He gave Rosalind a tiny shrug. “I’m sure you’ve heard things about me. Some of them are true. I’ve never been one to try to sift through the lies about me. All that matters is this: I will never give up. Your father was a good man, and he didn’t deserve what happened to him. I’m still piecing things together, but in the end, there will be a reckoning.”
Hawk glanced back at the marshal. “No, it won’t bring your father back. But at least everyone can sleep better in their beds at night knowing that there’s one less dirt bag crawling around the town. It’s why I became a lawman. And why I quit.”
Something in his eyes made Rosalind shiver. People had said that Hawk was a dangerous man, but until now, she thought they were exaggerating. Now she knew there was a sliver of truth to the stories, and even though it should have made her afraid, it made her feel stronger like maybe there was a little hope after all.
Jane approached, carrying a basket. “I’m not sure what to do with all the food. We’re almost out anyway, given that the railroad was supposed to finish today. But there is some left, and technically it does belong to the railroad. They’re the ones who provided us with it, for feeding the men.”
Rosalind gestured at Hawk. “Give it to him. He’ll know what to do. We won’t be taking any of it with us. Knowing how angry the railroad is, they’ll likely accuse us of trying to steal it. I want nothing that they can use against us. As of now, we can hold our heads up high, knowing we’ve done nothing wrong. Let’s keep it that way.”
He took a basket from Jane and looked inside. “Is this it?”
She shook her head. “There’s more in the back. I was just using this as an example.”
“I’ll take it all.”
He inclined his head in Rosalind’s direction. “Your sister’s probably right. They’re just looking for a fight, given the delay in the railroad. Everyone was counting on the bonus, and having the bridge destroyed is going to be hard on a lot of people.”
Though she knew he was just trying to make it easier on everyone, his words stung. “And we weren’t?” Rosalind asked. “People seem to forget that we needed that money just as much as anyone else. I know what that man said yesterday by the bridge. That we were profiting off everyone else. But that’s not true. What the railroad paid us to prepare and serve meals to the workers was a pittance. Just enough for us to survive until we could get to Noelle and build our boarding house. We have some money saved up, of course, but it’s not nearly enough. Mother’s medical expenses are so high that we’ve had to dip into our savings.”
She hadn’t meant to share so much, but when she started speaking, it all came tumbling out. As if to confirm her words, some of the men Hawk had sent were carrying her mother out and into the wagon. She thought her mother looked bad in the tent, assuming the poor lighting had passed shadows over her face. But seeing her now, in the sunlight, it was almost worse. How had her mother deteriorated so much overnight?
And even though she hadn’t intended it for it to happen that way, the other men seeing her mother’s condition seemed to make them more sympathetic toward her family’s cause.
Surely it wouldn’t be that difficult to prove their father’s innocence. At least the mayor was willing to give him a chance, which was more than anyone else had been willing to do. For now, she would have faith that justice would prevail, and the truth would come out sooner rather than later. She offered a silent prayer to that effect, trying to believe that everything would turn out all right.
5
They broke ground on their new boarding house with as little fanfare as possible a few weeks later. Charlie had agreed to lease them some land just down the road from his home. It was a prime location, near the center of town, and also very near the railroad depot. It would be easy for guests arriving by railroad to get to their boarding house, making it convenient for many. Though the railroad had refused to pay what they owed for meals, and they didn't get the wages or the bonus promised to them, they'd found a treasure trove in their father's old trunk of books. Some of the titles were dear to the family, but many of them only held the sentimental value of having belonged to their father. And Rosalind had felt in her heart that he would've wanted the family to survive and would have approved of selling those books.
And so, Mr. Elwood Hunter, lover of literature, hopeful author, and local bookseller, had taken many of the volumes off their hands.
Surprisingly, many of the books had been worth quite a lot of money. Enough money that they were able to begin construction on the boarding house within a month of arriving in Noelle. Not only would it give them a source of income, but it would also enable them to move out of the Montgomerys’ tight space. Though the Montgomerys were building a home on a nearby bluff overlooking the town, and the space they lived in off the assayer’s shop would be empty, it still wasn't enough room for the Creary family. Larger, of course, than the railroad tent, but for long-term living, it wasn't ideal. Especially as their mother's health was continuing to deteriorate.
Though Horatio's injuries were healing, his broken leg required that he remain abed. Dr. Deane had specifically told them not to let him put any weight on it, which was fine, because the girls we all were used to doing their share. However, it made for tight quarters, having two invalids.
Rosalind stared at the land they'd been painstakingly clearing for their boarding house. In her mind's eye, she could see the building before her as well as a small garden, and a porch upon which they could sit in relaxation, but also in anticipation of their guests.
"Whore!"
Rosalind spun to see a group of men standing nearby.
"Are you gonna open a cathouse?" one of them asked. "How about you let us sample the goods. We’ll recommend it to our friends."
The men all laughed, and Rosalind felt sick to her stomach. It had been a month since her father died, and even though they'd moved to town, people from both the town and the railroad still taunted them on a daily basis, blaming their father for the fact that the railroad hadn't yet arrived. Even if her father had been guilty, was it right for them to act like this? To treat the man's daughters with such disrespect? They were a respectable family, and her father's alleged crimes shouldn't change that.
"The likes of you won't be welcome here," she said. "Now go, before I call the sheriff."
She wouldn't, of course, but only because Sheriff Draven had been forced to come by so many times already that she was saving notifying him of things for really serious actions. Besides, calling the sheriff hadn't done them any good yet. The torment didn't stop, and their father's murder hadn't been solved. What use was the sheriff?
The men continued their taunts. She couldn't imagine what it was like for women who were engaged in the profession these men accused her of. How would anyone decide to do such things when it came at such a high cost? It wasn't so much that she believed the men's words, but it was still awful, hearing them every single day.
She turned to examine where they had started framing the boarding house. Maybe if she ignored them, they'd go away. Sometimes they did, sometimes they didn't.
A rock sailed past her.
“Whore."
Too bad those rocks didn't have any of the precious silver in them. She'd be rich if they did. She picked it up and tossed it over to the pile where all the other rocks went. It was too bad none of them understood that every single one of those rocks represented a taunt, and as the pile grew, it only strengthened Rosalind's resolve not to be run off. If the bullies succeeded in getting the Creary family to leave, how many other people would they try their tactics on?
“Whore."
Another rock. This time it was a different voice, which meant the men thought that they were more secure in their numbers.
"You stop that," a male voice said. "That's a fine lady there, and we don't stand for people attacking them."
Rosalind turned to see a man standing between her and the men. Nacho, she thought he was called, and he ran the local re
staurant, Nacho’s Tacos. When they'd first come to town, she thought his family would see her as a threat, since they were opening a boarding house and would be serving meals to their guests. But he and his wife, Fina, while they'd never officially made each other's acquaintance, had always been kind to her in passing. Rosalind hadn't had the pleasure of dining at their establishment because restaurant food, though she heard Nacho’s prices were affordable, was still too expensive for her family.
The presence of another man made the group of bullies hesitate. It was easy enough to pick on a woman on her own, but now that a man was present to defend her, they seemed unwilling to escalate the conflict. They sauntered off, and Nacho approached, and Rosalind saw that his wife was with him.
"Are you all right?” Fina asked. “I didn’t like the looks of those men bothering you.”
Rosalind gave a small shrug. "It happens all the time. I'm used to it. But I am glad you came because they had started throwing rocks, and it always scares me when they do that."
Nacho stared at her. "They do this all the time?"
"Why not? Half the town believes my father is the reason the railroad isn't here. Most folks hate us, and some even go so far as to show it."
Fina shook her head slowly. "Not all of us. You should come to have a meal with us, though perhaps we should stop by the sheriff’s office first to let him know of this."
Rosalind shook her head. "Thank you. I would like to try your food, but we don't need to stop by the sheriff’s office. There's nothing he can do. I've lost count of the number of people who’ve harassed us. Anytime the sheriff tries to arrest someone for bothering us, ten people come forward to say that the person was with them, so he couldn't have possibly done it."
"I got a good look at them," Nacho said. "I'd be happy to tell the sheriff what I saw."
Rosalind shook her head again. "I appreciate the offer. But it seems like everyone who tries to help us ends up getting in trouble for it. I don't want to cause trouble. And I hate to see such division in this town. So while I appreciate your friendship, it's best that you continue on your way."
Fina just stared at her. "That's not how we do things here. Maybe some folk are content to see innocent people harmed. But I know that's not the spirit Charlie wants to have here. I refuse to let anyone here not receive the benefit of friendship and community spirit."
She let out a long sigh, but Fina’s stance told her that she wasn't going to just let her go. And honestly, she didn't want to refuse the offer of friendship. She didn't want to live her life in fear, and she hated that she had to encourage others to do the same. If Fina and her husband wanted to extend friendship to her, then she would accept.
“Let me just tell my family where I’m going, so they don’t worry.”
He waited for her as she walked just around the corner to the assayer’s office. Hugh greeted her warmly as she entered.
Then, noticing Nacho and Fina, Hugh put down his tools and greeted the visitor. “It’s nice to see you both,” he said. “I hope the rest of your family are doing well.”
Nacho grinned broadly. “Everyone is well. You should come by and taste some of our new menu items soon.”
Hugh chuckled. “I’ve wanted to, but we have so many good cooks staying here that I hate to offend them by dining out.”
Rosalind turned to him, hating that this man had changed so much of his life to accommodate her family. “You shouldn’t avoid going out to see your friends on our account. We wouldn’t be offended at all. In fact, I’m more offended that you wouldn’t carry on your life as usual because my family is here.”
Hugh came over to her and gave her a warm smile. “There’s no need to be offended. We’ve greatly enjoyed having you and your sisters take turns with the cooking and delighting us with your recipes.”
Hugh’s wife, Minnie, entered the room along with Jane. Jane and Minnie had become close since their arrival, and Rosalind was glad to see her sister’s growing friendship with another woman. “I thought I heard Nacho and Fina. Welcome! What brings you here?”
Nacho looked slightly sheepish as he nodded. “I happened upon Rosalind at the construction site, and some men were tormenting her. I thought it was time the people of Noelle showed her what hospitality looked like. So Fina invited her to come with us for a meal. She wouldn’t come without checking in first, so here we are.”
A smile lit up Minnie’s face, which made Rosalind happy. Minnie hadn’t been feeling well lately, and as much as Rosalind hated to admit it, she’d spent just as much time taking care of Minnie as she had her mother and brother.
“Of course,” Minnie said. “I’ve wanted to introduce Rosalind and her sisters to the other ladies, but…”
Her voice trailed off like she didn’t want to tell Nacho and Fina that she’d been unwell. Rosalind didn’t blame her, considering Minnie was the sort of person to care more about others than have them worrying about her. And, though it hadn’t been spoken out loud, Rosalind understood that Minnie didn’t want people knowing about her illness quite yet, or at least the reason for her illness. She knew Minnie would be feeling better soon enough, at least once the baby arrived.
Rosalind knew from the many expectant mothers who had stayed in their previous boarding house that not all women liked to share their happy news right away. Too many things could happen early in pregnancy, and it was difficult to hear congratulations and then to have to explain a loss. At least that’s what many of the women shared with her. She didn’t know since she had never been in that position. And sometimes she wondered if it would ever happen for her.
They’d been too busy in St. Louis for beaus, and then coming here, there hadn’t been any man who caught her fancy. She let out a long sigh. All right. She’d own up to the fact that she found Hawk quite handsome. And even though the marshal had told her to be wary of him, there was something about the way he cared for others that drew her in. Even before her father died, she’d noticed him always looking out for others, always trying to do the right thing, and though people claimed to fear him, she often thought that the only people who ought to fear him were the ones who had done something wrong.
“We understand,” Nacho said. “But now she can meet our family, and know she has another set of friends in Noelle.”
“That’s a wonderful idea,” Minnie said. “I hope it isn’t too much of an imposition, but perhaps Jane would like to join you as well. She was just mentioning to me that she’d like to go outside for a walk, but I wasn’t up to accompanying her, and I hadn’t realized that Rosalind was back.”
Then Minnie turned to Rosalind. “And you really shouldn’t be going out on your own, either. Not with everyone so angry at your family. Sheriff Draven specifically came this morning to say that.”
He had, but Rosalind was tired of letting bullies run her life. “I know,” she said. “And I’m sorry.”
She smiled at her sister. “And yes, Jane, you should come.”
Jane gave a brief nod. “Let me just get my wrap, and I’ll be happy to.”
They quickly said their goodbyes, and Nacho and Fina escorted them to Nacho’s Tacos. When they entered the restaurant, a beautiful dark-haired woman rushed over to Fina, speaking in rapid Spanish. Rosalind didn’t understand any of the words, but the poetic way they flowed out of the woman’s mouth made her wish she understood what was being said.
Fina turned and gestured at Rosalind and her sister. “This is Rosalind and Jane Creary, two of the young ladies staying with Hugh and Minnie. I wanted them to know that not everyone in this town hates them. Ladies, this is Julieta Vela, who helps in the restaurant from time to time. Her brother, Alejandro, is married to Nacho’s cousin, Victoria, and they own the Velas Bakery and Sweet Shop. They make the most wonderful treats.”
They’d wanted to visit the sweet shop, but until they figured out what to do about their finances, it seemed a terrible waste of money. Every penny they’d received from selling their books to Elwood Hunter was to be used
for building their boarding house.
Julieta smiled warmly at her. “It’s so nice to meet you. Fina is right. Not everyone here wishes your family ill. From what I understand, there are a lot of questions about who might have done such a terrible thing.”
Rosalind nodded. “That’s what Hawk, Marshall Gant, and Sheriff Draven say. But the railroad isn’t letting them do a proper investigation, so everyone thinks my father did it, even though the young lady who was kidnapped says three men were involved.”
Fina said something in Spanish under her breath.
“What was that?” Rosalind smiled at her. “It sounded like Spanish, which some of the drovers coming up from Texas would speak in St. Louis.”
Letting out a long sigh, Fina nodded. “I’m sorry. Sometimes I get a little excited and forget that not everyone speaks my language. But what I said wasn’t fit for hearing. Not all of us have a great love for the railroad people, and I was just expressing that in a most impolite way.”
Even though it wasn’t ladylike to do so, Rosalind grinned. “You don’t need to bother with politeness on my account. I don’t have any love for them either. And don’t be sorry. I’d love for you to teach me a few words, if you don’t mind. I’ve always loved learning about different people and their languages. In St. Louis, we had all sorts of people come through our boarding house from all over the world. It was so amazing to me to meet people from such a variety of countries and cultures and to learn about their lives. It’s funny, as different as we all seem to be, I find that friendship is always the same.”
The delight on Fina’s face was evident, and Rosalind knew she had made another friend in Noelle. Julieta, too, seemed very sweet and kind, and the four women enjoyed a lively conversation as Nacho went into the back of the restaurant.
After a few moments, Julieta said, “I’ve enjoyed meeting you both, and I hope to see you again soon. But I have to get to my brother’s shop to help him for a while. Please stop by and say hello sometime.”
Rosalind: A Thanksgiving Day Bride (Brides of Noelle Book 8) Page 6
