Coldwater Creek

Chapter 1

Adaline tucked a copper strand of hair that had escaped her braid behind her ear. Her fair skin made her eyes seem more green than I had ever thought eyes could be.

I had always wondered why Doc Faraday had chosen to be a frontier doctor when his wife and daughter could have had a far more luxurious life in any city.

I looked different from all the rest. My hair looked like someone had mixed coal dust with mud and though my skin was fair, it wasn't fine like Adi's, it was smattered with freckles. My light eyes could never decide what color they were. I hoped they were like Papa's and would reflect the color of the sky, but I could never really tell.

Breakfast was a lively affair: everyone discussing plans for the day. If the stage came in on time it wouldn't be until close to midday. Joshua planned on heading over to help at the blacksmith and James was heading to the Livery stable to help with the horses. Uncle Matthew and Aunt Hattie would stay at the store and Adaline and I were free to do whatever we wanted. We would likely stay in and work on mending winter clothes.

Winter often came early in Coldwater Creek and even though it was only the end of September we were expecting the chilling weather any week.

Thunder clapped overhead as the men headed out to take care of their tasks and the three of us set to work cleaning up breakfast. Rain lashed against the window as the wind howled.

"Looks like winter may be arrivin' early," Aunt Hattie remarked. "We best get that mendin' finished."

And that is exactly what we did. A kettle and some soup for lunch was put on the stove before we retreated into the sitting room to work on our project for the day.

The morning passed in friendly chatter and sewing. The sound of the rain and thunder made me drowsy and entirely unmotivated. Rainy days made me just want to curl up and watch the raindrops roll down the windows.

Hoofbeats, typically thunderous, went nearly unheard over the storm.

We headed out to greet the stage having arrived plastered in mud, steam rising from the horses and puffing out in columns of vapor from their nostrils. Two men jumped down from the top: the Charlie, or driver, from the front, and the shotgun from the back. They opened the door and helped a young lady who looked close to my own age down from the interior.

"We weren't sure y'all were gonna make it in today," Uncle Matthew said as he helped the men unload the deliveries for Coldwater Creek.

"We weren't to sure we were gonna make in either," the Charlie said, passing a trunk down to Joshua.

"Ran into some trouble about two hours back," the shotgun responded. "Not positive, but it may have been a couple of men from the Rose Gang."

A chill ran down my spine and it wasn't from the weather.

"Let's get you inside, Miss," Aunt Hattie said, taking the girl gently by the arm. "Emma, you run and fetch Sheriff Coleman. He'll wanna know about this."

I nodded and hurried down the covered boardwalk along the front of shops before dashing across the muddy street and to the next covered walk.

The jailhouse was at the end of town so it was the first thing many people passed as they came into town.

"Sheriff Coleman?" I asked as I stepped into the barred building.

"Miss Collins? What in tarnation are you doin' out in a storm like this?" The man asked, standing up from behind his desk.

"The stage came in and said they had some trouble a couple hours back," I explained. "They thought it might be a couple of men from the Rose Gang and Aunt Hattie thought you would like to know."