by Kari Trumbo
“You haven’t cared about your family since they hired us. When was the last time you even slept at home, or talked to your sister? You tell me to stay away? Why don’t you act like the brother you want to be and go home? I don’t know where this sudden brotherly love came from, but hang it. I’ve already spoken to your father and he’s given his permission to court Lenora as soon as she’s willing. I’ll visit her every day of the week and twice on Sundays if I get a mind to.” Which he did, and young Geoff wouldn’t stop him. A whole herd of bulls couldn’t stop him.
Geoff jumped to his feet and flipped the table over, scattering the cards and wooden black and red chips all over the ground. The two miners scrabbled for their winnings, but Victor kept his eye on Geoff and he knew Cort did, too.
“Now, you listen, and listen good.” Geoff advanced on him, clenching his fist to his side and pointing a threatening finger to Victor’s chest. “You stay away from her or I’ll keep you away.”
Geoff pulled back, but the drink made him slow. Victor nailed him in the mouth and sent him reeling to the floor, a trickle of blood down his lip marred his young face. Pain exploded through Victor’s fist and up his arm, but it didn’t matter. No one would keep him from Lenora, and certainly not the brother who hadn’t cared about her at all for almost a year.
“It’s time for you to go home to that family you care so much about, Geoff. Don’t come back here until you’re willing to calm down. This is a tent for rest, not fights. We aim to keep the Sheriff as far away from this tent as possible, and that won’t happen with you blundering around here drunk and hollering.”
Geoff wiped the back of his hand across his split lip. “I’ll find somewhere else to play before I come back here. You don’t belong here,” he repeated, “I’ll get Winslet to force you out. You won’t get my sister.”
Geoff whipped open the flap of the tent and stumbled into the night. Victor helped Cort pick up the table, but many of the cards were covered in mud. Playing poker with dirty cards would encourage cheating, so the other two men left and Cort sat shuffling the destroyed deck. If Geoff went home, would he fill Lenora’s ears with more tales about him? She’d heard enough from his own mouth to form a horrible opinion, yet she continued to allow herself to speak to him. That alone gave him hope of redemption in her eyes.
“You think Geoff would really do anything? I’ve come to think of Blessings as the place where I might finally be able to stop looking over my shoulder.” Cort was more relaxed than Victor had seen him in a long time, and it suited the usually guarded man. Victor would end up leaving his friend behind when he returned to England, which was a shame.
Victor refused to let Cort worry. “I think Geoff was drunk and looking for a fight. He’s a pup, barely a man, and he’s not following in his father’s footsteps, so he doesn’t know where to place his feet.” But no matter his words, Victor still let Geoff’s threats sink in. The pup could make things difficult.
Cort snorted. “You didn’t exactly follow in your father’s footsteps, either. Yet you’re not picking fights.”
That he wasn’t, but he had in other ways. “I didn’t need to pick fights, I lost money instead. My father hated gambling, but I was good at it. Whenever he would take me to task for being out late or ask me where money came from, or went … I would lose on purpose to hurt him. Then, the money was gone, and I had nothing left to lose. Father wouldn’t even speak to me. Mother was the one who suggested that I try going to America, land of dreams, to find our fortune once again. I see a lot of myself in Geoff, though, I hate to admit it.”
If he could go back and change what he’d done, he wouldn’t have ignored his father. The disrespect he’d shown could never be redeemed, since his father had told him to never come back. If he could direct Geoff back to his father, it might even make Mr. Farnsworth trust him more, but what he really wanted was Lenora’s trust. That would be more precious than gold.
The lamp cast long shadows over Lenora’s small room. Heavy footfalls tromped up the stairwell and she listened to see who it could possibly be at that late hour. Father was in the kitchen, tending to the stove, and Mother was already abed. Only one other person had the key to the doors and he hadn’t been home for many days.
Her father’s low rumbling voice drifted through the walls.
“Geoff, we need to talk. You’ve been drinking and haven’t come home when you should. Are you a son who lives in this house, or a man who’s set out on his own? I need to know. Lenora has taken your rightful place by my side at work, but it’s my son who should be taking over the business, not my daughter.”
The words hit her like ice down her back. She’d tried so hard to please him, to work and learn, to show him she was worthy of educating. Yet, she wasn’t good enough. She’d shown Father that he needed help and he’d turned it all around.
It had been so long since she felt close to Geoff, and now a new wedge would be between them. Geoff’s voice chilled her as it drifted through the thin wall, distant, slurred, and tired.
“I’m only here for the night. I’ll find somewhere else tomorrow.”
“Do you have a job, Geoff? I know you aren’t mining. You need money to buy food, find a place to stay.”
There had been jobs at the mine, the men were constantly coming and going. Some would tell her there was more gold than a man could ever find in these hills, others were sure it had all been found in the area and they quickly moved on. Though Mr. Winslet wouldn’t hire everyone, he would hire Geoff if he asked. Geoff would only need to ask, and he would have everything Victor had wanted from the start. Though it made her angry, she couldn’t fault Mr. Winslet, there was wisdom in his decision.
“I’ll find something. Don’t bother with worrying about me now. I wouldn’t want to take Lenora away from her work.” She could almost hear the sneer in her brother’s voice.
“If you can act as a man, then I have a job for you. Lenora has shown me the necessity for having help in the office, but I want my son to do it. I would pay you a dollar a day to come and assist me.”
Lenora gasped at the injustice, first he’d given away her job right under her nose, then offered pay for it, when he’d never offered her a dime. She’d worked, learning everything her father had put before her, yet she would never be good enough in her father’s eyes, because she wasn’t his son. She’d dreamed of becoming a lawyer, to be a partner in Father’s business. Now Geoff, the wanderer, would get that honor.
“You don’t want me working for you. You don’t trust me. You didn’t trust me to watch over the family, and you don’t now, either.”
“That isn’t true.” Her father’s voice was level, calming, even with her building anger. “I do trust you and I want you to consider taking on the family business, become a lawyer, like me.”
“I’m no lawyer.” Geoff’s words slurred with fierce anger.
“Not yet, but you’ll never know if it’s something you want to do unless you see what it entails. Go. Sleep in your bed tonight. Get a good night’s rest and join me tomorrow morning.”
Her whole body was heavy with the weight of the betrayal. For that was just what it was. Her father had used her talents to improve his business, then cast her aside. Perhaps it had been his plan all along. Geoff hadn’t shown his face in their home since it was finished. They hadn’t known just where he was sleeping and since he was close enough to the age of a man, her father hadn’t seen the need to seek him out. Yet the moment he showed up at their door, he was welcomed back with open arms and given her dream on a platter. Her heart ached, and she longed for someone to talk to, but who would listen?
Would her father even take her aside and tell her his change of plans, or would he just ignore her? His lack of care left such a deep wound. There would be no helping with transcription or filing, and no excuse to sit by the window and watch for Victor. Without her work, she would have no reason to seek him out, nor would she be able to entertain him. She’d be stuck at home with Mother, who didn
’t want to see anyone.
Blessings only had a few businesses, a saloon, the mercantile, the land office, the mines, and a seamstress, who was married to the sheriff. The seamstress would be the most likely place for her to find work, though, with so few women living in town, Pati might not have much to keep herself busy, much less another person. The prospects were grim.
Lenora knelt in front of the hard, wooden slab that was her bed and lowered her head. She did not pray aloud for fear of being heard by her father or brother. Lord, I know you hear my innermost thoughts. I can’t just sit here and rot away, helping my Mother who resents me because I want to be here. I came to Blessings to support this town, to be a woman of strength. Help me to find just where I belong, where I fit in. Help me to be strong and not angry about my father’s machinations. I do love my brother, and I know he deserves Father’s attention and needs his guiding hand. Help my heart to understand that in my loss… Amen.
Her heart slowed to a normal pace and she crawled off the floor into her uncomfortable bed. Just thinking the words of her simple prayer helped to lessen the hurt. And as the Lord worked on her heart, she trusted it would only get better. Geoff had been hurt, and as a man, didn’t know how to deal with it. Father would teach him. Geoff needed Father more than she did. She was an adult, a little older and perhaps wiser.
Yet, even after her prayer, she still had no strong idea of her own path. Before that evening, it had been clear; work with Father and see Victor. It had been many months since she’d gone a full day without seeing Victor. Tomorrow would be a test of her will.
Chapter 9
As morning dawned, Lenora pulled herself up from her bed, stiff as the wood slab she slept on. Her feather bed was the one item she missed from Boston and she’d never begrudge anyone who chose to sleep on the ground again. For when it was dry, the ground was much softer and more giving than her wooden plank, though at least her plank was off the floor.
The morning light, gently seeping through her thin curtains—made from petticoats that had been ruined on the trip—put the day in order, and she bent her head to thank the Lord for the sun. Finally, after what seemed like forever in the wet and gloomy weather, glorious sun had appeared. It was already warm enough that putting on all her layers was a tedious and daunting task, but there weren’t many other options. She wore what women were expected to wear, stockings, drawers, two petticoats, chemise, stays, skirt, and bodice. Dressing never took less than fifteen minutes. Even with the bright rays shining in the window, she couldn’t claim the happiness she’d had for the last few weeks, her home felt more like a prison than it had since they’d moved in.
Father waited for her in the kitchen and graced her with a quick kiss on the forehead. Geoff sat at the table, his eyes droopy and mouth slack. It appeared that he could use a few more winks, or coffee stronger than Father was wont to make it.
“Good morning, Brother. Glad to see you.” If only it were true. Though she missed Geoff, his appearance had upended her pleasant life.
He shifted his gaze to her for a moment and his lip protruded a bit farther, fuller than she remembered it.
“What happened to your mouth, were you stung by a bee?” She tilted his head to get a better look and he yanked his head away from her grasp, muttering under his breath.
Father approached and pulled out the chair for her. “Your brother was in a bit of a brawl last night, with Mr. Abernathy. I must say, I was a little surprised. I’d thought better of him.”
Victor had fought with her brother? She couldn’t imagine why, they’d seemed to get along so well, even better than Geoff had with the family. They’d talked the whole way to Blessings like fast friends.
“What could you have possibly said to make him hit you?” She poured a dash of milk in her coffee, it wasn’t good to waste it, they didn’t have much to spare, but even Father’s weak coffee never sat well in her stomach without it.
“What did I say? I told him to stay away from you.” His eyes narrowed. “And I would think that after he did this to me, that you’d show the respect to your family that we’re due and stay away from him, also.”
Her heart sank, and she looked to her father for guidance. He’d encouraged her to trust Victor, would he now change his mind? He nodded slightly, in agreement with Geoff and more of her world crumbled.
“I think perhaps we should let Mr. Abernathy make his money and then set his course to mistier shores. I apparently made a hasty decision when it came to my impression of the man.”
No, it couldn’t be. She’d grown to almost need to see him daily. If her father forbade it, she couldn’t go against his wishes. She would be stuck in Blessings with no one who understood her. Alone.
“Lenora, I’ve decided that Geoff will be joining me down in the office. You’re welcome to go wherever you need, just please stay away from the tent in the woods, and do give Mr. Abernathy his space until he can either be more civilized or he decides to make this situation right. I’ll be letting the sheriff and the men at mine security know of his brawling ways later today.”
Brawling? Geoff’s lip was barely swollen. It seemed completely unfair. Not to mention, Geoff would’ve had to seek Victor out, since he’d been with her the evening before.
“Are you perfectly certain it was Victor, I was out on a walk with him until the evening.”
Geoff turned dark, angry eyes on her. “Yes, I’m sure. I was in his little gambling tent in the woods, where he plans to make back all the money he’s lost, kidnap you, and then run back to merry old England, happy as a lark.”
Her father gasped in his shock and Lenora felt her own mouth go slack. Kidnap her? She would never agree to go to England, Victor knew that. But he’d already asked for her hand, why would he feel the need to take her forcibly? Had he really said as much to Geoff? Did her father not realize how close she’d come to accepting? When he pestered her and made her feel like the only woman in the world, it was so difficult to think of reasons to say no.
“In that case,” her father’s voice lowered to a growl, she’d never heard him sound so, “You will stay far away from him and I will certainly bring this to Winslet.”
“Father!” She stood, unable to keep quiet any longer. “You all but told me to trust him, encouraged me, even when you knew he wanted to go back to England. You would take Geoff’s word without even asking Victor to explain himself? You would besmirch his name?”
Her father took two steps toward her, then stopped. “I’ve told you what I expect of you, young lady. You will obey me.”
He descended the stairs, leaving her with Geoff.
She could not hold her tongue. Her stomach clenched and she could hold her words no longer. “You had to meddle, you just had to. You haven’t cared one bit for any of us, had nothing to say but biting words. I don’t believe for one moment what you’ve said about Victor. And now you’ve taken away the one person who went out of their way to see me. You came back here because you had nowhere to go, then took everything that mattered to me. Forgive me if I don’t welcome you back with open arms.”
He slid his chair back and stood, swaying slightly. “I know you don’t believe it, but I did it for your own good. He would hurt you, Lenora. A man like him doesn’t change. It’s men like him who would turn Blessings into exactly the town that Mr. Winslet doesn’t want. That’s why he can’t have a job. He does have a gambling tent, ask him. He is planning to go back to England, and he’s planning to take you with him, whether you would choose to go or not. He’d steal you if he had to. He isn’t the man you think he is, Lenora. Father never should’ve trusted him.”
Her heart had wanted to believe he’d changed. He’d told her of his bad behavior in England, when he’d taunted her with his exploits. He’d told her things that had made her ears burn with embarrassment, but never so much that she would know what she ought not. Though, she had a sneaking suspicion that he would happily teach her should she ever agree to marry him.
But all thos
e other women didn’t marry him…
She grabbed her bonnet and rushed down the stairs, avoiding her father as she scrambled out the door. Dash it all, was Geoff right? Was Victor still a drinking, gambling, cad who was only looking to bed her? But if that was all he was looking for, wouldn’t he have tried by now? He’d had her alone at the livery just the night before and he’d done nothing. He wouldn’t have to take her all the way to England, and if he was as violent as her father thought, he would’ve just taken her when he desired, yet he hadn’t. In fact, his blatant pursuit had slowed and now was almost like he was courting her properly.
She moved further down the street, away from the land office and away from Winslet House, toward the mines. Between them, near the creek, stood a small wooden shack with two windows and an open door. It was the only business on that end of town. The little seamstress shop where Pati, the wife of the sheriff, worked. Though there were very few women in Blessings so far, Pati kept them in dresses and repaired damaged clothing. That little shop was about the only place where she could apply any of the gentler skills she’d learned in Boston. Since Geoff had taken her position, it was unlikely Father would allow her to be a lawyer as she’d hoped—unless Geoff failed, and she refused to hope for that.
Though it was early, she heard soft humming coming from inside the small building. Lenora stood in the doorway and knocked on the jamb. The woman, with short, dark wavy hair and a pleasant smile, looked up from her work and a friendship was forged.
“Morning! What might I do for you?”
Lenora took a deep breath and put on what she hoped was a confident smile. “I’m Lenora Farnsworth, and I’m looking for work.”
Birds sang in the trees surrounding the tent and Cort snored softly on his cot, but Victor couldn’t sleep. For a man who’d been consumed with pleasures for so many years, he could hardly account for what he felt at that moment, laying on the hard cot that served as his bed. Splinters from the last few days of work throbbed in his hands, and his feet and his back ached. But all he could think about was the look of wonder on Lenora’s face when she’d seen his handiwork. A burst of pride like he’d never felt before had rushed straight to his head and hadn’t left.
