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Ben returns with haste,” he interrupted. “There are still some cattle missing, lost in the storm, I’m afraid.”
    Fallon followed his lead, which was that of rerouting the conversation. He did not want to talk about his past, any of it. It was painfully obvious. And so she spoke no more to him—simply enjoyed the beauty of the day, the gold of the daffodils amid the melting snow on the meadow.
    Upon their arrival at the house, Trader climbed down from the buggy and reached up, his capable hands encircling Fallon’s waist. It was then he finally spoke again, but his words gifted Fallon no comfort.
    “ The charade ends here, Fallon. Let me show you to your new room and some of your duties as my wife,” Trader said.
    “ Very well,” she mumbled. Suddenly Fallon felt disheartened and lonely. Yet there was nothing to be done—nothing to be done but endure.
    
    “ This is my room, and Patty has prepared the one across from it for you. It is the best. Even better than mine,” Trader said as he opened the door. Fallon drew in her breath at the beauty of the room he revealed to her. She was assured at that moment she had, indeed, married a Southerner. Indeed, the room was the most beautiful room she had ever seen! Cream-colored lace dripped tastefully from everything. Red velvet, a vanity, a large ornate standing mirror, decorative pillows! It was too much to take in all at once.
    “ It’s…it’s beautiful! Thank you,” she whispered.
    Trader walked to the wardrobe and opened it. “This is my wedding gift to you. I hope it is sufficient,” he explained.
    Fallon nervously began wringing her hands. The wardrobe was stuffed full of fine-looking dresses and nightwear. She reached out and touched a peacock-blue satin gown.
    “ This was so unnecessary,” she whispered.
    “ Don’t be ridiculous. You must be clothed. Now follow me. I want to show you something else.”
    Fallon reluctantly followed, desperate to simply lie down on the comfortable-looking bed, to slip out of her wedding dress and into a soft cotton gown. But she followed as ordered, suddenly awestruck by everything that had changed in her life over the course of a few days.
    
    That night, lying in the soft cotton sheets of her new bed, Fallon drifted off to sleep more comfortable and more at peace than she could ever have imagined a week before. Her dreams were soft, safe, and warm.
    Hours into the night, however, she was awakened by a commotion in the hall outside her door. Tossing her warm quilts aside, she carefully went to the door and listened.
    “ Ben, ride over, and tell Julia I will be there as soon as I am ready,” Trader said, his voice lowered but very audible.
    Fallon was wounded, angered beyond rational thinking. She drew in deep breaths attempting to calm herself. A few minutes later when she heard Trader’s boots in the hall, she opened her door.
    “ What’s the matter? Where are you going at this hour?” She had obviously startled him, for he whirled around. Again, he was without his cloak but still hooded. His shoulders were so broad. Fallon had forgotten how enormous he was in the few hours since she had last been in his presence.
    “ Mrs. Salazares of the ranch neighboring ours has lost part of her herd due to a broken fence. I’m going to help round them up.” The hood moved as he studied Fallon from brow to boot. “Now go to bed. I imagine you’re quite chilly in such attire.” Fallon blushed, realizing that in her jealous anger she had neglected to gather some sort of modest covering. She shut the door and tried to hold back the tears. How humiliating to have one’s husband go to another woman on the night of her wedding. But then, he wasn’t wholly her husband, and she had agreed to it.
    She lay in bed for hours unable to sleep. Dawn was at hand when she heard his footsteps in the hall.
    “ Are they all accounted for, Trader?” she heard Ben ask.
    “ Not all. What a night—rounding up cattle in the dark!