Chapter 15Another three weeks flew by before she knew it. Tiernan had honored his promise and resupplied the clinic, including securing their power source and providing a new centrifuge. A burly nurse retired from the military also came with the gift. Edward was a reticent man in his late fifties, but he approached his job with dedication and skill. In no time, the clinic seemed transformed, and patients were receiving better care than ever.It was a good thing they didn’t need her so much right now, she told herself, as she found Susan and Edward in the lab, heads bent over lab samples. She was glad not to be leaving them shorthanded for the next week. Of course, she was going to miss her work, but Tiernan had requested—actually asked, not demanded—she clear her calendar for the next eight days to help him keep the daughters from the Republic of Texas entertained. He had also recruited Cleo.“Susan?”The woman looked up, and there was a hint of color in her cheeks. Madison speculate
Chapter 16Tiernan had returned to the suite for a folder he’d forgotten before his breakfast meeting with Tex. He opened the door a couple of inches and froze when he realized Madison was entertaining Pru. He started to go on in, but froze again when he heard the other girl ask about little Archers. His heart stuttered as they discussed babies, and he found himself holding his breath when Pru asked her fateful question. Madison’s vague answer filled him with disappointment and another emotion he couldn’t identify.Easing backward, he made sure to step forcefully, so they would hear him coming. This time when he opened the suite door, they were talking about the goods available at Pike Place Market, particularly baby items. He smiled and greeted them both before retrieving his folder, never letting his neutral expression falter. It wasn’t until he was out of the room and making his way back to the dining room where Tex waited that he allowed his thoughts to return to the overhead conv
Chapter 17Concern for Cleo faded as her friend maintained resolve, and Madison found herself dwelling on her own problems, specifically how not to care too much for Tiernan. How could she keep her emotions in check when his lightest touch brought her body to life? How could she make love with him but not love him? It was a quandary she was no closer to solving as the days wore on. Inch by inch, she seemed to be sliding into the mire that had ensnared Nina, into the trap of loving a man who didn’t love her. She hated it, even as she loved him.As she waited for the radio operator to raise her family, she realized she had been with the commander exactly eight weeks as of today. In some ways, it seemed like an eternity, but she also had trouble believing that much time had passed.It was only her sister waiting for her today. “Hey, Rosie,” she said, trying to shove aside her morose thoughts and focus on the happy moments she got to spend with her family each week.Rosie didn’t sound hap
Chapter 18Tiernan had ignored the feeling all afternoon, but it had persisted. Something was wrong. He thought maybe he should have listened to Madison, but her request to go home after their past few weeks of happiness had blindsided him. He had reacted on impulse, surrendering to the need to keep her at any cost. He hoped it hadn’t cost him the progress he’d made with her recently.The feeling of wrongness swelled as he opened the door to the suite and found it deserted. No dinner waited on the table, and Madison was certainly not waiting with a warm smile—or even a recriminatory sneer. She must be pouting and had decided to give him the cold shoulder. He should just let her have her sulk and get over it. She’d be back by tomorrow. Still, it didn’t sit well with him to indulge her in these matters. She had to know who was in charge, and if he let her sleep away from him tonight, she would think it was she.He radioed the guardhouse to find out if she had left the premises and raise
Chapter 19She woke to find herself sprawled on a cot, the white canvas of a tent above her eyes. Gingerly, she lifted her head and saw several oil lamps around the tent. Her gaze came to rest on Tiernan, who sat near her in a straight chair, his gaze somewhere between brooding and homicidal. “You came for me,” she said, and the words were happier than she’d meant them to be. It was strictly the relief of being rescued from that rapist, not joy at knowing he had been compelled to follow her, of course.He stood up to come to her, leaning down so their faces were just inches apart. “You were nearly raped.”She nodded. “Thank you—”“Raped and murdered.” He spoke so ferociously the pulse in his temple bulged.“I know.” A chill ran down her spine as she briefly contemplated just how close she’d come to both. If he and his soldiers had been even a few minutes later…He pushed her back, hands on her shoulder holding her down. “Is that what you wanted?”Blinking, she struggled to focus on hi
Chapter 20They arrived at her home the next afternoon. The train was still in Seattle-Archer, so they’d had to finish the trek on horseback. Madison was excited and impatient to see her family again, even as her mind worried at Tiernan’s silence. He had a brooding air that screamed to leave him alone, and her attempts at conversation had stalled with his monosyllabic responses. She had a new appreciation for the frustration he’d felt at the beginning of their relationship, when she had refused to engage in anything but the most superficial conversation.Madison hopped off her horse as they neared the front porch, not even waiting for the painted animal to stop completely. With a whistle that made the dogs bark with gusto, she rushed up the stairs, forgetting manners and everything else in her need to see her family again.The screen door opened with the squeak of rusty hinges, and her papa stood there. He was a tall man, with a big frame that swallowed most of the space of the doorwa
Chapter 21The healer pronounced Elaine fit enough to travel, and the train was waiting for them when they drew up in a wagon, followed by the soldiers on horses, late the next morning. Madison saw her mother settled in the bedroom car before joining the others in the head car. She resisted the childish urge to shun the seat by Tiernan, but still shot him a glare as she sat beside him. He needn’t think she’d forgotten her irritation at the way he hadn’t bothered to come in last night, not even long enough to tell her what had happened with Cam.She shot another glare at her brother, resentful that he was equally tightlipped about the encounter. At least he wasn’t treating her like a pariah now, but she was still burning with curiosity to know what Tiernan had said.Hurt mingled through too, and she longed to ask Tiernan why he hadn’t come to her room last night. Had he been angry about something? Did he think she was angry? Why had he rejected her? Knowing she wouldn’t get an answer u
Chapter 22A little more than a week later, Madison stood at her lover’s side and waved goodbye to her family as the train pulled out. She locked eyes with Rosie and waved a little harder, remembering their conversation the previous night, when she’d suggested her little sister stay in Seattle-Archer.“Nah, I can’t,” Rosie had said.Feeling disappointed, she had still nodded. “I understand. The family needs you.”“Yeah, but it’s not just that. Eric…Nash…well…” She had shrugged, trailing off. “He’s different, you know?”Madison had nodded. “You don’t think he’s too old?”Her sister had shaken her head. “Nah, he’s only seven years older than me. That’s hardly anything. I’m not even sure how he really feels, but I gotta find out.”“That I definitely understand.”The sisters shared a secret smile as the train pulled away, and she kept her gaze locked with Rosie’s until her sister was too far away. When she could no longer see any of her family, she turned back to face Tiernan, putting her