Sourdough Creek (17 page)

Again Cassie felt overwhelmed with gratitude. “I wished you’d waited for me to help. You all have already done so much for us. We’re indebted to you.”

“Don’t be silly. You’d have done the same for us, I’m sure.”

Annabelle moved to the door of her room. “If you need anything just make yourself at home.” Yawning, she rested her head on the door jam. “Now, I’m going to get a nap before dinner tonight. I think you could use one too, if Josephine feels generous enough to let you sleep.” She went in and closed the door.

“Come on, you.” She bent down and picked Josephine up. “We’re going upstairs.”

Cassie took the steps carefully, one at a time, until she was on the upstairs landing. Ashes trotted up behind.

It was evident Grace and Annabelle had made the room homey. Her and Josephine’s coats hung on a peg and their saddlebags sat neatly next to the dresser. The pillows on the bed were fluffed and the corner of the quilt turned down invitingly, exposing immaculate white sheets. A jar of water with drinking glasses, and a vase of flowers, finished off the room. Suddenly Cassie felt exhausted.

“Are you tired at all, Josephine? I don’t think you can be after all the sleeping you’ve been doing. I’d like to take a little rest myself. What will you do if I sleep for a while?”

“I can sit in the chair and play with Ashes.” She climbed up into the big chair. “Here kitty, kitty, kitty,” she said, patting her lap. “I’ll stay
right here
until you wake up.” The cat jumped up onto Josephine’s lap and started rubbing back and forth. “I won’t move an inch.”

Cassie arched an eyebrow. On her way to the bed, she stopped in front of the mirror, gazing at her reflection. Lacking. That was the word that best described her. She ran her fingers through her shoulder length hair, trying to fluff it. If only it was still long and she had her blue dress with the white eyelet. Well, she didn’t. All the wishing in the world wasn’t going to change that. Sighing, she winked at her sister as Josephine watched her in the reflection. “We are what we are,” she said and nodded. “Be a good girl. I won’t sleep long.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

C
assie awoke with a start. She glanced about. Not finding Josephine, she jumped from the bed and ran down the stairs in a panic. She found her sister in the kitchen sitting on top of the table. Flour covered her from head to toe as she moved a big spoon around a porcelain bowl.

“What are you doing?”

Josephine jumped at the sound of Cassie’s voice. Her face turned red. “I got hungry, Cassie. Don’t be ma…”

Relief that her sister was actually back to her normal, mischievous self, chased away Cassie’s irritation. “Well, Grace is going to have a beautiful dinner for you tonight.” She smiled. “Now run upstairs and change into your clean shirt while I straighten up this mess. Don’t forget to wash your face.”

A half hour later, Cassie held Josephine’s hand as she knocked on the door. Grace had been right. It was impossible to miss her home. Besides the bright yellow color, it was as immaculate as a storybook house, as was the darling little church that stood to its left, set back a hundred feet or so from the street.

Annabelle had slept into the evening, and insisted that the girls go on ahead so they wouldn’t keep Grace waiting. She’d said Jonathan would stop by to pick her up shortly.

Cassie knocked again, hearing noises coming from within. Nervously, she glanced around, looking for Sam. He hadn’t returned to Dr. Hershey’s before it was time to leave and she wondered what had kept him away.

“Come in. Welcome,” Grace said, sweeping her arm wide so the two could enter. “I’m so happy you made it.”

The entry was attractive, with yellow striped wall covering and a beautiful hand-woven rug. Two wall lanterns burned on either side of a large gold-rimmed mirror, and tantalizing aromas of meat simmering and coffee brewing made Cassie’s mouth water.

“Thank you, Grace.” Cassie released Josephine’s hand and helped her little sister out of her coat. Then removing her own, she hung them up on the hooks on the wall.

“And how is Josephine tonight?” Grace said, pulling the little girl into a hug. “It seems like days since I’ve seen you although in reality it’s only been a couple hours.”

Cassie smiled. “She’s much better. No fever and she’s hungry as a horse.” She’d have some scars to remind them all of how close she’d come to dying, but that seemed her only ill effect from the episode. She was once again rested and full of vim and vigor. She’d be running around tomorrow, Cassie had no doubt.

Josephine’s bottom lip jetted out. “Cassie wouldn’t let me bring Ashes. She said it’s not polite to bring a pet over to someone’s house. I had to leave her locked on the back porch. Could she have come to dinner, too?”

Graced laughed and released her hold on Josephine, walking toward the sitting room. “Follow me. There’s someone I’d like you two to meet. I think it just might answer your question.”

In the next room was an old man resting in a big plaid chair with a white dog, no bigger than a minute, sitting in his lap. The dog’s ears were pricked, his little obsidian eyes watched intently as they walked into the room.

“I’m not sure if my father’s dog would’ve appreciated you bringing Ashes, Josephine. I
do
know it’ll be a much quieter evening without the two of them, um, getting to know each other.”

Josephine shrugged. “Guess you’re right.”

Grace beckoned them closer. “This is my father, William Hearthgrove. Papa, this is Cassie and Josephine Angel, the girls I’ve been telling you so much about. Without them and their friend Sam Ridgeway, our town would’ve suffered so much more at the hands of those evil outlaws. We’re indebted.”

William Hearthgrove smiled, his face becoming a maze of wrinkles, running this way and that. The gray hair on his head was thinned to the point of being a distant idea of what it might once have been, and he had few teeth. But his eyes shone brightly and it was impossible to look away. Cassie wondered if she’d ever met anyone so old who had such exuberance of youth.

“I’m pleased to meet you.” He stood and held out his hand to the girls while holding his dog in the other.

Surprising Cassie, Josephine went right up to shake his hand, and then petted the little dog, totally unafraid. “I like your dog.”

“His name is Buddy,” the man replied with a smile.

Buddy wagged his tail vigorously and licked Josephine’s hand when she extended it. “He’s really friendly,” the man continued. “Would you like to hold him?”

“Is it okay?”

As Grace’s father passed the little dog over to Josephine there was a knock on the door. Grace hurried off to open it. Cassie heard Grace’s greeting and Sam’s deep voice saying something back. Excitement zinged this way and that as she realized she was excited to see him. She missed him during their hours apart.

Sam stepped into the sitting room almost bashfully, his hat dangling in his fingertips. It was obvious he’d gone somewhere and bathed and shaved and it even looked as if he’d gotten his hair trimmed, too. His starched blue shirt looked new and his expressive dark eyes were unreadable as his brows arched up in the same amused way as when he’d first seen Josephine boxing the cat. His rugged male aura filled the room and Cassie had to look away for fear he’d know what she was thinking.

Question was, what
was
she thinking?

“Evenin’,” he said, his deep voice enveloping Cassie like a soft, warm blanket. Cassie forced a “hello” from her throat.

“Sam, this is my father, William Hearthgrove. Papa, this is Sam Ridgeway.”

“Hi, Sam,” Josephine interrupted. “This is Buddy.” She approached Sam with the dog in her arms. She looked tiny next to him.

“Cute little fella,” Sam said, stopping with his hand halfway toward the dog, a faux worried look on his face. “You sure he won’t bite me?”

He winked at Cassie and she felt a thrill course through her body and warm her face. How she wished she owned a pretty dress! Something to show Sam she was more than a tomboy. At the moment her boy’s clothes felt all the shabbier.

“Buddy would never hurt a flea, would he, Mr. Hearthgrove?” Josephine squeezed the dog so tight his black button eyes widened. “His heart is beating faster than a squirrel after an acorn.”

Everyone in the room laughed at Josephine’s comical expression. She looked around quizzically.

Sam scratched the dog’s head, then made his way over to shake Grace’s father’s hand.

“Dinner’s almost ready,” Grace said. “I wonder where Jonathan and Annabelle are?”

At that moment the door opened and Jonathan’s voice called out, “We’re here.”

Grace smiled. “Ask and you shall receive.” She passed the young couple on their way into the sitting room and gave each of the newcomers a hug. “I’ll put the food on the table. I hope you’re all hungry.”

“Can I help you?” Cassie called out softly after Grace.

“You stay and visit,” Annabelle said, catching Cassie’s arm as she was about to go in search of the kitchen to help. “I’ll go. I have something I want to tell Grace anyway.” She smiled into Cassie’s eyes. “Relax.”

That was easier said than done. Why was the sight of Sam so flustering tonight? She’d ridden next to him for hours on the trail, eaten with him, laid on a blanket looking at clouds, even slept next to him and a campfire. Why did it feel so different tonight?

When Sam laughed at something Josephine had said a light giddiness fluttered in her stomach. Just being in the same room with him put her world to right. But she needed to stop thinking like this about Sam. He was a friend. Her uncle’s friend. Nothing more.

She glanced again and caught Sam looking at her. He nodded slightly, and she could feel the warmth in his eyes from where he stood. And there was something else in his eyes, too, but she couldn’t quite pin it down. What was going on with him? He was different but she couldn’t tell exactly how. Whatever it was, her heart liked it very much.

Chapter Thirty

A
pulse of pleasure rippled through Cassie as Sam stepped closer and whispered next to her ear. “I think Ashes has some serious competition.” He chuckled and briefly touched the small of her back, letting his fingers linger a moment longer than necessary. He smelled of warm spice and freshness and on his breath was a hint of peppermint candy.

Sam raised an eyebrow. “I think that ol’ cat will have a jolt of panic when Josephine comes home covered in unidentifiable dog scent.” He nodded toward Josephine, who sat quietly on the sofa, speaking with William. Cassie had to tear her gaze from Sam’s face to look over at her sister. The dog was planted on her lap, sleeping or seeming to, as her hands stroked his back.And in that moment Cassie knew what the difference was tonight.

Sam himself.

His expression. His nearness. The intimacy of his gaze. He was thinking things he hadn’t when he’d left them this afternoon. She felt it to the depth of her core, leaving nothing to wonder about. She looked back at him in amazement.

Sam shifted his weight from one foot to the other as Jonathan walked to his side. “Cassie?” She was gawking at him as if he’d just sprouted pink fairy wings. What had he said that was so startling to her? She looked beautiful tonight, even in her boy’s clothes and boots, and he was certain he’d be a happy man no matter if she never went back to wearing dresses. Her hair had been brushed to a high sheen and glistened as it swung freely around her face. He liked her, no; he loved her, just the way she was.

“Cassie, what’s wrong?” Jonathan asked. Now they had his attention, too.

“Nuh…nothing. I was just wondering where Sam had gone off to today. You were gone a long time, Sam. I was worried.”

Her last three words pleased Sam. These were new feelings for him, knowing that someone actually cared for his well-being.

She leveled him with a no-nonsense stare, but he could tell it was all bravado. A blush had appeared and her teeth slowly pulled on her lower lip. He smiled at her, bringing another look of confusion. “After checking on the horses, and making sure everything was under control at the livery, I went over to the jail to see how things were going.”

“That he did, Cassie,” Jonathan added with excitement and came closer, shrinking their circle of conversation. “I was there too and we have some news to report.”

Sam leaned closer still, wanting to tell Cassie himself before Jonathan blurted it out. “A telegram arrived late this afternoon. The circuit judge is on his way and could be arriving as soon as tomorrow. It won’t be long before Rosenthal will be finished with this whole ugly episode, and life can get back to normal. The judge is bringing with him a paddy wagon to take the men he finds guilty to the prison. That is, if they don’t hang them here.” He shrugged.

“I’ll rest easier when it’s over,” Sam continued. “I don’t like thinking about all those men locked up over in that jail just dreaming up ways to break out and take revenge.”

Sam was excited, yet nervous, too. Ever since his soul searching earlier this evening, while he was bathing, he was a man transformed. A man on a mission. A man who wasn’t going to accept the word “no.” He and Cassie were a good team, and yet so much more. He didn’t think he could live a day without her in his life. His heart gave a slight shudder just thinking about how it could be between them.

“So true,” Jonathan agreed. “Walter and Brox are on guard duty until we get back over there. Sam and I are going to stay the night.”

Sam nodded, still unable to take his eyes off Cassie. She meant more to him than any gold claim ever could! Barely able to concentrate on anything since he’d acknowledged that fact to himself, along with all the earth-shattering changes it would mean, he’d set about thinking of a way to get her to see things his way.

“You are?” She still looked confused.

“Yes, because if they’re going to try anything, it’ll be tonight. But don’t worry your pretty little head; we have them locked up tight. Lock, stock and barrel.” As he talked, his mind raced. He couldn’t believe everything had gotten so clear so suddenly. He was sure now that he loved her, wanted to share his life with her, no matter what. If he was correctly judging her reaction to him, she felt the same for him. How would he explain the claim to her, though? That was going to be hard. Could he really let it go to win her love? It meant so much to him and Seth. Besides, he was the rightful owner. Doubt tried to wiggle its way into his heart. There had to be a way.