Haunted by Love (Eastern Sierra Brides 1884) by Zina Abbott

Author:Zina Abbott [Abbott, Zina]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Prairie Rose Publications
Published: 2016-07-21T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 9

Hazel felt like she had barely fallen asleep when a soft tapping on her door woke her. It took her a few seconds to orient herself before she flung aside her covers and padded on bare feet to the door. Mr. and Mrs. Leavitt were the only ones who knew she was in this room. It must be Hiram Leavitt with a message for her.

Hazel quietly spoke into the crack of the door. “Mr. Leavitt? That you?”

Hazel waited several seconds without hearing a response. Then a man on the other side of the door answered, but it wasn’t Mr. Leavitt.

“Open the door, Hazel. I need to speak with you.”

“Don’t open the door.”

First hearing Mr. Sweeney’s voice and then Charlotte’s command, unsettled Hazel. She cleared her throat. “Mr. Sweeney, it’s late. Can’t it wait ’til mornin’?”

“No. It’s important, and I don’t intend to stand in the hallway and shout it for everyone to hear. Open the door, Hazel.”

“A-all right. If you’re sure it’s important. Let me get my wrapper on.”

“Hurry up, Hazel.”

The note of annoyance in Abner Sweeney’s voice was unmistakable, prompting Hazel to rush. She fumbled in the dark to light one of the lamps by the dressing table before she picked up her wrapper. Her hand caught on the sleeve as she struggled to pull it on quickly.

“Keep him out of my room. Tell him to go away.”

“I-I ain’t lettin’ him in, Charlotte. Reckon I’ll stand at the door and find out right quick what he’s aimin’ to tell me.”

Hazel wrapped the robe around her and tied it tightly at her waist. Her fingers trembled as she once again sensed an atmosphere of agitation in the room.

“Do not open the door. He does not mean you well.”

Charlotte’s warning stopped Hazel in her tracks. She didn’t know what to think. She had not been comfortable about sharing a room with Mr. Sweeney. But, for the most part, he had not given her any reason to think he meant her harm. Both he and Mrs. Sweeney had gone out of their way to be nice to her.

“He said it was important. Reckon if I stand at the door and hear him out, ain’t no need him comin’ in.”

“Who are you talking to, Hazel? Who’s in there with you?” The annoyed hiss of Mr. Sweeney’s words froze Hazel in her tracks.

“Say nothing about me.”

Hazel felt trapped. Abner Sweeney was her chaperone, and she had a duty to follow his direction until he helped her board the stage in Bodie. On the other hand, she had just declared her friendship to Charlotte who now expected her to not tell Mr. Sweeney about her and to keep him from entering the room. Feeling caught in a vise, she pondered what she should do.

“Hazel!”

Accustomed to obeying when yelled at, Hazel hurried to the door and turned the key. She cracked the door and pressed her face in the opening.

“Yes, Mr. Sweeney?”

Abner Sweeney pushed the door open with enough force to cause Hazel to stumble several steps back into the room.

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