Catherine locked the front door of the general store then flipped the CLOSED sign, thankful Mrs. McBride had finally left. That woman was impossible. After sorting through the store’s entire stock of notions, she had the nerve to leave, saying she would find what she wanted the next time she was in Lancaster. Which meant Catherine would have to spend her afternoon reorganizing the woman’s handiwork.
Halfway toward the back of the store, Catherine stopped to run her hand across the smooth olive green fabric of one of the dresses she had for sale. She’d learned quickly that keeping a limited stock of fashionable attire and fine ladies’ accessories paid off. Even those who couldn’t afford the lavish designs still often chose to shop at Morgan’s General Store over Ed Harper’s Dry Goods & Grocer just so they could take a peek at the latest fashions from back East. In the end, they more often than not walked out the front door with a parcel of sundry items, which suited Catherine just fine.
She rubbed the silk between her fingers. The design was stunning with its princess lines and slimming panels. She’d already sold a similar one to Priscilla Masters, who no doubt would flaunt her recent purchase at the church meeting come Sunday.
Catherine frowned and reminded herself that storing up treasures in heaven was far more valuable than a closet full of the latest fashions, even if the divine cache didn’t come with long suede gloves and silk stockings. Besides, since when did she start worrying about things as shallow as evening dresses and dinner costumes?
Since Corbin Hunter walked back into town.
Catherine’s sigh depleted her lungs of air at the thought of him seeing her without a husband, or even a viable suitor. Not that there was an ounce of shame in the fact that she’d never married. Better to have stayed single than to have married the wrong man. And besides, for all she knew, Corbin had a wife and children back home—wherever that was.
Brushing the material with the back of her hand, she let out an unladylike humph. Tonight was Harrison’s birthday party and the beige garment she’d pulled from the wooden wardrobe earlier today suddenly seemed as exciting as P.T. Barnum’s traveling circus without its extraordinary exhibitions. Of course, by tomorrow morning no one would remember what she’d worn to the party. Instead, they would return home with stomachs full of the hors d’oeuvres Milena had spent the past week preparing. A fancy dress from back East paired with a dozen fashionable ostrich feathers could never smooth over her and Corbin’s turbulent past.
She hesitated before leaving the storefront, her lips pursed. Emily was right. Her tastes were old-fashioned and outdated. Didn’t being a spinster prove it?
“You should wear that dress tonight. It would look perfect with your new hat.”
Catherine spun around. Her youngest sister Lily stood in the back doorway with a lopsided grin on her round face. Lily Morgan’s dark brown eyes sparkled in the reflection of the dipping sun that flooded through the store windows. At seventeen, Catherine’s youngest sister yearned to see the world beyond the small town of Revenge. So far, family, and perhaps John Guild, her current beau, had stopped her from leaving. For now, anyway.
Catherine turned away from the dress. “I couldn’t justify such an extravagance for myself. Besides, it’s far too fancy for a simple birthday party.” She cleared her throat, ready for a change of subject. Two sisters reminding her of her status in life in as many days were enough. “Is John coming to pick you up for the party?”
A pink blush drifted across her little sister’s high cheekbones. “He’ll be here at half past six in his buggy. You’re welcome to ride with us if you’d like.”
“I would, thank you.”
Catherine turned back to the dress and studied the detail in the oriental lace. In truth, it was exquisite. She lifted layers of fabric on the skirt then watched them flutter back into place. The dress was her size; the color perfect. With a few wisps of hair framing her face, she could soften her normally severe style. Corbin would be forced to take note that not only was she a successful businesswoman but a charming and fashionable lady as well. Not that it truly mattered what he thought.
She bit her lower lip and strutted away from the dress. Nor did it matter that Corbin would be at the party tonight. All his presence would manage to do was dredge up old memories she’d prefer to forget. He’d once whispered his undying love for her beneath the flowering passion vine in the garden. A month later, he’d left her heart to dry up like the purple blooms at the end of summer. No. That part of her life was over. Obviously God had other plans in store for her when He took their mama and left her with three younger siblings in her care, leaving no time for dreams of marriage and a family.
Not that she blamed God. At least not most of the time.
Hurrying into her bedroom, she shoved aside any remains of self-pity and pulled the practical dress up from the bed. She held it up against her chest and let the skirt fall stiffly to her feet. The green velvet hat Emily had made for her lay cockeyed on her dressing table. The color would be enough to add a touch of festivity to the dull dress for tonight’s party.
But instead of pulling on the dress, she paused to study her reflection in the beveled mirror. Rosy cheeks, with a sprinkling of freckles, looked back at her. She glanced at the wardrobe out of the corner of her eye. Her choice of what to wear was limited, a fact she’d never seriously stopped to consider before. It had made life simple. Five practical dresses for working in the store, and two with simple ribbon trim for church meetings and special occasions. She’d never needed more.
Her eyes squeezed shut. She could picture the green silk dress with ecru oriental lace at the bottom of each sleeve. What was she hoping for? The unlikely possibility that Corbin would apologize for walking out on her when she had needed him most?
She swallowed hard. The whole idea was ridiculous. But still…she tossed the dress onto the bed. Her neck pulsed. Maybe Emily was right. Maybe she did deserve more than working at the store from dawn until dusk, serving customers who didn’t think twice about taking their business to a bigger city or buying from a mailorder catalog. She scurried toward the storefront, her head held high. Her decision had nothing to do with the return of a former suitor.
Catherine Morgan was about to become the talk of the town.
Corbin crinkled the folded paper inside his pocket. He stood in the corner of Grady and Emily O’Conner’s parlor, studying the profile of the man whose features resembled the sketch on the wanted poster he held. Harrison Tucker. It had to be him. A despicable con man who was nothing more than a bank robber and murderer, whose stories of the life in the Alaskan gold fields had been noted from New York to Kentucky to be taller than Ohio’s tallgrass prairies.
A surge of hatred ripped through his chest. As much as he longed to drag the man to the hanging post himself, he knew he couldn’t let emotions take over the dynamics of his job. He first had to prove this, indeed, was the man wanted in half a dozen states.
Tucker’s smooth voice held his audience’s attention with stories of Joe Juneau’s dramatic luck in finding gold in Alaska’s treacherous terrain. Even his slight limp seemed to simply add to the persona the man had created. Corbin rolled the paper into a tight wad and licked his lips. The more he listened to Harrison Tucker the more convinced he was that his suspicions were correct. Catherine’s future brother-in-law might be charming to the ladies, but Corbin was certain there was nothing behind his honey-coated words.
Harrison, dressed in an immaculately tailored shirt and jacket, paused for emphasis, adding gestures as he animated his voice then leaned toward his audience.
Emily O’Conner walked toward Corbin, distracting him with a plate full of rich-smelling food in one hand and a glass of lemonade in the other. With motherhood around the corner, her face glowed. “I won’t have it said that one of my honored guests went home hungry.”
Corbin took the offered plate and smiled. “You won’t hear me complaining. Thank you, Mrs. O’Conner.”
“I’m the one who should be thanking you again, Mr. Hunter, for your daring rescue yesterday. I now have a greater respect for the ostrich—and for you, of course.”
“I was simply grateful I was there, Mrs. O’Conner.”
Corbin’s mouth watered as he bit into a slice of savory pie. Harrison’s voice continued to rise and fall in dramatic measure. One of the women raised her finger to her lips in revulsion at the mention of a brutal fight over five dollars in gold that had left one man dead and another maimed for life.
Mrs. O’Conner nodded toward the narrator. “Harrison’s quite the storyteller.”
“Not too violent for the ladies?”
Mrs. O’Conner’s full lips widened into a grin. “Ah. You don’t give us enough credit, Mr. Hunter. Dime novels were a forbidden entity growing up, so Harrison Tucker’s stories of Juneau and the quest for gold keep the women sitting on the edges of their settee. We love every minute of it.” Her blue eyes sparkled. “As you can imagine, it didn’t take long for him to weave his way into the hearts of not only the town folks, but in particular, the heart of my twin sister, Audrey.”
He worked to keep his emotions in check. “I have to admit that even I was enjoying the tale while waiting for—”
“Catherine?”
“Catherine? N–no.” Corbin floundered with his words, surprised at the woman’s forwardness. Seeing Catherine again was inevitable, but he certainly hadn’t been waiting for her. “Though I assume she’s coming?”
“Of course.” Mrs. O’Conner glanced toward the door. “I expect her to arrive any minute.”
“With her husband, I assume.” He took a sip of the ice-cold drink. “I didn’t really get a chance to talk with her yesterday, and it’s been so long since I’ve seen her.”
“Husband?” Mrs. O’Conner shook her head. “I assumed you knew. Catherine never married.”
Corbin gulped down the news along with the lemonade, hoping Mrs. O’Conner didn’t catch his startled reaction. He had once loved Catherine. How could such a striking woman fail to capture the heart of another suitor after all these years?
Because you walked out on her and broke her heart.
The unwelcome notion shook him to his very foundation, because Catherine had been as much to blame for the termination of their engagement as he had been. And he certainly wasn’t responsible for any unhappiness she had accumulated over the years. He struggled to grasp hold of his errant thoughts. No. Such thinking was arrogant and egotistical. After all this time, he had no doubts that Catherine Morgan had completely forgotten him and their intentions to marry.
He glanced at Mrs. O’Conner, who appeared to want a response from him. “I’m sorry. I’m just…surprised. I assumed she’d be married with a passel of children lined up behind her.”
“After our mother died, she took care of us. I suppose I’ve always felt a bit guilty over the fact that she’s poured all her energy into the three of us, but Catherine was always stubborn. Maybe all that will change soon, though. With Audrey’s nuptials close at hand, Lily will soon follow. Then maybe Catherine will feel free to pursue her own dreams.”
The massive front wooden door swung open, stopping their conversation. A handsome young couple walked through the front door, followed by Catherine. Corbin felt his breath catch. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. Yesterday the changes he’d noted in her had been evident. He expected her to have aged, but the years that had separated them had been further emphasized by her homely dress and the way she’d pulled her hair into a severe bun. Somewhere over the years, she’d lost the smooth curls that had framed her face, as well as the carefree smile she’d once reserved for him.
Tonight, though, Catherine Morgan seemed transformed back to the girl he remembered. Not only was her dress fashionable, a softness had returned to her face beneath a fringe of bangs. Her gaze met his, and his heart trembled. Her long lashes fluttered shut for an instant, and he couldn’t read her expression. Regret? Affection? No, certainly none of those things, but he hated the fact that he could no longer tell.
He took a step back toward the ceiling-high stone fireplace that lay dormant because of the warm summer air and tried to stop the guilt—and resentment—from resurfacing as she glided toward him. Maybe he shouldn’t have left Revenge when Catherine had needed him most, but what other choice had there been?
Corbin took in a raspy breath and forced himself to remember why he’d returned to Revenge. He would find out the truth about Harrison Tucker even if it meant hurting the woman he once loved. There was simply too much at stake.
Catherine caught Corbin Hunter’s gaze and raised her chin. The past few years had erased the boyish features and added not only broader shoulders, but also an air of confidence. She glanced down at the silky olive green fabric and decided Emily had a valid point. There was something about wearing a new dress and new hat that amplified her level of confidence.
Her smile widened. “It’s good to see you again, Mr. Hunter.”
“It’s good to see you again as well, Miss Morgan.” He licked his lips and balanced a plate of food in one hand, lemonade in the other. “You look…lovely tonight.”
Emily studied her new outfit. “Catherine, your dress is stunning. You know I had my eye on it.”
“It is beautiful, isn’t it? I simply couldn’t resist it.” Catherine’s laugher filled the room as she turned back to Corbin. “Did Emily introduce you to some of the guests? I’m assuming you haven’t met Mr. Tucker yet.”
“Not yet.” Corbin shook his head. “He seems to be quite the storyteller.”
Catherine glanced at the small crowd. Audrey stood beside her fiancé, her eyes wide with interest as he told a tale she’d more than likely heard a dozen times already.
Corbin cleared his throat. “If you will excuse me. I believe I’ll go speak to your husband, Mrs. O’Conner.”
“Please. I’m sure he’d enjoy talking with you.”
Catherine opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Surely he wouldn’t just leave her after barely more than a passing conversation. After all, they had once been engaged. She deserved more than the brush-off he was giving her.
He smiled at her. “Until we meet again, ladies.”
Catherine stared in disbelief. Of all the nerve…Corbin Hunter gave her a parting nod then walked away.