Between Two Worlds (7 page)

“What kind of curse?” Delaney’s interest was piqued now, despite
herself.

“Don’t remember exactly.” Donovan rested his chin in his hands and
thought about it, while Delaney and Gabriel exchanged glances. “Oh, yes! It’s
comin’ to me now. The old lady hexed his death. That was it. She declared that when
he passed, he wouldn’t really die at all. There’d be no rest for the low-down
thief. He’d spend all of eternity grantin’ wishes for her clan. That way, he’d
make up for the wrong he’d done ‘em when he stole their gold and their livelihood.”

“Mmmm. Is that it?” Delaney was already tired of the man’s game.

“I think so.” He angled his head. “Oh, no! There’s one more thing.
You might be interested to know that they say Samuel was a leprechaun.” Donovan
grinned broadly, exposing a gap between his front teeth.

Delaney chuckled out loud, and even Gabriel snickered.

“A leprechaun, you say?” She put on her best phony Irish accent.
“Tell me, Donovan. What’s Sam, the leprechaun, doin’ when he’s not grantin’
wishes to the clan members? Drivin’ cabs maybe?  Or makin’ rainbows appear?”

Gabriel grinned.

Donovan shrugged. “I guess he sleeps. I don’t know all the habits
of leprechauns, miss. And I have no idea what a cab is.”

She wanted to smack him when he rolled
his
eyes. Delaney
sighed. “So, you want me to believe I met a three hundred year old Irishman—a
mythical leprechaun, no less—who spends eternity granting wishes to make up for
the wrongs he caused against this one particular family?”

“I think ye have it!” Donovan answered with a nod of his curly
head.

“What’s all that malarkey got to do with me?” Delaney looked to
the doctor for some semblance of good sense, but he only shrugged. “That still
doesn’t explain why
I’m
here in 1888. Or why Sam just happened to be
waiting at the curb, knowing my name and things about me and my family.”

Donovan stared at her with a blank expression.

“Mr. McKinney, when did you come to Arizona?” she asked.

“Call me Donovan, lass.” He settled back and proudly related his
history to her. “Me family left the Old World and sailed to America in 1838. I
was just a lad of ten at the time. Me grandda and me da were small potato
farmers back in Ireland. They could barely eke out a livin’, so they up and moved
the whole lot of us over here. It was that or die of starvation, it was. They
settled in Arizona because of the dry climate. Me ma had weak lungs and the dry
air helped. Me da and grandda built a little homestead right on the Salt River.”

“That’s the river I crossed this morning. But when Dr. Whitman and
I went out there a while ago, the bridge was gone. There was no trace of it—as
if it never existed.” Delaney snapped her finger and said, “Poof. I just don’t
understand…”

Donovan cleared his throat, stood up and extended his hand to shake.
“It was a pleasure meetin’ ye, Miss Marshall, and chattin’ with ye both, but I
have to go now. Come back to the café again soon.” He pumped her hand firmly
and then shook Gabriel’s before meandering past tables on his way to the back
of the café. Delaney watched him disappear before she could stop him.

“I had so many more questions to ask him.” Disappointment seeped
into her voice. “Do you believe that nutty story about his ancestor, Dr.
Whitman?”

“Ireland’s full of tales and legends. I’m sure that story’s come
down through his family, as he said. Why would he lie?”

“I don’t know,” she confessed. “I know family members can look
alike, but I’m telling you, Donovan and Sam look so much alike they could be twins.
How long have you known him?”

“Two years. He was one of the first people I met when I arrived. I
ate a lot of meals here in those days. Still do, to be totally honest.”

“There’s more to this than meets the eye,” she mused. “I think Donovan
knows more about me than he lets on. He’s a sly one. I’ll get to the bottom of
it, whatever
it
is, eventually.”

Gabriel drank the last of his water and said, “I don’t know what
any of this means, Miss Marshall. I only know you’ve experienced something
highly unusual today. You must be exhausted. Let’s finish our meal and I’ll
take you to the dress shop and then to Quinn’s boarding house, where we’ll get
you a room.”

She took another bite. “All right.”

“And you don’t have to keep calling me Dr. Whitman. Since we’re
going to be friends, please call me Gabriel.”

“Okay. As long as you call me Delaney. Miss Marshall sounds so old
fashioned.”

“You’ve got a deal.”

Six

 “How do I look, Gabriel?” Delaney twirled to show off her new
outfit—a casual skirt, the deep blue color of a twilight sky. It was narrow,
gathered at the waist, hem riding just above the ankles. The skirt was topped
off with an ivory shirt tailored like a man’s with a high collar and full
sleeves above the wrists. She also wore a pair of brown lace up boots, which
had taken her ten minutes to lace properly.

“You look like you belong in 1888.”

“Good! That’s the style I was going for.” Delaney turned to Belle,
the shop owner, and said, “I appreciate your letting me know I don’t have to
wear a bustle. I don’t imagine they’re very comfortable in this Arizona heat.”

Belle wore a simple yellow calico dress with lace at the collar
and sleeves. She smiled politely, but her face flushed pink as cotton candy.
Delaney realized too late that women in this century probably didn’t talk about
private matters, such as their underwear, in front of men. She knew she was too
outspoken, but she was grateful to Belle nonetheless. When she’d been
considering a bustle tucked away on a shelf, the shop owner had stepped over
and whispered in her ear that she need not purchase one, because only the
poorer frontier women and performers wore bustles these days.

Delaney glanced at Gabriel, who attempted to suppress a smile. She
saw the delight on his face—delight and wonderment.

Now, she noticed, Belle dared to let her eyes meet those of the
good doctor. Delaney could tell she was mortified to find him chuckling.
Delaney felt sorry for her. She hadn’t meant to embarrass the poor woman. Belle
ducked behind the counter with her head bowed. Delaney only made things worse
when she started talking about it.

“I’m sorry if I embarrassed anyone. Sometimes I don’t know when to
shut up.” She glanced between Gabriel and Belle.

He waved off her faux pas with his hand and a shrug of his broad
shoulders. She went back to picking out some additional readymade dresses and
other personal items, and noticed the way Belle kept her gaze riveted on
Gabriel. He leaned against the counter with his arms crossed over his chest, so
confident and sure of himself, as if he hadn’t a care in the world. As she took
an honest survey of him, she could see why Belle was entranced. Probably all
the single women in town were in love with him.

A lot of doctors she’d run across were nerdy looking, or aloof.
She’d even dated a couple of them, but Gabriel was both rugged and charming. He
was a real man. Aside from his good looks, he was educated, had a great
physique, was polite, and had a witty sense of humor. He undoubtedly earned a good
living, and he was also a flirt. Those hazel eyes were full of mischief, and
his smile could melt snow cones in a heartbeat. He’d make a fine catch for
anyone, she thought.

Belle added up the items and announced the total. Delaney snapped
open her purse and pulled out a plastic card and handed it over without
thinking.

“What’s this?” Belle asked, examining the orange Visa credit card.

“It’s my…” She quickly snatched the card out of Belle’s hand and
dropped it into her purse, chuckling softly. “I’m sorry. I’m used to paying
with plastic back home.”

“Pardon me?” Belle seemed both perplexed and annoyed.

The doctor just grinned and shook his head.

Delaney turned her wallet upside down and emptied it. “Darn! I
didn’t have time to go to the ATM this morning, and I paid Sam in cash…” She
laid a few nickels and dimes out on the counter and smiled sheepishly at
Gabriel.

“If you don’t have enough…” began Belle.

“I’d be glad to lend you some money.” Gabriel flipped his pants
pockets inside out, counted out the correct change and handed it to Belle. Her
mouth puckered as she accepted the money. Clearly, she disapproved of the
doctor’s paying for Delaney’s clothing. A curt nod ended the transaction.

Delaney shifted her weight from foot to foot, stifling the urge to
crack her knuckles. “Thank you, Gabriel. I promise I’ll pay you back.”

“I know you will.” He winked.

The cash register dinged when it opened. Belle inserted the cash,
her eyes darting back and forth between the two of them.

“Thank you for your help and your patience,” Delaney told her as
she walked toward the door. Gabriel held it open for her. When they exited, a
little bell tinkled above them. She carried a sack with her modern day skirt,
blouse, jacket, mismatched heels and underthings in it, along with another bag
containing her additional Old West purchases. Underneath the new clothes, she
wore a corset and cotton underwear, both of which she had serious doubts about.
She hadn’t thought of buying new undergarments until she’d noticed a corset
displayed on a mannequin in the far corner of the shop. She’d suddenly realized
she couldn’t wear the same underwear day in and day out, for however long she
was stuck in the past. Now she was squirming beneath the tight fitting
contraption, wishing she’d kept on her own lingerie.

“Come back again soon,” Belle called to their backs.

Delaney suspected she was speaking to the doctor, and not to her.
When Gabriel smiled and said goodbye, she could almost see the woman’s heart
beating through her plain cotton dress. He closed the door behind them and they
began strolling down the wooden walk toward the boarding house.

“She’s gaga over you,” Delaney teased, bumping against his
shoulder on purpose.

His eyes enlarged. “What? Who?”

She laughed. “Don’t play dumb with me. Belle, that’s who. She
didn’t take her eyes off you the whole time I was shopping, and I got the distinct
feeling my presence was not entirely welcome. If looks could kill, as they
say.”

Gabriel’s face was open.  He looked as innocent as a child. “What
do you mean?”

“The green-eyed monster reared its ugly head. Belle didn’t approve
of you helping me pick out my clothes and then paying for them, to boot. Is she
your girlfriend or something?”

“No,” he answered quickly. “To boot?  What does that mean?”

She ignored his question, realizing it would become tedious
explaining every slang phrase she uttered. “But she’d like to be your
girlfriend, am I right?”

He shrugged and stared straight ahead. “She’s one of several, I
suppose, who would relish being a physician’s wife.”

Delaney smiled. “Oh, I see. One of several, you say. You must be
one of the most eligible bachelors in Phoenix then.”

He grinned. “I’ve only been in town two years, as I mentioned
before. Newcomers receive a lot of attention, as you’ve seen for yourself.
There are a lot of other bachelors in Phoenix, and Belle’s a fine woman. I’m
sure someone will ask for her hand before long.”

Delaney glanced up and down at the men who filled Washington
Street. “From the looks of it, there are mostly cowboys and gamblers in this
town. I doubt they’re Belle’s type. A businesswoman such as herself would much
prefer a life partner with a professional status. Perhaps a lawyer, a banker,
or doctor. I could tell that about her.”

“Oh, you could, could you?” Gabriel’s eyes danced with merriment. “I’m
curious. Just what else do you think you know about her?”

“That she’s ready to settle down, and she wants a husband who will
be her equal. An honest man, who will devote himself to her and be a loving
father to her children.”

When he laughed, Delaney admired his perfect teeth. “You only just
met the woman. How could you tell all that about her?”

“Because
I’m
a woman, silly. I know what women want.”

“So, in other words, those are the things
you
want, too. A
husband and children?” They halted their steps, and he gazed at her with
anticipation.

“I didn’t say that, Gabriel. I’m an independent woman with a busy
career and full social calendar. I don’t have time for a husband or family
right now. I’ve got great things to accomplish before I settle down.”

“What kinds of great things?”

“Well, for one, I’m going to be very successful in the advertising
field one day.”

“I suppose that’s something people do in the future for employment?
Advertising?”

“Yes. It is.”

“You’re awfully young to be so focused on a career.”

She defended herself. “I’m twenty-four. That’s not so young.”

“No, not so young,” he agreed. “What I meant to imply is, most
women that age don’t even work unless they’re forced to by threat of poverty.
Take Belle, for example. I was told she was orphaned as a teenager, but she happened
to be a very good seamstress. The banker’s wife, a humanitarian, convinced her
husband to set Belle up in that dress shop. Now she owns it. She was a lucky
one. Other girls have to earn a living other ways. But given the choice, most
girls prefer to marry and raise a family.”