He pressed his big hand to the back of her neck like a hug. “Take care of yourself and Chloe.”
And Missy, she silently added. Until Vic was captured, none of them would feel safe, though Eden Valley Ranch offered a degree of protection.
He opened the door, stepped outside and shut the door behind him while she stood there rooted to the spot.
His words had sounded like a blessing.
And a final goodbye.
Tears clogged her throat, but she swallowed them. She was strong. Hadn’t several people said so? Well, now was the time to be as strong as everyone thought she was, even though she felt as weak as little Chloe.
She returned to the others and helped Linette with the dishes. All the while she answered the woman’s questions without having any idea what she said.
“I’ll show you to your rooms,” Linette said after some time. She led them to the little hall off the kitchen and showed Missy to one room and Louise to another.
“Oh, there’s a rocking chair. Thank you. Chloe thinks she has to be rocking all the time.”
“Nate mentioned it. That’s why I’ve given you this room.”
“Thank you.”
Linette left and Louise was alone with Chloe. Really alone. Nate wouldn’t be taking the baby in the night. He wasn’t nearby to comfort Louise.
Knowing she would be unable to sleep, she opened her new Bible. Another reminder of Nate.
As she read various passages, resolve grew strong and sure in her heart.
Tomorrow she would talk to Nate. She would tell him that she was willing to make their marriage agreement permanent. She would not tell him she loved him for fear it would cause him to feel obligated to stay with her. No, she’d simply point out the advantages, remind him of his affection for Chloe. If he still wanted the marriage annulled, she would let him go without a fuss. She’d move on. She’d be strong and she’d be—
The tears came so fierce and violent, like a storm of water and weeping. She cried them all out because there would be no crying tomorrow when she talked to Nate.
The next morning, he did not join them for breakfast. She hadn’t expected he would. But surely he would come before the morning was out.
She talked, fed the baby, answered Linette’s many questions until she was certain the woman knew everything about her, but her mind constantly waited for Nate to appear.
Morning dragged by. She was alternately annoyed—one would think he might want to check on Chloe at least, or make sure Louise’s bruises weren’t bothersome—and hurt and angry. Was she to be forgotten so easily?
Finally she could stand it no longer. When Eddie joined them for dinner, she spoke as calmly as she could. “If Nate isn’t too busy, could you tell him I’d like to speak to him?” At the very least, they needed to discuss what happened next.
Eddie put his fork down, gave Linette a look full of secrets, then turned to Louise. “He’s gone. Didn’t he tell you he was going to try and catch up to Mountain Mike?”
The floorboards could have parted and made a way for her to fall through, so great was her shock and surprise. Then a blinding, painful anger left her speechless and drained.
Somehow she made it through the meal. Later, she and Linette nursed their babies. There was something reassuring about seeing Linette with her baby that gave Louise more confidence in her ability to mother this wee helpless child.
“You’ll have to forgive Nate,” Linette said. “He’s not been married long enough to understand he needs to let you know his plans.”
“I’m not surprised. I learned long ago that no one stays. Nothing remains the same.” But it had never mattered as much as it did now. She should have told him when she had the chance that she wanted him to stay, but she hadn’t. Perhaps she’d never get another opportunity.
Linette considered her with understanding and sympathy. “Nothing ever stays the same. Nor should it. Life is too full of opportunities for us to sit back and refuse to move forward.”
Louise nodded, unable to say that all she wanted was someone who would not leave her.
Before she could find a reply, Eddie strode in, brushing snow from his coat. “There’s bad weather moving in.”