Free A Question of Honor by Mary Anne Wilson

madness. The barn, a network of stalls and tack rooms, all built around an expansive center section sixty feet square, had been transformed with tinsel and lights. A massive Christmas tree, a dance floor with a stage raised for the musicians, and a giant spread of food and drinks completed the picture.
    People had been arriving for the past hour, and couples were already dancing. Kids were being entertained by elves and a Santa who looked more like Santa than Santa did. There was laughter and music and good people Adam had known most of his life. He wandered around, speaking to folks and being pleasantly surprised that he was enjoying himself even though, usually, he wasn’t a fan of crowds. Until he spotted his mother speaking to some kids near Santa Claus.
    That brought Adam up short. He had asked John not to say anything about Jack leaving for Washington State, to let him tell her and his father. She’d been so busy, and he wanted to tell her at the right time. But the moment never seemed to happen. He had to let her know soon. She’d be expecting Jack at the party. He knew he should do it now, but he couldn’t, not when his mother was happily greeting another family, the smile on her face radiant. He walked off in the other direction. He’d tell her about Jack soon.
    He glanced around at all the people, and yet he had a feeling of isolation. His family gave this party. This was his childhood home. But he was alone. Why? Because he liked it that way, he thought. He’d always wanted it that way. However, it didn’t seem true anymore. He ached to have a beautiful woman in his arms, inhale her sweetness and move slowly to the music with her.
    He turned, trying to think of something to do to stop this introspection, and couldn’t believe his eyes. He blinked. There, across the dance floor, in the wide archway, stood Faith Arden.
    Faith, as delicate-looking as he remembered in slim black pants, a clingy white silk shirt and her halo of dark curls, hadn’t left Wolf Lake. A throng of people shuffled between them, and he was too far away to see her eyes, but he remembered their deep blue color.
    She stood out, maybe only to him, but with everyone around her laughing, talking and singing, she looked like an island of sadness in the midst of it all. She’d either lied to him about leaving, or something had made her stay in Wolf Lake. He didn’t want to think she’d lied to get rid of him.
    He kept sight of her as he wended his way through the milling crowd, past the dancers, then he saw her close her eyes for a moment, turn and look around as if she was searching for an escape. She found it. The doors to the west end of the barn were right behind her and she slid one back a bit. When he was within ten feet of her, she disappeared through the narrow opening.
    He kept going. He eased the doors open and left the glitter and music for the more subdued light and sounds of the sprawling wing. He stopped just inside. Faith was nowhere in sight and for one crazy moment he thought he’d conjured up her image out of nothing. A soft sigh came out of the blue and he turned to glance down one aisle of stalls.
    Faith was very real, with her head bowed, her hands gripping the top railing. The sight caught him off guard. The rise and fall of her slender shoulders, her pale neck and white knuckles from holding on so tightly. He almost turned and left, embarrassed to be there, but he couldn’t go. Something was wrong. He couldn’t just leave.
    Adam cleared his throat, and at the sound, Faith straightened and faced him, the surprise in her blue eyes intense. Right then, he knew as clearly as he knew the sun would rise in the east tomorrow that she was in trouble and, just as clearly, that he wanted to help her. Her expression shifted from shock to uncertainty and caution. There was no trace of a smile touching her full lips.
    He tried to smile, while admitting to himself that, despite being off work and out of uniform, he was still a