Several times during their lunch she had very nearly confessed her feelings for him, but something had held her back. Uncertainty had clouded her mind, and fear of rejection had kept her thoughts in check. She could tell that Caeden felt something for her, but what if it were nothing more than a brotherly affection—the concern of one soul for another? After all, he’d arranged for her father to have what he needed as well.
With a sigh, Emily began to unbutton Anna’s dress. She felt exhaustion overtake her. It had been such a day of surprises, and it wasn’t even over. Who knew what the evening might hold for her.
19
When Emily finally awoke, she did nothing but stretch and relish the luxury of the bed. Never in her life had she known anything to feel so wonderful. Not only that, but for the first time since coming to Lewistown, she actually felt rested. Maybe it was because at the poorhouse she had shared a dorm with other women and children. She had been wearied by the cries of infants and the tantrums of the children, while also sympathizing with the weeping of their mothers. Emily had never been able to get comfortable on the old army cot, knowing that anyone could wander into the room at any time. But here—this was different.
She closed her eyes and tried to imagine having a bed like this every night. How wonderful it would be to have a beautiful bedroom all to herself with a down-filled mattress and springs on the bed instead of ropes. Even the growling of her stomach couldn’t keep her from her daydreams. However, the knock that came on her hotel door startled her awake and caused her to jump from the bed. She had no robe, so she grabbed up the shawl Millie had given her and pulled it around her.
At the door she called out, “Who’s there?”
“It’s me, Anna.”
Emily opened the door to find the young woman bearing a tray of food. “Come in.”
“Mr. Thibault wanted me to bring you breakfast. He said to tell you he’s secured passage on the stage and that you have two hours to get ready. He figured you’d want to see your pa before leaving town.” She went to the table and shifted the tray, tucking it between her waist and left arm. Next she pushed the clothing to one side.
“Breakfast? Stage?” Emily shook her head. “How long have I been asleep?”
Anna laughed as she placed the food tray on the table with the few remaining pieces of clothing. Thankfully, Emily had thought to hang up the gown on a hook by the door. She hurried to finish clearing the table while Anna uncovered the food.
“You never woke up last night for supper. I came to check on you, but you never even stirred. Mr. Thibault told me to let you sleep. You slept clear through.”
“I did that at the poorhouse as well. My injury has no doubt taken more of a toll than I realized. I might have gone back to sleep had you not come.” Emily glanced back at the bed. “I must say it was the most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept in.”
Anna nodded. “Papa says ours are the finest in Lewistown. It’s why folks always choose our hotel.” She pulled out the chair, then picked up the clothing that had been neatly stacked there. “I’ll put these on the bed.”
Emily nodded and took up a piece of bacon. It tasted heavenly. She savored the flavor and then caught the scent of the hot coffee. She’d never been much of a coffee drinker, but even this beckoned her to sit and dig in.
“I’ll be back in half an hour to help you dress,” Anna offered.
Emily remembered her own clothes. “Did you manage to wash my things?”
“I did. Would you like me to fetch them?”
“Yes. I have a beautiful new gown, but I can’t see wearing it on the stage. Oh, and I’ve put your gown and undergarments next to my new gown.” Emily motioned to the door, where all of the articles hung on pegs.
Anna went to collect her things. She ran her hand over the material of Emily’s dress. “This is quite lovely. I think you’ll look beautiful in this shade.” She gave a little laugh. “I think you would look beautiful in just about anything.”
Emily was surprised by her comment. No one had ever said much in praise of her appearance. Maybe it was because for so many years she’d hid herself under layers of dirt and oversized garments.
“You are kind to say so, but you are a beautiful woman yourself. I suppose you have a great many suitors.”
The girl’s face turned red and she hurried to collect her things. “I do have a beau,” she murmured.
Emily suppressed a chuckle. “I was sure you would.”
Anna opened the door. “Like I said, I’ll be back in a little while to help you dress. Oh, and Mr. Thibault went to buy you a small carpetbag to carry your things in. I’ll bring that too, if he’s successful. I told him I wasn’t sure any of the stores would be open yet, but he said he’d handle it.”
No doubt he would. Emily hadn’t known much of anything to stand in Caeden’s way up until this point. She heard Anna close the door and then turned her full attention to the meal. Fluffy scrambled eggs and fried potatoes were heaped alongside six strips of bacon. Sliced bread had been toasted and slathered in butter, and along with this was a small bowl of jam. Coffee and cream rounded off the meal. It was food fit for royalty.
Emily giggled. “I feel like a queen.” She put a forkful of the buttery eggs in her mouth. Was there anything quite as delicious as a meal prepared by someone else? It wouldn’t be easy to go back to her life in the cabin.
True to her word, Anna returned with the new carpetbag just as Emily downed the last of her coffee. She couldn’t finish the entire breakfast, but she folded the remaining bacon and put it between two pieces of toast. Pa would love this tasty treat.
Emily quickly donned her new underclothes, then stood holding on to the metal footboard of the bed while Anna cinched up the corset. “Don’t make it too tight,” Emily instructed. “I need to be able to breathe on the stage.”
Emily went to retrieve the freshly laundered wool skirt and cotton blouse. She paused to admire them for a moment. “You did a wonderful job getting the blood out of these.”
“Mama said salt water is the trick.” Anna went to work packing Emily’s nightgown and new dress into the small carpetbag Caeden had purchased. “Mr. Thibault certainly found you a nice bag.”
Emily did up the buttons on her blouse, smiling all the while at the thought of Caeden waking some poor merchant from his bed. “He does have his way of getting what he wants.”
“Is he your beau?”
Emily looked up. “What?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. That was much too forward of me.” Anna quickly changed the subject. “I put your hat and gloves on the bed.” She procured a hairbrush from her pocket. “I didn’t think you probably had one here, so I brought mine, along with some hairpins. I thought you might want me to fix your hair for the trip and help you with your hat.”
“That was very kind. You don’t need to wait on me, however. I can just braid it like I did yesterday.”
“It isn’t a bother,” Anna said, looking at Emily with a most sincere expression.
Emily gave in. “Very well. I will allow you to do that, but you must tell me about yourself. How old are you, Anna?”
“Sixteen,” the girl replied. She motioned Emily to retake her chair at the table. “I have three brothers who are all older than me. One of them helps out here at the hotel, but the other two have moved off.”
“Have you always lived here?”
Anna freed Emily’s messy braid and began brushing out her long brown hair. “My mother was born and raised here. My papa comes from Illinois. His family owned hotels there, and he took his inheritance and came west to make his own fortune. He built a hotel in Billings and then sold it and came to Lewistown.”
“Why Lewistown?”
Anna giggled. “Because he’d met my mother in Billings. Her pa had taken her with him on a trip to buy stock. My papa met her and fell madly in love. So when he found out where she lived, he decided that was good enough for him. He came here and built this hotel and married my mother. It was
all very romantic, don’t you think?”
“I do.” Emily winced as Anna’s brush came in contact with the stitched portion of her head.
“I’m sorry, did I hurt you? I forgot you had an injury. Your hair very neatly covers the stitches when it’s all splayed out like this.”
“It smarts, but I think I’m fine. I should be able to get the stitches out soon. Maybe even today.”
“Hmmm.” Anna stepped back and eyed Emily for a moment. “Maybe it’s best if we just leave your hair down for the time. If we pin it up it might be hard for the doctor to examine the wound.”
Emily hadn’t considered that. “I suppose you’re right. Just tie it back with my ribbon, and I’ll figure out what to do with it after the doctor sees me.”
Anna did as Emily instructed. “There. It’s perfect.” She held out a handful of hairpins. “Take these with you in case you want to pin it up after you have your stitches out.”
Emily took the pins. “Are you certain you can spare them?”
Anna nodded. “I have plenty of them.” She looked her hairbrush over and extended it as well. “I have another brush too. I would be very pleased if you would take this for your own.”
Emily had never known such generosity from a stranger. “You are quite kind, Anna, but I couldn’t. The hairpins and your help this morning have been more than enough to show me what a generous and loving soul you are. I’ve traveled all over the West, and I don’t think I’ve ever met a young woman with a heart as big as yours.”
Anna blushed. “Mama says we’re to be kind to strangers because they might be angels in disguise.”
Emily laughed. “Well, I’m no angel, but I am a stranger and a very grateful one.”
Caeden accompanied Emily to see the doctor and then to say good-bye to her father. Emily had found the removal of the stitches to be rather painful. The wound site was still a little tender, and it seemed the doctor was a bit clumsy when it came to pulling stitches, and not her hair, with his tweezers. Finally, however, the deed was done and the doctor pronounced her well enough to travel. This seemed to satisfy both Caeden and her father.
“I’ll return as soon as I can, Pa.” Emily spoke as she worked to wind her hair into a knotted bun. “I need to figure out how I can best work the claim. Otherwise we might never get Caeden paid back.”
“I don’t need to be paid back,” Caeden declared.
“Yes you do,” Father countered. “I can’t go havin’ you take care of us. You have no obligation here, and while I know you’re a generous young man, I won’t have it said that Henry Carver took advantage. Emmy’s a good girl, and she can work the dirt we dug up. I’m sure there’s gold to be had. Emmy, don’t forget the gold dust I saved in that old medicine tin. You could give that to Caeden.”
“I won’t take it.” Caeden gave the older man one of his stern looks. With his eyes slightly narrowed and his mouth set in a firm line, his expression commanded attention. “Now, enough talk of money. I am very concerned about Emily living alone.”
“She can stay nights with Millie,” her father suggested. “That way no one will bother her.”
Emily listened to the two most important men in her life as they tried to decide her future. Without a word she secured her hair at last and took up the bonnet Caeden had purchased. It was a charming little hat of black velvet, trimmed with a large green feather that had been shaped and pinned to follow the contours of the brim. There were no ribbons with which to tie it down, so Emily used the last two hairpins to hold it in place.
“If you two are quite finished making plans for me, I believe we have a stage to catch.”
Both men looked at Emily in surprise. Her father chuckled, but Caeden said nothing and instead withdrew his pocket watch.
“Yes, we need to go,” Caeden said, glancing at the watch. “Otherwise, we’ll miss the stage.”
Emily looked at her father. He still seemed so weak and pale. “I’ll be back as soon as I can, but I have no way of knowing when that will be. Please be good and do as the doctors tell you.”
Her father laughed. “Listen to that, will you? I suppose from here on out she’ll think she can mother me.” He held up the bacon and toast she had decided to leave with him. “I’m going to enjoy this, Em. Thanks for savin’ it for me.”
Emily could only nod. She found herself dangerously close to tears. Caeden extended his arm and shook Henry’s free hand. “I’ll make sure she’s safely delivered to Yogo City.”
“You’re a good man and I’m proud to call you friend. Now, get her out of here before she starts blubbering or, worse yet, gives me a list of orders to follow.”
Caeden smiled, but Emily couldn’t help feeling she was deserting her father. She worried he might take a bad turn while she was away. He might even die, and she’d never know it until it was much too late. She realized all at once that both men were watching her. Offering a smile, Emily leaned down and kissed her father on the forehead. “I love you, Pa.”
“I love you too, Emmy,” he said.
Caeden escorted her from the poorhouse. “I’m sure he’ll be just fine. I’ve arranged for him to have the best care. Try not to worry.”
The wind blew at just the right angle and yanked the bonnet from Emily’s head. “Oh no! My hat.”
Caeden was already in motion to chase it down. He’d nearly reached it when the wind sent it another ten feet down the road. Without pause, Caeden continued after it while Emily secured her gloves. How handsome he was in his dark black suit. She had so long seen him in work clothes that his more formal appearance left her rather in awe. His broad shoulders seemed all the more pronounced in the trim lines of the coat.
He finally captured the hat and made his way back to Emily, dusting the bonnet as he walked. When he returned he gave her a sweeping bow and presented the piece as if it were an extravagant gift.
“M’lady.”
Emily laughed and took the hat. It hadn’t suffered much damage, but she didn’t want to put it back atop her head only to have it whipped off again. “I believe I’ll wait to affix this until we’re out of the wind.”
“That is probably wise,” Caeden agreed.
Anna had arranged for both of their bags to be at the stage waiting, and the driver was just hefting them to store in the boot.
“Good to have you join us,” the driver said, tipping his hat to Emily. “Always a pleasure to have a lady aboard. You’re our only one today.”
Emily smiled but said nothing. She didn’t like being the center of attention, and even now she could see that the numerous gentlemen atop and inside the stage were already watching her closely.
“Pity you don’t have those old layers of clothes you used to wear,” Caeden said as he helped Emily up into the stage. She suppressed a giggle as she caught sight of the four men in the carriage. They seemed most intent on making her acquaintance.
“You can sit here, miss,” one of the men announced. Unfortunately, he was sitting on the side where there were already three, and despite their efforts, they couldn’t make space for another, even one as slim as Emily.
The man sitting by himself smiled invitingly and patted the seat. “Plenty of room here.” His enthusiasm was quite evident.
Emily took her place but crowded the wall of the stage. Caeden climbed in behind her and positioned himself between the man and Emily, much to the other fellow’s disappointment.
Caeden’s usual stern expression seemed to act as a deterrent to further conversation, and so the others returned their attention to conversing among themselves. Emily felt her hair and found the hatpins that had failed to hold her hat in place. She positioned the bonnet and resecured it, hoping there wouldn’t be another mishap. It was the only ladies’ hat she’d ever owned, and she certainly didn’t want to lose it.
The trip by stage was surprisingly exciting for Emily. She’d never ridden in a stagecoach before and found the entire matter to be a great adventure. Her enthusiasm became rather contagious, a
nd the men surrounding her strove to answer her questions and share whatever knowledge they had of such travels.
It wasn’t until they were nearly an hour into the trip that Emily caught sight of Caeden’s scowl and decided perhaps her silence would be better. After all, for someone who hadn’t wanted to attract attention, she’d done exactly that with her girlish delight over the trip.
Despite her excitement, Emily leaned back against the seat and closed her eyes. She thought about her return to Utica and her plans for seeing the marshal first thing. It was her intention to learn what had been done about the capture of Kirk Davies. She hoped that by now the marshal had paid him a visit and discovered evidence of the bite Emily had given him.
Of course, it was possible that Davies had fled the area, thinking he’d killed her father. After all, when they left Utica there wasn’t much hope that he would live. If Davies had gone, Emily wasn’t at all sure what she would do. She wanted justice for her father and mother. She wanted Davies to pay.
Somewhere in her thoughts Emily drifted off to sleep. When the stage stopped for a meal break, she awoke to find she had slumped against Caeden and her head was on his shoulder. She sat up with a start and immediately apologized.
“I’m so sorry.” Her voice was barely a whisper, but it caught the attention of her traveling companions.
“He don’t look too put out,” one of the men commented.
Another grinned and pushed back his felt hat. “I know I wouldn’t be.”
Still another declared in a most confident voice, “If he is, you can sleep on my shoulder when we get back on the road.”
Caeden muttered something under his voice, but Emily couldn’t make it out and didn’t want to draw further attention by asking. The door opened, and the driver reached up his hand. Emily, being the only female on the stage, decided his action was for her benefit and quickly took hold and let the man help her down.
“Thank you,” she said, uncertain what to do.
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