Mail Order Bride: Westward Dance (15 page)

Well, hopefully the next
time you hear from me, I’ll be telling you I’m on my way home. Give
all the kids kisses for me and Marcus give Dean and only Dean the
other envelope with this letter. I mean it. Only Dean. I’m asking
you as my brother to respect my wishes here, please.

Seth

Marcus looked inside the outer envelope
and saw a smaller one. He handed it to Dean without question and
folded up Seth’s letter and tucked it back in the envelope and gave
it to Tessa. Dean opened the other envelope and read the letter
inside. One of his brows quirked up at one point but other than
that he never gave anything away.

Tessa’s imagination was in overdrive by
the time he was done. “What did he say?”

“I can’t tell you,” Dean
said.

“You can’t tell your wife?” Tessa
said.

Dean’s expression was regretful. “I’m
sorry but I can’t tell anyone. I made a promise to Seth and I
intend to keep it.”

Tessa sighed. Dean’s integrity was one
of the things she loved most about her husband.

“Of course you have to,” Tessa
said.

Marcus said, “Well, I got some stuff
around home to do. I’ll see you all in the morning. I’ll take one
of the other horses home and give Rosie a chance to rest
up.”

Dean could see that Marcus was upset
but trying not to show it. “Marcus, don’t be mad.”

Marcus smiled. “Mad? What do you think
I’m mad about?”

“I can’t help it that Seth asked me not
to say anything,” Dean said.

“Do I look like I’m still five years
old, Dean? Well, despite you and Seth still treating me like I am,
I’m not,” Marcus said. “If you can’t tell me, you can’t tell me. I
got other things to worry about.”

Dean watched Marcus stride out to the
barn. He felt bad that Marcus’ feelings were hurt, but a promise
was a promise. He sighed and sat down at the table knowing that
being around Marcus the next couple of days was not going to be
pleasant.

“Dancing?” Seth asked. “You want me to
dance?”

“Yes,” Maddie said. “It’s good
exercise.”

Seth let out a laugh of doubt as they
stood in the ballroom. He hardly ever sat anymore because it felt
so good to be able to stand even if he did have metal rods in his
leg. It still hurt but nothing like before the surgery or in the
first couple of weeks afterwards. It was a little skinnier than his
other leg because it had wasted some, but at least he was
mobile.

“Maybe two-stepping is good exercise,
but ballroom dancing?” Seth said. “I’m not so sure about
that.”

Maddie said, “Well, you’re wrong. Mama,
you and Papa show Seth how it’s done and then I’ll show
Seth.”

“There really is more to ballroom
dancing that you might think, Seth,” Maureen said. Seth’s doubtful
expression was amusing.

“Stop talking, wife, and let’s dance,”
Geoff said and pulled Maureen with him into the center of the
room.

“Waltz?” Maureen asked.

“I’d rather tango, but I don’t think
Seth will be up for that for a while yet,” Geoff said. “A waltz it
is.”

Seth crossed his arms over his chest
and watched as Geoff and Maureen effortlessly glided around the
room. They didn’t even need music, he noticed. They seemed to get
lost in each other and the music in their heads because their steps
became more intricate the longer they danced.

He glanced at Maddie and saw she was
smiling as she watched her parents. When Geoff and Maureen stopped,
Maddie applauded. “Bravo!”

Geoff spun Maureen around and bowed as
Maureen dipped into a curtsy.

“Your turn,” Maureen said to
Seth.

He let out a coarse laugh. “You’re
kidding I hope. There’s no way I’m ever going to be able to do
that. I’m too big and clumsy.”

“Nonsense, laddie,” Geoff said. “You’re
no bigger than me and I learned. It’ll help improve your agility
and your ability to grip your horse. It’ll also help your balance
so you can throw a lasso accurately again.”

“You think so?”

“Yes. Now, Maddie, move into position,”
Maureen directed.

Maddie showed Seth where to place his
hands. Maureen said, “Chin up, Seth. Right arm up a little. Don’t
let it dangle like a limp flower.”

Seth couldn’t believe how much time it
took just to get him ready to dance. Maureen and Geoff took things
slowly as they lead by example as Maddie also gave him instruction.
Seth was terrified of stepping on Maddie, but he needn’t have
worried. She was quick enough to get out of the way when he got too
close. He worked hard, but didn’t feel like he was gaining any
ground.

“Stop,” Geoff said. “I know what’s
wrong. We can keep telling Seth to
lead
, but he doesn’t know
what it feels like to be
led
. I think I know how to fix
that.”

“You do? Thanks, because I feel like
I’m drowning here,” Seth said. “I gotta get rid of this thing.”
Seth opened his suit jacket and slid out of it. He threw it to the
side not caring if it got wrinkled.

The next thing he knew, Geoff had him
in his arms. “Um, Geoff, I like you and all, but I’m not you’re
type and you ain’t mine.” Seth said.

“Quite right,” Geoff said. “But for
now, we’re going to pretend. You’re Maddie now and I’m me. I think
if you see the dancing from the woman’s perspective, it will help
you to know what
you
should do. Put your left hand on my
shoulder and take my left hand with your right.”

Seth couldn’t believe he was doing
this, but he would do anything to get back to being able to rope
and ride. He thumped hand down on Geoff’s shoulder and slapped his
hand into Geoffrey’s. “Now what?”

Geoff tightened his hand around Seth’s
and put his arm around the middle of Seth’s back. “Close your eyes
and just follow me.”

“I’m going to fall,” Seth
said.

“Not if you trust me,” Geoff said. “Do
you trust me?”

“If I didn’t, would I be letting you
hold me like I was a woman?” Seth said.

“Good. Now close your eyes.”

Seth did as he was told and moved as he
felt Geoff put pressure on his back to do so. He began to go with
the flow as the movements began to follow a certain order. It was
like going from a walk to a trot and all the way up to a gallop.
They made their way slowly around the floor, Geoffrey talking and
pushing and pulling until he felt Seth’s resistance
fade.

He heard Maureen and Maddie snicker and
gave them a sharp look even as he smiled. He didn’t want to break
Seth’s concentration now that it was going so nicely.

They went on for a little while longer
before Seth tapped Geoff’s shoulder and said, “Ok. I’ve had it. My
leg can’t take anymore.”

Geoff brought them to a stop and Seth
opened his eyes. He felt a little dizzy and blinked a couple of
times. “How’d I do?” he asked.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen two men
dance together so beautifully,” Maureen said.

She and Maddie dissolved into fits of
laughter.

“Yeah, I’m sure that must be something
to see,” Seth said.

“Seth, you did just fine. Did you feel
what was happening?” Geoff asked.

Seth nodded. “Uh huh.”

“That’s what the lady’s part is like.
Tomorrow, I’ll have you lead,” Geoff said.

Seth was sweating and too tired to
resist. “Ok. That’s fine. I need a drink. And I gotta go to the
bathroom. All that twirling made me have to pee. Then I need to
eat. In that order,” he said and began leaving the room. “A
sandwich sounds good. I wonder what Cook’s got for desert,” he said
to no one and kept on going.

As he disappeared through the doorway,
Maureen said, “I think all the twirling did something more than
make him have to pee.”

Geoff laughed and grabbed her and spun
her into dancing position. “Poor fellow. You’ve got you your work
cut out for you with your cowboy, Maddie.”

Maddie said, “You’re absolutely right,
Papa. But it’s going to be so much fun.”

She went after Seth to make sure he was
all right.

Three weeks later, Seth was doing quite
well with the dancing and had graduated to dancing with Maddie
after the first couple of days. He’d worked hard so he didn’t have
to keep dancing with Geoff. It was Maddie he wanted in his arms not
her father. He never would have believed it, but dancing was hard
work and it was working to strengthen his leg. There were other
exercises he was required to do, but he spent more time dancing
than doing them.

Maddie was happy to see Seth healing so
well, but also knew it meant that their time together was drawing
to a close. He would be well and ready to get back to his way of
life. Where did that leave her besides in Pittsburgh with a broken
heart? Seth was her saving grace. When she hadn’t cared about
living or dying, his letter had been a lifeline, a way out of the
darkness that had overshadowed her life.

She hated to think what would have
become of her if he hadn’t written to her. Maddie knew that she’d
still be locked in her world of misery or dead. He’d shown her that
there were still things to live for like family and love. Seth had
brought laughter and passion back into her life and she was
terrified that those things would leave when he did.

It kept her up at night and one night
when she couldn’t sleep she’d thought about how much she’d rather
be with her cowboy right down the hall. Maureen had insisted that
he move upstairs once his leg was doing well enough. Seth had
agreed to be polite, but he’d gotten used to his room and didn’t
see the need to change now. Maddie had given up trying to sleep and
surprised Seth by knocking on his door. They’d spent most of the
night talking and laughing quietly before she was sleepy enough to
go to bed.

Maddie still had nightmares sometimes
and one night it was especially bad. She woke up, gasping for air
and fighting off Theo’s iron grip on her throat. Her room was empty
but it felt like Theo was lurking somewhere, waiting to attack her
again. She couldn’t stay there another minute. Gathering her
courage, Maddie leaped out of the bed and ran to the door. She
flung it open and ran down the hall to Seth’s room and knocked on
the door.

Seth didn’t answer right away and she
knocked again. When he did open it, she ran inside leaving Seth to
look at her with wonder. He scanned the hallway to make sure no one
had seen her come in and then shut the door. No sooner did he turn
around than Maddie hugged him tight around his waist.

He could feel her shaking and put his
arms around her. “Maddie, what’s wrong?”

Maddie pressed her eyes shut and just
held on, needing the comfort and safety he provided just by being
near her.

“Darlin’, you’re scaring me. What
happened?” Seth asked as he gently took her arms and peeled her
away from him.

Tears rolled down her face and her eyes
were wild with fear. “N-n-nightmare. So real,” she said.

Seth understood and brought her back
into his embrace. “Shhh. You’re safe, Maddie. No one’s going to
hurt you. Come over here.”

He drew her over to the huge bed and
sat her down. Sitting down next to her, he put his arms around her
and kissed the top of her head. He grew angrier with every tremor
of her body and he knew that if he ever ran across this Theo he
would kill him.

Maddie clutched at Seth when he moved
away from her. Seth took her hands in his and said, “I’ll be right
back. I’m just gonna go get you something to help calm you down.
I’ll be back right quick, I promise.”

Maddie closed her eyes for a moment and
then nodded.

Seth didn’t waste time putting a shirt
on or changing pants. He ran out of the bedroom and down the stairs
as fast as his leg would let him. He sped across the foyer into
Geoff’s office to the cabinet where Geoff kept his scotch. Quickly
he opened it and got out the decanter and a glass. Running back up
the long staircase proved to be harder than coming down, but Seth
pushed himself despite the pain it caused.

When he entered the room, Maddie was
sitting on the side of his bed shivering and Seth wanted nothing
more than to ease her pain. “Maddie,” he said softly. He didn’t
want to scare her.

Maddie heard the voice that she’d come
to love and opened her eyes. Seth gave her a small smile and she
tried to return it. She watched him pour a little of the whiskey
into the glass and hold it out to her.

“C’mon, it’ll help calm your nerves,”
Seth said.

Maddie tried to take the glass but her
hands were shaking too badly to handle it. Seth helped her take a
few sips and then put the glass on the nightstand. He pulled down
the bedclothes and laid Maddie down on her side and covered her up.
She grabbed his hand when he stepped away.

“It’s ok, darlin’. I’m not leaving
you,” Seth assured her.

Maddie forced her hand to release his
and he walked around to the other side of the bed and finished
pulling the covers up over her. Then he lay down on top of them and
curled his body around hers. Maddie was comforted by his warmth and
his bulk. She knew that no one would dare harm her with Seth
there.