Casina sniffed and ran the back of a hand across her face. She rose to pull aside the venetian blinds, then peered out the bathroom window. She quickly spied her husband with Jim Tompkins, who was leading him toward the creek. Her heart swelled with longing as she gazed upon Dammen, but she still couldn’t bring herself to venture downstairs and face the guests. It bothered her to know that they had witnessed her fainting episode and were probably gossiping about it all over town already.

Her eyes hungrily followed Dammen’s retreating form until he and Jim disappeared behind the tall evergreens that bordered the creek. Unsettled, she returned to...