Love Finds You in Lonesome Prairie, Montana (37 page)

“I promise you, Sarah Mack. I will lay my hand on a Bible if you want. I have no intentions toward that man.” She tilted her head in a sympathetic smile. “As kindhearted as he is.”

The tightly constricted lines on Sarah’s face loosened. “You promise?”

Julia sighed in relief. “I promise. But if you want Mr. Whitbaum to start courting you, there’s something you need to do.”

Sarah’s thick eyebrows knit together, questioning.

“Have you told Horace how you feel?”

Sarah shook her head.

“You need to be honest with him. Tell him you care for him.”

“But it’s not proper. How could I?”

A blaring
boom
reverberated from the direction of the ranch, and Christopher leaped to his feet. “The fireworks up at the lake! They’re getting ready.” Another boom sounded followed by a series of crackles. “We need to get back there, or we’re going to miss the picnic!”

“That’s right. The Fourth of July picnic. I almost forgot.” Shelby scampered around the wagon near Elizabeth. “Folks must be arriving soon.”

Elizabeth glanced at Miriam and Julia. “The young’uns are right.” She tilted her head to peek over Julia’s shoulder. “In fact, I see a troop of ladies heading out of Big Sandy now.”

Julia touched Miriam’s ankle. “Guess we didn’t expect your little Lib to be arriving so soon, did we? A Fourth of July baby.”

Miriam scooted up to a seated position, taking on her leadership position despite the baby rocking in her arms. “Here’s what we’ll do. We’ll go on back home and get me and Liberty situated in my bed. Elizabeth, if you don’t mind missing a bit of the festivities, you, along with that husband of mine, can stay and take care of me.”

Elizabeth stood and climbed to the buckboard, grabbing the reins.

“And you, Julia.” Miriam threw her a smile. “You’ll take the children to the picnic—to give me time to rest.”

Julia smiled, grateful to be part of the scheme, the family. “Perfect. But if you don’t mind, I’m also doing one more thing.” She stood tall before Sarah, her hands bunched on her hips. “I’m taking you by the hand and putting you in front of Horace Whitbaum. I’m sure I’ll run into him—he always seems to show up wherever I go. Then it’s up to you to share your heart. Will you do that?”

Sarah shook her head, her hands covering her mouth and her eyes fearful. “No, I can’t possibly. He’s got his mind set on marrying you.”

Redheaded William slunk next to her on the wagon and held her hand. “You can do it, Mama. I think he loves you, too. He asks about you all the time. He’ll change his mind about Miss Cavanaugh, you’ll see.”

A blush deepened Sarah’s already pink face, and she nodded. “For you, William.” She wrapped her arm around her son. “I’ll tell him.” Then she shrugged. “I suppose it’s worth a go.”

Julia swiveled around, headed for the buckboard. She climbed on, and as she stood, she realized she could see the town. In the distance, her eyes snagged on the train parked at the depot that created a black line across the golden fields. She imagined the newcomers trickling off, entering Big Sandy. As she settled into her seat, she pictured the departing passengers climbing the big steps.

Thank You, Lord, that I’m not climbing those steps. There’s no place I’d rather be than right here.

The steam engine slowed, and Isaac clasped the handrail on the train’s iron exterior. Before it completely stopped, he vaulted off the big step.
I’ve got to find Julia.

A hot July breeze shifted his parson hat as he rushed the few steps to the railcar depot. Isaac’s hands went clammy in a cold sweat, and he wiped them on his trousers. His cheeks stretched into a smile as he peered inside, expecting to see Julia’s traveling clothes and sparkling brown eyes. She wasn’t in there.

“Young man?” The woman from the train tapped Isaac’s shoulder. “I’m sorry to be a bother, but my dear husband, well…” She let out a loud guffaw. “He has only so many hands, and I have such a large amount of luggage…” She turned and pointed back to the train.

Isaac barely heard the woman’s words. Instead, he gazed over the mile-long road leading to the town, remembering the last time Julia had missed the train. He pressed his lips together in a smile as he remembered how she’d walked toward the depot with quickened steps. But at this moment, no young woman traipsed the dusty walk. No wagon rumbled closer, either. His heart raced. Was she already aboard?

“Sir?” The woman tapped his shoulder again. “Would you be so kind as to help us with our luggage?”

Isaac faced the chubby, rosy-cheeked matron, her elegant purple city dress gathering dust that was carried in the breeze. His shoulders slumped. “Of course.” Even though he wished to search the passenger cars, just to make sure, he couldn’t refuse to help this woman.

“Oh dear,” the woman commented, more to herself than to him. “What is this place? Is this the depot? Where is the town? It is quite—primitive.”

Isaac walked to the conductor, who was helping the older man unload numerous trunks and valises onto the dirt.

“Sir.” Isaac grabbed a valise and shoved it under his arm. “Has anyone boarded here? A young woman?” Isaac grasped two more parcels in his hands.

“Well, now.” The woman’s husband twisted his curlicue mustache. “That’s just what we’d like to know. We’re looking for a Julia Cavanaugh. Have you seen her, my good man?”

Isaac gaped at the man, who was dressed in a black suit and white shirt with a beaver skin top hat as he’d seen in pictures of Abraham Lincoln. “You know Julia Cavanaugh?” He dropped the valises.

The woman jiggled over to him and thwacked his arm with the hooked handle of a purple and gray parasol. “I told you on the train. We came here to save her from a terrible
gold miner
.” She shuddered. “Weren’t you listening? Oh!” Her hand flew to her puffed red lips. “You’re not the gold miner, are you? I’m always getting myself into trouble with my blabbering words.” She eyed her husband, who gazed at her adoringly. “Though I don’t know why she wouldn’t want to marry you. My, but you’re a handsome one.”

Despite his anxiety over finding Julia, a laugh escaped Isaac’s lips. “I’m not the gold miner. I’m Parson Isaac Shepherd.” He removed his hat and offered his hand to shake.

“Mrs. Gaffin.” She took his hand in her flimsy one. “It’s nice to make your acquaintance. And this is my husband, Henry Gaffin.”

“Very well.”

Isaac ran his fingers through his hair, and suddenly it struck him who these people were. This was the woman who took Julia in after her parents died—something he should thank her for. She was also the woman who promised Julia to Horace as his bride—something he didn’t understand yet didn’t have the time to figure out. “I’ve heard so much about you, Mrs. Gaffin. Julia expressed her gratitude for your care on several occasions.”

A huge grin spread across the woman’s face. “So you know Julia that well, do you?”

Isaac didn’t bother hiding his feelings. “Yes, I’m very fond of her.” He grinned at his cool understatement, so inadequate for the deep emotion he felt. “In fact, I came here to try to stop her from returning to New York.”

Mrs. Gaffin squeaked with joy. “So my Julia’s going to get married, after all! Oh, I just knew the West was the place for her.” Her eyes fluttered to her husband, and she clapped her gloved hands together.

“You did well, my love.” Mr. Gaffin stroked her cheek with his finger. “Very well.”

A hawk circled overhead, and Mrs. Gaffin lifted her head. A wagon with a team of horses trotted up, and a scraggly cowboy lifted his hat at a woman with her three children who’d also disembarked from the train.

“Oh my, but this is a wild place, isn’t it?”

Isaac raised his eyebrows and returned to the conversation about Julia. “There is a problem, ma’am. I don’t know if Julia shares my feelings. That’s why I had to hurry here. To find out.”

“Oh, don’t be silly. I’m sure she does. She has good taste and is quite smart, too.” Mrs. Gaffin beamed. “Now the only problem is to get you two love puppies together.”

“Yes. Very well.” Mr. Gaffin slipped a pocket watch from his black overcoat, checked the time, and then replaced it. “Four o’clock,” he said randomly. “Do you know where the young lady might be?”

The train began rumbling, its smoke shooting high into the sky.

Isaac shook his head. “I don’t know. I thought she’d be here. I’d be happy to take you to my family’s ranch out in Lonesome Prairie. There’s a Fourth of July picnic. I can’t imagine where else she’d be, and if she’s not there, perhaps my sisters know her whereabouts.”

Even as he said the words, the muscles in his stomach tightened. He’d been gone for weeks and hadn’t heard a thing. What if she’d found a way to leave earlier?

“Wonderful.” Mrs. Gaffin clapped her hands. “I’m so thankful you know where to take us. Heaven knows I’d have had no idea where to look. I’d never thought of that. It’s a big place, you know.”

They managed to heave the luggage into the small depot, and then Isaac tramped off to the livery stable to rent a wagon since no hired drivers waited at the depot today. After getting the two city folks checked into The Spokane House, the three of them headed out to the ranch.

Lord, please let Julia be there,
Isaac prayed.
Help me find her, and when I do, give me the words to show my love. And whatever happens, help me to trust You.

“All right, Joshua,” Julia called to the five-year-old towhead. “Your turn.”

On the makeshift pitcher’s mound in the field below the ranch, Julia waited for Miriam’s second-youngest son to take the plate.

Upon arriving home, they’d settled Miriam and the baby into the house. After that, Julia had joined the other homesteaders as they gathered for the day’s festivities at Lonesome Lake. The first order of business had been for her and Sarah to search for Horace. Not finding him, Sarah had wandered down to the lake to listen to the brass band assembled for the occasion.

Although the music was wonderful, Julia instead rounded up the children for a game of baseball. She couldn’t help but smile as she taught them the basics of the game.
I’ll be here to see them grow up. I’m not leaving them. This is my community now.

People from the ranches all around Lonesome Prairie and the neighboring townships had gathered near the lake. Now they milled about eating fried chicken, roast quail on sticks, pies, and cakes. One family even donated a fruitcake saved all the way from Pittsburgh. In about an hour the bronco riding would begin. Julia grinned. Finally she’d see a real live Wild West rodeo.

With the tune of “The Old Folks at Home” playing in the background, Josh pressed the bat on his shoulder and squirmed his bum, ready for the pitch. Julia lobbed it toward him. To her surprise, the youngster made contact, and the leather-stitched ball popped over her head.

“Run, Josh!”

The boy let out a whoop then set off toward first.

Shelby, perched at second base, fumbled, letting the ball drop to the ground.

Reaching the base, which was an old scrap of leather, the boy raised his hands in triumph.

Julia’s jaw dropped at Shelby’s uncharacteristic error, and she placed a hand on her hip as she turned to the girl. Shelby winked, letting Julia know she’d done it on purpose so that her cousin could make a single.

“Nice one, Josh.” Shelby picked up the ball and tossed it to Julia.

“Who’s next to bat?” she asked, swiveling around.

“I am.” It was a man’s voice. A voice that sent Julia’s heart straight to her toes. She froze and eyed Shelby, who covered her mouth and giggled. Julia gaped at the young girl, longing for help, but she didn’t know what type of help she needed.
Maybe some way to protect my heart
…

“It’s him. Look, Julia!” Shelby called, to Julia’s utter embarrassment.

Julia slowly rotated toward the plate, and there, holding the bat over his shoulder, stood Isaac. Seeing his sturdy build, his mouth curved in a smile, and his kind dark-brown eyes made her chest constrict, as if it were trying to hold in the flurry of emotions she felt for him.

She bit her lip, realizing that would be impossible. It was as if no time had passed since that night they’d found Bea together. Despite the hurt of the last weeks, she longed to be near him, to support and encourage him…to love him.