“No!” Cade roared, his chest heaving. “I’ll tie you down and lock you in your parents’ house if you don’t promise to stay away from him tonight.”
“Cade, you heard the sheriff, we need more time. Having photographs of murdered woman, even creepy photographs, are not enough unless the diary holds a confession. Ben, please support me here. All I am saying is that I can help keep him distracted at the ball so he doesn’t get suspicious and run.”
Ben put his hands up in defense, “Rose, I have to side with your husband on this. Confession or no confession, that lot you took there shows a disturbed mind. It may be enough for us to get a warrant, but that will take a little time.”
Shifting Daisy to her other hip, she met Cade’s blazing gaze. “Cade, you’ll be there at the party as well as Sheriff Ben, Jonathan, my parents, and half of Tall Pine. If one of those entries is a confession, then we can act fast. I would prefer not to make Jeffries identify his daughter from the photographs.”
“Speaking of coming festivities, I will see you both this evening.” Sheriff Ben hurried out the door, leaving Rose and Cade to stare at each other in frustration.
Sighing, Rose noticed the slight twitch in Cade’s hand. “You’re feeling the need, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” he said with forced calmness.
“Anything I can do to help?” she inquired curiously.
“Letting me tell you about it helps more than you know.” To Rose’s surprise he knelt down by the hearth and began to light a fire, “It’s getting colder.”
Rose walked over to the sofa and let her body relax as she rested in the cushions. She had not realized how much she and Cade had done to the place. There was a quaint bookshelf with comforting book spines coordinating with the vases of flowers and candles over the fireplace.
Her cooking had improved, and the aroma of bread and stew filled up the space with the smell of comfort. The gaslights were working well, and the broken boards on the floor had been replaced.
“You’ve worked hard,” Rose found herself saying. “I was so fixated on that fence you were working on that I have not paid attention to what you have done to this home.”
He stood up and looked around. “Looks nice, doesn’t it? Of course, I am not the one who picked flowers and arranged our meager furniture.” He winked and nodded towards the hall. “I need to wash my hands before lunch. We having beef stew again?” he grinned.
Rose glared and set Daisy down on the sheep’s woolskin beside the sofa. “It is a stew, but I used chicken instead, and there are blueberry muffins,” she shrugged. “Meg says any fool can make a stew, so I am mastering that until I progress to other things.”
Cade nodded his head, “Sounds reasonable.” He walked to his room shutting the door behind him. Rose bent down to hand Daisy the small cloth doll she like to gnaw on. It was then that she saw a package next to the fireplace, wrapped in twine.
Curious, Rose walked over and picked it up. She had not sent for anything and neither had Cade to her knowledge.
Maybe it was something for Daisy. Either way she set it down and turned around to scoop up Daisy.
“You’re not going to open it?” Cade’s voice startled her.
Rose spun around. “When did—”
“Some time ago. I know you did not take a whole lot when you left me. Besides, I know I can’t keep you from the ball tonight, so you might as well show off how lovely you are in pink.”
Rose’s eyes widened, “Pink?”
Cade grinned. “My father may have cut me off, but there are things I did pay for with my own deputy money. Things like some of the furniture and your clothes.”
“My clothes?”
“Just open it,” he grinned and took Daisy into his arms.
“Is anyone watching the Hugh home? What if he doesn’t come back?” she asked while trying to undo the knot.
“Ben has someone keeping an eye on it, but unless Jessica checked the safe and got word to Phillip, he won’t know anything is missing until he comes home. With a pinch of luck, he’ll not notice until after the ball. Do you need help with that?”
Rose squinted her eyes. “I am pretty good about getting out tight knots.”
His eyes smoldered over as he whispered in her ear. “You are pretty good at a few things,” he nipped her earlobe sending shivers through her veins.
Rose smiled, eagerly, tearing away the wrapping. A petal pink satin and cream laced dress greeted her.
“Cade!” She finished unwrapping it and held up the pink dress. “How did you know I wanted this? I was speaking to Meg about this the week we moved in here.”
Cade laughed. “I heard you two talking. I know you’ve been careful with money since I’m not making a whole lot, but I did want to buy this for you.”
“Well, thank you,” she looked up at him, wondering why she was suddenly feeling choked up. She blinked rapidly and shook her head. “Do you mind watching Daisy for a moment while I go put this away?”
Cade said he would and sat down to bounce Daisy on his knees. Rose walked to her room admiring the soft fabric beneath her fingertips. The satin was cool and calming, like a breeze to the skin. She laid it out on the bed, admiring its lines and soft color. Cade had given her presents before: her necklace, a book. Why did this feel like something more?
It was intimate. The necklace he had thought of, the earrings and book as well, but this dress—it was a vain wish to have it, a luxury. Yet, it was something she wanted no matter how frivolous, and he bought it for her. He noticed her desire and went out of his way to fulfill it.
Rose bit her lip. She never thought of Cade as tender or sensitive. Seeing him with Daisy began to form that image of him in her mind, but to Rose it was hard not to be tender towards Daisy. The child was so happy, so lovely; one would be a fool not to fall in love with her.
This, however, was a tender act towards her. It was a husband thinking of his wife’s needs and meeting them even if they were not convenient. Rose toyed with the lace trim. She would go to the party as a married woman. Not one who was trapped in a marriage out of loyalty or desperation. No, she would be going as a happily married woman. A woman with a family and a husband who was a good man.
Rose smiled. And she would look stunning.