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

Cameron asked, “Do you remember the night of the incident?”

“Usually I wouldn’t because my memory slips on minor things, but I remember that night because Mitzie had gone missing,  and—”

“Mitzie?” Cameron asked.

“My cat.  She always comes to the door just before dark for her dinner, and that night she didn’t.  I waited, called, and no Mitzie.  So,  by the time it grew dark, I was worried.  I threw on my shawl and went out to look for her.  We don’t get much traffic on this road as only three families live on it: me, the Wilsons, and about a mile and a half away,  the Larson’s.  As you can see,” Elsie pointed to a side window, “I can’t even see the Wilsons’ from here.  They are about a half-mile down the road,  but there are trees between us.  So,  I didn’t see a thing... except... well, that probably won’t help you none.”

“Except what?”

“A fancy carriage rode past my house.  It was white and going extremely fast. As I recall,  I was worried that Mitzie might have gone into the field across the street, and upon hearing me call,  would dart across and be hit by the thing.  After it passed, Mitzie darted out from the woods with a mouse in her mouth.  She loves bringing me gifts.”

Cameron chuckled then asked, “Did you tell this to the sheriff?”

“I would have, but he never asked.”

“He never came here to question you?” Cameron asked.

“No. No one did.”

“Did you see or hear the carriage again that night?” Hannah asked.  If someone had dropped off a body, surely they’d return just as quickly past Elsie’s house as the other direction was a dead end.

“I’m not sure.  I fed the cat, made myself a cup of tea, and sat here on the settee,  knitting.  I thought I heard someone go by at a fast pace, but I am really not positive.  It was pitch dark by then,  so even if I had looked out the window,  I probably wouldn’t have seen anything.  It could have even been the wind.”

Hannah asked, “Elsie, are you ever frightened,  living out here all alone?”

“No.”  She pointed above the fireplace where a shotgun was perched.  “It’s loaded and ready to fire.  So far, I’ve never had cause to use it.  Most of the bad guys are in town and not out here.”

“Are you sure about the carriage being white?” Cameron asked.

Elsie answered quickly,  “That I am sure of.”

On their slow ride home, Cameron seemed thoughtful and quiet.

“What’s troubling you?” Hannah asked.

“It’s nothing... but,” Cameron rubbed his forehead,   “the only person I know who has a white carriage is my best friend; there must be another one.”

“Joe Simmons?  Of course!  He drove me home from the stagecoach depot.  It’s a luxurious,  cream-colored coach.”

“I’m trying to think if anyone else in town has one.  I’ve known Joe for years,  and he’d never hurt anyone.”

“Perhaps the livery has a white carriage for hire?” Hannah asked.

“Excellent idea, partner.  Shall we ride over and ask?”

“Cameron, the children’s nanny leaves at four,  and it’s half-past three.  I would like to spend some time with them before dinner.”

“Ah, you’re right again.  I hadn’t realized the time.”  Cameron slowed his horse to nearly a stop.  “Hey, how about we have a picnic supper at Rainbow Falls?”

“Oh, they would enjoy that.  It depends on what Bessie has prepared, though.  If it can be packed into a basket, we’ll do it.”

They urged their horses into a trot, both of them anxious to get home.

The children jumped into Cameron’s black carriage with glee.  They bounced on the seat, impatient to be on the way to the falls.  Cameron and Hannah were packing the picnic gear on the top of the carriage. “No more jumping, children,” Hannah scolded,   “you’ll frighten the horses.”

Cameron poked his head into the coach window, “And then you’d get to the falls before us.”

The children stopped jumping and laughed.

Cameron helped Hannah up onto the driver’s bench. She thought his hands lingered on her waist longer than necessary.

He jumped up,  grabbed the reins,  and said loudly, “And we’re off to Rainbow Falls.”

Hannah was pleased and surprised that the children ate more than usual.  Bessie had made a honey-baked ham, and then made sandwiches using fresh-baked bread.  She’d packed pickled beets and turned the mashed potatoes she’d made into fried potato cakes.  Everything was delicious,  and eating outdoors in view of the lovely falls made everything seem to taste better.

After the meal,  Cameron and Hannah packed up the remains. The children seemed bored and restless.

Hannah noticed a pile of sand by the shore of the creek.  “If you promise not to go near the water, you may play in the sand down there.” She pointed.

“Yippee!” Annabelle yelled, and she pulled Georgie down toward the sand dune.

 “Remember,” Hannah called after them, “do not go near the water.”

 Cameron and Hannah sat on the tablecloth,  watching them scamper down the hill on their way to the sand.

“This has been such a wonderful day,” Cameron said.

“Perfect,” Hannah agreed.  “Look at them crawling around in that sand.  I think they’ll need a bath when we get home.”

“Hannah... there’s something I need to say.”

She looked up at him and waited.

“I never thought I’d be this happy.”  He took her hand in his.  “I owe you a sincere apology for tricking you.  I don’t know what made me do it except for my strong desire to get out of being a lawyer in Hunter’s Grove.  The cases are boring.  I’d even thought about going to Hays or Abilene.  When Joe suggested I run for senator, I literally jumped on it.  It was the answer for me.  You see, Joe wants Hunter’s Grove to grow, and to do that,  he needs the railroad to come