

The little bell over the front door tinkled, and a blast of chill air swirled in. Both women’s glances turned to the newest group of people to enter.

Sarah’s heart sank. Allis Findley, accompanied by two women friends, walked in and quickly shut the door behind them. For a moment Allis stood there like some queen, surveying the room and its inhabitants, before finally settling her regal glance on Sarah. Immediately, her expression turned sour. Her mouth puckered in distaste.

“Well, will wonders never cease?” she purred, her eyes glittering with malice. “Some people never know when to keep out of sight or mind, do they?”

13

As she stared back at Allis, several options raced through Sarah’s mind. Ignore the woman entirely and continue her conversation with Ruth Ann. Acknowledge the unkind comment with an equally unkind one of her own. Or, last but certainly not least, excuse herself politely, get up, walk over, and punch Allis in the face.

For a fleeting, if most pleasurable instant, Sarah savored the last choice, then regretfully chose the first. Not only was it unladylike, but it was downright disrespectful to Ruth Ann to get in a tussle in her establishment. It was also, as Cord’s fiancée, now beneath her to stoop to such childish behavior—no matter how badly the snobbish Allis Findley needed a lesson.

Above all, since she had turned her heart and life back to God, she was trying to live the way He would want her to live. And that, as hard as it was in this particular instance, meant turning the other cheek.

Sarah forced a smile onto her lips. “Good day to you too, Allis,” she called, then looked back to Ruth Ann. “Thank you so much for the tea. And the menu,” she added, holding up the slate. “Already I’m leaning toward the pork sandwich with coleslaw and fried potatoes, but I’ll defer my final decision until Cord arrives.”

The older woman glanced uncertainly from her to where Allis and her two friends had taken a seat across the room. Already, the trio had their heads together whispering.

“The ham and scalloped potato casserole is also particularly tasty, in case you have second thoughts.” She paused, managing a tentative smile. “Well, if you don’t need anything else right now . . .”

“Believe me, Ruth Ann.” Sarah returned her smile with a reassuring one of her own. “I’ll be fine. Really, I will.”

Ruth Ann nodded and headed off to the kitchen. Just as soon as she was out of earshot, however, the whispering at Allis’s table grew loud enough for everyone in the dining room to hear.

“The nerve of her . . . after what happened to poor Edmund Wainwright!”

“Shouldn’t surprise you. She’s always been a brazen little tart . . .”

“Have you heard the latest rumors about her and the two Wainwright brothers?”

Lord Jesus, help me
, Sarah prayed, clenching one hand beneath the tablecloth as she poured a cup of tea, then pretended with all her might to read the menu.
Give me strength. Let me bear this for Your sake, for I surely can’t do it for my own.

The bell over the door tinkled again. Cold air rushed in. Sarah didn’t look up, afraid if she did and saw Allis’s smirking face, she might lose the last vestiges of her control.

Allis, however, immediately jumped to her feet. “Cord! Darling!”

Sarah’s head jerked up. A smile that was as much relief as welcome lifted her lips. Cord’s attention, though, was upon Allis, who had rushed over and grabbed his arm.

“Oh, what perfect timing,” the brunette cooed, trying to coax him over to her table. “We’ve just now sat down for luncheon and would
adore
it if you joined us. Wouldn’t we, ladies?” she asked, looking to her two friends.

Like a pair of puppets on strings, Allis’s friends bobbed their heads. Cord, however, refused to budge.

“There was a time when I’d have gladly accepted such a wonderful invitation,” he said. “But today—and from here on out—I’m only sharing a table with the woman I’m going to marry. So, if you’ll excuse me”—he gently but firmly pulled his arm free of Allis’s clasp—“my fiancée is waiting for me over there.”

The gazes of all three women followed the direction of his hand, indicating Sarah, and the most comical mix of slack-jawed incredulity and horror filled their eyes. Allis, as always, was the first one to recover her composure.

“But I thought . . . I heard she was engaged to Nicholas, not you.”

Cord shrugged, his mouth twisting in amusement. “A slight misunderstanding that was quickly rectified. Sarah is most definitely going to be
my
wife, not my brother’s.” He took a step back. “Now, if you ladies will excuse me?”

Thank you, Jesus. I couldn’t have done this without You.

As she watched Cord turn and walk toward her, it was all Sarah could do to keep a straight face and smile blandly up at Cord when he came to a halt before her. “You were longer than I thought you’d be,” she said as he pulled out his chair and sat down. “Did Gabe have any news . . . about my family?”

Cord reached across the table, took her hand, and gave it a squeeze. “We’ll talk about that later, okay?” He leaned forward, lifted her hand to his lips, and gave it a kiss. “Whatever Allis and her cronies might eavesdrop of our conversation, I don’t want it to be anything they can later gossip about.”

Sarah chuckled softly as Cord released her hand and sat back. “Besides the news of our engagement? Because that’s going to be all over town in record time now.”

He smiled. “Well, now’s as good a time as any, don’t you think? I’m very proud and happy that you’ve agreed to be my wife, and I want everyone to know.”

Gladness swelled within her. Allis and her two friends’ pettiness a few minutes ago faded, overshadowed by the knowledge that all that truly mattered was sitting here before her. Cord, and his love for her. And her love for him.

“You just want all those men who danced with me at the fall dance to know,” she said, her laugh throaty and low. “You just want to eliminate all the competition in one fell swoop.”

Cord angled his head to one side and grinned. “Guilty as charged, madam. Guilty as charged.”

He picked up the slate menu and glanced at it. “Well, all of this looks very good. Shall we order?”

“Yes, let’s.” Sarah turned and motioned to Ruth Ann, who had just reentered the dining room. As the woman hurried over, pencil and pad in hand, Sarah looked back to Cord. At that instant, Allis lifted her gaze and it slammed into Sarah’s.

A malevolent hatred glowed in her eyes.

Two weeks later, angry and frustrated, Cord stormed into the sheriff’s office. When a quick scan of the room and jail cells revealed no one there but Gabe, Cord strode to where the sheriff sat at a long worktable, cleaning his revolver.

“Twice now we set a trap for the Caldwells, and twice they not only didn’t show up where we wanted them to, but they hit the herd someplace else!” He slapped the snow off his Stetson, then slammed it down on the worktable and ran a hand roughly through his hair. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think someone was tipping them off.”

The lawman looked up. “Funny, but I’ve been thinking the same thing. Who have you told about our plans?”

“The first time, just Nick, Spence, and the hands involved. The second time, we didn’t even tell the hands until it was just about time to ride out.”

“So, Sarah never knew?”

Cord shook his head. “No, not unless she overheard something. And I was extra careful the second time around to make sure she wasn’t nearby.”

“Well, somehow the word’s getting to the Caldwells.” Gabe took up a cleaning rod and shoved a small piece of cloth into its slotted opening, dipped the cloth end in some cleaning solvent, then slid the apparatus up and down his gun barrel. “And I’d hate to think Sarah was involved in that.”

“I don’t think it was her. She hasn’t been acting any differently of late, and she’s never been the sort who skulks around. She’s just too open and honest for that sort of thing.”

Gabe nodded. “That’s always been my impression of her too. Still, what wouldn’t one do to protect one’s family?”

“Sarah trusts me to do my best to bring in her father and brothers alive. And I trust her not to interfere.”

“Still, you don’t know all she’s thinking and feeling about this matter. And she’s always been, up until now anyway, a very loyal, devoted daughter and sister.”

Though he knew Gabe was just trying to get him to consider all possibilities, Cord was nonetheless irritated. It was one thing for him to have passing doubts about Sarah. He didn’t, however, appreciate having those doubts rubbed in his face.

“I’d like to think, as my future wife,” he growled, “Sarah’s now transferred that loyalty and devotion to me.”

The sheriff looked up from his assiduous cleaning of his gun. “And so would I, Cord. Believe me. I want only the best for her, and don’t wish her any ill.”

“Well, then I guess we’ve got to keep a lookout for who else might be spilling the beans, don’t we?”

“Have you considered Spencer Womack?”

“In passing. What possible motive could he have for helping the Caldwells?”

“None that I can think of.” Gabe swabbed out his gun barrel one last time with a dry piece of cloth, then began scrubbing the outside of the revolver with a brush. “Of course, he could just have motives of his own.”

Cord scratched his jaw. “Well, I can’t say as how I know Spence all that well. My father hired him about two years ago. We’ve had better ranch foremen, but he does a decent enough job.”

Gage shrugged. “From her reaction to him at the fall dance, I’d wager Sarah doesn’t think much of him.”

“Why, what was he doing?”

“I didn’t hear much, but I’m guessing Spence wasn’t talking real nice to her when they were dancing together. Sarah couldn’t get away from him fast enough when I walked up and cut in.”

“Well, I’ll keep an eye on him,” Cord said. “If at all possible, this wouldn’t be the best time to let him go, though. But later, when things settle down . . .” He shook his head. “Still, none of his behavior toward Sarah explains why Spence might be in cahoots with the Caldwells or rustling our cattle for his own purposes.”

“And he might not be. I just think we’ve got to keep our options open.”

“Best thing to do is just find out where Jacob and his sons are holing up. Be a sight easier than posting half my hands to guard the herd every night. That’s already getting old, considering the turn the weather’s taken these past few weeks.”

“I’m working on that angle too.” Gabe took an oiled rag and used it to rub the outside of his gun. “In the past few days, I’ve gotten a few leads that might just pan out.”

“Good.” Cord grabbed his Stetson and shoved it back on his head. “If and when that time comes, let’s pick the men we’ll take on the posse very carefully, shall we?”

“Oh, don’t you worry about that,” the lawman said with a dry laugh. “I’ve already got that part all worked out.”