Authors: Maya Stirling
Tags: #Romance, #historical 1800s
She looked through the open curtains and saw the darkness outside. She'd slept again, but didn't know what the time was. Eva turned onto her side and thought about Aaron. He'd been so kind to her earlier in the day, so considerate, so very thoughtful. His presence by the bedside had comforted Eva in way that she found surprising and pleasing all at the same time. Just thinking about his handsome face, his even generous smile, his kindly gaze, made Eva feel a peace and calmness that went a long way to helping her put up with the intolerable situation of being a temporary invalid.
For that was what she was. Eva had never been one to tolerate weakness in herself. She'd hardly known a sick day in her life, a product, she guessed of a life spent outdoors. Of course, there had been occasional injuries, and she remembered the usual childhood illnesses. But, on the whole, Eva Gillespie had always been healthy.
Which made it all the more difficult to accept her present circumstances. Especially being confined to one of Aaron Stewart's bedrooms. It was just as well that there were two elderly chaperones in the house. Even if Eva had to admit they would mainly come in handy in making sure that Eva didn't make a fool of herself with Aaron. And that seemed a distinct possibility. Thinking about him by her bedside, his eyes watching her eating that chicken soup, knowing that he was thinking about her, worrying about her. Eva didn't want to admit to herself just how good that had felt.
Which made the present situation all the more difficult. When was he going to give her the answer to her proposal? Was he ever going to give her his response? Had the fire at the ranch changed everything? Now that she was here, in Aaron's home, had he changed his mind about her?
She just didn't know what to think. The way he'd raced into the burning ranch house had shown Eva just how seriously Aaron took her well being. Was he just being kind, offering her a safe place to live for the moment? Then, when she was fully recovered, did he expect her to ride on home, fix up the ranch and carry on living without him by her side?
Eva sighed. Too many thoughts were running around her head.
She heard a knock on the door. She looked up and saw Aaron poke his head into the room. By the light of the small candle he held she saw that his eyes were sleep filled.
"You okay, Eva?" he asked.
Eva shifted and sat back against the headboard. "I'm fine. I didn't wake you, did I?"
Aaron shook his head. "No. Not at all. I was awake." He held up a book. "Reading," he explained. "Do you need some company?"
Eva smiled. What should she say? No, Aaron. Just go back to your room. Leave me alone. I don't want you any where near me?
No. She wasn't going to say anything like that to him.
"Sure. Why not," Eva said.
Aaron smiled and stepped into the room. Eva had to contain an imperceptible gasp when she saw Aaron in his loose white shirt, tight pants and bare feet. He must have been sleeping, Eva told herself. Aaron had just been polite, not wanting her to think she was imposing on him. She was sure of that now. But, my oh my. Didn't he look handsome, striding toward the bed, the top buttons of his collar loose, the sleeves of his shirt rolled up, his hair unkempt, the dark stubble on his chin.
Aaron smile at her as he sat down on the chair. "You look better," he said.
Eva ran a hand awkwardly across her hair. "How long have I been sleeping?" she asked.
"It's one in the morning," he explained.
"I hope I didn't wake anyone else," she said with a frown.
"I doubt it. If Mrs. Bell is anything like Mrs. Lang, then it'll take more than a cry out in the night to wake them."
"Did I cry out?" Eva asked earnestly.
"I heard you. But I'm just across the hall."
"Really?"
Eva didn't know what to make of that information. She wasn't sure whether to feel reassured by it, or concerned about it.
"Your cough seems better," he said.
Eva nodded. "For now, anyway."
"Other than that, how are feeling?"
"What do you mean?" Eva asked. Aaron seemed to be probing her gently, tentatively.
Aaron lifted a brow. "About other things."
"What kind of things?"
"The past few days have been real hard on you."
"You're telling me," Eva admitted.
Aaron looked at Eva with an earnest and serious expression. "I'm just curious to know what's on your mind. What you're thinking about."
Eva knew she could not tell him the truth. She couldn't tell Aaron that virtually the only thing she could think about was him, and what was to become of her life if he didn't agree to her marriage proposal. In fact now that she came to think of it, the proposal was beginning to seem more like a mere suggestion, an idea that was starting to look more and more foolish with every passing hour.
"I was thinking about my father," she said eventually.
Aaron nodded. "He was a fine man."
"A hard man. But the kindest human being I've ever known," Eva said feeling the emotion rising up inside her.
"I always knew where I stood with Gabriel," Aaron said. "Even though he and I had our differences, he was always plain and straight in his dealings with me."
"Everything I am, I owe to him," Eva said. "He showed me the value of hard work, what it means to care for your family, how important it is to be a person of your word. He taught me so much," she said. "He was so kind to me. Never really raised his voice to me; he was never truly mean to me. Ever."
Eva could feel her heart start to beat faster as the memories of her life with her father came tumbling into her mind. So many treasured moments of kindness, support, approval and encouragement. Her father had truly been a good man and she felt his loss keenly in her heart. An ache that had settled there, on his passing, started to throb even harder now.
Aaron seemed to sense her distress. "I recall a time when he and I argued over an unbranded cow," he said with a laugh. "He insisted it was his and I was sure it was one of mine. We haggled long and hard over that cow. Argument raged on for days. And then, when the time came to settle things up, that darned cow went and threw itself into a river and drowned."
Aaron laughed and shook his head. In spite of herself, and the tragedy of the outcome, Eva found herself smiling at the dark humor of it all.
"Your father just took it in his stride and gave me a long lecture on providence and how nothing was really in our power to control. He believed that if something was going to happen, there wasn't much anyone could do to prevent it. He was a wise man." Aaron concluded. "And he had a good laugh about it too," he said with a grin.
Eva smiled. "I know he had a great sense of humor. He used to tease me about being a girl growing up on a ranch, surrounded by men and cattle all day long. How I still had to behave like a little lady, no matter how rough life got on the ranch. That was my mother's influence, I guess."
"I never knew your mother."
"She passed when I was young. But she was a fine woman. I don't think my father ever really got over the loss of her," Eva said.
Aaron sighed. "I'd like to have known her. Seen just how much you and she were alike," he said.
Eva frowned. "Why?"
Aaron shifted in his seat. "Don't they always say that if you want to know what a woman is going to be like when she gets older, you should look at her mother?"
Eva's brows furrowed. Why would Aaron make a statement like that? Was he thinking about the future? Was he hinting at a future for him and Eva?
"She was a beautiful, elegant, smart lady," Eva said bluntly.
Aaron's eyes focused on Eva. "Just like her daughter, then."
Eva felt her face color. "She had a style all her own," Eva said defensively.
"I wasn't just talking about looks," Aaron stated. "I was referring to other qualities."
Eva saw Aaron shift in his seat. He seemed to avert his eyes for a moment. When he turned to look at her, she was suddenly sure that he was debating whether to say something to her.
Eva saw Aaron swallow. His brows furrowed and he looked just so darned pensive.
"Is everything alright, Aaron?" she asked.
Aaron's eyes glanced quickly toward Eva. He sighed and cleared his throat. Eva saw warring thoughts flicker across Aaron's face. He looked so handsome by the candlelight. His skin seemed to glow in the soft light and his eyes had a fetching brightness in them.
"Do have something to tell me, Aaron?"
Aaron shook his head, his features suddenly serious. Eva felt a knot of worry settle in her stomach.
After a moment Aaron answered her. "It's nothing, Eva."
Eva frowned when she saw the expression on Aaron's face. She'd never seen anything quite like it before.
"I've been trying to figure out why your father would have thought that Jude would be a suitable husband," he said bluntly. No wonder Aaron had looked troubled. Eva felt her heart beat ever so slightly faster. Was Aaron trying to get around to giving her an answer? "It just doesn't make sense," he concluded.
Eva raised an eyebrow. Aaron was right. It was entirely natural that Eva's father had fought so hard to make sure that his daughter ended up with a good man. The kind of man that would share the values her father had worked so hard to embody in his own life. And that was what made the issue of Jude Arabin so mystifying, so perplexing. Sitting here, in Aaron Stewart's home, with the kind faced, considerate, ridiculously handsome rancher attending to her every need, making sure she was safe and comfortable, Eva could not believe that her father had wanted her to end up with a man like Arabin who was the polar opposite of Aaron.
"Speaking of him," Eva said. "Has anyone seen Jude around since the fire?"
Aaron's features went hard and serious. "No-one has seen him. Just as well for him, if you ask me. He better not come anywhere near my ranch. I'm sure he already knows better than to try that. He's not fit to look at you," Aaron said with barely disguise revulsion.
Eva thought this was her moment, a chance she had to seize. Should she ask Aaron? Could she take it if he told her he'd thought about her proposal and went on to inform her politely, gently, that it wasn't for him? The thought of refusal was barely imaginable. How would she cope if Aaron just told her that he appreciated her kind offer, that he didn't need a wife, that he couldn't see any way his life as a ranch owner could include Eva becoming his wife?
Eva felt butterflies tumbling in her stomach at the thought of Aaron saying any of those things to her. She was suddenly aware of Aaron watching her.
"What's the book?" Eva asked, a sudden urge to change the subject overwhelming her.
Aaron seemed momentarily surprised by the question. He glanced down at the leather bound tome. He held it up for Eva to see and she burst out laughing.
"Little Women," she exclaimed. "You're reading Little Women?" she asked him incredulously.
Aaron seemed suddenly embarrassed. "Mrs. Lang gave it to me," he tried to say. Eva was sure there was a flutter of relief across his features at the chance to talk about something else.
"You're sure you didn't just pick that up before you came into the room?" Eva asked.
Aaron quirked a brow and smiled. "Now, why would I do a thing like that, Eva?"
"I don't know. You tell me, Aaron," she said playfully. "It has nothing to do with the fact that it was my favorite book when I was young, has it?"
"I had no idea," he said with a smile and quirk of his brow.
"Really? You had no idea? You expect me to believe that?" she asked with a shake of the head. "Mrs. Bell didn't let you in on that little secret. Did she?"
Aaron smiled and opened the book. "Do you want me to read to you?"
When Eva laughed she felt the beginnings of a cough. She stifled the sensation and looked at Aaron. "Sure. Why not? Start at the beginning," she said to him, lying back against the soft pillows.
Aaron turned to the first page and started to read to Eva. She let her eyes close slowly and listened to Aaron's deep, slow voice. There was a warm, velvety quality to the way he spoke.
Eva had always liked the sound of Aaron's voice and now was no exception. There was something calming, even soothing about it. The opening paragraphs of the book were so familiar to Eva. She'd read the novel countless times growing up. But, somehow Aaron's soft voice gave the treasured words a whole new feel. It was as if she were being wrapped up in a warm blanket and comforted.
Eva felt herself settle back and a moment later, when she briefly opened her eyes and looked at Aaron, she had to admit to herself that she was secretly pleased when she realized that she had just caught the handsome rancher glancing ever so cautiously at her.
CHAPTER TWELVE
The next day the Stewart ranch had visitors. And, they were exactly the kind of people that Aaron was always pleased to see.
His fellow ranchers Joshua McKenzie and Zack Buchanan had come to pay a call. Joshua had brought his lovely new wife, Laura. The newly married couple looked real happy, which was kind of amazing to Aaron given the difficulties they'd been through getting married. But, they looked so happy as Joshua pulled the buggy to a halt. Laura was a tall, elegant, immaculately attired woman. She was almost the same age as Eva. Joshua looked truly proud of his new wife as he helped her step down onto the hard earth of the yard in front of the Stewart ranch house.
It was late morning and the sky was clear, the sun shining bright. Zack tied his horse up to the hitching post and came over to Aaron.
"I heard you had some trouble at the Gillespie ranch," he said tipping his hat back on his head.
"It's complicated," Aaron said. He turned to Joshua and Laura. "How is married life suiting you both?" he asked.
Joshua smiled and looked at Laura. "I don't know. What do you think, Laura? How is married life?" he asked his new wife, a grin spreading right across his face.
Laura punched Joshua on the arm. He complained and rubbed his arm, continuing to smile.
"What did I tell you about teasing me, Joshua McKenzie?" she complained with a pretend scowl.