dawn to dusk, no matter what the weather. She didn't have a closet
full of fancy ball gowns, but what she did have was honor and courage
and loyalty."
"And I don't? Is that what you're telling me, Daniel?
You said that Kathleen and I are complete opposites. She had honor,
and I don't? " "I'm just saying you're different." She stared into
his eyes and asked, "Did you mean to hurt me on purpose? " He didn't
answer her. She looked out the window so he wouldn't see how he had
wounded her with his backhanded insults. What had she done to make him
think so little of her, she wondered, and why did his opinion of her
matter so much?
She squeezed her eyes shut to keep from crying. If he saw a single
tear, she was sure he'd think she was a weakling, and she wasn't weak,
she was strong. Granted, she had never plowed a field before or
planted a vegetable garden, but that didn't mean she couldn't.
Getting angry lessened the hurt. How dare he make such sweeping
judgments about her.
"I'm sorry, Grace. I didn't mean to insult you." She didn't look at
him when she replied. "Yes, you did."
"Damn it, you aren't going to cry, are you? " She glared at him. "No,
I'm not, " she snapped.
"Just don't lie to me. You meant to hurt me, and the very least you
could do is admit it."
"Fine. I meant to hurt you. Close the window, will you? It's getting
cold in here."
"It's as hot as the inside of an oven, " she argued.
"Just close it." She stood up to do as he asked, then turned to him
once again. "Are you getting sick? " "No, I'm not, " he muttered.
"I'm just tired."
"You were hot a few minutes ago, and now you're cold." She sat down on
the bench beside him, squeezing herself in between the wall and his
side. Before he could stop her, she reached up and touched his brow
with the back of her hand. "You have a fever.
Daniel, I think you're getting influenza."
"Grace, go sit on your own bench and leave me alone. Please." She
moved back to her seat and sat there fretting about him. "Now I
understand why you're so surly.
You aren't feeling well." The train flew around another curve in the
tracks, the compartment swayed back and forth, and Daniel's stomach
felt as though it had just lurched out the window.
"I'm not surly, " he growled. "I said those things so you'd stay away
from me. It was stupid and cruel, and I shouldn't have done it, but
you need to keep your distance, Grace. That's just the way it is. Why
in God's name does this train have to go so fast? " "It isn't going
fast. It's slowing down, and how in heaven's name can I keep away from
you? We're locked in this compartment together, and you won't let me
out of your sight. What did I do to offend you so? " "Ah, hell,
Grace, you haven't done anything wrong. You're just so damned pretty
and sweet." She didn't know what to think. The words were flattering,