A Love of Her Own (6 page)

April was right behind them and ran to mount Gus. She gave him a swift kick in the ribs while holding her hat with one hand, her coattail flying in the wind.

Josh laughed when Juliana stared after April. “I warned you that she was someone to be reckoned with. I suppose there is a good reason for her showing up that way,” he said, patting his bride’s hand in the crook of his arm.

“Yes, you did, and I can’t wait to get to know her better.” Juliana smiled up at him.

Josh stared down at his lovely wife. “And you will soon, my beautiful bride, and you and I will get to know each other better too . . . alone,” he whispered in her ear, ignoring the guests who began spilling down the church steps.

Juliana blushed prettily and hauled him toward the side door to the fellowship hall.

April stopped Gus directly in front of the Stockton Hotel and hurriedly slid off his broad back. It would feel so good to clean off the trail dust and change her clothes. She marched up to the front desk, yanking off her hat. No one was about, so she slammed her palm down on the bell sitting on the counter. Where was everyone? She didn’t have all day. An older man shuffled from the back room to the front desk in no apparent hurry, picked up his spectacles, and looked at her quizzically.

“May I help you, er . . . miss?”

“You may. I’m April McBride. Josh McBride made a reservation for a room for me.” She laid her hat on the counter and tried to pat her flyaway hair back into place. The hotel seemed to be beautifully furnished, the hardwood floors gleamed with high gloss, and potted ferns graced either side of the front desk.

The older gentleman glanced down at his book and slowly followed each line with his bony finger. The time seemed to stretch into long minutes. He shook his gray head. “I’m sorry, but I see nothing on the books for your reservation.”

“What? There must be some mistake.”

“Afraid not, ma’am.” He shoved the sliding spectacles back up on the bridge of his nose. “It seems that your message was not received by us, or it would be here.” His face was serious.

April put her palms on the counter and leaned over as he turned the registrar’s book toward her. With irritation, she could see that he was right. “I see. Well . . . go ahead and make a reservation for me to stay about two weeks.”

“I’m afraid we have no vacant rooms tonight, but if you’ll check back tomorrow, we’ll probably have a room for you.”

“But I need one now!” April raised her voice and tapped the toe of her boot impatiently. “What’ll I do? I need to change clothes for my brother’s wedding reception that’s going on right now!” She felt like crying. Every problem seemed to be joined by another one.

The clerk’s eyes raked over her appearance with a grimace.

“It’s a long story.”

He shrugged and pointed to his right. “There’s a necessary room over there where you can change clothes. When the reception’s over, you could check down the street at Miss Margaret’s boardinghouse. She may be able to accommodate you.”

“Boardinghouse?” April waved a hand at the clerk when he started to speak. She didn’t have time to quibble. She picked up her valise and headed to the water closet.

“Miss McBride? You left your hat.”

April paused, grabbed her hat, and stalked off. How in the world had they not received her telegram? She was sure that Robby had sent it.

She shook out her wrinkled yellow dress and matching cape as best she could and placed it over the back of a chair. Pulling off the dirty pants and shirt, she packed them at the bottom of her bag. She was grateful she had water to wash her face and arms. Her hair would just have to hang straight down since there wasn’t time or a hot iron to curl it now. She brushed the silky length of blonde hair that hung past her shoulders, then pulled her dress on. Staring at her reflection, she thought,
Not too bad considering
I’m tired and haven’t had one good night’s sleep in a week.

Throwing her matching woolen cape around her shoulders, April stepped out into the foyer. She saw the clerk’s eyebrows shoot upward.

“My, that was a quick change, and one for the better, I might add!” He stared at her over the top of his spectacles.

“Thanks. Do you think that you could hold my bag until this evening when I come back to collect it?”

“No trouble at all,” he said, taking it from her outstretched arm. “I’ll store it right here behind the front desk for you.”

“Thank you . . . I’m afraid I don’t know your name.”

“I’m Ed Rankin. Are you Josh’s sister?”

“Yes, I am. Do you know Josh?”

“Not personally, but I’ve heard good things about him through Marion Stockton.”

“Oh? She must be a friend of his.”

“I believe so. Her father owns this hotel.”

“How very interesting,” she said, trying to edge toward the door to leave. She didn’t want him to keep jawing about the townsfolk. When she reached the door, she turned. “Do you think you can have someone take the horse that I rode to the stage depot?” She laid a silver dollar on the counter for his trouble.

“Sure thing, Miss McBride. We’ll see to it.”

“I’d be grateful. I must hurry, but I’ll be back. Thanks for your help.”

April hurried out into the late afternoon’s lengthening shadows to take the short walk down the boardwalk to the church. Lewistown was a quaint, small town with a few people and wagons moving about as the close of day was near. Not nearly as big as Steamboat Springs, but still she looked forward to peeking around the following week. She was not in any hurry to make the long, grinding trip home.

When April arrived at the church, the hall was full of guests enjoying punch and the sounds of a string quartet. Several couples were waltzing, and candlelight cast a romantic glow about the decorated room befitting a wedding party. Several said hello as she swept past them, and she nodded a hello, not stopping until she found the happy couple sipping punch amid a small group of friends.

Josh saw her coming and walked up to draw her toward them. “I’m so happy you could make it, April. Why in the world were you dressed in men’s clothes?”

“My dear brother, I doubt that Juliana wants to hear my shenanigans on her wedding day!” April said.

“On the contrary, I want to know.” Juliana smiled at her new sister-in-law. “How about a glass of punch?”

“I’d like some. I’m so thirsty after that trip.” April got a closer look at her new sister-in-law and was surprised to see that she looked very young. Josh wasn’t old, but Juliana was definitely still wet behind the ears. She was not beautiful but was attractive with brilliant blue eyes that seem to stare right into April’s thoughts. April followed the couple over to the punch bowl.

“April, I’d like you to meet some of our friends.” Juliana smiled. Two women serving the punch and cake paused when they approached the table.

“Back for more punch?” One of the women reached for her cup.

“Thanks, but no. We want to introduce Josh’s sister April to everyone.” Juliana turned to April, who paused next to Josh. “April, this is Natalie and Louise, who are sisters and my best friends.” Juliana beamed at them. “They helped me plan everything for the wedding.”

April nodded and said hello. The sisters looked as different as day and night. The talkative one was pretty, the other one quiet and retiring.

“Josh told us he had a sister, but we didn’t know you were coming all the way up from Colorado. It’s so nice to meet you.” Natalie handed April a cup of punch.

“Thank you, Natalie. I never thought I’d get here,” April said. “The stagecoach broke down.”

Louise looked at her thoughtfully. “Were you the one who came in the black duster right before the ceremony?”

Josh laughed. “You bet it was her. She was not about to miss her brother’s wedding,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

“You are so right.” April looked down at her dress. “That’s the reason for all the wrinkles in my dress.”

“It looks okay, really. Don’t worry about that,” Juliana said. “So how
did
you get here?”

“Let’s just say I borrowed a horse from the stage after pleading with the driver.”

“Sounds like something you’d do, sis.” Josh downed his punch and put his arm around Juliana’s waist. “Want to dance, Jewel?”

At that moment a tiny gray-haired lady leaning on a walking cane walked up to congratulate the couple, and Juliana introduced her. “This is Miss Margaret, Natalie and Louise’s mother. Also a dear friend.”

“My, but you seem to consider everyone a good friend.” April’s lips curled into a tight smile.

Miss Margaret held out her hand. “I’m Mrs. Spencer, but everyone calls me Miss Margaret. I run the boardinghouse in town.”

April barely touched the old lady’s hand. “Hello, Miss Margaret. In fact, I heard your name earlier from Ed at the Stockton Hotel. Seems as though they didn’t have a reservation for me and their rooms are booked. He told me to inquire at your boardinghouse.”

“Ed’s right. I do have a room. How long will you be staying?” Miss Margaret was gazing at her with gray, watery eyes as though sizing her up. Somehow April felt uncomfortable under her intent look.
Why is she looking at me in that strange way? Old people are
a mystery to me.

“She can stay until we get back from our honeymoon,” Josh commented, squeezing Juliana. “Then she can come to the ranch.”

“Oh no, Josh, I’m not getting in the middle of newlyweds while they’re adjusting to living together.” April turned to Miss Margaret. “It may be as long as a few weeks. I really don’t know yet.”

“No problem, April,” Natalie answered for her mother. “We’ve got room for you.” Miss Margaret nodded in agreement.

“Well . . .” April hesitated.

“It’s settled. You can come stay with us. We can have your luggage brought over,” Miss Margaret insisted.

“My luggage hasn’t arrived yet. You see, the wagon wheel broke and I rode in on Gus, one of the coach horses.” April watched as Miss Margaret’s eyes narrowed.

“You did? How very unusual, my dear.”

Josh chuckled. “Not if you know my sister. Sis, Jewel and I are going to dance. Get to know everyone as if you were home.” Josh led Juliana to the dance floor, leaving April floundering for something to say to the group she barely knew. So they all stood watching as Josh and Juliana, whom he affectionately called Jewel, moved around the floor to the beat of the music. Complete happiness was evident on Josh’s face, and by the way Juliana’s eyes gazed into his, April could tell the feeling was mutual.

April wanted a love just like that.

She glanced across the floor to the doorway and saw the man who had been wrangling with the horse when she’d ridden into town earlier. He was tall and lanky and still wearing his hat. He wore no suit coat but had on a leather vest the color of butternut squash and wore tight jeans. He walked with fluid assurance, crossing the floor with a purpose, his spurs jingling. He headed toward the reverend, who stood talking with a stout man wearing a badge. April assumed he was the town sheriff. If she got an opportunity, she would make sure the wrangler had taken care of the mare for her. She had given him most of her cash.

There was something almost overconfident about the man and the way he swaggered in that she couldn’t put her finger on as she watched him out of the corner of her eye. Cocky. That was the kind of man she took an immediate dislike to. He was probably rough in his treatment of horses in order to break them down. She could not tolerate the mistreatment of animals, especially horses.

The dance ended, and Josh and Juliana walked off the dance floor, laughing. April saw the horse wrangler walk over to them.
Josh’s friend? Not Josh’s type.
She turned her head toward them just as the lanky man looked right at her, and Josh gestured toward her.
Oh no, they’re walking over to me.
April dropped her eyes, pretended she hadn’t seen them, and tried to encourage Miss Margaret to tell her about the boardinghouse. She hoped Josh would not play matchmaker.
Heaven forbid it!
She mentally shook herself and straightened to stand as tall as she could, shoulders back and ready for a battle she knew was coming.

4

Wes followed the sound of music to the fellowship hall where a good number of people were already in the throes of celebrating the nuptials of his good friend Josh. He had been to church a few times in the past but was uncomfortable in this setting. Never in a million years would he have thought he’d go in the first place, but Josh had been pretty persuasive. Wes’s father would roll over in his grave if he knew Wes was here, or, for that matter, reading the Good Book.

He spotted Josh and Juliana accepting congratulations and hugs from friends. As he made his way over to them, he felt a bit envious. While he didn’t know either of them very well, through a strange set of circumstances, they had become friends in the last few months.

Josh grinned as Wes walked up and stretched out his hand to congratulate him. “I’m not much on weddings and funerals, but yours was very nice. But then, how could it not be with that beautiful bride of yours?”

Juliana smiled shyly and looked at her husband, hugging Josh’s arm. “We thought it turned out nice too.”