“Your horse threw a shoe? You didn’t get it from the hotel, I imagine—Tom would never send an animal out with a loose shoe.”
Gilbert looked chagrined. “No, I rented it from the livery stable in town. I suppose that will teach me.”
“As it should. If you want something done right, you should talk to the people who do it best, and in this case, that would be Tom.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” He nodded toward her. “Now tell me about the gun.”
“The gun? What gun?” She feigned innocence and put on an overly bright face.
“The gun you held on me just now. The gun that’s now tucked away in your pocket.”
“Oh, that gun.” Grace smiled. “Yes, it’s mine. I bought it a few months ago.”
“You own a gun?”
She tilted her head to the side. “You realize, don’t you, that the world can be a scary place for a young woman? And we’re on the edge of civilization here, as it were? What if you hadn’t been you? What if you’d been some stranger lurking in those trees?” Thoughts of Nora’s predicament flashed through her mind, and she shuddered. She wished the girl had been able to defend herself in some way. Every girl deserved that chance.
“You’re right, of course. I’m just surprised. You may be the first young lady I know who carries a pistol with her.”
“Many of us do at the Brody. We’ve had a lot of things happen, perhaps more than our fair share, and it’s just best that way.”
Gilbert raised an eyebrow. “Again, I’m surprised, but even more than that, I’m impressed. Now, we’ve discussed why I’m here—what about you?”
Grace stretched her arms out to indicate the blanket and her saddlebags. “What you see here is a forced day off. The pastor’s wife all but threw me out of the hotel and told me to enjoy myself. So here I am.”
“She threw you out, did she?”
“She did, and she was very mean, too. She made me borrow some new books, and she told me to go do something I liked.”
“Oh, that’s just horrible. I’ve never heard of anything so rotten.”
“I may never recover.” Grace flipped open the top of one of the saddlebags. “Are you hungry? I have enough to share.”
“I am, if you wouldn’t mind.”
“Of course not.” Grace divided the food in half, glad Ruth had provided two napkins. The cook couldn’t have known Grace would run into Gilbert, so that wasn’t planned, but it was a very nice coincidence nonetheless. “You may join me in my outcast state. We have to sit here and listen to the river while we eat.”
Gilbert nodded, looking thoughtful. “Just what did you do to deserve all this punishment?”
“Worked too hard, apparently. The pastor’s wife told me that I’ve lost my spark.”
“I’m not sure I know what that means,” Gilbert said as he placed his meat and cheese between two slices of bread.
“Mostly that I’m not myself. And I agree—I haven’t even felt like myself. But this is helping.” Grace motioned toward the river.
“And then I’ve come along to spoil your solitude and eat all your food,” Gilbert said, sounding rueful. “You must allow me to make it up to you.”
“Maybe. What do you have in mind?” Grace was surprised to hear that he wanted to spend time with her. Of course he was visiting with her now—she was the person he stumbled upon when his horse threw a shoe. There wasn’t much choice in that. But now he was making arrangements to see her again, on purpose. Whatever for, though? Was he that bored on his visit to Topeka?
Chapter Nine
When Gilbert had caught a flash of light blue through the trees, he hadn’t expected to come upon Grace from the hotel. He thought that perhaps he’d found a fisherman or someone else who might be able to help him back to town. He’d looped his horse’s reins over a tree branch and walked down to the riverbank only to find himself looking at the barrel of a gun.
Now, sitting here with Grace and eating half her food, he couldn’t think of anywhere else he’d rather be. She looked beautiful in a lighter dress, just as he’d thought she would. It wasn’t pink, but the blue set off her eyes and made them even more enchanting.
“Just what did you have in mind? To make up for disturbing me today,” she clarified.
“While I was looking around town, I noticed a boarding house down Main Street a few blocks. Since you’re not serving dinner at the hotel tonight, would you like to eat at the boarding house with me instead?” He kept his voice light, but he hoped she’d say yes. He was still unsure just what she was doing to him, but his heart was racing, and he resisted the urge to cross his fingers behind his back like a schoolboy. It was quite ridiculous, really.
“That would be nice. And I’m guessing that after you’ve finished eating my picnic, you’ll go take care of your poor horse and let me get back to my book?”
“What? Oh, yes. Yes, of course I will.” Gilbert had it in his head that they’d spend the day together, but now that he thought about it, he realized that wouldn’t work. She’d come out here on purpose to be alone, and he’d spoiled all her plans. “Shall I just walk back into town, then?”
“That would be best, since you can’t ride. Shouldn’t take you more than an hour and a quarter.”
She said this very casually, as though it was nothing at all, and perhaps to her, it wasn’t. But Gilbert wasn’t used to hiking through the wilderness for any length of time, let alone over an hour, and he had to press his lips together to keep from saying something sharp. Instead, he forced himself to smile. “And you can’t be prevailed upon to rescue me?”
She gave him an arch look. “Mr. Howard, I’ve already given you my food, including half my tart, which was a great sacrifice for me because I love tarts. I’m not sure what else you expect me to do.”
He took a deep breath, ready to reply, but then he noticed that the corners of her mouth were twitching.
She couldn’t remain serious any longer. “Of course I’ll help you get back to town, Gilbert. I wasn’t going to leave you to figure it out by yourself. I don’t imagine you’ve spent much time in nature, have you?”
“I’ve left the house a time or two. I can identify a tree when I see one,” he said, feeling ridiculous for taking offense. It was a sorry day when he couldn’t find humor in a pretty young lady’s bantering—and even more evidence that he was letting pride dictate his reactions.
“I’m so glad.” She smiled. “Are you ready to leave now? We can ride together on my horse and lead yours.”
“I’d appreciate that.” Gilbert stood and gave her a hand up, then they packed the napkins and the water jar. They’d eaten all the food, so there were no scraps, and they were ready to go within a few minutes.
“Where’s your horse?” Grace asked, and Gilbert led the way.
Once his horse was tied to the back of the other animal’s saddle, Grace hopped up and then turned to Gilbert. “I just assumed that you’d ride behind me, if that’s all right, considering that I know the trail.”
“That’s fine,” Gilbert said. He mounted as well, although he felt rather awkward sitting behind a woman rather than taking the reins himself. He wasn’t an avid horseman by any means, but the few times he had ridden with a woman, she’d been behind him. He supposed that his expectations were going to be challenged several times that day.
They reached town quickly, and Grace brought them safely to the livery stable. “I’ll leave you to it,” she said, not dismounting. “I have a novel to finish. I’ll see you in the lobby around six?”
He nodded, unable to do much more, and watched her canter away.
What a completely confusing, intriguing woman.
***
“And then she rode off and left me standing there,” Gilbert said, shaking his head.
Stephen laughed and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. Planting a garden was hot, sweaty work, and Gilbert was trying to decide exactly how he’d gotten roped in to helping with this project.
<
br /> “Grace is one of a kind,” Stephen said. “Sounds like you’re discovering that for yourself.”
“Yes, I am, and I have to say, she has me utterly befuddled. I think I’ve spent too long in Denver society, surrounded by the debutantes Mother wants me to marry. That’s a ridiculous tradition, by the way, and I wish she would stop dragging me out to those sorts of things.”
“I thought you enjoyed debutante balls.” Stephen began to hoe up the next row of earth so Gilbert could follow behind with the seeds.
“I used to, but now I find them insufferable.”
“That’s a sign of maturity,” Stephen said, sounding as though he approved.
“Of maturity, or old age? To listen to the tongues wag, I’m never going to marry, and that would cause quite the tragedy in Denver. We need to make a go of this business so I can leave all that behind me.”
“Again, maturity. I didn’t think you’d ever want to leave Denver. You’re quite popular there.”
“I have nothing against the town itself. It’s the expectations, the gossip. I admire you, Stephen. You’ve always known what you want, and you’ve had the courage to go after it. You’re my inspiration in this new endeavor, and I hope to emulate your courage as we move forward.”
“Whoa, little brother. Now who’s placing expectations? I can’t live up to those kinds of accolades,” Stephen protested.
“I’m not asking you to be anything other than what you’ve always been. You created that expectation yourself.” Gilbert finished dropping the cucumber seeds in that row, and they moved on.
“I suppose that’s one of the perils of being an astonishing fellow,” Stephen said lightheartedly. “I don’t think we’ve solved your current problem, though.”
Gilbert didn’t have to ask what he meant. His mind went right back to Grace—it never had left her, in truth. “I think I’ve become so used to girls who agree with everything I say that I’m not sure how to respond to one who seems ready to contradict me at every turn.”
“That’s what she does? I think that’s good for you. It’s time someone did.”
Gilbert thought about it for a moment. His mother had given him his way almost without exception as he was growing up, and he’d expected that as his natural due. When he received her letter, it had come as a shock to him because it was the first time he had ever been told he was wrong, and he hadn’t known how to absorb that knowledge. How does one learn if one is never corrected? Now he was facing the grim reality that he had to reshape his perspective about everything, and it left him unsteady and not knowing who he was or what his place was in the world. That was one of the many reasons why he’d come to his big brother for advice. He trusted Stephen completely.
“You’re right,” he said at last. “I do need to be shown the error of my ways, and what better teacher than a pretty young woman?”
“I can’t even think of anyone better,” Stephen replied. “Grace is intelligent and strong, and I think you’ve made an excellent choice.”
“I haven’t chosen her,” Gilbert protested. “Who said anything about choosing someone? This is dinner, nothing more.”
Stephen held up a hand and laughed. “You’ve chosen to ask her for dinner. Gracious, Gilbert—feeling a little sensitive, are you? I’m not trying to marry you off. I’m talking about one evening out of your whole life.”
Gilbert chuckled too, feeling sheepish. “You’re right—I’m being too sensitive. Still thinking about Mother’s attempts to match me up. This is one night, and I’m only having dinner with her. It doesn’t have to be more than that.” Although, with the way she made his heart pound and his brain buzz and his palms sweat like they never had before, it seemed that he was likely to be hung up on her for a long time to come.
Chapter Ten
Grace finished her novel with a contented sigh and stretched out on her bed, staring at the ceiling. What a perfectly wonderful day. She’d done almost nothing but read, and she didn’t think anything could be better than that. Tomorrow, she’d be diving back in to her regular duties, but this much-needed break would give her the strength to do that. Olivia had been exactly right, but Grace didn’t know if she’d tell her that. The last thing Olivia needed was another stroke to her ego.
Somewhat regretfully, Grace stood up and shook the wrinkles out of her dress. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to have dinner with Gilbert—she was just reluctant to bring an end to her solitude. It had been absolutely wonderful.
She unpinned her hair, ran a brush through it, then pinned it up again, leaving some tendrils by her face. It had been a long while since she’d gone out somewhere with a young man, and she’d almost forgotten what it was like. She turned her head from side to side, studying herself in the mirror. She wasn’t glamorous, but she’d do, she supposed.
Gilbert was waiting in the parlor when she came down the stairs, and he stood from the sofa as soon as she entered. “Hello there. You look rather well rested. Did you have a pleasant afternoon?”
“Very pleasant,” she replied. “And you?”
He chuckled. “It was productive, but not exactly pleasant. I helped my brother put in his garden. Shall we go?” He made a sweeping gesture toward the door, and she smiled.
“Yes, let’s.”
April evenings were some of Grace’s favorites, and she inhaled deeply when she stepped out onto the porch. “Planting a garden is hard work, but the rewards more than make up for it,” she said.
“True, and Stephen promised me that I could share in whatever he grows as long as I keep lending a hand. I suppose that’s one of the benefits of moving to Topeka.”
Grace cast a sidelong glance at him as they passed through the gate. He looked freshly shaved since she’d seen him earlier—he’d obviously made an effort to look nice for her tonight. That was flattering. “You’ve definitely decided to move?”
“I have. Now I just need the business opportunities to back that up.” He paused and then chuckled. “But I don’t suppose you want to hear about business. It’s not exactly exciting, I’m sure.”
“No, I actually find it quite interesting. What progress have you made?”
As they walked toward Mrs. Dempsey’s boarding house, Gilbert filled her in on everything he’d been doing, from obtaining a bank loan to locating a building. “I’ve received two telegrams of recommendation from former associates, so that’s a good start,” he continued. “And I believe I found a good spot to build our future offices—it’s not too far from the railroad or the river, a nice compromise for working with both avenues of transportation.”
“That sounds very promising,” Grace said, coming to a stop and resting her hand on Mrs. Dempsey’s fence. “And yet you sound apprehensive. Aren’t you excited?”
“I’m excited, but yes, apprehensive as well. This is my chance to prove that I’m something besides my father’s son. Proving it not only to others, but to myself as well.”
Grace looked up into his face. She liked what she saw in his eyes, a depth that hadn’t been there before. “You’ve changed,” she said, wondering why she was being so forward. “You’re not the man who was here last winter.”
“I hope that’s a good thing.” He returned her searching gaze, and she suddenly flushed and looked down at the ground.
“Yes, it’s a good thing.” She pulled in a deep breath to center herself and then met his look again, this time unflinchingly. “I didn’t like you at all before, and now, here we are, having dinner together. That has to mean something.”
He chuckled and opened the gate. “Yes, I say that it does.”
Mrs. Dempsey was delighted to see them and invited them inside. “I only have two boarders right now, so that will make for a quiet dinner,” she said. “I hope that’s all right.”
“It’s more than all right,” Gilbert said. “I wonder, though, if we might eat at the kitchen table instead of the dining room table.”
Mrs. Dempsey gave him a look of confusion. “You’d rather sit
in the kitchen?”
“That’s right. Miss McAllister and I are just in the process of getting to know each other, you see, and we’d like to be able to talk without interruption.”
She nodded. “I understand. Yes, young people must be given time for all their chitchat and whatever else goes into courting these days. My kitchen isn’t fancy, but it’s as neat as a pin, and I’ll make sure you’re quite comfortable.”
Grace opened her mouth to tell Mrs. Dempsey that she and Gilbert weren’t courting, but before she could form the words, he was thanking her, and she was leading them through the dining room.
“Here you are,” she said, indicating the table. “I’ll have it set for you in a jiffy.”
Grace watched with some amusement as Mrs. Dempsey whisked out a lace tablecloth, candlesticks, and two plates with matching cups and silverware. “If you’d ever like a job at the Brody, Mrs. Dempsey, I’m sure you’ve got one,” she said. “I’ve never seen anyone set a table so fast.”
“While that’s a nice thing to say, dear, I prefer my own little boarding house,” she said, one hand on her hip. “I get to be a lot more choosy about who I let in through my doors. Now, dinner tonight is roast chicken. I hope that suits.”
“It does,” Grace said, and Gilbert nodded.
Once they had been served, neither Gilbert nor Grace said anything for several minutes while they ate. Then Grace asked the question that had been buzzing around in her brain.
“So, why the change? Moving to Topeka, starting your own company, being nice . . . sorry, but you have to admit, your behavior is much improved over what it used to be. What’s brought all this about?”
Gilbert swallowed the bite he’d taken. “My mother encouraged me to be a better man,” he said simply.
“And you took it to heart. That says a lot for your respect for your mother.”
Gilbert nodded. “She and I have had our differences over the years, but at the core of it, I do respect her. I haven’t cared for her matchmaking schemes overly much, but I know her heart is in the right place.”
An Unspoken Dream (Kansas Crossroads Book 13) Page 6
