Letters and Love

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Noah

The only clue that the beautiful woman sitting next to me was anything other than calm was how her knee bounced. At least we were both feeling the same rush of nerves. I wasn't sure how to reassure her.

Maybe I should hold her hand? The horses knew the way to town. I wouldn't need to hold the reins in both hands, and I did enjoy feeling her hand in mine. Did she feel the same way?

"I'm hoping to speak to Miss Burns today," she blurted out while I was still working up the courage to reach over. "Preferably before the sermon begins."

Wait. What? With a start, I glanced over. "Speak to her? Why?"

"I still think she is the source of this whole thing and I want to talk to her."

She was still thinking about that on our wedding day? I wasn't sure if I was disappointed or amused. "Well, I'm not certain you will be allowed near her once people know you're with me," I said honestly.

"Oh, I think they will be willing to overlook that if it meant they could tell me their tale," she responded with a smile. "Isn't that how people usually are? They're eager to share their story of doom and gloom, shock and horror."

That was certainly true, even if it was disheartening to be on the wrong end of it. "I'm not going to argue with you," I told her. "Just...promise you will be careful? Mr. and Mrs. Burns have been...well, they've both threatened violence."

To my surprise, Elizabeth reached over and grabbed my hand. "I hardly think they will threaten to hurt me on Sunday in front of all their neighbors," she said. "They want to be seen as the victims, right?"

Her tone was certain, but I wasn't convinced. I turned my hand to lace my fingers with hers. "I'm ready to put it all behind me. Whatever happens, it doesn't matter anymore. You and I have our whole future ahead of us."

"Yes, but the truth must come out," she said, impatience creeping into her tone, "and I would prefer it to be sooner rather than later. The damage that has been done already is quite enough in my opinion."

What was there I could say to that? She was right that there had been damage done because of this awful rumor. I'd worried about how she would react to this and here she was acting as my champion. Some men might think it cowardly to have a woman come to their aid, but I couldn't think of anything I liked more.

At least we would face things side by side from now on.

When we reached the edge of the town, the back of my neck prickled. When I glanced around, though, I didn't see anyone. At least, no one who was obviously looking at me. Not yet, anyway.

Marshal Westler had left my house before dawn. I'd heard him shut the door on his way out, but hadn't convinced myself I should get up to talk to him. He was a grown man and didn't answer to me about what he was doing. Perhaps he had some plan that I would be appreciative of when I learned about it. Was he in town? Maybe he was watching, hoping Owen Burns would appear?

Or maybe he was just sick of the whole thing and had headed home.

If I hadn't invested all of my future in my homestead, I'd be tempted to pull up and put this all behind me. I couldn't do that, though. Not if I hoped to provide for a family.

"Is something wrong?" Elizabeth asked. She twisted to look around. "What are you looking at?"

"Nothing," I said swiftly. Which was mostly true. I didn't know what I was trying to see.

"Well, I feel like someone is watching me," she informed me bluntly. "But I don't see anyone."

I let out a slight chuckle. "Honestly? I feel the same way, but I don't see anyone."