A Dream to Call My Own (27 page)

Dave had been busy stoking the fire for the night when Lacy left to change clothes. He turned to see what the problem was.

“Just look at this. She cut it off.” Lacy held the damaged gown against her. “Why, it doesn’t even reach to the knee!”

Grinning, Dave dusted off his hands and stood. “I like your sister Beth. Did I ever tell you that?”

Lacy’s eyes widened. “She ruined a perfectly good nightgown just to play a prank.”

Dave shook his head and came to where she stood. He pulled the piece from her hand and tossed it to one side. “If it’s ruined, we might as well throw it away.” He took her into his arms without giving her a chance to protest. “I’m sure we can get by without it.”

Smiling, Lacy met his gaze and began to laugh. “Your mother warned me about you, Mr. Shepard. She said you were ornery. She told me you were her most troublesome child, and she never had a moment’s peace when you were young.”

“Did she, now?”

Lacy nodded. “She said you were headstrong and used to having your own way.”

“What else did she say?” he asked, nibbling on her earlobe.

Sighing, Lacy continued. “She said that you were also the most loyal of her children—the most trustworthy . . . hmmm, the most loving.”

He laughed and lifted her into his arms. “I won’t tell you what your sisters said about you.”

“You can’t believe everything you hear,” Lacy said with a look of innocence.

“Where you’re concerned, Mrs. Shepard, I’m inclined to believe only half of what I hear. I’m more encouraged to rely on what I see.”

She grinned. “And what do you see, Mr. Shepard?”

“That’s easy. I see a woman whom I love very much. I see a dream to call my own.”

EPILOGUE

N
EW
Y
EAR’S
E
VE 1886

“To Belgrade, Montana! The best town in the territory!” a well-dressed man declared. People all around the room held up glasses in a toast or else cheered their approval.

“I’ve never seen so many people gathered in one place,” Lacy told her sisters. “There must be over three hundred.”

“I heard it was over four,” Beth countered. “Mrs. Lindquist told me that at least two hundred invitations had gone out.” The music started up again and couples abandoned their toasting glasses and hurried to dance.

Gwen shook her head. “Thomas Quaw certainly knows how to throw a grand party. We’ll be talking about this for years to come. Imagine hiring fifteen different bands and setting up separate places for dancing. Why, a person could be here and never even know who all had attended!”

Beth smoothed out the brown-and-blue plaid material of her skirt. “I can’t figure out where in the world he found enough musicians.”

Lacy spied Dave standing in the corner, talking to Hank. She was glad he’d been willing to take time away from the ranch to come celebrate. “Looks like our husbands are plotting and planning.”

Following her gaze, Gwen nodded. “I heard Hank say that he and Nick were going to talk to Dave about some investment. Hank’s become very good friends with Mr. Quaw, and the two of them have been discussing all manner of improvements for the town.”

Lacy could well imagine. Hank had come into his element. The small town had grown rapidly, benefited by a natural gravel bed that ran between the East Gallatin and West Gallatin rivers. It made a much better foundation for buildings, and it also provided a great industry for those who didn’t mind the hard quarry work. Beyond that, multiple farms had gone into the area—great news for some and a point of frustration for others. Ranchers were no longer able to be quite as free with their grazing land, but open range still prevailed.

Farmers found the area quite good for growing wheat, and this, in turn, brought a great deal of attention from Bozeman’s founding fathers.

“Did you hear that we’re going to get a telephone installed at Gallatin Hotel?” Gwen asked. “Hank says telephones will soon be the only way to communicate, all over the country. Every house will have one.”

“I can’t even begin to imagine,” Lacy said. “Just a few years ago, we had to send someone riding for the doctor. Now you’ll be able to simply call him as if he were in the next room.”

“Oh look! There’s Cubby,” Beth said, pointing to the door.

“Who’s the young lady at his side?” Lacy asked. The woman was quite lovely, with pale blond hair and finely arched brows.

“That’s Betsy McCollum. She’s the eldest daughter of a family that moved here just a few weeks ago. They stayed a couple of days at the hotel until they could make arrangements for their house. Her father is a dentist.”

“Cubby certainly seems taken with her,” Lacy mused. The boy had grown into a handsome man.

“He is,” Gwen agreed, “but she’s just as taken with him. If I believed in love at first sight, I’d say that we have a bona fide case of it here.”

Lacy laughed. “Love at first sight, eh? As I recall, love had to beat each one of us over the head and hog-tie us before we’d see it for what it was.”

Beth laughed and began to sway as the music started up once again. “I don’t know about you ladies, but I want to dance.” She threw her sisters a smile before heading off in search of her husband. “Happy New Year, by the way.”

“Happy New Year!”

Lacy had never cared for large gatherings, and this party seemed to be expanding by the hour. The plan had been to furnish food and dancing all night. Rumor had it that Quaw had made it clear the party wouldn’t break up until everyone tired of the festivities and headed home.

She stepped outside and took a deep breath of the cold air. Lights blazed all over town in celebration of the new year. Hugging her arms around her body, Lacy marveled at the changes she’d seen in the last few years. Nothing had remained the same. Hamilton had moved their small town to intercept the railroad tracks, some eight miles to the west, and renamed their community Moreland. Farther west, the small community of Canyon House burst to life and called itself Logan after the railroad set up business with a roundhouse and homes for their company officials. It seemed with growth and innovation, a fresh naming was required. It was rather like being born anew.

“I thought I saw you slip out here.”

Lacy turned to face Dave. “Too many people to suit me.”

He smiled. “I know where there’s a quiet room, just for two.”

She looked back at the building as someone struck up “Cotton-Eyed Joe” and several people let out yells. Rolling her eyes, she nodded. “I don’t suppose we’ll be missed.”

Dave took hold of her arm and pulled her in step beside him. She liked the way they fit together. “So how do you suppose your folks are doing?”

Patience had volunteered to take on Gwen and Hank’s three children, Beth and Nick’s four boys, and Lacy and Dave’s two-year-old son while everyone went to the celebration and stayed overnight in town.

“Hopefully they’re all sleeping at this hour. I’ve never known my folks to stay up this late unless they were dealing with calves being born. I can’t say I’ve ever really been given to it, either.”

“I just hope that Thomas didn’t give her any trouble. This is the first time we’ve been away from him for any length of time.”

Dave gave her shoulders a squeeze. “Missing him, are you?”

She looked up and met his eyes. “Yes, but . . . I’m glad to have you to myself.”

“I see. Does that mean you have plans for me?” He gave her a wicked grin.

“I do indeed, Mr. Shepard. I have plans for you that involve the rest of your life.”

He let out a wild yell and pulled her into his arms, whirling her around in a circle. Lacy felt dizzy when he finally stopped and set her feet on the ground, but even dizzier when his mouth captured hers in a kiss.

Lacy shivered. She didn’t know how she could have ever doubted loving this man.

“Are you cold?” he asked, pulling back. He started to take off his coat.

She grinned and shook her head. “Not in the least.”

He looked at her in mock surprise and pretended to be exasperated. “You are quite a handful, Lacene Gallatin Shepard. I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do with you.”

Laughing, she let go of him and headed across the street. She looked back over her shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out, Mr. Shepard.”

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