Chapter 38: Because of Paul

~In a true loving heart either jealousy kills love or love kills jealousy~ —Fyodor Dostoevsky

“Thank you, Mr. Martin.” Dannie’s voice was flat as she took the envelope. Sophie waited for her father to leave before snatching the letter from Dannie’s hand.

“Is it from PAUL Richardson?” she asked dramatically, gazing at the letter in wonder. “The infamous Paul Richardson?”

“Sophie, give that back to me,” Dannie grabbed the letter.

Jake had stiffened at the mention of Paul.

“Since when does he write… Oh!” Sophie’s blue eyes widened. “Daddy said ~another~ letter. Have the two of you been in correspondence? Why, you sneaky little thing! How could you keep such secrets from me?”

Sophie grabbed Dannie by the arm and shook her. Neither of the girls noticed Jake get up and walk back into the house.

“Why on earth are you writin’ a former lover? Why is he writin’ you? Is he tryin’ to get you back?”

“Certainly not!” Dannie snapped. “Mr. Richardson has been married for over a year now. Don’t you remember that he married while I was still in New York?”

“Then why would he write you?”

Dannie sighed and looked at the envelope in her hands.

“It’s all thanks to his grandmother’s will. She was so kind as to leave me something. Mr. Richardson is a lawyer and in charge of her last will and testament, thus he is the one handling this correspondence.”

“So kind?” Sophie lifted her eyebrow at Dannie’s sarcasm. “Was she trying to make some amends for how her grandson treated you?”

“I suppose so.” Dannie gave a frustrated laugh. “Only she had a strange way of going about it. You see, Mr. Richardson’s grandmother was a wealthy woman, and most of her fortune was to go to her only grandson. However, there was a condition. He had to give me shares in his acquired business fortune.”

“The one he got thanks to his carefully thought-out marriage to a business tycoon with only one daughter?”

“Just so. That’s how our correspondence started. The thing is, I don’t want shares in that man’s company, so I refused. But if I refuse, then he doesn’t get the money he so desperately wants.”

“Karma,” Sophie laughed. “So what now?”

“Well, we are trying to come to an arrangement. I figured I’ll take his silly shares so he can get the inheritance, and then sell them back to him. That way, I’ll have money for my pains, but won’t have to deal with that man and his wife.”

Dannie stuffed the letter into her pocket and turned toward Jake, but was surprised to find out he was gone.

“When did Jake leave?” she asked Sophie.

“I dunno,” Sophie shrugged. Dannie got up and went back into the house, where she met Mrs. Martin.

“Mrs. Martin, have you seen Jake?”

“He went off with the fellas from the Cora Belle,” Mrs. Martin answered.

“Without saying… Oh no, he doesn’t!”

Dannie rushed through the house and out the front door. Sam, Joe, and Slim had already mounted their horses. Jake wasn’t with them.

“Mr. Carthwrite!” Dannie ran up to them. “Where is Jake?”

“He’s in the stable, fixing his saddle. It wasn’t put on properly,” Sam replied with a glare at Slim.

“Miz Preston, I want to apologize for what I said earlier. I was out of line,” Slim said, shifting in his saddle uncomfortably.

“Don’t worry about it, Slim, I’m not angry,” Dannie reassured him hastily, then hurried into the stable where Jake was working with the saddle.

“Jacob Carver Wade, where on earth are you going?” she demanded, hands on her hips. Jake kept his attention on the horse.

“Back to the Cora Belle, where else?”

“I can’t believe it, I just can’t! This is the second time you’re walking out on me. Don’t you even want to say goodbye?”

Dannie was confused and upset.

“Jake, what is the matter with you? Last year you took off without a word, and now you are doing the same thing? Is this some habit of yours?”

“You’re a smart girl, Dannie. Figure it out for yourself,” Jake retorted and, mounting his horse, rode off.

“What on earth do you mean?” Dannie called after him, but Jake and his companions were already riding away, and the only answer she got was the sound of horses kicking up the Arizona dust.

Dannie stood where she was, long after the riders were out of sight.

“Dannie,” Sophie’s hand crept up her shoulder. “What’s the matter?”

“I just don’t understand him,” Dannie replied. “I just don’t. I thought he cared for me. At least, I thought he was beginning to care. And then he just rides off like that! What is more, he makes it sound as though it is my fault.”

“Maybe he got angry because of Paul?”

“But I said it was only a business transaction, and it wasn’t appreciated on my part.”

Sophie shrugged. “Jake is Jake, and he’s never been known to be very patient or understanding when it comes to women.”

Dannie didn’t say anything. She couldn’t completely agree with Sophie’s words. Jake wasn’t all bad manners. Sure, there was a certain amount of prejudice, but there was also a good, kind, and caring heart beating inside of him.

She couldn’t understand the way he had just treated her, nor the words he had said.

Was it really because of Paul? Was he jealous?

Dannie bit her lip, trying to think what to do. Should she go after him? That would make her look desperate. Not to mention that, in the temper he was in, he would be unwilling to listen.

Maybe it would be best to wait a little.

After all, he had never said anything about his feelings to her. Sure, there had been stares and smiles, but he had never actually spoken of any sort of attachment.

Even though he had been with her for well over two months, Dannie had no idea what Jake felt for her.

Giving Sophie a weak smile, Dannie walked back to the house. She needed to search her own heart and mind before trying to figure out Jake’s.