FLAME SERIES #20 SO SWEET THE SMILE

CHAPTER 3

The Whole Truth

Gaith stood on the top of Nubbins Peak; legs braced apart as he rolled his neck around to loosen the taunt muscles. The sun had relinquished its hold hours ago and she still hadn't arrived. Impatience was running neck and neck with worry leaving him tighter than a buffalo hide staked out in the sun. Cicely had confided in the young cowboy that her father was abusive. That was two days ago and now; she had failed to meet him here at their rendezvous place.

When he was fifteen Gaith would walk Mary Louise Keptner home from school. He took her to the barn dance three times and kissed her each time. That was the extent of his experience with women. He knew even less about rescuing one.

Gaith looked up when he heard a rider coming. The sight of Cicely's long platinum hair glowing in the moonlight allowed the release of the breath he had been holding hostage. The inexperienced cowboy was smitten from the first time he saw that beautiful heart shaped face. And when she laughed it was a sound that teased the heart and made love to the soul. He just couldn't believe that a girl like that had chosen him.

Cicely could see the relief in Gaith's eyes even before she brought her horse to a stop. He was instantly at her side, his strong young hands pulling her down into his arms.

Gaith pressed the slender young girl close to his heart. "Cicely. I was so worried." His hold gently relaxed and she leaned back in his embrace. "Where have you been?"

"He nailed my window shut so I couldn't get out at night." Despite the anger that lay deep inside, she was able to maintain a helpless tone and an even more vulnerable smile. "I finally found an piece of pipe in the kitchen and pried the nail loose but…" She threw her arms around her young champion. "I was so afraid I would never see you again." Cicely pulled back enough to confirm her fears with a kiss.

"That's it!" Gaith held her at arm's length. "I don't want you going back there. As soon as I can get some money we'll get married."

"Married!" A smile erupted but just as quickly was replaced by a slight pout. "When you get some money?"

"Yeah. I don't spend much of my pay cause they provide everything but I don't have enough for a house or anything."

Cicely entangled herself from his arms just enough to be able to see his face more clearly. "I thought…isn't the Lady K your ranch. I mean your folks' ranch?"

Gaith laughed forcing that small dimple to pierce his right cheek. He had been so enamored of the pretty blonde that he hadn't realized they really didn't know that much about each other.

From the very beginning, Cicely had seemed content to just kiss and hold each other. Mostly kiss and he sure wasn't going to complain about that. Besides, he was afraid that if she found out he had been in prison she would leave him. It wasn't until this last week that she had confided in him about her father.

"No, I just work there."

Cicely tilted her head to one side, her gaze taking on a more serious aspect. "But I heard the man in the mercantile say that you were one of the marshal's boys."

The smile faded from the cowboys face. It was time to tell her the truth. The whole truth. "People in Dodge call us that because…well because the marshal watched out for us when we went to prison."

"Prison?" As surprising as this was, Cicely wasn't ready to give up on her young cowboy. He still might serve a useful purpose. "Gaith, that had to be a mistake. I know you wouldn't do anything wrong."

The dimple was gone, lost in a sea of shame. "We robbed the bank. Ned and Lem and me but the marshal's family felt like we deserved a second chance. They all testified for us at the trial to get us a lighter sentence and then gave us jobs when we got out."

Cicely turned around facing away from Gaith. This wasn't what she had planned at all but Gaith was all she had to work with. At least for now. She took a soft breath and closed her eyes to shun the anger. When they opened again, they shone of innocence and love. A transition she had mastered sometime ago.

"I guess you won't want to see me anymore." Gaith stared down at the ground wishing it would just open up and swallow him.

"Oh Gaith." Turning back in his arms, his sweetheart leaned up, leaving a tender kiss on his lips. "Don't you know I love you no matter what?" She gently pulled away returning to her horse. "I brought a blanket. Let's go sit down and talk. It's time we really got to know each other."

John heard the gentle rap on his study door. He could tell by the look on his wife's face, this was not good news. He removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. With a tired breath he tossed them onto the desk and turned the swivel desk chair to face her. "Let me guess – Cicely."

In the last few years sadness had rooted itself in this family and now it was choking the life out of them. Mary nodded, although the weary man already knew. It tore at her heart to watch the broken man that had shared her bed for these past forty years.

When they discovered they were going to be parents so late in life, they were ecstatic. Cicely was a beautiful baby with deep set eyes the color of violets and a crown of silky white curls. True, the middle aged couple did spoil her rotten but the problems that developed stemmed from something far more serious than that.

Even as a child, Cicely had learned how to manipulate people. And if by some chance they failed to fall under the spell of her sweet smile and musical voice…there would be hell to pay.

Mary walked across the room, coming to rest behind her husband. She placed her wrinkled hands at his shoulders and began to massage the tense muscles. "She pried the window open and she's gone."

Cicely was uncontrollable but she wasn't as sly as she believed herself to be. Before putting a nail in her method of escape, her father had followed her to see who she was meeting.

With his eyes closed he leaned his head forward to let those magic fingers ease the back of his neck. "I suppose she's going to meet that young man from the Lady K."

"I'm sure. What will we do this time?" When you live with fear everyday it begins to lose some of its power and just becomes a dull never ending ache. Her question reflected only exhaustion. "We can't keep moving. John…maybe if we talk to Douglas Fletcher again…"

"No." He pulled away from the comfort of her hands. "You know what will happen if he finds us. His son is dead and he wants revenge. I just can't get Cicely to understand that she is in danger."

"Can you talk to the marshal? Town gossip says that boy is close to the Dillon family. Maybe he can help."

John pulled himself out of the chair. The burden he carried caused his proud shoulders to stoop under the pressure. Still, he managed a smile for his wife as he placed a kiss to her forehead. "I think we are beyond that my dear."