The Deardons Complete Mini-Series

by Kelli Ann Morgan

  After forty-five minutes, Mr. Russell met with him in his bottom floor office, looked over his books with all the delivery signatures, and paid him in full. Jonah was on the way out the door, when he stopped at the front desk. A short, thin gentleman with a thick, but waxed mustache greeted him.

  “May I be of assistance?” he asked with a tilt of his head. His collar looked much too tight.

  Jonah cleared his throat. “I am looking for a woman who may be a guest of yours. Do you have an Emma Foster staying here?”

  The clerk glanced down at his rather large, ledger looking book, and scanned the page in front of him. “I’m afraid there is no one by that name.”

  Damn.

  Miss Foster had not been waiting at the train station when they’d arrived in town. It was no surprise. What had he expected her to do? A lady in her position was sure to have found a grand hotel to stay in. Maybe she’d received his post and hadn’t made the trip after all. His hope felt empty somehow.

  “Do you have a telegraph office in town?” He figured he’d better find out for sure before heading out.

  “Yes, sir. You’ll find it just over on Sixth, directly across from the train depot.”

  “Thank you.” Jonah tipped his hat at the man and walked out to the hitching post at the bottom of the stairs where he’d tied Perseus, his horse, and climbed up without acknowledging any of the passersby. With the amount of money now tucked in his jacket, the last thing he needed was to call a lot of attention to himself.

  The tall buildings that rose up on either side of him as he rode the six blocks to the stables reminded him how grateful he was to have the trees and open land that surrounded the Deardon spread. There was no freedom to be found in a big city and he itched to get on his way. He half expected the crew to be lounged about and sleeping when he returned to the Pony Express stables, but when he arrived, the men were all standing out back hooting and hollering at Lucas who was entertaining them with some of the tricks he’d learned from a ridiculous cowboy working with some rodeo circus nonsense earlier in the year.

  Jonah shook his head and dismounted.

  “Did you find your bride?” Noah teased when Jonah joined his brother on the outer fence.

  “Nope.”

  Jonah looked up when the men all gasped. Lucas was lying on the ground, his horse still running circles around the enclosed yard. Jonah’s heart seemed to jump from his chest and emotions all too fresh washed over him. He ran to the shorter gate and sprang over the top without so much as a thought.

  When Lucas sat up and started to brush off the stray pieces of grass that had collected on his shirt, Jonah breathed a quick sigh of relief before pulling his brother to his feet. He wanted to yell. Wanted to knock some sense into his brother. Instead, he grabbed him and pulled him into a fierce hug.

  “Sorry, Jonah. I wasn’t thinking.”

  Jonah squeezed him tighter and then let him go with a shove, walking away before Lucas could see the pool of tears that had accumulated on the rims of his lids. Henry had been so sure he could ride the rogue mustang. It had been a fool way to die, and Jonah would be damned if he would let it happen to another of his brothers.

  It was time to get these men paid and find the idiot woman who’d agreed to marry a man she’d never even met. Aunt Leah would be expecting them.

  “Just what exactly do I do with that?” Emma asked, her nose upturned, staring out of the corner of her eye at the rather large pile of horse dung steaming near the front gate of the rooming house.

  Millie had been gracious enough to let Emma help around the house to pay for her room and board, but the woman just couldn’t afford to hire on someone new, especially someone who had to be taught how to complete even the simplest of housekeeping tasks.

  “Oh, don’t you pay no nevermind, child. Old Jed McIntire is bringing the last of his crop to sell at the edge of town today and we’ll be needing some fresh goods. Best get there early on to get the best of it. Go collect your shawl and a basket.”

  Not waiting for Millie to change her mind, Emma skittered up the stairs and into the house without a word. She leaned briefly against the closed door and darted to the small room behind the kitchen where she’d been sleeping, and opted for her lighter fabric shawl. She retrieved her small coin purse from her satchel, then picked up a worn handled over-sized basket from the edge of the kitchen counter.

  It would be nice to get out for a stroll. It would give her time to think of how she might be able to earn the money for a train ticket to…

  To where exactly?

  How had she been such a fool to believe that everything would work out? Her grandfather had always told her that everything happened for a reason, but the reason she would be stranded in this town near penniless and without a husband escaped her.

  When she reached the bottom of the last set of stone steps in the yard, the muck was gone. Millie handed her some coins and a list she’d scribbled down on an old yellowed scratch of paper.

  “Now, get on with ya,” Millie said with a smirk. “We’ll be needing some fresh corn and apples for tonight’s supper.”

  Emma looked down at the change and wondered where the woman had been carrying her money. It was probably best she didn’t know. She placed the coins in her small purse and rushed down the boardwalk toward the edge of town where the farmer would be selling his goods.

  When Emma had finished collecting everything on her list, she neatly tucked the paper in her little purse and set it atop the basket sitting at her feet when she felt the hairs of her neck stand on end. She quickly glanced about her. No one seemed to be paying any particular attention to her, and then she saw him. A man had been watching her, but before she’d been able to fix on his features, he’d ducked behind an oncoming wagon and disappeared.

  Emma suddenly felt on edge. There had been something familiar about the figure, but she couldn’t place it. She bent down to pick up the now heavy basket and realized that with the large load, the handles wouldn’t hold.

  “The rider is coming!” someone shouted from the next street over.

  Rider?

  The woman standing next to her, grabbed her skirts and lifted, running toward the street corner and knocking Emma off balance in the process. Men and women, who moments ago had been busy looking over the wares of the old farmer and his wife, as well as others who had been making their way casually down the street, all rushed to the edge of the road and strained their necks to peer at what Emma assumed was a Pony Express rider. Jarvis had regaled them all with tales of the brave young men who ventured across country to deliver mail.

  Cheers could be heard in waves as the rider approached. When Emma finally caught sight of him, she was surprised to see a young man, no older than young Johnny from the train, whisking past the crowd. While his head was focused on the road ahead, he still managed a swift wave of his hand to the onlookers. It wasn’t long before dust filled the street and the rider all but disappeared.

  In moments, the crowd began to disperse and return to their previous activities. The food stuffs in Emma’s basket overflowed, but finally she managed to wrap her arms fully around the bulging frame. She turned back awkwardly toward the rooming house.

  Thud. The basket was knocked free of her grasp in an instant and the three plump tomatoes that had lined the top had been squished into her chest.

  She was ready to ‘spit nails’ as Jarvis would say. She looked up to tell the dolt who’d just run into her what she thought of his lumbering attack, when she was met by the most beautiful rich brown eyes she’d ever seen.

  He reached into his pocket and retrieved a handkerchief, which he motioned forward toward her now sopping chest. He must have thought better of it because his hands twitched, unknowing how to proceed.

  Good heavens, he was going to try to wipe the tomatoes from her bosom. Heat immediately rushed into her face and she took a small step backward.

  “Excuse me, ma’am,” he said with a voice that would melt butter. Aft
er positioning his hands a few different ways, he tossed his handkerchief onto her chest and color immediately stained his cheeks. “Um, here, take this.”

  She didn’t recall a time when she’d seen such a handsome man so flustered. In fact, she didn’t recall when she’d seen such a handsome man.

  He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. After looking everywhere but at her, he tipped his hat, the wide berth of which she’d never seen before, and turned away.

  “I’m sorry,” he called out as he retreated down the road.

  He’s leaving?

  She looked at the mess of food scattered about the road. A small group of poorly dressed youth ran past her and kicked some of the potatoes from her reach.

  Of all the—

  “Excuse my brother, ma’am,” a blond gentleman said, scooping up some of the wayward potatoes. “Jonah’s in a bit of a hurry chasing after the woman he thinks may be his unsuspecting betrothed,” he continued, collecting a few more items from the road.

  “No wonder she’s running away from him,” she started, putting a few ears of corn into the grounded basket, “with manners like those.” She nearly choked on her words when she glanced up and saw the dashing smile that lit the man’s tanned and chiseled features. It really was unfair that one family could be blessed with such looks.

  The stranger chortled. “Let me help you with that.” He bent down and picked up her basket. “You headed far?”

  “Noah, look at this,” another man approached. “They have cantaloupe and watermelon. It’s been a long time.”

  Three of them?

  “Are there any more of you?”

  Noah laughed.

  The new stranger looked down, seeming to notice her for the first time. “Well, hello. Aren’t you a lady fit for a man’s arm? I’m Lucas,” he said with a smile.

  Emma couldn’t help her but smile at the sight of him bowing with a melon in each arm.

  “It’s just the three of us now,” Noah answered her question. “We lost our oldest brother last month in an accident while trying to break a mustang.”

  “Oh, my,” Emma gasped, “I’m so sorry to hear that. You must be devastated.”

  “It was tough. Still is, but I think it hit Jonah the hardest.” He looked back at the place where his brother had disappeared from sight. “Come on, now. That’s enough about that. Where are we going with this mighty fine basket of goods?”

  Emma took a step in the direction she’d come. She’d never had such fine gentlemanly attention. She liked it.

  “I’m just down the road at the boarding house. The owner was gracious enough to let me stay at her place while I…make some decisions.”

  “You’re staying at Millie’s?” Lucas asked, falling in step with her and Noah.

  Emma nodded.

  “Now, that’s a mighty fine coincidence.” Lucas held out an arm to her. “We’re headed there ourselves.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Lucas.” Emma placed her hand on his forearm. “Thank you both for your kind assistance.”

  “Oh, it’s not Mr. Lucas. Just Lucas. Deardon.”

  Deardon?

  “Oh, my.”

  Chapter Five

  Besides the new Patee House, there were four other hotels in town. Miss Foster had to be staying in one of them. Jonah’d had a mind just to travel down to Redbourne Ranch without her, but thought twice when he imagined the look he would be sure to see on Aunt Leah’s face when he told her they were short a bride.

  He’d almost resigned himself to the idea of marrying her solely for the good of the family when he accidentally bumped into the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on. Her ebony hair was a stark contrast against eyes that were a most rare muted blue and looked like they’d been filled with the morning’s mist.

  When he realized that he’d caused her tomatoes to be squished into the bodice of her dress, he pulled his handkerchief from his pocket and stepped toward her to help clean the mess. It didn’t take long for him to realize that it wasn’t going to work and he simply tossed the cloth at her. He had to stop dwelling on the perfect swell of her bosom and needed to refocus his thoughts on finding Emma Foster and convincing her not to marry him.

  Jonah looked up and met Noah’s eyes. His brothers had been following fairly close behind him and Noah, at least, had seen the incident. His brother nodded and stopped to help the woman with the food basket, or what was left of it. Guilt settled in his gut, but Jonah took comfort in knowing that Noah would help the young woman and hopefully settle any damages.

  No, he wasn’t ready to give up on marrying someone of his own choosing. Not yet.

  Maybe when he found Miss Foster, he could convince her of an alternate arrangement. Just what that arrangement would be hadn’t occurred to him yet, but there had to be a way to come to a new agreement without getting married. Surely she would see reason.

  More than once today he’d seen a young woman travelling alone with a bag in hand and had stopped her to inquire her name. None reported to be Emma Foster from Boston, including this last young lady.

  “I’m staying at the Patee House…just in case you don’t find her,” the woman told him with a coy smile.

  Jonah didn’t remember the women in his life being so bold. Yet another reason he did not appreciate big cities. How he was going to find the woman in a town this size was beyond him, if she was even here. What if she’d received his post and he’d wasted all morning looking for her for nothing?

  “Thank you kindly for your time, ma’am,” Jonah said, turning and walking back toward the boarding house he and his brothers had booked for the night.

  He needed to get a message to the Foster house in Boston and was grateful the telegraph office was on the way to Millie’s place. He was confident that he would be able to get a response within the day. If only the telegraph line already extended across the continent, he wouldn’t be in this mess. It would sure beat this guess work he was doing.

  As Jonah passed the spot where he’d knocked into the young woman with her groceries, he was disappointed to see that the mess had all been cleaned up, and she was nowhere to be seen. His brothers would have helped her along and then headed back to the house.

  He tried to determine what it was about her that had captivated him and couldn’t decide on just one thing. There had been something about her that he had connected with—something in her eyes that had spoken to him.

  Enough.

  Jonah had his hands full trying to find one woman. Looking for two seemed out of the question, but there had been something in her eyes—those wide, innocent eyes—that had touched him.

  A glint caught his eye and he glanced down. There in the road, peeking out from beneath a discarded corn husk, was a small coin purse.

  It can’t be.

  He picked it up and closed his fingers over his discovery. A little hope never hurt anyone. He smiled and made his way over to the telegraph office.

  “I need you to send this message to Boston,” Jonah said the moment he stepped into the quaint building with barely enough standing room to breathe. He slid the paper with a brief scribbled message and location across the counter.

  The clerk sitting behind the desk brushed stray crumbs from his mustache and cleared his throat. He stood and picked up the note.

  “Boston, huh?” he asked picking something from his teeth with his tongue.

  Jonah didn’t say anything, he just waited.

  The operator sat down on a tall stool just in front of the black machine on an elevated table. He placed spectacles over his eyes and held Jonah’s note between his fingertips as he leaned onto the table and began to hit the keys in rhythm.

  Jonah was fascinated. He’d heard about the practice multiple times, but he’d never actually seen it. He leaned back against the wall nonchalantly, but watched closely through the corner of his eye. He perked up his head when beeping sounds came in reply.

  “They’ve received it, but it won’t be delivered to the Foster r
esidence until morning.” The telegraph operator leaned up onto his stool. “So, now we wait.”

  Jonah pushed himself off the wall. “I’m late for supper. When something comes in, will you have it delivered to Millie’s place?”

  “You’re staying with Miss Millie?” the clerk asked with wide eyes and a barely contained grin.

  Jonah nodded.

  “I’ll bring it over myself,” he said and jumped off his stool with an outstretched hand, which Jonah shook firmly.

  “I’ll be waiting.”

  When Jonah walked through the front door of the boarding house, the welcoming warmth of freshly baked bread and hot butter greeted him. His mouth started to water instantly. He’d been unaware of just how hungry he’d been. The idea of eating something other than Ezra’s watered down vegetable stew pushed him to move quickly. They’d only stayed at Millie’s place once before, after delivery of their first small herd to the Pony Express, but if memory served him correctly, the food had been better than anything he’d ever eaten. They deserved it after the trip they’d had.

  It’d been a long journey from Oregon to Missouri and he was looking forward to a warm meal, a hot bath and shave, and a good night’s sleep. That is, if thoughts of a certain young woman’s muted blue eyes would stop haunting him.

  Jonah quickly hung his hat on the rack behind the door. He pulled the pocket watch from his vest. Supper had most certainly already been served and he was not about to miss the meal. He tossed the little coin purse in the air and caught it again, whistling his way to the dining room.

  When he walked around the corner, he was met by a half dozen sets of eyes. He stopped his tune with a smirk.