A Love to Last Forever (8 page)

He thought of the gathering at the Gallatin House. His girls had been upset to hear they were no longer allowed to attend the festivities. A couple of them had actually gotten quite sassy about it, and Rafe had slapped them hard to put across to the rest that grumbling and complaining wouldn’t be allowed. He could grumble and complain plenty for everyone. He didn’t need their help.

“So you figure we’ll have any business tonight?” Wyman asked.

“Who can tell after last night?” Rafe replied, pushing his empty plate back. “I’ve had about all the interference I’m gonna stand for from those Gallatin women.”

“What can you do about it? I know you said Bishop would like to buy you out, but I didn’t think that was an option.”

“It’s not.” Rafe got up and went to the bar. He poured himself a beer, then took a long drink. “There’s no reason I should have to leave. Folks know where I’m at. Moving would just confuse them.”

“Well, you wouldn’t have to move all that far,” Wyman said, stuffing the last of the biscuit into his mouth. He picked up his empty mug and followed Rafe’s example.

“I don’t have to move at all. Those uppity Gallatins ain’t gonna make me leave. I have it on good authority that the railroad plans to come through here. One of the men told me it was all but a signed deal. This land is gonna be worth a fortune.”

“I thought they hadn’t decided. Seems to me someone said that they were looking to put the railroad through to the north of us.”

Rafe shook his head. “That’s just to keep people from buying up the land and chargin’ the railroad an exorbitant fee. I’m guessin’ if folks were to know the exact plan for the route before the railroad could secure the land, then there would be a run on the area and the prices would go way up.” He grinned. “But if I start buying up land now, before the route is announced, I figure I can still get it cheap, and no one need be the wiser.”

“So how are you going to do this?”

“That’s where you come in. I figure with a few incentives, people will be inclined to sell.”

Wyman laughed. “I can think of all sorts of incentives. People tend not to want to stay in a place that isn’t safe. And since the only real law is over in Bozeman, stands to reason a whole lot of bad things could happen to folks out here.”

Rafe nodded. “I figured you could come up with something. You just go on ahead and get to that. See what folks are thinkin’ and what kind of misery would cause them to leave. Once they’re gone and the railroad comes in, things will repopulate fast enough.”

“With our kind of people,” Wyman added.

“Exactly. People who aren’t teetotalers—folks who don’t hold to religious nonsense.”

Beth readied herself for bed, all the while casting glances at her Bible and
The Courtship of Lady Effingham
. She knew she should focus on her Bible reading. She’d been sorely neglecting it for days now, but Lord Wodehouse was just about to tell Lady Effingham his dark secret.

“There just aren’t enough hours in the day,” Beth muttered.

She quickly combed out her long hair, then tucked it in a cap and took the candle to her bedside table. The Bible beckoned her, but Lady Effingham demanded her utmost attention.

Maybe if I just read a little and see what Lord Wodehouse has to
say, then I can put it aside and concentrate on my Scripture reading.
But even as Beth reached for the novel, she knew she would get caught up in the story as before.

She settled into bed and pulled the quilts high before opening the book. With a sigh, she began to read about Lady Effingham’s opulent existence. Beth couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have so many servants bustling around and seeing to your every need. Why, Lady Effingham even had a maid to do nothing but arrange her clothes!

Without warning her cat jumped on the bed, nearly frightening Beth out of her wits. She snapped the book closed so fast, she actually smashed her finger between the pages.

“Oh, Calvin, what in the world has gotten into you? I didn’t even know you were in here.” She reached to stroke the amber fur. “You scared me half to death.”

The cat only purred and pawed at the bedding to make himself comfortable. Once he settled in, Beth drew a deep breath and went back to reading. Just as Lord Wodehouse was about to make his declaration, Major began barking.

“Goodness, but is everyone against my discovering Lord Wodehouse’s secrets?” Beth got up, careful not to disturb Calvin, and went to the window. She pulled back the drapes and stared into the darkness below.

Major’s bark became more intense, and she could see him pacing back and forth in front of the house. Something moved in the shadows across the roadway, but she couldn’t see what it was. Apparently, this was what had Major all worked up. Rather than see him wake the entire community, Beth quickly pulled on her robe and went to tend to the dog.

She opened the front door and stepped out onto the porch. “Major, you stop that barking right now.”

The dog whined and came to her side. He didn’t look up at her but instead kept his attention on the area across the street.

“What is it, boy?” Beth strained to see what might have disturbed the dog. Clearly something was out there, but whether man or beast, Beth couldn’t tell. A jolt of apprehension washed over her.

“Maybe it would be just as well if we went inside,” she said to the dog. “After all, we’re hardly prepared to do battle, no matter who the opponent might be.”

Just then, a figure seemed to separate from the darkness and move toward them. Beth froze in place. She could tell by the lumbering movement that it was a bear. Perhaps this was the animal Nick had warned her about!

Major began to bark again. He charged forward a few feet, then stood his ground and raised such a ruckus that Beth was certain others would come to investigate.

“Major, come back here,” she called. She didn’t know what might happen if the dog decided to take on the bear, but she knew it wouldn’t be good. “Major!”

“What’s all the commotion?” Lacy questioned, coming up from behind Beth.

Beth jumped in fright. “There’s a bear. I’m trying to get Major, but he’s trying to protect me.”

“I’ll get the rifle,” Lacy said, leaving before Beth could speak.

With her lowest, most authoritative voice, Beth commanded, “Major, come!”

The dog barked but nevertheless turned and came back to the porch. Unfortunately, the bear seemed intent on following. Beth didn’t realize Lacy had returned until a blast sounded from the rifle.

The bear immediately lit out for the trees and disappeared into the night. Of course, the shot of the rifle was already causing lamps to be lit at the saloon, as well as at the Lassiters’.

“What’s going on out here?” Rafe bellowed. He staggered out the front door, pulling on his gun belt over long underwear.

By now, Nick and Simon had exited their house and were heading toward Gallatin House.

“It was a bear,” Beth explained. “Major was trying to ward him off, but he didn’t seem inclined to leave. Lacy had to fire a shot at him.”

“Did you hit him?” Nick asked.

“I didn’t even try to,” Lacy told him. “I just fired into the air and hoped it would scare him off.”

“Which it did,” Beth said.

The soft glow of lamplight filled the door behind her as Hank and Gwen appeared. “What’s wrong?” Hank asked.

“A bear,” Lacy said, shouldering the rifle. “He’s gone now, but no doubt he’ll be back. He was probably nosing around the pit where we roasted the pig.”

“Maybe we should put some traps out tomorrow,” Rafe declared. “Sure would save a body from havin’ to wake up to all that commotion.”

“I don’t like traps,” Beth said angrily. “They’re cruel and inhumane.”

“So are bears,” Rafe countered.

“We can worry about this tomorrow,” Nick suggested. “I’m with Beth, however. A trap would be a danger to other animals.”

Beth smiled in appreciation of Nick’s declaration. Gazing at him, she noted that he was very much like Lord Wodehouse. Even in the middle of the night, with the sleep still in his eyes, he was heroic and noble. She sighed.

“Lord Lassiter,” she murmured.

“What was that?” Lacy asked.

Beth shook her head. “Nothing.” But she couldn’t keep the smile from spreading over her face. “Nothing at all.”

CHAPTER SIX

“How did you know you were in love with Hank?” Beth asked Gwen. They were on their hands and knees, busy scrubbing the pine floor of the front room, when she posed this question.

Gwen looked at her oddly. “I don’t know. We spent time together and . . . well, I just knew.”

“But what about how he made you
feel
?” Beth asked, reflecting on the wonderful romances she’d read. “Did he make your chest feel tight? Did your stomach get all queasy and do flips? Did your heart burn?”

“That sounds more like a bad case of dyspepsia than love,” Gwen said, laughing. She got to her feet and surveyed their work. “I feel much better now that this is all washed down. It was looking so dull before.”

Beth studied the floor around them, but her thoughts were on Nick.

“I just don’t want to miss it when it comes to me,” she finally said. Beth glanced upward to see Gwen’s expression change from smiling to confused.

“What are you talking about?”

“Love,” Beth said. She stood, smoothing out the skirt of her gown.

“Goodness, what makes you think you’d miss love if it came to you? How silly. It isn’t like it sneaks around and hides until you find it. Love
wants
to be found.”

“And I want to find it,” Beth confided. She looked around the room rather uncomfortably. “I might even have found it, but I don’t know for sure.”

Gwen smiled. “Is this about Adrian or Nick?”

Beth felt her face grow hot. Was it that obvious to everyone around her? She put her hands to her cheeks. “I suppose it could be about either one, but . . . well . . . I was thinking actually of Nick. Before he started showing an interest in the Bible and churchgoing, I knew I shouldn’t even think of such things and I tried hard not to, even when he was always badgering to court me. Grandma Gallatin used to scare me half to death with all the terrible stories of young ladies she knew who’d been unequally yoked with men who hated God.”

“Yes, but I don’t think Nick ever hated God. He might not have known much about Him, but I never heard him speak negatively.”

“Still, you know that Jesus said if a person wasn’t for Him, he was against Him. I never could quite tell with Nick. But now he’s taken an interest in the things of God and . . . well, he might have even gotten himself right with God. I don’t know for sure.” Beth supposed the whole conversation sounded completely ridiculous to Gwen. It was starting to sound that way to her own ears, as well.

“Are you in love with Nick?” Gwen surprised her by asking.

Beth shrugged. “I don’t know. Sometimes I think I am, but other times, I just can’t figure it out. He makes me feel funny—like when I see him for the first time in the day and he smiles at me.” She paused and shook her head. “I know that probably sounds silly.”

“No. Not at all,” Gwen promised. “I feel the same way about Hank.” She closed the distance between them and put her hands on Beth’s shoulders. “You just need to give this time, Beth. Don’t feel that you have to decide overnight what your heart is telling you. It will come through loud and clear in time. You aren’t going to miss seeing the truth of it, believe me.”

“Is the cake done yet?” Lacy called as she came in from the back porch.

Beth suddenly felt uncomfortable. “We can talk more about this later,” she whispered. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Lacy, but of late, it seemed her little sister hated most of the men in the county. No sense asking for her advice about love.

“It’s cool enough to frost,” Gwen said, moving into the dining room.

“Cubby’s so excited that we would go to the trouble to bake him a birthday cake. I didn’t bother to tell him that we had presents for him, too,” Lacy said with a smile.

“Well, this will be a very special occasion. I’m hoping Rafe’s cooled off enough to not protest when Hank asks if he and Cubby would like to join us for a supper celebration. I would have extended the invitation only to Cubby, but it’s hard, given he’s still a boy and Rafe is his father.”