Distraction (24 page)

He’d changed the subject abruptly, and it seemed
there was more to his self-exile then he was letting on. “We could
return to Salem, find Nonni and Mari, and then move somewhere
else,” I suggested.

“What makes you think I want your grandmother
anywhere in my life?”

“Fine, then I will continue to starve myself, and you
will have to find someone else to torment.”

He dropped the shawl around my shoulder and handed me
the bonnet. “Let’s go.”

I pulled down the brim of my hat and wrapped the
shawl around me to ward off the cool breeze and hide my face as
much as possible. I’d walked through town several times, shuffling
obediently behind Angus, and every time, the townsfolk had nearly
strained their necks in a chance to get a glimpse of the Marshal’s
wife.

Just weeks before they’d known me as the girl who’d
been nearly killed by a bear, the girl who Libby had taken in as
lost and homeless. Now I was a complete stranger. Now I was a woman
daft enough to marry someone as wretched as Marshall West. Of
course, the marriage was a farce. The fact that we were not married
was the one string of hope I held onto for now, although, all in
all, things looked rather grim from where I stood.
“I’ll wait out here while you go in and conduct
business
.”

Angus hesitated a moment and scanned the area as if
he was looking for one man in particular, which, no doubt, he was.
“I’ll only be a moment.”

People walking past made no attempt to hide their
curiosity, and I shrank into my shawl and hat as much as possible.
I could not have felt more ashamed or out of place in this town
now. I wanted desperately to leave.

Boot heels sounded on the wood plank walkway in front
of the bank, and my heart raced ahead. I turned around as the boot
heels approached. An elderly man with a scraggly beard tipped his
hat at me as he walked by. I quickly reminded myself that almost
every man in town wore boots and that I had to stop being so
ridiculous. Still, it took me a moment to calm the tremble in my
hands. If this had truly been part of Angus’s plan to torture me,
it was working.

Several women thought they were being discreet by
mumbling behind gloved hands as they strolled past. I turned away
from the road just as a gust of wind shot through the walkway. My
bonnet flew from my head. I spun around to grab it, but someone had
snatched it from flight. A breath caught in my throat as he stared
down at me with pale green eyes. He politely pulled off his hat and
nodded to me. A long strand of his dark hair blew temporarily
across his face. The cuts and scrapes had healed, and his mouth was
no longer swollen and bruised. Jackson stood behind him.

“I think this belongs to you,” he handed me the
bonnet without taking his eyes off of me. His fingers grazed mine
as he handed me the hat and his touch instantly warmed my skin.

“Thank you.” My words were barely audible. I looked
up into his face and tried to convince myself that I saw a glimmer
of recognition in his eyes, but I was fooling myself.

“I’m done here, Poppy. Let’s be off.” Angus’s severe
tone startled me. He turned and thundered down the wooden
walkway.

I pushed a smile onto my face, but truly, I wanted
nothing more than to break into sobs. I had half hoped I would see
him again, but now I realized it only made things worse. He stuck
his hat on his head and nodded politely.

I turned away from the man I loved to trudge after
the man I loathed.

“Whooee, that Marshall sure has a fine looking wife,”
Jackson spoke but I barely heard what he said. I couldn’t pull my
attention away from her as she drifted away from me. Her silky
blonde hair swished side to side along the back of her delicate
neck.

Jackson shucked me on the shoulder, and I snapped out
of the trance. “What do you say, Cade? That lawman has got himself
a beauty, eh?”

I watched her slim, lithe figure disappear around the
corner. She glimpsed back at me once before vanishing.

“Don’t you think?” Jackson asked again.

“Yeah, Jacks.” I finally pulled my gaze from where
she’d been just seconds before. “Breaks my heart just to look at
her.”

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