deserted save for a few stray dogs whose yipping broke the silence of dawn. The small cavalcade wended its way down the long, narrow street as the purple shadows of dawn shortened and golden light broke over the horizon. Maggie Worthington never looked back.
* * * *
The late afternoon heat pounded down on them relentlessly, bouncing back off the pale, parched earth like light reflected from a mirror. An occasional gust of dusty wind would relieve the oppression, drying the sweat to their sticky skin, providing fleeting illusions of the cool that would only come with sundown.
Maggie and Eden rode together, talking about the past and the future, getting to know one another. Maggie explained her mixed emotions about leaving Bart, and Eden described her life growing up on Crown Verde. Neither of them broached the broken marriage bargain between Maggie and Colin.
“It sounds as if you had a wonderful childhood on that big ranch. Eileen O’Banyon must really rule the roost—even if your father and Riefe Cates did spoil you,” Maggie said teasingly at one point.
Eden smiled as she rubbed her neck with a wet kerchief. “Everyone always jumps when Eileen cracks the whip, even Edward, but he's always been used to a woman running his life.” She stopped suddenly and glanced over at Maggie.
“Edward. He's your fiancé?”
“He was. Once the scandal about me gets out, Mrs. Stanley will make him break the engagement. His mother's a real tyrant. I always resented the fact that she controlled him so. I guess it made me lose respect for him in spite of the fact he's a successful attorney and territorial legislator.”
“But he isn't a strong, independent man like your father?” Maggie knew the answer. “I imagine Colin McCrory will be a pretty difficult man for any suitor to emulate, Eden.”
“I suppose my expectations were unrealistic,” Eden said quietly. Regret for all she had foolishly thrown away washed over her. “Now, no gentleman will ever look at me again.”
Maggie wished she could say it was not true, but she feared it was and damned the hypocritical cruelty of polite society. “No man worth having would blame you for what happened. Just remember that if your fancy lawyer turns away.”
Eden shook her head, wishing she had the courage to tell Maggie the truth. “My father blames you for your past, but he's still worth having—don't give up on him, Maggie.”
“My past is a great deal more besmirched than yours. I was a fool to try and blackmail Colin into marrying me. I hope you don't think too badly of me because of it?”
“You risked your life riding into that canyon with my father. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't been there. Anyway, I know you would've shown him the way even if he'd said no.”
Maggie smiled warmly. “Thank you for understanding. Your trust means a great deal to me.”
Eden paused. Then, seeing that none of the men were riding near enough to overhear, she asked hesitantly, “I—I know it's none of my business, but you're so beautiful and bright and really well educated…”
“How did a woman like me end up in a place like the Silver Eagle?” Maggie supplied the rest of the unspoken question. She had a hunch about Eden McCrory. Maybe telling about her mistake would lead the girl to share her story as well. “I was born and raised in Boston. I came from a good family and had a dutiful father who sent me and my sisters to the best boarding schools. That was the fashionable thing to do in Boston in those days. Then, when I was about your age I met a man named Whalen Price...”
Her eyes took on a faraway look as she began her story. She could see it all replaying in her mind, every painful scene, beginning back in Boston in 1863.
* * * *
The late afternoon heat pounded down on them relentlessly, bouncing back off the pale, parched earth like light reflected from a mirror. An occasional gust of dusty wind would relieve the oppression, drying the sweat to their sticky skin, providing fleeting illusions of the cool that would only come with sundown.
Maggie and Eden rode together, talking about the past and the future, getting to know one another. Maggie explained her mixed emotions about leaving Bart, and Eden described her life growing up on Crown Verde. Neither of them broached the broken marriage bargain between Maggie and Colin.
“It sounds as if you had a wonderful childhood on that big ranch. Eileen O’Banyon must really rule the roost—even if your father and Riefe Cates did spoil you,” Maggie said teasingly at one point.
Eden smiled as she rubbed her neck with a wet kerchief. “Everyone always jumps when Eileen cracks the whip, even Edward, but he's always been used to a woman running his life.” She stopped suddenly and glanced over at Maggie.
“Edward. He's your fiancé?”
“He was. Once the scandal about me gets out, Mrs. Stanley will make him break the engagement. His mother's a real tyrant. I always resented the fact that she controlled him so. I guess it made me lose respect for him in spite of the fact he's a successful attorney and territorial legislator.”
“But he isn't a strong, independent man like your father?” Maggie knew the answer. “I imagine Colin McCrory will be a pretty difficult man for any suitor to emulate, Eden.”
“I suppose my expectations were unrealistic,” Eden said quietly. Regret for all she had foolishly thrown away washed over her. “Now, no gentleman will ever look at me again.”
Maggie wished she could say it was not true, but she feared it was and damned the hypocritical cruelty of polite society. “No man worth having would blame you for what happened. Just remember that if your fancy lawyer turns away.”
Eden shook her head, wishing she had the courage to tell Maggie the truth. “My father blames you for your past, but he's still worth having—don't give up on him, Maggie.”
“My past is a great deal more besmirched than yours. I was a fool to try and blackmail Colin into marrying me. I hope you don't think too badly of me because of it?”
“You risked your life riding into that canyon with my father. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't been there. Anyway, I know you would've shown him the way even if he'd said no.”
Maggie smiled warmly. “Thank you for understanding. Your trust means a great deal to me.”
Eden paused. Then, seeing that none of the men were riding near enough to overhear, she asked hesitantly, “I—I know it's none of my business, but you're so beautiful and bright and really well educated…”
“How did a woman like me end up in a place like the Silver Eagle?” Maggie supplied the rest of the unspoken question. She had a hunch about Eden McCrory. Maybe telling about her mistake would lead the girl to share her story as well. “I was born and raised in Boston. I came from a good family and had a dutiful father who sent me and my sisters to the best boarding schools. That was the fashionable thing to do in Boston in those days. Then, when I was about your age I met a man named Whalen Price...”
Her eyes took on a faraway look as she began her story. She could see it all replaying in her mind, every painful scene, beginning back in Boston in 1863.
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