Chapter 10.

For the next three Sundays, Meredith had no need for Fiona, and Tucker managed to join the Raffertys for every meal, breaking his usual habit of showing up only for supper. Never did he seem to mind Ian's ribbing or Meredith's gentle questioning, although he remained steadfastly silent on his renewed interest in family gatherings.

Fiona would have had to be blind to miss the fact that Tucker seemed to be paying more than the usual amount of attention to her. For her part, Fiona feared she might be falling in love-something she dared not do, considering the short amount of time she had left in Goose Chase.

Each time she left the cabin and headed toward the river with Tucker, Fiona couldn't help but smile. Unlike other times, however, today Tucker seemed preoccupied.

At first Fiona ignored him, calculating that whatever ailed the man would soon be set aside in favor of an afternoon of good fishing and even better coffee. Then he had the audacity to complain about the coffee.

"That does it." Fiona stood. "If you can't be decent company, then why don't you try being quiet? Remember, there's no talking when you're fishing."

Tucker's look quickly faded. "All right," he said. "You want company? I'll give you company and talking. I was just wondering if your letter was from the medical college."

Stunned, she asked, "How did you know I got a letter?"

"Because I was with Ian when Braden brought the mail from town." He crossed his arms over his chest. "The one on top of the stack had your name on it."

Her brothers had noticed, too, but they were obviously waiting for her to bring it up. It would have been hard to miss the look Ian gave her when he handed her the envelope. Surely he and Braden had discussed what it might contain.

Fiona hadn't decided exactly what she would say if asked, but she knew she couldn't lie. She also knew she had to be in Oregon when the term began, and according to the letter, that only gave her two more Sundays to fish before she had to leave Goose Chase.

Two more Sundays with the man she'd somehow fallen in love with.

Thinking about it just made things worse, so she decided to lighten the mood. "So you're brooding over the fact I got a letter?" She feigned a playful smile. "Why, Tucker Smith, are you jealous?"

The joke did not have its intended effect. Rather, Tucker stood and dusted off his trousers. Without saying a word, he grabbed the half-filled buckets and stalked away.

Fiona opened her mouth to comment then thought better of it and went back to fishing. If she caught anything, she'd just carry the fish home wrapped in her ap.r.o.n.

She felt a tug on the line and watched as the granddaddy of all trout nibbled at the bait on her hook.

"Fisherwoman, what excuse do you offer for letting a perfectly decent fish get away?"

She didn't have to turn around to know Tucker was walking toward her. "I a.s.sumed that since you had no intentions of catching him, the least I could do was let the fish eat something so he could get a little bigger before I landed him."

He came around to stand between her and the river. Somewhere along the way, he'd set aside the buckets, for now his hands were empty.

"I'm going to speak my piece, Fiona, and I don't want you to say a thing. Nod if you understand." When she complied, he continued. "All right, I'm just going to come right out and say it. These last few weeks have, well, they've given me a lot to think about."

Fiona wanted to speak, wanted to say she, too, had found plenty to consider. Instead, she settled for another nod.

"It all comes down to this. Fiona Rafferty, somewhere between the coffee and the fishing, I've fallen in love with you." He began to pace, and Fiona tried her best to keep her focus on him. "Yes, that's right, I have fallen in love. I know it may surprise you, but-"

"No, it doesn't." Fiona smiled. "I've fallen in love with you, too, Tucker."

He stopped his pacing and whirled around. "I'm serious, Fiona. Don't joke with me."

Tears stung her eyes, and she blinked them away. "I'm serious, too. I can't account for it, but I'm ready to admit I'm in love with you." She shook her head. "There's just one problem."

Tucker looked stricken. "What's that?"

"You haven't asked me to stay yet."

"I can remedy that problem right now." He crossed the distance between them to encircle her wrist with his fingers. Lifting her hand to his lips, he softly kissed her knuckles as he met her gaze. "I want to do this right and proper, so I'm going to speak to your brothers since your father isn't here. I just want to be completely sure of one thing first."

Fiona's tears fell as she contemplated the importance of this conversation. She knew what he was going to ask, but rather than answer, she let him speak the words first. "What's that?"

"I've known since we met at that fishing vessel in Goose Chase that you never meant to make this place your home. Can you give up medicine to be a wife to me?"

She took only a moment to consider what Tucker asked. Her heart soared as she whispered, "Yes."

Tucker's yelp of happiness was probably heard all the way back at the cabin. He lifted Fiona by the waist and swung her around, then held her against him and kissed the top of her head. "You've made me the happiest man in Alaska, Fiona Rafferty. If you have no objections, I'd like to go back to the cabin and let Merry and Ian know."

Fiona looked up into the eyes of the man she loved and tried to nod. Tears blurred his handsome face and rendered her useless until Tucker wiped them away with his handkerchief.

"Would it be too forward of me to steal a kiss?"

Fiona smiled. "Why, is Violet Abrams headed this way?"

"If she is, then she'd best close her eyes else she's going to see the best kiss ever given on Alaskan soil." With that, he made good on his promise.

"Tucker," Fiona whispered some moments later. "Do you suppose you can top that kiss?"

Tucker leaned down and cradled her cheek with the palm of his hand. "I might, darlin', but not until we're married. I'm sure it will be worth the wait, though."

The walk back to the cabin took forever. Of course, it didn't help that every few feet she had to stop and look at Tucker to see if she'd dreamed the whole thing. They got all the way to the clearing before Tucker realized he had left the fish back at the river.

"You go on inside, but don't you dare say a word. I want to speak to Ian before you go blabbing, you hear?"

"I might be convinced, but it will take another kiss."

Tucker complied then sent her toward the door. "Not a word, now," he said as he hurried back toward the river.

Fiona took a moment to compose herself, first by breathing deeply, then by making sure her hair was fixed just so and the tears she'd shed were no longer evident. Just when she thought her nerves had calmed, a male voice called her name, and she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Mr. Wily," she said as the man rounded the corner of the cabin. "Did you bring mail?"

He nodded. "That and company."

"We have company?" She accepted the packet of letters from Wily, then strained to see inside the cabin. "Who is he?"

Wily scratched his head and shrugged. "Don't rightly know, except that he's a she."

Fiona held the letters to her chest and strolled toward the cabin door. The sound of voices drifted toward her, two female and the other decidedly male. Ian and Meredith had company, but who?

She took a deep breath and said a prayer that she could get through visiting with strangers without giving away her secret. The precious secret she shared with Tucker Smith.

"Fiona, I didn't expect you back so soon."

As her eyes adjusted to the dimness of the room, she found Meredith and offered her a smile. Ian sat some distance away, and if she didn't know better, Fiona would think her brother was royally irritated.

"Dear," Ian said, "why don't you introduce Fiona to our guest?"

Meredith looked fl.u.s.tered. A woman-the one she thought was Violet-dressed in a traveling suit of fine navy wool and matching hat sat across the table from her. The woman's face beamed, and her smile revealed perfect teeth framed by full, red lips.

"I'm Elizabeth," the elegant woman said. "Elizabeth Bentley."

"This is my sister, Fiona," Ian supplied.

Elizabeth reached out to place a gloved hand atop Meredith's. "I want to thank you for your letter. I must say I never expected to hear from you." She paused. "From either of you, actually."

"Yes, well, about that letter." Meredith swallowed hard and cast a furtive glance at Fiona. "You see, that letter was written months ago. Ages, really. I thought that Tucker-"

"Thought Tucker what?"

Fiona turned to see her soon-to-be husband standing in the door. She offered him a smile, but he looked right past her. "Tucker?"

No response. She tried again as he stepped into a shaft of daylight. Still he did not respond.

What Fiona saw on his face, however, frightened her. In the span of half a second, the man she loved had completely forgotten she was in the room.

"Elizabeth?" His voice trembled as he said the woman's name. "What are you doing here?"

"Merry sent her a letter." Ian rose. "She thought you might be..." Ian looked over at Fiona with an unreadable expression. "Never mind, I'm going to take our son out for some fresh air. I'll be outside with Wily if anyone needs me." With that, he gathered a sleeping Douglas from his resting spot and pressed past Fiona to head out the door. "Let me rephrase that," he said. "Fiona, I will be outside with Wily when you need me."

An uncomfortable silence descended, and Fiona got the impression she was the only one in the room without the full story. "Someone tell me what's going on here," she said.

"Tucker," Elizabeth said, "you look as handsome as ever."

Tucker remained frozen and mute. The color had drained from his face, and he looked as though he'd seen a ghost. Meredith didn't look much better.

Elizabeth rose and removed her gloves, setting them on the table and arranging them just so. Then she made her way across the room and came to stand close to Tucker. Far too close, in Fiona's estimation, although Tucker did nothing to move away.

Or maybe he didn't notice. His eyes seemed glazed over, and he looked as if anything other than breathing could be accomplished only with great effort.

"Tucker," Fiona said, "what's going on here?"

For a moment, Tucker's vision seemed to clear. He looked at Fiona. "I'm sorry," came out in a strangled reply. "I'm so very sorry."

"Don't be silly." Elizabeth tapped Tucker on the shoulder then let her hand linger there a bit too long for Fiona's comfort. "You're acting as if you're not glad to see me. I know better than that, Tucker Smith. What I don't know is why you didn't write me to tell me that yourself."

"Where you want these, miss?" Wily stood in the doorway with a set of matched valises balanced on one shoulder.

Elizabeth turned to Meredith. "Where am I staying?" She aimed a broad smile at Tucker. "Just for two nights, of course. My father's expecting us in Goose Chase day after tomorrow."

"Us?"

Something was wrong. If only Fiona could put her finger on it. Tucker and Meredith were still staring at Elizabeth, and the houseguest was making eyes at Fiona's fiance while saying her father was waiting to see Tucker and his sister back in town.

Fiona turned to him. "Tucker, maybe this would be a good time to speak to Ian." When he gave her a blank look, she continued. "You know, about that thing you and I discussed at the river?"

His eyes blinked, but otherwise Tucker continued to stand stock-still as a deep red flushed his cheeks. His fists, she noticed, were clenched, as was his jaw. When she touched Tucker's sleeve, he jerked away and then looked down and met her gaze.

"I'm sorry, Fiona." He turned his attention to the visitor. "I thought my obligations had been released."

Fiona heard the words, but their meaning refused to sink in. She reached for the nearest thing-Tucker's arm-to steady herself.

"Obligations? Well, Tucker, I don't know what's gotten into you." The stranger turned to Meredith. "I declare, I don't remember him acting this way back in Texas. Do you, Merry? I don't believe he ever referred to me as an obligation. Are you really doing that now, Tucker, or was that just an unfortunate choice of words?"

"Elizabeth," Meredith said slowly, "I'm not sure how to tell you this, but certain situations may have changed since I wrote you."

"You...wrote...to...her?" Tucker paused to shake his head. "That explains why she's here, but why did you do it, Merry?"

"You were lonely, Tucker." Meredith took a step toward her brother then seemed to think better of it. "Remember when we talked about how G.o.d had blessed me with Ian and Douglas? I wanted you to be happy again. It seems so long ago now. I thought maybe..."

"You thought maybe what?" Elizabeth turned to Tucker. "You and I are affianced, Tucker. You and my father may have agreed that due to your father's unfortunate reverses, my reputation would best be saved by ending our a.s.sociation until your fortunes changed, but I don't recall you saying that to me. Do you?"

"Affianced?" Fiona clutched Tucker's arm tight enough to leave a mark while she waited for him to tell the awful woman to leave. Instead, he slid from her grasp.

The room began to spin. Tucker's face went out of focus, but his voice was clear.

"No," Tucker said, "I was afraid to see you alone. Afraid I couldn't leave you like I promised."

"Well, now, you never need fear losing me again." She cast a glance around the cabin. "It certainly looks as though your fortunes have improved, and I know you've made good on your father's unfortunate setbacks." Elizabeth smiled at Meredith. "It's the talk of the town that the Smith family name has been cleared. We all a.s.sumed the gold in Alaska had been found in great abundance on the Smith properties."

"Tucker." Fiona sighed weakly as she battled to keep her last meal from making a reappearance on Meredith's clean floor. "Tell her." She looked up into his eyes and saw only sadness. "Please," she managed.

"My father is waiting in Goose Chase for us, Tucker." Elizabeth's voice wavered. "I didn't come here on my own. I was invited." She paused to meet Fiona's stare before turning back to Tucker. "You promised yourself to me, and I to you. True, our plans were interrupted due to financial reversals, but that situation has been remedied." Her voice inched an octave lower. "I thought you were an honorable man."

"An honorable woman would keep her promises, Elizabeth."

Fiona swayed, and Tucker steadied her. Meredith stepped toward her, but Fiona waved her away.

Elizabeth's face flushed bright red. "Whatever are you insinuating, Tucker?"

"I am insinuating nothing, Elizabeth." He cleared his throat and seemed to find his voice. "I received a letter from our mutual friend John Worthington a few weeks ago, thanking me for paying my father's debts. In it, our friend mentioned keeping company with my former fiancee. I pa.s.sed the statement off as a taunt not worth answering." He paused. "Perhaps it was a warning."

The woman seemed unable to speak. A bright flush crept up her neck and settled in crimson stains atop her prominent cheekbones. "Why, the nerve of...the unmitigated..."

"Elizabeth," he interrupted, "I am a man of my word." He paused to square his shoulders. "If we are truly still affianced, you would not be keeping company with the town banker."