Kaitlin's Silver Lining (5 page)

“Have you tried
finding a wife?” Maggie popped off.

Bryce blanched but
made no comment. For some reason, he didn’t want Kaitlin to know about Emma. It
really wasn’t any of her business.

“I don’t see how this
is serving the real issue,” Cochran said. “I think you two ladies oughta take
advantage of Mr. Stanton’s offer to help. A man watching out for the place
can’t be a bad thing, and who knows, he might be able to catch your varmint
red-handed.”

“We do not need a man
to look out for us. We’re quite capable of looking out for ourselves,” Kaitlin
said.

“Damn suffragists,”
Dan muttered under his breath. “Look, I don’t have the time to argue with you.
I’ve got your statement, and I’ll do what I can, but don’t get your hopes up.
In the meantime, I’ll leave you to work things out with Mr. Stanton.”

“Cochran has a
point,” Bryce said after the policeman had left.

“But Mr. Cochran
doesn’t live here. We do, and you’re not going to stay. End of discussion.
You’re welcome to leave Charley for a time, but I’m not prepared to take her
permanently.”

Bryce watched her
frizzy curls bob. The woman could be downright tiresome with her arguments.
“How ’bout we negotiate a trade?”

“You have nothing we
could possibly want, Mr. Stanton.”

“Sure I do.”

“What would that be?”
Maggie asked.

“Time.”

“I beg your pardon?”
Maggie appeared puzzled.

“I’ve got time to
ferret out the person responsible for all those notes. I’ll go down to the
station tomorrow to look at those pictures. In the meantime, I have the time
and skill to replace that window for you. In return, you give me a space on
your floor. Seems like a fair exchange to me.”

“Agreed.” Maggie
didn’t look at Kaitlin for confirmation. “I think we’d be pleased to accept
your help.”

“Maggie.” Kaitlin
narrowed her eyes. “Don’t you think we should discuss this?”

“There’s nothing to
discuss. Mr. Stanton is willing to help us. It makes perfect sense.” Maggie
smiled brightly at him.

Bryce nodded. He
wasn’t sure he liked the sudden gleam that came into Maggie’s eye. He’d made
the suggestion for more than one reason. Not only would he be able to keep an
eye on Charley, but it would help save on expenses. Arriving during the
onslaught of autumn storms had been poor planning on his part, and with the
snows just beginning to fall, he’d likely have to stay a couple of weeks.
Surely, that would be plenty of time to court Emma.

“Maggie.” Kaitlin
drew out the name in a warning manner. “Maggie, may I have a word with you?
Alone.”

“You’re not going to
change my mind on this. These notes have been coming to our house long enough.
They may be addressed to you, but I live here also. I, for one, will sleep a
lot more soundly knowing Mr. Stanton is watching over us.”

“You don’t even know
the man.” Kaitlin threw her hands into the air. “For all we know, he could be
our note writer. The story he told about chasing some man down the street could
be just that, a story.”

“Dan Cochran knows of
him, and that’s enough for me.”

“Dan Cochran knows
his brother, not him.”

“Ladies.” Bryce held
up his hand. “Anyone ever tell you it’s rude to discuss a body when he’s
standing right here? I promise I’m as harmless as a newborn chick. Ask me a
question, and I’ll surprise you with an answer.”

“Chicks have sharp
beaks.” Kaitlin squinted her eyes at him. It made her look like a squirrel with
a bad nut. He wanted to laugh but suppressed the urge. “Tell me about your
relationship with my sister.”

Bryce hadn’t expected
such a personal question. He frowned. “Anything but that.”

His flat response
must have ruffled her feathers. She clammed up tighter than wet leather, turned
on her heel, and left. It made no difference to him. He was just happy to have
the matter settled to his advantage.

Four

Kaitlin lifted the
boiling kettle of water from the stove. Hot tea would be just the thing for
Charley’s cramps. The activity helped take her mind from other things, namely a
stubborn cowboy by the name of Bryce Stanton.

“You still mad at
me?” Maggie stuck her head in around the corner.

“Furious.”

Maggie stepped into
the warm kitchen. “I don’t see why. He’s doing a right nice job of boarding up
the hole in the window. Says he’ll have to order the glass, though.”

“Well, we could have
boarded up that hole ourselves. We’re not helpless.”

“Nope, but why strain
ourselves when we have a man to do the job, and a right handsome one at that.”
Maggie wiggled her black eyebrows.

Kaitlin’s eyes
widened. “You did this on purpose.” Hot water sloshed from the cup she poured,
and she quickly jumped back.

“Whatchu talkin’
’bout?” Maggie’s hands rested on her hips.

“Your bad English
slips through when you have something to hide. Confess. You know I’ll find out
sooner or later.” She grabbed for a dishtowel.

“I’s thinkin’ it
might be better later than sooner.”

“I’m thinking I
already know.” Kaitlin shook the dishtowel at her.

“Yeah? Whatcha
thinkin’ you know?”

“You encouraged Mr.
Stanton to stay here, hoping he and I might hit it off. You’re playing
matchmaker again.”

“So what if I am? You
can still be a strong woman, an independent woman with a man by your side.” Maggie
grabbed a spoon and stirred the stew she’d started earlier. Rich, savory aromas
filled the kitchen.

“I don’t want a man
by my side.”

“You don’t know what
you want, cuz you ain’t never had no man before. The right man can make your
toes curl like there ain’t no tomorrow. It’s plain as the nose on your face
that you’ve got eyes for him.”

“I do not.”

“Yep. You got eyes
for Bryce Stanton, or you wouldn’t be wearing your best Sunday-go-to-meeting
dress. You know what I think?”

“I’m not sure I want
to know.” Kaitlin stirred honey into the cup of hot tea.

Maggie smiled, the
white teeth a stark contrast against her silky brown skin. “I think you’re glad
I took the decision out of your hands. Secretly, you’re pleased he’s going to
be here, and you’re wondering what you can do to make him take notice of you.”

The precise English
intonations Maggie had practiced so hard had returned. She must be feeling smug
now and not guilty. The fact Maggie was right didn’t make Kaitlin feel any
better. Those were exactly the confusing thoughts that had filtered through her
mind. Knowing she stood no chance in attracting a man, she’d vehemently opposed
the idea of him staying here. She hated failure of any kind. The outcome of a
flirtatious relationship with this man was sure to leave her emotionally
depleted. It was best she didn’t even try. But, oh, Bryce Stanton presented a
tempting challenge.

“Best go tell your
guests that supper’s ready. I’ll set the table before I have to go to work.”
Maggie pulled tin plates from the cupboard.

Bang! The hammer
pounded a nail in the next room. The plates rattled in Maggie’s hands. They
exchanged looks. Curious, Kaitlin went to investigate.

Wham! Kaitlin
flinched. Tap! Tap! Tap!

A delivery wagon from
the local lumberyard had brought Bryce the piece of wood he’d ordered. He’d
gone out immediately after Dan Cochran left. Kaitlin should welcome the help
Bryce gave her, but instead, frustration set in. A complete stranger took over
duties that should have been hers.

Wiping damp hands on an
apron, Kaitlin approached Bryce. She watched unabashed as he brought the hammer
back, aimed, and struck the nail dead on. Bang! The fluid motion of his strong
muscular arm mesmerized her. Even through the thick flannel shirt, his muscles
contracted and expanded with very little effort.

“There. That should
hold the weather out until the new window pane arrives.” Bryce spun around to
face her.

She stumbled back,
surprised he knew she’d been watching. It was an awkward moment. She faced down
countless men on a daily basis as she preached against the sins of liquor. Yet,
this one man had the ability to fluster her.

“Thank you for seeing
to it, though I suspect Maggie and I could have handled the chore.”

“Well now, reckon you
could at that, but it made no sense to have you two ladies doin’ work meant for
a man.”

Kaitlin gave him a
seething glare. “You are so right. I doubt I could have hit that tiny nail with
such a big hammer.”

“Sarcasm makes your
mouth pucker all funny.” He frowned. “It’s not very becomin’.”

She twisted a handful
of her skirt. This man knew just how to set her temper flaring. “Perhaps it
would be best if you kept your compliments to yourself. You don’t want to turn
my head on your first day here.”

“Don’t stick out
those cactus needles on my account. I just say it as I see it. It’s just that
you’d be a sight more appealin’ if you’d smile more often.”

The reference to her
outward appearance made her bristle more. She’d never known a man to be so
blunt.

“Mr. Stanton, I’ve
agreed to let you have a corner of my parlor floor as a courtesy. I did not
invite you here so I could be insulted.” She whirled around, intent on escaping
back to the kitchen.

Strong hands grabbed
her from behind. He turned her around to face him. “I meant no disrespect,
ma’am. It’s just that I like women. I like ’em a lot. You’ve got a lot goin’
for you, and I just hate to see you so miserable.”

“You don’t know the
first thing about me. And what makes you think I’m miserable?”

Bryce shrugged and
dropped his hands from her shoulders. “A woman that uses sarcasm as a defense
and never smiles can’t be all that happy with her life.”

“I’m quite content.”

“But not necessarily
happy.”

“You presume an awful
lot for having just met me.”

“May I make another
assumption?”

“You might as well. I
don’t see how I can stop you.”

“You’re a terrific
cook.”

Her eyes widened and
her head jerked back. She hadn’t expected that. “How would you know?”

“Whatever you’re
cookin’ in there smells heavenly. We haven’t eaten since this mornin’. I’m
assumin’ you came in here to tell me supper’s on.” He gave her a wink.

“You’re right about
supper being ready, but Maggie’s the cook in this house.” Kaitlin graced him
with a soft smile. “I’ve already woken Charley. She should be down soon. I
think sleep made her feel much better.”

“See, you are pretty
when you smile.”

Her skin grew warm.
“And you...are an outrageous flirt.”

“Guilty as charged.”

Bryce followed her
into the dining room. Thankfully, Charley was already seated at one end of the
table and absorbed Bryce’s attention as soon as they entered the room.

Bryce walked over and
gave Charley a gentle rub on the top of her head. “How’s my best girl?”

Charley ducked.
“Don’t mess up my hair, Uncle Bryce. I’m better. It still hurts but not like it
did earlier.”

“Where’s Maggie?”
Bryce took a seat.

Kaitlin took a chair
opposite Bryce, preferring to have Charley between them. “She works evenings.
She’s the head cook for the Southern Belle Diner. Normally, she goes in around
four, but with this afternoon’s events, she’s running late. She’ll be leaving
in a moment. I’m here alone most evenings.”

“When does she find
time to cook for you?”

“We have a big meal
at lunch, and I just snack for supper. This afternoon when you were getting supplies,
she put on a stew that could simmer so you and Charley would have something to
eat.”

“I’m much obliged to
her then.”

“Would you care to
say grace for us this evening, Mr. Stanton?”

“Yes, ma’am.” His
voice was low, soothing as he recited words that seemed to come easy to him.

He ended the short
blessing with an amen, and Kaitlin served their plates with ample helpings of
stew, large cuts of meat and potatoes swimming in thick gravy. Surprisingly,
Charley’s appetite seemed better than Kaitlin expected. As for Bryce, he helped
himself to thirds before he declared himself stuffed. She basked in the
compliment of knowing he had enjoyed the meal even though she hadn’t been the
one to cook it.

“You mentioned this
afternoon you hoped to be able to leave Charley here tomorrow while you run
errands?” She presented the statement as more of a question, hoping he would
satisfy her curiosity and tell her his plans.

“He’s going
courting,” Charley announced.

“Courting?” The
thought of Bryce with another woman should not upset her considering the length
of time she’d known him, and yet, she found herself strangely disquieted by the
notion.

“Yep. He thinks he
needs a wife, so I can have a female influence in my life. I keep telling him
it isn’t necessary, but he’s kind of stubborn.”

“So I’ve noticed.”
Kaitlin speared a piece of meat and took a bite.

“Charley, I think I
can speak for myself.”

“Anyone I know?”
Kaitlin looked at Bryce.

Bryce shrugged. “Emma
Hood.”

“That name rings a
bell, but I don’t remember ever meeting her.” She toyed with the edge of her
napkin.

Bryce leaned forward
with his elbows on the table. “Don’t know if anything will come of it. I
haven’t seen her in two years, but we write to each other now and then.”

“Bryce has three
girlfriends back home that make goo-goo eyes at him. They bring him all sorts
of pies to eat, and once, Tilda baked him a cake that was this tall.” Charley
displayed its height with her hands.

“Charley,” Bryce
warned.

“With so many girls
to choose from, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find yourself a wife.” Kaitlin
dabbed the corner of her mouth with the napkin.

He leaned back in his
chair. “Heck. This courtin’ thing is torture. Sometimes I think I’d rather
wrestle with a rattlesnake. With a rattler, you know ahead of time how lethal
the venom is.”

“How poetic.”

“Just speakin’ it as
I see it. Thing is, I like every one of those gals back home but not enough to
spend the rest of my days with any one of ’em. I don’t know if Emma is the
woman for me, but she’s a sight better’n my other choices. She’s a pretty
little thing, soft spoken, a woman a man wouldn’t mind comin’ home to.”

“I see.” Kaitlin saw
all too well. Her bossy nature and sharp tongue would never attract a man like
Bryce.

“You ever been
courted, Aunt Kate?”

“No. No, I...I never
found the time.” The lie didn’t come easy, but James Latham was nobody’s
business but her own. A deep hurt settled between her shoulder blades. Surely
she was way past feeling sorry for herself.

Bryce gave her a
skeptical look. “I find that hard to believe.”

Kaitlin ignored the
comment and decided to change the topic. At least, it would keep her mind off
other matters. “So, Charley, tell me about school. What are your favorite
subjects?”

“I don’t go to
school.”

Kaitlin looked to
Bryce for confirmation. “What do you mean, you don’t go to school?”

Bryce studied the cup
of coffee he cradled in his hands. “Bethany didn’t hold with education. It was
one of the things she and I argued over quite frequently, but Charley was her daughter.
What I said had little influence. I taught Charley the alphabet when Bethany
wasn’t lookin’. Charley can read some, but she’s had very little arithmetic and
nothin’ else.”

“You’re planning to
correct the situation now that Charley’s in your custody, I hope.”

“I ain’t going to
school.” Charley threw down her napkin.

“Children should be
seen and not heard,” Kaitlin quoted, sure the familiar saying was quite
appropriate under the circumstances.

“I’m not a child, and
you can’t make me do something I don’t wanna,” Charley challenged.

“Education is a
woman’s only defense against overbearing men.” Kaitlin gave Charley a stern
glare.

“I ain’t so sure
about the overbearing men part, but your Aunt Kaitlin has a point. Education is
a good way to get by in life, but nothin’ needs to be decided right now.”

Charley shrugged.
“Schooling don’t matter much to me since I’m gonna to be just like my momma.
Only, I’m not gonna settle for pennies working one cowboy at a time. I’m gonna
be a madam. They get paid lots of money.”

Kaitlin gasped,
outraged. What kind of nonsense had her sister been preaching to this poor,
innocent girl? Did Bryce condone these ideas?

“Charley, your momma
only painted the good side of her work. There’s a lot she didn’t tell you. Whorin’
for a living is not glamorous. It’s morally wrong, and the negative aspects far
outweigh the positive.” Bryce refrained from meeting Kaitlin’s gaze.