Robin Lee Hatcher (15 page)

Far from Gavin Blake.

Half an hour later, dressed and ready to begin her day, she opened her cabin door to the chilled mountain air. Ribbons of smoke curled skyward from the chimneys of both the main house and the bunkhouse, and the scent of frying bacon teased her nostrils. Tardy again. Chagrined, she hurried across the yard. Her knock on the back door was answered by Gavin.

“Come in, Miss Harris.” As she entered, he returned to his place by the stove where pork sizzled and spat in a frying pan. “No need to knock.” He waved a fork toward the shelf that held the dishes. “There’s breakfast if you want it.”

Emily shrugged out of her coat and tossed it over a nearby chair before crossing the room. She grabbed a blue-and-white platter from the shelf and held it out to him.

As he scooped the bacon from the frying pan, he said, “Dru tells me you’ve changed your mind. You’re going to stay.” His voice was empty of emotion.

“Yes, I . . . I gave my word.”

“Wouldn’t want to put you out any.”

Emily met his hard gaze. “For as long as I’m needed, I’ll stay.” She read the doubt in his eyes before he turned his attention back to the stove.

“Why don’t you check on Dru, see if she’s ready to have a bite to eat?” he suggested. “She’s still in the bedroom.” He jerked his head toward the far end of the house.

“All right.” She set the platter on the sideboard and walked to the bedroom, rapping on the door before pushing it open. “Dru? Are you awake?”

“Come in, Emily.”

“Mr. Blake’s prepared breakfast. Are you hungry?”

Dru shook her head, her eyes closed. “Not right now.” She drew a deep breath. “Are the girls up yet?”

“I haven’t seen them.” Emily went to stand beside the bed.

“We’re all a bit tired, I suppose.” Dru looked at Emily, smiling weakly. “As much as I hated to leave the basin, it is good to be home.” She patted the edge of the bed. “Sit with me a spell.”

Emily did as she was asked.

Dru reached out and took hold of her hand. “I wanted to thank you again for agreeing to stay. I hope you understand how important you are to this family now.”

A lump formed in Emily’s throat, making it hard to speak.

“Gavin is a good man, Emily. I know he hasn’t always made you feel welcome, but it’s only because he is unsure of the future. He married me so that my children would have a father when I’m gone. He married me because I asked him to, not out of some great passion.”

Emily felt her cheeks growing warm. It didn’t seem right that she should know such things. She already had more than enough on her conscience.

“Gavin has a big heart.” Dru released a long sigh. “So much room for love.”

She couldn’t bear it. She couldn’t listen to Dru continue to sing Gavin’s praises. “I’d better tell him you aren’t ready to eat yet.”

Dru’s hold on Emily’s hand tightened. “Tell Gavin he needs to take you to town. We need supplies before winter sets in hard, and I’m sure you must have mail waiting for you from your sister.”

“Shouldn’t Stubs go with Mr. Blake? I should stay here in case you need me.”

“No.” Dru released her hand. “You go with Gavin. You should see the town, and there may be things you’ll want at the mercantile. Yes, you go with Gavin. The girls will look after me while you’re gone.”

With the completion in 1880 of the toll road from Challis into the mining district, miners, their families, hangers-on, and enterprising merchants had poured into the area. Bonanza City and Custer had become bustling towns complete with general stores, meat markets, livery and feed stables, restaurants, laundries, and hotels. Challis, located in a more bucolic section of the mountain country, had thrived as well.

As Gavin drove the wagon toward town, he ruminated on the series of events that had brought him to the Salmon River country. He and Stubs had finished a long cattle drive up from Texas and collected their pay in Miles City, Montana, then headed west to find wealth in the gold-laden hills of Idaho Territory. Except they’d found, as had many others, that riches were more apt to come to those selling goods to the miners than to the miners themselves. But they’d kept looking, moving from camp to camp, always hoping their luck would change.

It was in Idaho City that they’d met the Porter family. From the start, Charlie Porter had felt like Gavin’s long-lost brother. But it was Dru who made them into a family. Dru with her warm laughter, her enjoyment of life, and her strong faith. Later, when Petula was born in Bonanza City, Dru had asked Gavin to be the baby’s godfather. Even now, remembering, it created a warm spot in his heart. It had hurt more than he’d thought possible when Charlie died. And now Dru —

The right front wagon wheel dropped into a deep rut in the road, almost unseating Gavin. A moment later, the rear wheel followed suit. He heard Emily’s gasp and looked in her direction in time to see her jostle from side to side.

“Sorry,” he said.

She touched the crown of her hat, as if to make certain it hadn’t fallen off as she’d been jerked about. “Are we nearly there?”

He nodded — and resisted the urge to help straighten her hat, which was now slightly askew on her pretty head.

He clenched his jaw. It wasn’t right, this infernal attraction he felt for her. Worse yet, it wasn’t smart. She had her place and he had his, and there would never be a time when those two places were one and the same.

Emily released a sigh of relief as the wagon rolled down the main street of Challis. The trip into town had seemed hours long. Gavin hadn’t spoken more than a half dozen words, and those few words had been clipped. She would be glad to be down from this wagon seat and away from him.

Challis, Idaho, looked much like hundreds of other small Western towns. Not that Emily had seen hundreds, but she imagined them all the same. There was a mercantile, a saloon, a dry goods store, a livery stable, a Wells Fargo office, and a Chinese laundry all within easy view. A few small homes could be seen down a side street. The wagon drew to a halt in front of the Challis Mercantile.

Gavin wrapped the reins around the brake handle, then hopped to the ground and walked around to the opposite side. Wordlessly, he held out his right hand to Emily. With some misgiving, she slipped her gloved fingers into his. Better to take his hand than risk a fall and possibly ruining her dress as she climbed down.

“Gavin! Sure and I’m glad to see you’re back.”

Emily turned along with Gavin toward the deep male voice with the soft Irish burr. The man who stepped onto the boardwalk was well over six feet tall and wore a stylish suit coat over his broad shoulders. His feet were clad in shiny leather boots. Without hesitation, he threw his arms around Gavin and gave him a hug and a few slaps on the back before releasing him.

“Saints be praised. It’s far too long since we’ve seen you, mate. How are the wee lasses? How is Dru?”

Gavin grinned. “We’re well enough, Patrick. The girls have grown like weeds over the summer. You’ll hardly know them when you see them. How are you and your family?”

“Right as rain, mate.” He turned toward Emily, flashing a wide grin. “I see you’ve brought a bit of beauty out of the basin with you.” His gaze appraised her. “Perhaps I should be summering my cattle there too.”

And just like that, Gavin’s smile vanished.

“What are you waiting for, man? Introduce me to the lady.” The man called Patrick gave Gavin a lighthearted punch on the arm, then said, “Oh, the devil with you.” He doffed his felt derby in Emily’s direction, revealing a shock of carrot-red hair. “Patrick O’Donnell, at your ser vice, miss.” He bowed. “It’s glad I am to make your acquaintance.”

There was no resisting that charming grin. She tilted her head, acknowledging his greeting. “I’m Emily Harris. Pleased to meet you, Mr. O’Donnell.”

“Emily. A name that must make the angels rejoice.” He bowed a second time.

Gavin made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat.

“Ignore the blighter.” Patrick slipped Emily’s hand into the crook of his arm and drew her toward the door of the mercantile. “Now tell me, Miss Harris. What brought you to our fair community?”

“I am governess for the Blake children.”

Patrick opened the door. As she moved passed him, he offered an exaggerated wink. “Then you’ll be staying. Must be the luck of the Irish I’m having today.”

Emily laughed. It seemed ages since a man had flirted with her so outrageously. After languishing too often under Gavin Blake’s disapproving glare, it did lift her spirits to be with someone who actually seemed taken with her.

“Unfortunately, Miss Harris, I have an appointment at the bank and so cannot stay to make your further acquaintance. But we will see each other again. Soon, I hope.” Patrick turned toward Gavin who had followed them into the store. “You’ll be giving my best to Dru and the lasses.”

“I’ll do it, Patrick.”

“It is good to have you back. I’ve missed beating you at checkers.” He laughed again, then stepped outside and disappeared down the boardwalk.

“Be warned, Miss Harris,” Gavin said, a note of reluctant humor in his voice. “Patrick O’Donnell is full of blarney, if ever an Irishman was.”

Maybe so, but Emily had already decided that she liked him.

Fifteen

Emily watched as Dru pulled her best dress over her head. Three weeks of rest had done wonders for the woman, but she was far from being strong. Feisty, yes. Strong, no.

“Would you stop looking at me like that?” Dru said. “I am well enough to attend the wedding, and nothing you say will keep me from it.”

Emily shook her head, defeated. “Mr. Blake won’t like this. I was supposed to convince you to stay home.”

“I know.” Dru settled onto a stool in front of the dresser. “But it doesn’t serve any purpose for me to stop living before I die.”

Emily sucked in a breath. It hurt to hear those words, even if they were true.

Dru’s eyes met Emily’s in the mirror. “We all know what’s coming, and it will come at its appointed time, no matter what I do.” She twisted on the stool to look at Emily. “I don’t want my girls’ last memories of me to be sad ones. I want them to remember me happy at a wedding. Maybe even dancing. Can you understand that?”

“Yes,” Emily whispered, her throat tight. She picked up the brush and selected a ribbon from a box on the dresser. “How would you like your hair?”

“Anything to make it look halfway pretty will do.”

Emily ran the brush through the gray-brown hair, wishing there was something special she could do. “I know!” She dropped the brush onto the dresser. “Don’t move, Dru. Stay right there. I won’t be but a few minutes.”

She rushed out of the bedroom, not even pausing to pull on her coat before heading outside. Hugging her arms over her chest, she ran toward her cabin. Once inside, she rummaged through her trunk, tossing things onto her bed until she found the small box she sought.

“It will be perfect,” she whispered to herself.

Her heart felt lighter as she hurried back to the main house. Dru waited at her dressing table, just as she’d been told to do.

“Look. Isn’t it wonderful?” Emily opened the box. “It will go perfectly with your dress.” She held up a spray of satin tiger lilies and brown ostrich feathers on a comb, the orange flowers interspersed with burnt-sienna leaves of the same shiny fabric.

Dru held out her hands, cradling the satin and feathers as if they were fragile glassware. “This is much too fine for me. It’s meant for someone young and pretty . . . like you.”

“What nonsense.” Emily took the brush in hand once again and quickly swept Dru’s hair into a smooth twist at the back of her head.

“What if I lose it? I couldn’t replace — ”

“I’m not lending it, Dru. It’s yours to keep. A gift from me to you.”

“Oh, Emily. That’s too — ”

“It’s much prettier with your coloring. You’ll see.” As she spoke, she slipped the comb into the hair above and behind Dru’s right ear, then leaned down and met the woman’s gaze in the mirror. “See? I was right. It’s perfect. Look at the color it brings to your cheeks. You look beautiful.”

“She’s right, Dru,” Gavin said from the doorway. “You do look beautiful.”