Scars of the Heart (25 page)

Though larger than she had imagined it would be, Marshall offered little interest for her. A dog barked somewhere in the distance. Piano music and bawdy laughter drifted on the breeze from the saloon up the street. A few folks rushed about, seemingly eager to finish their tasks and hurry home to family and hearth.

“It’s too late in the day to conduct business. I’ll get us a couple of rooms and some dinner. We’ll have a good night’s sleep and start early in the morning.” Kade turned off the main thoroughfare and headed up a quieter side road.

Grateful for the distance from the frivolity that would surely carry on for several more hours, Carly realized his choice had nothing to do with her need for peace and quiet. He sought to avoid contact with anyone who might recognize him and alert the authorities to his presence in town. For a brief moment, guilt for bringing Kade to danger’s doorstep settled heavily on her shoulders. Then his startling confession echoed through her mind.
I killed him.
Carly’s back straightened with indignation. Kade Roberts had made his own bed. If the actions of his past caught up with him, bringing about consequences, that was his doing, not hers. She had nothing to feel guilty about.

A little brass bell attached to the door announced their entry at Miss Lila’s Boardinghouse. A thin woman whose height rivaled Kade’s appeared from an adjoining room. She moved quickly and purposefully, a hint of irritation in her gray eyes.

“It’s awfully late. I was just about to lock up. I suppose you and the missus want a room.” Miss Lila’s direct gaze bounced from Kade to Carly and back.

“We’re not married. Two rooms, dinner if you have some, and a bath for the lady if you can manage it.” Kade dug in his pocket for silver coins.

Miss Lila’s gaze narrowed. “Not married? And yet traveling together, just the two of you?”

Her obvious judgment knifed through Carly. She resisted the urge to shift her weight from one foot to the other, like a guilty schoolgirl being taken to task in front of the other students.

“That’s highly inappropriate.” Miss Lila smoothed jet-black hair back toward the tightly coiled bun at the nape of her neck. “I—”

“I didn’t ask for a sermon, ma’am. Just two rooms, some grub, and a bath. Either you can accommodate us or not.”

Kade’s tone and steady stare left no room for argument. Miss Lila’s chin raised a notch as she squared off against the imposing man before her. Finally she reached for the guest ledger, ink well, and pen.

“This is a respectable establishment, sir. I’ll have no hanky-panky from the pair of you, understand? I’m putting you at opposite ends of the hall. The floorboards creak, and I’m a light sleeper. If I hear you up and about, you’re out on the street. Do you hear me? I’ll not stand for it.” Miss Lila shoved the book closer to Kade and crossed her bony arms.

Carly felt embarrassment stain her cheeks as she prayed for the confrontation to end. She wanted to slink off to her appointed room and away from the reproachful glare of this condemning woman. The telltale muscle in Kade’s jaw twitched, and Carly knew his anger simmered just below the surface.

He scrawled
John Smith
in the guest register as he spoke quietly and evenly. “If
hanky-panky
was what we had in mind, I would’ve asked for one room and withheld the fact that we’re not married.”

Miss Lila twittered a moment as she digested the obviousness of his statement. She turned quickly and retrieved two keys.

“I’ll bring up some dinner and extra water, but there will be no bath at this hour.” She slapped the ledger book shut and stored it under the counter, then turned in a huff and disappeared into the next room.

Carly couldn’t meet Kade’s look as he handed her a key. She took it and hurried to the stairs, anxious to be alone in her room. At the top of the steps, she turned right, then stopped to notice the number two marked her room key. A quick glance at the nearby doors confirmed she should’ve turned left on the landing. She spun around and found herself staring at the expanse of Kade’s chest. The V of his shirt revealed deeply tanned skin stretched tautly over finely honed muscle. The masculine scent of him swirled about her head like a hypnotic, magical mist. Carly lifted her gaze to meet his. Unreadable eyes seemed to devour hers and made her insides skitter.

“I, uh . . . My room is . . .” She closed her mouth, irritated at her babble, and quickly switched keys with Kade. She pushed past him toward the other end of the hall, then found herself in the same predicament as just a moment before. She now held the key for room six but stood before rooms two and three.

Carly almost stamped her foot in frustration and found an amused smirk on Kade’s face. She stomped past him and unlocked the door to her room as quickly as her fumbling fingers would allow. Without a backward look, she rushed inside and practically slammed the barrier shut behind her, leaning heavily against it as she collected herself.

“Idiot!” she hissed. “Get hold of yourself. First you let that old biddy rattle you and then . . . Ugh!” Carly shook her head and moved to open the only window in the room, hoping a night breeze might calm her and clear away the scent of Kade still lingering in her nostrils.

Memories of their intimate night together rushed at her; the feel of his strong yet incredibly gentle hands sliding over and caressing every inch of her, the taste of his luscious lips and the thrilling exploration of his teasing tongue, the overwhelming need to not only press every part of her body against his but to melt into him, blending together, becoming one being.

A sharp knock on the door brought Carly from her reverie. She had no idea how long she’d sat there on the windowsill, remembering, dreaming, longing. But she felt grateful for the abrupt return to reality. She couldn’t allow her mind to be seduced by such fanciful musings. The truth was, she had thrown herself at a stranger, a half-breed, an outlaw. Like a common whore. She had tossed away her purity, the one shred of dignity and civility that she had managed to miraculously maintain throughout this whole ordeal. Carly had allowed this savage land to turn her, to reduce her, and she could never regain what she lost. No, she could not allow such memories to overtake her. She had to remain keenly aware of her own unforgivable actions and Kade’s rejection. She deserved nothing more.

Outside the door, Carly found a tray of food and a bucket of water. Neither was warm, but she barely noticed. The washstand offered only a pitcher of water and small towel. As Carly unbuttoned her dress bodice, she retrieved what was left of her precious lavender soap. How she wished for a deep tub of steamy water! Her shoulder ached and her scalp itched, but beggars could not afford to be choosy. So she bathed as best she could and then washed her clothing in the used, soapy water.

After only a few bites of cold ham and corn muffin, Carly could no longer suppress a series of yawns. She drank the small cup of milk, then climbed into bed, ignoring the scratch of the sheets and groan of the bedsprings. Closing her eyes, she tried to picture the green of Virginia, the morning mist slowly lifting from the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains, the frothy churn of the Shenandoah River as it carried the spring melt southward. Yet, as the blanket of slumber covered her, the images evolved into endless fields of golden grasses swaying in the gentle breeze, brilliant pink-and-purple brushstrokes that painted the clear blue sky at sunset, and fathomless brown eyes that swam in warm cinnamon skin.

Just as Carly’s lashes fluttered open to greet the blooming dawn, a timid knock at the door dissolved her debate of whether to roll over and chase a bit more sleep.

A scruffy boy of no more than ten years stood in the hallway. Two parcels wrapped in brown paper and tied up with twine rested on his outstretched arms.

“Yer mister sent me over with these here items. Said he’d meet you downstairs for vittles just as quick as you can git dressed.” The lad shoved the bundles off on Carly, then spun and scampered down the stairs two at a time.

Curiosity immediately chased away the last shred of drowsiness, and she hurried to unwrap the unexpected delivery. Like a young child on Christmas morning, Carly tore through the paper, too anxious to carefully untie the twine and fold back the wrapping. The first revealed a neatly folded cotton dress. With a gasp, she snatched it from the packaging and held it at arm’s length. The material unfurled to reveal a simple but pretty frock with petite buttons and a bit of lace trim adorning the bodice. Hugging the thoughtful gift to her, Carly whirled about the room, wishing she had a long mirror. The fabric was the shade of spring grass, and for a silly minute, Carly wondered if Kade chose it to match her eyes. She dismissed the idea and eagerly attacked the next parcel. It offered a veritable treasure trove of delights! Modest undergarments, shoes, a brush for her hair, and a new bar of soap! Carly squealed as she examined each of the precious gifts.

Why had Kade done all of this for her? Yes, he’d won a fair sum of money from Tiny, but these purchases seemed a bit extravagant, all things considered.

A small voice inside Carly chided,
You would’ve turned up your nose at every one of these items back in Virginia
. She immediately shushed the intruder, not wanting anything to spoil this moment. She couldn’t wait to don her new feminine apparel and give her long, honey locks a proper brushing.

As she moved the tattered paper aside, a third package caught her eye. The smaller wrapped item had been included with the shoes and hairbrush, but Carly hadn’t noticed it before. Within the folds of brown paper lay a pair of beautiful matching hair combs. Shaped like little birds, the combs’ design was inlaid with delicate accents of green, gold, and blue. Carly rushed to the window to view them in the morning light.

They were stunning!
What a lovely, generous gift.
Again she wondered why Kade would’ve splurged on her. Then she realized his motive. He must surely want to make her as presentable as possible in the hopes of handing her off to some kindhearted soul here in Marshall, someone who would assist her in finalizing her aunt’s affairs and securing transportation back to Virginia.

Well, Kade Roberts need not worry! New dress or not, Carly Dawson could take care of herself. She’d have no need of him now. He’d fulfilled his promise and accompanied her to Marshall. Carly could certainly see Banker Hawthorne on her own and quickly conclude her business in this godforsaken wilderness. As far as she was concerned, the sooner she put Kade Roberts and Texas behind her, the better.

Carly’s bluster hadn’t lasted long. Her delight at having all her pretty new things sugarcoated any irritation she felt over Kade’s motivations. She floated down the creaky staircase as if on a grand balustrade in the finest eastern mansion. On the last step, she faltered.

There in the small lobby, Kade had stopped his impatient pacing and matched her steady stare. He, too, had on new clothing, just a simple shirt and dungarees, but they hugged his muscular frame like corn husks on a ripe ear. Carly fumbled for a word or two of greeting and tried in vain to turn away, but in the end, she just stood there and stared, unable to function or make sense of her behavior.

Finally the cowboy cleared his throat and uttered a simple “Good morning” but not before Carly noticed a barely perceptible rounding of his eyes and catch of breath in his chest. Or had she only imagined the reaction she’d secretly hoped for?

“Ready for breakfast?” Kade closed the distance between them and offered Carly his arm.

She arched one tawny brow in surprise but accepted the gentlemanly gesture and let him escort her out the door and up the street toward the main thoroughfare they’d passed last night. They walked in silence for a moment before her sense of decorum returned.

“Thank you, Kade, for the pretty dress and other things. That was quite generous and unexpected.” She smoothed the skirt of the simple fabric and wished again she’d had a mirror to check her appearance.

“You couldn’t very well wander around town dressed as you have been.” Again he cleared his throat. “You are lovely.”

“These hair combs are exquisite.” Carly patted one side of her head where she had swept her hair upward and secured it with a brightly colored enameled bird. “My room didn’t have a mirror, so I’m not sure if I’ve managed . . .” She let her voice trail away as she realized the man didn’t want to hear about and certainly didn’t care about her grooming concerns.

They’d reached the town square and blended inconspicuously with the other morning strollers on the boardwalk. Though Carly felt anxious to visit the bank, she realized the earliness of the hour as she noticed several shop owners unlocking their doors or readying their wares.

A firm hand at her elbow brought Carly up short. “What is it? What’s wrong, Kade? Bounty hunters?” She dropped her voice to a whisper as she glanced around furtively.

With both hands on her shoulders, Kade turned her toward a mercantile they were passing. “What is it? Is someone inside?” Carly moved to take a step nearer, intent on peering through the glass. He halted her movement.

“No, nothing like that. Look at yourself, at your reflection.”

She adjusted her gaze and clearly saw their images staring back from the smooth glass. Her jaw dropped a notch in surprise. There stood a striking couple, perhaps not the most elegantly dressed pair on the street, but striking nonetheless. Kade smiled slowly as Carly’s gaze traveled the length of them.

The dress he’d chosen for her fit quite nicely. The shoes were fashionable, perhaps a tad bit big, but she would never admit as much. She loved them. She turned her head deliberately from side to side, inspecting the simple style she’d commanded of her long tresses. Her hair glowed like freshly harvested honey in the morning sun, and the little birds nestled within sparkled.

“As I said, you are lovely.” Kade’s smile matched her own.

Suddenly Carly felt the warmth of a blush as she realized the shop owner inside the store stared back at them quizzically. With a giggle, she turned toward her companion and tugged at his arm. “Where shall we go for breakfast? I’m starving.”