Colorado Dawn (5 page)

Sinking lower into the chair, he tried to block out Mother’s voice demanding he show some courage, face his life, and stop moping for how it used to be. He’d never considered himself a particularly brave man, but neither did he consider himself a coward. Until now. He’d add it to his list of shortcomings.

He pushed himself upright and probed his way out to the staircase. Holding the banister, he kicked his toe out to measure the steps. Why hadn’t he ever counted them before?

Turning to the left at the top, he brushed the wall, inching forward. His parents’ door first, then the guestroom Karen used, Sam’s door, turn to the right at the end of the hall, straight ahead five steps, his own bedroom door. Relief that he’d made it this far alone trickled through him.

He opened the door and stepped in. Freshness, as if the window had been left open recently, greeted him. The bed sat before him and a little to the left. His hand glided over the smooth comforter. Though no longer able to see the rich dark blue, it surprised him that he could enjoy the texture of the fabric so much. His hand wrapped around the newel post at the foot of the bed, feeling the ridges of the carved walnut, smelling the lemony, beeswax aroma of the polish Sally Ann used.

The light scent made him aware of his own smell. With a wry twist of his lips he turned to find the dresser. With tentative fingers, he searched the drawers, feeling the fabrics, trying to identify what shirt he held. At last his fingers brushed pin-tucked linen. His favorite white shirt. Laying it across the foot of the bed, he turned to select a pair of pants and some socks. Blue, brown, black? He slammed the drawer shut.

Removing his rumpled shirt, he groped his way to the washstand. To his surprise he found the water in the pitcher warmed. Buckford must have known about the family meeting and put his money on Mother to have her way. A wry smile twisted his lips once again.

Through all his ablutions, his mind mulled the pending lawsuit. He’d underestimated Karen’s resolve. But, then again, she had underestimated his.

He managed to cut himself at least twice, but he did get shaved and dressed. Now for some coffee and pain medicine.

He made it to the bottom of the stairs again without mishap. His legs shook, reminding him of all the time he’d spent bedridden over the past month. A yeasty, warm fragrance came from the back of the house, drawing him down the hall to the kitchen. He pressed his hand against the swinging door and eased it aside.

“Mr. Mackenzie.”

“Mrs. Morgan.” David acknowledged the woman who had cooked for the family for several years. “Could I have some coffee, please?” He concentrated so hard on remembering the layout of the kitchen that he made it halfway across the room before he realized he had closed his eyes. A rueful chuckle rose to his throat. He found a chair and sat down at the table.

“I must say, sir, you are looking much better. You’ve taken your sling off. Is your arm healing, then?” She set the coffee down in front of him.

“It’s fine.” He groped for the cup. “You wouldn’t happen to have the laudanum, would you? For my headache?”

“I do, and I’ll add it to your coffee directly. I’ve been baking today. Would you like a muffin or some fresh bread?” Cupboards opened and cutlery clanked.

“No, thank you, Mrs. Morgan, just the coffee. Has Mother been in to talk to the staff?”

She hesitated. “Yes. She came in and had a few words with Buckford and myself and Sally Ann.”

“And what did my formidable mother say?”

“Well, now…”

“It’s all right, Mrs. Morgan. Just tell it straight.”

He pictured the comfortably upholstered Mrs. Morgan crossing her short arms under her considerable bosom and tilting her head before speaking. “She said no more trays in the study and no more coddling. She said you wouldn’t learn to live in this house without your sight unless we made you, and no matter how hard it seemed, or how you might fight us, we weren’t to give in.”

He pursed his lips. “No quarter given, eh?”

“That’s right, sir. Buckford said we had to be obeying the missus, and he told Sally Ann he’d take care of your room from now on himself. Here’s your coffee. You sure you won’t have a bite to eat?”

“No, thank you. I couldn’t eat a thing right now. Maybe later.”

She harrumphed.

He couldn’t seem to please anyone in this house today.

“The lawyer has returned, and David is waiting with him in the dining room.” Buckford’s eyes held a note of laughter. Not much escaped his knowledge in the Mackenzie abode. Karen had no doubt he was fully aware of the pending lawsuit.

She nodded and braced her shoulders for the coming battle. Her resolve must not waver.

“Gentlemen.” She lifted her eyebrows in a silent question to her lawyer as she entered.

Both men rose and David cleared his throat. “Karen, we need to talk.” He had shaved and dressed in clean clothes, as if preparing to do battle. At least she’d gotten him to do that much.

“Of course.”

Mr. Fuller held a chair for her and then seated himself at the end of the table.

Karen smoothed her skirts and forced her hands to relax in her lap. “Please, sit down, David.”

Tiredness etched his pale face. The lingering signs of pain and illness clung to him, but he held himself erect, as if he had no intention of giving in to weakness.

Forcing himself to be strong all alone broke her heart while at the same time brought out her fighting side. He had made the choice to separate himself, pushing everyone away. And why?

David released a slow breath. “I’m sure you’ll agree it would be in everyone’s best interest to reach a settlement outside the courts.”

Karen kept her voice even. “It would be in everyone’s best interest if the wedding went ahead as planned.”

“No.”

Fuller smoothed his whiskers and laced his fingers together, bracing his weight on his forearms. “We would be interested in hearing your proposed settlement, but rest assured, David, we will not be easily satisfied. You’ve done grievous harm to my client, and we are seeking due compensation.”

“Your client? Use her name, Josiah. We’re all friends here. Or at least we used to be.” A whisper of regret clung to his words. He pressed his lips together and placed his hands flat on the table. “I am a fair man. I realize Karen’s life has been disrupted by all of this. I’m not averse to compensating her for her troubles.”

Compensate her for her troubles? He made her sound like one of his employees. “Just how much would you deem suitable?” Karen leaned forward, ignoring the damping motions from her lawyer. “I don’t want your money, David. I want your heart.” She twisted the garnet on her finger, the ring she hadn’t removed since the night he placed it there. “You said I would always have your heart, but you’ve taken it back and pushed me aside. I put my future in your hands, and you’ve dropped it like an old teacup. I’m trying to pick up the broken pieces. I’ve got no job, no home, and no future.” She rose and put both palms on the table, leaning forward. “Open the door on that self-imposed prison of pride you’re locked in and think of someone besides yourself for a moment.”

David flinched but rallied. “And whom are
you
thinking of in this lawsuit? Yourself, right?”

“Would you believe me, David, if I said I was thinking of you?” She straightened. “Of course you wouldn’t. You’ve wrapped yourself so deep in your hurt there’s no room for anything or anyone else. You act as if our love meant nothing to you.”

He sucked in a breath, and for a moment she thought she had gone too far. How had they so quickly descended into name-calling and accusations? “I’m sorry, David. I apologize for my bad manners. Mr. Fuller, if you could leave the papers you’ve drawn up, I’ll go over them and get them back to you.”

“Of course, my dear. Why don’t you show me out?” He gathered himself and heaved to his feet. “David, I am sorry about all of this, but Karen is my client, and I must do my best to guard her interests.”

She walked Fuller to the door and took the papers he offered her.

“Read them carefully, and if they meet with your approval, sign them and return them to me. And think about what I said. You have a very strong case.”

When he’d gone, she leaned against the door and swiped at the tears on her cheeks. Was this doing any good at all? She and David were further apart than ever.

Buckford entered the dining room, his soft tread as recognizable to David as his lined face. “Mr. Quint is here to see you.”

“Marcus?” David’s cousin hadn’t visited once since the cave-in. Not that David really blamed him. No doubt he’d been busy with the cleanup at the mine and running the office in David’s absence. Sick calls probably weren’t high on his to-do list. “Is he in the parlor?”

“Yes sir.”

“I know Mother instructed you not to lead me around, Buckford, but for the sake of greeting my guest in a timely manner and without benefit of a black eye from walking into a door, could you escort me?” He gripped Buckford’s arm, grateful for the support.

Gathering his courage and his wits—both scattered from his encounter with Karen and Fuller—he greeted his cousin. “It’s good of you to come, Marcus.”

Buckford placed David’s hand on the back of a chair.

Hoping Marcus wouldn’t comment on how he inched around, David eased onto the seat.

“David, I feel terrible I haven’t been to visit you before now. Things have just been so busy.”

David formed Marcus’s image in his mind, tall and slender, sandy-brown hair just beginning to thin. A capable assistant.

“Have you made much progress? Are things getting back to normal?” It hurt to even ask. Not only had David caused the deaths and injuries of several good men, he had crippled himself to the point where he was helpless to make any sort of amends. He couldn’t even assist with righting the damage at the mine and getting production under way once more.

Marcus sighed, and David could only imagine the horror of pulling the broken bodies of friends and co-workers out of the depths of the mine. “All the bodies have been recovered. The shaft is a shambles, though. It has taken all this time just to clear it out.”

“What are the workers saying?”

“Accidents are a part of mining, David. You can’t blame yourself. Sometimes things happen that we don’t intend. You can’t plan for every contingency.”

The sadness in Marcus’s voice prodded all the sore places in David’s heart. “How could I have miscalculated so much? The square sets were in place and should have been more than adequate for the load. I can’t think of a single reason why that part of the shaft should have collapsed. Be honest with me, Marcus. I know I can trust you. Tell me, what did I do wrong?”

“You can’t beat yourself up over this. Things happen and sometimes we never know the cause. You can’t know how sorry I am about your…injury. That’s what I really wanted to say. I didn’t come to talk about the mine. I came to say how sorry I am that all this happened, and now I hear your marriage is off, too.”

“You heard? How?”

“Sam told me. Is she really suing you?”

“Word gets around quick. Yes, the engagement is off, and yes, Karen is suing me. It seems God is not on my side at the moment. Nothing but lightning bolts from the blue.”

“Was Karen horrified that you are…?”

“You can say the word, Marcus. I’m blind.” David gritted his teeth. When would people stop dancing around the fact? He didn’t want people to talk about his blindness, but neither did he want them to skirt around the fact. “Karen seems to think my circumstances should have no bearing upon our wedding plans, but that’s naive. I broke the engagement for her.” Though he’d had no idea she would resort to legal action. “I’m trying to spare us both a lot of heartache. If anyone could understand my motives, it’s you.”

Marcus shifted. “You’re right. Nobody would understand like me.” He leaned forward and gripped David’s shoulder. “It would take a brave man to face the fact that things won’t be the same from now on. Releasing Karen is the only logical thing to do.”

“I wish other people would realize that it’s for the best.” David clenched his fists, forcing himself to believe his own words. “I have a favor to ask of you.”