“Here, here,” Lorna and Jewell chorused as they raised their cups and clinked them softly against David’s. “To Tessa Roarke, bully-slayer, and to winning her case!”
Tessa looked at the three of them, then burst into happy tears.
The other women laughed in relief, while David deftly guided the conversation away from talk of the trial. They spent the next half hour amusing Tessa with stories of Peaceable’s history and its residents.
* * *
“That was nice of Lorna and Jewell, wasn’t it?” Tessa closed the door behind her two new friends and turned to David.
“Yes, it was.” He had moved to his desk after offering to see the ladies home.
“What? And spoil our adventure?” Jewell had scolded. “You stay here with Tessa.”
“We’ll be fine,” Lorna had assured him. “We might even give some more nosy reporters something to write about.” They’d laughed at that, then headed down the street toward the jail.
But when their visitors left, the strained silence between David and Tessa returned. They looked at each other, but couldn’t find the words to apologize. Tessa walked over to where David sat. She cleared her throat, waiting for David to say something. “Well, I guess I’ll leave you to your work.”
“Fine.” He barely glanced at her.
Tessa continued to stand beside his desk.
“What is it?” he asked abruptly.
She turned and silently presented her back to him.
He looked up from his book, recognized the long row of tiny hooks and automatically unfastened them.
Finished with her dress fasteners, he untied the knot of her corset strings and loosened the laces.
“Thank you.” Her voice was cool, crisp.
David grunted in reply, then returned to his book.
He heard her sometime after midnight, crying in her sleep again. David punched his pillow and pulled the quilts higher around his ears. He wouldn’t go to her. Not tonight. He couldn’t. It hurt too much to hold her and pretend. David punched his pillow a second time, harder than before, rolled over, and tried to force his body to sleep. But his control and his willpower failed him. He lay awake listening to the sound of her anguished dreams long into the night.
* * *
Coalie arrived on the early morning train. He practically dragged Mary down the street to David’s law office, then burst through the door before Mary had a chance to knock.
David was working at his desk as usual. Tessa stood at the sink rinsing her breakfast dishes. David hadn’t eaten. He made his breakfast a cup of strong black coffee.
‘Tessa!” Coalie spared a glance for David, then made a beeline for Tessa. He flung his arms around her waist.
“Oh, Coalie.” Tessa dropped her cup in the dishpan, turned, and wrapped her arms around Coalie, pressing his body against her. “I missed you so much!”
Coalie wiggled out of her grasp before Tessa wanted to let go. He walked over to David and stuck out his hand.
David shook Coalie’s hand. “Hello,” he said. “It’s been quiet here without you.” Very quiet, David thought, especially during the past eight hours.
Coalie turned to Tessa. “Tessa, you should see the ranch. It’s so grand! It goes on forever and ever, and all the people are so nice. Reese and Faith and little Hope. Even Joy. She’s a girl.” He frowned, then rushed on with his story. “But Sam’s the best. He’s teaching me how to ride. A real horse.” Coalie’s face was alight, his big green eyes sparkling.
“That’s nice.” Tessa tried to muster up some enthusiasm, but failed. Miserably.
“I’m going to school, too,” Coalie told her, hopping from foot to foot with barely contained excitement. “Mary’s teaching me.” He glanced at Mary. “I’m learning the alphabet.”
“That’s wonderful.” Tessa didn’t make it sound wonderful. She made it sound as painful as having teeth pulled.
Mary looked from her brother to Tessa. The atmosphere in the office was tense. The tension between them seemed almost unbearable. “Coalie’s excited now,” she explained, “because he’s with you again, but he was miserable the first few days.”