A Bride for Noah (34 page)

And why hadn't she told him?

It's like Sallie all over again.

He came upon the stream suddenly, and realized he'd been wandering without being aware of his surroundings. If he turned right, he would come to the place where he and Evie had washed dishes, where they shared their first kiss. Turning his back toward that painful spot, he hurried away. The more distance he could put between himself and that area, the better.

Thoughts circled in his mind as his feet carried him of their own accord. How could he have been such a fool twice?

When he topped the ridge, he realized he had come once again to his valley. Before him stretched the fertile land fed by the shimmering stream. Mount Rainier stood tall and majestic, looking down on him. What had he said just this morning? That no man could look on that mountain and doubt the existence of God. Nor did he.

Why is this happening again?

The cry rose toward heaven from a soul in turmoil. He sank to his knees, his gaze fixed on the imposing form that sat like a crown on the valley. The valley that had come to represent his future, the fulfillment of his dreams.

But he had shared this valley with Evie, and now a shadow lay across it. And like his future, the pinnacle of Mount Rainier was hidden from view, shrouded in clouds.

By the time Arthur escorted Evie back to the restaurant, she had regained a measure of composure. This was a horrible misunderstanding. No, she had not told Noah about James, but she'd planned to. She would have done so that very day, except she was interrupted by the untimely arrival of the
Olympia.
If only he would give her a chance, she could make him understand. She must.

When they reached the totem pole, the curtains fluttered at the
restaurant window. The next moment, the door opened and Ethel hurried outside.

“Thank goodness you've come.” She cast a look over her shoulder, and then lowered her voice. “I'm in danger of becoming Seattle's first murderer.”

No question concerning the identity of the murder victim. “Mrs. Coffinger?”

Ethel rolled her eyes. “That woman would find fault with the pearly gates themselves, and wouldn't mind telling St. Peter about it, either.”

“So she's decided to bed down here, has she?” Arthur looked toward the restaurant. “I'm to convey Mary's invitation to stay with us if she wants.”

“Trust me, Mr. Denny.” Ethel shook her head. “You don't want to inflict that woman on your poor wife and children.” She tilted her head, an idea stealing over her face. “Maybe we could send her in that direction, though, and don't tell her about making noise to keep the bears away.”

Evie stared at the building, trying to see through the opening in the curtains. “Is…anyone else here?”

“No one. Once that woman started complaining, everyone left. They're all up at the logging camp.” She scowled. “Where it's quiet.”

“That's where I'm going, then.” Arthur turned a kind smile on Evie. “You'll let me know if you need anything?”

If she still possessed any unshed tears, they would have appeared then. Arthur had been unexpectedly compassionate when she sobbed the details of the encounter at the dock. While Louisa and Mary took turns hugging her and forcing honeyed tea on her in tangible offerings of comfort, he stood silently nearby, his expression kind and without a hint of judgment. After the tears ceased and she felt able to face the others, he offered to see her safely home. On the trail, he spoke only one piece of advice.

“Noah is a good man, and he values the truth. Give him that, and I think all will be well.”

She turned to him now. “Thank you for everything.” She hesitated. “If you happen to see him…”

Smiling gently, Arthur shook his head. “I know better than to meddle in affairs of the heart. I have all I can do to handle my own. Some things you must do yourself.”

With a nod toward Ethel and a final smile for Evie, he left.

When they were alone, Ethel peered into Evie's face. “Are you all right, then? We've been worried about you.”

She drew in a long breath and let it out slowly. “I'll be all right. One way or another.” She linked her arm through her friend's. “Let's get this over with.”

When they entered the restaurant they found Mrs. Coffinger standing stiffly in front of Lucy, who appeared ready to cry. “I tell you, it's impossible. You must make other arrangements immediately.”

“That's what I keep telling you, ma'am. There are no other arrangements.” The girl cast a silent plea for help toward Evie. “Tell her. She won't believe me.”

The sturdy woman turned and, when she caught sight of Evie, seemed to gain six inches in height. Perhaps it was just her neck, which stretched to its limit, her nose pointed skyward.

“What doesn't she believe, Lucy?” Evie was proud of her calm tone.

“That the only bedrooms are up there.” She pointed toward the opening in the ceiling, where the ladder led to the second floor.

“I will not climb that contraption like a baboon. Besides being undignified, it is most certainly unsafe.” Her generous bosom inflated, the very picture of offended dignity.

Ethel folded her arms across her chest and matched her tone. “Then you can sleep on the hard ground, like you said in the first place.”

“This is outrageous, I tell you.” She looked down her long nose at Evie just as one would inspect an insect. “And being forced to stay with a woman of tarnished reputation besides.”

Had her emotions not exhausted themselves with tears, Evie's temper might have flared. As it was, she was too tired to do more than shake her head. “I don't know what you think, Mrs. Coffinger, but I assure you I do not, nor have I ever, entertained romantic notions about your husband. He and I have become business partners. That is why we came to Seattle.”

“And we came with them.” Lucy stepped hastily across the floor to stand beside Evie and Ethel. “All the way from Chattanooga.”

“Nothing inappropriate occurred on the entire journey,” Ethel said. “As we already told you.”

“Hmm.” The woman's eyes narrowed. “What about my money?”

Evie held the woman's eye without flinching. “I don't know anything about that. Miles's part of the bargain was to finance the venture. When we reached San Francisco, I discovered that he did not bring the necessary finances after all, and was forced to take a loan at the bank.”

Ethel's glare deepened. “And none of us have been paid a penny of what we were promised, either.”

Mrs. Coffinger considered the explanation, her tightly twisted lips forming an almost invisible straight line. Evie wasn't sure whether she believed them or not, and at the moment she found it hard to care. Where was Noah? Would he join the rest of them for dinner tonight?

The woman broke her silence with a sniff and a question. “What is the nature of this business venture you mentioned?”

Evie spread her hands. “This restaurant.”

Generous gray brows arched over scornful eyes as Mrs. Coffinger examined the room. She reached out a finger and touched the table beside her, and then tilted her head sideways to see the rough bench
beneath it. “If I'm to be the owner of this establishment, there are a lot of changes to be made.”

Ethel's mouth opened, and judging by her outraged expression she was about to voice her opinion of Mrs. Coffinger having any part of the restaurant. Evie stopped her with a raised hand. She had not the energy for an argument right now. Besides, her business partners needed to be present for a discussion involving ownership.

Noah, where are you? Please let me explain.

“Time enough for that when Miles returns. In the meantime, I can assure you that Lucy and Ethel have told the truth. Unless you want to sleep outdoors or in a tent in the logging camp, this is the only place to stay.” She nodded toward the ladder. “And that is the only way to get to the bedrooms.”

Mrs. Coffinger's sigh could have blown the curtains off the windows. “Very well. I suppose one must make do when one is penniless.” She marched to the ladder with a swish of her voluminous skirts and, with a look of pure distaste, began to climb.

The back door opened as she disappeared through the opening in the ceiling. Evie's hopes rose. Noah? They deflated when Cookee entered.

“All I got to say is you gals better have a mighty good supper planned for tonight.” He threw himself onto a bench. “I ain't feedin' no visitors. Cookhouse's closed till the logging starts up again.”

“Visitors?” Evie looked to Ethel for an explanation.

“A dozen or so of them came in on the ship. Men looking for logging work, mostly.”

Lucy added, “Big Dog took them up to the camp, on account of we sure don't have room for them.”

A dozen men. They'd need to be fed, of course. And there was only one restaurant in town.

She shook her head. “But we're not even open for business yet.”

Cookee planted an elbow on the table and dropped his chin into it. “I guess you are now.”

Stomping from overhead drew her gaze toward the ceiling. Mrs. Coffinger's face, full of outraged disbelief, appeared at the top of the ladder. “A cot? You can't be serious. I won't stand for it.”

Evie sank onto a stump next to the door. No matter what Ethel said, she would not have the privilege of becoming Seattle's first murderer. Evie intended to claim that title the moment Miles Coffinger set a boot onto that dock.

Nineteen

E
vangeline, we really should talk about the future,” James said. “Won't you walk with me after breakfast?”

“Must I say it again?” Evie set a platter of flapjacks on the table with a clatter that caused eyebrows to rise all over the restaurant. “We have no future.”

At supper last night James tried repeatedly to get her alone, insisting that she speak with him. Evie had neither the patience nor the strength to put up with him, either then or this morning after a sleepless night on Sarah's cot, Mrs. Coffinger having claimed her bedroom. Noah did not come to supper, and no one knew where he'd gone. The
where
didn't matter to Evie. It was the
why
that kept her awake—that and the ache in her heart.

She plopped down a pot of warm molasses and turned away from James to return to the stove, but he stopped her by grasping her arm. “Your future, then.”

With a pointed look at his hand, she asked, “Shall I call Big Dog?”

So insistent had James been last night that Evie prevailed upon the giant lumberjack to “escort” him back to the logging camp.

James removed his hand with haste. “You've certainly grown stubborn since leaving Tennessee.”

Evie sniffed.

Lucy, having finished her task of feeding the chickens, entered the restaurant through the back door. “You'd better get out there,” she told Evie. “
She's
giving orders again.”

Evie glanced at her breakfast customers. The restaurant was satisfyingly full this morning with hungry men who were eager to explore the area.

“We'll take care of things in here.” Ethel gave her a gentle shove. “You go make sure that woman doesn't cause any harm.”

With a grateful glance, Evie hurried out the back door. The sun was hidden behind clouds this morning, which cast a pallor over the grass and trees surrounding the glade. It seemed her gloom had spread to the sky.

“That's the ideal place.” Mrs. Coffinger pointed toward Evie's bedroom window. “There's plenty of room if you remove part of the wall.”

“What?” Evie hurried over to where she and Big Dog stood, both gazing at the restaurant's second floor. “Why would we need to remove a wall?”

Mrs. Coffinger looked surprised that she would ask. “For the staircase, of course. You can't expect me to continue to use that archaic ladder.”

What Evie expected was for Mrs. Coffinger to go home to Tennessee shortly after Miles returned. Preferably in his company, and with James as well.