Timeless Passion: 10 Historical Romances To Savor (146 page)

Mindy closed the door, leaned against it, and breathed an exhilarated sigh. A man! Following her to apologize! Who would have ever thought!

Chapter Twenty-Four

Boone’s sister, Becky, pulled up at the old home place. She helped Terese down from the wagon and entered her mother’s house. The large receiving room was bright and cheerful, in part due to the late afternoon sun gliding through the windows. White wallpaper covered the walls with a brown, repeated star motif. The wood trim was painted a cheerful yellow, and mauve drapes with tassels hung from the two tall windows. Family photos lined the walls: black and white pictures of stern-looking people. A faded landscape painting hung over an ornate fireplace.

“Mother?” Becky called.

Terese didn’t wait for an answer but ran through the house, hollering, “Nonny, Nonny!”

Mrs. Boone came out of the kitchen wiping her hands on a dishtowel. “Hello, you two! What a nice surprise.” She swung Terese onto her hip. “How’s Terri today?”

“She’s fine, Nonny,” Terese said with a giggle.

“Mother, please. It’s Terese.”

“You may as well give that up, Becky. This little girl is going to be known as Terri.” She looked at the girl in her arms. “Aren’t you?”

“Uh huh!”

Mrs. Boone set Terri down. “Myrtle has her pups in the kitchen, you want to go look at them?”

“Yes,
ma’am
!” the little girl said with a huge grin.

“Well, go on then, but be gentle.”

Terri nodded and skipped into the kitchen.

Becky leaned forward and gave her mother a peck on the cheek. “How has your day been?” she asked. “Because mine has been
very
interesting.”

“Really? How so?”

“Terese and I saw Gary at the general store today. He has evidently given some young woman the impression that I am his wife.” Becky smiled in a crooked way. “Now, why do you suppose he would do a thing like that?”

“I don’t know,” said her mother. “But I’ve had the feeling he had a girl on his mind. This
is
interesting.”

“She’s a sweet little thing. Nice as she could be. But I got the impression there was a lot more going on there than was being said.”

“I assume she’s new in town,” Mrs. Boone said with a speculative gleam in her eye. “I bet she doesn’t know a soul … We should invite her to lunch.”

Becky’s eyes widened. “Oh, mother. Do we dare?” There was a tremble of excitement to her voice.

“I don’t see why not. It’s simply the courteous thing to do.”

Becky threw her arms around her mother. “Sometimes I am reminded all over again how much I love you!”

“Oh, hush that up. Now go get me some paper and a pencil and I’ll write the note right away, before I have to get back to supper.”

“And I can deliver it in the morning.”

“Good. Let’s get this out of the way and then you can help me peel potatoes. The Hortons are coming for supper and you know how that man eats!”

• • •

Lee and Rich Byler were crossing into more familiar territory. It had been a hard, long ride and they had covered over ninety miles in three days, avoiding the towns of Great Bend, Pawnee Rock, and Burdett, for fear of their names being broadcast.

They were only a few miles from home, headed for a small, ramshackle spread just beyond Dodge City. One brother suggested a saloon stop to celebrate their victory, before they had to report the death of their two siblings to their mother.

Both boys knew their mother would take it hard, and they weren’t looking forward to telling her. Now that they were getting close, any stop they could make would have seemed like a good idea. The opportunity to buy a few drinks and show off their newfound wealth was something they couldn’t resist. With a population of just over one thousand people, Dodge City was a boomtown, and the boys hoped they could ease past without anyone giving them a second glance.

They clicked up the dusty, crowded Front Street of Dodge City, throwing dirt behind them. Small kids came out and ran behind their horses, playing a dangerous game of seeing how close they could get to the horses’ hooves.

As they traveled closer to the stockyard, they were forced to ride through a herd of beeves that had been brought in for sale. The Bylers shoved at them with their boots as they passed, urging their horses forward and cussing at the cowboys who were leading the longhorns.

Once past the cattle, the brothers were able to set their horses at a small gallop as they passed several businesses on each side.

The town was constantly growing and it was a common thing to see several buildings with scaffolding. Here was everything a family could want or need. A general store
and
a mercantile competed for the citizens’ business. A democratic newspaper, the
Ford County Globe
, was on the right, as well as a variety theater, the Granger State bank, and the Ford County Courthouse. On the left were a hardware store, the Dodge House Hotel, and a second variety theater. Among it all were saloons, dozens of them. It seemed that the primary entertainment of the city was drinking, and this was before passing into the “wrong” side of town where the brothels and more seedy taverns lay.

The boys halted and swung down from their horses in front of a place known as Peacock’s Saloon. Tying their horses to the hitching post out front, they stomped into the relative darkness of a noisy oasis.

Lee and Rich stood just inside the doors and gazed around the room. It was filled with cowboys who were flush after a long cattle drive and intent on spending their wages having a high old time. In the corner, a piano player and a bass player pounded out a cheery tune that had several of the men dancing. Their partners were women of every size and shape, all wearing heavy makeup and big smiles.

There were no empty tables, so the boys walked over to the long, ornate bar and ordered whiskies. Without a second glance, the bartender poured each man a glass. When he would have taken the bottle, Lee made a motion. The bartender shrugged and set the bottle down. The oldest Byler laid a large bill on the polished flat surface. “Don’t let us run dry,” he told the man.

Lee turned his back to the bar and hitched a foot on the metal pole running the length of it. “Well,” he told his younger brother as he gazed around the room, “look at all these pretty women. And they’re ours for the choosing. Which one do you think pleases you?”

Rich smiled and glanced over each woman in turn. “I think the little redhead suits my fancy.”

“That’s fine. I like the big girl, myself.” They both grinned and downed their drinks. After a couple more, they were feeling like they could fly.

“Well, brother,” said Lee. “I’ve looked at your stinking face all I care to. I’m going to find me some female companionship. You look after yourself.”

Rich nodded and watched as Lee cut in on a man dancing with a large framed woman with brown, teased hair. For a moment it looked like the man might cause trouble, but when he saw the darkness in Lee’s eyes he backed down.

Rich ambled over to the card tables.

Both felt like they were finally living the good life.

Chapter Twenty-Five

The next morning, bright and early, Mindy dressed for the picnic and trip to her uncle’s homestead with Lucas.

She was still reeling from the idea that a man — any man — would seek out her company. It had been years since she’d had attention from the opposite sex and she loved every minute of it. In her heart of hearts, she occasionally wished that the object of affection might be someone other than Lucas, a dark man perhaps, but that was impossible.

Despite the fact of his marriage, Mindy was drawn to Boone in a special way. With a sigh, she determined to put those feelings to rest and spend the day enjoying Lucas’s company. If he was seriously interested in a long-term relationship, she was willing to give it a go.

A knock at the door startled her from her reverie. She answered it to find Boone’s wife, Becky, standing in the hall.

“Hello,” the young woman said brightly. “I hope I’m not calling too early.”

“No,” Mindy replied. “As a matter of fact, I was preparing for a ride in the country.”

“Then I will only take a moment of your time.” Becky handed a note with flowery script over to Melinda.

“What is this?”

“It’s an invitation to lunch with me and my … Mrs. Boone. We’d love to have you join us, if you could. We thought since you’re new to town, you may not have had the opportunity to make the acquaintance of many women. One can always use the company of women, especially in a foreign place.” Becky smiled so brightly that Mindy couldn’t help but smile back.

“That’s so kind of you!”

“Not at all. If you can make it, we’ll have lunch tomorrow at eleven o’clock. I will come ’round to fetch you before that.”

Mindy bubbled with excitement at the thought. The company of women! It had been so long since she’d had female conversation, she worried she might have forgotten how to do it. She said as much to Becky.

“I can imagine, being cooped up on that stage for so long with only men! But I’m sure we’ll all get along famously. And you’ll love my … Mrs. Boone.”

As they spoke, Lucas walked up, and Mindy had to make her goodbyes, with the promise of seeing Becky on the morrow.

She was giddy with the idea. When Lucas took her arm and wrapped it around his, she didn’t mind in the slightest. It would be a wonderful day!

• • •

The ride to Walter Larby’s home wasn’t a long one, but it provided the couple time to talk and get better acquainted. Mindy learned Lucas had been a captain in the War Between the States. He had fought on the side for states’ right, and since her own relatives had also fought for the Confederacy, this news gave Mindy some relief. He told her anecdotes regarding his time in the military, and their shared laughter put Mindy more at ease. She found that she was quite comfortable in his presence.

Upon arrival at the farm, Mindy was pleasantly surprised to find a tin-roofed, saltbox house with an “L” added. It was painted white and had a porch that wrapped around two sides. There was a slat-board fence surrounding the home and a tall oak tree stretching its arms over the whole. In the rear of the house. a second oak tree stood sentinel.

“Oh, how quaint!” Mindy exclaimed. “The setting is picturesque!”

“It is a lovely home,” Lucas said, pulling on the leads to the horses. He stopped the wagon, set the brake, and then helped Mindy down.

Mindy skipped up to the front porch, where a wicker swing was hanging. She plopped down and swung her legs back and forth, gripping the ropes with her two hands.

“Can you imagine coming home to a place like this?” she said. “The wheat growing in the field, cattle grazing, chickens running about in the yard with the children, and the heady smell of supper coming through the open windows?”

“I can imagine it,” Lucas said with all seriousness.

Mindy didn’t pause. “Oh, I’m so sorry that my aunt and uncle didn’t have children. It would have been wonderful to grow up here!” She looked out over the property, taking in a deep breath of fresh air. “It’s truly lovely!”

“It is. How many acres?”

“The deed said one hundred and forty-two. I’m not sure about the boundaries, though.”

“That can easily be established,” Lucas replied. He sat on one of the porch rails and crossed his arms. “There’s more to see, you know.”

“Yes. I know. It’s just that the home seems sad in a way, like it’s waiting for someone new to come along and take care of it.” Mindy sighed. “But there’s nothing we can do about that, is there? I suppose we should see the rest.” She hopped off the swing and stepped toward the front door. “Oh, it’s open.” She peeked around the door. “I hope no one has been using the house.”

Lucas pulled Mindy back and stepped in front of her. He pulled his gun and eased his way in. Mindy followed close behind.

“Hello?” Lucas called. “Anyone here?” A lonely house echoed back. He peeked into a couple of the rooms and then slid his pistol back into its holster. “It’s okay, probably just the wind.”

Mindy glanced around the room. The wooden floors showed signs of wear and the furniture was a bit threadbare, but she thought it looked like heaven. She felt a peaceful sensation, like she was coming home.

As she walked through the house, Mindy touched different pieces of furniture, picked up knickknacks that were displayed on the fireplace mantel, and admired the needlepoint work in handmade frames on the walls. “This home was loved,” she said. She ran a finger across an occasional table by the wall. “Everything is covered in dust.” She smacked her hands back and forth. “But that’s easy enough to remedy.”

“Let’s see about the kitchen arrangements,” Lucas said, turning toward that opening. They entered into the hub of the family home and found a simple handmade wooden table and chairs, and a dry sink with a pump. A cast iron stove sat in one corner.

Suddenly, out of a pie safe against a far wall, there came a large dark shadow, moving at the speed of a locomotive. Mindy screamed and jumped up on a chair. Lucas dropped into a low stance and pulled his gun. The culprit was a raccoon! It perched itself on the dry sink and looked at each of them in turn, showing no fear.

“Do something! Do something!” Mindy gestured wildly to Lucas.

“It’s just a raccoon,” Lucas shouted.

“Get it out! Get it out!”

Mindy’s screaming upset the animal, and it paced back and forth across the counter, watching her with a steely gaze.

Lucas snuck around the perimeter of the room and opened the back door. He snuck back and jumped toward the creature. “Yah! Yah! Get on out of here!” The raccoon sat back on its haunches and glared at him. “I said, ‘Yah!’ you evil thing! Get out! Shoo!”

From her perch, Mindy put her hands to her mouth and began to snicker. Lucas looked up at her and then set his mouth. He ran at the creature, waving his arms and shouting. Finally, the animal jumped to the floor and waddled out the back door at a sedate pace.

Lucas turned to Mindy, triumphant. She couldn’t help herself, but burst out laughing. A moment later, Lucas began to laugh as well. He walked over to Mindy, grabbed her around the waist, and picked her up. He turned a couple of times as they laughed, sharing a delightful moment.