16

Patience hurried upstairs and quickly selected a periwinkle-blue street dress with cream-colored lace ties at the throat. She pulled the corset she’d mended with new ribbons as tight as she could so she would fit into the slender bodice cutting deep into the folds of the matching skirt. With the darker fabric-covered buttons running the length of the gown, she hoped she would seem to have a nicely smaller waist.

She smiled wryly as she gathered up her reticule. “Showing Mother about town” would mean passing by the saloons, looking into three mercantile stores, seeing the butcher’s shop, the livery stables, blacksmith, maybe coffee in The Star Bakery, and a visit to two hotels. Most of the wooden structures had been hastily built with false fronts to give them the illusion of two-story buildings.

This won’t take very long. What are we going to do with the rest of the day? she wondered as she caught her skirt up with one hand and hurried downstairs.

She paused at the bottom to catch her breath, then sailed into the parlor where her mother sat in an armchair near the fireplace, looking every bit the part of queen of the manor. She was sipping the last of her coffee while thumbing through an outdated copy of Godey’s Lady’s Book.

“Was there a fire?” her mother asked in a clipped tone.

Patience stopped. “Fire?”

“The one you’re rushing from, my dear. It’s not ladylike, especially when you’re the owner of an establishment, to look so—befuddled.” Charity’s gaze swept the length of Patience’s apparel, and the woman apparently approved.

“Yes, Mother. I didn’t want to keep you waiting. Are you ready to take a stroll through our little town?”

“Indeed I am. But before we depart I want to suggest that you find some other drapes, dear, something more formal for the parlor.”

Patience’s heart pounded in her chest. “I—the truth is, I like them.”

Her mother strode over to the window, fingering the material. She frowned. “They look . . . homemade—”

“They are,” Patience put in before her mother could say anything further. “Emily and I made them. Money is not very plenteous just yet, and this was the nicest material I could afford.”

Her mother dropped the panel as if it were soiling her fingers. “I see. Once you’re flourishing financially, I’ll help you choose some stylish drapes more in keeping with a high-class residence.”

Patience held her breath to keep from bursting out in anger. She finally said, “You’ll soon see, Mother, that Nevada City cannot support a ‘high-class residence.’ This is a boardinghouse for people from all walks of life. Besides, Emily and I like these drapes. And we enjoyed working on them together.”

“Well, then, shall we be on our way?” Charity responded with her most elegant shrug.

“Such a busy little town here.” Charity chatted away as they walked along the boardwalk, with Patience pointing out the shops and introducing the occasional person she knew.

“And very transient,” Patience explained, “as most of them are miners hoping for a strike.”

“How will you ever be able to find an eligible man here, my dear?”

“Mother, I have plenty to keep me busy with running the boardinghouse.”

“Maybe so, but I’m sure your evenings do get lonely—oh my, what’s that on ahead? A bake shop?”

“Yes, Miss Hannah runs it. She was a good friend to Grandmother . . . and now me.”

“I don’t remember my mother ever mentioning her,” Charity murmured with a frown. “But shall we stop in and say hello?”

“Yes, and you’ll like her. She’s very nice and has helped me get settled here. Let’s go inside.”

As soon as they stepped into the Star, Patience’s mother began exclaiming about the delicious smells and variety of desserts. “I must have one of those rolls—no, wait! Make that two.” She turned to Patience. “We can have them this afternoon with our tea or coffee.”

Patience turned to her friend. “Yes, Hannah, please make that three. I’m sure Emily would enjoy one too. And may I introduce—”

“Oh, yes . . . well—of course,” her mother inserted rather abruptly.

“Miss Hannah,” Patience tried again, “I’d like you to meet my mother, Charity Cavanaugh.”

“How do you do, Mrs. Cavanaugh! I’m so pleased to meet you. You know, I knew your mother quite well. Please call me Hannah,” she enthused in her own warm style.

“Yes, so I understand,” Charity murmured, looking distractedly at the display of items. “I’m glad to meet you too.”

Hannah lifted the cinnamon rolls from the glass-encased shelf and asked, “Will you want these packed up for later?”

“That would be perfect,” Patience assured her when her mother did not respond.

“Your daughter has become quite the entrepreneur, you know,” Hannah said to Charity, “and I should also add that she whips up a better batch of biscuits than I do any day!” She gave Patience a friendly smile.

“Is that so?” Charity said distantly. “Seems I have a lot to catch up on about my daughter. She must have felt her poor widowed mother’s loss was not important enough to stay . . .” Her voice trailed off with so much self-pity that Patience felt she had to respond somehow.

“Mother, please!”

But Hannah quickly stepped in with her own comment. “Oh, I have a hard time believing that, Miz Cavanaugh! Your daughter is simply filled with spirit and adventure, probably much like we both were back in the day. Isn’t that right?”

“I’m not as old as you might think,” Charity said, staring directly at Hannah for a moment.

Hannah ignored the awkward exchange and handed over the bags of rolls. “That will be thirty-five cents, please.”

“Oh my. I didn’t think to bring any cash with me . . .” Charity turned to her daughter. “Dear—”

“It’s fine, Mother. I have the exact change.” Patience was already reaching inside her reticule and handed some coins to Hannah.

“Thank you, Patience. Did you have a good time at the dance? I certainly did.” Hannah’s cheeks turned pink.

“Oh, yes! Lots of food and fun.”

“I saw you come to the dance with Cody, but I thought I saw you leave with—”

“Yes, yes I did,” Patience put in quickly. “I was ready to go, but Cody wanted to stay, so Jed offered me a ride.”

Charity drew back, eyes narrowed, as she stared at Patience. “Cody? Jed? Two different men at the same event? I’m astounded, Patience! That is not how you were raised.” She shook her head, still facing down her daughter. “And I thought you were too busy for courting.”

“Mother.” Patience blew out a breath and tried to calm her ire. “I am not being courted by anybody, and I don’t have two men in my life—I know two men along with several others I have met here.”

Hannah was trying to say something to make amends, but Patience gave her a quick look to assure her that nothing further would help at the moment.

“You must tell me all about them,” Charity said, head lifted high as she took Patience’s elbow and nudged her in the direction of the door.

The last thing Patience wanted to do was to talk with her mother about anything related to matters of the heart. Memories of her tragic experience with Russell and all the incriminations flung at her for choosing Russell in the first place filled her mind, and she closed her eyes for a moment as her mother almost pushed her out the door.

Patience walked straight into Jed’s arms, her mother stumbling into her from behind. “Oh, please, forgive me! We—we are just on our way out.” Patience caught her balance and stepped away from her mother’s hand on her back.

Jedediah had already reached out to steady Patience. “I wasn’t watching where I was going. Are you all right?” His steady eyes looked into hers until she glanced away. “Yes, I am, thank you. Please excuse us. We are heading back to the boardinghouse,” she babbled on.

Once on the boardwalk, her mother said in consternation, “I didn’t realize that—what’s his name?—Jedediah Jones is the marshal! I just saw his badge. You realize, Patience, it’s far best you don’t get involved with a person whose life is in jeopardy at any moment.”

Patience shook her head and forced a chuckle. “Oh, Mother, you’re incorrigible. That’s hardly the case.”

Charity caught Patience’s arm. “But even worse, men like him usually carry a past with them. I can tell just by looking at him.”

“Why don’t we stop in at the mercantile before we go home?” Patience suggested. “It’s right up the street. Then I must get back to start our supper.” She hoped these distractions would stay further discussion on the topic of Jedediah.

Jedediah stood watching the two women as they walked into the mercantile, deep in conversation. From his vantage point, mother and daughter were enjoying their visit. He guessed he wouldn’t see much of Patience now that her mother had arrived.

“You through gawking after Patience? I saw you two on the dance floor,” Hannah said from behind, giving him a wink as he turned to face her.

“Am I that obvious?” Jedediah growled.

Hannah bobbed her head. “Don’t worry about it, though. Have you met her mother? I mean before just now?”

“Yes, I did. Seems like a proper lady.”

“Proper? Or particular?”

“Can’t say I know the difference. Haven’t spent any time with her. You like her or not?”

Hannah moved back to the counter, wiping up crumbs. “Oh, she seems nice enough. A little hard on her daughter, though.”

“What makes you say that?”

Hannah shrugged. “Something about the way she talks to her, I guess.”

Jedediah chuckled. “I thought all mothers did that.”

“She made Patience uncomfortable, seems to me.”

“Well, I’m pretty sure Patience can take care of herself.”

“You’re right. So, what can I get you, Marshal, the usual?”

“Ah . . . you know me too well, Miz Hannah. Yes, then tell me about you and Joe.” Jedediah watched a blush turn her cheeks pink.

“We had a good time, me and Joe did, and he kept his promise not to drink the three days before.”

“That a fact? You just may be the woman to keep him from that poison.”

“I’m not sure about that. I’ve heard alcohol is hard to cut loose from, but when he’s sober, we have a lot to talk about.” She took out a cinnamon roll, folded a napkin around it, and handed it to him. “It’s on the house. I’m sure you’re the one that got Joe to clean up his act.”

“Well, thank you. I told him you wouldn’t give him the time of day unless he did.” Jedediah bit off a large chunk of the roll and licked the cinnamon sugar from his fingers.

“Not sure if his ‘good behavior’ will last, though,” Hannah reflected. “I don’t want to turn out to be an old fool . . .”

“I’m sure that’s not going to happen. Joe’s had his eye on you since he came to town. It’s been hard for him to let go of his memories and find a new life. I think that’s the reason he drinks—to drown his sorrows.”

Hannah sighed heavily. “I know about them memories myself. It’s very hard to turn away from all that and see where God might lead.”

Something in her voice he hadn’t heard before surprised him—a longing, a loneliness. Pretty much the way he’d been himself for a long time now, he had to admit. Hannah was always the cheerful one, but today was different. Maybe she was afraid to get too close to Joe because he might disappoint her.

“I hear ya,” Jed assured her. “It’s better to feel something than to feel nothing at all, Hannah. But I’ve never heard you talk this way before.” Jedediah realized he truly cared what happened to the older lady.

She reached across the counter and pinched his cheek. “Don’t mind me—I’m just an old woman that gets sentimental once in a while.”

“You let me know if Joe doesn’t treat you right. He really has a good heart, so I don’t think that’s likely.”

After a few more pleasantries, Jedediah went on his way. The sun was very hot today, and the dusty noonday streets were not as busy as usual. Folks either sought a cool shade tree or stayed indoors. He stopped by the livery to pay for his horse’s board, then back to work. In one way he was grateful for the hot weather—it seemed to keep trouble down to a bare minimum. On the other hand, though, it didn’t give him a lot to do. Might be a good day to clean his rifles . . . and maybe ponder some more about Patience.