Wyoming Lawman by Victoria Bylin

Author:Victoria Bylin
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2010-08-26T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Pearl tapped on Carrie’s door, waited for her cousin to answer and stepped into the stuffy bedroom. Propped on pillows, Carrie looked as pale as the bed sheets. Pearl sat on the edge of the mattress. “Church starts in an hour,” she said gently. “You need to get dressed.”

Carrie sniffed. “I can’t.”

“Tea will help.”

“Nothing will help.” She blew her nose into a hankie. “I didn’t sleep a wink. There’s no way I can manage a Sunday school class.”

Carrie and Amy shared responsibility for teaching the girls. “They need you, cousin.”

“I know.” She sighed. “Would you fill in for me?”

Pearl loved the idea, but she couldn’t let Carrie wallow in self-pity. “You’ll feel better if you go to church.”

Carrie dabbed at her eyes. “I can’t do it. Not today.”

Pearl understood the desire to hide. She’d walked around with a pregnant belly and no husband. People, especially children, could be cruel. If Carrie lost her composure at church, people would gossip. She couldn’t hide forever, but she didn’t have to face her problems today. Tomorrow would be soon enough.

Pearl absently smoothed a wrinkle out of the sheet. “Do you remember when we first met? You told me not to cry because I’d get puffy?” Carrie nodded.

“You’re more than puffy,” Pearl said gently. “You’re as sodden as Toby gets.”

Her cousin sniffed. “I’m a mess.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll help Amy.”

“Thank you!” She gripped Pearl’s hand. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“You’d be fine.”

“I’d be miserable,” she insisted. Biting her lip, she gave Pearl a look full of love. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, cousin. I can talk to you about anything.”

Pearl felt the same way…almost. She’d never tell Carrie about the ribbons, but she wanted her cousin to know she’d had a private conversation with Matt. “We need to talk about last night.” Carrie groaned.

“I know it’s hard,” Pearl said. “But someday you’ll laugh about it.”

“Maybe, but will Matt?”

“I think so.” Pearl thought of the ribbons. Would he forget touching her hair? She wouldn’t, but she had to try.

Carrie set a wadded hankie on the nightstand. “I tried so hard, but he ignored me all evening. He kept looking across the table at—at—”

Pearl’s heart stopped.

“At Dan!”

Blood stained Pearl’s cheeks, but she had no reason to be ashamed. She couldn’t stop her wayward feelings, but she’d behaved honorably.

Carrie sighed. “Maybe he was worried about something.”

“Maybe.”

“I just don’t know,” Carrie said with a moan. “I thought Matt and I had a lot in common, but last night he seemed like a stranger.”

Pearl refused to hide her unexpected meeting with Matt. “I talked to him afterward. We were in the kitchen.”

“What did he say?”

Pearl wanted to protect her cousin, but she couldn’t distort the truth. “I don’t think he realized how you felt until last night.”

“Really?”

“I’m sure of it.” Pearl described the conversation without mentioning the ribbons or the cake. Some things were private. Others had to be said with the hope of sparing her cousin more hurt. “He likes you, Carrie. But he doesn’t seem…interested.

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