Cadence by Charlene Raddon

Author:Charlene Raddon [Raddon, Charlene]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-03-15T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Mortimer left on the train as expected and the house sighed with relief. Not finding Lach anywhere, everyone assumed he went with his boss.

To celebrate their moment of freedom, Cady, Leda and Alma decided to visit the mercantile and bakery. Mae pleaded exhaustion from her night's adventures, but Cady guessed her true motive was to avoid Garrick.

Despite the gray, ominous clouds that filled the sky, the girls laughed and cracked jokes as they always did during Mortimer's absences.

Sam tagged along behind, not close enough to interfere with their conversation, but enough to keep an eye on them.

"You don't need to come," Cady called back to him. "Mortimer will never know."

"We'll keep watch on her," Alma said. "Don't worry."

Sam frowned and stared at the tips of his boots for a minute. "Naw, don't reckon I ought to do that. If Mortimer found out, I'd be out of a job."

"You fear him that much?" Cady asked. How could she get him to help her if he's terrified of Mortimer?

"He ain't nobody to cross, Miss Cady. And neither is Lach. That man has a cruel streak in him as long as the Mississippi River. I once seen him whip a man just 'cause he stepped in front of him."

Cady moaned silently. The situation was worse than she wanted to believe. Never, until she came here, had she known people who liked to be cruel. She didn't understand it. Each day it became more difficult to believe she'd get Regina back soon. Thinking about it destroyed the fun of getting out of the salon.

The girls went on their way, and Sam dropped back again, following at a distance.

"I'm so glad old Moron went back to Cranesville," Leda said. "If only he'd stay there. And Lach too."

"I agree, but I'm not going to let him ruin my visit to the bakery. I love Susannah's pies." Alma seemed unusually chipper. She almost skipped along the road. "I can breathe better when Mortimer's gone though. I'm always afraid he'll come to my bed when he's here."

"I've had that thought too. I think he's afraid to bed his own women for fear they'd fight over him, if you can imagine that." Leda pointed across the street. "Cady, look. Isn't that your photographer's wagon?"

"My photographer?"

"Yes. You can't deny he's interested in you."

Yes, she could. He'd given no indication he was attracted to her.

A breeze fanned her cheek, reminding her of the way Garrick had brushed his thumb over that same cheek after the fire.

Sure enough though, Garrick's wagon sat parked behind the dressmaker's shop. Her pulse beat faster, whether because she might see him again or because he might ask about July, she didn't know. If she knew beyond a doubt that Mae was July, she might tell him. The fact that Mae kept insisting it wasn't true, left her unsure. Did Mae not trust her to keep her secret, or was she telling the truth?

Cady sighed, tempted to return to the salon. The day had already been ruined for her.

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