Delia smiled back at Penny. She felt the young woman might be someone that she could be friends with. They looked to be about the same age.
“Good morning. My name is Delia Warrington, and I’m new in town. This is my first day of walking around trying to find out where things are. I’m staying at the Hearth and Home. Millie suggested I stop by here first.”
“How exciting,” Penny said. “If you don’t mind, I could show you around town. I really don’t want to stand behind this counter all day, and I could probably talk my younger sister into taking care of the counter while I’m gone.”
Delia smiled as she walked around the store gathering a few items that she needed. She was surprised at the number of things she forgot to take when she hurriedly packed to leave New York. She silently thanked her grandmother for the money she insisted Delia take in case of an emergency.
By the time she gathered what she needed, she saw that Penny was back at the counter with a younger version of herself.
“This is my younger sister, Lissy,” Penny said.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Delia said as she set her items on the counter. “I’m Delia Warrington.”
“It’s nice to meet you and have another person our age in town. I hope you stay a while,” Lissy said.
“I’m not sure how long I’ll be here, but it’s a pleasant place. I grew up in New York, and I’m enjoying this small town more than I thought I would. I don’t miss the buildings, carriage traffic, and people. The mountains are beautiful and much nicer than the crowded city streets,” Delia admitted.
Lissy suggested, “You should stop by for coffee or tea in the afternoons. One of us is always around, and we’d love to hear about New York.”
“I’ll do that,” Delia promised as she paid for her purchases.
Delia waved to Lissy, and she and Penny stepped out of the dry goods store. Penny slipped her arm through Delia’s and said, “I think we’ll be great friends. Now, tell me what you need to buy?”
Delia thought for a moment and answered, “Two or three day dresses. I packed quickly, and I have two traveling suits, a Sunday dress, and the dress I meant to wear to the Christmas Ball.”
“A Christmas Ball? How lovely. Tell me all about it and if many handsome men attend.”
Delia giggled at her new friend’s excitement. “Yes, there are handsome men but also men any young lady would try to avoid. Some are old or smell of stale tobacco and whiskey. Some young men are cads, and some are rakes. One simply must be careful. Some will dance with you and then offer to get you punch, but you can tell they tainted it a bit with brandy. Then they want to walk you around the garden.”
Penny’s hand flew to her mouth in surprise, but she asked, “Did you walk in the garden with anyone?”
“No, the one man that caught my eye was my best friend’s brother, and he saw me as a child. He left New York nearly a year ago, and he’s traveling around the country looking for business opportunities for his father’s company. It was best that he left. I could never trust a man who just takes off without telling anyone goodbye.”
Penny sighed, “That sounds romantic in a sad sort of way. Did all the ladies dress in fancy dresses?”
“Yes,” Delia admitted. “I always thought they were in a contest to outdo each other. My stepmother wanted me to marry a man who would up her social status and increase my father’s business ventures. I wanted to marry for love. We argued about the dresses every year, and she always won. I’d end up with a color too awful to remember and a neckline I had to heighten with lace, so I’d feel respectable.”
Penny stopped in front of the mercantile. “I can see why you’d want simple dresses, but I’d love to have a fancy ball gown.”
Delia smiled, “If I ever decide to tell my father where I am, I’ll send for all my gowns, and you can have your pick. For that matter, you can have several and design your own perfect gown. Some have yards of satin and lace. You could open a fabric shop with the amount of fabric my stepmother thought was needed for a single dress. I prefer simple.”
“You will find simple here, but the dress shop has lovely dresses and can order fabric if you want fancy dresses,” Penny explained.
Delia looked at Penny and said, “I think you and I will be great friends. We seem to be a lot alike and very different at the same time. Now, I need your help with finding simple dresses.”
The young women laughed as they entered the mercantile and found three simple dresses, some underthings, and Delia decided she needed a bar of lavender scented soap and some lavender water to splash on and use in her rinse water when she washed her hair. Penny agreed completely.
As they left the mercantile, Delia asked, “Do you mind walking to the bookstore? Millie told me you have one.”
“We certainly do, and you’ll like Mister Redfern. He’s starting a small lending library in his store to help people read more.”
“Millie told me that. I think it’s wonderful. The one thing I will miss about New York is the large library. I could spend an entire day looking at all the books,” Delia answered as she clutched her package tightly and followed Penny to the bookstore.
Penny introduced Delia to Mister Redfern, and she took an immediate liking to the man. She could see he felt pride in his store and the lending library and his knowledge of books was delightful.
Delia set her package on the counter and began perusing the books. “Look, Penny. Here’s a copy of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. My stepmother didn’t think it was proper reading for a young lady,” Delia exclaimed as she slid the book off the shelf. “She’s not here, and I’m buying it.”
Penny asked, “Will you lend it to me when you finish?”
“Of course.”
Mister Redfern interrupted their excited chatter, “If you like that book, I have the newest book by Arthur Conan Doyle, The Sign of Four. There’s talk in the magazines and papers that the queen in England may knight him soon for his work. Sherlock Holmes is my favorite detective.”
“I will take that one, too,” Delia decided aloud. “I read his first novel, A Study in Scarlet, and have wanted to read the newest one.”
“Read quickly so I may borrow that one, too,” Penny advised.
Delia handed her the book. “I can’t read two at once. I’ll read about Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and you read about Sherlock Holmes, and then we’ll trade.”
Mister Redfern smiled at the two young women. He did enjoy seeing people get excited about reading. He wrapped the books separately and handed them to Delia and Penny. “Thank you, I hope to see you again soon.”
“You will,” Delia promised. “I love to read.”
Penny needed to hurry back to the dry goods store, and Delia promised to visit the following day before making her way back to the Hearth and Home.
Delia dropped her packages on her bed and unwrapped the new dresses. She shook out the wrinkles and tried one on to wear down to lunch. Yes, Delia was going to enjoy living in Creede. The people were welcoming, she’d made a new friend, and her choice of dresses made her happier than those chosen by her stepmother.
Chapter Three
After a week of having tea with Penny, dreams of an uncertain future nearly every night, and meeting most everyone in the shops of Creede, Delia stepped out of the Hearth and Home determined to find out why Mercy was insistent that she leave home for Creede. She knew she had to run for her safety. A forced marriage to Steffen Rivers made her shudder and the idea of being shuttered in a small hunting cabin was beyond frightening, but why a mining town? Why not a large city? Denver would suit Delia better, but something niggled at her mind that she must listen to Mercy.
Her first objective was to return to the bookstore. She was on a quest to find another mystery. Delia needed a few more books to read while she waited for the future Mercy said was here for her.
As she strolled toward the mercantile, a man strode toward her. A man that looked strangely familiar although he was dresse
d in shabby clothes, a beard, and appeared dirty. As he passed her without looking at her, Delia was sure she knew him.”
Delia turned and called after the man, “Wes?”
The man’s step faltered but then continued walking. Delia knew she was right.
“Wesley Arthur Satterfield, I know that’s you. What on earth are you doing here dressed like that?” Delia inquired emphatically.
The man turned and strode up to her. “Dee, why are you here alone on the streets of Creede.”
“I don’t know. It’s a long, strange story. You might wonder about my mind. You still didn’t tell me why you’re here,” Delia said feeling her heart pick up speed as she gazed into Wes’ hazel eyes. The hazel eyes that stole her heart two years ago, the memory those eyes that broke her heart when he disappeared a year later, the incredible hazel eyes that never saw her as anything but his younger sister’s best friend.
Delia snapped herself out of her memories, “A lot of people think you’re dead.”
“Let’s get off the street and talk. There’s a little place down the street we can sit and have a cup of coffee. They also have pie,” Wes smiled.
Delia wasn’t sure what to do, and she looked across the street and saw Mercy standing between two buildings. The tiny maid was clutching her hands to her chest and nodding her head vigorously. Delia blinked, and Mercy was gone. Yes, things were a bit strange.
Delia turned back to Wes and walked alongside him wondering why he was in Creede and wondering why she was also there.
Wes held the door open for Delia, and they sat at a small table in the back. After ordering coffee and two slices of apple pie, Delia looked at Wes and insisted he explain.
“First, my family knows I’m alive and well,” Wes confided.
Delia leaned a bit closer, “Your sister told me that you went off on business for your family, but she didn’t know where.”
“They don’t know where I am. Before grandfather passed away, he spoke about expanding the business to the West coast. They assume I’m in San Francisco, but I like the idea of expanding in new ways. I stopped here on my way West and decided to check out mining.”
Delia looked at him closely, “Did you have to crawl in the mine? Your mother would faint if she saw that you had some dirt under your fingernails. You know how particular she is.”
Wes laughed, “Yes, I remember. She tried to dress me even after I became an adult.”
“I’m sorry about your grandfather. I didn’t get a chance to speak to you at the funeral,” Delia said.
Wes reached for her hand like he would have a year ago but pulled back. This beautiful woman could have been his wife if he stayed in New York, but he needed to find out if he could expand the business in new ways before he thought of settling down.
He smiled at Delia, “Thank you. Now, tell me why you’re here.”
“I’m going to the bookstore.”
Wes raised his eyebrows and smiled. “No, tell me why you’re in Creede.”
Delia explained about the plans Steffen Rivers and her stepmother concocted, and Wes shook his head.
“That man is a blight on society. I never could get along with him,” Wes answered. “But you look as if there’s something else.”
“There is, but it’s odd, and I think I might be losing my mind,” Delia confessed.
Wes smiled, “You’re not the first person to mention odd things happening in Creede. I doubt that you’re losing your mind.”
Delia whispered, “I see a young girl, and she speaks to me. She’s dressed as a maid, but my stepmother didn’t hire her. She first appeared in my room the night I left, and I just saw her across the street. She was also waiting at the train station when I arrived. She couldn’t have arrived faster than I did. I’m losing my mind, or I’m being haunted by a spirit.”
“Or an angel.”
“Angel,” Delia stammered. “Angels don’t appear to ordinary people like me. They only appear to important people in the Bible.”
“Truly, Delia? Surely you believe you have a guardian angel and I’ve heard stories in Creede about angels helping everyday people.”
Delia’s brown eyes opened wide. “Do you think she is an angel? She did know things and helped me escape, but why did she send me here?”
Wes hoped Delia was sent there for him, but he didn’t have an answer. “I don’t know. Maybe she’ll tell you if you ask.”
Delia shrugged, “She said my future was here.”
Wes rubbed his chin with his hand, “Perhaps it is. Listen to her and watch around you. There must be a reason you’re here. Just be careful walking around alone. Women have been abducted in the past.”
“I promise to be careful, but what about you?” Delia asked as she sipped the last of her coffee.
“I go back to working at the mine. I’m learning a lot about the mining side, and I think we could add a successful mine to Satterfield Enterprises, but please remember that here I’m just Wes Field. No one knows my family connection, but I’ll be around if you need me,” Wes explained.
“You disappeared out of our lives without a word. How can I trust you to be here after that?” Delia asked her eyes fighting not to fill with tears.
“Please, Dee, trust me. We were friends before I left. Don’t friends trust each other?” He asked looking at her with those hazel eyes again.
Wondering if she was making a mistake trusting Wes, she decided to follow her heart. “All right, I’ll keep your secret. I’m happy to know someone here from back home. I don’t feel so alone.” Delia’s eyebrows rose, and she whispered, “Take a look over your right shoulder at the window. Mercy is standing there peeking at us.”
Wes did as Delia asked and saw nothing but people hurrying past. He shrugged, “I don’t see anyone dressed like a maid.”
Delia blew out a breath. “Maybe you’re right, and she’s an angel. Do you suppose she’d tell me the truth if I asked?”
Wes smiled, “I believe so. I doubt angels can lie. Now, let me escort you to the bookstore before I head back to the mine. You’ll like the owner. He’s setting up a small library in his store.”
“I know. I met Mr. Redfern last week when Penny and I bought books,” Delia answered. “I miss the large library back home.”
“I do, too, but I’m not supposed to be educated. I attended a poetry reading class just to show I don’t understand it any better than most of the men. It’s not easy to pretend you don’t know the things you do,” Wes said a broad smile crossing his face.
“I can’t picture you acting uneducated. You’re one of the brightest men I know. At least you never bored me at dances. You’re also the heir to your father’s vast holdings. Is it hard to play poor and uneducated?”
Wes nodded, “Yes, it is, but I have a secret to share. When grandfather passed, he didn’t leave all his holdings to my father. My father and I inherited an equal amount of the enterprises. My grandfather said in his will that young blood was needed for us to succeed.”
Delia smiled, “That’s a good thing. I know you’ll do a lot to prosper the businesses.”
“You’re putting a lot of trust in my abilities,” Wes said hoping she meant what she said.
As he helped her to her feet, Delia answered, “I have no doubt as to your abilities to earn money and conduct successful business adventures, it’s your ability to remain in one place and not sneak off without a word that makes me hesitate.”
“I like it here,” Wes admitted. “The people are friendly and helpful, and I think the town will grow. Trust me on that?”
“You’re expecting me to trust a lot of things. I will until you give me a reason to doubt you.” Delia’s eyes said more than her words. She cared for Wes and found it hard to hide.
“That’s a deal I can easily make,” Wes said offering her his arm.
Chapter Four
Delia was pleased with the simple day dresses she found at the mercantile. Her favorite was the soft blue with tiny pink flowers scatt
ered on the skirt and it made her smile wondering what her stepmother would do it she saw her dressed this way. Delia was sure she’d have an attack of apoplexy if she saw her step-daughter dressed in a readymade dress.
Well, Delia thought, she doesn’t know where I am. No one does, and I love this feeling of freedom although I still don’t know why I’m in Creede. Mercy hasn’t said a word to me in days. Maybe I should call out to her. Maybe later while I’m alone in my room.
Delia’s musings were interrupted when she heard Wes call her name. “Dee, slow down a bit.”
Delia turned and saw Wes striding toward her a broad smile crossing his face. She returned his smile still hesitating on trusting him completely. Her heart still remembered the emptiness it felt when she learned Wes had left New York. Her mind understood his need to find new business opportunities, but she couldn’t get her heart and mind to agree. Trust was a precious thing and not easily given twice.
“I didn’t expect to see you in town,” Delia said.
“Poetry class,” Wes answered shaking his head.
Delia giggled.
“May I escort you to wherever you’re going? It may be a bit slippery out after last night’s snow.”
“Certainly, I was just headed to the dry goods store to see Penny,” Delia explained, but before she could say more, she heard a voice that caused her blood to turn cold.
Wes saw the expression on her face change to fear, and he whispered, “What’s wrong.” He understood when he finally heard what had frightened Delia.
Steffen Rivers’ voice rose in volume and pitch when he once again called Delia’s name. “Delia Warrington. There you are. Do you realize how much trouble you caused me?”
Wes saw Delia stiffen and shudder. He whispered, “Don’t worry. I won’t let him hurt you.”
Steffen strode straight up to Delia and reached for her arm. She backed away quickly colliding with Wes’ muscular chest. She nearly laughed at the thin man in a striped suit and a bowler that looked ridiculous perched on top of his head, but fear kept her humor in check.
Steffen scowled at Delia and snarled, “You do realize that you disrupted my life by running off. In order to convince your father of my sincerity in my asking for your hand, he said I needed to be the one to find you. You didn’t hide very well, and what on earth drew you to this horrid little town.”
Trusting the Tycoon: Cowboys and Angels, #29 Page 2
