Margaret stepped between them. “Before you destroy my almost-finished kitchen—leave!” Turning to Caleb, she said, “Take this girl home and tell Abigail to put her right to bed. I can tell by her eyes she didn’t sleep a wink last night. Something had her tossing and turning.” Then, facing Em, she said, “I’ll finish up here. You two go on.”
“No, I’ll finish,” Em said, reaching for another dirty dish.
“Out!” Margaret pointed to the door. “Go on, out with the two of you.”
Caleb grabbed Em’s hand before she could insist on staying. He smiled a thank-you at Margaret and the two set out.
Once they were alone on the street, he asked, “What kept you up?”
Em shrugged. “I suppose it was the excitement of my first dance. Or maybe it was Mae talking in her sleep. It’s hard to say.”
“So the twins don’t even stop talking when they sleep? I should have guessed.”
“Can I look at my gift now?” Em asked.
“Well, if you want to. It’s nothing fancy. Just something I put together on the trail.” Caleb rubbed his hand absently over his stubble. He looked embarrassed—timid, even. Not his normal confident self.
Em reached into her pocket and felt for the gift with her fingers. Without even seeing it, she knew Caleb had made a man out of sticks for her. A little man, just like she’d made for Lucy. She pulled it out and turned it back and forth in her hand admiring it. Little legs and arms, even a head with fuzzy hair made from some sort of moss she’d never seen before. He was right, it was not fancy. But she loved it. She pressed it to her heart. “It’s perfect.” With tears in her eyes, she whispered, “It is the kindest gift I’ve ever received.”
“I kept thinking of Lucy while I was away. You were a good sister to her. Making that was no easy task.”
Em looked at it again. “I’ll treasure it. Thank you.”
“You’re most welcome.”
As they continued toward the Howells’, Em read—in her head—the words on the buildings they passed in town. He must have seen her eyes scanning the buildings. “What does that one say?” he asked, pointing to the single-story building on the corner.
“That one took me three days to figure out. But I believe it says ‘millinery,’ and under that it says ‘premade’ and ‘made to order.’”
“Very good.”
He asked her several others. Each time she was right. The walk was much too short, and they were almost at the Howells’ long before she was ready to say good night.
Nearing the porch, Caleb stopped. “Em, about last night, I—”
“Caleb, I wasn’t expecting to see you until tomorrow!” Eliza’s voice broke into his sentence.
“Ah, Eliza. I’ll be by tomorrow. I ate at the boardinghouse and thought I’d see Em safely home.”
“She carries that pistol with her everywhere. I don’t think she needs any protection from you.” Eliza pointed to the basket Em was carrying.
“It’s true—I have your pistol with me,” Em said quietly. “Do you want it back?” She fumbled with her basket.
His hand came over hers. “Keep it. Until Alroy’s brought in, I feel better knowing you have it.”
Em nodded and took back her hand. “I better hurry in so I can see the girls before they go to bed. I plan to tell them the story of Rose Red tonight.”
She ducked her head and scurried up the porch and through the door, leaving Caleb and Eliza alone outside. Then she stuck her hand in her pocket, tucking it around the little stick man.
Fourteen
Abraham, will you send word to Caleb to let him know I won’t be meeting him today?” Em asked while heating water on the stove. Mae had woken up sick. It didn’t seem very serious to Em, but Abigail had insisted the doctor come.
“Of course.” He began fastening his shoes. “It’s good of you to stay with Abigail. She worries something awful when the children are sick.”
“It’s the least I can do.”
He looked up at her. “But it’s more than most would do. I’ll let Caleb know.”
All morning Em helped around the house, bouncing between the kitchen and the girls’ room. Often she heard Eliza readying herself for her outing with Caleb. Not once did she enter the girls’ room to see how her sister was faring. Instead, she fretted over missing gloves and the color of her bonnet. It took all of Em’s willpower not to rush downstairs and tell Eliza to grow up and think of someone other than herself.
When eleven o’clock finally rolled around, Em could not resist scooting her chair near the little girls’ window. She watched as Caleb rode up on Amos. Good old Amos—she longed to pet his soft nose. Caleb was clean shaven and wore the same handsome suit he’d worn at the social. Seeing him ride up like a prince, she berated herself for ever believing he might care for her.
Eliza came out of the house with her hair in ringlets tucked under an ornate bonnet of the most delicate violet. Her dress, the latest fashion, was custom-made to fit her curves perfectly. Em forced her eyes away. She couldn’t look one moment more at perfect Eliza. It only reminded her of every curve she did not have. Watching only hurt.
“Mae, would you like me to tell you another story? I’ve remembered one you’ve never heard about a girl who lived with her parents deep in the woods where the ogres roamed.”
Mae’s tired eyes lit up, looking more alive than they had all morning. “Please tell it,” the little girl said.
And so Em sat beside her, holding her hand and whispering her stories. She felt a warmth deep within her. The same warmth that had penetrated her heart as a girl when she’d held Lucy’s hand.
“I love you, Mae,” she whispered when the girl had drifted off to sleep. Em sat watching her. Grateful and afraid of the love she’d found with these good people.
At quarter to noon, Abigail insisted Em get ready for work. “You must go. I’ll be fine here with the girls and Margaret depends on you.”
“If she needs someone to sit with her tonight, I’ll gladly do it,” Em said, looking at the still-sleeping Mae.
“You’re so good with them. Go now and let her rest. Hopefully she wakes feeling better.” Abigail shooed her from the room.
Obediently, Em left for work. Her heart wasn’t in it though. A sinking feeling made it hard for her to even focus on the words around her as she walked. Something felt wrong. Was it because Caleb was with Eliza? She scanned the town as she walked, wondering if she would see the couple.
She tried to be happy for them. But all she felt was a twisting in her gut.
“You’re coming with me,” a man’s voice said from out of nowhere, startling her. Then the man reached around her and pulled her tight against him. His strong arms knocked the basket—with the hidden gun inside—from her hands and to the ground.
Shooting pain raced through her as the man twisted her arm behind her back and dragged her around the corner of the mercantile. Then up in the air she went as he threw her onto a horse. Finally understanding what was happening to her, she kicked and screamed, fighting to escape. She bit and clawed at the man as she tried to fend him off, but his strength was too much for her. He quickly hopped up on the horse behind her and rode off.
His arm around her waist was so tight that she felt short of breath. The world spun. Before she passed out, her head tipped back against the man and under his cap she saw tufts of red hair. A wicked smile spread across his face, showing a missing front tooth. Alroy. Then she went weak.
“I think I’ve left my post neglected long enough.” Caleb rose from the log he and Eliza had been sitting on.
Eliza did not rise. “You could stay a little longer. Nothing ever happens in Azure Springs anyway.”
“If only that were true,” Caleb said, fighting the urge to roll his eyes.
Finally she stood up and walked over to him, putting her hand on his arm. “But if you head back, I don’t know when I’ll get you alone again.” Her lips turned downward into an alluring pout.
“
All the same, I have to return.” He busied himself gathering up the remains of their picnic lunch and putting them in the saddlebags.
Letting out a little huff of frustration, she too began gathering their belongings. “Perhaps I’ll have to cause some trouble around town. Then you’d have to take me in, lock me up, and make sure I was never left alone.”
“I’m sure a lady like yourself would do no such thing.” Caleb tried to remain pleasant. Pleasant was a challenge though. All he wanted to do was be free of Eliza and her flirtatious ways. Their time together had felt so artificial. Like a scripted performance, nothing real about it. He found his mind wandering to Em, wondering what she would have talked about if it had been the two of them together all afternoon. He knew he would have felt relaxed in her presence.
He’d played the part of a gentleman very well all through the meal, but he was ready to be Caleb again. “Amos is loaded up. Let’s head back.”
He offered Eliza his hand, ready to help her onto the tall horse. She took it and held it, making no move for Amos. “When you leave me at home, there will be such a crowd around. Let’s say our farewell here. It’s so quiet and peaceful, so romantic.” And then she turned her little heart-shaped face up at him and waited.
His pulse was running rampant at the sight of her obvious intentions. What am I to do? He should want to kiss her, to take her in his arms. Not long ago he would have thought himself lucky to have a beautiful girl asking for his affection.
Clearing his throat, he let go of her hand, took a step back, and dropped his arms to his sides. “Thank you for an enjoyable picnic, Eliza.”
Piercing eyes studied him. “That is your farewell?” Hands on hips, she challenged him.
“It . . . it has been nice. I must be getting back now,” he said.
Eliza dramatically stepped toward Amos and attempted to pull herself up onto him. Caleb stuck his thumbs in his belt loops and watched. When she failed on her third attempt, he scooped her up and put her into the saddle. Without looking back at him, she smoothed her skirts and pointed her nose straight ahead.
As they rode back toward the Howells’ home, Eliza sat in silence, moping. Caleb knew he should try to smooth things over but was afraid he would laugh if he opened his mouth. She called herself a grown woman but threw a fit like a child.
At the Howells’ he hopped off Amos and helped her down. Like a cat, she darted for the door. His stride was long, though, and he caught hold of her before she disappeared into the house. “Hold up.”
“I’ve nothing more to say to you. You’ve made yourself clear. You don’t care for me.” Anger, not hurt, blazed in her eyes. “How am I supposed to tell Olivia and all the other girls that the picnic went? Shall I let them all know you are not a gentleman? That you feigned affection, led my heart astray, only to hurt me?”
Caleb rubbed his freshly shaven chin as he searched for the right words. “I suppose you can tell the girls whatever you want about our time together. Shall I tell everyone you are a spoiled brat who needs a few good switches to the backside?”
“Ooohhh! How could you even say that?” She stomped her foot but did not walk away. “How dare you.”
“Come now, Eliza. You’re ready to tell the town I was no gentleman, all because I didn’t give you the kisses you were wanting. Do you even care for me or did you just like the idea of whispering to all the girls about our picnic under the trees—making them jealous?”
Surprised he didn’t see steam rising from her furious head, he kept talking. “Let’s be honest with each other. Let’s both stop pretending. The truth is I admire your family. I hope to always be welcome here. Few places feel as much like a real home as yours. It’s full of good people. You are a beautiful woman and I thought perhaps there could be something more. But it’s not going to work.”
Eliza still didn’t respond. Her eyes were now downcast.
“I include you in the list of good people in this home.” He wished she would look at him. “Like I said, I hope to always be welcome here. But you and I would not make a very good match. Not as anything more than friends.”
Eliza looked up. “But why?”
“Because we’re too different. I am not the right person to make you happy. And—I need someone else too. Truth is, I’m figuring it out.” Caleb put a soft hand on her shoulder. “Can we be friends?”
“Is it Em? Homely, plain Em who has you running from me?” Eliza spit the words at him. “It’s because of her, isn’t it? If she’d never come, things could be different. You and I could have a future.”
“Be fair.” Caleb let his hand drop from her shoulder. “Spending time with Em has helped me realize the type of woman I hope to end up with. But I think I would have realized we were not a good match even without her. I only regret it took me this long to see it. I never meant to hurt you.” He shook his head and reminded himself that Eliza did not choose to be spoiled.
“What is so wrong with me?”
“Well, I don’t know that there is anything wrong with you. There may be plenty of men out there who would be happy their whole life to have a woman like you on their arm. But I need someone who sees other people as important, with needs and feelings too. Your mama is one of those people. Em is too. I don’t know who the right girl is for me, but I do know she will be someone kind and giving. Someone I can laugh with and be myself around.” Were his words explaining what he felt? He hoped so. “I couldn’t live my whole life worrying about saying the right things.”
“I could be like my mama. I could,” Eliza said. “If you’d give me a chance, I could be like that.”
“I think you could—and I hope you will be. When you are, if you are, some good man will get himself a real gem.”
With the anger gone, replaced by remorse, she said, “But that man won’t be you?”
“No, it won’t be me. But I hope I’m your friend and that I’ll get to see you happy with whoever that man is.”
Eliza nodded. “Thank you, Caleb. For not being afraid to tell me what you really think.” She went into the house and left him on the porch with his own thoughts.
Did I do the right thing? Then, laughing to himself, he thought of his parents as he hopped onto Amos and began the ride toward town. He pictured the devastation on their faces if they ever found out he’d turned down the belle of the town.
As he passed the boardinghouse, he spotted Margaret with her back to him, putting wash on the line. “Afternoon, Mrs. Anders,” he shouted.
She turned toward him—her mouth full of clothespins and her wild curls blowing in the wind—and waved. She took the clothespins from her mouth and shouted back. “Same to you. Where are you hiding Em? I can hardly get by without her. I’ve become so used to her help.”
“Em?” He looked around absently as though he expected to see her emerge from the house.
“She has never been late before. I’m sure it has something to do with you,” she said, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “You’ve become sweet on her? Am I right?”
“She didn’t come in? Are you sure?” His insides twisted into a tight knot. Without knowing, he knew. Alroy had come back. “I’ll find her.”
“You better.” Gone was the laughter from her eyes. “That girl is worth her weight in gold.”
With no time to hear any more, he quickly rode to the Howells’. Once there, he jumped from Amos’s back and ran to the door, his heart racing with fear and rage. How had he let this happen?
With fists knotted in balls, he banged on the door with all his might. He waited impatiently as perspiration ran down his forehead. Again he knocked, pounding, until he heard footsteps rushing to the door.
“What is it, Caleb?” Eliza said breathlessly.
“Em. Is she here? When did everyone see her last? I have to know.”
“I don’t know. I wasn’t here. I was with you.”
Caleb pushed past her and into the front room. “Abigail!”
“She’s not here either. She went to
the store to see Papa.”
Caleb smacked the back of the sofa, groaned, and started for the door.
“Wait,” Eliza said as she stepped in front of him.
“I can’t wait. You might not care about Em, but I do, and I have to find her,” he shouted in her face. “It’s my fault—I should have been here.” He brought his palm down hard on the sofa again.
Eliza’s voice was gentle. Kinder than it had ever been before. “The girls are out back. They might know when she left.”
He followed her lead. Without a word, they moved through the house and out the back door. Mae and Milly were sitting under their tree, each with a doll nestled in their lap. Little chatter bounced between them and their dolls.
“Girls, when did Em leave this morning?” Eliza asked.
He was glad she spoke. He felt completely out of control. Anger, dread, fear—they were all colliding throughout his mind and body like a vicious storm.
“Em stayed with me all morning because I was sick,” Mae said. “I’m better now. She told me a fine story. Then mama made her leave and go to work. I heard her say she’d better go so she wouldn’t be late.”
“It looks like she was headed to work at the normal time,” Eliza said.
“Thank you, Eliza. For asking them.” He grabbed her hand. “I have to go now. I have to find her. Keep the girls safe.”
She nodded. “I hope you find her. I really do.”
He squeezed her hand tightly, forced a smile, and said, “It’s good of you to say. Take these girls inside. I don’t know what kind of trouble is coming.”
Keep calm. Just keep calm.
It was just past one o’clock. An hour. A whole hour she’d been gone. She had disappeared somewhere between the Howells’ and the boardinghouse. Retracing the steps she would have taken, he hurried through town, hoping to find a clue that would point him in the direction he should head.
He saw her basket lying overturned under the overhang of the mercantile, which was about a block from the boardinghouse. He picked it up and tore the napkin out of it. His gun. Blast. Em had no way to protect herself. He shook the basket in frustration, causing the stick man he’d given her to fall to the ground. Dropping to his knees, he scooped it up. His body shook, overcome with a deep and foreboding dread that felt worse than anything he’d ever known. He fought the urge to cry as he took the stick man in his hands.
The Hope of Azure Springs Page 17
