by Everly West
"Of course, mister, but there are only a few passengers left on the train. You might check this car and the one behind it. All the other cars are empty."
"Thank you. I'll do that." Caleb stepped up on the wooden steps just as a dark-haired woman in a pink dress stepped down. Surprise on her face, the woman's steps faltered as she caught the hem of her dress with the heel of her shoe.
"Oh." Caleb heard the woman's surprise and she reached out a hand to catch herself, but her momentum continued to carry her forward. She fell toward him. He caught her before she fell to the wooden platform and injured herself.
He looked down at the woman's face. Her dark eyes tinged with gold looked up at him. They were warm and open and he had no business looking.
"Thank you, sir. I do apologize for my clumsiness."
He set her down on the wooden platform and stepped back when he was certain she was steady on her feet. "My apologies, ma'am. The fault was all mine."
She smiled at him and ran her hands over her skirt to smooth it out. "I hardly think that is the case, but I appreciate your chivalry."
They stood next to the wooden steps in awkward silence. Finally, Caleb said. "Well, if you’re certain you are alright, I need to find my—"
"Papa!" Caleb turned at the sound of his daughter's voice.
Melody stepped down the wooden stairs with the help of a woman Caleb had never seen before.
The woman in the pink dress spoke. “It seems your family has arrived. I will leave you to greet them.” She turned away just as his daughter ran toward him.
Caleb caught Melody up in his arms and hugged her close to him. "Melody, sweetheart, I've missed you so much. I can't believe you are finally here right in front of me."
"I've missed you." His little girl's voice mumbled to him over his shoulder.
"We are going to have so much fun here in Laramie. I've met some really nice people and there are children for you to play with and a school you’re going to love. I can't wait to show you and your mother the ranch. It's so beautiful, and—"
It suddenly dawned on Caleb that Melody was alone. Where was his wife? "Sweetheart, where is your mother and why aren't you with her? It is always best to keep hold of her hand in a crowd."
"You must be Caleb Montgomery." The woman who held Melody's hand down the train stairs stood off to the side. She offered him an envelope.
Still holding his daughter's hand, he stood and took it from her. "Yes, I'm Melody's father. And you are?" Caleb looked around for Victoria.
"Papa, this is the lady Momma asked to bring me here."
Caleb studied his daughter and then the woman who handed him the letter. "What are you talking about? Melody, where is your mother?"
A sick sense of foreboding hit Caleb in his gut. He tore open the letter and saw his wife's elegant handwriting.
"Dear Caleb,
I know you are not going to understand my reasons for not moving to some godforsaken ranch in the middle of nowhere, but I'll try to explain.
I was never meant to be the wife of a rancher. Had I known you were going to change course in the middle of our marriage, I would have never allowed your father to talk me into this obvious mismatch."
Mismatch? His father had to talk her into accepting his marriage proposal? But he was the one who hadn't wanted to get married. It was her father who convinced him to offer for Victoria's hand. He suddenly felt like the biggest fool St. Louis had ever produced. He returned to the letter.
"Since you've been gone these three months, I've had the privilege of making new acquaintances with people who understand the kind of lifestyle I prefer. I'm happy to say that I've formed an attachment to one certain person and I refuse to leave him behind.
Since he travels quite frequently, we have decided that Melody should stay with you. After all, a house with a precocious four-year-old always asking questions isn't the place for a budding romance, now is it?
Good luck, Caleb. I wish you the best in this new life you've chosen for yourself. I hope it brings you the happiness you are looking for.
Victoria
"Mr. Montgomery? Are you alright?" Caleb heard the woman's voice calling to him from a distance. "Mr. Montgomery?"
Dazed, he looked up from his letter to see the concerned faces of this stranger and his little girl.
"I was hired by your wife, um, Melody's mother, to deliver her to you safe and sound. Now that I have, if you have no questions for me, I'll be on my way."
Caleb shook his head. He didn't have any questions for the woman, but he had a million for Victoria even though she had left no doubts as to what her intentions were.
“I guess I'll be going then." The woman turned to Melody. "Be a good girl, Melody and don't give your papa any trouble, okay?"
"Yes, ma'am," Melody replied.
He watched the stranger who had delivered his daughter turn and walk away.
He had known his wife was a self-centered creature, he just hadn't known how deep that selfishness went until this very moment. How could she turn her back on her own daughter?
He looked down at his beautiful daughter knowing he was now her sole parent. He could wring Victoria’s neck right about now. How the hell was he going to watch over a four-year-old and run a ranch at the same time? He had no idea, but he would not let his daughter down.
Caleb folded the letter and stuffed it into his shirt pocket. He'd deal with his feelings later. Right now, he owed it to Melody to be the responsible parent and put her needs first. He shrugged off his emotions and turned to his daughter with the brightest smile he could muster.
"Come on, Melody. You are going to love your new home. The barn is full of kittens and there’s the clearest bluest river I’ve ever seen running right near the house. And it has a pool just perfect for me to teach you how to swim. A covered porch goes all the way around the whole house, and you’ll have your own room—"
"Papa?" His daughter's clear blue eyes looked up at him in question.
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"Are we gonna get a new momma?"
Caleb's heart sank. "Melody, I'm not sure a new momma is what we need right now."
2
Arielle had spent the last two days since arriving in Laramie getting settled in her cousin Eva’s beautiful home. But today, would mark a new experience to add to her list of adventures. She had volunteered to help teach art and reading at Eva, and her husband, Levi’s nursery school. And she had to admit the prospect excited her.
This nursery school was a wonderful notion Eva and Levi had come up with to help working parents with the care of their children too young to spend the day at regular school. They provided a safe, friendly environment for their children while the parents went to work. Arielle thought it was a brilliant idea and when she went back to Boston in September, she planned on promoting the idea in the working sections of town.
"Miss Arielle, can we go outside and play now?" a boy named Jacob asked as he danced from foot to foot. It was obvious his inability to focus needed redirection.
"I think that would be a fine idea, Jacob. Everyone clean up your work area and put the pastels away in the tin. Then go wash your hands. And take off your aprons and hang them on your pegs."
"Yes, Miss Arielle." The children spoke in unison. Jacob raced away to be the first to comply.
Arielle smiled at the boy's enthusiasm. She was encouraged to see he had a special talent for working with pastels. Perhaps he will be a famous artist someday and she would boast to her family and friends she knew him when.
"Ma'am, do you work here?" A masculine voice caught her off guard and she jumped at the sound.
She turned to see the man from the train station. Her heart fluttered at the unexpected sight of him. Funny, she had thought of him often since their brief encounter at the train station.
"Can I help you, sir?" She watched him frown as he studied her.
"Don't I know you from somewhere?"
She smiled and offered an answer.
"We met a couple of days ago. At the train station. I stumbled and you—"
"You are the woman in the pink dress. I caught you on the train steps." Recognition reflected in his blue eyes. "I remember."
Arielle felt the heat of her blush warm her face. She remembered too and had been quite surprised by her immediate attraction to him. But even more surprising was her willingness to flirt with him. Well, that was before she realized he had a wife and daughter. She had almost embarrassed herself that day. The man was married, and she was not a husband stealer. Then why was she so pleased he remembered the color of the dress she wore?
"It's nice to see you again. I don't believe I caught your name."
"Arielle. My name is Arielle Dufossé." Her words sounded breathy even to her own ears. What on earth was the matter with her? She had never been a simpering debutante, but she had also never felt this much attraction to a man before. What was it about him that made her feel this way?
He took off his hat and nodded to her. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance Miss Dufossé. And I’m Caleb. Montgomery."
"Please, call me Arielle."
“Well since we are on a first name basis, you should call me Caleb.”
“Caleb.” She liked the way his name sounded when she spoke it.
"Arielle it is. I've come this morning because a very good friend of mine said there might be someone here who would be interested in hiring on as a housekeeper and caregiver for my young daughter."
"I see." Arielle's interest peaked. She was suddenly very intrigued by this handsome cowboy's situation. There was a daughter, but no wife? So who was the woman at the train station?
"Is your wife ill?" Arielle asked, before she could reign in her curiosity. She was shocked at her own boldness when the words tumbled from her mouth.
She watched the man tense, his fists clenched at his sides. Then he took a deep breath and relaxed. "No, she isn't ill. She's...no longer with us."
Arielle felt horrible. She should have known something awful was the cause for a man alone to be caring for a young child. How heartbroken he must be to have lost his wife so young.
"I'm so sorry, Mr. Montgomery. Please accept my condolences for your loss. And your poor little girl. What it must be like for her to lose her mother so young."
The man nodded his understanding. "Yes, well, my daughter will be just fine. I'll make certain of it."
"I'm sure that is true, Mr. Montgomery, but still, a little girl needs a softer touch. A woman's touch if you will. Perhaps in time, you will find someone you can love again—"
"I'm not interested in finding another wife or another mother for my daughter. What I'm interested in is hiring someone to keep us feed, wash our clothes, and teach my daughter the basics of her education. I need someone who isn't afraid to get their hands dirty. In exchange, I'll pay good money and there will be no strings attached."
"Are you saying you need someone to help you with your daughter during the day? You are always welcome to enroll her here. There are several caretakers who would be more than happy to—"
"No, that won't work. I don't live in town. I live on a ranch about five miles north of Laramie. I can't bring her into town every day or I'll never get any work done and I won't leave her in town with strangers. What I need is someone willing to come to my place."
"I see." Arielle now fully understood the man's situation. He was a widower with a small daughter and a ranch to run. Yes, he did indeed need help.
"I could check with some of our staff here, but they also have young children and husbands to care for once their workday is done. Perhaps I can find someone who is looking for—"
"Are you married? Do you have young children?" He asked. His question caught Arielle off guard.
"Um, no, but I'm not sure that would be an appropriate arrangement, Mr. Montgomery. It's because I'm not married—"
"But you just said that the married women can't do it. Now, you’re telling me an unmarried woman can't do it either?"
"Mr. Montgomery. You can't be so naive as to not understand what I'm alluding to. As an unmarried woman, I have my reputation to think about."
"It seems I'm naive about a lot of things lately."
She watched him pause before he continued.
"But I can assure you, the last thing you will need to worry about is your reputation. And if we are going to work together, please, call me Caleb if you don't mind. Mr. Montgomery is my father and it makes me want to turn around and look for him every time you call me that." He grinned at her.
He was making a joke and Arielle ventured to guess it was the first time she had been thunderstruck by a man's smile. She had to admit perhaps for the first time in her life, the stunning change in his countenance rendered her speechless.
It suddenly dawned on her what he said. "I haven't said I accept the position. Yet." She was surprised she was even considering it.
"I can assure you that I will have no time for philandering with my employee. I have an enormous amount of work to do, so much in fact, you'll probably never even lay eyes on me. And I can sleep in the barn. You and Melody can have complete control of the house. And if that isn't proof enough your reputation will remain untarnished, I can assure you, I'm not the least bit interested in pursuing a woman. Not after..."
She watched him struggle for his words. It must be hard for him to talk about his feelings for his dead wife.
"Ma'am, I have a ranch to run and a motherless daughter to raise. All I need right now is someone to care for my little girl who isn't afraid of hard work. Trust me. You would be completely safe from harm or gossip. And I can provide references from any number of people here in Laramie who can vouch for my integrity."
"I see." Arielle couldn't exactly explain these feelings of disappointment at hearing the man's words. That was certainly something to be examined later. "Where is your daughter now? Is someone watching her for you?"
"Yes, a friend of mine's wife is helping me out while I take care of some business around town, but I can't keep imposing on her sweet nature and generosity. I need to find someone to come to the ranch and take over with—like you said—a woman's touch."
"I would need some time to think about your proposition. Check your references. Do you mind if I take some time before I give you an answer?" Why was she even considering his proposition?
"Of course. I have some business to take care of over at the bank. I'll be back in about an hour. I'd like to have an answer by then if you don't mind. I've got a lot riding on finding the right woman and I need to find her as soon as possible."
"I understand. I'll let you know." Arielle watched the man, hat in hand, nod and turn to leave.
He stopped and turned back to her. "Arielle, I don't need a fancy lady who can't get her hands dirty. What I need is a woman who's not afraid of work because there's a lot of it and there aren't enough hours in the day for me to do it all. By the look of your clothing, covered in paint and all, it's obvious you are a hard working woman, but, if for some reason, you have any reservations about rollin' up your sleeves and gettin' dirty, then tell me now because I'll need to look elsewhere. As I said, I need someone now. No offense to you. I do hope you understand."
"Yes, I do believe I understand your situation completely."
"Good. Well then, I'll leave you to think about my offer."
Arielle watched the handsome cowboy leave out front door. There was something about him that made her empathetic to his plight, but could she agree to his offer of employment and risk her reputation? After all, she had promised Papa she would return home in September and choose a husband. Perhaps she needed another opinion on the matter.
"Mary, will you ask Greta and Marjorie to watch the children for an hour or so? There's something I need to speak with my cousin about, and it cannot wait."
Caleb rushed around town trying to get as much done as he could during the next hour. He had left Melody with Eva Copper and he needed to get back to the ranch to help Jeremy f
eed the horses.
The last few days had taken a toll on him. He had kept Melody by his side for much of the time, but this couldn't continue without consequences. He had colts to break and train, and for the hundredth time since Melody arrived without her mother, he wondered what on earth Victoria had been thinking when she sent Melody here alone. He had no idea what kind of woman he had married—until now. Though he supposed it better to have found out now, while Melody was still too young to be irreversibly affected by her selfish ways. Or worse. Melody could have followed her mother’s example and behave just like her. The thought made his stomach turn just thinking about it.
Caleb turned his attention back to his task at hand. He stopped by the bank and made a deposit of cash. He had already sold six of the two-year-old fillies he had decided not to use in his horse breeding operation. They didn't measure up to his standards of what a good cow horse should possess. His standards were high, and he wanted to use only the best breeding stock for his business.
He stuffed the receipt for his deposit deep into his jeans pocket. It was enough to keep him afloat until his money arrived from St. Louis, which he hoped was any day now.
"Caleb, good to see you again." He turned to see Levi walk out of the bank president’s office.
"Good to see you too." He shook hands with his friend and then Levi introduced him to the man he was with.
"Arnold, I want you to meet a longtime friend. This is Caleb Montgomery. His uncle used to own the Bar M Ranch outside of town. Now, it belongs to Caleb. Caleb, this is Arnold Godfrey. He's in town looking for some investment opportunities."
Caleb shook hands with the man. "Glad to make your acquaintance, Mr. Godfrey."
"I've heard of the Bar M Ranch. Quite a nice little setup you’ve got there. Would you consider taking on an investor? Maybe even selling it?" The man asked.
"No, sir. The ranch belonged to my uncle. I spent a lot of summers visiting Uncle Zack as a kid. That's how Levi and I became friends. We spent many a day roaming the streets of Laramie, doing our best to stay outta trouble."
