Chapter Thirty
The following afternoon, Hope spent hours preparing dinner for Ethan.
She roasted some lamb with potatoes and carrots, and prepared some fresh peas from the garden’s harvest. Clara baked a strawberry shortcake with the first of the strawberries to go with the doughnuts, and Margaret turned out the most beautiful loaves of bread for the meal, with fresh butter from the dairy.
Hope couldn’t stop smiling. Despite the unease and many restless nights, working in the kitchen with Clara and Margaret made her heart feel light again.
“You and Jackson had a fun time last night, or so it sounded,” Clara observed with a coy smile.
“I could hardly concentrate on my stitching for all the giggling,” Margaret teased.
Hope pressed her fingers to her cheeks to try and cool them. She couldn’t think of the evening before without her stomach flitting with delight. She had felt as if she was getting to know the real Jackson, the one hidden behind the awkward conversations and the heavy anxieties of the ranch.
“Jackson has just seemed so worried lately with the threat of Victor always looming,” Hope explained. “I wanted to do something to make him feel better.”
“I haven’t heard Jackson laugh like that in years,” Margaret said with deep feeling, wiping away a tear. “It made me long for my own husband,” she continued. “You know, from the moment I saw you, you gave me hope.”
“Me?” Hope asked with a frown. “But I was a stranger.”
“I just knew from the way he looked at you that if anyone could draw Jackson out of himself, it would be you, Hope,” Margaret said. “My son always does his duty, and sometimes that duty has caused him great pain. I’m sure he’s told you…” She trailed off, her green eyes drooping with sadness.
Hope nodded.
“After that, Jackson didn’t want to attach himself to anyone or anything,” Margaret continued. “He just threw himself into work.”
“He even distanced himself from me and Ethan for a time,” Clara explained. “It was as though he didn’t feel he was good enough for any of us.”
“He lost his confidence,” Margaret said, her eyes brimming with tears. “To see your son like that… Well, I just didn’t know what to do.”
“We all loved Jackson so much, but it was like he…just couldn’t accept that,” Clara explained with a frown. “It was as though he’d shut himself off from feeling anything. He just looked…blank, all the time.”
“That’s it,” Margaret said with a nod.
Hope knew that Jackson had always struggled expressing his feelings to her. She remembered him avoiding her on the ranch for weeks after they’d married, as if he was terrified of her.
“But when you arrived, Hope,” Margaret said, beaming at her, “there was a spark in Jackson’s eye again.”
Hope felt too stunned to speak. She’d believed she’d only brought trouble to the Hale ranch, and that Jackson was the one who had saved her. To learn that she’d helped him too filled her heart with warmth. She pressed her hand to her chest and shook her head in disbelief.
“But I’ve burdened Jackson with so many of my problems,” Hope said quietly. “I’ve made his life more difficult, and I’ve stubbornly tried to do everything my own way. I’ve always had to be so independent,” Hope realized. “Leaning on someone else has been new for me.”
It felt like a relief to admit her feelings out loud.
Margaret patted her hand. “Oh, my dear, you and Jackson have more in common than you realize. He always tries to carry everything alone as well.”
“But at least the two of you have learned to make doughnuts together,” Clara teased. “I think that shows you’re better together than you are alone.”
Hope considered this. For years, she had practiced making her ma’s doughnut recipe tirelessly, knowing it off the top of her head.
But once she’d entrusted Jackson with some of the steps, the whole process had become easier.
No, not easier (considering the burnt doughnuts), but it had become more enjoyable, something precious now shared between them.
She smiled at them. “Thank you, both. You’ve been true friends to me.”
Hope found they all rushed in at the same time, hugging tightly, laughing in between their tears, and crying in between their laughter.
“What’s going on in here?” Jackson asked as he and Daniel walked into the kitchen.
Daniel looked ready to flee at the sight of three crying women, so Hope quickly employed him to set the table.
“You can pick some flowers from the garden,” Hope ordered Jackson. “And Daniel, make sure you get the cordial out of the pantry to go on the table.”
The kitchen was now even more alive with activity. When Ethan and his parents were finally squeezed in around the table and everyone had full plates in front of them, all memories of Victor Langford were forgotten for a time.
“Well, I’ve eaten far too much,” Jackson said once they’d finished the main dishes, standing up to stretch.
“What about a break before dessert?” Clara suggested with a contented sigh. “Your cooking is too good, Hope.”
Hope smiled proudly, feeling the relief and pride any cook felt after a well-appreciated meal.
“I think a little walk outside ought to prepare my stomach for dessert,” Daniel said, giving Clara a smile as he left the kitchen. “As I can’t wait to try your cake.”
Clara blushed a little, and quickly busied herself with the dishes.
“What about a round of whiskeys?” Margaret suggested, opening the pantry door.
“Oh yes!” Mrs. Blake said, waving her hand excitedly.
“I’m heading to bed,” Mr. Blake announced, giving his wife a weary look.
“I think a little walk might do me good, too,” Jackson said, standing up. “I’ll have a whiskey when I’m back. Thanks, Ma.”
Hope watched as Jackson also left the kitchen, then settled into her chair and agreed to a thimble full of whiskey from Margaret.
“Now, Ethan,” Margaret began, pushing him a glass of whiskey, “now that Clara’s back on her feet, what do you say to finding yourself a wife?”
Ethan nearly sprayed his whiskey across the table, and Clara burst into a fit of giggles. Hope didn’t know where to look, considering she was supposed to have been Ethan’s wife. What if he stranded another poor girl? There was no Jackson to come to his rescue a second time.
Margaret took another sip of whiskey, and her green eyes danced with mischief. “You missed out on Hope. You could’ve had an excellent cook for yourself, but she’s far better suited to Jackson.”
“I agree, Mrs. Hale,” Ethan spluttered. “I rather feel I’m not husband material-”
“Nonsense,” Margaret said with a laugh. “If anyone needs a wife to set him straight, it’s you.”
Clara laughed again, even louder this time, clearly in agreement
“I can hardly leave Clara alone,” Ethan pointed out.
“Don’t drag me into this!” Clara protested.
Hope thought it was the conversation making her uneasy, but then she realized it was because Daniel and Jackson hadn’t returned yet. She excused herself and went in search of them, a bit worried something had happened.
Hope stepped off the porch and immediately her eyes were drawn upwards to the sky bursting with stars. She looked for the moon, but some clouds had drifted over from the mountains and blocked it from sight.
“You were talking to him again, Daniel,” Jackson’s voice said from across the yard. “Admit it.”
“It wasn’t him!” Daniel insisted.
Hope turned around, trying to locate the direction of their voices.
Two dark silhouettes were at the edge of the property, just in front of the barn.
The moon peeped out from behind the clouds, and Hope could see it was Jackson and Daniel.
There was no one else around, so she wasn’t sure who Jackson was talking about.
“That’s twice in as many days, Daniel, and you still expect me to believe you have nothing to do with Victor Langford?” Jackson asked, his tone exasperated.
Hope clasped her hands to her mouth to stop herself from gasping. Now she knew why Jackson had looked so down the evening before. He’d obviously seen Daniel meeting with Victor. The thought of it turned her stomach, and Hope shook away the awful surprise so she could hear more.
“It wasn’t Victor,” Daniel argued again. “It was one of his men.”
Hope couldn’t believe it. She knew her brother could be a thief, a cards cheat, and a drunk.
She knew he could lie, and be lazy, exploiting other people to get what he needed; but at the heart of it all, she’d always believed him a good person.
The thought of him consorting with the likes of Victor…
it was too much for her. She couldn’t eavesdrop in silence. She had to confront Daniel herself.
She walked towards the men, but they didn’t even notice her as she approached, so absorbed in their argument were they.
“Tell me the truth,” Jackson demanded, his voice a hiss. “Have you been helping Victor? Have you been sabotaging us?”
Daniel was quiet for a few seconds, as if struggling to admit it even to himself.
“It’s not that simple,” he said, and Hope’s heart sank.
How could her own flesh and blood betray them like that-betray Jackson after all he’d done for them!
“Darn it, Daniel!” Jackson said, grabbing a handful of Daniel’s shirt. “It is that simple! What was in it for you, huh? Money?”
Daniel pushed Jackson off him and spun around, the moonlight showing Hope a glimpse of his contorted face.
“Victor threatened Hope if I didn’t help, okay?” Daniel growled at Jackson. “What was I supposed to do? Victor said he could hurt Hope at any time and that you wouldn’t be able to protect her. The only thing that’s been keeping her safe is me helping Victor.”
“You fool!” Jackson shouted at him. “Don’t you realize you were only helping Victor get closer to Hope? They’ve been using you!”
Hope couldn’t contain her gasp. Knowing she was the reason Daniel was acting so foolishly, and that Victor was threatening her to get to Jackson was too much. Both men turned to face her at the sound, their eyes wide as they spotted her watching them.
“Hope,” Daniel stammered, his gaze dropping to the floor and his shoulders sagging. He turned to leave, looking too ashamed to face her, but Jackson gripped him by the collar.
“Oh no you don’t,” Jackson said, lowering his voice. “Your sister deserves to know what’s going on. I can’t keep it from her anymore.”
“Daniel,” Hope stammered, her words coming out in spurts, “please, tell me it’s not true.”
“I just wanted to protect you, Hope,” Daniel said, his voice hitching as he spoke. “Honest. It wasn’t for any other reason. Victor said he’d kill you if I didn’t give him what he wanted.”
“How could you!” she cried out, her chest aching from the emotion trapped inside of her.
She clutched her middle, feeling woozy from the rush of emotion. She reached out a hand to steady herself against the barn, and felt the world slip sideways. The last thing she saw was Jackson and Daniel leaping towards her, arms outstretched to catch her before she hit the ground.