Nothing Short of Wondrous

by Regina Scott

  “So he sees the virtue of keeping a cow,” the cook agreed with a nod.

  “We’ll have to bleach and press the tablecloths and polish the chairs and banister. Oh, what a shame Pansy’s gone for the year.”

  “I’ll help, Ma,” Danny offered.

  Kate’s gaze was off in the middle distance. “Is there time to put in another porch swing?”

  “Kate,” Will said, climbing the steps and reaching for her hands.

  They fluttered away like startled birds. “And your stagecoach, Elijah! I don’t want Captain Harris to think we lack transportation.”

  “I’ll have it ready, Mrs. Tremaine,” Elijah promised. “I’d like to stay in his good graces too.”

  “Kate,” Will tried again.

  She started pacing, skirts flapping. “I’ll need to repaint the trail markers, air all the beds, sweep the porch, clean the chicken yard . . .”

  “Kate!” He managed to catch her hands as she passed. “Make a list. Delegate. My men and I stand ready to help. It’s the least we can do after all you’ve done for us. But even if you sat on your hands for the next three days, the Geyser Gateway would still be the finest hotel in the park.”

  “Three days.” Her eyes gleamed. “Three days is a very short time. We should start now.”

  And they did.

  Will had had difficult details before—escorting peaceful tribes through hostile territory, chasing outlaws through rugged canyons—but nothing prepared him for Kate’s campaign. She was already working when he and his men rode in just after dawn each morning, and he feared she kept working when they left as dusk was falling. And always she complimented them on their efforts.

  “Not a squeak from the third step now,” she told Franklin, passing him with a rug she had just beaten. “Well done.”

  “Such elegant lettering,” she marveled to Smith, who was repainting the trail markers. “Our visitors will be impressed.”

  “So shiny,” she commented to Elijah when she came to see the progress he and Will were making in fixing the stagecoach. “I can almost see myself in that yellow varnish.”

  She was everywhere, doing everything. His most important job was to make sure she had enough rest. He thought she might fight him on that, but she seemed to sense that she needed more than work. They played baseball one evening on the field across from the hotel, with Elijah and Alberta taking positions. They laughed together as they finished the map she had first promised Will, and he was pleased to see how many of the places he could remember now that he knew the park better. And she took him and Danny up to the bison’s home to confirm they were all there and safe.

  “They know how to hide too,” Danny said.

  Kate met Will’s gaze over her son’s head. “And when to show themselves for who they are.”

  And Will could only marvel once again that this woman cared for him.

  The letter he finally had a chance to read one night proved as much. Indeed, her words humbled him.

  Dearest Will, she’d written. Thank you for telling me what happened years ago in Oregon. I grieve for those who were so cruelly slain. I grieve for the anguish their deaths caused those who loved them. And I grieve for your broken heart.

  It is that broken heart which proves you are a better man than you know. Who else would encourage Private Smith despite his insolence? Give Private Franklin a chance to show his skills? Who else helps everyone around with no thought of recompense?

  You are a good friend, a guide, a warm light in the darkness. I will be forever grateful you came into my life. I can’t wait to see what the future holds, together. Kate.

  He let a tear fall, unashamed. The mirror she held up showed a man he had hoped one day to become. Because of her, and for her, he would always be that man.

  Unfortunately, the talk he had been hoping to have would have to wait until this inspection was over. But she had accepted his impromptu proposal, allowed his help in everything from shining silver to making beds, written him of her admiration. That had to count for something.

  Captain Harris would start his inspection at the guard station, so Will and his remaining men were in camp, in their dress uniforms, when their commanding officer and his aide arrived three days later. Franklin had finished the roof on the cabin, and they’d been using the space to store their gear. Harris walked around the outside, stepped inside, glanced around, and stepped out with a shake of his head.

  “We calculated the amount of wood needed, but this is spartan, even by Army standards,” he told Will, who was waiting with Franklin and Smith. “And inadequate for six men through the winter months. I begin to see why you approached Mrs. Tremaine.”

  He was even less impressed with the Fire Hole Hotel and its cottages. “Limited capacity and rude construction,” he informed Will as they rode away from the place. “I will encourage the Yellowstone Park Association to improve the buildings before next season.”

  The next stop on the tour was the Geyser Gateway, and Will’s saddle felt unaccountably stiff, Bess’s gait stiffer, as they approached the geyser field from the north. By the way Franklin was shifting on his horse, as if the leather had grown hot, he felt the same way. Even the normally unflappable Smith kept darting glances at their captain as they reined in at the front of the hotel.

  Kate, Danny, and Alberta were standing on the porch as if they’d known Captain Harris and the others would arrive at exactly that moment. Kate’s black hair gleamed in the sunlight as she stepped out of the shade, navy skirts settling around her trim figure.

  “Captain Harris, Lieutenant Tutherly, gentlemen, welcome to the Geyser Gateway.”

  Captain Harris swung down, and Tutherly took his horse and the captain’s to the corral. “Mrs. Tremaine, a pleasure to see you again. And this must be Daniel the lionhearted.”

  Danny, who had come to her side, hair slicked back and shirt tucked into his short trousers, stared up at him. “Why did you call me that?”

  He bent to put his head on a level with the boy’s. “Because it would take a man with the heart as brave as a lion’s to stand up to Roy Jessup. Well done, Soldier.”

  Danny stuck out his chest. “Lieutenant Prescott says I’m a general.”

  Will’s cheeks felt warm as the captain straightened and glanced his way. “I should have realized I was outranked.” He turned to Danny. “What are your orders, sir?”

  Danny glanced from Kate to Will and then to Captain Harris. “Tell my ma how nice her hotel looks. She worked real hard so you’ll like it.”

  Now Kate was blushing. “That’s enough, Danny.”

  Captain Harris chuckled. “Listen to your commanding officer, son. And show me around this fine hotel of yours.”

  “This way,” Kate said, stepping aside, and Alberta hurried to open the door for them.

  It took nearly two hours for Harris to inspect the hotel, the grounds and outbuildings, and Elijah’s stagecoach.

  “I understand you had some trouble,” he told the wiry driver as they all stood in the cool shadows of the barn.

  Elijah smiled at him. “Nothing I can’t handle, Captain.”

  Harris nodded. “Then we will hope to see you again next spring. Wakefield and Hoffman could use the competition. From what I can see by the way you’ve recovered from this incident, you’ll keep them on their toes.”

  Elijah saluted. “I’ll do my best, sir.” As the commanding officer headed for the wide doors, he grinned at Kate. “Looks like you’ll be seeing me again soon, Mrs. Tremaine.”

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Kate assured him.

  With a nod of respect to Elijah, Will directed her out the door for the geyser field beyond.

  Throughout the tour, Will had kept pace, answered questions posed to him, listened as Kate answered others. Harris’s face remained calm, thoughtful, while Kate’s began to grow paler. Will couldn’t have said which way the wind blew. He wanted to step between his commanding officer and her, shelter her from whatever might come. The be
st he could do was squeeze her hand from time to time behind the captain’s back.

  “Is there anything else?” Kate asked as they headed back toward the hotel.

  “Perhaps a slice of that marvelous huckleberry pie I’ve heard so much about,” Harris said.

  “Of course. We were hoping you might stay to dinner. I promised to reciprocate your hospitality at Mammoth Hot Springs.”

  He smiled. “You have already reciprocated it a dozen times over by hosting visitors in such an excellent establishment.” He turned to his adjutant. “Lieutenant Tutherly, a piece of pie for you as well?”

  He nodded to Kate. “I’d be delighted, ma’am.”

  “I’ll have it ready in a moment,” Kate promised. She smiled at Will. “And of course our valiant cavalry detachment must join us.”

  “Ma’am,” Franklin said eagerly while Smith swept her a bow.

  She lifted her skirts to climb the steps for the door.

  Captain Harris remained on the ground. “Lieutenant Prescott, a moment.”

  Tutherly glanced at Will before moving around the hotel. Will supposed he was checking on their horses in the corral. Smith and Franklin remained respectfully behind them.

  “Sir?” Will asked.

  Harris eyed him. “How much assistance have you given Mrs. Tremaine since arriving?”

  He had to go carefully. He knew how Harris felt about the proper division between Army and civilian duties.

  “I needed a guide. Mrs. Tremaine agreed to serve in exchange for some minor help—repairing stairs, clearing chimneys, that sort of thing. Any other assistance rendered came solely under our duties to protect the park and ensure the well-being of its visitors.”

  Harris’s brow quirked. “I see. You might tell Smith the word geyser does not have an A in it.”

  “It does in Louisiana,” Smith drawled.

  Will shot him a look before meeting his commanding officer’s gaze and standing straighter. “Sir.”

  “At ease, Lieutenant,” Harris said. “You’ve done a fine job here. I just want to be certain Mrs. Tremaine can continue to maintain this establishment after the Army moves on.”

  “Mrs. Tremaine managed this hotel for a year on her own before the Army arrived,” Will reminded him. “Anything we’ve done only gilds the lily.”

  Harris nodded. “Very good. And I trust you heeded my advice about the lady?”

  Will thought he heard Franklin cough.

  “I have,” Will told the captain. “Mrs. Tremaine is fully cognizant about my past.”

  “And still willing to befriend you,” the captain mused. “An amazing woman.”

  Will smiled. “Yes, sir.”

  The front door banged, and Danny skidded out onto the porch. “Hurry, Captain Harris. The pie’s waiting.”

  Harris saluted him. “Coming right up, General Tremaine.”

  They all gathered in the dining room with Elijah, where Alberta and Kate served warm pie with a generous dollop of whipped cream.

  “Excellent,” Captain Harris declared after the first bite. “What’s your secret?”

  Alberta beamed. “A few drops of lemon, Captain. It brings out the flavor of the berries.”

  “That it does.” He continued eating. Kate met Will’s gaze and squeezed her shoulders up, gray eyes sparkling. Will could only hope Alberta’s pie had done the trick.

  At length, the captain and his adjutant finished, and Franklin and Smith swallowed their last bites. Kate walked Harris and Tutherly out to the porch. Will and his men, Elijah, Alberta, and Danny followed.

  “There is one more thing I meant to accomplish on this tour,” Captain Harris said. He nodded to Tutherly, who went for a saddlebag draped over the porch rail. Will realized the adjutant must have fetched it from the corral. Now, he brought back a cloth bag that clinked as he handed it to the captain.

  “Lieutenant Prescott,” Captain Harris said in a tone that demanded Will stand at full attention. “It has come to my notice that your behavior and accomplishments while on this detachment have exemplified the high standards we have of a cavalry officer.” He opened the bag and drew out a pair of spurs, the silver gleaming in the sunlight. “I therefore present you with the spurs worn by men of honor, valor, and courage, the men of the US Cavalry.”

  Will kept his arm stiff to salute lest the captain see that he was shaking. “Sir.”

  Captain Harris nodded to Tutherly again. The first lieutenant took the spurs from the captain, then crouched and fastened them around Will’s boots. Rising, he offered Will a salute. So did Captain Harris, Smith, and Franklin. Alberta clapped her hands together, Elijah nodded, and Kate beamed.

  “Can I have some like that?” Danny asked, gazing down at the shining spurs Will had never thought to wear again.

  Captain Harris ruffled his hair. “When you earn them, young man.”

  Danny saluted.

  Kate came to take Will’s arm. “Congratulations, Lieutenant.”

  He nodded, words failing him. Everything he’d ever wanted was in his grasp: honor, friendship, love, as shiny as the spurs on his heels. He would strive to live in a way that did them proud.

  29

  She could see what this honor meant to Will. Those spurs—it was as if Captain Harris had given him back his dignity, his worth. Only she knew how hard he had worked to regain them.

  Captain Harris turned to her. “Mrs. Tremaine, allow me to extend my congratulations to you as well. The Geyser Gateway is everything our nation should expect from hospitality at Yellowstone—warm, welcoming, and wondrous. Good food, comfortable surroundings, and a respect for what nature has bestowed.”

  Kate inclined her head. “Thank you, Captain. We do everything we can to achieve those goals.”

  “That is abundantly clear,” he told her as she straightened, “which is why I will be recommending that the Department of the Interior renew your lease, for ten years.”

  She stared at him. “Ten years?”

  He arched a brow. “Unless there’s a reason to shorten that time.”

  “No, no,” she hurried to assure him, feeling as if the veranda quaked below her. “Ten years is marvelous. Perfect.” She managed a breath. “Thank you for trusting us with Yellowstone. We won’t let you down.”

  “I believe it.” He leaned closer. “You should know that the Virginia City Outfitters are struggling financially. I understand their holdings will shortly be purchased by the Yellowstone Park Association. You should not be troubled by them again.”

  Truly, it was more than she’d dreamed possible. She looked to Will, who was smiling so widely his whole face broadened.

  “We did it,” she said as they sat on the porch swing together after Captain Harris and Lieutenant Tutherly had ridden south for Old Faithful and Will’s men were getting the horses ready to return to camp. Alberta, Elijah, and Danny were inside, helping themselves to a second piece of pie in celebration.

  Will took her hand, brought it to his lips for a kiss. “You did it. No one has worked harder for this than you, Kate.”

  She had worked hard, for Danny, for this hotel, for stability. And she wanted only to share it with this man who had come into her life so unexpectedly. Loving Will was like discovering the wintering grounds of the bison, like watching a geyser touch the sky. It gave her hope for the future.

  “The Geyser Gateway has always been more than a hotel,” she told him. “It’s a home. Our home, Will. Mine, Danny’s, yours.”

  “A home where the buffalo roam,” he said with a smile. “And the deer and the antelope play. I don’t care what that song says. It’s not the animals or the scenic wonders. You make it a home, Kate.”

  “Then let’s set a date,” she said. “I love you, Will, and I want you here, always. Let’s marry first thing in the spring, when the wildflowers start to bloom.”

  He laughed, cuddling her closer. “Let’s marry October fifteenth, before the snow falls in earnest. I’ve heard too much about a Yellowstone winter to want to wai
t it out to marry you.”

  Married before winter. Safe together. Nothing sounded better.

  “Perfect,” Kate said. “I’ll send word to Mr. Yates so he’ll be sure to come out that late. I want our wedding to be the best in Yellowstone.”

  “I already have the best in Yellowstone,” he said. “I’m marrying you. Together, life will be nothing short of wondrous from here on out.”

  And it was.

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for choosing Kate and Will’s story. When I learned the US Cavalry rode to the rescue to manage our nation’s first national park, I knew I had to write about it.

  Fortunately, we have many rich resources on the early years of the park, from the archives of the Heritage and Research Center in Gardiner, Montana, to websites, books, and reports, including the first report Moses Harris wrote to Congress. It was from that report that I learned about the snowstorm in September. Harris was a real captain in the cavalry; he led Troop M to manage the park. His adjutant, Lieutenant Tutherly, and Lieutenant Kingman of the US Army Corps of Engineers are also historical figures who served the same roles then as they do in the book, though I have taken the liberty of interpreting their characters and words. My thanks to Alicia Murphy, National Park Service historian, for her help deciphering the wealth of sometimes confusing information. Any mistakes in interpretation are my own.

  The location and descriptions of the guard stations and other facilities at Mammoth Hot Springs, the Norris Geyser Basin, and Old Faithful are also as realistic as I could make them, as are the descriptions of the wonders of the park. The Yellowstone Park Association did own most of the hotels in the park in 1886, but the Virginia City Outfitters are my own creation. And while we know today that the amazing colors of the hot pools are associated with heat-loving bacteria, it was widely held in Kate and Will’s time that minerals caused the coloration.

  The story of the bison is nearly heartbreaking. At the time the Army rode into Yellowstone, historians estimate fewer than thirty of the beasts remained in the entire park. Small wonder Kate tried so hard to protect them.