Tell him, Kate.
“I know you’ve come all this way…”
He dropped his head.
“But, you’ve already made your choice,” he finished for her, nodding, his lips puckered with realization as he looked down and kicked at some imaginary pebble on the ground.
“Yes.”
“Well, that’s that then.” He knocked his gloves against the leg of his denims.
“I’m sorry. I…”
“No need for apologies, ma’am. If there is one thing I’ve learned about Deardons, it is that you don’t bet against them. If he’s anything like his brother,” he said with a half-hearted smile, “then he’s good stock.” He held out his hand again to Noah. “You’re a lucky man, Deardon.”
Noah returned the gesture, then slipped his hand over Kate’s.
“Don’t I know it.”
Chapter Eighteen
The savory aroma of Fannie’s chili cooking on the stove was enough to send Noah’s grumbling stomach into fits. The cook had made a thick, buttery cornbread and apple dumplings to serve along with it, but they wouldn’t be ready to eat for another half an hour.
“It’s been a while since I’ve eaten a home cooked meal,” Mason said. “Thank you for inviting me to stay.”
Somehow, Noah had found himself alone on the porch with the man who’d come to Laramie with hopes of marrying his Kate and counted himself fortunate that he’d arrived first. He imagined that Everett had no lack of female attentions with his easy smile and good work ethic.
“You handled yourself pretty well out there, both with the cattle and with Kate. You’ve proven you’ve got a good head on your shoulders and that you aren’t afraid of a little hard work. Or a lot. I thought you might consider staying on. At least through the winter.” Noah looked at the man who’d endeared himself to Kate through his letters and was grateful for the kindness and encouragement he’d offered her during a difficult time. He leaned down, his elbows on his knees and his hands folded together in front of him.
“You’re offering me a job?”
“If you want it.” Noah nodded. “The way I figure it, if my brother trusted you, that’s all I need to know. I believe you to be a man of your word. Besides, you were smart enough to figure out that Kate is worth fighting a Wyoming storm, and we could use a little of that kind of determination and perseverance around here. The job’s yours if you want it.”
“That’s awfully generous of you, Mr. Deardon.”
“Call me Noah.”
“Noah, thank you. I would consider it an honor. I’ll stay. At least until I figure out where to go from here.”
Noah understood all too well the need to figure out what life had in store for a man’s future and felt very blessed that his included one Kate Callahan.
“Great. Now, if you’ll excuse me for a moment. It’s torture sitting right here with the smell of that delicious food floating through the cracks and not being able to eat. I’ve got a few things to attend to.”
Mason stood and followed him down the porch stairs.
“I noticed the gate on the corral next to the barn is barely hanging on its hinges and thought I’d do something about that.”
“They’ll call when supper’s ready.” Noah laughed, tipping his hat at the man as he headed for the stable, but as he passed the bunkhouse, he noticed Levi inside. He pushed open the door.
He didn’t know what to say. ‘Thank you’ just didn’t seem like it was enough. If it hadn’t been for Levi, he would never have risked everything for the chance to find his place in a little town like Laramie or to be with a woman as incredible, strong, and beautiful as Kate.
“I have something for you,” he said, motioning out the door with a slight jerk of his head.
“I just finished up.” Levi cinched up his bag and followed him out to the stable.
“I offered Everett a job to stay on through the winter. I figured he was as good a ranch hand as I would find and he needed a place to stay, so it will work out.”
He and Levi had been together for near a month and Noah was just beginning to realize just how much he was going to miss his cousin.
“There are still several towns along the transcontinental route that will need men like him. Don’t be surprised if I lure him away from here with dreams of a place of his own—and maybe a woman to go with it.”
They both laughed.
“Well, you were right. This trip to Wyoming is exactly what I needed. Kate is amazing.” Noah paused at Apollo’s stall gate and reached down into the bag of apples. “I can’t thank you enough for dragging me out here. I could have missed out on life without my other half.”
“Now, you’re just getting sappy,” Levi called it like it was.
“He’s yours.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You cannot keep riding that little pony of yours across the west. You need a dependable mount that you can trust. I’m giving you Apollo.”
“And what are you going to do?”
“I did train horses for the first twenty years of my life, I think I’ll be okay.”
The light-colored Arabian perked his head up and over the stall gate.
Noah laughed. “I’m going to train this one,” he said, rubbing the horse’s nose and neck. “Ares. It’s quite fitting, don’t you think. A lover and a fighter.”
“What is it with you and the Greek gods?” Levi asked, shaking his head as he strode over to Apollo and brushed his hands across his neck and back. “Thank you, Noah. For Apollo, and for taking a chance—even at great risk. You were the right man for this place. And for Kate.”
“And she is the right person for me. I’d like to do something special for her. Will you help?”
“Of course. What can I do?”
Chapter Nineteen
It had been a long time since Kate had taken a bath, let alone in the middle of the day, but Noah had insisted on carrying several buckets of steaming water into one of the back rooms and filling the oversized washbasin he’d purchased in town. She dipped down into the warm, sudsy water, luxuriating in the feel of it on her skin, and allowing it to wash away her cares.
“Miss Kate,” Fannie said, peeking around the door as she came into the room with a towel and a clean dress ensemble. “I thought you might like some help brushing your hair. You’ve had a hard couple of days and it’s the least I can do.” She hung a pretty rose colored skirt and lighter pink blouse over the back of the quilt rack, along with all of the accompanying undergarments.
Kate thought of telling her just to bring in the old pair of her brother’s trousers and one of her father’s button-down shirts, but thought better of it. Putting on something nice to wear would complete the experience. She doubted many women this far west would enjoy such luxuries as a warm bath in their own home.
Fannie dragged one of the high-backed chairs in the room over to the tub, sat down, and pulled the pins from Kate’s hair, allowing it to drape down the back of the basin. The woman worked through the snarls without Kate wincing every couple of seconds in pain. Instead, the brisk movements of the brush sweeping through her hair and Fannie’s constant twisting and pulling soothed her even more.
“Do you need anything else, my dear?” Fannie asked as she stepped toward the closed door.
“I have everything I need,” she replied, soaking in the moment.
As the water started to cool, Kate bemoaned the end of her much needed indulgence and quickly washed up, then dressed. She glanced in the small, square mirror hanging on the wall next to the door, pleased with her elegant hairstyle and the pink glow to her cheeks.
She wanted to skip down to her room, but the ankle still pained her enough that she was just happy she could make the distance on her own.
After lacing up her boots as tightly as she could for support, and pulling on a fancy coat that had belonged to her mother, she gingerly stepped out onto the porch, awed by the spectacular sight of the hitched sleigh on the snow, and N
oah standing in front of it wearing a dark grey suit and a tailored coat. She’d have never guessed he owned such elegant wear.
He took her breath away as he tipped his hat before leaping up the steps two at a time and sweeping her up into his arms.
“Noah Deardon, what on earth are you up to?” she asked with a playfully narrowed gaze.
“The day is so beautiful, I thought we could enjoy it on a ride into town.” He carried her to the sleigh and set her down on the seat, then climbed up next to her.
After everything that had happened, physically and emotionally within the last twenty-four hours—not to mention the last couple of months, Kate decided a little time to recuperate was exactly what she needed, even if it was only for the day.
She looked down at Mr. Everett, who stood in the doorway of the stable, leaning with his hands on the shovel in front of him, and smiled. He’d been very gracious. He would make another woman very happy someday.
Noah kept a slow, even pace with the horses on the way into town. The biting chill from the previous night had turned into a mildly cool, winter’s afternoon, but Kate nestled a little closer to the handsome man sitting next to her all the same. The sun occasionally showed its rays as it shot through the clouds hovering across the sky, adding depth and beauty to the landscape.
When they arrived in Laramie, Noah drove straight to the little brown church at the far edge of town, which sat in contrast amongst the neighboring bawdy saloons. Kate looked up at Noah and he turned on the seat, holding her hands in his.
“Kate,” he said, searching her eyes, “I want to marry you.”
“Me too,” she nodded enthusiastically.
“I know you wanted to wait until the Harvest Jubilee to make it official, but I don’t want to wait that long. I love you, Kate Callahan. Will you marry me? Today?”
She didn’t need time to think, only to voice her answer.
“Yes,” she replied. “Oh, yes.” The hole that had been empty inside of her for so long, spilled over with the love she had for this man. He was her everything and she couldn’t wait to be his wife.
Noah jumped down from the sleigh and held up his hands for her. Her heart beat excitedly, but she wasn’t scared. Or nervous. It felt right and she knew that with him by her side, no matter where they were, she would always be home.
Noah helped her up the steps to the chapel to find Cindy and her husband, Reverend Jones, standing at the front of the room, with Levi and Eamon to the side. She’d never believed that she would ever be this happy, but she couldn’t imagine her life without this man who’d slipped into her heart unannounced and made her complete.
She wasn’t sure how it happened all so quickly, but the good reverend pronounced them man and wife.
“You may now seal this union with a kiss.”
Noah took her into his arms.
“You are a good woman, Katie Callahan Deardon,” he said, closing the short distance between them in a tender melding of their lips. “My woman. My wonderful, beautiful bride. I am yours. Forever.”
“I will never tire of hearing that,” she said, snuggling into him. “You are my irresistibly strapping and hard-working husband, and I am all yours. Forever.”
The End
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AN ANGEL IN THISTLEBERRY
Chapter One
Whisper Ridge Ranch, Thistleberry, Montana, November 1883
Snow fell.
The absence of his family enshrouded Gabriel Deardon with a hefty weight. His dreams had left him restless and with a feeling of emptiness. He ripped the quilt from atop of him and sprung out of his bed as quickly as his old bones would allow.
There was work to be done.
His checkered shirt draped over the high-backed chair in his room. He strung his arms through the sleeves, pulled on his worn boots and old, faded hat, then gingerly made his way out into the living area and to the front door. He lifted his heavy wool-lined coat from the rack and donned as he treaded out toward the barn, pulling the collar up around his ears.
The barn door slid open easily now that his nephews had seen to oiling the hinges and he closed himself inside, rubbing his hands together and blowing his warm breath into them. Gloves would be no use for what he needed to do. He lit the lantern, hanging on a hook just to the side of him.
In the far corner of the barn, in a stall scarcely large enough to contain a pony, Gabe glanced over his shoulder before setting down his lamp and moving a few small boxes and barrels aside to allow him access to the discarded work table that sat up against the wall. He pulled back the saddle blanket that had been thrown over several mid-sized crates he’d hidden there.
It would only be an hour or so before the others would arise and the daily chores on the ranch would begin. He bent down to lift the first box and froze when an excruciating spasm blazed the trail from his hip to his shoulder.
“Blast it all!” he cursed, sucking air into his lungs. His hand shot to his back and he forced himself into a standing position once again. After a few moments, he bent his creaking knees and crouched down enough that he was able to retrieve his intended crate, then heaved it up onto the countertop with some effort. He reached in and pulled out a large cut of wood and several tools.
His lower back hurt and his movements were stiff, but he had more important things on his mind than how his body ached and his bones creaked.
There was no time to waste.
Deardon Ranch, Oregon
“The offer is a very good one,” Jonah Deardon spoke quietly as he sat at the kitchen table, his hands folded together and resting against his forehead.
His wife, Emma, slid onto the bench next to him, and ran her hand along the curve of his back, then placed an open envelope down in front of him. “This came today.”
He glanced down at the letter, then turned to look at her.
She smiled, sliding her hand down the length of his arm until it rested in the curve of his elbow, and she leaned down, resting her chin on his shoulder.
Jonah picked up the correspondence to inspect it more closely.
The postmark read, Thistleberry, Montana.
“More good news,” he said with a snort, unable to keep the sarcasm from his voice.
“Lucy has invited us to come stay at Whisper Ridge for the holidays. She writes that the property next to the ranch will be sold at auction just after Thanksgiving.”
Jonah leaned his head down to rest against Emma’s.
She missed their children. He sensed it even more now that the holidays were approaching. With work growing more scarce in their little Oregon town, many families had moved away and opportunities for courtship or even developing friendships were increasingly difficult to find. Grown now, with wills of their own, the twins and Owen had left home just over a year ago to visit family at Whisper Ridge, Montana, and had decided to stay. Only their youngest, August, remained at home.
“Have I told you today just how much I love you?” Jonah asked as he bent down and kissed his wife on the end of her nose.
“Yes,” she replied with a smile that still melted his heart, “but I never tire of hearing it,” she finished, raising her head enough he could look into her beautiful face.
“I love you, Emma Deardon.”
“And I you.”
He bent down and placed a light kiss on her lips, enjoying their sweet taste.
With a deep breath, Jonah picked up the letter and pulled it from the envelope. He scanned the contents and ground his teeth together. The property had everything they had been waiting for, but…
“What is it that is stopping you, Jonah? Are you worried about seeing your father?” Emma interrupted his thoughts.
How did she always know what he was thinking?
“Spending the holidays with Gabe Deardon has never been pleasant. I’m not sure I want to expose our children to such a Scrooge on a more permanent basis.”
>
It’s a little late for that, Deardon, he thought the moment the words left his mouth.
Emma smiled and placed her hands over Jonah’s. “If you’ll remember, darling, even Ebenezer Scrooge had a change of heart.”
Truth was, Jonah missed being with his family—his brothers, his children. Some of the best times he’d had over the years had been with his cousins and their families. It was time to move on. He knew it, but the thought of living next to his father sent a pit to his stomach that he couldn’t dispel.
“Not my father. He’s as ornery as they come.” Jonah pushed his seat away from the table and walked to the edge of the fireplace where Emma had already begun collecting pine cones for a Christmas mantel piece.
“Jonah,” Emma said knowingly, joining him at the mantel, “it’s time. We’ll never get another offer like the one Mr. Druthers has given.”
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and leaned down to kiss the top of her head.
“I know.” He placed the letter behind the small collection of pinecones. “I know.”
Chapter Two
Thistleberry, Montana
“Did you see it?” a young girl exclaimed as she skipped past Gabe in the café. “The nativity,” she said excitedly, “it’s back, sitting right in the center of Town Square. And mother, there’s another new piece.”
“Is it the baby, Jesus?” the girl’s mother asked hopefully as she bent down toward her daughter.
The child shook her head.
“Well, what is it, Annabelle?”
“An angel,” she whispered.
The Deardons Complete Mini-Series Page 33
