The look on Wesley’s face was reward enough for her jest. Without a word he came to her, lifted her, and held her close to him. “Sometimes it amazes me how much I’ve come to love you, Leah,” he whispered. “I just wish you wouldn’t yell at me so often.”
Leah’s impulse was to push away from him because she wanted to see his eyes when he told her, this first time, that he loved her. Instead she snuggled against him. “Maybe now that I know you love me I won’t be angry quite so often.”
He walked with her to his horse and lifted her into the saddle. “I’ve sure told you often enough. It’s about time it sank in.”
Above all Leah didn’t want to start another argument. “I guess I just didn’t hear you say it the other times. Oh Wes,” she said when he was mounted behind her. “I have to get my shawl.”
“I’ll get it tomorrow when I get your horse.”
“Good heavens, no. That shawl cost Clay a fortune. It came all the way across the ocean. I’ll just be a minute.”
“You stay right there,” he said down to her. “I’ll go with you.”
Leah giggled. “Can’t stand me out of your sight?”
“Something like that,” Wes said seriously.
Quietly Leah stood outside and waited for her husband. It wasn’t easy for her to think of trusting him, but perhaps he did have a reason for not wanting her to attend the dance. It could be that he was jealous, which gave Leah a little sense of delight. If it were true that he did love her it would make sense that he was jealous. Leah certainly had been jealous of Wes and Kimberly.
Suddenly she remembered that she’d seen Corinne Stark wearing a shawl very much like hers. Wesley would never find the right one by himself.
Inside the brightly lit store everyone was dancing and laughing. Kim stood against the wall, her eyes downcast while her husband John stood near her.
As Leah searched the room, the music stopped and the laughing dancers halted. It was in this comparative silence that the woman screamed, and when Leah turned in the direction of the scream, the woman, whom she’d never seen before, was pointing at her.
“That’s my aunt’s brooch,” the woman screeched at Leah. “You stole it from her!”
Aghast, Leah put her hand to her breast. “No,” she whispered. It was like the repeat of a nightmare.
Instantly Wes was beside his wife, putting his arm about her in a protective gesture and leading her outside. “Leah,” he whispered once they were outside. “Justin’s going to take you home. I’m going to stay and find out what I can about this. Do you understand me?”
Numbly Leah nodded as Wes handed her up to Justin.
“Take care of her,” Wes said. “I’ll send word as soon as I can, but right now I want to stop this once and for all.” His head came up sharply as Kimberly came outside with John. Kim was crying softly.
“Go on, get out of here,” Wes said to Justin.
Leah did
n’t think much on the way back to the farm and only when Justin pulled her from the horse and led her inside did she realize how cold she was. She began to shiver.
Justin led her to a chair and then pulled her into his arms. “It’s all right, sweetheart. Wesley will find out what’s going on. No one will believe you stole the brooch.”
Leah couldn’t cry but just leaned stiffly against Justin.
“Where did you get the brooch, Leah?” he asked, stroking her arm. “Leah!” he commanded when she didn’t answer. “Where did you get that pin?”
“Kimberly gave it to me,” Leah whispered.
“Damn that selfish little bitch!” he said with a growl as he tossed Leah back against the chair and began to pace the room. “I could see her being involved with robbers. She has the morals of a whore. Pardon me, Leah, but she does. She’d sell herself or anybody else to get what she wanted. Do you think John has any idea what he married? Poor man, he probably thought there was a woman inside her pretty frame.
“Leah,” he said, kneeling before her. “I’m going to see what I can find out from Kimberly. Maybe between John and me we can talk some sense into her. Wes’ll probably be back soon, just as soon as he finishes talking to that woman at the dance. Oliver’s in the barn. Do you think you’ll be all right here by yourself?”
Absently, Leah nodded. She wanted to be alone; she didn’t want anyone to see her shame.
He kissed her forehead. “Just stay here and wait for Wes. Don’t go anywhere, promise?”
Again she nodded and Justin left her alone.