“That would be delightful. Thank you so much for the offer, Mr. Redfern.” She slid her hand into the crook of his elbow, and they made their way down the street.
Tobias had a hard time sorting through all his thoughts about being seen in public with this incredible woman on his arm. He’d never pictured himself as the romantic hero, and yet, here he was, playing that part for Miss Brown, and he felt honored that she’d trust him with her feelings. He intended to act worthily of that trust.
When they reached the theater, she looked up at him with soft eyes. “I wish I could stay out here with you and talk a bit longer, but I have to get inside. Alice should be ready for me to test out the new hem on my dress, and I need to warm up, but . . .” She glanced away and then back. “I’d rather we take that drive right now and not worry about all this.”
“Work before play, unfortunately.” He gave her hand a squeeze. “I promise, tomorrow’s drive will be spectacular. We’ll hunt down all the fall colors there are to be found, and I’ll even bring some cookies.”
“You bake?”
He laughed. “I said I’d bring them. I didn’t say I’d make them.” He took a step back, knowing time was running short. “Take care.”
“You too,” she said, lifting her hand in a half wave before going inside.
He stood there for a moment staring at the door, willing it to open again. Then he turned and went back to the shop. She was right—it was hard to work when there were so many other pleasant things to think about, but bills had to be paid.
More’s the pity.
Chapter Nine
As Alice busied herself with yet another alternation, Louisa let her mind wander back over the conversation she’d just had with Mr. Redfern. At the time, the subject had changed rather quickly, but now she pondered what he’d said about seeing a doctor. It was true that she did seem to be dizzy and lightheaded fairly often, but as she’d told him, it was something she’d experienced for so long that she hadn’t thought of it as being a concern.
“Alice, do you know Dr. Thomas?”
Alice took the pin out of her mouth. “Of course. Everyone in town knows him.”
“And he’s a good doctor?”
Alice looked at her with concern. “Are you all right?”
“Oh, I’m sure it’s nothing. A friend just suggested that I make an appointment—it’s nothing serious.”
“Hold still. Well, if you need a doctor, he’s one of the best I’ve ever seen. I moved here from Denver, too, where there are lots of doctors, if that tells you anything.” She finished pinning the bit under Louisa’s arm. “Slide out of that as carefully as you can and I’ll get it stitched right up. We can’t have it digging into you anymore.”
“Thank you, Alice.” Louisa had been so nervous the night before, she hadn’t even noticed that her dress was pinching her until she was changing out of it and Alice saw the red mark on her side.
She’d make an appointment as soon as she could just so she could ease the worry in Mr. Redfern’s mind. In her own, as well—funny how it took his perspective to make her realize that she should be concerned.
That night’s performance went well, and as she came off the stage, Mr. Westcott met her in the wings.
“Miss Brown, you’ve enchanted us two nights in a row. Well done.” He clasped her hand. “Thank you for agreeing to come. This has been one of the nicest treats we’ve had here in Creede for a long time.”
“Thank you, Mr. Westcott.” She paused. “Does that mean that you’d like me to stay?”
“I’d like that very much. After this initial run of performances, we will shift out our main attraction, but you’d be on the docket for interim performances and so forth until you grow tired of us.”
“Thank you, Mr. Westcott. I’m enjoying my time in Creede, and I’d like to stay as long as possible.”
He nodded. “And so you shall.”
As she stepped out into the lobby to greet the audience, she wasn’t expecting to see Mr. Redfern, yet there he was, grinning from ear to ear. “I tried to stay away, but I couldn’t,” he said when he greeted her. “It was like some unseen force pulled me here, and I couldn’t resist.”
“I’m glad.” And she meant it. Her heart had begun to pound when she saw him, and it was hard to act as though nothing at all was going on. “You should be careful, though. I might become spoiled, unable to perform if you’re not here.”
“Then maybe I should always be here.”
“Maybe you should.”
The look they shared tingled with emotion as they both seemed to realize the layers of what they were saying. Mr. Redfern gave a nod and stepped back. “Good evening, Miss Brown,” he said, leaving her to greet her other new fans, and she felt his absence as soon as he left.
***
Tobias could hardly breathe as he walked home. Everything he’d experienced during Miss Brown’s first performance was repeated again that night, and he suspected he would always be enchanted by her. He wondered how quickly they could move through this courtship phase and actually become engaged. Were there rules for that sort of thing?
He decided to stop in at the saloon and see if he could invite a few more men out to the following week’s class. His brain and heart were in such turmoil, he knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep for a while yet, so he might as well put his time to good use. He bought a lemonade and tossed some money onto the bar to pay for it.
“Mr. Redfern, I don’t know who you’ve been associating with lately, but this isn’t real,” the bartender said, pushing his dollar away. “You’d best turn that in to the marshal.”
“Really?” Tobias picked up the bill and studied it. It was a clever imitation, but now that he had taken the time to scrutinize it, he could see mistakes throughout. “I’m sorry. Here you go.” He dug a few coins from his pocket, which the bartender accepted with a nod of thanks.
Glass in hand, Tobias turned and scanned the room. Glenn Simpkins was there, as was Preston Reading. He’d talk with them, and he’d see if they’d mention the class to their friends. Funny how he’d never realized how many bachelors lived in Creede until he started seeking them out.
“There’s a new seamstress working at Mrs. Deveraux’s dress shop, and a rather nice young lady at the watchmaker’s,” Miss Chapel said, popping up at his elbow.
“And the new waitresses in town too,” Tobias replied. “How did you do it?”
She turned to him with an innocent expression. “How did I do what?”
“Get them all to come here.”
“Oh, I didn’t do that. I’m just trying to make their arrival more pleasant.” She glanced around. “Is this what we’re working with?”
“These are the diamonds in the rough, as they say.”
“Who is they?”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Pardon?”
“You’re always saying, ‘As they say.’ So I want to know, who is the they who are doing all this saying?”
“Just people, I suppose.”
“You’re rather frustrating at times, but of course, you already know that. I shall leave you now to carry on with these rather scruffy-looking characters. I trust you, Tobias. If you say they’re diamonds, that’s what they are.”
She left before he could reply.
Sure, they were dirty from their work in the mines or on the railroad. Only a few of them worked in shops or in other office-type environments. But the dirt on their hands didn’t mean they weren’t quality men underneath. He’d work a little harder to make sure these men shone as brightly as their neat and tidy counterparts.
It would be worth it, he had no doubt.
***
“And the marshal confirmed it was counterfeit.” Tobias guided the carriage he’d rented around a curve of the road. “I ran into him just outside the livery and showed it to him.”
“I heard the ladies at the tea shop talking about counterfeit money showing up in Creede,” Miss Brown said. “Mrs. Morgan wants the ladies to ban
d together to solve the crime.”
“That’s not a half bad idea except that counterfeiters tend to be dangerous, and it’s not safe to go after them. Besides that, what could go wrong?”
“You don’t think they should investigate?”
“I don’t see any harm in them keeping their eyes and ears open and reporting their findings, but to take it further than that . . . I’d be concerned.” Tobias brought the carriage to a stop in a clearing to the side of the road. “There you have it, Miss Brown. All the reasons why you moved to Colorado wrapped up in one parcel.”
In front of them rose an amazing vista. The colors of autumn stretched before them on all sides—everything from red to orange to yellow. The sky was a brilliant blue, and the very tops of the mountains were dusted with snow. Aspen trees quaked in the breeze, and that same breeze carried the scents of pine and sage and fresh, clean dirt.
“Oh, my,” Miss Brown said softly, almost reverently. “You’re right—I’ve never seen anything like this.”
Tobias hopped down from the carriage, then walked around and helped her. “Come this way,” he said, holding out his arm.
“Will the horse be all right?”
“Perfectly. He’s well trained.”
They walked down a path that slanted down in an angle and ended at a creek that curved around rocks and bushes and the natural slope of the terrain. Just as they arrived, a fish jumped out of the water and dove back in, and Miss Brown laughed. “Did you arrange that just for me?”
“Of course. I’m very popular with fish. They’ll do almost anything I ask.”
“That’s quite a gift, you know. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you how many hours I spent as a little girl wishing I could talk to fish.”
“I feel quite sorry for that poor little girl.”
“So do I. It’s terrible to have a dream that never came true.”
He reached out and took her hand, almost unable to breathe. She looked so beautiful against this scenery. The sun illuminated the leaves, and the light pushed onward to land on her hair, bringing out its auburn highlights. She carried a lace parasol that did little to block the sun, but did quite a lot to increase her charm.
“Miss Brown, there are so many things I want to say to you, but first, I must ask you a question.”
“Yes, Mr. Redfern?”
“Might I be allowed to flick away the small spider which is currently crawling on your shoulder?”
“Yes. Yes, please. Get it off.” She held still while he flicked the creature away, then shuddered. “I hate spiders, but I suppose this is the risk one takes by venturing outside.”
“Or staying inside—I found a spider in the bookstore the other day.”
“And you didn’t burn the place to the ground?” She seemed astonished.
“I didn’t, although now that you mention it, with all those books, it would have made a wonderful bonfire.”
“And bonfires are quite romantic.”
“Which brings me back to my original point. Miss Brown—”
“I do wish you’d call me Louisa. It seems time, don’t you think?”
“In fact, I do. But now I have a question to add to my comment.”
She inclined her head. “By all means.”
“Are you ever going to let me finish my sentence?”
She put her free hand on her hip. “I was not the only one doing the interrupting. You’re the one who flicked the spider. Not that I’m complaining—I’m just saying, the fault for the interrupting must be equally shared between us.”
“So noted.” He took a step closer, his heart pounding. She was gazing into his eyes again, her expression so soft, he felt appreciated and welcomed all at once. He’d meant to tell her that he wanted to speed up their courting, but he didn’t have words. Instead, he slid his hand around the back of her neck for a kiss.
It would have been the most wonderful thing he’d ever experienced in his life except for the fact that she was still holding her parasol, and the handle of it dug into his chest as he brought her closer.
“Ouch!” He let her go and stepped back, rubbing the spot in the center of his ribcage.
“I’m so sorry,” she said, tossing her parasol to the side. “I’ll have it destroyed at once. I’ll just need a strong pair of metal cutters and a few hours of spare time.”
“No, it’s all right. Let it live.” Tobias shook his head ruefully. “I’ve always known I wasn’t the romantic type. I guess this is just proof of it.”
“Me stabbing you with my parasol is proof of it? How does that even make sense?”
He regarded her. “You’re right. You tried to kill me just now. However, I foiled your plans, and you will not get away with them.”
“Yes, I admit it. I insisted on this drive because I wanted someplace remote to leave your body after I did away with you using a woman’s most deadly weapon—her parasol.” She stepped forward and placed her hand on his chest. “Are you all right?”
The warmth of her touch would have made even a bullet hole seem like nothing. He laid his hand on top of hers and held it close. “Perfectly,” he replied.
He’d thought it would take a long time for the moment to be right to try another kiss, but it came much sooner than he expected. First checking to make sure that he was not about to be impaled on any sort of sharp metal object, he slid his arm around her waist. She glanced at his lips, then away, and his heart skipped a beat.
She melted into his arms as their lips touched, and it was everything he’d imagined. He even wondered if his elbows had been jointed perfectly just to hold her—that’s how well she fit. He could have stayed in that moment forever, but he did let her go, albeit reluctantly.
“I’d like to marry you,” he said, his voice husky, “and not just because you’re delightful to kiss.”
“I’m delightful to kiss?” She smiled up at him.
“More than delightful. Mesmerizing, hypnotizing, and many other words I can’t even think of right now.” He cupped her cheek with his hand. “Will you marry me, Louisa? I’m not wealthy, but I can provide a comfortable living, and I’ll encourage you to sing as long as it makes you happy. I—”
She interrupted him by closing the distance between them and wrapping her arms around his neck. This kiss was shorter than the first, delightful in its own way because it caught him off guard, and he liked it that she wasn’t too shy to show him affection.
“Of course I will,” she said as she stepped back. “Do you think I would have come out here with you alone if I didn’t expect to have a ring on my finger before much longer?”
“You’re the one who came up with the idea for a drive,” he said.
“Well, yes. And I wanted to be engaged at the end of it.”
The grin she gave him was so endearing that it was all he could do not to scoop her up in his arms again. As it was, though, they needed to start for home so they’d be there before dark. He kissed her forehead instead, then helped her back into the carriage.
“I hope you’re not going to make me wait forever before you marry me,” she said as he turned the carriage around. “I’ve been waiting simply days for this proposal, I’ll have you know.”
“Days? But we’ve only known each other for days.”
“And that’s how long I’ve been waiting.” She looped her arm through his and rested her head on his shoulder. “I think I’ve known from the very first moment that I wanted to marry you, Tobias Redfern.”
He couldn’t speak—his emotions wouldn’t let him. He’d longed his entire life for someone to say those words to him, and now, there she was—the sweetest woman who had ever been created, and somehow, she was his.
Miss Chapel must have had something to do with it.
The horse trotted down the narrow road leading them out of the mountains and back down to Creede. Louisa was chatting merrily about the new curtains she’d sew for his place—because she was certain they were needed, even though she’d never seen his pl
ace—when she suddenly tightened her grip on his arm.
“I don’t feel well.”
He glanced down at her and noticed how pale she’d become. “I’m taking you to the doctor,” he said, pulling the reins to steer the horse around. “I need to know that you’re all right.”
She didn’t answer, though, because she had fainted.
Chapter Ten
Louisa opened her eyes to see a kind-looking man bending over her. She was lying on a bed of some sort, and she felt absolutely terrible.
“Where am I?”
“Miss Brown, my name is JT Thomas, and I’m a doctor. You fainted, and Tobias brought you here. You’re in my examination room.”
She pressed a hand to her forehead. “I fainted? Well, that’s embarrassing.”
“Yes, but it’s also concerning. Tobias tells me you’ve been having bouts of dizziness and nausea. I must ask, Miss Brown, if there’s any possibility that you’re expecting.”
“None whatsoever. You … you didn’t tell Tobias that’s what you suspected, did you?”
“No, of course not.”
“Thank you.” She couldn’t bear it if that’s what he thought of her. “Since that’s been ruled out, what other things do my symptoms suggest?”
“Tobias said you joked the other day about fainting if you didn’t eat. Do you feel faint when you don’t eat?”
“Quite often, yes. And then when I do eat, I feel a little odd afterwards.”
He nodded. “Miss Brown, have you ever heard of a disease called diabetes?”
“I . . . I don’t know. Possibly, but I can’t tell you anything about it.”
He sat down on a chair near her bed. “Scientists have been studying it since the time of the pharaohs. Essentially, some people produce more sugar in their bodies than others, and we don’t know why. The people who experience this become weak or dizzy when they haven’t eaten for a little while, and when they do eat, they’ll feel sluggish afterward, almost like having a hangover. Some studies have been done that show reducing sugar in the diet is helpful, but it doesn’t solve the problem entirely. Others have shown that eating more meat and eggs is helpful. The most important thing would be to make sure that you’re eating regularly. No skipping meals, no going to bed hungry—you eat as soon as you start to feel the need.”
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