by Emma Ashwood
This was wrong, surely. She shouldn’t be finding another man attractive when the man she was supposed to be here to marry was dead. That didn’t feel right.
Unable to look at Austin without staring, she turned to look at Agnes.
“I’m so sorry for putting both of you out. Especially you, Agnes, seeing as you were on the same coach.”
Agnes smiled and patted her hand.
“You’re not putting us out. We’re just sorry you have to arrive to this.”
Penny bit her lip. The knowledge that Cody was dead didn’t seem to be sinking in. And in a robbery? Someone had killed him for no reason? She swallowed back the lump in her throat.
“Did he…did he suffer?”
Agnes glanced at Austin, who looked stony-faced.
“From what the sheriff said, no. It would have been immediate. They haven’t caught the robbers yet.”
Penny let out a shuddering breath, rubbing her hands over her face.
“Oh, Cody. I’m so sorry.”
There was some movement and then Austin was kneeling in front of her, looking up at her with his beautiful eyes.
“What are you sorry about?”
Penny almost fell into those eyes. She looked away and felt her face going warm.
“I just feel like I need to say it.”
“You have nothing to be sorry about.” Agnes assured her.
That may have been the case but Penny knew she was stuck. Stuck in a place she didn’t know with only strangers about. She twisted the handkerchief in her hands.
“But what am I going to do now? I can’t go back home; Mother and Father locked me in my room so I could be made to marry a man I dislike back home. I don’t want to go back, not when I know they’ll have me chained to a nosy chaperone for the rest of my life just to make sure I stay married to that…”
Then Penny saw Austin’s face. His jaw had hardened, his eyes turning into granite-like stone. Was he angry for her? Penny hadn’t had a man angry on her behalf before, other than to get her attention.
“Well,” Agnes spoke as if she hadn’t noticed the tension, “You could always stay here.”
“Here?” Penny sighed. “I was going to. Cody was going to help me get set up here. Find me a job.”
Now she couldn’t do that. Not with Cody gone. Then she felt warm hands on hers and looked up to see Austin looking up at her. His eyes were still hard but they were emanating warmth, smiling at her in a way that made Penny glad she was sitting down.
“You don’t need to worry about that. We know a few people looking for workers around here. I’m sure we could find you a job.”
“Really?”
“Really.” Austin chuckled and squeezed her hands. “You don’t need to be so worried. We’ll look after you. Is there anything in particular you would like to do?”
Look after her? Penny only wished he would. She pushed the thoughts away.
“I’d work in anything. My parents said I didn’t need to get a job because I had all the money I could ask for.” She winced when she realized how that sounded. “That made me sound like a rich snob, didn’t it?”
Austin grinned. He didn’t look at all offended.
“It’s not uncommon to have wealthy people arrive here with the intention of starting afresh. Not all of them have your enthusiasm, though.” He sat back and Penny could feel the heat leaving her hands as his hands left hers. “What do you enjoy doing the most? That could be a place to start.”
“I like fashion.” Penny said without thinking. “My friends say I have a good eye. I can look at someone and know what color would be perfect for them.”
It was a knack she had had. Her friends had reveled in it and Penny was delighted she could be useful to them.
“Is Judith Castellanos still looking for an assistant, Austin?” Agnes asked. “She was advertising when I left town.”
“And she still is.” Austin nodded and then explained to Penny. “Judith Castellanos is the local dressmaker. She owns the shop across the street from here. She’s always very busy and was looking for someone to come in to help her out. The girls who have gone in so far haven’t been up to scratch.”
That sounded like a good idea. A very good idea. Penny found herself nodding before she realized what she was doing. Agnes grinned and jumped up.
“I’ll go and talk to her right now.”
She was tearing out of the room before Penny realized she had moved. Then she was alone with Austin, who was still kneeling before her. Now it was just the two of them and Penny could feel the room warming up. Her pulse was tripping over itself and she felt like her heart might suddenly stop beating.
What was wrong with her? Why did she have this sort of reaction to him? Penny swallowed and attempted not to sound like a fool.
“You’re not scared about being here alone with me?”
Austin smiled.
“Things are not as strict here as they are back where you come from. And I think we’ll be safe from any rumors.”
He stood and kicked out his legs with a shake before he went to the only chair in the room and sat, stretching his long legs out in front of him. He took off his Stetson and ran a hand through his curly hair. Virile and handsome. Penny had never thought she would come across that combination.
She had seen Cody’s picture. He was handsome and she saw him as safe and warm. Austin was warm and there was something about him that made Penny’s whole body tremble. Something about Austin was dangerous. But safe. Very safe.
What was wrong with her?
“Did you come to Eugene to marry Cody so that you did not have to marry someone else?” Austin asked suddenly. “Did Cody know about it?”
“Of course not.” Penny snorted. “I’d already agreed to Cody’s proposal. I was packing when Mother caught me and told me about the arrangement. She locked me in my room when she found out I was going to leave. I had to get my maid to let me out and get me to the station before they realized I’d gone.”
She hoped the maid didn’t get found out by her parents. They wouldn’t be kind to her at all and there was a good chance she would have lost her job over this.
“Don’t worry about them right now.” Austin said gently. “What matters is you’re here. Unfortunate circumstances, yes, but you’re here. Agnes and I will look after you. And Anton.”
“Anton?” Penny blinked. “Who’s Anton?”
“My older brother. He works on the ranch with me. His wife, Perdita, is a lovely woman and she’s a pretty good seamstress. You’ll be seeing a lot of her if Judith takes you on.”
Penny couldn’t believe how good everyone was being to her. She hadn’t been expecting any of this at all. Her parents had always told her stories about how gruff and brutal these people were and how they would not treat her kindly. It was quite the opposite.
Penny only wished she had come here a lot sooner. She gave Austin a smile.
“Thank you for helping me.”
Austin chuckled.
“Don’t thank me yet. Not until it’s paid off. Or you might regret thanking me.”
Penny didn’t think so.
*****
Penny didn’t regret thanking Austin for his help. It had certainly paid off. Judith Castellanos had been impressed with Penny’s enthusiasm and took her on for a trial period. Her trial week was now nearing an end and Penny was loving her work. She had a job and Mrs. King was allowing her to stay for a nominal fee until she found a place to live. Everyone was looking out for her.
So much for believing they were brutish people when she was a child. Her parents didn’t know anything. They just wanted to keep her sheltered and make sure she never ventured away from them. They wanted to control her.
No more. Now Penny was living on her own, working in a job she loved and she had lots of new friends. Her parents could attempt to blight the horizon, as they had threatened to do in the letter Penny had received that morning. But Penny wasn’t about to let them take charge again. Not no
w.
Now that she had had tasted freedom.
“Penny.” Judith Castellanos called from the front of the shop, shaking Penny out of her thoughts. “Could you fetch Mrs. Layton’s dress for me?”
Mrs. Layton. That woman. A real fusspot who reminded Penny too much of her mother. But she gritted her teeth and smiled as best she could. Being in high society had helped her learn how to make a genuine smile when she had no interest at all or would rather be showing her distaste.
“Of course.”
She hurried into the back room and found Mrs. Layton’s dress, ready for a ball in Portland, hung up in the corner of the room. They had only finished it that morning after the fifth alteration and Penny was glad it would be finally over. Perdita was a fast worker with a needle and Penny could only hope the dress was to Mrs. Layton’s liking now. Especially the color; they had kept that a secret, urging Mrs. Layton to only see it once it was finished.
Penny wondered if they were going to regret it.
She came back out into the shop and approached her boss and the customer, displaying the dress.
“Here you are, Mrs. Layton.”
Mrs. Layton turned. Her eyes widened. Then she gasped, clasping her hands to her chest.
“Oh, that is gorgeous.”
“It should fit you now, Mrs. Layton.” Judith said warmly.
“I should hope so after the number of pins you stuck in me. And I love the color.” Mrs. Layton picked up a sleeve and rubbed the material with her thumb. “You said I would be surprised, Mrs. Castellanos. I don’t like surprises but I like this one. This is adorable.”
Judith and Penny exchanged relieved looks. They had been working on this dress with varying alterations for the better part of a week. After not being able to decide on a color, Penny had suggested she be surprised. That part had worked. Hopefully, the fit would too.
“You can thank Penny for that.” Judith said proudly, her weather-beaten face beaming. “She has a good eye for color. Just one look tells her what would go well with any individual.”
Mrs. Layton turned to Penny and gave her a nod.
“You are a miracle worker, Miss Smythe. This will make me the belle of the ball.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Layton.”
Mrs. Layton took the dress from Penny and spun it around before Judith.
“Put this on my account. My husband will pay for it later.”
Then she swept out of the shop. Judith sighed with relief and turned to Penny, who was still reeling from the sudden exit.
“You managed to keep our most awkward customer happy. That is a miracle if ever I saw one.”
Penny laughed. She was thinking the same thing. Her eyes caught sight of the clock and she realized it was nearly twelve.
“Goodness!”
“Something wrong?”
“Not really.” Penny grimaced and rubbed at her stomach as it growled. “I was so engrossed in my work I forgot I hadn’t eaten all day.”
“Not even breakfast?”
“No, I was running late.”
Judith huffed.
“You silly fool! No wonder you look ready to keel over. Go and have your lunch.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m closing up for lunch anyway.” Judith shooed her towards the door. “You get some food in your belly.”
Penny wasn’t about to argue with that. The thought of food was making her mouth water. She scurried out the shop and headed down the street towards the eatery she lunched at. Her palate hadn’t been tested much in Philadelphia and she was now faced with a wide variety of food she had never known existed, and she was eager to discover it all. She was happy to go through everything and discover more. The proprietor was more than happy to help.
In more ways than one. Penny was aware that the owner was paying her a great deal of attention. He was barely thirty and very good-looking but Penny couldn’t feel anything more than politeness towards him. He didn’t make her pulse stutter or her mouth go dry.
Not like Austin Black. Penny found herself smiling as she thought about Austin. He had come over every day to make sure she was settling in, seeming to linger a bit longer each time. Penny was very much aware of his presence, which she didn’t object to, but it did make her fumble a little. He was very imposing.
But he was sweet. It didn’t seem like the gentle giant could be as sweet as he was but Penny found it endearing. A gruff cowboy with the charm of a gentleman. It was a nice combination. Much different from the men she assumed inhabited towns out in the West.
Her parents had no idea.
“Penny!”
Penny looked up and grinned. Agnes was crossing the street towards her, a basket hanging off her arm full of parcels. The young woman had become a fast friend and Penny always found herself smiling whenever Austin’s younger sister was around.
“Agnes, hello!” She hugged her friend. “What are you doing out here? I thought you were working.”
“I’ve got the day off so I’m doing some shopping.” Agnes indicated the eatery across the street. “I was going to have some lunch. Fancy joining me?”
“I was going there myself.” Penny linked arms with the girl. “That sounds like an idea.”
They were seated at Penny’s usual table and the owner came over, as he always did, and took their orders, seeming to leave his gaze on Penny a little longer than he should. Agnes giggled as he walked away.
“That man has taken a fancy to you.”
Penny sighed.
“I wish I could find him attractive. He is, but he doesn’t give me butterflies.” She patted her stomach. “You know what I mean?”
“I know. You need a bit of a spark.” Agnes winked. “Good looks only go so far.”
They giggled and chatted until their meals arrived. Penny let the aroma of the delicious food fill her nostrils before she attacked it with gusto. She had no idea how hungry she had actually been. Agnes watched with amusement as Penny tackled the steak.
“You certainly seem to have your appetite back.” She commented. “It’s better than it was last week when you only had watermelon and a glass of water.”
“I didn’t have much of an appetite in Philadelphia.” Penny swallowed her mouthful and sipped her water. “I just didn’t have any urge to eat. But I guess I wasn’t using myself to my potential.”
“Well, sitting around smiling pretty doesn’t do much. And it looks like working is good for you.”
“Certainly is.” Penny grinned. “I feel better in myself.”
Her body had changed. She had filled out so she didn’t look practically skeletal, and she had some muscle definition in her arms and legs. Penny could feel the change and it was good. Working in a shop had certainly improved her physical self-concept.
“I’m glad.” Agnes sipped at her tea before cutting into her baked potato. “Speaking of your hometown, have you heard anything from your parents yet?”
Penny made a face.
“I received a letter from them this morning. Mother is admonishing me for coming out here when I was supposed to be marrying someone else. She wants me to come back by the end of the month in the hopes that they might be able to salvage a marriage for me. If not, she’s going to the police.”
“That’s pretty extreme.”
“Not as extreme as Father’s response. He wants to lynch Cody and hang him by the nearest tree for corrupting me.”
Agnes snorted.
“That’s going to be a bit difficult. Unless he plans to hang the coffin by the nearest tree.”
“Agnes!”
Agnes winced.
“Sorry, that wasn’t very funny, was it?”
“No, not really.”
Penny stared at her food. The loss was still raw and Penny did find herself suddenly bursting into tears. But she couldn’t do anything about it. Cody was dead and she had to make the most of it. He wouldn’t have wanted her to mooch around mourning him; that wouldn’t be helping anyone.
She
was thinking of writing back to her parents and telling them that although Cody was already dead, she would not be returning. She knew that would only motivate them to send the officials after her. They wouldn’t be above telling the police that Penny had been kidnapped and was in Eugene by force. Penny wouldn’t be listened to after that.
“Do you regret coming out here?” Agnes asked suddenly, spearing a piece of meat with her fork.
Penny shook her head.
“No, I don’t. It’s done me good.” Penny sat back with a sigh. “I just wish I had Cody here to enjoy it with me.”
“Well, he’d want you to be happy and to do what was best for you, not to mope around.”
“I’m not moping.”
“You know what I mean. It’s still painful, I can tell.” Agnes gave her friend a smile. “Cody was a sweet man. He tried to see the best in everyone. He was very good at seeing potential in others.”
Hearing this from someone who had actually known Cody made Penny’s insides knot up. She wished he was here now. Penny wished she had known Cody in person. Everyone had such good things to say about him which just made Penny resentful.
“Has Austin been nice to you?” Agnes asked suddenly.
Penny jumped.
“Sorry?”
“Is my brother being kind to you?” Agnes grinned. “He can be a little gruff. I don’t think he knows how to talk to women.”
“Oh, he knows. He’s just very blunt.” Penny felt her blood stirring. Just the thought of Austin had her feeling lightheaded. “And he’s very kind. A breath of fresh air.”
Agnes stared at her, before throwing her head back and letting out a laugh that had people around them jumping and glaring at her. Agnes didn’t seem to care about making a scene.
