Genevieve: Bride of Nevada (American Mail-Order Bride 36) (14 page)

I thank the good Lord everyday for sending me to Daniel. He’s become an excellent husband that I love so very much. Though the first month was extremely rocky, we have now settled the issues and are partners building our wine business, preparing for the future.

May this letter find both of you, happy and celebrating the holidays. As always, I miss you and hope that if ever you are near you will spend some time at our home. I know with the baby coming, I won’t be able to visit you, but someday, my friends we will be reunited.

As always, I keep you in my prayers and know that the factory fire we all hated, was actually a blessing in disguise. Happy holidays to you and yours.

Much love,

Katie

Genny set the letter down and put her money on the bureau then washed her face before lying down to rest. She’d like to sleep, but that luxury had been hard to come by. Between crying and tossing and turning, she wasn’t getting much rest. The two nights she’d been here she often stayed up reading a book she’d bought at the mercantile. At this rate she’d be buying a new book every week. She couldn’t afford that.

Finally morning would come and the day would start over. She took a walk to the general store, stopped at the bakery for a sweet roll if they had any, and returned to her room to wait for the time to report to work.

She missed seeing the children, waking them for the day; getting their sweet kisses and hearing Lucy call her mama.

Every morning, Genny cried. She’d been at the hotel for almost a week and Stuart hadn’t returned. Nor had anyone else from the ranch. She guessed she wasn’t missed. They got along before she came and they were getting along in her absence. The thought that she could miss them so much and they didn’t miss her, hurt, and she cried more. She had to lie down with a wet washcloth over her eyes in order to go to work without red puffy eyes. But it was working and she kept her job.

Becky approached her as she reported for work. “What do you cry about every morning before you come to work?”

Genny blinked. “How do you know I’ve been crying?”

“Your eyes are red and swollen,” she said matter-of-factly. “Everyone knows but none of us know how to help.”

“You would like to help me?”

“Of course. We’re friends,” Becky said easily.

Genny felt her lower lip tremble and she nodded. “Yes. We are friends. Well, I’m married to Stuart MacDonnell, but our marriage isn’t working out.” She didn’t want to go into details that should remain private. “I wanted it to, and I worked as hard as I could, but a good marriage takes both people working at it. One can’t do it by herself.”

“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry. I’ve known Stuart MacDonnell for years. We went to school together.” Becky leaned closer and whispered. “He’s a mite stubborn, if you know what I mean.”

“Oh, I definitely know what you mean.”

“He’s a good man though. I think losing Martha was hard for him.”

“Yes, and he’s never grieved. I know all that. Martha’s mother explained that. But, regardless of the reason, he needs to…make changes before I’ll go back and he’s not willing to do that. I’d hoped that I might get to see the children once in a while but I haven’t yet.”

“Looks like you may get your wish. I just saw the entire MacDonnell clan sit down in your section.”

Genny’s hands began to shake and sweat.

“Switch sections with me. Please.”

“Sorry, sweetheart. You need to work this out.”

Genny took a deep breath and went out to wait on her former family. The situation was a heck of a way to spend Christmas Eve.

CHAPTER 11

The babies were here. Lucy sat on Stuart’s lap and Joe held Billy.

Genny swallowed hard and took a deep breath before walking over to the table.

Lucy caught sight of her and started bouncing in Stuart’s arms.

“Mama. Mama. Mama.” She smiled and yelled at the top of her baby lungs.

Billy turned and grinned. “Genny!” Then his face turned serious, his little brows furrowed and he asked. “When you comin’ home?”

Stuart looked at her, his eyes held the hunger she’d become familiar with. “Yes, when are you coming home?”

“It’s not fair. You shouldn’t have brought the children. As much as I want to see them, that’s not fair.” Genny turned and ran from the restaurant back to her room, where it was safe. Seeing them all together made her realize what she’d missed.

Stuart closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “You all eat dinner and then go back home. Joe, leave your horse at the stable, please.”

“When will you be home?”

“Not until I can convince Genny to come home with me. Tell Henry the horse might be there for a few days.” He smiled. “She can be stubborn.”

“How you planning to do that?” He frowned. “You know what she wants and I don’t blame her. She deserves to be loved.”

“Yes, she does. Nettie, would you set up the line shack for me.”

Nettie nodded. “Sure thing. I know just what to do.”

Stuart stood and walked out to the registration desk.

“Hello, Walter,” he said to the young man at the counter. “What room is my wife in?”

“You know I’m not supposed to tell you the room numbers of the guests, Mr. MacDonnell.”

“She’s my wife. I’m responsible for her bills. It’s my room, too. Now give me the key.”

Walter thought about it for a moment before he nodded

“I’ll let you in with the master key.”

They both walked down to number four.

The room was on the first floor at the end of the hall to the right of the desk. Stuart went over all the things he would say to Genny before they reached the room and knocked. “Genny. It’s Stuart.”

“Go away.”

He shook his head and nodded for Walter to use the master key and walk away. He opened the door. A book flew by his head.

“Now Genny, calm down.”

He entered and closed the door behind him. Whoosh! Another book hit the door.

“I’m not leaving, no matter how many books you throw at me.”

She stood by the bed. Next to her was the nightstand with just one book left. “Why not? What are you doing here?” she shouted at him.

She was magnificent in her anger. Her bosom heaved and color rose to her cheeks, flushing them a lovely pink.

“I came to talk. To try to get you to come home.”

“Oh! Only you would think you could talk your way out of this. You’ll have to prove to me that you want me to come home.”

She picked up the final book to chuck at him.

“Genny, please. The children miss you, Nettie misses you, everyone misses you.” Then he added softly, “I miss you.”

She shook her head. “I miss you all, too, but I can’t go back to what we had. I’ll be miserable, and that’s not good for the kids. It’s best if I stay away. I thought I could live here in Elko and get to see them once in a while, but I can’t. It’s just too hard.”

He looked at the floor for several seconds before lifting his head. “I love you.”

“Staying here would only…what did you say?”

“I said, I love you.”

“How can you taunt me with those words, only to get back your children’s care giver?” She slumped down onto the bed. “How can you be so cruel?”

“I’m not taunting you or meaning to be cruel. I love you, Genny. I want us to be husband and wife.”

“I can’t go back to what you think is a marriage. I want more children and you know what that means.”

He chuckled. “Yes, I know what it means.”

She cocked her head to one side. “Are you prepared to perhaps get me pregnant?”

Stuart closed the distance between them. “I want to love you, regardless of the repercussions.”

He pulled her up into his arms and slanted his mouth over hers. She didn’t fight him, but joined him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing herself against him.

Genny kissed him hard. Her tongue sought entry and dueled with him when he granted passage.

He pulled back a little. “Genny, I love you.”

“Prove it, Stuart. Prove it.”

She was wild. Kissing him hard and unbuttoning his shirt as she did. Soon she had it completely open and pushed it off his shoulders.

“Slow down. Sweetheart, slow down.”

He captured her hands and held them still.

“Genny, we need to talk first.”

“Seems to me we’ve done nothing but talk.”

“No,” He felt a stab of guild. “We haven’t. You’ve talked and until now, I didn’t listen.”

She stopped moving and followed him to the bed and sat at his side.

“I’ve been afraid—”

“Of me dying in childbirth, I know.”

“No,” he caressed her cheek. “I’ve been afraid of loving you. I loved Martha and she died and it hurt, but with you the feelings are different. I knew from the moment I saw you—everything was special. You grabbed my heart and never let go. As hard as I tried to make myself believe that all I felt for you was lust, I couldn’t. I love you like I’ve never loved anyone before.”

Genny tilted her head and brought her fingers lightly down his jaw. “Oh, Stuart. Those are the words I wanted…I needed to hear. I’ve loved you for so long.”

He leaned into her hand. “Do you think you can forgive me?”

“I do. I have. All I want is for us to be together for as long as the good Lord gives us.”

“That’s what I want, too.”

He placed his hands on either side of her face, tilted his head and placed little kisses on the corners of her mouth before kissing her fully. He put all his love in that kiss and knew she did the same.

Stuart laid her back on the bed and then lay beside her.

“Make love to me, Stuart. Stay with me and make love to me. Let’s make a baby.”

He looked at her face and saw everything she was and all that she felt in those beautiful gray-blue eyes.

“I hadn’t planned on going anywhere. I wasn’t heading home until you promised to join me. I’m still not. Will you come home with me?”

She smiled upward. “I’ll answer you in the morning.”

He grinned. “Don’t expect to get any sleep tonight, Mrs. MacDonnell. I intend to love you in every way possible.”

*****

Genny awoke and thought for a minute that she’d dreamed the whole thing. Stuart wasn’t in bed with her. Then she heard the door open and turned to see him enter the room carrying a tray.

She sat up holding the sheet beneath her arms to cover herself.

Stuart chuckled.

“What are you laughing at?”

“You. I’ve seen every part of you without clothes and now you decide to get modest.”

She ignored his statement and sniffed the air. “Is that coffee I smell?”

“Yup and eggs, bacon and toast. Breakfast in bed on Christmas Day.”

“How did you get food? The restaurant is closed today isn’t it?”

“Not much is closed in a mining town, even on Christmas.”

Stuart put the tray on the bed next to her.

She picked up her coffee cup and saucer and saw her wedding ring on the tray.

“Stuart?” She held it up.

“I want you to wear my ring. I want you to marry me.”

Smiling she plucked the ring off the tray and placed it on her finger.

Stuart took her hand and kissed her ring finger. “I promise you’ll never again regret marrying me.”

“I promise the same. Now let’s eat. I’m starving. After breakfast I’ll tell Mr. Marker that I quit.”

Stuart ran his hand behind his neck. “I have the feeling he already knows.”

“Oh?” She swallowed her bite of toast. “And just how would that be?”

“I might have said something when I got breakfast.”

“You quit my job for me?” She shook her head. “How dare you?”

“Now Genny, it’s not like that. I didn’t do anything of the kind. I simply said to Mr. Marker that you might not be around much longer. You still have to do the quitting.”

Genny calmed down. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions.”

“I don’t blame you.” He sat next to her. “I’ve kept you at arm’s length for so long, you don’t know me and I don’t know you. I was painting you with the same brush as Martha in my mind, and you are anything but. Martha didn’t have the gumption to leave me, no matter how badly I was behaving.”

Genny sipped her coffee. “You were being rather awful. Ignoring me except to talk about the children.”

“I know.” He nodded. “I’m so sorry, Genny. I don’t know what else I can say.”

She put her hand on his thigh. “You can keep telling me that you love me.”

“Always, Mrs. MacDonnell.”

After breakfast Genny went to visit Mr. Marker and officially quit her job.

“It’s too bad. You were a very good waitress. If you ever change your mind and want to come back, let me know.”

“Thank you, that’s very nice of you to say.”