19

Stunning blue skies and a balmy breeze blew across the valley floor as if to say, “This is the Lord’s day—I will rejoice and be glad in it.” Patience, Emily, and Charity were rumbling back from church in a rented buggy, on their way to the Hargrove ranch for Sunday dinner.

“The pastor’s sermon really spoke to me this morning about my attitudes,” Charity said after a while. Patience frowned. Since when has she ever cared one whit about her attitude?

Emily responded, “I felt the same way, Mrs. Cavanaugh. I’m so grateful that we have a Sunday service to attend. Most mining towns and camps don’t have a church of their own, you know.”

Charity smiled. “Then perhaps a person with means could help build a church in Nevada City—like you, Patience.”

Patience laughed. “Me? I have no idea about such things, Mother, and I certainly don’t have means!”

“The Lord used people in Scripture who had many vices and even no money. You’re becoming successful, so who knows. This time next year, I’m sure you will be doing quite well.”

Patience took a moment to let her mother’s words sink in. She’d never heard the woman talk this way before. My, my, wonders never cease! But me—build a church?

“I think that’s a wonderful idea, Patience—and you’re just the one to do it,” Emily said with an impish little grin.

“Mmm . . . I don’t know . . . It’s true that one is needed here . . .” She was already thinking of people who might be willing to invest in the labor. But she put those thoughts away as they approached Cross Bar Ranch for their meal with Judith.

“My . . . such a large ranch.” Charity touched the top buttons of her throat. “I wish I had my diamond brooch—”

“Mother, you look fine,” Patience put in quickly. She knew her mother would want Judith to think she was a person of means. “Besides, the brooch might be ostentatious on a cattle ranch in the middle of the day.” Charity gave her a sharp glance while Emily hid a smile behind her hand.

Judith was at the door and came down the steps with hands outstretched as they drove up. She told Patience a ranch hand would take care of the horse and buggy and ushered them inside. The living area was large, furnished and decorated with a mixture of leather and wood. Oversized chairs flanked either side of an enormous stone fireplace, and beautiful carved wood bookcases with glass fronts held leather-bound volumes, which Patience yearned to peruse. She’d been inside only the barn the time she was here for their annual dance.

“You have a beautiful home, Judith,” Patience told her hostess.

Judith’s violet eyes coordinated with the lavender trim on her white linen day dress. She looked cool and comfortable as she greeted her guests. “I’m so glad you could come, and this must be your mother.” Judith reached toward Charity.

“Yes, I am,” she said, shaking the outstretched hand. “It’s so nice to meet you, Judith.”

“Right this way, everyone. John is not able to join us today, and I’ve asked the cook to serve us in my small rose garden. I thought you might enjoy that.”

“I admired your roses the night of the dance,” Patience told her. The roses brought to mind that unexpected time with Jed, and she felt her face growing warm at the thought. She was privately ill at ease when her mind kept straying to that evening, but of course, no one else knew it, thankfully.

Under the shade of a tree, they enjoyed a wonderful meal with friendly conversation around the small table spread with an embroidered cloth. Patience leaned back in her chair and breathed in deeply. It was the first time in a while that she’d felt truly relaxed. She was not surprised, though, when her mother brought up the idea of Patience starting a church building fund. She felt her insides tense. Her mother knew exactly what she was doing.

Judith clapped her hands. “I love the idea.” She turned to Patience. “I’m sure that John and I would be able to help financially with some of the expenses, along with others, of course. A church has been needed here for some time.”

Patience sat forward. “That would be wonderful, Judith, but I haven’t said I was ready to initiate a church building fund—that was entirely Mother’s idea on the way over here.” Patience heaved a sigh. “It seems like an awfully daunting undertaking—”

“To be sure,” Judith agreed quickly, “but you seem like a young lady capable enough to handle anything put before you.”

Emily was eagerly nodding. “Of course she is—after all, she’s her mother’s daughter.”

Charity glanced at Patience, then remarked, “We Cavanaughs have a fighting spirit that runs through our veins, and we can tackle just about anything we set our minds to. I’m very proud of the way she’s turned Creekside around.”

Patience sat and stared at her mother, stunned. Was she finally pleased with something Patience had done?

Emily sat up straight and clapped her hands. “Another idea—we could start a choir. I know Patience has a very nice voice. I’ve heard her singing when we’re doing chores,” she added.

Charity bobbed her head. “Of course she can sing, and she can play the piano too. A shame the boardinghouse doesn’t have one.”

“I’ll talk it over with John,” their hostess said, “but it’s possible we even might be able to donate a piano for the boardinghouse so you could sing and play for your guests.” Judith smiled at Patience.

“Oh my, I wasn’t suggesting—” Charity began.

“Mother . . . ,” Patience whispered and nudged her mother’s arm.

“Why not, may I ask?” Judith looked between Charity and her daughter.

“Because . . . well, Patience has done nicely on her own and has worked on getting Creekside open for business,” Charity said. “We Cavanaughs do not take charity,” she finished with a spritely air.

Patience would have liked to kick her mother’s foot under the table.

“Well, I wouldn’t exactly call this charity, Charity,” Judith said with a little smile. “I think of it as a donation to a good cause. Heaven knows our mining town could use more culture. And certainly if a piano might also be a step toward a church . . .”

“I agree,” Charity said with a firm nod. “Patience has talents for getting things accomplished. Let’s see what might happen, both toward a piano and a church, when she puts her mind to it.”

Patience didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Please, can we move on to another topic?”

“See there, Patty, you just took charge!” Charity said, arching her brows.

A smile twitched at the edge of Judith’s mouth as she lifted her cup, and Patience shrugged in defeat. “Judith,” she explained, “I had some excellent help sprucing up the boardinghouse. Cody painted the outside for me, and I hired Emily, then made her my partner. I couldn’t be happier with how it’s turned out.”

“I didn’t know you had a partner,” Judith exclaimed. “Two minds of like ambition are always better than one when it comes to business.” She smiled warmly at Emily.

“I’m honored to work with Patience, truly. I couldn’t ask for a better ‘boss.’” She chuckled, and the others joined in.

Emily turned to their hostess and said, “Judith, your garden is lovely. Do you take care of the roses yourself?”

“Yes, I do because I enjoy it. I watched my grandmother pruning her roses and coddling them when I was a child, so naturally my own fondness for roses grew.”

“I’d say you’re doing a great job!” Emily enthused. “They’re beautiful.”

“John gave me my first rose bush, imported from Pennsylvania. Each year, he sees to it that I have another hybrid rose to cultivate.”

Emily clasped her hands together and looked as though she would melt at Judith’s story. “Oh, how very romantic!”

“Yes, my John can be a romantic at times, which only makes my heart grow fonder. I’ve decided our first child—if it’s a girl—will be called ‘Rose.’” Judith’s gaze dropped and her cheeks grew pink, no doubt feeling a bit shy at sharing such a confidence.

The rest of the dinner continued with additional interesting topics, including the fact that Judith was planning on a hayride soon, which they agreed would be most enjoyable for Nevada City families. When it was time to leave, it was with an invitation to another Sunday dinner soon.

“And, hopefully, John will be free that time—although we’ll need to find at least one other man.” They all laughed.

They were waiting for the buggy to be brought around when riders in a cloud of dust came barreling up to the house, John close behind with several of his drovers. He pulled his horse to stop, dismounted, and walked toward them.

He removed his hat and gave them a nod. “Howdy, ladies. Judith, I hope I’m not interrupting anything, but I’ve just been told that more of my herd was stolen!”

“Oh, no, John!” Judith put a hand to her lips. “What are you going to do?”

“I’ll tell you what I’m going to do,” he said, his voice sounding taut. “I’m going to get Jedediah on this. I’m sure it has to be the same men who stole the others a few weeks back. I’ve had enough, and it’s time the marshal got down to business and used his skill to find these varmints—or else!” His grim expression gave some indication of what that “else” might be.

Monty, standing nearby, hands on his hips, spit a wad of tobacco into the dirt. “Those steers would’ve brought us a good price come fall roundup time.” Monty looked over at Emily, and Patience saw him give her a broad smile. Emily’s face brightened in response.

“Is there anything I can do?” Patience asked. “We’re headed back to town now.”

“No thanks, I’ll handle this myself,” John told her and turned back to his wife. “I wanted to let you know where I was going, Judith. I’ll see you at supper.” He gave Judith a peck on the cheek, then turned on his heel, mounted, and left.

Patience felt fingers of cold unfurl in her stomach. John’s tone had been threatening—inferring that Jed had disregarded his duty when the first theft had occurred. But she was able to smile at Judith as she said, “We must be going too, Judith, and I want to thank you again for your hospitality.”

“Please don’t wait for an invitation to come—any time at all. It gets lonely way out here.”

“We’ll have you over for Sunday dinner soon, Judith,” Patience promised again, drawing her gloves on. The three ladies got into the waiting carriage with smiles and waves, Patience picked up the reins, and they headed back to town.

Jedediah was determined to have a late afternoon coffee and read the Montana Post before supper. Miners had no sense of Sunday rest, and he’d spent most of the morning smoothing out miners’ disputes about who was the first to stake their claim. At least he’d kept them from pulling out guns and shooting one another. With the current flood of incoming miners, it wouldn’t be long before there wasn’t any further placer gold to be found. But, he decided, that would be preferable to a town full of transients who most likely would never settle here but simply move on to the next news of a gold strike. He liked the idea of a stable town. He pictured a town square with festivities for families, and houses with white picket fences, and, yes, even a church—an idea that had circled through his head recently. Might even find myself in a pew more often than I do now, he mused.

He took his coffee and paper outside where he could relax and still keep an eye open for trouble. He’d barely got past the first paragraph when he spied John charging toward him, his horse’s sides heaving and nostrils flaring. Must be trouble, he thought as he stood to his feet.

John slid to an abrupt stop and jumped off his horse. “Jed!” he bellowed. “We’ve been struck again!” He thumped up the steps, his face full of fury, and Jedediah put his paper down.

“Let’s go inside to talk, John.” John followed him inside, and Jedediah shut the door behind them. “Tell me about it—”

“I’ve had it up to here!” John spit out, indicating his chest with his hand. “You’ve got to quit sitting around reading the paper and find whoever it is that’s stealing my herd. I’ve had my men on twenty-four-hour stakeout, but it didn’t stop them from taking more of my prized stock!” His jaw muscles twitched in agitation.

“Sounds like you’re trying to blame me, John, for this latest travesty.” Jedediah didn’t like being considered a slacker. “My men and I scoured the area for miles into the next county—and not my jurisdiction.”

John wasn’t even listening. “If you don’t do something about it, Marshal, I’ll have to take matters into my own hands.” John’s eyes narrowed.

“Is that a threat?” Jed’s ire was rising too.

“Call it whatever you like! But I’d suggest you track somebody down and bring ’em in or else you’ll lose your badge. I just might have to make a visit to the territorial governor.”

Jedediah’s hands clenched, and he desperately tried to control his anger. “Your threats mean nothing to me. No one else wanted this job or had the guts for it. Okay, let’s get the details now. Tell me when you discovered the steers were missing.”

“This afternoon, when my men were rounding up the herd to move it to a higher pasture. The heat has parched a lot of my grass, and—”

“I’ll call some men together,” Jed interrupted, “and we can head out at first light. It’s getting toward dusk. With this happening right on the heels of the first, they could be still hanging around to hit you again. Reckon they’ve been hiding out in the high country.”

“I don’t care where they’re hiding out—I want them found and hanged!”

“Hold on now—don’t go causing even more trouble by getting riled up. Neither of us wants you doing anything you might regret.” I know about regrets.

“Trust me, I won’t regret whatever it takes,” the man growled. “It took me years to build my spread and make a home for Judith. Those steers will be worth plenty on hoof by roundup time this fall. I’ll be out looking for clues—I suggest you do the same.” He turned to stride down the steps and swing back onto his horse, galloping away in a cloud of dust.

Jedediah shook his head. He’d get the word out to some men for another posse, let Patience know boxed dinners were needed pronto.

Just when he’d thought he might have a chance to relax.