CHAPTER THREE
Sully woke up to the delicious aroma of bacon and eggs.
He slowly opened his eyes, his mind in a fog as he tried to remember where he was. Looking around, he noticed the cabin's owner, his friend Jackson McLeary, smiling at him from the table.
"Well. You finally decide ta join the livin' again?"
Suddenly it all came rushing back to him and he bolted upright on the narrow bed, looking around wildly for the woman. To his relief, the cabin looked just as it had when he went to sleep the night before.
His body totally relaxed and he slowly lowered himself back down on the bed, covering his eyes with the back of his hand. Thank God, it was only a dream! Only a crazy dream!
"Ya lookin' for the woman? She's gone."
Sully's head snapped to the left and he stared at McLeary. "What woman?" he asked, hoping against hope...
"The one you was yellin' at perched on your lap when I came in last night," he answered. "What the heck was that all 'bout anyway?" Eying Sully with a wink he continued, "I thought you was happily married, Sully, but hey – ifn' ya want a little strange now and then, well..."
"IT AIN'T LIKE THAT!" Sully erupted in anger. McLeary just looked at him.
"Whatever ya say, friend."
"It ain't! She had me TRAPPED here and tried ta get me ta...ta..."
McLeary chuckled and waved a hand at him, resuming his breakfast. "I'm just joshin' with ya, Sully. I heard you tell her ta get off ya. Who is she anyways?"
Sully ignored the question to ask one of his own, "I don't 'member anythin' after you came in. What happened?"
McLeary chuckled again. "Well, when you fell you hit your head and knocked ya'self out cold. The woman grabbed up her dress real quick and wiggled into it. Then she bent down ta check on ya and asked me ta help her get ya up on the bed. She seemed ta be makin' sure your head was alright and then sat down next to ya. She didn't say much ta me. I made me a pallet by the fire for some shuteye. When it got first light a coupla' hours later, she gathered up her stuff and left."
Sully nodded thoughtfully, holding his head and trying to rub away a fierce headache that bombarded him the instant he had bolted upright.
"Ya let the woman tie ya up like that?"
"No! 'Course not!"
"Then how'dya get that way?"
"I don't know," Sully admitted in embarrassed frustration, "I ate some supper my wife packed for me and went ta sleep. Next thin' I know I woke up like that...tied ta the chair," he finished in red-faced shame.
He stole a glance at his friend to find him silently chuckling.
"Don't ya go tellin' nobody 'bout this, ya here?" The mountain man bristled.
McLeary held his hands up to swear, "Not a word, friend, not a word," he assured him.
Sully went back to rubbing his aching head, wishing it truly had been a dream.
"Ya want some 'a this here bacon & eggs?"
Sully thought for a second but realized the idea of food was not a bit appealing. "I think I better get goin'. I wanna finish my business in Pueblo and get on home."
"Sure thing, Sully." McLeary answered, wondering how his friend was going to explain last night to that doctor wife of his – or if he would tell her at all!
The woman rode toward Colorado Springs as fast as her horse could take her.
What a mess last night turned out to be! And what a time for McLeary to decide to come back to his cabin! The whole thing turned into an embarrassing fiasco and spoiled all my plans.
She was five miles north of town before she paused and looked over her shoulder to make sure he wasn't following. That just wouldn't do.
I didn't expect him to resist so much, I thought sure he'd give in long before that. I guess I should have given him the herbs sooner. But then, what if McLeary had opened the door and caught us in the act? A vivid picture of that occurring made her shudder.
As she rode along, she thought back on Sully and the constant protestations he had made. He was so funny, clamping his mouth closed and not letting me kiss him. But when he finally did open up, he couldn't help but kiss me back – oh my! That man can kiss! And those blue eyes! She chuckled. My hat's off to you, Michaela Quinn, you sure are one lucky woman! I wonder if he's awake yet and what he is thinking right now. Is he wondering where I am – and what I'll do next?!
She pushed the horse harder, wanting to get back as soon as possible and make plans. I've got to be ready when I see him again. When that would be she couldn't be sure, but she didn't want it to be out here in the wild open spaces.
Besides, it was starting to look like it might rain, and that would be all she needed!
Having finished collecting the horses in Pueblo for Robert E., Sully immediately began the 20-mile trek back to Colorado Springs.
His conscience was killing him and he felt sick to his stomach with guilt. Not only that, but he'd had a raging headache ever since he woke up that morning and his mouth felt like cotton. All in all, he felt absolutely rotten.
He covered the distance in record time, hardly stopping to let the animals rest or to rest himself. The only thing on his mind was getting back home to Michaela. He wanted to kick himself for not telling her about Cloud Dancing's prediction before. Will she even believe me now?
In truth he was more than a little worried. What if the woman's already seen Michaela – and even told her what happened? God, he couldn't think about that, it was too horrible to even contemplate.
Sully rode his tired horse through town, pulling the reins of the other four he had picked up for Robert E. As he passed by the clinic on his way to the livery he gazed at the building trying to tell if Michaela was there or not, but couldn't come to a conclusion. It was already a little past when she usually closed up for the night. No horses or wagons – or traveling acting troupes – were in sight. He didn't know what to make of that realization as a coil of dread in his stomach made itself known – did the woman go with them? God I hope so!
Rounding the corner, he spotted Robert E. at his forge and pulled up at the fence, sliding down wearily and greeting his friend.
"You made good time Sully," remarked the blacksmith, wiping his hands and coming over to the mountain man to exchange greetings. "I didn't expect ya till sometime tomorrow."
"Yeah, well...I needed to get back to town sooner than I expected. Ya seen Michaela around? She at the clinic?"
"Yeah, she's there. I saw her 'bout an hour ago sayin' goodbye to those actor folks. She sure got real chummy with them while they were here," Robert E. laughed as he took off his hat and scratched his head.
Sully felt the coil of dread tighten in his gut.
"She did?"
"Yeah, saw her coupla times in the café, gabbin' with some of the women, specially a blond-headed one. Spent a lot of time with her. You know how women are, they like sharin' secrets and such."
Sully's stomach nearly turned over. A blond! Sharin' secrets! No, oh man, what am I gonna do! Not wanting Robert E. to see him sweating and start asking questions, he forced his face to look normal.
"Yeah, well, I guess I better get goin'. See ya, Robert E."
"So long, Sully. Oh and thanks for makin' that trip to Pueblo for me."
Thinking he wished he'd never made the awful trip, Sully just nodded and gave him a tiny smile, his mind consumed with the upcoming conversation. Man, I wish I didn't have ta do this! But I know I gotta tell her. If I keep it from her and she finds out later, it'll look even worse. That is...if MIRANDA ain't told her about it.
He walked down the street and around the corner toward the clinic like a man going to his execution. Having thought and thought about what to say to her all the way home from Pueblo, he still hadn't come up with anything that sounded believable.
Reaching the porch of the clinic, Sully paused to try and settle his nerves a little. Then turning the knob and pushing open the door, he let himself in. First things first, he would go to her, see what kind of mood she was in, and go from there.
Michaela wasn't in the exam room so he figured she was upstairs somewhere. Slowly and quietly he climbed the stairs, hearing her softly humming in the far recovery room. He paused outside the door to savor the moment. She didn't sound upset. That's good! How he loved hearing her voice. Memories of standing next to her in church as she sang and all the times in the homestead when he came upon her humming or singing came to mind. Images of her hanging laundry or rocking Katie floated across the screen of his thoughts and the full force of his love and adoration for her hit him hard. I love her so much...I need her so much in my life...what'm I gonna do if she won't forgive me? I'll do whatever it takes – I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to her if I have to!
Then swallowing hard, he stepped to the doorway.
She was finishing making up the bed with her back to the door, humming "Beautiful Dreamer." Sully watched her for a moment, loving every movement of her body and every swish of her long beautiful hair. Sensing his presence, she paused and turned around to face him.
"Sully! You're back early! I thought you would be away another night," she smiled with pleasure, going to him and putting her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her firmly and thankfully, not wanting to let her go. God I love this woman! She feels so good in my arms, she always smells so good. Looking upward toward Heaven he thought, I'd rather cut off my right arm than hurt her the way I'm gettin' ready to. God! Why'd this have ta happen?
Sensing something different in him, Michaela pulled back to gaze at his face. Seeing the bruise on his forehead and the pained expression in his eyes, she immediately put her hands on his face and head, going into doctor mode. "Are you alright, Sully?"
He gazed sadly into her eyes and nodded, "Yeah, I'm ok. Got a pretty bad headache is all."
"Another migrim?"
"No, this was caused by somethin' else."
Before she could speak again, Sully took her hands in his and led her over to the bed, seating her. Taking a step back, he gazed in her eyes a moment more and then said, "Michaela, I've got somethin' ta tell ya, but I need ya ta promise me you'll hear me out before ya say anythin', ok?"
Her eyes widened as she searched his face for some hint of the subject, a small knot of dread forming in her stomach.
"Sully, what is it? You're frightening me."
"Michaela...this is gonna be one 'a the hardest things I've ever done, but I gotta tell ya about somethin' that happened last night...somethin' I did."
"Sully..."
"No, please just let me tell ya the whole thing." Taking a ragged breath, he began pacing back and forth in front of her. Where do I start??
"Michaela...first let me ask you somethin'. Did you make friends with one of those actor people, a woman named 'Miranda'?"
Michaela looked at him in confusion and shook her head, "Sully...you...don't you..."
He rushed right on before she could continue. "Last night I got to the cabin, you know, Jackson McLeary's cabin. I ate my supper that ya packed for me, then not long after that I fell asleep. When I woke up..." at this he turned and looked in her eyes to let her see his sincerity, "I was tied to a chair and a woman was in the cabin."
She shook her head, "Su..."
He held up a hand to cut her off, "The woman told me who she was and what she was doin' there...what she wanted with...me." Michaela opened her mouth to say something, but he determinedly continued, "Let me finish, this is so hard. This woman, she said her name is Miranda Webster, well...she's your half-sister." He glanced at her but couldn't read the expression in her eyes, maybe shock, but he wasn't sure. He rushed on, wanting to just get it over with. "Michaela, 40 years ago your father went to San Francisco and, well, got a woman pregnant. Miranda is that child. She grew up hatin' you and wantin' to get revenge. She came here specifically to cause trouble between us..."
"Sully! Wait, you..."
"No! Michaela please! I'm tryin' ta tell ya...this woman, she tricked me, she put somethin' in some tea and got me ta drink it," he rushed on, pushing the words out as fast as he could while he paced back and forth by the bed, one hand on his forehead.
"I don't know what it was, some kinda herbs or somethin' but it made me crazy. Michaela, she came on ta me somethin' fierce, she kissed me and rubbed herself on me, and... a man can only take so much 'a that and not... I fought her off best I could, but my hands and arms and my feet and legs were tied to the chair! They were tied so tight I couldn't even move, but I tried ta turn away and stay outta her reach. Then...somethin' happened that I'm so ashamed of..."
At this, Michaela got up and turned her back to him, taking a few steps across the room. One arm was wrapped tight around her stomach and the other hand covering her mouth. He could see her shoulders were shaking.
"Oh sweetheart, please don't cry!" Sully begged, his voice cracking with emotion as his remorse quadrupled, his words spilling out with increasing speed. "Michaela, I'd rather die right now than have ta tell ya this – but...I gotta tell ya the truth...I...I got, well...turned on and all of a sudden I thought I was kissin' you and my body just went crazy! I can't explain it! Cloud Dancin's prediction – he told me a woman was gonna try and come between us and I've been doin' everythin' I can to keep it from comin' true! But, I came ta my senses and stopped and pushed her away. I swear! Do ya hear me? I didn't do it with her! McLeary opened the door right then, thank God. I jumped up and fell over and hit my head. I woke up this mornin' and the woman was gone," he finished, his voice almost a whine.
Sully waited, watching her as her shoulders silently shook, trying to think of the best thing to do. Should he let her think about it? Take her in his arms? Get down on his knees and beg her forgiveness? Had he just broken her heart beyond repair? Not a man given to hatred, the feeling welled up inside him against this stranger who had forced her way into their happy lives. If she were here at that moment he would have gleefully put his hands around her throat and squeezed the life out of her.
Finally, he took a couple of steps towards his wife, reaching out and tugging gently on her sleeve. "Michaela? Sweetheart?" he said softly. "Please don't turn away from me. Please don't shut me out. Talk to me. Don't let her win!"
Gently he put his hand on her arm and slowly turned her around.
What he saw then shocked him more than if she had slapped the fire out of him.
On to chapter Four!