Black Lies
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It was a warm, sunny day when they rode up to the main house of Black Lodge. The place had a look that made it appear almost sinister and mysterious. A tall, iron gate in front of an imposing brick wall blocked anyone from entering.
The house itself appeared small but there were several outbuildings nearby. All appeared old and abandoned except for the stables, which looked well cared for. There were several horses tethered to the fence around the corral. They all appeared docile and calm as if the animals were used to being handled by someone with gentle hands.
“I’ll be staying here alone,” he said without preamble after his horse entered the paddock. “This place is mine.”
He waited until she had climbed down off her mount before speaking again. He didn’t offer his hand this time. Instead, he simply stared at her while she dismounted. Her face burned under his regard, and her heart beat faster and louder than normal. He had never seemed so intimidating before, so dangerous.
She glanced at him and felt a wave of heat roll over her body. She wanted desperately to touch him. Not just because he was attractive or charming, though both certainly played a part. It wasn’t even because he had rescued her from the fire. But because he intrigued her.
Why else would she spend so much money on something as impractical as riding lessons? What did it matter that she hated horses and the smell of them? She loved this man’s presence more than anything, especially now when she had no idea what lay ahead.
He stepped closer to her, blocking the sun, and leaned against the fence between her and the paddock. When she reached into her pocket, he lifted an eyebrow at the gesture. She quickly pulled out another coin and pressed it into his palm.
He caught her wrist in his large hand and raised her hand above his head. She let her eyes drop to where their fingers intertwined. She hadn’t known such a simple action could make her feel so feminine and fragile. His grip was strong enough to crush her bones, and yet it felt gentle. So gentle she wanted to melt into him and hide.
His thumb caressed the inside of her wrist and his gaze locked with hers. It gave her a shiver. She knew exactly how soft and smooth his skin was. And if he touched her anywhere else, he might break her heart. No one ever had before. Except herself.
“If you want to stay here alone, I won’t stop you,” he said softly. “But know this—if you come back with me tonight, then we will go to Black Lodge together.”
Her mouth went dry. “What about your wife?”
“My wife is dead.” He didn’t elaborate. But when he released her, his hold had softened slightly and he placed his hand on his chest, indicating the word was true.
She swallowed hard as a feeling of unease settled over her like a cold fog.
When she glanced toward the barns, he nodded toward them. “Those are yours too.”
With nothing better to do than stare at him, she followed him around the side of the house to a door beside the kitchen.
Inside were two rooms—a bedroom and a sitting room. The latter contained several pieces of furniture but not much else. She supposed that since the ranch consisted entirely of a house and its stables, the only other furnishings needed were tables and chairs to eat on in the kitchen.
There didn’t seem to be any closets or dressers either. If she wanted anything, she’d have to bring it with her from town.
The bed was large enough for three, so it must belong to him. It certainly appeared comfortable enough. A large bureau stood next to the fireplace and a wardrobe was positioned opposite it. On a high shelf above the mantel was a picture frame holding a photo of a young couple with another person standing behind them, presumably a brother.
“You don’t have a portrait of a lady in the parlor,” she observed quietly after he showed her through the rest of the house.
A dark scowl crossed his features and he shook his head. “No.”
She didn’t understand why his words bothered her but they did. Perhaps because he refused to acknowledge the existence of another woman who might have been important to him. It made her sad and angry all at once. How could a man be married and still live alone? Wasn’t that an insult to his wife? Did he really think of her as dead?
He opened the door leading outside. The cool air washed away the scent of hay and horses, and she breathed deeply. As far as houses went, this one was quite large. At least four stories are tall. It looked almost like a hotel with its balconies and porches that stretched over the front of each floor and overlooked the street below.
There was also a small balcony running around the entire rear of the structure, including the second floor. This area probably provided shelter from the summer heat when the wind blew strongly.
The wide porch wrapped around the back of the building and she could see several doors leading to smaller buildings attached to the main building. Some of those were undoubtedly outbuildings. A long driveway ran parallel to the house, but there didn’t seem to be any other structures or people nearby, except for a few sheep and cattle grazing on the green grassy hillside.
“I’m glad you’ve decided to stay.” He spoke without looking up from the ground where he was working on the weeds surrounding the barn.
“Why is that?”
“Because it’s better for you than going home.”
Was that why he was letting her stay? To protect her? Or was he just doing it because she wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon?
After he finished mowing the front yard, he moved to the alley and started working on the side of the house. With his shirt off and his pants rolled up, she couldn’t help but stare at his muscled body. She tried not to look at his bare chest and stomach, but sometimes she couldn’t help herself.
When he turned to face her again, she realized he noticed her staring and quickly dropped his gaze. Her cheeks burned, and she forced herself to focus on a bird pecking around the flowers along the edge of the building.
They worked silently until dusk when he stopped, wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, and took a sip from a mug in his other hand.
“What are we having for dinner?” he asked without removing his eyes from the wall.
“Steak, baked potatoes—”
He cut her off. “Don’t bother. I’ll cook something.” He tossed the cup onto the ground and began gathering the clippings of grass and weeds from the alley and tossing them into a bucket near the barn.
“Do you always grow things on your own property?”
He shrugged. “I can.”
As they continued to work, their footsteps echoed against the wooden porch and the distant sounds of traffic drifted down from the highway. After they’d taken care of the entire alley, he walked her over to the stables before taking some water out of the hose to clean himself off.
“We need to get you a new outfit,” he told her as he splashed a washcloth across his face. Water trickled down over his shoulders and dripped to the floor.
She watched him for several seconds, wondering what his response would be when she asked about her clothes. But instead of answering, he walked over to a pile of blankets in the corner where he’d apparently left his work shirt earlier.
Her heart sank. He wasn’t going to tell her anything more about her situation. “Did you find my hat?” she asked softly as he removed the stained shirt and draped it over a wooden post by the stable.
When he looked up and his brown eyes held concern, she felt a surge of relief. She hadn’t expected him to say no, or even lie about finding it.
“Yes.” His voice was low and gruff. “In the kitchen.”
The kitchen! So there had been another woman here—his wife. That explained why he refused to talk about her.
“Where is she now?” she asked.
“That’s none of your business,” he said sharply, anger flashing behind his eyes before he looked away.
Forcing herself not to feel sorry for the woman, she stepped closer and lifted her chin. “If you knew her name, you would have told me. Don’t you think you owe me at least that much respect? We’re married.”
His nostrils flared. Then he grabbed the hem of his shirt and threw it over her head before turning his back. “Leave.”
***
Molly watched him walk toward the house without saying a word. The last time they’d spoken like that was when she was leaving. And it seemed that every time she came, things got worse between them. Why did he insist on being so stubborn? Wasn’t it enough that he kept her hidden away from everyone else without forcing her to live in such an isolated place?
But when she saw his back, she couldn’t leave it at that. It had been a long time since she’d seen her husband angry. In fact, it had only happened once before, and that was before she even met him. She’d come to find out later it happened whenever his wife left town and stayed gone for too long.
He never talked about the woman, but she could tell she meant a lot to him. She could also tell by the way he spoke to her that he wasn’t happy with the arrangement.
So why did he keep her trapped if she was such a nuisance? What kind of husband kept his wife prisoner?
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t like it here.” She tried to sound as calm as possible. “It’s not good for us—for either of us.”
With her arms crossed over her chest, she waited for a response, but he didn’t speak for several minutes. They both remained silent as they stood next to the stable. A horse nickered softly as a few birds twittered in a nearby tree.
She’d already decided that she had nothing else to lose, so she might as well say what she wanted to know. “How many children do you want?”
“None,” he spat. “I’m not having any more kids.”
“Why?”
He turned abruptly to face her. “You’ve heard me talk about how difficult marriage is. You should know that I’m not having any more.”
She blinked. “I guess it doesn’t matter because—”
“No.” He interrupted her. “It matters very much, Molly. Do you see why? This isn’t a game. I can’t just give you what you want without consequences.”
She took a step toward him. “Then why did you marry me?”
He stared at the stable. “To protect you. That’s all.”
“Protect me from what?”
He didn’t answer.
After watching him for several minutes, she finally walked away. When she reached the front door, she stopped for a moment before walking inside. Her heart ached as she considered what he’d said about his life.
They were in a bad situation; there was no question about that. But neither of them knew what the other was thinking, especially when it came to love. Did she love him enough to change everything about who she was to please him? Could she ever become the kind of woman who was content to stay at home while he worked day after day and then come to her every night?
She wasn’t sure. If she did, it might kill their marriage. It certainly wouldn’t make things easier for her.
A shiver ran down her spine. With the wind whipping around her bare shoulders, she went into the house and up the stairs to her room where she locked the door behind her. No one would be able to get in or bother her while she lay on the bed staring out at the trees.
She would think about tomorrow’s meeting and what to do. After all, she was supposed to be a lawyer. Maybe it would help if she thought of it as an opportunity instead of a problem.
***
Molly sat alone in the barn trying not to feel nervous as she waited for her husband to return. For a moment, she wondered if she should have changed clothes, but she decided against it. She couldn’t let him see her dressed differently than usual, so she would be just as naked under her coat as she’d been when they met earlier.
At eight o’clock she heard footsteps approaching, but when he opened the door, he didn’t smile or greet her warmly in a voice. Instead, he gave her a curt nod and headed straight for the kitchen. “We need to talk.”
Her stomach churned. “What is it?”
“I need to talk to my brother-in-law. We’ll meet downstairs.”
He disappeared down the hallway. She followed him and stopped in the doorway as he sat at the table with his hat still in his hand. His gray eyes were fixed on the wall clock, so he hadn’t noticed her standing behind him.
She cleared her throat. “You’re late.”
His gaze flicked in her direction. “Yes.”
“Did you go back to the bank?”
He shook his head. “No. We’ll discuss our plans tonight.”
She nodded. “Of course.”
He pushed his hat off his forehead and rubbed his temples. “When will you stop wearing your coat?”
She frowned. “Why are you asking me this now? It hasn’t bothered you for the last two weeks.”
“It bothers me that I can’t touch you anymore. It bothers me that you don’t seem to care about your own safety.”
She folded her arms across her chest. “Do you have some reason for feeling this way?”
He sighed, pulled out a chair, and sat. “There’s something about you that makes me suspicious.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Let me put it another way. You aren’t who I married—a strong, independent woman who wants a family.”
She stared at him for several seconds before speaking. “I don’t know what to say. Is there anything specific that’s bothering you? I assure you that I’ve never once made a decision without considering it carefully.”
“That’s obvious,” he said. “But I’m talking about the real you. The woman you hide behind the suit and gloves.”
“And that is?”
“Your feelings about being tied down to someone like me. About becoming part of a large family. Do you hate it here? Are you resenting my job?”
Her throat tightened. Why did he keep harping on the same thing? “The only people I dislike are your brothers because they treat you like dirt. Your wife doesn’t seem too happy either.”
“My wife is fine with her life.” He paused and looked directly at her. “I’m sorry you don’t find our situation more enjoyable. But we can’t change anything by fighting each other and that’s what we’re doing.”
Tears welled up in her eyes. “Are you saying that you want me to leave? That’s why you asked me to meet with your brother-in-law today.”
“No.” He grabbed a pencil and scribbled notes on a pad of paper. “Not quite yet. But we need to discuss the future.”
“Talk about it later.” She stepped out of his reach, walked over to the window, and stared out at the trees. Was it possible to fall in love with a man who hated everything about her?
The meeting took place in the living room. She had expected it to happen upstairs, but he led them through the dining room instead, stopping halfway there in front of a closed door. When he turned the knob and went inside, she felt a rush of relief. At least she wouldn’t be forced to look into his face again.
After she knocked on the door, Molly saw Tom sitting on the edge of the sofa in his favorite reading chair. As soon as she entered the room, he stood up and offered her a seat next to him on the sofa.
“Sit,” he whispered.
She sat down and leaned toward him, whispering, “So what do you think you’re going to accomplish with this meeting?”
Tom leaned forward and spoke quietly. “We’ll talk about what happened last night, but I doubt we can come to any agreement with my brother-in-law.” He glanced around to make sure they weren’t overheard and then continued, “We’ll decide how to handle the bank robbery trial. If we can’t convince Judge Ransome to give me a lighter sentence, I might plead guilty.”
“I’ll testify against you if needed.”
He chuckled. “Don’t get too excited. We’ll try to get a better deal from Ransome.”
“How could you possibly prove that you were working alone?”
“If I’m convicted, all I’ll need is a good lawyer.”
“And that’s not enough? Why didn’t you tell me about your plan sooner?”
“You would have tried to stop me.”
“I might have done it anyway, given the chance.”
He smiled at her and stroked her hair away from her cheek. “I wanted to spare you from that pain. Besides, we have a lot to consider. What are your thoughts?”
What did she have to think about? Did he really expect her to stand by while he committed an armed robbery? No way! She was a witness against him, no matter what he said about the bank robbery. If he confessed to the judge that he’d acted alone, she could still be called as a character witness and explain his motives.
“I’ll help you, however, I can.” Her voice cracked. “Just promise me that you’ll come home soon. Then we can work things out. We’ll make it work.”
His hands fell away from her shoulders. “I don’t think I’ll be coming back anytime soon. And neither will you.”
***
As soon as Molly walked through the door at her house, she rushed into the bedroom, locked herself in, and threw herself onto the bed. Why does he always push me away?
She stared at the ceiling, trying to calm her nerves and thinking about ways to save their marriage. The one thing they both shared was love; it was stronger than their differences. He just had to trust her. Couldn’t he see that he needed her now more than ever?
Maybe she wasn’t the best person in the world, but she’d proven her devotion time and again. He didn’t need to go through life alone anymore, especially since she loved him so much more than he deserved.
It seemed like forever before the door opened and she heard footsteps approaching. She jumped off the bed, turned around, and waited for him to walk through the door.
Instead, a tall man entered her bedroom carrying two cups of coffee. She recognized his familiar black hat. “Mr. Denton?”
“You’ve met my brothers.” He set the cups down on the dresser and handed one to her. “They came to visit me.” He sat on the bed and pulled off his boots.
Molly took a sip of her drink. It tasted bitter, just the way she liked it.
Denton picked up his boot and tossed it at a pile of discarded clothes on the floor. “You’re going to hate me for this.”
“Why?” She sipped her coffee and waited patiently.
“Because you’re about to find yourself in an impossible situation.”
“Meaning?”
He reached over and grabbed a book off the shelf behind her head. “This isn’t going to make things easier.”
She followed his gaze and gasped when she saw the title. It was one of Mr. Denton’s novels. He must have borrowed it from one of her bookshelves. But why was he reading it here? Was he planning another book based on their story?
“What are you doing?”
“I thought maybe you could read it with me.”
Did he seriously mean what he said? She couldn’t believe what he was suggesting. They weren’t supposed to know each other’s thoughts yet. That wasn’t how it was written. How could they possibly share something so intimate without first knowing what the other felt?
“No. You can’t be serious.”
“Maybe it’s because I want to hear your voice while I read. Is there anything else you’d rather do?”
He held his book out to her and winked. “Do you have any other plans today?”
“Not at the moment.”
He closed the book and put it on top of a stack of his novels. “Then what do you say we start right away?”
She stared at his handsome face and remembered the last time she looked at him. When he kissed her, she melted like ice cream in the desert sun. Now he’d kissed her goodbye and left her alone to sort out the mess that had suddenly sprung up between them.
Was she doing the right thing or did she deserve everything that was coming to her? All she knew was that she loved him and couldn’t bear to live a lifetime alone. There were still good times ahead for them if only she could find some way to convince him to return.
The End