The Jewel of His Heart (18 page)

“What? This is my favorite room, but if it doesn’t suit your taste, I’m sure—”

Juliana interrupted, “Oh no, no. It’s not that at all. It’s exquisite. But I don’t think I can afford such a room. Do you have something smaller?”

“I’m afraid not, dear. All the rooms are quite large. I designed them that way when we built this house. As to whether or not you can afford it, why don’t you let me be the judge of that?” Her smile was contagious, and Juliana knew she had found a friend. “I’m sure we can come to an amicable rate to fit your pocketbook. Call it a favor for my son.”

“I can’t let you do that. I wouldn’t want to take advantage of my employer.”

“He never has to know, but I figured if he hired you, you must be special. You aren’t a man, and you’re so very young. This is just delicious and surprising.” Miss Margaret opened a door to reveal a real closet for her things and extra blankets on a shelf. In the shack she’d shared with her mother, Juliana had only a shelf for her clothes.

“When do you need the room?”

“Today, if we could work something out.” Juliana didn’t want to get too excited. She had never lived in anything so grand.
Lord, if
You’re really there, like Josh says you are, please let me work something
out with Miss Margaret that I can afford
, she prayed.

“Excellent. My daughters Natalie and Louise live with me and have their own rooms. You met them at the ladies social circle. They’re several years older than you. They help me run the place now that my dear husband has passed on. I’d never be able to do this by myself. Right now we have two vacancies, so it’s a little quieter around here.”

“I’m sorry about your husband. Your daughters were both very kind to me when I attended the meeting. But not everyone was as kind.” She was remembering a couple of the ladies who’d acted a little snobby toward her.

“Yes,” Miss Margaret said. “That would be Esther, who’s never worked a day in her life for anything, and Cynthia, who tries to run everything, although I’ve heard Marion can be a little controlling too.”

When Juliana didn’t say anything, Miss Margaret walked toward the door. “I’m old, so I can get away with speaking my mind. Sometimes the women need to be put in their place. Anyway, come along, and we’ll go downstairs and find you a key. We have breakfast at 7:30 and dinner at 6:00 sharp if you intend to have your meals here.”

“I’d like that, Miss Margaret.”

Miss Margaret beamed at her, and Juliana could tell she was pleased to have her as a new boarder. “You’re allowed to use the kitchen if you’d like on Saturday.”

“I work every weekday, so it would be nice just to be able to brew a cup of tea.”

They reached the landing downstairs, and Miss Margaret guided her to a cozy parlor that held a writing desk and found an extra key. They settled on an amount for the room and food that Juliana thought was more than generous. The older lady grasped Juliana’s hand and welcomed her into her home. Something told Juliana that her experience here would be more than that of just an ordinary boarder as she walked back to collect her things from the Stockton Hotel.

Juliana’s stomach growled at the scent of bacon frying when she passed the hotel’s dining room. No time for that now, and no money either, after paying Miss Margaret. She had only a few coins left.

Marion caught her eye and waved. It was as good a time as any to tell Marion she was moving out, so she approached her table.

“Goodness. You were out and about early this morning,” Marion said, setting down her fork. “Take a seat and have some breakfast.” “I’m not hungry,” she lied, remaining standing. “I was in luck. The boardinghouse had an empty room, and I’ll be moving my things over there this morning.”

“All right, but you know you didn’t have to do this. There was no hurry.” Marion’s face held a frown.

“I know that, but I’d have to leave at some point anyway. I’d just feel better if I went ahead and did it now. The owner happens to be my employer’s mother.”

“Yes, I know. She’s a very nice lady, and her daughters are too. I’m sure you will like living there.” Marion’s face reflected sadness. “But I’m going to miss having you around.”

“I’ll only be two blocks away. We can get together most anytime.” “Where will you board Choco? Does she have a place for him?”

“I never thought to ask, but I will this morning. Thank you again, Marion, and please give your father my greatest appreciation.”

Marion rose and gave her a brief hug. “I’m really proud of you, you know. You’ve grown a lot since your mother passed. If you need anything at all, please let me know, okay?”

“I will. You’ve been a good friend to me.” Juliana stepped back to look her friend square in the eye. “I won’t forget your kindness. Now go finish your breakfast.”

Back in her room, it didn’t take more than ten minutes for Juliana to gather her things. The bed was still unmade, but she knew the maid would put fresh sheets on it once she left.

She wondered if Josh had slept well last night in this room. She felt some satisfaction knowing she had given him a place to lay his injured head. As she bent to pull her suitcase from under the bed, something just under the edge of the bed rail caught her eye. It was a leather book. Turning it over, she saw it was not an ordinary book but a Bible. Made of soft black leather aged from use, it had gold writing on the bottom edge.
Josh McBride.
She flipped it opened and saw it was from his mother, Alice McBride, given to him on his seventeenth birthday. He must have been reading and somehow it slid off the bed. She’d see that he got it back tomorrow at church, but for now she tucked it away in her suitcase. She looked around the room and figured she’d make another trip for her box of books.

Nellie paused at the doorway and looked in. “Are ya leaving us, Miss Juliana?”

“Hi, Nellie. Yes, but I’m not going too far. I’ve rented a room at Mrs. Spencer’s boardinghouse.”

“I’d be glad to help you with that box of books on the floor there.” Nellie stepped into the room.

“Thanks, but you have work to do, and they’ll be looking for you. I don’t want you getting into trouble on my behalf.”

“Naw, they won’t be missing me, mum. I’ll just take a shorter lunch break.” Nellie bent down to lift the box. “I’m strong, see, and you need the help. It won’t take more’n ten minutes.” She grinned.

“If you’re sure, Nellie. That’s very sweet of you.”

“Think nothing of it. Now you won’t have to return for this box. Us working girls have to stick together, right?” She winked at her, and Juliana laughingly agreed.

In less than ten minutes they had carried Juliana’s things upstairs, and Nellie was flabbergasted at the beautiful toile accessories in the room. “Oh, mum, I’d love to sew something that looked like this. I’m good with a needle but don’t have a lot of free time with me job.” Nellie fingered the coverlet on the bed.

“Then maybe you could teach me what you know sometime. I could always use some lessons.”

“This is such a lovely room. You’ll have no trouble sleeping in ’ere. I’m sure it’s much quieter than the Stockton.” She headed toward the door. “Well, I’d best be off now and let you get settled.”

“Nellie, wait.” Juliana strode over to her, took her last two coins out of her change purse, and put them in Nellie’s hand. “Thank you.”

“No, I don’t want pay.” Nellie shook her head. “I did this just to help you out. You’d do the same for me, I know. I can tell.”

“Please, I want you to keep it,” Juliana insisted. “Besides, you have to clean my room now.”

“You’re too kind. Thank you. I’ll be seeing you ’round town, I’m sure.” Nellie left quickly to get back to work, and Juliana turned to unpack her suitcase, thinking about all the nice people she’d come to know recently, in spite of losing her mother. Maybe Marion and Josh had been right.
I guess I should thank You, Lord, for seeing me
through this far, for this beautiful room, and for sweet Margaret,
who took much less rent than the room was worth. I’m grateful.

21

“Why didn’t you come back last night?” Andy scurried over to Josh with Shebe in tow, who barked in greeting. Josh pulled back on the horses’ reins, bringing the rattling wagon of supplies to a halt, and lifted his hat in explanation. Andy let out a loud whistle when he saw the purple lump. “Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat! How’d you get that?”

“It seems as though someone is still after the Yogos.” Josh climbed out of the wagon, gingerly placing his hat back on his head. He heard the bleating of the sheep, even though the camp, set up at some distance from the herd, continued to move daily. “I’m glad I went ahead and took them to the assayer’s.” He leaned down to affectionately pat Shebe’s head, and she licked his fingers. He didn’t mention that he’d left one stone to be fashioned into a ring. He’d feel foolish saying anything because Andy would want to know who it was being made for, and he wasn’t ready to share his feelings about a hopeful relationship with Juliana.

“So you think someone is trying to steal the Yogos?” Andy whispered, as though someone could hear their conversation.

“Yep. I wonder how the word got out, don’t you?”

“What happened? You sure you’re all right? That looks purty nasty to me, I gotta tell ya.” Andy shook his head.

“Aw, the doctor said it wasn’t too serious, just painful, but he thought I’d better stay in town for the night. Would you believe that the newspaper man found me and took me into the hotel? You’d have loved it, Andy. I had two women fussin’ over me. Marion— her father owns the hotel—and Juliana, who gave up her room for me last night. So I slept very nicely.” He gave Andy a wink.

“Boy howdy! You seem to have all the luck, Josh.” Andy started taking the supplies out of the back of the wagon.

Josh took off his leather gloves and stuffed them in his hip pocket. “Marion is a bit too old for you, I’m afraid, but she’s a right fine-looking woman. A bit pushy, but I don’t think she means any harm. It’s just her way.”

“All I can say is, next week it’s my turn to go into town for a break. Agreed?”

“Agreed.” Josh reached into the wagon for the flour and sugar.

“After that hit on your head, have you thought any more about doing business with Hoover?” Andy paused, leaning against the wagon’s side.

“I haven’t thought too hard about it. I’ve had other things on my mind. But how’d you do with me being gone? Everything all right?”

“It’s been right fine, Boss. I only had to untangle a ram that decided he’d rather go hiking alone and get stuck in the brambles and briars than stick with his brothers.”

His comment made Josh chuckle. Andy saw humor in just about everything. Probably because he had decided early on that he was better off if he could laugh about life instead of sitting around regretting his childhood of abuse from an alcoholic father. Josh knew he was like an older brother to Andy, and it did his heart good.

“I plan on going to church tomorrow. Wanna go?”

Andy scratched his head. “Yeah. I need to hear the Good Book preached. Helps keep me living right. Besides, there’s a pretty girl I met last time I attended. Maybe she’ll be there tomorrow.”

“Good. You’ll have to take your own horse, ’cause I’m meeting Juliana after church. Do you think you could help me pack up some dinner?”

Andy gave him a nudge in the ribs. “No kiddin’? Sounds like you did more than pick up supplies while you were in town!”

Josh was busy unharnessing the horses from the wagon but shifted his gaze to Andy’s grinning face. “Well, look who’s talking. Maybe I’ll tell you at supper . . . or maybe I won’t, if we don’t get some work done around here.”

“Mmm, we have stuff to make sandwiches with if I bake some bread this afternoon.” Apparently Andy wasn’t thinking about the weather but rather about what to prepare for Sunday. “I can make some hard-boiled eggs and whip up some bread dough to rise this afternoon, if you check on the sheep and keep ’em out of mischief.”

“Such a deal. Bread making is not my cup of tea,” Josh answered.

Leaning against his bedroll next to the campfire after supper, Josh observed the twinkling stars beckoning overhead. He loved the stillness of the night, interrupted with an occasional stirring and baaing of a stray lamb looking for its mother. Tonight was warm enough to sleep outside, so he and Andy threw their bedrolls under the canopy of the inky black sky. He thought about his walk with Juliana earlier that morning and hoped she’d been able to find a room. He could understand why she felt it necessary to move. In a way he was glad, because if he courted her, it’d make it easier than having to run into Marion every time at the hotel. She just might have a way of making him feel guilty.

He looked around at the quiet hills. It’d be so nice to have Juliana’s head lying in the crook of his arm just now. They could look up and name the stars and talk about the future. Excited at the thought, Josh breathed deeply to clear his head. He couldn’t wait until after church. Before he drifted off to sleep, he prayed for Juliana’s heart.