A Bride for Cameron by Barbara Goss (read novels website .txt) 📗

She did wonder about his offer to ride in the buggy later, though.  Did he really want to get better acquainted, or did he want her to do even more to help him out with the election?

Cameron helped Hannah into the buggy before taking his place at the reins.  “Isn’t it a lovely spring day?”

“It certainly is,” she replied.  “I love warm, sunny days.”

“As do I,” he said as they sped down the lane to the main road.

Hannah raised her voice to be heard over the rumble of the buggy.  “Are we going anyplace in particular?”

“Oh, yes.  You can’t be a genuine Hunter’s Grove resident until you’ve been to Rainbow Falls.”

“Is it far?” she asked.  “I’d like to be home when Georgie wakes up, and I have Annabelle working on a project.”

“It isn’t too far, just about two miles away.”

He seemed to be staring at her rather than keeping his eyes on the road, which made her nervous. Finally, he asked, “You’re truly fond of the children, aren’t you?”

Hannah smiled.  “Yes.  They are lovely children, and I enjoy their company.  They invigorate me.  Teaching them has given my life purpose.”

They rode for a while without speaking until he pulled off the road and came around to help her from the buggy.  “We’ve arrived.”

Once on the ground, Hannah said, “I don’t see any falls.”

“You will. It’s not a huge falls, but we’re proud of it, and it’s just around that large clump of trees.  Come.” He took her gloved hand and led her around the trees.

Hannah gasped.  “Oh, it’s lovely!  Why do they call it the Rainbow Falls?”

“Come sit down,” Cam said, leading her to a large boulder near the water.  He helped her up and they sat, staring at the falls. “How did the falls get its name?  It’s a long story, passed from generation to generation, I heard the story from my friend, Joe.  He claims that when the Indians first saw it, a rainbow was arched over the falls—it had probably been after a rain—and the name stuck.”

The waterfall wasn’t large, but it was beautiful the way it came off the rocky ledge and fell to another ledge before merging with the water below.

“Is this a river?” she asked.

“No, just a large creek, but it is a run-off from the Smoky Hill River.  I hear the fishing here is fantastic.”

They sat in silence for quite a few minutes, but she watched him from the corner of her eye.  Cameron seemed nervous.

Finally, he spoke. “There’s something you should know...I hope it won’t affect our relationship,” he said.

Hannah tried not to laugh or smile as she wondered what relationship it was they had.

“I know you hate lies and dishonesty, and I need to come clean about something.”

“Go on,” she said, as she steadied herself for what he had to confess.

“The man who I defended in the murder trial... I think he might have been guilty, yet I got him off.  He’s a free man.  I’m not sure if I did the right thing.”

“Let me get this straight,” she said, “because of you there is a murderer loose here in Hunter’s Grove?”

“It’s likely,” he said with a grimace.  “The prosecution had very little evidence to show he did the killing, and I had a few things that could show he didn’t do it."

“Like what?”

“Well, Wilson was out of town and arrived home on the stagecoach at nine-thirty. He had to walk home, and the undertaker claims Mr. Monroe was dead before he would have arrived.  I’m fairly sure that’s the evidence that cleared Mr. Wilson.”

“What makes you think it might have been Mr. Wilson, then?” she asked.

“Well, Wilson walked the mile and a half carrying his suitcase.  Here in Hunter’s Grove, if anyone were to pass a person walking, especially with a suitcase, they’d offer him a ride home.  So, if that happened, Mr. Wilson could have arrived home earlier and found Mr. Monroe with his wife.”

Hannah became intrigued with the story; she had always loved reading mysteries. “Did the prosecution try to find someone who might've stopped to give Wilson a ride home?”

Cameron stroked his chin.  “They couldn’t have found anyone since it was never mentioned during the trial.”

“Did you try to find someone who might have given Wilson a ride?”

“No.  It was simply my job to defend the man.”

“Oh.” Hannah brought both hands to her cheeks.  “But isn’t that dishonest?”

“I don’t think so.  I was being paid to defend Wilson, not make it easier for the prosecution to find him guilty.”

“Even if he was?” she asked.

“That’s what’s bothering me.  This was my first murder trial.  When I’m talking to Wilson, I’m convinced he’s innocent.  He’s a slightly-built man and extremely likeable.  It’s when I’m not with him that I find myself doubting him. What I don’t understand is that I hear he is back home living with Mrs. Wilson.  I find that odd.”

Hannah gasped.  “Wait—he found another man in a compromising situation with his wife, and he’s still living with her?”

“Yes.  Like nothing happened.”

“That is curious.  You’re a man, Cameron—what would you have done in Wilson’s place?”

“Most of my close friends call me Cam.  You may call me Cam, too.

“As for me,” Cameron said, “in Wilson’s place, I’d definitely file for divorce and find another place to live.”

Hannah shook her head.  “That’s very strange.  I love mysteries.  Suppose we try to do some sleuthing to find out who did kill Mr. Monroe.”

“Hmm.” Cam rubbed his chin again.  “It would look strange for me, his lawyer, to be caught snooping around after I got him off.”

“I could do it!” Hannah said.  “I’d be very careful.”

“How could you possibly do it without people knowing you were sleuthing... the wife of