The Trouble with Patience (27 page)

Cody was in the tack room and looked over his shoulder
when Jedediah walked in. “Hi there, Jed. What brings you out here?”

“Unfinished business, you might say. I didn't thank you properly, Cody, for forgiving me for the hanging, for your damaged voice and scarred neck. I wish I could take that night back.” Jedediah shook his head. “I have to tell you I did have suspicions that you might be the cattle thief. I was wrong about that too.” He paused and took out two blue neckerchiefs and handed them to him. “I believe these are yours.”

“I don't understand. How did you come to have these? I thought I'd misplaced a couple of them.” Cody stared down at the blue squares in his hands.

“One I found at the boardinghouse after you left, and the other was on Monty. He'd been wearing it while committing his crimes, hoping you'd be accused of the cattle rustling—and John's murder.”

Cody stuffed the scarves in his pocket and shook his head. “I knew he didn't like me. John told me so. But I didn't know he hated me enough to try and pin a murder on me. According to Judith, he's got some real problems.”

“He does. And another thing, Cody. I need to tell you I was even more suspicious of you because I thought you were attracted to Patience, so it fueled jealousy and distrust. But I was wrong
again
.”

Cody chuckled. “Anyone could see that Patience had eyes only for you, Jed. I liked her a lot, but more as a friend, because she was so nice to me. Me being new here, no one trusted me. But she did. And as angry as I was that it turned out you were the man I was looking for, she made me think about it. Had I killed you, what purpose would it have served?
Satisfaction for a day, maybe. And then my second hanging, for real this time. But thanks to her—and God—I'm still alive.”

“Think we could shake on it and be friends? I could use a few more myself,” Jedediah said with a little grin.

Cody reached out and they clasped in a firm handshake.

“I'm going now,” Jed told Cody, “but if you need me for anything at all, just let me know.”

Cody grinned. “I'll do that, thanks, . . . and be good to Patience, or I'll come after you.”

“I don't doubt you would!” Jedediah smiled. “Be seeing you around then.”

On the ride back into town, Jedediah had never felt as clean and free as he did at that moment. Patience would say it was God at work—and he believed she just might be right.

Patience walked back from the post office, thumbing through the mail and pretending to herself that she wasn't searching for a response from the publisher. As she walked up the steps to Creekside, she hid her disappointment behind a cheerful smile for the residents and Emily.

She sat down at her desk and thought of her new plans for fall. She and Emily could decorate with pumpkins and twigs with golden leaves, and make delicious pumpkin soup. Christmas was Patience's favorite holiday, and she could hardly wait to decorate a tree in the parlor, make Christmas cookies, and sing Christmas carols.

The doorbell rang, and Patience rose to answer it. There in the doorway stood Judith, her pregnancy showing. The scar on her cheek was hardly visible.

“Good morning, Judith.” Patience was truly happy to see her.

Judith stepped into the foyer, carrying a covered plate. “I brought you some of my tea cakes. I dropped off some for
Hannah as well, along with the recipe if she likes them,” she said with a little smile.

Patience took the plate and lifted the linen napkin. “Oh my! They look and smell wonderful. Let me put these in the kitchen.” Judith followed her.

“Why don't we have some with tea or coffee?” Patience suggested. “Do you have time?”

“I'd love to,” Judith assured her, “but I'm leaving on this afternoon's stage in a half hour. I'm going to visit with John's mother. I wanted to go before autumn and the snow comes.”

“You're going to be missed.”

“I'll decide while I'm gone if I will come back to stay or sell the place,” Judith explained. “I know Cody will do a good job of managing it, getting the steers to the cattle yards this fall. So I'll still be in touch.”

“Is there anything I can do for you?”

“No, but thank you for offering. Please tell Emily goodbye for me, and let her know that true love will soon be hers and it'll be the right one this time.”

Patience walked her back to the door. “I surely will. Write me when you're settled. I love receiving letters. Would you like me to walk with you to the depot to see you off?”

“I love getting letters too, but it's better if I go to the depot alone. I hate goodbyes, and Cody delivered my bags there for me earlier today.” Judith gave Patience a quick hug. “I must get going now. Let me know when wedding bells ring for you.”

Patience felt her cheeks getting warm, and she didn't know what to say other than goodbye. After Judith left, Patience felt sad. They were becoming good friends, and she cared for Judith, even more so after John's death. She couldn't be sad
for long, though. She had the picnic with Jed to look forward to on Saturday.
Now, what shall I wear?

Jedediah wanted the picnic to be something special. Although Patience had offered to pack their lunch, he'd decided to give her a gift that day—a leather-bound notebook he'd found at the general store. It was the kind journalists carried when they traveled across the country for writing their news reports and articles. He hoped she wouldn't mind that it wasn't very feminine looking, but it was all he could find on short notice. He wanted her to know that he supported her writing.

It felt like a great load was lifted off his mind now that the murder was solved, Cody was in charge of the Cross Bar, and Judith had left with a promise to give him first chance to make an offer if she decided to sell. He didn't want to get his hopes high, but he couldn't help but dream of a real home and a wife and perhaps children one day. If not at the Cross Bar, he'd look elsewhere.

Jed was on his way to Patience's to see what was needed for her kitchen cabinet doors. He was pretty much a jack-of-all-trades when it came to handyman stuff, so it shouldn't take too long. Besides, he'd get to watch her working on the evening meal.

Delicious scents were already making their way out to the sidewalk when he arrived. Emily opened the door for him, but her smile was fleeting. “Come in. Patience is in the kitchen, so just go on in,” she said, then returned to her chores, her shoulders drooping.

Jedediah wondered what was troubling the usually cheerful Emily. He went to the kitchen and found Patience at the stove in a day dress and her usual starched, white apron—face flushed and tendrils of damp hair curling around her forehead.

She must have felt his presence in the room because she turned while still stirring a pot of beans. “Oh, it's you, Jed. I didn't hear you come in.” Spoon in hand, she walked over to him with a smile. “I see you've got your tools with you,” she added as he placed several canvas bags on the table.

“I could smell good cooking all the way outside. I guess you know you're a fine cook!” he told her with a return smile and a pat on her arm.

“I've had years of practice, but I enjoy hearing it from you. I'm happy to see you,” she said.

His heart skipped a beat. “I love hearing you say that, Patience. All right, show me which cabinet doors need fixing.”

She laughed and it sounded like music to his ears. “Well, that'd be most of them,” she told him, waving the spoon toward the array of cupboards. “But I'll be happy if you can keep even half the doors from falling off their hinges. You probably don't know this, but the boardinghouse is not that old. It's just that it was built in a hurry and shortcuts were taken to get it completed fast because of the gold strike at Alder Creek.” She stepped over to the cabinets and pointed out the worst ones.

He examined the doors. She was right. They were thrown together without enough screws to support their weight. “I can fix this without a problem.” He walked over to the table and opened the first bag.

“Oh, that's wonderful! I'll be right here if you have questions for me. Can you stay for supper?”

“Thought you'd never ask. I'd like that just fine.” He paused, screwdriver in hand, and took a moment to watch her bustle around the kitchen. A vision of loveliness—yep! She'd make a very good wife.
Lord,
I hope and pray she's mine.

Patience too had noticed Emily wasn't her usual self. She seemed distracted most of the time, quiet, and talking only when she had to. A perfunctory smile to the residents was all she seemed to be able to manage.

Later that evening, Patience doused the lights and went upstairs to see if Emily wanted to talk about whatever was on her mind.

Tapping softly on the door so she wouldn't disturb other residents, she asked softly, “Emily, can I come in?”

A moment later, Emily opened the door. “Did I forget to do something?”

“Of course not—you never forget. May I come in?”

“Yes, please do.” Emily stepped back and motioned her to the single chair in the room, but she wouldn't look directly at her. Patience could tell she'd been crying. Emily went to the bed, sank down onto it, and tucked her bare feet under her, staring at her clasped hands.

“What's bothering you, Emily?” Patience asked from her seat nearby. “You don't seem yourself. Is it Monty?”

Emily lifted her head, looking at her with red-rimmed eyes. “I don't know . . . It's everything. Trying to make a new start out here in the West, falling for Monty way too quickly . . . Sometimes I feel invisible, even to the residents.”

“Would you rather not keep working here?”

“It's nothing like that. I enjoy my work, but none of the boarders stay here long enough for me to get to know any of them—even the eligible men. And since most are miners, they're always on the move. How am I ever to meet someone like . . . well, like Jedediah? Is there something wrong with me?” She looked away, clasping and unclasping her hands in her lap.

Patience's heart twisted as she heard the pain in Emily's voice. “Dear Emily, there's nothing wrong with you. Nothing at all, and I'm so sorry you have even wondered that for a minute. Maybe you did fall for Monty too soon, but remember, he was Jedediah's good friend too. So even our marshal, who's supposed to recognize this kind of shiftiness, didn't know the real Monty.” She reached over and gave Emily's hand a squeeze. “You're so attractive and good-natured—a truly wonderful young woman. At first I found myself envying you.”

“Me? Really?” She looked quite astonished.

Patience nodded. “Yes, you. I even talked with Jedediah about it. My confidence suffers because I compare myself to you and other women who are tall, slender, and pretty. Heaven knows I've tried every corset or contraption to give me a smaller waist. Do you remember the night I nearly passed out and made a fool of myself with Jedediah?”

Emily covered a giggle. “I remember.”

“Do you know what Jedediah said?” She didn't wait for Emily's answer. “I shouldn't compare myself to anyone or try to be like someone else. Simply be the person the good Lord wants me to be.”

“I like you just as you are, Patience, and you're very pretty.”

“I don't know about that, but thank you. What he said
made me stop and think. God gave each one of us a unique ability and fashioned us in His image. Who am I to tell Him He's wrong? I'll never be any taller, and most likely never truly slender because that's not the way I'm made—that and the fact I have a sweet tooth, though I'm not going to blame that on our Creator. I'm learning to accept the things I can't change, work on the things I can change, and do what I know how to do even better.”

“I know you're right, Patience. But maybe I should leave Nevada City—”

“What? You mean run away again? Never! You must face your battles or you will continue to struggle with the same things you did in the past.”

“I suppose you are right.”

“Oh, and I forgot—Judith said to tell you goodbye, and that true love will be yours soon.”

“She's a good person to remember me even in a time of grief. You're right. I need to be patient . . . but it's hard because I want to be loved like Jedediah loves you.”

Patience's heart leaped at the words, though she didn't feel quite as sure as Emily was. She said, “Then we'll just pray for God to guide you to just the right one, Emily. I'll let you get to bed, but I want you to know that you are valuable to me and valued in God's eyes. Don't
ever
think differently.” Patience stood and kissed the top of her head. “Good night and sweet dreams.”

Patience quietly slipped across to her room. She knew her statements to Emily were true, but she also understood the trials the young woman faced, the questions about the future.

She needed sleep, but her mind kept drifting to Jedediah in the kitchen today. She could feel his eyes on her as she cooked
supper, and every now and then, she would glance over and see the muscles bunched beneath his chambray shirt while he worked. She imagined his arms around her.
Does he love me as
Emily believes he does? Do I love him?

Tomorrow, they would have their long-planned afternoon picnic, and she could hardly wait.
Maybe that tells me something.