Shadow of Deceit (Shadow #2) (10 page)

“I want you to be sure, too,” he said.  “As sure as I am.”

“Let’s go to Pete’s for dinner tomorrow night, then,” she said. 

“I’ll pick you up at six.”  He kissed her on the forehead and walked back to his horse. 

Miles seriously doubted that any man had ever left a woman’s house as happy as he just did.  He loved her so much that he sometimes felt like his heart would pop out of his chest.   Now, he had hope that she might begin to return his feelings.  He wanted to propose already, but he knew that would not be suitable.  Yet, he knew without a doubt, that he loved her with all his heart.

When he rode up to his house, he saw two people sitting on his front steps.  It was too dark to see who they were.  He tied his horse, and went to check.

As he came closer, he gasped.  “Billy?  Julia?”

Julia and Billy stood and Miles hugged them both.  He saw tears glistening on Julia’s cheeks.  “I think we should go into the house.”  Miles said a bit sternly, “We have a lot to talk about.”

How could he forgive Julia, and if he did, how would that affect his relationship with Violet?

He turned on the lamps in the sitting room, and they all took a seat.  Miles addressed Julia. “Why didn’t you return?”

Julia shrugged, and wiped her tears with a handkerchief.  “I don’t know.”

Miles seethed with angry.  “What do you mean you don’t know? Have you any idea at all what you’ve put me through?  Caleb found out I was the one to help you with the elaborate plan to bilk him of his money.  Violet would have nothing to do with me for weeks.  My heart was broken. Caleb
gave
you the money, you didn’t have to return it, so why didn’t you come back?”

Again Julia shrugged and looked at him with confusion.  “I don’t know these people.  Who are Caleb and Violet?”

Billy piped up.  “She had a good reason, Miles.  She has amnesia.  Don’t scold her.  She’s confused and it wasn’t her fault.”

“Amnesia?  If this is an act—”

“It isn’t, Miles,” Julia said.  She sighed.  “I got thrown from my horse after paying off Billy’s debt.  I was riding in the dark, and the next thing I knew I was back at Lydia’s house, in bed with a rip-roaring headache.  The doctor examined me, and said I had amnesia.  He said I would remember everything—eventually.  So far I only remember my past up to my arriving in Victoria and finding Billy shot.  Then I started to remember other things, but I still don’t remember Abilene.  I had to ask directions from the train station to your house.”

Miles looked at Billy for confirmation.  Billy nodded.  “Where did you get shot?”

“In the shoulder, but it’s healed,” Billy said.  “But we need to help Julia to remember Abilene.”

“It’s strange,” Julia said, “Geoffrey Grandville fell off his tractor and hurt his leg.  He was limping around the house, and every time I saw him, I had this strange sensation. I was happy and anxious all at once.  I don’t know why.  Did you have a limp while I was here?”

Miles put his head in his hands.  “No, but someone else did.”

“Who?” Julia and Billy said in unison.

“Caleb Armstrong.”

“Was he someone I disliked, or cared about?  I don’t understand my feelings.”

Miles rubbed his face with his hands.  “Caleb is the man you sweetened up so he’d give you the five thousand dollars for Billy.”

“I wondered where I’d gotten it.  I can’t believe I did that, Miles,” Julia said, sounding truly contrite.

“And I don’t believe I helped you,” Miles said.  “You asked me to find a rich man, and I broke bank rules by telling you.  Thanks to Caleb promising not to tell my boss, I still have my job. I doubt Caleb or Violet will ever forgive you, and I plan to marry Violet.”

“This is all my fault,” Billy said.  “I only wanted to make some quick money by gambling.  I didn’t realize how bad these men were.  I promise you, from now on, I’ll get a job if I want money.”

“It’s good to know, Billy,” Miles said, “but we have a mess here to figure out.  We may need your help to verify the story of Julia’s amnesia.”

“I’m sorry,” Billy said.  “I’ll gladly confirm her story.  You could even take her to a doctor.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Miles said. “But I will tell you one thing, I won’t part with Violet over this.  If I have to choose, it will be her over you, Julia.  I’m sorry.”

“She’s
that
upset?” Julia asked.  “I don’t even know who she is.  Why would she be so upset with me?”

“She is practically related to Caleb,” Miles explained.  “Her family and the Armstrong’s are extremely close, they’re like one big family.  He was hurt—and that is putting it mildly.  She doesn’t want anything to do with anyone who hurt Caleb.”

“Miles, you’ve known me all my life.  Have I ever intentionally hurt anyone?” Julia asked.

“Not that I know of, but you
did
form the plan to get to know Caleb romantically to then ask him for the money.  He fell for you like a ton of bricks.  He gave you the money out of the goodness of his heart. You agreed to marry him! He even bought the train tickets.  He waited for your return.  You never came—and that’s when I rode out to his place and told him everything.”

“You put your job on the line?” she asked.

“Yes, because I knew if I didn’t I’d never ever get Violet back,” he said.

“Just who is this Violet?” she asked.

“Violet Jeffries, our minister’s daughter.  I love her more than anything in the world, even you two, and you know how much I love you both.”

“I don’t know what to do,” Julia said.  “I don’t remember Caleb.  I’m trying, but I can’t see his face.  How did he get a limp?  Is it temporary like Geoffrey’s?”

“It’s permanent, I’m afraid,” Miles said.  He stood.  “Do you remember this house?” 

Julia shook her head. 

“Then I’ll show you both to your rooms,” Miles said.  “I’m in need of some sleep.”

Julia looked around the room when Miles and Billy had left her.  She opened the chifforobe and viewed women’s clothing.  She picked up one hanger; the dress appeared her size.  She held it up and glanced in the mirror.  These must be hers, yet she had no recall of any of them.  She opened the drawers, nothing looked familiar.  She felt like she was peering into someone else’s things.

She took a nightgown from one of the drawers, undressed and slipped it on.  She was exhausted from traveling.  She got into the bed and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

When Julia awoke, she put on one of the strange dresses, and went out to find the kitchen or dining room.  She found Billy sitting in the dining room drinking coffee. 

“You made coffee?” she asked.

“No.  Miles made it before he left for work.”  Billy took a final drink and pushed his empty cup aside. “So what do we do first?”

“I want to find this Caleb, and apologize.  It could only have been my fear of losing you that caused me to come up with such a terrible scheme to get the money.  I feel ashamed.  I don’t blame Miles for being upset.  And I won’t let Miles lose his Violet.”

“Since I don’t know either, do you mind if I stay here? I want to write a letter to Lida.  She’ll wonder what happened to me.”

“Sure.  Did Miles say Caleb’s last name was Armstrong?”

“I think so.”

“I’ll find him.  I have to set things right.”

Caleb sat behind the counter in the store transferring numbers into a large book.  He took care of all the orders and bookkeeping, while his father managed the mill part of the lumber business. 

It started out as a normal weekday with the sound of loud saws and other machinery, the scent of sawdust from freshly cut lumber.  He had a stack of orders that would take him hours to log into the accounting ledger.

With the loud noises in the back, and his concentration on the numbers, he didn’t hear the door open, but a breeze fluttered his papers, and he looked up.  He stared blankly at the figure that walked in. He sat stunned for so long the woman became nervous, and she clenched her hands tightly and bit her lower lip as she closed her parasol.

“I’m looking for Caleb Armstrong.  Might you lead me to him?  I was told he would be here,” she said.

Caleb finally shut his mouth and then shook his head.  He closed his eyes and then opened them again.  He wasn’t dreaming.  It
was
Julia, looking more beautiful than ever.  Yet, she didn’t know him?  She looked at him without recognition.  His stomach churned with a queasy and uneasy sensation.  He hadn’t eaten breakfast, and this shock was too much for him.  It felt strange for someone he’d been so intimate with to look right through him without any sign of recognition.

He was about to call out her name, then thought better of it. He figured if she could play games, he could too.

“He stepped out,” Caleb said.  “Can I give him a message?”

True disappointment showed on Julia’s face.  Caleb thought she either had a twin, or she was one heck of a good actress.

“Do you expect him back soon?” she asked.

“I never know.  He’s part owner and keeps his own hours.  Is there something I can do for you?  I can sell lumber as well as Caleb,” he said.

“It’s a personal matter,” she said.

“I think he’s taking a woman friend to lunch, so he might not be back for a few hours,” Caleb said.  Her face showed no reaction to that statement.

“Could I wait?” she asked.

“No.  I’ll be closing the store soon, to go for lunch myself.”

“Maybe you
can
help me,” she said, walking closer to the counter.  “What kind of man is Caleb Armstrong?”

“You don’t know him?”

“I’m afraid not, but I have to speak with him, it’s urgent.”

“You wouldn’t happen to have a twin sister, would you?” he asked.

“No. Why?” she asked.

“I just wondered—” he thought fast—“if you might be one of the McCoy twins.”

“No.  I just got into town from Hays.  My brother lives here. His name is Miles Croft, do you know him?” she asked.

Caleb was amazed—she really didn’t know who he was.  No one could pretend this flawlessly.  She looked right through him.  He was baffled.

“I know Miles.”

“You’re welcome to wait for Caleb, for as long as I’m here,” he said.  “I’ll go in the back and get you a chair.”

“I would appreciate that.  Thank you,” she said.

Caleb walked from behind the counter, and started toward the shop to the back.  He heard her gasp.  He turned.  “Is something wrong?”

He noticed she’d turned white and looked like she would pass out.  He quickly ran to her and held onto her elbow to keep her upright.  “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine—I think,” she said.

He went behind the counter and pulled his chair out.  “Here sit down.”

She sat, and dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief.

“Now what’s the problem?  Why did you gasp and pale all of a sudden? And why the tears?”

“Y-your limp,” she said.

“You’ve never seen a man limp before?  I was injured a long time ago.”

“I suffered a fall in Hays, and lost my recent memory.  Every time I see a man who limps, I get this strange feeling.  I can’t describe it.  It feels like—like there is something I should remember, and it warms me, and fills me with anxiety simultaneously, I’m so sorry.”

“Not as sorry as I am,” he said sternly.

“Excuse me?” she asked.

“
I’m
Caleb Armstrong.”

“W-what? You?” she asked.

“Yes.  I figured if you could play games, so could I.”

“I am not playing games.  I came to apologize for what Miles told me I did to you.  I am sorry, and I’ll pay back every penny.  I just need to find a job.”  She stood. “You can have your chair back.”

He pushed the chair back behind the counter and stood before her with his hands on his hips.  “I accept your apology.  You need not return the money.  I chalked the loss up to being foolish, and overly sensitive, a mistake you can be sure I’ll not make again.  You know better than anyone that I don’t need that money.”