Judith Stacy by Cheyenne Wife

Author:Cheyenne Wife [Wife, Cheyenne]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“Looks like we’ve got company.”

At North’s words, Lily turned and followed his gaze to the edge of the forest. She’d come outside to talk to him about Hannah, interrupting his repairs to the covered wagon, but the two figures who materialized among the trees took her attention.

Men come to trade, she guessed. Or perhaps messengers from the fort. She doubted they were people simply passing through. Nobody passed through, out here in the middle of nowhere.

Lily glanced up at North. No trepidation or concern showed on his face, making her think they were welcome guests.

But when they stepped clear of the woods, Lily’s heart lurched. A woman. One of them was a woman. Young, white, wearing a dress of rough calico. Slightly in front of her walked a grizzly bear of a man, dressed in buckskins, sporting a wooly beard and wild hair.

“Tom Carson,” North said to Lily. “His wife, Grace. They live a few miles away.”

“A few miles?” Lily wanted to hit him. A woman—no older than herself—had lived close by all these weeks, and North had never told her? Someone very much like her, whom she could have talked to, commiserated with? Another woman who could have relieved the desperate ache of isolation she’d at times endured?

The Carsons stopped halfway across the yard, waiting to be acknowledged. Lily wanted to rush to greet them, but reined in her patience and walked alongside North. The men shook hands, and introductions were made.

“I’m so happy to meet you,” Lily said to Grace, and she’d never meant anything more in her life. Grace clasped her outstretched hands, seemingly as pleased to see another woman as Lily was.

“I didn’t know you had yourself a wife now,” Tom said to North.

Lily’s gaze collided with North’s. It was a logical assumption. They were, after all, living there at the cabin together. Yet it startled Lily and caused her cheeks to heat.

“I’m a visitor here,” she said.

Tom’s brow rose and his lips quirked.

“She’s a teacher,” North told him, “here for my sister.”

Tom nodded, as if hearing the explanation, but not believing it.

Lily fought off the urge to explain further. “Would you care for some refreshment?”

“I’ve come to talk a little business,” Tom said to North and nodded toward the horses in the corral. “If you’ve got the time, that is.”

“Please, Grace, come inside,” Lily invited, gesturing toward the cabin.

Grace hesitated. She turned to her husband, her gaze not meeting his. “Is it all right?”

Tom mulled it over. “I reckon,” he finally said. “For a few minutes.”

“I’m truly glad to see you,” Lily said as she and Grace hurried toward the cabin. “I had no idea you lived close by.”

Grace smiled broadly. “I haven’t seen another woman in months. I couldn’t believe it when we walked up to the cabin and I saw you—”

Her words died as they stepped inside. Grace gasped and touched her fingers to her lips. She turned, taking in the room wide eyed.

“Oh…oh, it’s lovely,” Grace declared. “Did you do all of this?”

Lily smiled modestly.

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