The Jewel of His Heart (11 page)

Josh’s amber eyes danced when he looked at her, and she felt a nervous stirring in her belly. Suddenly she remembered the sketch of the sheepherder and the dog at the hotel, and with a start she realized the two were the same. The first time she had seen those amber eyes, her heart had lurched.
Don’t forget you’re
going to be independent, make your own way. You don’t need a
man for that.

“Well then, we’ll both have to do something about that, won’t we?” Josh downed the last of the coffee.

“I can finish up here, if you two want to go on. Just have a bit left to clean up,” Andy offered. “Juliana, would you like to see inside our newfangled sheepherder’s wagon before you leave? It’s the latest thing straight from Casper, Wyoming.”

“Sure, Andy. I’ve heard of a chuck wagon but not a wagon for sheepherders.”

Andy couldn’t hide his enthusiasm as he pulled her up into the wagon. “It’s called a Candlish wagon, named after a blacksmith who got tired of hearing complaints of sheepherders’ sleepless nights.”

Juliana was amazed. The canvas covering was made tall enough for a man to stand up. It featured a Dutch door in front, a window in front of the bed, and a small cast-iron stove, which was vented through an opening in the canvas. A bed attached across the wagon’s back housed a pull-out table, drawers, and cupboards, making them accessible from the outside. She saw a stack of old magazines and a few books.

“It’s so compact and convenient,” Juliana said, taking it all in.

“All the comforts of home, including a kerosene heater that keeps it snug,” Andy said. “Mostly, I’m the one who stays here, but from time to time Josh will stay a few days, like when we’re branding, because there’s room for a pallet. It stays cool in the summer and warm in the winter.”

She marveled at the structure. “It’s quite cozy in here, almost like home.” Maybe even better than the rented old cabin she and her mother had lived in. “It must have been quite expensive.”

“I reckon so, but Josh has a fine stock of Merino rams that can fetch up to $1,000 a head, so he’s doing all right.”

“Is it okay with you, Juliana, if we go now?” Josh watched them from the ground and held out his hand to help her down.

“Sure, if you can set me on the right trail back to Lewistown from your place.”

“No problem. Actually, there’s a shortcut from the ranch.”

“Juliana, it was good to meet you,” Andy said. “Please come back when I have some apple dumplings to go with that coffee.”

“That sounds good to me. Thanks for the coffee, Andy.” She grabbed the reins and pulled herself up into the saddle. Josh unhitched his horse from the back of the wagon and led the way out of the camp, with Shebe following closely behind.

Josh was more than happy that Juliana was actually at his side at this moment. He had to admit it had been quite a surprise to see her riding up to the camp. He hadn’t really thought she would come. The sunlight through the trees had bounced off her shiny dark hair falling in curls around her shoulders.

She was so unassuming, but he sensed her tough exterior. He knew she’d been hurt deeply, first by her dad, and then by losing her mother. Healing always took time. He should know. He thought about Crystal, the woman he used to love but had lost to another, and remembered his battle of words with his father, which caused a huge rift. He felt that leaving his father’s ranch was the best decision he could have made at the time. But he knew it had hurt his mother.

“Sun’s warming things up,” he said once they were out of the camp’s clearing.

“Yes, it is. I’m sure I’ll have to remove this coat before too long.” Their horses were only a handbreadth apart so they could talk comfortably. “How long have you been ranching?”

“Most of my life, but not always with sheep. I do have a few head of cattle, though. Just enough to have some fresh meat. Have you ever tasted lamb before?”

“Afraid not. It really doesn’t sound appealing to me.”

“Don’t worry. I don’t like it either. I raise sheep for the wool. Right now I’m looking into mining with a feller by the name of Hoover.”

“Really?” Her eyebrows shot up.

“Yep. By chance I found some stones on my property, and then I had them appraised. I found out they’re called Yogo sapphires. The only place in the world you can find them is here in Montana. I’ll show them to you when we get to the ranch. Hoover already has a mine started and a few partners, and he needs the water from my property to work it. So I’m considering it.”

“ ‘Make all the money you can’ is my motto. You can never have enough of it.” Her chin was set in firm determination, but the slump of her slender shoulders belied her confidence. “Sounds like it might be a good investment, but do you have to
become
a miner?”

“What’s wrong with being a miner? Mining could be exactly what I need to set me up for life. I know money isn’t everything.” He thought about his dad. “I know of a few people who hoard it and never really live a happy life. A person needs to have money to travel, do some fun leisurely things sometimes, instead of just working their fingers to the bone. Mining will secure my future much faster than a sheep ranch.”

“That’s easy to say if you succeed. A lot of men die trying. Besides, mining is a dirty business and a dangerous job.” Her tone sounded bitter.

Josh laughed heartily. “And raising sheep isn’t?” He knew she was really thinking about her own father and probably carried a bad image of miners in her head.

Juliana bristled. “So what do you intend to do with the sheep?”

“Oh, I’ll keep them too. I’ll just hire more help. Not a problem with all the money I’ll make from the sapphires. Wouldn’t you like to have plenty of money?”

Juliana harrumphed. “Sure, I think about money, but I don’t want it at
any
cost, and mining is a high price to pay. I’ve seen firsthand how it destroys families. I intend to earn money and save it to find my own place to live. I can’t always live with the Stocktons. I’m not their responsibility.”

“I’m sure they don’t look at you as a burden but as someone they want to help and protect.”
I could protect her and take good
care of her, if she’d let me
, he thought. “The house is coming up just above the crest. I wanted it to overlook the valley so when I’m old and gray, I can sit on the front porch and watch the sunset. That time will be here sooner rather than later.” He chuckled and looked into her cornflower-blue eyes for a reaction.

“You’re not that old! At least you don’t look old to me.” She scrutinized his face from under her thick lashes until a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, showing her white teeth.

“Well, let’s just say I’m old enough to know better than to flirt with a pretty young lady like you.”

She flushed pink and looked away quickly. “Maybe I’m older than you think. I’ll be eighteen in May. Maybe I could introduce you to Marion Stockton. She’s probably about your age.”

“You don’t say?” He didn’t know whether to be offended or not. She must think he
was
too old for her if she wanted to set him up with Marion. “I would have thought you were at least twenty-five,” he teased. “I’m thirty. And I remember Marion from the hotel. Her father owns it. I’ll have to keep her in mind.” Josh trotted up toward the ridge with Juliana following suit.

His house had a magnificent view of the valley below and the mountain range to the west. Unadorned glass windows lined the front of the sprawling two-story clapboard structure with a large front porch, all in the final stages of construction. Several rockers were scattered about. He knew his unfinished home lacked a woman’s touch and hoped Juliana could help him out with that. Perhaps she wouldn’t be too disappointed.

Juliana’s first thoughts upon entering Josh’s home were that things were a little cluttered. A pile of boots and fishing gear sat in the foyer. The coat rack had one too many things hanging on it, and it threatened to topple when he took her coat to add it to the rest. It was obvious by the dust on the furniture in the parlor that the place was in need of cleaning, and his cluttered desk, tucked into a corner with stacks of newspapers, catalogs, and mail, was in need of attention. She tried not to act surprised. He was a bachelor, after all. What could she expect?

“Sorry, but I haven’t been here the last couple of weeks to keep things tidy. I try to work toward that end on Sunday afternoons. I still have some boxes I’ve never unpacked,” he said sheepishly. “Not all the rooms are completed. Come this way, and I’ll show you what I’ve started with the kitchen.”

Juliana followed him to the spacious room that would become the kitchen, which held a stove and a fireplace on one side. A table made of two-by-fours and two benches appeared hastily constructed. “You haven’t always lived here?”

“No, I’ve lived in the house less than a year. I moved from Colorado nearly three years ago.”

“I see. This is a nice-size kitchen. You’ll have plenty of room for a large table.” She walked to the large glass window, clapped her hands, and said, “Oh, this is a wonderful backyard with those big trees. I love it. This would be a perfect place for the sink when you get one, right under the window.” She surmised that he was using the big tub on the floor to wash the dishes in.

Shebe ran past her straight out the back door when she glimpsed a rabbit, and Juliana and Josh laughed.

“I’m glad you like the place. Come on, let’s have a seat at the table, and you can give me some more ideas about what I need to do with this place.” Josh pulled out a chair for her, then came back with a pencil and paper. He drew the outline of the kitchen and indentations for the windows and doors on the paper and pushed it to her. “Show me what you would put in here and where.”

“But I can’t draw. At least not anything that’s recognizable.” She tapped the pencil on the table.

“Doesn’t matter. Write it out for me.”

Juliana placed a small rectangle where a new table should be and a circle to represent the sink under the window. Next to the fireplace, she drew a rocking chair and an overstuffed chair facing each other. Along one wall near the stove, she drew doors halfway down the wall to represent the cupboards. On another wall, she sketched several shelves to hold some plates or utensils. She handed him the paper. “This is the best I can do, but you get the idea, don’t you?”

“Not bad. I thought you said you couldn’t draw.”

“You’re joking.” She chortled.

“No, I’m not, really. What color should I paint the walls?”

“You could paint it a bright sunny yellow and trim out the woodwork in white for a nice contrast,” she said, looking around the room.

“Mmm. Sounds rather feminine to me. Remember, there are no ladies living under my roof. I was thinking about a more masculine color.”

“Well, from the looks of things, unless there’s improvement around here, there won’t be any females,” she teased. Juliana enjoyed this comfortable bantering back and forth.

“Now look who’s teasing,” Josh said.

“Hey, I’d better get out of your way and let you do your planning.” Juliana rose from her chair.

“You’ve helped me out a lot. I needed a different perspective. Next time you can help me with the bedroom.”

Juliana felt her face go pink, but he continued to give her a playful grin while twirling the pencil in his fingers.

“By the way, I do apologize for that night in the restaurant,” Josh said. “I didn’t mean to be so clumsy.”

“Don’t even trouble yourself thinking that. It was entirely my fault,” she said. “If it hadn’t been me, I would have thought it was funny.”

“Oh, I almost forgot.” He reached inside his pocket and took out a small chamois bag, spilling its contents across the table. “These are the Yogo sapphires I was telling you about.”

Juliana sucked in her breath and said, “Oh, they’re beautiful.” She picked up one of the stones and turned it to the light. “Such a beautiful blue. I’ve never seen that color before.”

“I have,” he said huskily.

“Oh, really? Where?”

“I’m looking at it now. It’s the color of your eyes, Juliana. Beautiful and unusual.”

She squirmed, not knowing what to say, while his small amber eyes looked squarely into hers, searching.

“I think I’ll call you
Jewel
to represent these beautiful Yogos.”

A sharp pang filled her heart, and she felt breathless with his face bending so close to hers. “What’s wrong with my name? Don’t you like it?”

“I like it fine, but I think you’re rare like the Yogos.” He said it so softly that she almost thought she’d heard him wrong. Josh reached out and squeezed her hand, which lay on the table. He leaned closer, brushing his lips against hers with a slight firmness. For a brief moment time stopped. The pressure of his warm lips against hers felt nice and oh so sweet. She wanted to linger there, but she pulled away, remembering where she was. She felt tongue-tied and swallowed hard. Why was she letting him get to her this way? She tried to find her voice, but when she spoke it sounded weak to her ears.

“I need to be going, Josh, and let you get back to your camp,” she said, standing up. She couldn’t discern what he might be thinking from the look on his face, but she didn’t intend to marry a miner. Ever.

They stepped out onto the porch, and he gave her the directions for the shortcut through the woods back to Lewistown. She trotted down the path, turning around once to give a quick wave. She hoped he’d come up with an excuse to make another trip to town real soon.

13

The sun’s glistening rays sliced through the spruce trees, creating a mottled pattern on the forest floor, and purple crocuses peeked their heads through the surrounding straw at the base of the trees among new sprigs of tender grass. Birds sang out as they flitted from tree branches back to their nests to feed their tiny hatchlings. Spring had arrived despite the shivering cold mornings, and Juliana lifted her face to the sun’s heat, enjoying the moment. She loved the wildflowers scattered about, and she slid off her horse to let him graze while she picked a few to take back to her room.

The silence outdoors was a welcome sound after hearing the printing presses daily and the activity of busy Lewistown streets. She needed to do this more often and try to work something out with Marion for Choco if at all possible. She’d have to be able to keep him at Tom’s livery if she was able to afford it. The prospect of owning something excited her.