Julie Garwood - Come the Spring

true.

She suddenly pulled away- from Cole. "None of this is your fault.

You're only doing your job. You're right too. Caleb should stay out

of harm's way." She straightened her shoulders, turned around, and

walked back inside.

Josey was waiting at the kitchen table. She wanted to tell Jessica

that Caleb had gone right to sleep, but when she saw the heartache on

the poor mother's face, she got up and went to her. "I'm going to take

good care of your boy. I promise you, Jessica. Tom and I will treat

him like he was our own son."

"I want to thank you for agreeing to watch him, and I know I don't have

the right to ask . . . " "You can ask anything you want to ask. If I

can do it, I will."

"If I don't come back . . . " "Don't talk like that, " Josey

interrupted. "You're coming back, " Cole said from behind.

Jessica ignored both protests. "If I don't come back, Josey, will you

raise my son? " Josey looked over Jessica's head at Cole. He gave a

quick nod. "Yes, Tom and I will raise him. You've got my word. "

"Thank you, " Jessica said, her voice flat. "I would also like you to

change his name legally so that he won't feel like an outsider. I want

him to belong to a family."

"Jessica, for God's sake, stop talking like that. Nothing's going to

happen to you."

"I have to make arrangements just in case. I owe it to Caleb." Josey

understood.

"We'll make it legal, " she promised. "I give you my word." Jessica

grabbed hold of her hand. "One last promise, Josey, and I'll be able

to go. Please, don't ever leave him." Xaniel was torn between

responsibilities. His primary obligation was to escort Grace to Texas,

and he was doing exactly that, but he also wanted to head over to the

small town of Clarkston, where the latest robbery had occurred, to look

for evidence that might help him in his investigation.

He couldn't send Cooper to the bank in his place, as he was with

Rebecca, making certain she got to Texas alive and unharmed. The two

of them had left for the depot an hour ago, but not before Cooper had

dispatched his two young and inexperienced deputies to Clarkston to

help the sheriff there. Rebecca had insisted on sending a telegram to

the hotel in Salt Lake City to cancel the reservation she'd made the

day before and to alert her friends that her plans had been changed,

and as soon as she came out of the telegraph office, she was put in a

coach with Cooper and sent on her way.

Cooper had suggested that he and Rebecca wait until Grace could travel

so that he could take both women with him and Daniel could go to

Clarkston, but Daniel refused. Each of the women believed herself to

be the only one claiming to have witnessed the robbery, and he was

determined to keep all three of them separated on the trip to Red Arrow

because he didn't want them making any more joint plans. Although he

personally believed that Rebecca was the real witnessţshe had given

descriptions and details to prove she had been thereţhe would let the

judge in Blackwater decide for himself which one of the three was

telling the truth.

He hadn't seen Cole before he left town with Jessica and Caleb. They

had taken off an hour or so after the gunman had tried to kill her.

Daniel still didn't know the name of the dead man, but he was certain

he was one of the Blackwater gang. Past reports told him that there

were seven men in the gang. One was in jail in Blackwater, another was

dead now, thanks to Cole's expertise, and five were still out there

somewhere . . . waiting for an opportunity, Daniel believed, to

silence all three women.

There was also another reason he didn't want Cooper to take Grace with

him, but one Daniel would never admit. While he trusted Cooper to do

his job, he didn't want to let Grace out of his sight. In his mind, no

one could protect her as diligently as he could. There was also the

fact that he was drawn to her, and it was his hope that by the time

they reached the stopping point in Red Arrow, he would have gotten over

his bizarre and unexplainable infatuation.

Daniel stayed in Rockford Falls that night and slept in a chair outside

of Grace's door. He went downstairs early the next morning, but didn't

plan to leave the town until late that afternoon when the coach

arrived.

Grace had other ideas. Daniel had just returned from the bathhouse,

where he'd washed and changed into clean clothes, and was standing on

the veranda talking to Dr. Lawrence when Grace came down the stairs.

Dressed in a pale pink skirt and matching blouse, she carried her white

gloves and hat in her hands, and went directly to the manager's desk to

inform him that she was leaving. Sloan trailed behind her, carrying

her valise.

Daniel didn't like the crowd in the lobby. Folks were checking out of

the hotel, and it was chaotic. He quickly went to Grace's side and

ordered her back upstairs.

"You can rest until this afternoon when the coach arrives."

"I don't wish to rest any longer. I feel fine, " she insisted. "Have

you changed your mind about taking me to Texas? " "No."

"I didn't think so, but I was compelled to ask. We need to talk,

Daniel."

"Upstairs.

" "No, not upstairs. Now, right this minute, then I expect you'll take

me off to jail."

"I'm taking you to Texas, " he whispered as he half dragged her into a

corner.

"Sheriff Sloan just told me they're holding a man in Blackwater and

they think he's one of the gang. Is that true? " "Yes."

"Then why didn't you tell me? " she demanded. "I never would have .

. . " "You never would have what? " "I lied to you, " she cried out.

"I'm not your witness. I only said that I was to protect Rebecca and

Jessica.

It was wrong and I'm sorry. Please don't be angry with me. Will I

have to stay in jail long? " "You aren't going to jail, " he

muttered.

"But I lied to an officer of the law."

"The three of you have done nothing but lie, " he said. "I honestly

don't know who to believe."

"I'm telling you the truth now. I wasn't there."

"At this point I don't care if you were there or not. The judge has

ordered all three of you to Blackwater, and that's where we're going as

soon as the coach arrives."

"Why are the others going? " "I just explained that Judge Rafferty

wants all of you there."

"Will he put me in jail for lying?

" The thought of her behind bars was so outrageous, he lost some of his

anger.

"You've got bigger things to worry about than jail. Come on. You're

going back upstairs to wait in your room until the coach gets here. "

She shook her head. "If I must go . . . " "You must."

"I don't want to wait for a coach. Can't we go by horseback? The

sheriff told me it would be quicker because we could take some cut

throughs." He smiled.

"Shortcuts, " he corrected.

A stout, elderly woman was pushing her way through the crowd toward

Grace. Daniel noticed her out of the corner of his eye and moved to

put himself in front of Grace.

"I beg your pardon, " the woman said. "Please get out of my way. I

wish to speak to Lady Winthrop." Grace gave Daniel a little nudge and

stepped forward. "Good morning, " she said.

The woman made an attempt at a curtsy. "It's an honor to meet you, "

she said. "My name is Winifred Larson, " she added with a blush. "And

I couldn't help but notice your lovely hat. Could you tell me where

you purchased it? I would like to get one just like it. Would you

mind if I looked at it more closely? " Grace smiled and handed the hat

to Winifred. The straw brim was covered in lace and flowers, and there

were two purple plumes feathering up and out on one side.

"It's exquisite, " Winifred declared. "I must have one just like it.

I have a purple dress, you see, and it would be lovely with it." A

tall, thin man with a receding hairline came over to join them. She

quickly introduced him. "This is my husband, Lionel, " she said. In a

loud whisper she told her husband to bow to Lady Winthrop.

"That isn't necessary, " Grace said.

"Do you mind telling me where you purchased this divine creation? "

Winifred asked again.

Grace explained. "I purchased the basic straw hat, but I decorated

it.

" "Then there's not another one in all the world like it? " "I know

where this is headed, " her husband interjected with a chuckle.

Grace didn't understand. "Excuse me? " "When Winifred gets a notion

she wants something . . . " "May I buy it from you? " Winifred

blurted out. "To own a Lady Winthrop creation would be so thrilling

for me. I simply must have it. How much will you take for it? Will

five dollars do? " Grace was incredulous. She glanced at Daniel to

see how he was reacting and smiled because he looked genuinely

puzzled.

"Actually, Mrs. Larson, I hadn't considered selling . . . " "If it's

an original, Mother, " Lionel whispered loudly, "you've got to offer

more."

"Yes, yes, you're right. Ten dollars then. Will that do? " Daniel