Chapter Twelve
February was long gone, and March was just another month. Michaela was hopelessly staring out of her bedroom window. She knew he was watching her, and she was seriously contemplating throwing something at him to make him go away. He never went away. He stood where he thought she couldn't see him, but she saw him. There was nothing that could be done, because by the time Josef brought the authorities, David was long gone each time. Besides, they had no proof that he was of any threat to Michaela. The bruises on her arm had faded away over a week ago.
Michaela closed the window and moved to sit at her desk. She wished that David would go away. He wasn't permitted in the hospital, but she always got the feeling that he was near. Perhaps he was outside, waiting for her to get off of work. She always waited for her father or took a carriage so she wouldn't have to walk home alone.
David had been finding other ways to get to her. He had written a letter disguised in Sully's name. She'd been so happy to hear from Sully, but had been both disappointed and angered to find a note from David inside. She was no longer frightened of him, really. She was angry and hoped that he would give up on his quest to win her over. It certainly wasn't going to work.
So, she spent most of her free time scribbling around in her diary and wondering if Sully was well. She hadn't heard from him since she'd received a telegram from him when he first arrived, but she knew they were quite a long distance apart by post. It could take up to a month to receive a letter, so she might have to wait another week. She hoped not! She couldn't wait to hear from him, and hopefully, the next letter from Sully truly would be from him!
She often thought about Sully's kisses before he boarded the train that carried him away from her. That kiss had been the kiss that had opened the gate to a part of herself that had been frozen. She had never known it until Sully had kissed her. Now, she found herself dreaming of inappropriate things, but she couldn't control her subconscious. She found herself longing to be with him, and she knew that it was entirely improper to think of such things, especially since she was an unmarried and very inexperienced woman!
The room grew chilly, and Michaela moved over toward the hearth with the poker in her hand. She stirred the ashes a bit and watched them smolder. The hot ones rose up from the bottom of the pit and made the room warm again. She sighed with contentment and put the poker back on the rack. She warmed her hands and closed her eyes, picturing Sully's hands in hers, making her feel even warmer.
A knock came to her door, and she moved over to open it. She was surprised to see her mother standing there. They hadn't conversed much in the past couple of weeks. Most of the time, dinner had been a very quiet and tense occasion. Michaela was even thankful when her sisters were over, because at least there were more conversations going on besides the ones she carried on with her father about work!
"Mother?" Elizabeth looked hesitant. "What is it?" She finally held up an envelope, and Michaela's eyes went wide.
"This just came for you in the post." Michaela took the envelope and saw Sully's name scrawled in the corner of it. This had to be the real thing. It had to be!
"Thank you, Mother." Michaela shut her bedroom door and moved over to her desk. She was practically giddy! She couldn't wait to see what words waited for her on paper. He hadn't been able to say much in his previous telegram, because the cost of it per word would have been insanely expensive. She could only imagine and hope for what she was about to read.
As she opened the envelope, she prayed this wasn't another note from David, but when she saw the writing on the piece of paper, she knew it was from Sully. She closed her eyes for a moment, preparing herself for whatever she was about to read. Would it be good news or bad? Was he miserable without her? Was he having a good time?
She cleared her throat and began to read it aloud.
"Dear Michaela," she began, "I'm sorry if it takes a while for this letter to get to you. The post here is awful slow, and the mailbag only comes once a week by stagecoach. I've met some interesting people since I got here, and I only hope things will continue to improve. Most folks have been welcoming, especially Loren and his daughter, but others look at me like I don't belong here. I remember getting that same look in Boston." Michaela felt bad for Sully, but she knew he was strong, and he didn't really care what people thought of him. He valued the opinions of those who respected him and of whom he respected.
Michaela continued on. "The folks around here aren't exactly the friendliest people, but Loren Bray and his daughter have been nothing but nice to me. Abby's fiancé is real nice too. His name is Martin Anderson. He and Abby are supposed to marry sometime this month." Michaela couldn't help but feel relief in knowing that. She felt foolish for being jealous, but she couldn't help it! "Well, I'm sure you're wanting to know what I've been up to since I got here. I've been getting familiar with the land, and I'm building a two-story homestead out on the land Loren sold me. Don't worry, though. There's a little old homestead I'm staying in until my home's finished. It'll be kind of big for one man, but someday, I'll have a family to fill it." Michaela's heart skipped a beat. Was he thinking of her as his wife? She wasn't sure, but the idea of Sully wanting a family really made her smile. She cleared her throat and continued on.
"I even bought myself a horse, and I'm learning how to ride it. In early March, I'm taking a trip up to the top of Pike's Peak, and if I get a letter from ya before then, I promise I'll wait to read it 'til I get to the top of the peak. That way you can tell your pa that a part of you has been up there. Someday, I'll take you up there for real." Michaela smiled at the thought. Oh, it sounded like a fantastic plan! "I'm sure I'll already be halfway up the mountain by the time you get this. I just wanted to let you know that…I miss you. I don't miss Boston, and I know it sounds awful. The only thing I miss about it your face. I miss seeing you everyday. I am coming back in June though, so don't think I'm not. I've got a lot of homes now. I've got one in New York, here in Colorado Springs, and I can call Boston home too, because you're there." Michaela sighed, tracing her fingers over the words. He'd said it in every way that counted except for one. She still hadn't heard those three words.
"Michaela, I want you to see it with me one day," she finished. She closed her eyes for a moment and looked down at the signature. He'd struggled with the ending, she could tell, but he had finally settled on "Yours, Sully." She smiled a little and breathed a sigh of relief in knowing that he was well and thinking about her.
She walked back to the window and saw that David wasn't in his usual hiding place. Hopefully he'd gone home. Now she could go outside and get a breath of fresh March air. She pulled on her shawl, started downstairs and left the house. She was surprised to see Albert walking up. She almost sighed, but she saw that he had a worried look on his face and not the same dreamy look he usually had when he saw her.
"Good afternoon, Albert," Michaela said with a warm smile. "How are you today?"
"I'm well. And you?"
"Good. Thank you for asking. What brings you here?"
"I came to speak with your father, actually. Is he home?"
"I'm afraid not. Maybe I can help you."
"It's about Dr. Lewis." Michaela felt a chill and pulled her shawl tighter.
"I spotted him outside of your home. Did he come by?" Michaela nodded.
"He comes by often, but he stands outside. It's very unsettling, but when we try to do something about it, he disappears. We have no proof."
"Perhaps I could try having a word with him."
"No, don't do that," Michaela replied. "He's a dangerous man."
"Michaela," Albert insisted. She'd never heard him so bold before. "I don't like the way he looks at you. I don't like that he hurt you." Michaela smiled a little.
"You're a good man, Albert. You're going to make some woman very happy someday." Albert smiled knowingly. "Would you like to come in for a bite to eat?"
"No, thank you. I should be going on. I have a client to see. Just…if there's ever anything you need, you know I live just down the street." Michaela smiled warmly.
"Thank you, Albert." Albert tipped his hat and walked off. Michaela, still clutching Sully's letter in her hand, held it close to her heart, took a deep breath and walked inside.
Albert was walking toward the office he shared with his partner. He was a lawyer, though not as successful a lawyer as his father once was.
As he was walking, he noticed a young woman sweeping the porch steps of a small town home. She nearly slipped on the wet cement, and Albert rushed over to make sure she was all right. She had kept herself from falling by holding onto the rails of the steps.
"Are you alright, Miss?" he asked. She stood, and he noticed that she was young, about his age, and she had the most striking eyes he'd ever seen. They were so light blue that they were gray. Her hair was black, almost as black as the night sky. She was so beautiful, yet she looked so sad.
"I'm fine," she said, not looking him in the eyes. She brushed the slush off of her skirt and continued to sweep as if Albert wasn't there.
"Miss? If I may ask, what are you doing out here sweeping slush off of a porch step? Couldn't you get your butler to do that?" She turned on her heels, but didn't look him in the eyes.
"If it's any of your business, I work here," she spat.
"I'm terribly sorry. You just don't look as if…" Judging by her dress, she seemed to have some money. Perhaps she was just well taken care of by the master of the house.
"You're awfully presumptuous then, aren't you?"
"I'm sorry," Albert said, shaking his head frantically. "We seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot." He paused and studied her for a moment. "Have we met before?"
"I think I would remember if I had," she replied, continuing to sweep. She didn't want him to get the wrong idea, and judging by the raised eyebrow, he had. "I only mean that I would have remembered meeting you if you'd been as rude as you are right now." She swept so hard that the brush bristles began to fray.
"Miss, you seem to be upset."
"I'm fine," she replied. "I'm merely behind in my chores, and you're slowing me down."
"Might I offer you a cup of tea at the café down the street?"
"No, you may not. I don't have time for tea. I must finish here." She turned her back to him, and he realized she wasn't interested in talking right now. She intrigued him, however, and he wanted to learn more about this beautiful stranger.
"Good day, Miss," he said, tipping his hat. He walked away. Lydia leaned the broom against the door and stepped off of the steps to watch him walk away. Her cheeks were burning red, and she was amazed that someone had actually stopped to talk to her. Many people had heard the rumors of her being fired for doing sinful things with one of the doctors. Of course, that doctor's name hadn't been disclosed. Nobody ever gave her the time of day, except for her pregnant cousin Gertrude and Gertrude's husband, who had kindly offered to let her stay if she would work for them and tend to the house. They paid well, but Lydia hardly thought that this was what she was meant to do with the rest of her life after being a nurse. But, she felt it was probably punishment for what she'd done with Dr. Lewis, and she would live with it. She was taking each day as it came and dealing with the hardships she suffered almost constantly.
A small farmhouse sat along the countryside, and even though it was a rainy month, the dirt was dry as dust. Well, this part of Kansas practically was all dust. This quaint little home was adorned with a flower garden in the front and a vegetable garden in the back. Of course, with winter just past, it was nothing but dirt for the next month and a half.
It was barely warm outside, and the children were napping in their beds. It was too cold to play outside, and their mother had nothing else to entertain them with while she cooked and cleaned all day. So, the young ones were sleeping, the father was working in the barn, and the mother was working inside.
She had a secret. A big secret, and it was one she'd had for going on a month now. She didn't know how to tell her husband the news, because she knew how he was going to react. They barely had enough to make end's meet, and now they were going to have another mouth to feed.
She sighed heavily. This was the time. She couldn't wait any longer. Her waist was already starting to expand, and she knew he was going to find out sooner or later. She took a deep breath and pulled on her shawl. It was torn and tattered, but it kept her warm enough to go outside for five minutes.
The woman took one last look at her sleeping children before she closed the door to the homestead and started out toward the barn. She saw him mending a stable door, and she knew that he was almost finished with his work for the day. This was the perfect time.
"I got some news," she said quietly. He looked up at her and saw her long dark hair blowing loosely in the breeze. "Usually, it'd be good news, but seein' how things are right now, I ain't so sure you're gonna like it." He stepped down from his ladder and moved toward her.
"What is it, darlin'?" he asked, removing his hat and wiping the sweat that had managed to form. He put his hat back over his hair, which had prematurely turned to a salt and pepper color over the stress of managing the farm.
"We're…we're havin' another baby."
"What!" he asked quickly. "When?" His face was red, and he looked as if he'd stopped breathing.
"Baby's due in September," she said softly. "We have a while, but I figured I better warn ya." He looked at her, and she didn't know if he was happy or upset. Another child was normally a blessing, but this time, money was so tight. "We can't control these things."
"I know," he said quietly, pulling her into a distant hug. "The crops'll come in this year, and I'll just plant a little extra is all. We'll have enough to get through next winter." He pulled away and put on his best smile. "Another baby."
"Maybe it'll be a girl this time around," she said with a smile. He didn't seem to care at that moment. "You're sure you're okay with this? I mean, even if you weren't, it wasn't gonna make much of a difference, 'cause this baby's comin', like it or not."
"We'll get by just fine. Even if I gotta sell the farm to make extra, we'll get by, Charlotte. I promise." A grin spread over Charlotte's face, and she jumped into Ethan's arms, and he spun her around, giving her a kiss to the cheek.
"Oh, Ethan! Another baby!" His stomach had settled from the shock, and he smiled, seeing the joy in his wife's eyes. He never saw that anymore. Their marriage hadn't been the most stable of marriages, but they had gotten by. Seeing the joy in Charlotte's eyes gave him new hope, and made him forget about the bad things for a little while.
He put her down, and she grabbed his hand.
"Let's go tell the children!" She tugged on his hand, and they rushed off toward the little homestead in the middle of the dusty Kansas frontier.
Exhausted and freezing cold, Sully threw his pack down and settled under a pine tree at the top of Pike's Peak. He'd been climbing for a day and a half, and he'd finally reached his goal. Though his trousers were torn, and his coat was barely enough to keep him warm, he was happy. Tomorrow, he'd spend the day surveying, but now, it was time to read Michaela's letter.
He had wanted to rip open the envelope and read it as soon as it arrived, but he kept his promise to take it to Pike's Peak and read it then. He couldn't wait to read what she had to say. He wished she was there with him, enjoying the beautiful view of the land on the highest point of Pike's Peak.
He held the envelope to his nose, and he caught a faint whiff of her perfume. Over all of these miles, that scent still clung to the paper, waiting for him. He smiled and pulled the letter out of its envelope, and he began to read aloud, making it feel as if Michaela were there with him. Oh, what he wouldn't give to hear her voice and look into her eyes.
"Dear Sully," he began. "I hope all is well in Colorado Springs. I was so relieved and happy to hear that you had arrived safely in Colorado Springs! I hope the west is everything you wanted it to be and more, though I must admit that I find it difficult to grasp that you're not always here when I need to talk to you. But, know that I am well, and I think of you often." He smiled. She was holding back. He could only imagine what she wanted to say, and it was probably something she'd be embarrassed for. She was such a passionate woman, and it was sad that all of those proper Boston rules kept her from saying what was really in her heart. He continued on.
"From what you said in your telegram, the journey sounds agonizing and wonderful at the same time. I hope to take the trip myself someday! I know you may think I'm crazy after you've experienced it, but I never do things the easy way. When I go, I'll deal with every long train ride and bumpy stagecoach. It sounds like something that everyone should get to experience at least once before they die. I must admit that it worries me that you're in a new and dangerous land. Sully, I care about you. You've been a wonderful friend to me, and I don't want you to get hurt. Please, be careful. I know I've told you a million times, but I feel that I can't say it enough." Sully smiled. Friend? They were certainly more than that, even though they hadn't established it with words. He couldn't help but notice that she had struggled on the word 'friend'. He knew she had been resisting her feelings for him for a long time. But that day on the platform, her emotions had been raw, and he'd seen the love she had for him. God, he'd felt that love.
"Please don't worry about me," he went on, "but David has continued to come around. Before you get angry, he hasn't approached me. But, he watches me. I'm not afraid of him. I'm merely angry that he won't let me have my privacy when I need it." Privacy? Was he watching her through her bedroom window? It was at that moment when he wanted to hop onto the next stagecoach and go to Boston straight away. Unfortunately, his work prevented him from doing so. He wanted to find David and wrap his hands around his throat. He wanted to kill him for still coming around the way he was. He couldn't very well kill a man that Michaela used to care for, however, and he knew that. No matter how much she despised the man now, he used to be a friend to her. However, if David ever hurt her again, he knew he'd probably be able to put that past aside. He knew he could kill him, but it probably wouldn't be the best solution unless it was warranted.
"He's written a letter disguised in an envelope with your name written upon it, and I fear that more will come. I hope this situation ends soon, and I hope it'll be dealt with quietly and civilly. I must go now, because father needs me at the hospital. He sends his best. Sully, please…be safe. Yours, Michaela." So she had settled for the simple 'yours' too.
He sighed and put the envelope back into his pack. He hated feeling the way he was feeling. He couldn't do anything about David, and all he wanted to do was take Michaela into his arms and hold her. He hated not being able to do so. He loved being where he was now, but it just wasn't as great as it could be. If Michaela had been there, Sully would have had everything he needed. If only she were there…
Storm clouds were rolling in, and Sully knew it was time to set up camp for the night. As thunder started to rumble, he gathered up his pack and stood. He'd go down about thirty feet where there was plenty of shelter from the storm. It was growing colder, and Sully could see his breath. He was shaking, and he hoped that the storm would pass quickly.
The rain started, and it pelted onto the dirt, causing it to form into thick, sticky mud. Sully kept his balance as he started down the slope. He watched his step and lugged his pack over his shoulder.
Thunder rumbled, and lightning struck nearby. It was then that Sully wished he was sitting across from a warm fire in the parlor of the Quinn home. All he could see was Michaela's face. When the mud began to grow slippery, and Sully lost his footing, Michaela's face was on his mind. As he fell, he felt entranced by her green and hazel eyes.
His ankle made a loud popping sound, and he winced in pain. He began to fall faster and faster, sliding down. When he landed, he hit his head hard upon a large rock, and he screamed out as the pain became almost blinding. The pain overtook him, and as the storm passed, everything went black and silence filled the air.