The Timeless Love Romance Collection

by Dianne Christner

  Once he satisfied himself that no one lurked about, he headed for his room. Esther snored softly. The sound soothed him. His little girl was starting to thrive. She gained weight and had a healthy glow, and she hadn’t cried for her grandparents in more than two weeks. Wayne was about ready to write them and invite them to visit.

  Sitting down, he thumbed through some of the documents Daniel had provided. Who could be LeRoy Baker’s accomplice? In two of the cases, it had been greedy relatives. In another two, it had been disgruntled employees. In yet another case, it had been a competitor. Maybe Daniel should visit Kansas, speak with that housekeeper, Mrs. Baudouin, and speak with John Prescott’s lawyer. Wayne rubbed the bridge of his nose and decided to turn in. He needed to be alert in case Olivia needed him.

  The next morning, sitting in the office with Niles, Mary, and Olivia, Wayne remembered Daniel’s words: “The girl’s got more grit than you’d expect.” He’d led the group in a quick prayer, and then Niles started the meeting. Throughout Mary’s confession, Olivia hadn’t winced or gotten angry. Other emotions played across her face: hurt, speculation, pity. The only time she’d acted surprised was when she heard about the fountain pen incident.

  Niles had demonstrated more indignity than Olivia had. First, he’d confessed to being blind to Mary’s attraction. Then he’d expressed his disgust with the method Mary used to try to get Olivia transferred. “We’re transferring Mary to another Harvey House, and she’s losing her head waitress status,” Niles said. “Unless you’d like a more severe punishment,” he added.

  “She can stay here and stay head waitress,” Olivia offered. “I don’t care. I know what it’s like to want something so badly you’d try just about anything.”

  “No,” Niles said. “It’s time for her to move on.”

  For a moment, Mary’s eyes held hope. Wayne knew she was thinking Belen, but Belen was not a possibility, and Mary had to know there was no way Niles would take her with him now.

  “I’ll go wherever you say, Mr. Niles,” Mary said. She stood slowly then started for the door. She’d gone just a few yards when she stopped and turned around. “I truly am sorry, Olivia. I liked you from the moment you moved in. And when you helped me with that irate customer, I wanted to apologize, but I was ashamed.”

  She closed the door behind her. Niles rubbed a hand over his eyes. “I’ll see that she’s taken care of.”

  “Good,” Olivia said softly, “then the prayer worked.”

  Seated across from a woman who’d just shown mercy when mercy wasn’t called for was humbling. And in that moment, for some reason Wayne thought of the photo Kolb had taken and wished it truly could be called a family photo.

  Olivia took over for Mary and worked the evening shift even though it was her day off. The other girls knew something was amiss and desperately wanted the gossip, but picking up on Mr. Niles’s difficult mood, they wisely left the matter alone. Olivia was grateful. She didn’t think she could take any more excitement today.

  Of course, she was wrong.

  The restaurant closed at nine. Ten minutes before Mr. Niles was set to lock the door, Jasper Ennis walked in.

  “Olivia,” he said.

  A coldness crept up her spine. “Mr. Ennis, what are you doing here?” Then hope surged, and she rushed toward him. “Did you find my father? Do you have news?”

  He looked distastefully at her uniform. “I have answers for all your questions. Do you need to go change?”

  “No, it will be at least two hours before I’ve cleaned my station and prepped for tomorrow.”

  “My dear, you don’t need to worry about shifts ever again.” He glanced around and frowned. “Surely, after working here, you realize that my offer was generous.”

  “You mean your offer of marriage?”

  Behind her, she heard Michelle gasp and whisper to someone, “Go get Mr. Gregory.” Dinah hustled over. “Sir, may I seat you?”

  “You may seat both of us.”

  “I’m working,” Olivia said.

  “Oh, sit down with him.” Daniel called from a corner table as he took a drink of his coffee. “You girls work too hard. It’s the end of the day.”

  Niles, who Olivia hadn’t even realized was nearby, spoke up. “It’s your day off anyway, Olivia. If this is an old friend, please feel free to visit.”

  “Don’t make her,” Michelle whispered.

  Mr. Ennis chose his own table, away from the lingering customers and near a window. Olivia followed, each step feeling heavier. She suddenly understood the old adage “No news is good news.”

  Michelle brought two glasses of tea.

  Olivia tried to keep her hand from shaking as she reached for hers.

  “Olivia, you are even lovelier than I remember.” Mr. Ennis didn’t smile. Nothing in his manner gave credence to his words.

  “Thank you, Mr. Ennis, for the compliment, but surely that’s not what you came to say.”

  “No, and I’m not sure this is the appropriate setting.”

  The tea glass slipped, but Olivia caught it. No doubt Mr. Ennis thought an appropriate setting would be somewhere private. “Do you have any news about my father?”

  His hand, cold and white, snaked across the table and settled on top of hers. She flinched but didn’t move. She didn’t want to give him any excuse not to talk.

  “Your father is dead. I’ve already seen to the burial. I wanted to save you that distress and—”

  “Oh!”

  Michelle’s outburst saved Olivia. She removed her hand and sat up straight. It was the only way she could breathe. She would not let this man see her cry. He’d use this weakness to encourage her to marry him, and she would rather waitress forever. She’d rather wash a million sugar bowls. She’d rather live the rest of her days owning only one dress!

  “You’re taking this well,” Mr. Ennis observed.

  “It’s not exactly a surprise. If my father were alive, he’d have come for me.” She carefully set down the tea glass. Michelle was over by the small breakfast nook in deep discussion with Mr. Gregory. Her hands were moving a mile a minute.

  Oh, Michelle, Olivia thought, my papa’s dead. He’s dead.

  “Very mature, Olivia. This little stint as a waitress has given you a woman’s insight. Hopefully your time here has encouraged you to think about my marriage proposal. Surely you miss the way of life your father provided.” Mr. Ennis started removing papers from his briefcase.

  “I miss my father. He was my life. You cannot replace that, Mr. Ennis. Again, I must decline your offer.” She wanted him to leave, now. She wanted to run to the edge of the canyon and scream her anguish into the unknown.

  “Young lady, you are being foolish.” Mr. Ennis placed two pieces of paper in front of her. “I know what your father would want, and he’d want you to be well cared for. I can amply provide for you. I understand there’s a minister working for the Harvey Company. He can perform the service tonight.”

  “But he won’t,” Mr. Gregory said, pulling up a chair and joining them.

  “I don’t believe I know you—” Mr. Ennis began.

  “I’m the minister you’re talking about. I’m also Olivia’s manager.” He picked up the first piece of paper and glanced at it. “Ah, a marriage license, very forward thinking of you.”

  “I must insist—” Mr. Ennis began.

  “And what’s this?” Mr. Gregory did the same to the second piece of paper. “Ah, the deed to Olivia’s property. You do need her signature on this and soon, since you have an offer for her father’s factory.”

  “There’s been an offer on my father’s factory?” Olivia sputtered.

  “I hardly think you’re qualified—”

  “Oh, I’m more than qualified. I’m also a lawyer. I wear many hats.”

  Daniel slid his chair over. Between him and Mr. Gregory, they had Mr. Ennis outnumbered and hemmed in. Niles leaned against a distant wall as if ready to join them at the first sign of trouble.

  Dani
el picked up the two papers. “You look at them?” he asked Mr. Gregory.

  Mr. Gregory nodded.

  “Wait a minute,” Olivia said. “What’s going on here?”

  “I’ve been expecting you to have a visitor,” Daniel said. “And I’m not surprised to find it’s your father’s lawyer.”

  “Who are you?” Mr. Ennis asked dryly.

  “Daniel Applegate. I work for Baldwin-Felts. Ah, I see by your frown that you’ve heard of them. Olivia’s hired me to look into her father’s disappearance. I assume you’re here to tell her of his demise.”

  “I hired you?” Olivia downed the last of her tea.

  “You did,” Daniel nodded. Then he turned back to Mr. Ennis. “Oh, by the way, I’m also an acquaintance of your friend Frank Warren, I mean LeRoy Baker. He relieved me of some money quite a few years ago.”

  Olivia stood, too fast, and had to sit as dizziness embraced her. Daniel Applegate, the harmless man who knew more about the Grand Canyon than the rangers, who always sat in her station, who spent a lot of time and money in the gift shop, was a detective? And had also been taken in by LeRoy Baker?

  Even more unbelievable was Jasper Ennis—her father’s lawyer. He was turning red and trying to stand up and gather his papers.

  “Daniel, what are you trying to tell me?” Olivia thought she knew, but surely she was mistaken. She’d known Mr. Ennis since childhood. He’d eaten at their table. He’d helped carry her mother’s casket. He’d asked Olivia to marry him!

  “Unless I miss my guess, this man”—Daniel motioned to Mr. Ennis—“helped LeRoy Baker rob your father. I’m not sure how involved he was in the murder, but I’m guessing he knew, and that makes him an accessory. And now that I’ve made an offer on your factory, he needs your signature so he can get his hands on the last of your father’s assets.”

  According to Grace School for Ladies, a real lady never slapped; she fainted. Olivia’s father had wanted her to be a lady, but today she didn’t care. Slapping Mr. Ennis wouldn’t bring her father back. Slapping Mr. Ennis probably gave Mr. Gregory an idea for his next sermon. Slapping Mr. Ennis allowed Olivia to do what she’d needed to do for so long: cry.

  Mr. Niles started to move toward their table, but Mr. Gregory stood, handing Olivia a tissue and positioning himself behind her while putting his hand gently on her shoulder. Michelle collapsed in a chair at the next table. The rest of the Harvey staff started escorting the customers out of the restaurant.

  Mr. Ennis tried to take his papers back. “I—I—this is ludicrous. LeRoy Baker is no friend of mine. I am trying to help Olivia. I will resume my efforts at a later time.”

  “Now seems a good time,” Daniel remarked. “As a matter of fact, Niles and I will escort you to the train depot and then to Williams where the sheriff will be glad to hear about your efforts from the comfort of a cell.”

  “He was my father’s friend. We trusted him,” Olivia said softly.

  “‘For the love of money is the root of all evil,’” Daniel said, quoting First Timothy. Niles came over, and the two of them escorted an unwilling Mr. Ennis from the room.

  Within moments, a passel of Harvey Girls surrounded both Olivia and Mr. Gregory. Olivia was pushed back down into her chair and given a fresh glass of tea to hold. Not that she could drink it. For a moment, the shock of the news had diminished the truth. Her father was dead. When the noise finally died down, she looked up at Mr. Gregory.

  “Olivia,” he said, “I want to help you.”

  Not one person in the dining room could mistake his offer as being anything but a proclamation of commitment, and not just in helping her get over the sorrow of her father’s death.

  Olivia recognized it, too, and wanted so much to embrace the offer, but instead she said, “None of this surprised you.”

  “No,” Mr. Gregory admitted. “Daniel’s had us watching out for you for quite a while now.”

  “And how long have you known my father was dead?” She watched the eyes of this man, this preacher, this person who preached honesty so effortlessly. “You’ve known for a while, haven’t you?”

  “Yes,” he answered.

  Olivia knew he had a reason and that it was probably a good one, but for the moment, the only thing she wanted was the solitude to grieve her father and to grieve the loss of trust.

  Two lawyers had vied for her hand—both were dishonest.

  It took a week to sort out all the papers in Mr. Ennis’s briefcase. Olivia asked Wayne to help, and he did. He made his first foray back into the world of legal documents because he was willing to do anything to appease the woman he loved. The woman he’d lied to. While sitting in the dining room, at the same table Olivia and Jasper Ennis had occupied, Wayne said a silent prayer and waited while Daniel and Olivia read the property bill of sale.

  “I’ve been following Frank Warren for more than a year.” Daniel stood and wandered over to one of the restaurant’s windows. He stared at the blackness engulfing the Grand Canyon. “It’s time to settle down again, spend some time with my family.”

  Somehow the night fit the mood. Ennis and his crimes represented the blackness, and Olivia and Daniel were the defiant stars who would, and could, rise above the evil done to them. Daniel’s handing over the reins of his search for Baker to another Baldwin-Felts agent was a start.

  “You’re a wealthy woman,” Wayne remarked.

  “I’d rather have my papa back than all this money.”

  “I understand,” Daniel said. “Do you have any plans?”

  “First, I’m heading for Topeka. I want to see Mr. Ennis’s trial through to the end. Then if you’ll allow it, I’ll come to Prescott and assist you with starting the business. There are plenty of my father’s employees who deserve that final paycheck.” She looked at Daniel. “I’m hoping you’ll hire most of them back, and then I’ll handle giving them each an endowment. It’s what my papa would have wanted.”

  “What about after that?” Wayne asked carefully. He hated that he had to tread carefully around Olivia.

  “For now, Prescott is my only plan.”

  A few moments of silence followed.

  Wayne watched Olivia, wanting so much to reach for her hands, to offer to travel to Prescott to help sort through the paperwork, to ask for forgiveness again. This woman had forgiven Mary. Why couldn’t she forgive him?

  “I’m going to leave you youngsters alone,” Daniel said. “But, Olivia, first, are you acquainted with the book of Luke?”

  “Not as much as I should be,” Olivia admitted.

  “Luke’s the healer. He mentioned forgiveness quite a bit in his book. Everyone”—Daniel looked at Wayne—“makes mistakes. Sometimes the mistake really belongs to someone else.” With that, he pointed to himself as he left the room.

  Olivia was back to owning three dresses: the one she’d been wearing when Mary slashed the others, the one she created from the two that had been slashed, and one Mary made her during the week she waited for her transfer to come through. Still, packing to leave the El Tovar took about as long as the unpacking had taken. And Olivia felt much the same way: unhappy and alone.

  Unhappy because she’d grown to love the place, the people, and, yes, mostly Mr. Gregory and his daughter, Esther.

  Esther carried the photo of the three of them everywhere and showed it to everyone. Ever since hearing that Olivia would be leaving, the little girl had drawn picture after picture of Olivia. To Olivia’s embarrassment, they were the number one seller in the gift shop. Just when Olivia thought she couldn’t bear her own likeness anymore, Esther deviated. She drew herself in hundreds of different poses, all with tears in her eyes. Even Olivia’s untrained eye recognized the child was saying, Don’t leave me. Stay. I love you. The very words Olivia had seen in Mr. Gregory’s expression for the last week.

  On Sunday Mr. Gregory had preached a sermon about forgiveness that had the employees wiping their eyes. They finished wiping their eyes and then looked at Olivia in disbelief. The need for
forgiveness settled like a lump in Olivia’s stomach and wouldn’t budge.

  Michelle appeared in the doorway of the dormitory room. “I hate that you’re leaving right when we got our friendship back. Forgiveness is a wonderful thing, don’t you think? Tell me you’ll write.”

  “I’ll write.”

  “Better yet, forgive Mr. Gregory and stay here.”

  It didn’t surprise Olivia that every Harvey Girl knew the whole story, but it did surprise her that down to a one, they all thought she should give Mr. Gregory another chance. Even Mary, before she left to go east, quoted a scripture about forgiveness and mentioned how much Olivia’s forgiveness meant.

  The Bible was full of scriptures about forgiveness, and everyone at the Grand Canyon was willing to share their favorite. Daniel had about a hundred. He shared them every time he came in the gift shop during Olivia’s final week.

  Esther and Mrs. Brant stepped up behind Michelle. “We baked cookies,” Esther announced.

  Olivia almost cried. Her trip to the Grand Canyon had been one of little to eat and a race toward the unknown. Her trip away from the Grand Canyon would be one of plenty to eat—every Harvey Girl had stopped by the night before to donate some type of food item—and a race toward the known.

  Olivia was beginning to think she was foolish to leave all this.

  “Papa told me to give you this.” Esther looked down at her shoes instead of meeting Olivia’s eyes. Clearly she was about to do something she didn’t want to do. From behind her back she took a piece of paper. At first Olivia thought it was another drawing, but it wasn’t.

  It was the photo of the three of them.

  “Thank you.” Olivia meant to give it back. Esther adored the photo. But Olivia decided to take one last look.

  Funny, she figured she’d had a shocked expression when Kolb’s bulb had flashed, but instead she looked content.

  “Honey, you keep the photo,” Olivia said.

  Esther put her hands behind her back and shook her head.