Chapter Eleven

“Adam, did Roy speak to you about the rumors that Tommy Baker set the barn on fire?” asked Ben, walking across the yard.

“Yeah, Pa,” he answered, enjoying the view as Shiloh leaned over a table to wipe it clean.  By the time Ben stood beside him, Shiloh had stood up to carry more dishes into the kitchen.  Adam shook his head, smiling, then turned to his father.  “He said he spoke to Tommy after he heard the rumors, but Tommy denied it.”

“Wasn’t it Tommy that started those rumors about Shiloh after she left school…about you kicking her out because she was a troublemaker?”

“Yes, and he tried to start trouble after she came back from college.”  Ben creased his eyebrows.  “I took Shiloh to lunch in town after we had that argument about driving cattle down Johnson’s Cutoff.  After lunch, I had gone to get the buggy and left Shiloh waiting in front of the hotel.  Tom showed up, and well, he was rude.  I ended up embarrassing him.”

“Why didn’t I hear about this?”

“It was the same day the tree fell on her house…completely slipped my mind…until now. But I don’t think Tommy has it in him to do something like this on his own.  He’s just not that bold.  Still, I think I’ll ride into town tomorrow and have a conversation with Tommy myself.  Even if he is the one that set the fire, I’d be willing to bet a week’s pay that King put him up to it.”

“Why do you suppose he chose the barn instead of the house?”

Adam stood looking at the ground with his mouth twisted.  “Makes you think he wants to scare her more than hurt her.”

***

“Hop Sing, I was wondering if you could help me.”

“What you need?”

Shiloh looked down at her hands as she bit her lip and squeezed her fingers.  “I don’t know how to cook…not even the simplest of things.” Hop Sing looked up from the basin of dishes he was washing.  “I can’t ask Adam over for dinner because I can’t cook dinner for him.  Would you…teach me…how to cook?” she asked, biting her lip, looking pleadingly at him.

Hop Sing frowned.  “Don’t want messy kitchen.”

“You can teach me in my kitchen.”  Still frowning, Hop Sing turned to put dishes away.  “I’ll share the rest of my mother’s recipes with you.”

He stopped and turned back to her, thinking about it.  “You do what Hop Sing say?  No fuss?  No funny business?”

“I promise,” she said, smiling delightedly while she bounced on her toes, and brought her hands up, softly clapping.  “But don’t tell anyone, especially Adam.  I want this to be our secret.”

“You bring more dishes,” said Hop Sing as he turned back to the basin. When she had made her way out the door, Hop Sing looked up and smiled after her, nodding his head.  “She take good care of Missa Adam.”

***

Shiloh hummed as she collected the rest of the dishes, glasses, cups and silver, stacking everything neatly on the table closest to the kitchen.  She didn’t see that Adam was leaning against a post on the upper porch watching her.  When she rushed by him again, he stepped down behind her and when she turned back, he stopped her from running into him with his hands on her waist as she held the dishes she had picked up out to the side.

“For someone who was dreading this, you’re in a good mood.”

“Well, it is over, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it’s over, but somehow, I don’t think that’s it.”  He cleared his throat.  “Can we talk for a minute?”

Her smile disappeared.  “Is everything alright?”

“Mm hm, everything’s fine.”

“Well, help me take the rest of these dishes in, and we’ll talk,” she said, nodding with raised brows.

Hop Sing nodded and smiled when they delivered the rest of the dishes.  He was still grinning as they were leaving, even when Adam looked back curiously.  Adam took her hand and led her back out to the porch where, for the moment, they were alone.  She stood, looking up at him expectantly.  “I spoke with Roy today…about the fire.”  Shiloh took a step back, looking away.  “There’s a rumor in town that Tom Baker set it.”

She snapped her head back, stiffening. “Did Roy arrest him?”

“No, he didn’t.  It’s just a rumor.”  Shiloh smirked as she side-stepped him and walked into the house, continuing to the stairs.  “Shiloh,” he called as he followed her.  Taking her hand, he stopped her in mid-stride and turned her to face him.  “Where are you going?”

“To pack my things.  I’ll be ready to go home in a few minutes,” she said as she tried to turn back toward the stairs.

“Oh no you don’t.  You are not going to town.”  She looked away.  “Look at me.”

Clasping her hands in front of her, she glared up at him.  “This isn’t your fight.”

“Isn’t it?” he said quietly as he grasped her hands and narrowed his eyes, giving her a slight smile that made the room turn awfully warm and sent chills all over her.  He bent to kiss her, and when she stepped into him, laying her hands at his sides, he wrapped his arms around her.  As she moved her hands up his back to his shoulders, he tightened his hold, and for the first time, she kissed him back.  He moved his lips to her cheek, to her jaw, and finally to her neck where he buried his face, taking in her scent.

“Adam, I have to go to town,” she said softly.  He raised his head, looking at her disapprovingly.   “Don’t look at me like that.  Maguire’s musicians are here.  I’ll have to stay in town when we start and after that, if we end up working late.”

He loosened his embrace, but still held her close.  “I’ll take you to town then.  And, I’ll have Maguire provide an escort for you while you’re there.”  She inhaled deeply and puckered her lips. “And I don’t want to hear that you tried to speak to Tommy Baker…or Sam King.”