He tethered the horse well behind the large house among the trees where no one would see it. Clouds shrouded the empty field between the trees and house in eerie, quiet darkness. The town, usually loud and boisterous on a Saturday night, lay quiet beyond the house. A lamp lit the kitchen, and he waited with one of the three bottles of whiskey he had stolen during the afternoon’s commotion. It was easy to steal the horse and ride away from the mine shouting that he would bring help. No one noticed as he rode away from town and the mine. Later, when he crept back into town just after sunset, it was easy to walk in the back door of the empty saloon and take the bottles. He could stay in the small deserted trapper’s cabin for a long time. For as long as it took. He raised his head when two young women walked into the kitchen. He watched them and smiled as he lifted the bottle to his lips and took another long pull. People from the town would assume he died in the mine collapse. By the time they realized he didn’t, if they ever did, he would be gone. But, he wasn’t going alone. No, she would come with him. She might not want to accompany him at first, but he would give her no choice. One way or the other, Gracie would be his.
Chapter Three
Miss Edie stood in the kitchen staring out the window and shaking her head. She turned when Ella Grace entered the room. “You know, Edward dug that well before we built the house. We should have filled it in when he dug the new one, but he built such a lovely wall around it, we never had the heart to tear it down. Now, an earthquake did it for us and crushed the flowers we planted around it.” She smiled her normally bright smile and added, “At least the house survived with just two broken windows. We can replace the bric-a-brac and reframe the painting that fell. Considering what happened at the mine, we’re fortunate.”
Ella Grace wrapped her arms around Miss Edie and said, “Come and sit. Let me make you a cup of tea. I know you’re worried, we all are. How is Miss Ethel? She is usually the first one up.”
“I don’t know. She rode out as soon as we heard and didn’t come back until almost sundown. She came inside and headed toward her room. All she said was ‘they wouldn’t let me get close enough to help. They must think I’m too old.’ and went off to her room. I heard her pacing last night, but she wouldn’t answer her door when I knocked. I’m going to let her sleep as long as she wants this morning.”
Ella Grace placed the cup of tea on a small tray with a buttered biscuit. “Come on, Miss Edie. You’ll be more comfortable in the parlor and can eat your biscuit. Katie said you ate very little supper last night. You relax, and Katie and I will prepare breakfast this morning.”
Miss Edie smiled at Ella Grace and followed her into the parlor. She sat in the chair near the window and gazed outside looking down the street. Ella Grace’s heart tightened in her chest, and she tried not to cry as she watched Miss Edie look for signs of her brother coming home.
Before Ella Grace could turn around to leave the room, the front door burst open and Ivy and Rosie, the five-year-old twins and youngest residents of Howard House, bounded into the room giggling.
“Come and look, Ella Grace. Someone left you some milkweed and wrote on the porch with mud.”
“What?” Miss Edie said rising to her feet and looked out the front window. “They’re right, there’s mud on the porch. Who would do that?”
Ella Grace shrugged and walked past the girls to see what caused all the commotion. She stopped and gasped at the sight before her. A large bunch of dying milk weed lay on the table next to the rocking chair and scrawled in mud across the white porch floor were the words:
“I love you Gracie.”
“Bugs,” Ella Grace murmured.
“What, dear?” Miss Edie asked as she walked up behind Ella Grace and drew in a deep, angry breath. “Who would do this to our beautiful porch. Do you know who did this Ella Grace?”
Ella Grace stormed over to the milk weed, picked it up, and tossed it over the porch railing into the flower bed. She spun and looked at Miss Edie. “It has to be Bugs. He’s the only one who calls me Gracie.”
“But Bugs works at the mine. He would have been working yesterday when the collapse occurred. If he wasn’t trapped he should be helping to rescue the men,” Miss Edie insisted. “Someone is playing a joke on you. You know some of those boys like to play pranks.”
Ella Grace felt a shiver of fear crawl down her spine, and her gut told her it was Bugs. Miss Edie was right. One way or the other he should be at the mining site. Why would he do this? He’d bothered her for nearly two years with his leers, unwelcome words, and insistence on calling her Gracie, but never something like this. Ella Grace knew he was up to something and whatever it was, it wasn’t good.
“It must be Bugs or someone he paid to annoy me. I must get to the Inn right after breakfast, and I need to see Marshal Sewell. Come on Ivy and Rosie, you can help me make the biscuits. Then I’ll scrub off the porch.”
Miss Edie caught her arm, “You go on and get ready for work. I’ll get breakfast started and take care of the porch. If you are worried enough to alert the marshal, we should leave the mud until he can see it.”
Ella Grace nodded and smiled at the twins hoping to hide her growing uneasiness about the strange message. “Let’s go inside girls. I brought home a jar of fresh honey last night. It will be wonderful on the biscuits this morning.”
Ivy and Rosie ran into the house heading for the kitchen with thoughts of biscuits dripping with honey running through their minds.
“Miss Edie, please keep a watchful eye out. I don’t know why, but something feels very wrong about this odd message. I just feel it.”
“I will and remember to always trust those feelings. I’ll find the marshal after we eat. It will help take my mind off Edward for a bit if I walk to town and see how people are faring this morning,” Miss Edie promised.
Ella Grace, still worried about the strange message, forced herself to eat one biscuit with honey before announcing she had to leave for work. If she felt hungry later, she’d ask Mrs. Donlinson for a bit of breakfast.
Not sure if it would continue to rain, Ella Grace hurried to her room to find the soft, black hat she knitted following a pattern she saw in a lady’s magazine. Mr. Bastion ordered them for the ladies who enjoyed sitting and chatting in the Inn’s lobby. She preferred the hat over the parasols Miss Edie and Miss Ethel prefer she carry. She hoped Miss Edie wouldn’t mention the hat when she left. Ella Grace smiled when she thought about the reaction her dear guardians would have if she purchased a pair of lady’s trousers that she also saw in the magazine. She shook her head and mumbled, “No, that would be too much for them. This hat is the first step in my independence and might be the last.” Ella Grace nodded at her reflection, then hurried down the stairs nearly tripping again, and smiled as Miss Edie reminded her that she needed to walk like a lady. Not a word was said about the hat as Ella Grace slipped out the door. Surely, Miss Edie must be worried to distraction over Mr. Edward’s safety.
The town was eerily quiet even as the shopkeepers hurried to repair their businesses and people moved up and down the street. Ella Grace arrived at the Inn before she was expected, and said a small prayer as she pushed the door open that she’d see Mr. Bastion behind the front desk.
Riley Slim, the night clerk, greeted her. “Good morning, Ella Grace.”
“Good morning, Riley. Did Mr. Bastion return last night?”
Riley shook his head. “No, he must still be out at the mine site.”
Nodding her head absently, Ella Grace answered, “I can take over now. You can get some sleep. Oh, do we have any new guests?”
“Surprisingly, yes. Two men on horseback rode up about three in the morning. It was a bit unusual, but they needed rooms and asked for rooms overlooking the street. I put them in 201 and 202.”
Ella Grace glanced at the guest register and saw the names Malcolm Wooster and Luther Busby. They had never checked into the hotel before to her knowledge, but the Inn had many guests that stopped late at night when traveling.
She couldn’t imagine why anyone would travel by horse in the middle of the night but shrugged off her curiosity and began straightening the desk.
A few moments later the door burst open and a young man ran in carrying a piece of paper. “Miss Mulvaney,” he said trying to catch his breath. “I have a note for you.” He handed the paper to Ella Grace and ran off carrying other notes.
Ella Grace opened the folded note and felt her knees begin to buckle. She grabbed the edge of the front desk and moved to the nearest place to sit…the staircase. Tears poured down her cheeks before she reached the stairs and nearly fell to the floor.
Riley noticed her reaction and ran to fetch Mrs. Donlinson.
Ella Grace felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up into the caring eyes of Mrs. Donlinson. “What is it, child? Is it Mr. Edward?”
Ella Grace shook her head slowly, “No, we still haven’t heard. It’s Mr. Bastion. He was killed during the rescue attempt.”
Mrs. Donlinson took the note and read it then handed it to her husband who had hurried out with her after Riley’s summons. “Ella Grace, I think you should go home and rest. We can take care of the Inn today.”
Ella Grace suddenly shot to her feet wiping the tears from her face. “No, I can’t. The last thing Mr. Bastion said to me before he went out to the mine collapse was that I was in charge. I can’t let him down.”
Mrs. Donlinson hugged Ella Grace and promised they would do all they could to help.
“Oh, mercy,” Ella Grace said covering her mouth with her hands, “Dexter. Someone has to tell Dexter his father is gone. He’s working at White Oaks ranch.”
“I’ll do it,” Riley offered. “Dexter and I went to school together. I can ride out now.”
“Thank you,” Ella Grace answered. “Tell him if he needs anything to come to the Inn.”
Riley nodded and hurried through the kitchen door toward the Inn’s stable.
Chapter Four
Edith Howard sipped her cold cup of tea as she watched for any sign of her brother’s return from the mine. Her mind refused to accept the fact that he wouldn’t return. Edward had been their strength after their parent’s deaths and along the Oregon Trail traveling West. If he couldn’t get away from the mine to help around the house, he would send one of his fellow workers. If he were gone, she and Ethel would go on caring for the girls. They wouldn’t have a choice, but it would break her heart to lose his strength in their lives. Chatter coming from the kitchen brought her out of her dire thoughts. She finished her tea and stood. Straightening her skirts and putting on her best smile to reassure the younger girls, she followed the sound of laughter to the kitchen.
Katie was busy making breakfast while listening to Rosie and Ivy tell her and their four sisters about the love note written in mud on the porch. Katie looked up when Miss Edie entered the room.
“Good morning, girls,” Miss Edie said. “Katie, I only want a piece of toast this morning. Will you make sure the girls finish breakfast and begin their reading while I go to the marshal’s office?”
“Certainly, I’ll make sure they stay busy. I heard Miss Ethel in her room, but she hasn’t come down yet.”
Miss Edie nodded. “She’ll come down when she’s ready. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” She picked up a piece of toast, turned, and headed toward the front door stopping to look at the collection of parasols. The fear in her heart wanted her to grab the black one, but she chose the pale blue one to add some hope to her mood and balance to the drab gray dress she wore.
Miss Edie strode with purpose toward the marshal’s office and saw him just as he walked out the door. “Yoo-hoo, Marshal Sewell,” she called and waved.
The marshal turned and tipped his hat, “Good morning, Miss Howard. What can I do for you today?”
Miss Edie explained about the mud note and milkweed left on the porch. Marshal Sewell assured her he would stop at the house shortly and then go to the Inn to discuss the incident with Ella Grace.
“Remember, Marshal, we are a home of only women and children. Girl children. This man has unwanted intentions and sneaks around at night. If he comes near the house, my sister may shoot him.” She spun on her heel and left the marshal wondering if the stories he’d heard about the eccentric spinsters were correct.
Ella Grace composed herself as best she could while worrying about Mr. Edward and saddened by the news of the loss of Mr. Bastion. She drew in a deep breath and tried to put on a brave face the way Miss Ethel always instructed her: Young ladies do not show emotion in public. Thus far, Ella Grace felt she’d failed miserably. She was sure she’d never be the perfect lady Miss Edie and Miss Ethel wanted her to be regardless of how hard she tried.
Mr. and Mrs. Donlinson smiled at Ella Grace before Mrs. Donlinson spoke, “My dear, we don’t want to add to your troubles, but we found this note hanging outside the kitchen door this morning.”
Ella Grace’s eyebrows rose as she took the note. She had a sick feeling the note was left by Bugs. She was right, and her hand began to shake as she read the note. Soon my darling Gracie you and I will be together always.
Her fist tightened around the note before she let it fall to the desk. “I know it must be from Bugs. He left milkweed and a note written in mud on the front porch. He’s the only person that calls me Gracie.”
“May I read it?” Mr. Donlinson asked.
Ella Grace nodded. She could see the anger cross his face as he read the note. “What is wrong with that man? He’s too old to be bothering you, and he should be at the mine helping in the rescue attempt. I don’t want you walking home alone. I’ll accompany you until we know he won’t bother you again.”
“He was probably drunk. He gets a bit forward when he’s drunk. Marshal Sewell set the curfew for dark, and I need to leave earlier than usual to make it home before then. I’ll be all right.”
“Drunk,” Mr. Donlinson practically shouted. “He should be sober and help at the mine. That makes me especially wary of him. He may try and grab you and take you out of town. You shouldn’t be alone at all.”
Ella Grace smiled at the kindly older man. “I won’t be, I promise. Miss Edie was upset and planned to see the marshal. Miss Ethel was still asleep after staying close to the mine site late last night. When she finds out, she’ll threaten to shoot him.”
“Knowing Ethel, she’d do just that,” Mrs. Donlinson remarked. “She may go out and hunt him down.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Ella Grace answered just as Marshal Sewell entered the Inn.
“Good morning, Marshal,” Ella Grace greeted him as he entered. She tried to put on her usual happy smile, but the marshal could see the worry in her eyes.
“Good morning, Miss Mulvaney,” the marshal greeted her and tipped his hat. “Your guardian, Miss Howard, stopped me and explained about the unwelcomed message left on the orphanage’s front porch. I stopped there and looked at it. Seems to me you have an admirer of sorts.”
Ella Grace shook her head and handed him the note. “This was left on the back door of the Inn.”
Sheriff Sewell remained stoic as he read the note. “Do you know who sent it?”
Ella Grace explained why she believed it was from Bugs and about the previous unwanted advances and suggestions he’d made over the past several months.
He thought for a moment and gave her his best advice. “This man seems unbalanced or simply drunk. Either way, he may pose a danger to you or your family. Keep the doors and windows locked at night and don’t walk alone. Silverpines is a safe town, but it only takes one person to cause trouble. If you see him or receive any more notes, please let me know. I will keep my eyes open for him, too. Can you describe him?”
Ella Grace did her best to describe the unkempt miner. He sounded like any number of men that might work at the mine, but with most of the men dead or missing, he might be easy to spot. Marshal Sewell thanked Ella Grace and turned to leave the Inn.
“One last thing, Miss Mulvaney, does the staff here have a
ny form of protection and do you also have protection at home? Your guardian did say her sister would shoot any intruder. Do you think she’s capable of that?”
“Yes, Marshal Sewell. Miss Ethel is more than competent with her rifle. She taught all of us how to shoot as soon as we were old enough to hold the rifle. She believes in self-protection as strongly as she believes in deportment. Mr. Bastion keeps a Colt New Service revolver under the front desk for any of us to use. I’m almost as good with the handgun as I am with a rifle.”
“Good to hear,” the marshal answered and tipped his hat as he left wondering if all the rumors he’d heard about the spinsters were true. They certainly seemed self-sufficient, and with a revolver that uses .45 cartridges, Ella Grace should be able to protect herself well.
Ella Grace turned to the Donlinsons. “Maybe Bugs will realize that he shouldn’t show up in town since the mine collapse and just go away.” Mrs. Donlinson nodded hoping Ella Grace was right and Mr. Donlinson shook his head. He’d seen Bugs at the saloon and around town. The man would cause trouble sooner or later. Not only did he drink to excess, but he was also a braggart and cheated at cards. Most men in town were a bit wary of the ladies who lived at Howard House believing them to be too cultured to make good miner’s wives, but they also stayed away from Ella Grace because Bugs declared she was his. He had a temper, and that worried Mr. Donlinson. He’d stop by the marshal’s office today and let him know just how dangerous he thought Bugs could be if he felt he was being wronged.
Ella Grace kept busy working at the front desk and doing the paperwork Mr. Bastion usually took care of grateful he had taken the time to teach her every aspect of the Inn’s business. She knew she could keep it going until Dexter decided what he wanted to do with the Inn. As Mr. Bastion’s only relative that she was aware of, Dexter would naturally inherit the Inn. She knew he was happy at White Oaks and his heart was in ranching and not the hotel business. She said a silent prayer that he wouldn’t sell the Inn to someone without Mr. Bastion’s vision and love of the Inn.
Wanted: Innkeeper: Silverpines Series (Book 6) Page 2
