Whispers of Moonlight (31 page)

"It doesn't work, you know. I haven't seen her with the glasses, but even with her hair pulled back and wearing that shapeless, mud-brown dress I always see her in, her face is still lovely."

"That must be why she went to the glasses," Angel guessed. "I wish I could talk some sense into her. I've lost track of how many times I've tried."

"Have you thought about what we would have done, Angel?" Preston now asked, his voice very soft.

"About what?"

"About the boys if Rebecca died. What in the world would we have done with them?"

Angel looked at him with something akin to horror. She'd been terrified for Rebecca's life but never once thought about the boys being orphaned. Without saying anything to Preston, Angel knew that she would have had to take them home with her; what choice did she have? However, a few days of obedience from the boys did not set the pattern for the next several weeks. By
the time Rebecca was back on her feet some three weeks later, Angel knew she could never do it.

"Well, now," Rebecca said in surprise when Angel knocked rather late one evening and came through the front door. "Not working tonight?"

"I'll be going in late," Angel told her and made herself comfortable in the living room. "One of the small perks of knowing the boss?" Rebecca asked with a cheeky grin.

"He's in love," Angel said with a smile.

"So are you," Rebecca told her, earning another smile.

Rebecca took a chair across from Angel. This was her time to get things done, as the boys were both asleep, but she was glad to be off her feet for a moment.

"Your color is good," Angel commented after taking a long look at Rebecca.

"I feel like it never happened."

"I think you've even put on weight."

"I do have my appetite back, and of course Preston got rid of some of my work." Rebecca's voice turned dry at this point, and Angel was glad to
see she wasn't angry over Preston's interference.

"He told me he talked to you."

"Yes. I wanted to argue, but it feels so good to be back on my feet that I kept my mouth shut."

Angel continued to look at her friend, trying to ignore the appalling glasses perched on the bridge of her nose. Rebecca certainly seemed to be in a good mood. Angel hoped so, because what she had to say next was going to hurt,

"You do realize, Becky, just how sick you were," Angel commented on a serious note.

Rebecca pulled a face. "You're not going to turn religious on me, are you, Angel? Dr. Creamer's wife tried to tell me about God and heaven when she was taking care of me."

"No, I've come about something much more practical, but you're still not going to appreciate it."

Rebecca only stared at her, so Angel decided to plunge directly in.

"I've done a lot of thinking about what I would have done if you had died, Becky, and I've come to some sobering conclusions. To put it plainly, I wouldn't take the boys. I couldn't. I already told you that Preston had to take a stick to them several times, and mat put them in line for a while, but I won't raise those boys, Becky."

Rebecca nearly laughed at her friend's dire tone. "I don't think it was that serious, Angel."

"Then you really don't realize how sick you were." The older woman leaned forward from her chair. "I
saw
you, Becky. I watched as your lungs fought for air. You nearly died. I learned in a hurry that there
are no guarantees on this earth, Becky. We nearly lost you."

Rebecca no longer felt like laughing. She was quiet for some time, her face not showing the rush of emotions inside.

"So what's your point, Angel?" she asked at last.

Angel took a deep breath and said softly, "If you die, those boys will be out on the street. I won't take them in, Becky, and that's a promise. Dan would probably want them, but with the way Dahlia has always been jealous of you, I doubt if she would stand for it. I might try to contact their father, but if he didn't show up, I'd drop them at the nearest orphanage."

The room grew utterly still. The clock on the wall had not been wound, so there was nothing to break the awful silence.

"I can imagine that you must hate me now, Becky, but I had to tell you the truth."

Rebecca couldn't believe that she could feel compassion for someone who had just spoken so cruelly to her, but there were tears in Angel's eyes and Rebecca's heart was moved.

"You're not going to believe this. Angel, but I don't hate you. I can't imagine how you could cast them off, but you're right—they're not your responsibility."

"What will you do?"

"I don't know if I need to
do
anything." Rebecca's voice turned just a bit testy. "Yes, I'll agree with you that I might have died, but I didn't. I'm here, and I'll take care of my sons."

Angel nodded and stood. "I know I must have hurt you just now, Becky, but I am glad you made it."

"Of course you are." Rebecca's voice was now cold. "Otherwise you'd be stuck trying to find some way to dispose of my sons,"

Angel looked at the floor. "I deserved that, Becky; I know I did, but I thought you should know how I feel." She moved to the door, and Rebecca came to her feet. She couldn't stand to have it end this way.

"Thanks, Angel," she said softly. The tall blonde turned.

"I'm sorry, Becky. I wish it could be different. I'll see you."

"All right. Don't be a stranger."

"I won't. Good night."

With that she was gone. Rebecca stood still for just an instant and then took the stairs on swift, quiet feet. She lit a lantern and stood over her boys, both sound asleep. Garrett's face was turned away from her, but Wyatt's baby-soft cheek was toward the light, his pale hair shining in the glow. Their foreheads were nearly touching, and against the pillow between them the fair hair mingled with the dark.

Rebecca felt her throat close. They were so precious. They never did a thing she told them, and they slapped at her, shouted, and threw horrid tantrums when they didn't get their way, but Rebecca loved them to distraction. Most of the time they were more than she could handle, and she found it easier to
give in than fight them. But no one else saw the way they came to her when they were hurt or frightened, or how cuddly they were when they were sleepy.

Rebecca tried not to picture them alone and helpless, but it was impossible. She saw
them in the street after dark, terrified and cold. She had to rush from the room so her tears would not awaken them. She closed the door of her bedroom and sank down onto the floor, her heart tearing in agony as sobs racked her body.

It was the start of a sleepless night and several sleepless nights to follow. Rebecca knew she couldn't go on as she was or she'd be sick again. Finally, on the fourth day, she faced what she must do.

What a time it's been,
Travis thought as he headed toward town. The date was October 28, and he was going to Clayton Taggart's house. That summer Clayton had been hired as the new schoolteacher in Boulder, not knowing that Jackie Fontaine now lived with her sister or that she had gone blind. Theirs had been a tempestuous meeting, but Christ's love, which never gives up, as well as Clayton's own devotion, finally broke through. Now Clayton and Jackie were getting married. Travis had offered to take Clayton to the church, but he hadn't bargained on how nervous the groom would be. When Travis arrived, the younger man was beside himself.

"I can't stop shaking," he admitted.

"Second thoughts?"

"No," he smiled, laughing a little. "None of that, just ... I don't know."

Travis smiled compassionately and decided that now was not the time to tell him his hair was on standing end. Once they got to the church, he would hand him a comb.

"What if she's having second thoughts?" Clayton suddenly asked Travis.

"I don't think she is," he said calmly. "I think she was ready to marry you weeks ago."

This arrested Clayton's attention as nothing else could.

"Why do you say that?"

"It's just something I've observed, Tag," Travis replied, calling him by his nickname. "I'm no expert on women, but when a lady blushes every time she's in your presence, there's something going on."

"But she doesn't do that."

"Not now, but a few weeks back, before she really got comfortable with you, she was beside herself to say the right thing every time."

Clayton nodded. He had seen some of this, but not the way Travis would have observed. Things always looked different when one's own heart Was involved. Clayton told himself to ask the older man what else he had noticed, as Travis was a very observant man. The conversation would have helped Clayton's nerves, but instead he started to pace again. There was less than an hour to go, and it felt like an eternity.

It was not a large wedding. The church family had been invited to a reception in a week's time, but today's gathering was small. The short guest list included the Langleys, Pastor Henley and his wife. Beryl, Raymond and Lena, and, of course, Travis. Everyone was already inside the church when Robert stopped the wagon that carried the bride and Travis came out to lend a hand.

"Is Clayton here?" she wished to know.

"No," Travis teased her. "He jumped on the stage and ran for it."

"Oh, Travis, you have to stop" she told him and giggled, her face already red.

The rancher hustled her inside where Eddie and Lena were ready to make adjustments to her dress and to hand her over to Clayton. She had not wanted to walk up the aisle and have to grope about to find Clayton, so he was going to walk her up himself.

It took a few minutes, but Travis watched from the front where he stood next to Robert as Clayton turned with Jackie and started up the aisle. Jackie had not wanted music, and she'd asked everyone to stand for the ceremony. It was all rather unusual, but Travis found it very special. The bride and groom stood opposite Pastor Henley, and the rest of the party stood to the sides of them, forming a half circle around the clergyman.

It was not a long service, but serious and unique. Clayton and Jackie turned to each other and said the things that were on their minds. They wanted these special friends and family to witness their vows and hold them accountable. Eddie bawled her way through the proceedings, and even Robert was overcome a few times. As it had with Robert and Eddie in Georgetown, Travis' mind went back to his own wedding. Thankfully he wasn't given much time to ponder over it. Soon there was much laughter and talking as everyone filed from the church to head to the Langleys' for a special dinner.