You Didn’t Need To Go To All That Trouble
by Taffey
The willowy blonde paused; her blue skirt stood still against her long legs.
"Ellen?" Marcy realized her friend was no longer by her side. "What is it, Ellen?"
Ellen slowly stepped off the plank board sidewalk and moved down the street. Marcy followed Ellen’s gaze. A tall cowboy was standing by the hitching post. The back of his black duster parted with the gentle breezes. Ellen stopped and watched his still form, her eyes searching.
The cowboy turned and began to stroke his horse’s forehead. Ellen’s sky blue eyes sparkled with recognition. She put her hand over her throat and felt her heart pounding. Could it be?
The cowboy glanced in her direction and nodded.
"Ma’am."
Ellen frowned. Why didn’t he recognize her? She glanced down at her skirt and kit boots. She wore her long hair up now and dressed like a lady. But surely he could see who she was. Maybe she was mistaken.
"Hey!" A man exited the saloon and waved at the cowboy. "The rancher can use some help. We got jobs, Cort!"
Ellen thought her heart was going to explode.
Cort slowly faced Ellen. A quick smile crossed his lips. He turned and walked up the street to join his friend.
"Ellen, are you all right?"
Reluctantly she broke her gaze and realized she had left Marcy mid-sentence.
"I’m sorry, Marcy. You were saying something about Mrs. Flynn’s hair?"
Marcy laughed. "Never mind Mrs. Flynn’s hair! I want to know about him!"
"He’s someone from my past."
"You must have had some past if that gorgeous man was part of it." Ellen turned in time to see Cort’s back disappear into the saloon. "Unless he was a bad part of it."
Ellen sighed deeply. "He was. But he wasn’t the one who made it bad." She bit her lower lip. How could a man she had known for only three days and hadn’t seen in five years make her insides feel like churned butter? And why had he pretended he didn’t recognize her?
+++++++++++++
Ellen could see the saloon from her room over the dress shop she and Marcy owned. She knew Cort was in there. In her mind’s eye she could see his long neck, his throat moving as he drank.
Her mind played back her life five years ago. Cort had been on his back, his head hanging over the sidewalk trying to get a drink of rain water. The irony of him being soaked to the skin but thirsty had escaped her back then. He must have been cold and so uncomfortable….
She remembered the hatred she wanted to have for Cort because of his former association with Herod. Yet, she couldn’t hate him. Everything about him was so unlike Herod.
That evening Herod had invited her to dinner; she had made up her mind she would kill him then. Looking beautiful in her long black dress and sapphire necklace, she had passed Cort chained to the fountain, trying to reach a glass of water. He had glanced up at her and smiled.
"You didn’t need to go to all that trouble just for me."
"I didn’t."
All she had to do was lean over and push the glass closer to him. Intent on her mission, though, she had kept walking.
Ellen snapped out of her reverie to see Cort emerge from the bar. Grabbing a shawl, she hurried down the stairs. It was irrational behavior; but that didn’t seem to matter.
"Cort!"
He stopped, mentally drinking her in.
"Ellen." His voice was deeper than she remembered.
"Why did you pretend you didn’t know me earlier?"
Cort looked away. "I saw a different person. Maybe married. I didn’t reckon you’d appreciate your past visiting you."
"I’m not married." So many emotions washed over her.
"I know. I asked the bartender." Her eyes spoke of so many questions she wanted to ask, so many things she wanted to say. "I’ll see you later, then?" Ellen nodded. He was half way up the street when she thought she would burst. Ellen began hurrying after him. She wanted Cort to hold her in his arms, to talk to her—about anything. It made no sense, but Ellen knew she needed him.
Cort entered Parson’s Jewelers. When she caught up with him, he was at the counter looking through the glass at some earrings. Mr. Parson was smiling; he always smiled when a sale was eminent. A sinking feeling hit Ellen. Cort wouldn’t be buying earrings unless there was someone in his life. Ellen felt her throat constricting and wanted to run out of the shop; but her feet wouldn’t move. She just stood at the counter watching.
"Those." Cort pointed to a pair of brilliant square-cut sapphires.
Mr. Parson carefully wrapped the gems and placed them in a small box.
"Do you deliver?" Cort’s voice sent shivers up her spine. If only they had met under different circumstances.
"Why, yes, we do," Mr. Parson replied brightly. "Where would you like me to deliver them?"
"To the end of the counter." Cort turned to face Ellen. Her mouth opened as she inhaled sharply.
Mr. Parson chuckled. He walked up to Ellen and handed her the box.
Five years ago, Cort’s blue eyes had been pained and sad. Now they were bright and mesmerizing. Glancing down at the small box she began to grin like a school girl.
Cort looked at her dress appreciatively and smiled.
"You didn’t need to go to all that trouble just for me."
"I didn’t."
"You will." Winking, he tipped his hat and walked out of the shop.