Cora's Deception (9781476398280) (15 page)

Cora punched Eliza’s arm. “Of course, I do.
At least part of the time.”

“What about nieces?”

Cora laughed. “Ralph hasn’t proposed yet,
has he?”

Eliza blushed. “Not me, silly. I mean
Vickie.”

“I know. I already figured that one out.”
Cora looked away. It had been six years since the fever took their
youngest sister, Abigail. It would be wonderful to have another to
fill the emptiness from her passing. A thought had her turning back
to Eliza. “Are you sure you know what you’re talking about?”

“Of course.” Eliza sounded injured. “I heard
Mother say John can’t go back home with Father because they are
worried about Vickie. Then Vickie said, ‘But, Mother, what of you?’
and Mother said, ‘I’ve given birth to six children and never had a
sick day with any of them.’” Eliza gave Cora a superior look. “So,
what else could it mean?”

~*~

Cora found a sheet of paper, a bottle of
ink, and a pen. Already the March wind and sun had melted the snows
of winter. Father and Ben were preparing for a visit to St. Louis,
and she wanted to write a letter. If George wouldn’t come or
couldn’t, she needed to know. Maybe if she told him how much she
missed him and how awful this wilderness was, he’d try harder to
get to her.

She dipped her pen and wrote furiously for
close to an hour. She poured out her heart, emphasizing her love
for George and exaggerating the loneliness of living in a land with
so few people of common interests. Finally, she ended. “I love and
miss you so much. Each night when I go to sleep, my heart cries out
my longing to see your beloved face. Each morning I arise with the
hope this day will be the one when you come to take me away from
this hateful wilderness. I remain forever yours. Cora.”

She folded her letter and sealed it with wax
from her candle then found Ben and took him aside. “I know you
don’t like George, but—”

“No, Cora, I don’t like him. I never have,
but for you, I’ll see if I can find out what’s happened to
him.”

Cora hugged Ben. “I knew you’d understand.
Thank you.” She stepped back, handing him the letter. “Will you see
he gets this too?”

Ben took the letter and stuffed it into his
shirt pocket. “All right. I’ll make sure he gets it if I can find
him.”

Cora smiled. “I don’t think anything bad has
happened. I just want to know what kept him from coming.”

Ben shrugged. “You should know soon. We’ll
be back in a couple of months.”

“Are you going to see Esther before you
leave?”

A light radiated from Ben’s eyes at the
mention of Esther. He nodded. “I wouldn’t go away without seeing
her first. We’re leaving first light Monday morning, so I plan to
go over Sunday afternoon.”

Ben looked into Cora’s eyes. “Can you keep a
secret?”

“Of course.”

“All right, just don’t tell anyone until
after I ask her.”

Cora grabbed his arm. “Are you serious?”

“I’ve never been more serious in my life.”
Ben grinned. “I’ll never love anyone as much as I do Esther. If she
can return my love, we’ll be married as soon as I can get us a
place to live.”

~*~

Late Sunday afternoon when Ben came home, a
huge smile covered his face. As soon as Cora saw him, she knew.
“Oh, Ben. I’m so happy for you. You couldn’t pick a better sister
for me.

“You may be sure that wasn’t my purpose.”
Ben grinned

Cora watched him go outside. It must be
wonderful to have the future decided. She thought of George and
shook her head. Right now, she didn’t know what she’d do if he
walked through the door. Would she fall into his arms or turn her
back on him?

That evening before bedtime, Ben announced
his engagement to the entire family. A twinge of jealousy touched
Cora when everyone seemed so happy about his choice. No one liked
George, a fact she didn’t understand. Cora and Eliza cleaned the
kitchen while Mother checked on Vickie. Until Vickie was better,
and Father returned, Mother would sleep out in the large sitting
room.

The dishes had been put away and Ben had
ushered the two small boys upstairs to their room when a knock
sounded at the door. Cora jumped and looked at Eliza. Who could be
coming so late in the day? Father took his rifle from its place
above the doorframe. John filled the doorway to the bedroom, a
rifle lying easily across his arm. Cora glanced up at the loft and
saw Ben crouched low while candle light reflected in the metal of
his rifle. Did they think Indians would knock? Cora’s heart
pounded.

Father pulled the door open a crack. He
lowered his rifle and opened the door wide. “Hello there. It’s good
to see you again.”

Bill Reid stepped inside. “I hope I’m not
interrupting anything. I noticed your wagons outside the front
door. You aren’t leaving, are you?”

“Yes, we are.” Father pulled a chair
forward. “I tried my hand at furniture making this past winter. I’m
better with wax than wood, but in spite of the looks, it will hold
your weight.”

As Mr. Reid sat in the new chair, Father
continued. “My son and I are starting back to St. Louis in the
morning for the remainder of our things. We should have some real
furniture when we return.”

“In that case, I won’t stay long. If I might
visit with you and your wife for just a moment, I’ll be on my
way.”

Cora nudged Eliza toward the loft. When the
girls entered their room, Eliza removed her shoes and without a
sound dropped to the floor.

“What are you doing?” Cora’s whisper sounded
loud in the quiet room.

“Shh.” Eliza put a finger to her lips. “If
you talk, I won’t be able to hear.” She crept as close to the
ladder as she could without being seen from below.

“Eliza, I can’t believe you’re doing that.
Come away from there.”

“Don’t you want to know what’s going
on?”

“No, I want to go to bed.” Cora wanted
nothing to do with Mr. Reid, and she didn’t want to know his
business. “Eliza, if you don’t get up and go to bed, I’ll call
Father.”

“You wouldn’t dare.” Eliza, still on her
hands and knees, stared at Cora.

Cora opened her mouth to call.

Eliza scrambled to her feet. “All right, I
won’t listen, and it’ll be something important. Then you’ll be
sorry.”

Chapter 13

B
en held Cora close in a brotherly hug. She squeezed him
tight, missing him already. When it was her father’s turn, he
looked into her face. “Can’t you find a smile for this old
man?”

Cora forced a smile. It probably wasn’t what
he wanted, but he seemed satisfied as he hugged her close. “That’s
better. Now I have a pretty memory of my little girl to take with
me.” As quickly as it came, his grin left. “Maybe ‘little girl’
isn’t right. When I get back, we’ll have a talk about some
important things. All right?”

Cora nodded, though she didn’t understand.
Her parents embraced, Father climbed onto the wagon seat, and the
big workhorses strained against the harness. A faint red glow
touched the eastern horizon as the wagons pulled out. Cora blinked
against the burning in her eyes when Ben flicked the reins against
his team, and the wheels began to move. Father followed. Both
wagons became small black silhouettes against a rising red ball
until they were too small to see.

~*~

A week later, Cora remembered the
handkerchiefs she’d made for Aaron. She sighed. Christmas was three
months past, and she still hadn’t given them to him. Restlessness
stirred at sight of the wrinkled package. She grabbed it up and
confronted her mother.

“Mother, if you don’t need me this
afternoon, I’d like to take a walk.”

Mother frowned. “Where do you plan to
go?”

“Oh, not far, just into the woods a ways.”
Cora tried to make it sound as if she walked into the woods every
day. Eliza moved closer.

Mother hesitated, and Cora almost groaned.
If she didn’t get out of the house, she might burst. “The sun is
shining. There’s no danger now.”

Cora stepped toward the door and looked at
her sister. “Eliza, would you like to come too?”

Eliza shrugged as if it didn’t matter, but
her eye’s brightened. “I suppose.”

When Mother didn’t stop them, they walked
together across the yard. John called out as they passed the field
where he worked. “Where are you two going?”

“For a walk in the woods.”

His eyebrows lifted. “Is that right? Keep an
eye out for bears.”

“Bears?” He must be teasing. Cora searched
his face and couldn’t tell.

“Sure, they ought to be coming out of
hibernation right about now.” John grinned.

Cora relaxed. He was only joking. “I don’t
think we’ll have a problem with bears. We won’t go far, and we’ll
stay on the path.”

John nodded. “I guess you’ll be all right
then.”

New growth appeared on the ground and in the
tiny green leaves above. Cora loved spring. Her steps were light as
she walked beside Eliza.

Sunshine, finding entrance through the
sparsely leafed trees, left a dappled pattern on the forest. A
squirrel scampered to the top of the nearby tree and scolded at
their invasion. Cora laughed at him.

Eliza, trailing behind, hadn’t spoken since
they left the house. She was probably thinking about Ralph since
that seemed to be all she ever did. Maybe this once, she’d keep her
thoughts to herself.

“Will you take me to the hollow tree you and
Ben stayed in?”

Cora looked over her shoulder at Eliza’s
voice. That had nothing to do with Ralph. She shook her head. “I
don’t think so. That’s at least a mile. I told Mother we wouldn’t
be gone long.”

Eliza quickened her steps to catch up. “We’d
be back within an hour. She wouldn’t expect us before then, anyway.
Please, Cora. I’d like to see it.”

The hollow tree was closer to the Starks
than it was to their cabin. Cora wouldn’t admit to her sister, but
she’d hoped to see Aaron in the woods. He wouldn’t likely be here,
but this is where they’d first met, and she felt closer to him in
the forest. She slipped her hand in her pocket, and the paper
covering his gift crinkled. She smiled.

“All right, but if I can’t find it right
away, we’ll have to forget it.”

“Okay.” Eliza matched her steps.

They’d walked for some time when Cora
stopped and looked around. None of the trees looked familiar.
Surely, she’d recognize the one tree that saved her life. “We
should be getting close. You remember coming through here at
Christmas, don’t you? Does anything look like it did then?”

Eliza shook her head. “One tree looks pretty
much like another to me.”

The sharp snap of a twig brought Cora’s
heart into her throat. Eliza grabbed her arm and whispered. “What
was that?”

“I don’t know.” Cora couldn’t move. She
searched through the trees surrounding them for any sign of
life.

“Was it a bear?” Eliza’s harsh whisper
echoed on the breeze as a dark figure moved between two trees some
distance away and disappeared. Cora was almost certain one of the
trees was the one they’d been looking for. Eliza squeezed Cora’s
arm. “I’m scared.”

“Let’s go back. Fast.” Cora didn’t need the
painful pounding in her chest for proof of her own fear.

“All right.” Eliza didn’t wait for Cora. She
took off at a fast walk with Cora behind. They crashed through the
forest, taking little concern for stealth. Twigs snapped and last
fall’s leaves crunched under their feet. Eliza brushed branches out
of her way, leaving Cora to dodge or be slapped. Yet even over
their noise, another sound reached Cora. Something was coming after
them. Something big that made no effort to be quiet.

“Run, Eliza!” Cora yelled and gave her
sister a push forward. “Something’s coming.”

Eliza didn’t turn around. She took off with
Cora on her heels. The pain in Cora’s chest increased to a rapid
staccato.

“Hey, wait up!” The deep voice sounded
familiar. “Cora, wait up!”

Cora’s mind cleared at the same time her
muscles melted into a useless mass. She stopped and turned,
trembling so that she barely stood. Aaron’s dark blue shirt
stretched as he lifted an arm in greeting. He grinned at her.
“What’s your hurry?”

Eliza stepped around Cora. “We thought you
were a bear.”

“Eliza!” Cora breathed heavy. “Be
quiet.”

Aaron chuckled. “I ain’t no bear, but they
can be mighty unfriendly this time of year. What’re y’all doin’ by
yourselves in the woods, anyhow?”

“We were looking for the hollow tree Cora
and Ben stayed in.” Didn’t Eliza know when to talk and when to be
quiet?

Cora shook her head and pointed. “It’s over
there.”

Eliza swung toward her. “You knew all the
time?” Her voice raised. “You said you didn’t know if you could
find it.”

“I didn’t until I saw . . .”

“Saw what?” Eliza never let anything go.

Cora sighed. “Aaron.” If she didn’t tell
now, she’d have to later. “I saw him go behind the tree.”

Eliza frowned. “If you saw Aaron, why’d you
tell me to run?”

Cora’s cheeks flamed when Aaron burst out
laughing. Cora couldn’t stop the smile his laughter brought to her
lips.

“What’s so funny.” Eliza’s hands landed on
her hips.

“I didn’t get a good look.” Cora met Aaron’s
sparkling blue eyes. “You moved so fast all I saw was a dark blur.
You looked like a bear.”

“I’m sorry.” Aaron still grinned, so his
repentance was questionable. He looked from Cora to Eliza and back.
“You shouldn’t be running from a bear, anyhow.”

“Why not?” Eliza’s frown was almost comical.
No wonder amusement still glinted from Aaron’s eyes.

“They run faster’n you.” He grinned at Cora.
“Course you scampered out of here awful fast a while ago.”

Cora stuck her nose up in mock offense.
“I’ll remember that the next time I see a bear. I’ll just stand
still and let him do whatever it is bears do. That is, unless you
have a better idea.”