Wyoming Lawman (10 page)

The parlor was buzzing with conversation when Pearl heard a faint whimpering from the top of the stairs. Toby had woken up because of his sniffles. As she pushed to her feet, the whimper turned into the wail of a cranky baby. Pearl hurried in the direction of the stairs, but she didn't have to go up them. Hattie was approaching the parlor with Toby propped on her shoulder.

“I'm so sorry, miss,” she said to Pearl. “I tried to calm him, but he won't have nothin' to do with me.”

“It's okay, Hattie.” Pearl whisked Toby out of the girl's arms and into her own. “He doesn't know you, that's all.”

Hattie gave Pearl the towel she'd had over her own shoulder. “Take this, miss. He'll drool on your pretty dress.”

Pearl cared more about Toby than the gown, but she appreciated the girl's thoughtfulness. Holding Toby with one arm, she draped the towel over her shoulder. “I've got him. You can go back to helping Mrs. Dinwiddie.”

Hattie curtsied and slipped out of the room. Pearl took a step to follow her, but someone gripped her arm. She turned and saw Carrie.

“You can't leave,” her cousin whispered with a hiss. “I need you here.”

“But—”

“I'll hold him,” Carrie said in a voice that carried over the shrieking. “I love babies!”

She'd made the comment for Matt's sake, not to help Pearl or even Toby. Pearl resented it, but only Toby mattered. She had to calm her son. “I need to rock him back to sleep. Go take care of our guests.”

Carrie reached for the baby. “Let me try,” she said too loudly.

Rather than cause a stir, Pearl let Carrie take her wailing son. If he settled, she'd be relieved. If he didn't, she'd follow her original plan.

Carrie settled the baby in her arms, carried him into the parlor and made a show of rocking him. To Pearl's consternation, her son reared back and screamed even louder. She'd heard enough—more than enough—and followed Carrie with the intention of rescuing Toby. As she approached her cousin, so did Matt. They traded a look, one that linked them as parents, then Matt spoke in the tone of a man accustomed to being obeyed. “This boy needs his mama.”

Carrie, suddenly speechless, let him lift the baby without an argument. He propped Toby against his shoulder, patting the boy's back as he carried him to Pearl. To her utter shock, Toby wiggled his bottom against Matt's arm, reared back, stared at him and stopped crying.

“Silence is golden,” joked one of the Hudson brothers.

Amy smiled. “Matt's got a special touch.”

Pearl thought so, too. Matt turned sidewise so that Toby could see her. Instead of reaching for her, the baby batted at Matt's jaw and grinned. It was the biggest smile she'd ever seen. Matt smiled at her to share the moment, then made a cute face at her son. “Hello, there, Toby.”

The boy answered with a grunt.

Matt bounced him on his arm. “I thought you wanted your mama, pal.”

Yes, but he also wanted a father. As her son looked at Matt with awe, Pearl could barely breathe. The sight nearly broke her resolve to keep her distance from this man. Toby needed a father, and Matt had a knack. Sarah needed a mother, and Pearl wanted a daughter. They'd make a perfect family…except Pearl couldn't bear the thought of being a wife, and Matt didn't want one.

It all seemed crazy and unfair, even more so when Toby put his head against Matt's neck and popped his thumb in his mouth. Matt hummed a tune he'd probably sung to Sarah at bedtime. A hush settled over the room as everyone watched and waited for Toby to fall asleep. When the baby's breathing deepened to indicate a steady slumber, Matt looked at her and whispered, “Want me to carry him upstairs?”

The thought of going upstairs together, as if they were a family, sent shivers down her spine. Whether from fear or hope, she couldn't say. She also had to think of appearances and Carrie's reaction. Her cousin would feel left out if Pearl
accepted Matt's offer. She was about to decline when her father approached.

“Let's all go,” Tobias said with a smile.

As if he were herding sheep, Tobias motioned for her to lead the way. The three of them went up the stairs and turned into Pearl's bedroom, dimly lit by a lamp on her vanity. Matt spotted Toby's cradle in the shadows and went to it. Pearl stepped to his side, neatened the bedding and lifted the coverlet.

As gentle as snow falling, Matt placed Toby on his tummy. Pearl covered him with the blanket, then patted his back until he settled again. As she lifted her hand, she turned and saw Matt watching her with stark admiration.

“You're a wonderful mother,” he said in a hush.

But could she be a good wife? She didn't know and she doubted it. Besides, Carrie had feelings for Matt. Pearl would never betray her cousin's trust. Afraid her emotions would show, she mumbled, “Thank you.”

Her father must have seen her consternation, because he motioned them both to the door. “Let's go before he wakes up again.”

“Good idea,” Matt whispered. He smiled again at Pearl, then rested his hand on Toby's back. “Sleep tight, little boy.”

The sight of Matt's fingers, strong and masculine, filled Pearl with the longing to be together as a family. With her heart aching, she kissed her fingers and touched her son's head. As she moved, her shoulder brushed Matt's bicep and he didn't move. The moment felt natural and right, but all wrong at the same time.

Turning abruptly, she led the way to the hall and hurried down the stairs. Needing to calm herself, she detoured away from the parlor and headed to the dining room to light the candles.

As she lit the first one, she saw the card with her name and frowned. Someone had switched her seat with Meg's and she knew who'd done it. Yesterday she and Carrie had disagreed about the seating plan. Carrie wanted to be next to Matt and across from Pearl. Pearl wanted to be on the opposite end of the table, next to her father and as far from Matt as she could get. The change put Pearl directly across from him. Annoyed, she lifted the place card. Before she could switch it back with Meg's, Carrie glided into the room with their guests. To avoid a scene, Pearl left the cards alone.

As she looked up, Matt flashed a smile and approached to hold her chair. “May I?”

Why yes, Deputy. Thank you.
Instead she schooled her features. “I have to check something in the kitchen.” She indicated the seat next to Carrie. “You're across from me.”

Matt looked amused…and challenged.

To avoid him, Pearl slipped through the side door. She asked Mrs. Dinwiddie for extra butter, then went back to the dining room. As she'd hoped, Matt was helping Carrie. Dan, seated on her right, held her chair and she sat.

She tried to avoid Matt's gaze, but he seemed just as intent on gaining her attention. When a smile tipped his lips, she turned to her father who was helping Mrs. Griffin with her chair. A widow of two years, she was wearing mauve with silver brocade. She looked vibrant. So did Tobias. Pearl had never seen her father smitten, but he had that look tonight. The realization put a lump in her throat. Everyone at the table, except her, could chat with the opposite sex with ease. Most men frightened her. Matt didn't, but he belonged to Carrie.

When Tobias sat at the head of the table, Pearl cleared her throat. “Father?”

“Yes, princess?”

She hid a cringe. “Would you say grace?”

“Of course.”

The Lord already knew Pearl appreciated the food on the table. She needed provision of another kind, so she asked God for peace, good will and the discipline to keep her eyes off Matt Wiley. He provided those mercies right up until dessert.

M
att should have seen the trouble coming, but he'd missed the signs. If he'd been alert, he'd have realized Carrie liked him…a lot. Enough to bump his foot under the table. Enough to brush against his arm every time she passed the potatoes.

Dan must have noticed her interest, because he'd shot daggers at Matt all through the meal. Matt had shot back a few of his own. Twice Dan had made Pearl smile at a stupid joke. When she'd tipped her head with pleasure, jealousy had ripped from one side of Matt's chest to the other. He wanted Pearl to look at
him
that way, but that was crazy. He had no business courting any woman, especially a preacher's daughter. To add to his frustration, Carrie had honed in on his conversation with Tobias. Matt had planned to invite him for a cigar after dessert, but he hadn't gotten the chance. Considering Carrie's persistence, he doubted he would.

The entire evening had been filled with frustration. Instead of leaving tonight with Tobias as a new ally, he'd have to figure out another way to speak with the man. He also had to make his position clear to Carrie without hurting her feelings. As for Pearl, he hadn't been able to take
his eyes off her. If he slept at all tonight, he'd be dreaming of Cinderella with ribbons in her hair.

He'd had about all he could take when the maid came through the kitchen door carrying a serving plate in each hand.

“Dessert's here!” Carrie said brightly.

Matt joined the others in admiring the sweets. One plate held a chocolate cake. It looked simple and tasty. The other tray showed off cream puffs dusted with sugar. Tasty or not, they were too complicated for his simple ways. He had his heart set on the cake, but Carrie put a pastry in front of him.

“I made the cream puffs,” she said proudly. “It's a family recipe.”

Matt tried not to scowl at the pastry. After Pearl and Carrie finished serving the desserts, everyone lifted their forks. He tried to slice a bite of the cream puff, but the filling squished out the sides. He sawed with his knife but got nowhere. When he pushed harder, the pastry shot off the plate and landed in his lap.

Dan laughed out loud.

Pearl pressed her napkin to her mouth, but her eyes were dancing. Matt figured the joke was on him. If it made Pearl smile, he didn't mind. As their eyes met, his lips curved into a smile.

Carrie gasped. “Oh no! They're overbaked!”

Muttering apologies, he wrapped the mess in his napkin and stood to take it to the kitchen. As he turned, the tablecloth came with him and he realized he'd caught it in the napkin. Chocolate cake landed in Carrie's lap, and coffee spilled all over the pink dress. Pearl and Amy jumped up to steady the candles. Everywhere Matt looked, he saw sloshing coffee and crooked plates. He also had custard on his coat.

“Sorry,” he muttered.

Dan cackled. “Man, you're a klutz!”

“Thanks, buddy.” Matt sounded wry, but he meant it. Someone had to put the levity back into the evening and he couldn't do it. Carrie was close to tears, and Pearl looked nearly as upset as she darted around the table to help Carrie. He almost said he'd pay for all the laundering, but the words shot him back to the day they'd met. A lot had changed since that moment. Blond hair no longer made him crazy, and he felt a tug in his heart he'd never expected to feel again…a tug he didn't want to feel. Not only had he been a terrible husband, he also knew the sting of a woman's betrayal. Except Pearl would never betray anyone. She had a good heart, too good for the likes of him.

The women were all furiously blotting the dress, so he wadded the napkin and carried it to the kitchen. With the meal done, the cook had left. The hired girl was alone with a basin of steaming water and a mountain of dishes.

As the door clicked shut, she looked up and saw the blotch on his coat. “I'll get you a towel, sir.”

“Thank you.”

She opened a cupboard, saw the empty shelf and excused herself. “I'll be right back.”

Matt dumped the cream puff in a garbage pail without regret. He didn't care for cream puffs. He liked chocolate cake, blue ribbons and women who took care of others. Sighing, he found a rag, dabbed at his coat and made an even bigger mess.

The door opened and Pearl entered with the plate of chocolate cake in one hand and the leftover cream puffs in the other. She set the desserts down, then glanced at him with a mix of mirth and worry. The spill didn't bother her at all, but she cared about Carrie and her cousin had been
terribly embarrassed. He shook his head. “Sorry about the mess.”

“It's all right,” she answered. “We can clean it up.”

“Maybe.”

She tipped her head. “What do you mean?”

“I have a bigger mess than a cream puff.” He looked Pearl in the eye. “Tonight meant a lot to Carrie, didn't it?”

She said nothing.

“More than I knew, I'm afraid.”

When her eyes widened into moons. Matt knew a simple truth. Not only couldn't Pearl Oliver tell a lie, but she also couldn't keep a secret, either. He hadn't imagined Carrie's flirting. She'd set her cap for him, and she'd set it hard. His stomach churned and not from the meal. Not once had he thought of Carrie as more than Sarah's teacher. It was Pearl who filled his thoughts and made him crazy. The thought of coming between these two good women upset him.

He shook his head. “I didn't know she'd gotten ideas. I thought—”

“Your coat's a mess,” Pearl said. “I'll get a damp cloth.”

She turned her back, a sign she wouldn't talk about her cousin. Out of respect, he said nothing as she dampened a dish towel at the sink. With her eyes still averted, she handed it to him. “Here.”

The awkwardness irked him. They hadn't done anything wrong. He valued Pearl's friendship and didn't want to lose it. Being stubborn, he let the towel dangle between them. When she finally looked at him, he indicated the flap of his coat. “I'll make it worse. Would you mind?”

She hesitated, then came closer. With her eyes on the coat, she put one hand behind the smear and dabbed at it with the towel. When she bent her neck to get a better view,
he smelled her flowery soap. He told himself to look away from her ivory skin. He didn't have to see the ribbon above her ear. He didn't have to touch it. He could do the right thing and step back, except stepping back felt all wrong. He cared for Pearl and knew she had scars. He wanted her to feel pretty again, so he touched the silky ribbon above her ear.

Startled, she looked up. She didn't pull away, but her eyes had a wild shine and she looked ready to bolt.

“Sorry.” Matt lowered his hand. “I thought I recognized the ribbon.”

“You did, but it's just a ribbon.” Her voice came out high and thin, as if she were trying to convince herself more than him. He thought of Sarah's reaction when she'd caught him talking to himself. He'd told her to pretend she hadn't heard, but she had. Matt wanted to pretend he didn't know Pearl's thoughts, but he did. She liked him as much as he liked her. She also loved Carrie and felt loyal to her cousin.

She turned abruptly to the wash basin. “That's the best I can do.”

Matt glanced down. The coat looked new.

Pearl rinsed the towel, then went to work scraping the plates. Matt wanted to talk some more, but he had no business being with Pearl until he squared things with Carrie. He didn't know exactly how he'd do it, but he'd find a way to protect her dignity.

He headed for the door. “Thanks for your help,” he said to her back. “I better talk to Carrie.”

The dishes stopped rattling, but Pearl didn't turn. “She's upstairs. Everyone went home.”

Matt stopped at the door. He and Pearl were alone. The serving girl would be back, but they could sit in the dining room. They could share a piece of chocolate cake. He could
talk to her in the candlelight and no one would know, which was why he had to leave. He knew from experience that secrets had dangerous consequences. “Tell Carrie I said thanks for supper.”

“Of course.”

As he opened the door, she pivoted. “Wait. I have something for Sarah.”

She dried her hands, then cut two generous slices of cake and put them on a plate. After wrapping the dessert with a towel, she handed it to him. “There's a piece of you, too.”

“Thank you.” With the cake in hand, he paused at the door. “Good night, Pearl.”

“Good night, Matt.”

He shut the door behind him, but he couldn't block the echo of her voice in his mind. He'd be hearing it when he ate that chocolate cake, and he'd be touching that blue ribbon in his dreams. As soon as he could, he'd square things with Carrie, but then what? He couldn't deny his feelings for Pearl, but neither could he court a preacher's daughter. With the cake in hand, Matt left with his stomach in a knot. He had some thinking to do, and he'd doubtlessly be doing it all night long.

 

Pearl helped the serving girl clean the kitchen, then she climbed the stairs and tapped softly on Carrie's door. The quiet sobbing ceased, but Carrie didn't call for her to come in. Knowing the need for privacy, Pearl extinguished the wall sconce and went to her room. There she lit a lamp, checked on Toby and sat at the vanity.

Her eyes went to the ribbon above her ear, the one Matt had touched. She'd ignored him all through supper, but then the cream puff had skittered and she'd seen the shock on his face. She'd wanted to laugh with him, and that's when
she'd admitted a frightening truth. If it weren't for Carrie, she'd be willing to go down a dangerous path.

What if…

She closed her eyes to block the fearful yearning, but she saw Matt's face. She recalled his Texas drawl and the minty scent of his skin. From the day they'd met, she'd fought her feelings. She'd prayed. She'd stifled her thoughts and denied her dreams. She'd done everything she could to fight her fear of men
and
to protect Carrie, but she couldn't stop her heart from leaping when Matt looked into her eyes. She couldn't stop herself from yearning for the things she deeply feared. A husband…affection…a father for Toby.

Pearl wept into her palms. Her friends at Swan's Nest would have understood. Adie had lived with a secret and knew the cost. Mary knew how to fake a smile. Bessie, a nurse, would have made tea and listened to her woes. Caroline, the victim of a forbidden love, would have cried with her.

Lifting her face, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Tomorrow she'd be a friend to Carrie. But how? What could she say? She'd stopped Matt from talking, but she knew what he'd been about to say. He didn't have feelings for Carrie and never would.

Would her cousin accept the truth? Pearl hoped so, but love couldn't be easily denied. She knew, because she felt the seeds of it growing in her own heart. The seeds had to be plucked out, so she lifted her hand to her hair and loosened the ribbon. She pulled it free, laid it flat on the vanity, then rolled it tight. As the silk warmed with her touch, she placed it in the back of the drawer, far from the ribbons she wore every day.

She'd never forget this night. When he'd touched her hair, she'd almost swooned and not from panic. The panic had come an instant later. Had it started because of his
touch? Or when she thought of Carrie? She didn't know. The way things stood, she'd never find out. It hurt, but a small thought gave her comfort. Because of Matt's touch, the ribbons were special again.