CHAPTER 43

Libby turned before the beveled mirror, anxiously regarding as much as she could see of the back of her dress.

“Are you sure I’m all buttoned correctly?”

Isabel smiled at her in the mirror. “You look marvelous.”

“Thank you.” Libby put a hand to the smooth wing of hair at her temple. “I’m nervous, I guess.”

“I could tell.”

“Yes, well it’s been a long time since I’ve had a gentleman caller.”

Isabel sat down on the cherry-framed settee and picked up the skirt she was sewing. “I hope you and Mr. Dooley have a very pleasant time.”

“I hope so, too.” Libby glanced in the mirror again then made herself move away from it. “You know, I think it’s a good idea for you to rent Rose that little shop near the telegraph office. It will be income for you, and she’ll be out of Hiram and Trudy’s hair.”

“I’m glad you think so.” Isabel frowned as she pushed her needle through the fabric. “I don’t like to admit it, but sometimes I find it difficult to think charitable thoughts toward Mrs. Caplinger. But she is a sister in Christ, and I’m sure her business will be an asset to the town. I told her she could fix the rooms above the shop and move in if she wants and live there.”

Libby tried not to let her face show the full extent of her delight. Seeing Rose move out from under Hiram’s roof would be pure pleasure. “That sounds good. She has such a flair for decorating, I’m sure she’ll improve the building’s value for you.”

“Yes, if she doesn’t pester me about repairs and such.” Isabel waved a hand in dismissal. “What am I saying? I shall have to educate myself on what it means to be a landlady. I have several tenants, after all.”

“I’m sure you can hire someone to make repairs to the buildings your father left you.”

“True. And I’m thinking of reserving one of the houses on Gold Lane for myself.”

“Oh! You’d be right near the Bentons. How delightful.”

“Yes. I don’t want to live at the ranch anymore. I’ve made that decision, at least. And I’m trying to negotiate with a gentleman I’m sure would like to have the ranch.”

“That’s good.” A quiet rap sounded on the kitchen door, and Libby caught her breath.

“That must be your gentleman caller.” Isabel laid her sewing aside and rose. “Shall I let him in?”

“Oh! Yes, I guess so.” Libby tried to breathe evenly as Isabel walked briskly into the next room. She glanced again at the mirror then resolutely turned her back. Too late to change anything now. As Isabel’s greeting rang throughout the apartment, she clenched handfuls of her embroidered pink muslin skirt. She’d loved the fabric when it first came in and had hired Annie to stitch her a gown. Then she’d wondered if she’d have a place to wear it. The dress was too fine for workdays in the store. She’d decided to wear it to church on Sunday—and then Hiram had invited her to dinner.

He stood in the doorway, beaming at her and holding the dearest nosegay of bouncing bet and fleabane she’d ever seen. His freshly shaven face fairly glowed, and his hair was neatly parted and combed. Libby’s stomach fluttered. She would be proud to be seen on his arm tonight.

“Evening,” he said.

She let go of her skirt and crossed the room to meet him, trying to rein in her smile so she wouldn’t look foolish. “Good evening.”

“You look fine, Elizabeth. Mighty fine.”

“Oh thank you.” She felt the blood rush to her cheeks. He’d given her Christian name a lyrical lilt, and suddenly she was glad to be wearing pink again and to hear a man say Elizabeth in that deep, profound voice.

He thrust out the flowers and opened his mouth then closed it.

“For me? How lovely!” Libby took the bouquet, noting that the stems were folded in one of Trudy’s handkerchiefs. The blossoms in varied pinks and mauves complemented her gown. “Thank you so much. I shall wear a sprig if you don’t mind.” Isabel hovered in the doorway behind him, grinning at her over his shoulder. “Perhaps dear Isabel would put the rest in water.”

Libby pulled one of the fuller stems free and took it to the table beneath the mirror, where she found a pin. After fastening it to her bodice, she turned.

Hiram gazed at her, unblinking. His usually mournful eyes seemed younger. Libby even thought she glimpsed a bit of a twinkle there. His mouth curved in a fetching smile that demanded an answer. How long they stood like that, she couldn’t tell, but Isabel entered the room with the posies in a small, milk-glass vase.

“These are delightful. I’ll set them here on the side table.”

“Thank you, Isabel.” Libby sucked in a breath and reached for her gloves and handbag. “I’m ready if you are.”

In reply, Hiram offered the crook of his arm.

“Good night,” Isabel called as they went through the kitchen.

“Good night, dear,” Libby said. Somehow they went through two doorways and started down her rear stairway, and she was still holding on to Hiram’s arm. She shot a glance at his face. He was only three inches or so taller than she was, but she felt he was just the right size. They stepped across the back porch and down to the ground, then rounded the corner and entered the alley between the emporium and the stagecoach office.

“Griffin seems to be doing a good job keeping the stages running on schedule,” she said.

“Yes.”

She smiled. One word from Hiram was as good as ten from any other man.

After supper Rose retired to work on her plans for the millinery shop, and Trudy quickly did the dishes with Ethan’s help. The two of them sauntered out to the barn, and Trudy hummed as she saddled Crinkles. Ethan untied Scout’s reins and led his mount away from the fence.

“You all set?”

“Sure am.” Trudy swung into the saddle and stroked Crinkles’s neck as she looked up at the almost-full moon. “Going to be a pretty ride tonight.”

The horses trotted side by side, snorting now and then. When they reached the Fennels’ barnyard, a man came from the bunkhouse.

“Evening, Brady,” Ethan called.

“Sheriff. Can I help you?”

“Miss Dooley and I have a bit of business for Miss Fennel.”

“Anything I can help you with?”

“You could bring me a shovel.”

Brady’s eyes widened, but he nodded and turned toward the barn.

“They’ll want to know what’s going on,” Trudy said.

“I’ll just tell them Isabel knew her daddy had a stash behind the barn, and I’m digging it up to see if he left any cash there for her.”

Trudy nodded and smiled as Brady came from the barn hefting the spade.

Fifteen minutes later, they left the ranch and rode back toward town. Ethan carried the tin box in his saddlebag.

“Thought we wouldn’t get away without opening it in front of Brady,” Trudy said.

“Me, too. He sure was curious.”

“Good thinking to tell him he could ask Isabel all about it when he sees her.”

Ethan grinned over at her. “She’ll tell him she found a pouch of hard money, and that was all.”

“Right.”

As they passed his own ranch, Ethan said, “I don’t s’pose you want to stop in and take a look at your new kitchen?”

“Well … it’s tempting.” Too tempting, Trudy thought. If anyone else in town heard she’d gone into Ethan’s house alone with him before they were married, the gossip would fly. “We’d probably best go home. Rose will be there even if Hiram’s not back yet.”

“All right.” They rode along in companionable silence to the Dooleys’ house. A light shone in the front bedroom window.

“Rose must be upstairs,” Trudy said as they rode behind the house to the barnyard. The oppressive heat was gone, but the breeze that flowed down from the mountains was almost too cool.

Ethan halted Scout near the corral fence. “I’ll take care of Crinkles. You take the box inside and stoke the fire.” He dismounted and opened the saddlebag.

Trudy lit beside him on the ground and exchanged Crinkles’s reins for the tin they’d unearthed. He came in five minutes after she did. By then she’d lit the lamp and had the kindling snapping. She added a couple of good-sized sticks to the firebox and smiled at him.

Shadows lay dark under Ethan’s eyes. He looked tired, and she knew the outcome of the shootout still bothered him. “It wasn’t your fault,” she said.

He didn’t ask what she meant. He only set his lips together and shrugged. “Shoulda been some way to get Isabel out without killing anyone.”

Trudy put the lid on the stove. “You can’t let that nag at you. It’s over.”

“I know.” He exhaled in a puff and shook his head. “And I know that God is in control. He could have stopped it.” He still stood by the table, staring off at nothing.

“You sure you’re ready to get married? Next Saturday, I mean. It’s not too soon?” Trudy’s own question appalled her. Why was she giving him the chance to back out?

He focused on her, his dark eyes glittering in the lamplight. “Trudy, it’s not too soon. I don’t want you thinking that way.”

“What way?”

“That I don’t want to tie the knot.”

“I’m not thinking that.”

“Good. Because the closer it gets, the happier I am that we’re going through with it. A week from Saturday is not too soon.” She shivered as his voice cracked with emotion. “I love you, Ethan.”

He stepped closer and pulled her to him. She wrapped her arms around him and met his kiss eagerly, hoping her lips would transmit her own anticipation and joy.

After a long moment, he pulled away. “Guess we’d better get down to business.”

She ducked her head and ran a hand over her hair. Her face must be five shades of red. Why hadn’t anyone ever told her how wonderful it was to kiss the man you loved?

Ethan picked up the tin and worked the lid off. The pouch of coins clinked as he set it on the table. Carefully, he took the rolled-up paper out.

Trudy opened the stove lid. “Let’s not even look at it again. Those pictures are burned into my brain, and I need to forget about them.”

“All right.” He brought it over and paused a moment, holding the paper above the open firebox.

“This is the right thing to do,” she whispered.

He tossed it into the stove, and the blaze flared up. She closed the lid.

“Trudy, is that you?” Rose came into the parlor doorway. She saw Ethan and pulled her wrapper closer around her. “Oh, excuse me. I didn’t know Mr. Chapman was here.”

“I’m just leaving, ma’am.” Ethan tucked the tin under his arm.

Trudy saw him to the door. “Good night, Ethan.”

He winked at her as he clapped his hat on. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He nodded vaguely at Rose over Trudy’s head and went out.

With the door shut behind him, Trudy turned to face her sister-in-law. “What is it, Rose?”

“I’ve decided to rent the shop from Miss Fennel, and I wondered …” She looked down at the floor for a moment. “It’s just filthy. All dust and cobwebs. And … well, I wondered if … do you know someone I could hire to help me clean it?”

Trudy smiled. That certainly wasn’t what Rose had intended to ask, but for whatever reason, she had changed her mind and her approach.

She walked across the room and squeezed Rose’s arm gently. “I’d be happy to help you without pay, and I know a few other gals who might pitch in, too.”

Rose’s eyes flared. “Really? I hated to ask you with the wedding coming up and all. I know you’re busy.”

“Yes, I am, but I can give you a day’s work. Rose, there’s something else. Would you consider making me a new bonnet for the day of the wedding?”

“Why … I’d love to.”

“Nothing too fancy, now.”

“Of course not. You’re not a modish person. Yet I think we can come up with some fetching design befitting a new bride that will bring out the blue in your eyes.”

Trudy nodded. “That’d be nice. Thank you.”

They stood for a moment watching each other.

“I don’t believe I’ve thanked you for your hospitality in putting me up this summer.”

“You’re welcome.” Trudy smiled and walked toward the stairs.