Read Online Shadow of Deceit (Shadow #2) by Barbara Goss - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Barbara Goss
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speak with you,” he said.
“This really isn’t a good time—”
Miles peered around Caleb and caught sight of Violet sitting at the table.
“So! You now have Violet all to yourself. What did you tell her about me?”
Caleb was speechless. Before he could come up with something to say in response, Violet stepped to the door.
“That’s ridiculous!” Violet exclaimed. “You knew Caleb and I were close and almost related. Of course I came for a visit, but I don’t have to explain myself to you.” She touched Caleb’s arm. “I’ll post the letter for you, I’m going into town. I’ll see you Sunday.”
She edged out the door, and around Miles who watched her walk to her horse, mount, and then ride away. She did give him a parting look of irritation before she trotted off.
Caleb sighed, “You might as well come in.” He opened the door wider so the man could enter.
Elsie was clearing away the lunch dishes, and Caleb quickly introduced Miles, and led him to the parlor. He scooped up the letters and writing materials and threw them on his desk.
“What can I do for you, Miles?” Caleb said in a way that showed his displeasure with the situation.
“I didn’t know she was here, and it surprised me,” Miles said. “I jumped to conclusions. I love her and she won’t even talk to me. I came here to ask what you told her to make her so angry with me.”
“I didn’t tell her anything, just the facts of the plot against me. She’s a smart woman, so she knew it had to be you. I didn’t tell her.” Caleb rested his elbows on his knees. “I think the world of Violet, and I don’t want her hurt. What she does is her business. I won’t interfere, but I don’t think you have a chance with her, so if I were you I’d try to get over her, and find someone else.”
“I love only her. I’ve courted a few other women, but there’s no one like Violet,” he said. “I just can’t accept that she won’t forgive me.”
“I think it’s more than forgiving, it’s the fact that she feels she can no longer trust you,” Caleb said. “And I’d feel the same about Julia if she returned. I’d forgive her, but never trust her again. God tells us to forgive, but forgetting and trusting again, as far as I know, He doesn’t mention that.”
“I wanted to go to Reverend Jeffries, but I can’t since I’d be talking about his daughter,” Miles said.
“You could go to him for advice and not mention who the woman is, I suppose, but then again, he knows the whole story, so maybe not.”
“What can I do?” he pleaded. “I don’t want anyone else.”
Caleb shrugged. “I don’t know. Prayer is a good start.”
After Miles left, he went back out to his work in the craft building. No sooner had he started sanding the toy for Zoe, than a buggy pulled up to the house. He stuck his head out of the door and didn’t recognize the strange woman driving. He thought perhaps she had the wrong house and wanted the ranch down the road. He wiped his hands and went out to the buggy.
“Good Afternoon,” he said to the young woman with dark brown hair, and brown eyes.
“Good Afternoon,” she said with a southern accent that Caleb found pleasing to the ear.
“Might you be Caleb Armstrong?” she asked.
“I might be, but who are you?” he asked.
“Martha Rankin—um—I wrote to you?”
Caleb was shocked. Since he hadn’t read her letter until just about an hour ago—he was truly baffled. Why was she here? He had so many questions, but remembered his manners.
Chapter 9
Caleb led Martha into the sitting room, and was thankful he’d put the letters away.
“Please have a seat,” Caleb said.
Martha sat on the sofa, and Caleb took a seat on the other end of the sofa.
“I supposed you’re wondering why I’m here and not in Missouri awaiting your reply?” she asked.
“Yes, I certainly didn’t expect to
“This really isn’t a good time—”
Miles peered around Caleb and caught sight of Violet sitting at the table.
“So! You now have Violet all to yourself. What did you tell her about me?”
Caleb was speechless. Before he could come up with something to say in response, Violet stepped to the door.
“That’s ridiculous!” Violet exclaimed. “You knew Caleb and I were close and almost related. Of course I came for a visit, but I don’t have to explain myself to you.” She touched Caleb’s arm. “I’ll post the letter for you, I’m going into town. I’ll see you Sunday.”
She edged out the door, and around Miles who watched her walk to her horse, mount, and then ride away. She did give him a parting look of irritation before she trotted off.
Caleb sighed, “You might as well come in.” He opened the door wider so the man could enter.
Elsie was clearing away the lunch dishes, and Caleb quickly introduced Miles, and led him to the parlor. He scooped up the letters and writing materials and threw them on his desk.
“What can I do for you, Miles?” Caleb said in a way that showed his displeasure with the situation.
“I didn’t know she was here, and it surprised me,” Miles said. “I jumped to conclusions. I love her and she won’t even talk to me. I came here to ask what you told her to make her so angry with me.”
“I didn’t tell her anything, just the facts of the plot against me. She’s a smart woman, so she knew it had to be you. I didn’t tell her.” Caleb rested his elbows on his knees. “I think the world of Violet, and I don’t want her hurt. What she does is her business. I won’t interfere, but I don’t think you have a chance with her, so if I were you I’d try to get over her, and find someone else.”
“I love only her. I’ve courted a few other women, but there’s no one like Violet,” he said. “I just can’t accept that she won’t forgive me.”
“I think it’s more than forgiving, it’s the fact that she feels she can no longer trust you,” Caleb said. “And I’d feel the same about Julia if she returned. I’d forgive her, but never trust her again. God tells us to forgive, but forgetting and trusting again, as far as I know, He doesn’t mention that.”
“I wanted to go to Reverend Jeffries, but I can’t since I’d be talking about his daughter,” Miles said.
“You could go to him for advice and not mention who the woman is, I suppose, but then again, he knows the whole story, so maybe not.”
“What can I do?” he pleaded. “I don’t want anyone else.”
Caleb shrugged. “I don’t know. Prayer is a good start.”
After Miles left, he went back out to his work in the craft building. No sooner had he started sanding the toy for Zoe, than a buggy pulled up to the house. He stuck his head out of the door and didn’t recognize the strange woman driving. He thought perhaps she had the wrong house and wanted the ranch down the road. He wiped his hands and went out to the buggy.
“Good Afternoon,” he said to the young woman with dark brown hair, and brown eyes.
“Good Afternoon,” she said with a southern accent that Caleb found pleasing to the ear.
“Might you be Caleb Armstrong?” she asked.
“I might be, but who are you?” he asked.
“Martha Rankin—um—I wrote to you?”
Caleb was shocked. Since he hadn’t read her letter until just about an hour ago—he was truly baffled. Why was she here? He had so many questions, but remembered his manners.
Chapter 9
Caleb led Martha into the sitting room, and was thankful he’d put the letters away.
“Please have a seat,” Caleb said.
Martha sat on the sofa, and Caleb took a seat on the other end of the sofa.
“I supposed you’re wondering why I’m here and not in Missouri awaiting your reply?” she asked.
“Yes, I certainly didn’t expect to
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