Chapter 20
Dawn broke, and slices of light entered Mary's bedroom. Jessica, exhausted from her uncomfortable cot and a long, fitful night of elusive sleep, rose and dressed in all but her boots. She needed to draw comfort from the sunrise the Lord would paint today. Her heart was worn out, as if it had run a marathon on its own. She slipped out of Mary's bedroom, carrying her boots, and tiptoed into the kitchen.
The wood floor felt icy even in her stockinged feet. She would have quietly slipped outside to draw on her boots, but the need to catch a glimpse of Clint forced her around the table to his cot. Empty. He must be outside. He'd be tending the horses, or watching the sunrise.
Jessica made her way out the front door, and slipped it closed behind her. Her gaze roamed about as she caught a glimpse of the horses standing with heads lowered in sleep. There was no sign of Clint anywhere close by.
The air was cool as Jessica breathed it in, trying to revitalize a flagging spirit. Glancing eastward, she noted dark clouds had blocked the sunrise. She shivered with inexplicable apprehension. Jessica lowered herself to the wooden bench by the door. She'd almost finished tugging on her first boot when anxiety over Clint's whereabouts hit again, this time as hard as a brick dropping through her stomach. It was the kind of feeling a person could not ignore. She yanked her boot off, opened the front door, and turned to see the door to Rose Marie's bedroom standing open. Suddenly, overwhelming sorrow shoved her heart straight to her toes.
Please no. Unable to ignore her morbid curiosity, she advanced to the doorway. In the dim morning light, Jessica blinked to clear her eyes. The first thing she saw was a tangle of white sheets. Over one body? She blinked again. No. Two! Her breath squeezed painfully out of her lungs and seized. She struggled to take another life-sustaining gulp of air.
Her eyes adjusted more. There, before her, was the man who owned her heart, sprawled on his back in Rose Marie's bed. The princess was pressed to Clint's side with an arm lying possessively across his bare chest, and a leg across his thighs. The sleeve of her nightgown was pushed up to her elbow, and both were fast asleep within that pile of sheets.
For one shock-ridden moment, Jessica stood fastened by despair to the cold hard floor. With wooden motions she caught hold of a curl of hair and twisted it tight around a finger until a welcome throbbing pain began. When her rubbery legs finally heeded her commands, she turned and dashed out the door. She fled to the stream, ignoring the sharp edges of rocks and pine needles on her bootless feet.
Jessica found Walt awake and rolling up his bedding. She stopped a couple of yards away. "Walt," she squeezed out.
Startled, he looked up. He furrowed his gray brows. "What is it, Jess-girl? What's happened?"
She couldn't speak.
He rose and came to her. His face paled as he took her by the shoulders. "Tell Walt here what's wrong."
"It's—" she started, then choked on a sob. "I found them. In b-bed!"
Walt looked stunned. "Who?" He paused and looked toward the cabin.
She squeezed her eyes closed. Tears pushed through her lids and wet her cheeks. "Clint. And Rose Marie. Just now."
She opened her eyes and saw Walt studying her face. He didn't speak for a long moment. "You're in love with him, ain't ya, girl?" He sounded guilt-ridden. "I shoulda knowed." Deep lines etched Walt's leathery skin. "Well, 'ole Walt don't know much, but I sure do know you cain't stay here."
She swiped at tears that wouldn't cease. "But I can't just leave, Walt. I can't leave Mary, or not explain, or something. I don't even know what." Her limbs were shaking now.
"Here." He handed her his bedroll. "Go ta the buckboard. I'll be leavin' Mary a note" —he glanced at her feet—"and grab yer boots, and we'll head back ta the ranch . . ." In all my days I never thought Clint'd ever do such a thing in front of Mary." He shook his head in disbelief.
Jessica watched as Walt went inside. When he came back through the door, his jaw was set and an iron expression shown in his eyes: outrage.
Walt hitched the horse to the buckboard as Jessica numbly climbed in. Not a word was muttered on their ride home.