A Love of Her Own (18 page)

Miss Margaret cleared her throat. “In any case, I think you should talk to May and ask her directly.” She beamed at April. “That’s very thoughtful of you to ask.”

April swallowed her coffee and said, “I was impressed with Beth’s knowledge of what happened to Willard. I couldn’t help but wonder if she’s looking for a job as a nurse.”

“She keeps to herself a lot, so I’m not sure,” Miss Margaret said, “but if she is, then Mark might be interested in having a nurse by his side. And a pretty one too, I might add.”

Out of the corner of her eye, April saw Louise squirm in her chair and push her scrambled eggs around with her fork.
So,
that’s who Louise has set her cap for. Poor Louise. Mark doesn’t
even know she’s alive.
“Did your mother tell you that I bought myself a horse from Wes? A beautiful filly I named Sassy.” April looked at Miss Margaret’s daughters, then bit into the delicious homemade bread. Oh, but she loved hot bread and butter. It was the best thing this side of heaven.

“No, she didn’t, but I saw Sassy in the stall when I went to feed the horses,” Louise said stiffly. “I fed her for you too.”

“Oh, thank you, Louise. I am so used to having our groomer do that that I totally forgot!”

“Tsk tsk, my dear. The horse is your responsibility now,” Miss Margaret said, getting up from the table and helping herself to the coffeepot.

April looked at her and said, “Oh, and I fully intend to pay you for boarding her.”

“And Mother would expect that,” Louise said.

Miss Margaret looked at Louise sharply and said, “Louise dear, I am capable of speaking for myself.”

April bit her tongue to keep from saying something she might regret. Did they think she wouldn’t take care of her obligations? April liked it here and wanted to stay. She’d tell Miss Margaret her intentions after breakfast.

Natalie seemed to sense that April was uncomfortable. She passed her more hot bread and said, “What are your plans today, April?”

“I’m planning on going shopping for new clothes. I’m sure you all heard about the smell that got into my trunk. So I need to replace a few items.” April hoped she could just charge her purchases on Josh’s account until he returned.

Natalie and Louise both laughed. “We did, April, and we’re sorry for that. We weren’t sure whether we should say anything or not,” Louise said with a half smile.

“You’ll need to dispose of them by burying them or burning them, April. It’s the only way,” Natalie said with all seriousness. “And you’ll need to replace your trunk too.”

April wondered if they knew that Wes had thrown her in the horses’ water trough and hoped Miss Margaret hadn’t said anything. She certainly wasn’t going to tell them. It was so embarrassing and she didn’t feel like reliving it again. Instead, she asked if either of them wanted to go shopping with her.

“Why don’t you go, Natalie,” Louise told her sister. “I need to work on the menu for this week and practice my piano.”

“I’d like to if you can wait until I clean up the kitchen,” Natalie said to April with a huge smile. “Cynthia will be here soon to start supper.”

April noticed that Natalie was dressed in a charming dove gray skirt and white pleated blouse that only emphasized her shapely form.
She has good taste and would be able to help me choose the
new outfits
, April thought. “I can wait. Maybe I’ll go make up my bed today . . . or at least try.” April got a chuckle from everyone with that statement.

“I’ll look forward to it!” Natalie hopped up. “I’ll meet you in the parlor in a little while.”

When everyone had finished eating, April asked Miss Margaret if she could have a word with her.

“What’s on your mind, April?” Miss Margaret asked, picking up her cane and walking in the direction of the parlor.

April followed Miss Margaret, who took a seat at her desk and indicated with her cane for April to sit. “I’ll stand. This won’t take but a minute,” she said. “When I first arrived in Lewistown, I thought I’d be staying at the hotel. At first I wasn’t thrilled about staying at the boardinghouse, but now I find myself enjoying it here, as well as the family atmosphere. Will my room still be available for another week or two?”

Miss Margaret’s face was filled with relief. “Goodness, yes! Is that all? I thought something was wrong.”

“Oh no, everything’s fine. I find the accommodations wonderful, including the food. Now, if I can just iron my own clothes and remake my own bed for the next few weeks . . .” April’s voice trailed off.

“That can be learned with a little patience. I must say I’m beginning to see the real April emerge, and I like her.” Miss Margaret’s eyes shone, and April couldn’t tell if it was due to tears or just the older woman’s aging eyes.

“I intend to pay for my room and board as soon as I get a transfer of funds from my bank. I didn’t bring enough cash with me and had to spend more along the stagecoach ride. That was a poor oversight on my part.”

“I’m not worried about the money or boarding your horse. I know you’ll take care of your responsibilities. Why don’t you go to Josh’s, if that’s what you want to do? I’m sure Andy and Nellie wouldn’t mind.”

“They did offer, Miss Margaret, but I can wait until Josh returns. I’m in no hurry. Plus I hardly know Andy and Nellie, and I would feel strange doing that.” April turned to leave. “I’m going upstairs until Natalie’s ready so I can do a few things that need tending to. Thank you for being so understanding about the money.”

“Don’t you worry about a thing, dear.” Miss Margaret took April’s hand in her own wrinkled one, giving it a motherly pat.

When Miss Margaret leaned close, April could smell her liniment but was surprised at how soft and warm her hand felt against her own. April’s heart warmed. Miss Margaret had become like a grandmother to her in just a few short days. How was that possible?

Power Mercantile, Lewistown’s general store, was located on the corner of Main Street and 3rd Avenue, and April noted that it was just across the street from the Bank of Fergus County. Farther down the street, written on the side of the building in bold white letters that could be seen a block away, was Phillips Drug Company. That must be where Miss Margaret got her liniment for her rheumatism.

The two-story brick and wooden structure of the mercantile boasted the finest of everything needed for a home or garden. The gleaming display windows exhibited a man’s dashing suit and a lady’s dress with matching hat on one side of its tall wood and glass door, and general merchandise on the other side.

April was interested in the bridle propped up in the window’s corner. She heard Natalie gasp as her friend clapped eyes on the newest frock in the window. “Oh, isn’t that lovely? They must have just put this out for fall.” Natalie stared wistfully at the mannequin through the glass storefront.

April peered through the glass, seeing her own reflection. The sage green dress was indeed gorgeous, with fluffy leg-of-mutton sleeves ending just at the elbow. At the shoulders, velvet trim followed the neckline’s edge, and along the inset of folded tucks, a bodice of cream fell in natural folds at the waistline. The gored skirt boasted a front panel in the center of a deeper shade of velvet continuing down the skirt, with narrow moiré satin panels on either side. A matching hat sat cocked to one side of the mannequin’s head, complementing the outfit perfectly.

“Natalie, that dress would be perfect on you. You must have it.” April looked at her friend, whose eyes were wide with desire for the dress. “Let’s see if it will fit you.” April yanked on Natalie’s arm, pulling her through the store door.

“I can hardly afford that. Mother would have a fit!” Natalie sputtered.

“We won’t know until we try, now will we?” April ignored her protest and walked straight up to the display to find the tag on the sleeve of the dress.

“May I be of help?” a voice behind them asked.

April and Natalie turned around. “Yes. My friend here would like to know what size this dress is or if you have another in her size.” April eyed the clerk dressed from head to toe in jet black with her black hair pulled severely to the nape of her neck in a huge knot. She was middle-aged, thin with a dour-looking face.
I wonder if she’s just come from a funeral.

April smiled at her, but the clerk, with no expression, answered, “Let me see . . . I’ll go check in the back. You may be in luck. It’s one of our newest pieces that I just put out yesterday.” She clasped her hands together. “Natalie, why don’t you and your friend have a look around. I’ll be right back.”

“We’ll do just that, Mabel,” Natalie said. “But first, I’d like to introduce you to April McBride.”

Mabel bowed slightly. “I’m glad to make your acquaintance. Any friend of Natalie’s is a friend of mine.”

April nodded to Mabel. “Hello.”

“Josh is her brother, Mabel,” Natalie added with a nod of her head.

“Is that so? In that case, I’m very glad to meet you.” Her thin lips split with a big smile, exposing her somewhat large teeth. Then she hurried to the back of the store, her heels ricocheting against the waxed hardwood floor.

“Excuse me, Natalie, I saw a bridle in the window that I want to look at.”

“But I thought you were here to pick out a couple of dresses?”

April paused. “Oh, I’ll do that too, never fear. I can’t be wearing this dress every day, now can I?”

“Where did you get that dress, April? It really is
old
.” Then she quickly added, “I didn’t mean that to sound insulting, it just seems a little out of style for someone like you.”

April looked down and smoothed the folds of the rose calico with her hands. “Yes, I guess you’re right—it’s very simple, and I have no way of knowing how old it is, as it’s on loan.”

“On loan? From whom?”

April swallowed hard and wished she hadn’t mentioned that. “Let’s just say an acquaintance of mine.”

Natalie arched an eyebrow. “You’re being very mysterious.”

“Here we go, Natalie.” Mabel returned, keeping April from having to answer any more questions. “Take this to the dressing room and see if it fits.” She handed Natalie the dress.

As Natalie took the dress, she looked at Mabel. “I’d better find out how much it is first, Mabel, or there’s no point in me trying the dress on.”

“If it costs too much, we can always hold it for you,” she said when Natalie hesitated.

“I’ll try it for size and then decide.” Natalie went in the direction of the dressing room, and April asked the clerk if someone could assist her with the bridle in the window.

“I’ll also be needing a new saddle and a couple of dresses,” April told Mabel.

Mabel cocked her head to the side. “Let me go get Charlie to help you. I don’t know much about saddles.” She motioned to a gentleman who was wrapping a package at the counter.

April laughed. She just bet Mabel had never been on the back of a horse. Too straitlaced—and if she did, it certainly would have been sidesaddle.

“When you’re through, I’ll assist you with the other things,” Mabel said.

Charlie was a big help, and soon April felt she’d made a wise choice in a good saddle, though he had very little to choose from. She realized by buying a horse and saddle that she’d unconsciously made a choice to stay awhile in Montana and wasn’t sure why. She reasoned with herself that it was because she just didn’t want to go back to a lonely house until her parents returned.

April was just about to go find Natalie and Mabel when she heard Wes’s voice. She looked around to see Natalie chatting with Wes, who leaned against the long wooden counter. His hat was pushed back off his head, and April glimpsed the outline of a handsome, strong jaw. He said something to Natalie, who flushed prettily. April got a sudden knot in her stomach. Wes
was
handsome in a rugged sort of way that she found appealing, with his sandy brown hair sticking out from under his Stetson, and his long, slender legs encased in faded Levis that sported a silver oval buckle. Wes’s leather gloves dangled from his back pocket, and April dragged her eyes away.

With just a hint of irritation, April strutted over to Wes from behind and tapped him on the shoulder. In a quick turn, he directed his gaze to her, then allowed his eyes to travel over her dress.
Please don’t say you gave me the dress in front of Natalie.

“Well, boy howdy . . . if it isn’t Miss April,” he said with dancing eyes. He said nothing about the dress, and April was relieved.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, Natalie,” April said, then turning to Wes, “I just wanted to let you know that I’ll be telegraphing my bank this morning as soon as we’re finished here, and hopefully in about a week I’ll have the money to pay you for the horse.”

Wes cocked an eyebrow. “You did pay me, remember? A deal’s a deal.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Oh, I am all right. Some little lady is sporting that belt and boots with pride.” Wes’s face was deadpan as he shifted on his boot heels.

“Whatever are you talking about?” Natalie interjected, looking from April to Wes.

But April continued on, looking up at Wes. “You
are
serious. Well then . . . I guess I’ll need to add boots to my shopping list, Natalie. Did you get the dress?”