CHARITY'S GOLD RUSH (A Strike It Rich in Montana novel) (26 page)

             
Charity folded her arms on the wagon bed and rested her head on them. “It does hurt my feelings. We should be partners. We should share the good and the bad.
” She took a deep breath.
“
He kissed me
last night
.
”

             
“Do tell.”
Mabel’s smile widened.

             
Charity
turned and leaned against the buckboard, the rough wood poking into her back.
“I saw Amos Jenkins sneaking around like he was trying to waylay Gabriel, so I left the hotel room and went to warn him. Someone grabbed me and dragged me into the alley.
I didn’t get a look at my attacker, but I’m fairly certain it wasn’t Amos.
” She shuddered at the remembrance of a stranger’s hands on her. “I got away but Gabriel was furious I put myself in danger. It was the most brutal, most wonderful, kiss.”

             
Mabel
bumped her with her shoulder
. “Sweetheart, you have that man aching for you in a bad way. Keep up the good work.”

             
“
But
I’m not doing anything.”
Nothing she could put her finger on anyway.

             
“All the better.
And remember, a bear is drawn to honey.
You might want to sweeten things up.
Watch your temper.
” Mabel hefted the flour sack. “Let’s get these things unloaded. Hiram and I thought we’d visit for the day before we’re all snowed in.
I’ve missed having a woman neighbor in the wors
t
way.
”

             
“I don’t even have bread rising.” Charity grabbed the bolts of fabric. “We just returned from purchasing our winter supplies, but we’re glad to have you.”

             
“Don’t worry. Hiram and I brought the fixings for
chili.
Wouldn’t be right to show up
un
announced and expect you to feed us. Not when you got little ones.
” Mabel led the way into the house.
“You just fix your mind on getting that man to ask you to stay. But he won’t do that if you don’t have your heart right with the Lord.”

             
Charity
was afraid of
that
. Why was it so hard for her to trust in God when it came eas
il
y for so many other people? How did one get the faith?
Her ma tried instilling faith in her,
despite her apparent unhappiness,
but when she’d died, Charity stumbled. Pa stumbled right along with her, letting her know that a loving God wouldn’t have taken a woman as good as her ma. Not if he cared. Charity believed him. What if they were wrong?

             
She needed
time
to ponder the questions in her heart. Dwell on them over the winter months while Gabriel read from the Word of God
, and work slowed down
. Maybe her questions would be answered
then
. She headed back to the wagon for more supplies.

             
By the time the smaller things were unpacked in the house, Gabriel and Hiram returned from the
ir
secret conversation and unloaded the feed for the livestock. Charity glared at Gabriel over the back of the wagon, and smirked when he avoided her eyes.

             
He looked as guilty as a fox caught in a hen house. She tilted her nose and sashayed away. Wouldn’t hurt to let him know she was miffed
.
Maybe he’d come apologizing and tell her what was going on.
She’d try the honey approach after he stewed for a while.

             
Gabe grunted as he carried
in
a box. “What’s in here, books?”

             
“Never you mind. Just set it on the floor beside my bed.” Heavens, the man was nosey, yet
he
didn’t want to share a single secret of his own.

She followed him inside and nodded at Mabel. “Let me hide these under my bed, and I’ll be ready to help you with supper.” Charity slid the purchased gifts under the bed.

“Are you excited about Christmas?” Mabel slung a dish towel over her shoulder. “You most likely haven’t had one surrounded by the excitement of children, have you?”

“No, and I must confess to my own excitement. I think I’m worse than the children, and Christmas is three months away. It’s Thanksgiving supper I’m concerned about.” Charity
tugged
the quilt to
make it
hang lower on the side of the bed away from the wall. “I want it to be special and don’t completely trust my cooking skills for such a holiday.”

“You’ll do fine.
If the snow ain’t bad, Hiram and I will join
you
for the meal.
Chili’s done, if you want to call the menfolk and children.”

###

Hiram stuck a blade of straw between his teeth. Gabe propped a foot on the corral fence and waited for him to spill
the rest of
his news.

“As I was saying before your missus got all nosey, your cattle are gone again. The dogs were locked in the barn, so I figure
d
someone came during the night while they was sleeping and slid the bolt.” Hiram jerked his chin.

Gabe sighed. “I visited Sheriff Spraggins
,
and it’s clear he’s not going to question Amos.” He pounded his thigh. “I know the man is behind all my setbacks. He spoke with Charity at the mercantile and threatened to take the children. I don’t know what to do, Hiram. I really don’t.”

“Have you prayed about it?”

“I try, but the anger and guilt over the situation binds me up.” Gabe shook his head and leaned his elbows on the fence. “I’m confused about what to do about the wager, about Charity, about…”

“Your wife?” Hiram raised his eyebrows. “Problems?”

“Definitely. I’m falling in love with her.
Never felt this way about a woman before.
”

“That’s good, ain’t it
, or a
m I missing something?”

“We have a marriage of convenience
, Hiram. I expected Mabel to tell you
.
” He sighed. “
Once I meet the terms of my foolish bet, we’ll have our marriage annulled.”
Saying the words out loud to a man he admired, made
Gabe
feel
even
more foolish.
He
peered
at Hiram
from beneath his hat brim
. “I can’t let her go
come spring
.”

“Tell her.”

“I don’t know how.”

“Supper!” Mabel hooted from the direction of the house.

“My woman sure
was blessed with
a set of lungs.” Hiram clapped Gabe on the shoulder. “Don’t fret. An opportunity will present itself. You’ve got all winter.”

Hopefully.
At least that’s what he kept telling himself.
Gabe shuffled behind his friend as they made their way to the horse trough to wash for their meal. He splashed his face with the icy water, ran his fingers through his hair, and prepared to face Charity across the table. She would spear him with glances until he told her about his visit with the sheriff.
Not a conversation he wanted to have with the children
or company
around.

As clean as he could get without a dunk in the creek or a
hot
bath, Gabe headed inside and took his seat at the table. Charity tossed him a heart-stopping grin as she pranced to the table with a
p
an of cornpone.
She had changed her clothes
and now wore
a wine red
dress with black stripes
that set off highlights in her hair
.

Gabe returned her smile with a shaky one of his own.
When she passed behind him to take her seat, she trailed her fingers along his back, sending spiders skittering up his spine
, and gluing his tongue to the roof of his mouth
.

             
“Should I say the blessing?” Hiram stuck his napkin in his shirt collar.

             
Gabe nodded, his gaze never leaving Charity’s face. She blushed and placed her napkin in her lap. She peered from beneath her lashes, green eyes glittering. Then, she lowered her head. Gabe started as Hiram began praying, and
then
closed his eyes.
How could he focus on Charity and forget to pray?

             
“Got meat stored up for the winter?” Hiram pulled him from his thoughts.

             
Gabriel jerked his head. “Pardon?”

             
“I just need me a big buck and my smokehouse will be full.”

             
“Nope. Plan on heading out tomorrow. We’ve got a couple of pigs we can butcher,
and
some chickens, but I wouldn’t mind a deer and some rabbits.” Gabe dug his spoon into the chili.

             
He’d been kept so busy building the house and hunting down his cattle, he hadn’t spent the time on winter preparations that he should have. A month away from being snowed in and his smokehouse wasn’t full.
He was a neglectful husband and father.

             
“Doesn’t Charity look pretty today?” Mabel asked around the rim of her cup.

             
Gabe
’s hand shook as he reached for his mug, spilling his drink across the table.

             
Charity laid a hand on his. “Are you all right, dear? Do you need more water?”
She stood. “Don’t you worry about a thing. I’ll get a rag and clean that right up.”

             
Mabel giggled and dug into her chili.

             
Gabe
shook his head, sliding his hand from under
Charity’s
. He didn’t need the distraction of her touch. What was she doing? She never voluntarily touched him.
And what happened to her voice? Instead of low and husky as normal, it had risen to almost a girlish tone.
Had he unleashed something when he kissed her? The thought scared him as much as knowing she’d been grabbed
and pulled
into the alley.

             
“Gotta feed the livestock.” He pushed back his chair and raced outside, leaving Hiram sitting with the women and children.

###

             
Charity hadn’t
figured
on being as affected by touching Gabriel as she meant for him to be.
Acting all sweet could be as dangerous for her as it was for him.
Her hands trembled as she cleared the dishes from the table. She plunged them and the bowls into the washtub. Goodness, it was hot inside the soddy.

             
“I think he’s being affected right fine.” Mabel added spoons to the washtub. “That dress was the perfect touch. Is it new?”

             
Charity shook her head. “It was my mother’s. It’s rather dated,
six years in fact,
but it’s still the nicest thing I own.”

             
“I hope you bought yourself fabric for new clothes when you were in town.”

             
“I did.”
She scrubbed the first bowl. “It’s green like my eyes
and I got some  yellow like the sun
.” She set the bowl down hard enough to splash suds. “Are you sure this is the way to win his heart? Can’t I just find gold and show him how valuable I am that way?”

             
Mabel shook her head. “Are you still set on discovering gold? Honey, there’s no time. Snow is mere weeks away. Do you have winter clothing sewed for the children? Have you checked for holes in the soddy? There’s no end to the work that needs done to prepare for winter. Not to mention setting up butter, soap, candles. Anything you might need. If you didn’t purchase them in town, you have a lot of work to do.”

             
Charity didn’t purchase anything she could make herself. Mabel was right. There would barely be enough time to sleep at night. No wonder bears waited until winter to hibernate. There was too much to do during the warmer months
and longer days
.

             
“I feel as if I’m being deceitful.” She handed the washed bowl to Mabel. “Gabriel looked at me as if he didn’t know who I was.”

             
“That’s wonderful. Keep him surprised. Men like variety.”

             
“I just don’t feel right about it.”