Cowboy to the Rescue (14 page)

The crowd laughed, especially when Charlie declared his immediate retirement from doctoring. Susanna could see no one took the declaration seriously.

She searched for Nate among the men and found him leaning against a corral railing, his hat tipped back and his arms crossed. His bemused expression wrung her heart. The Colonel was behaving like a proud father toward the newcomer, something she’d never seen in his treatment of Nate.

After several minutes, Colonel Northam and Mr. Eberly walked toward the ladies with the well-dressed younger man in tow. Maisie squeaked like a mouse and spun away, dashing toward the house.

Susanna touched Rosamond’s arm. “Should we see if she’s all right?”

Rosamond gave her a doubtful frown. “Well—”

“Rosamond.” The Colonel beckoned to his daughter. “Come meet the son of an old friend.”

Susanna had never even seen him smile, but this was more than a smile. More like when she and Daddy had set out from home. Daddy’s face had been lit with hope and, for lack of a better word, joy. Anybody looking on could easily see that the Colonel planned to play matchmaker for his daughter and this handsome doctor.

To avoid any possible awkwardness, such as the Colonel not bothering to introduce her to the man, Susanna ducked away and hid among the other ladies. Still worried about Maisie, she decided it was best simply to pray for her. If her sisters or Rosamond weren’t concerned, Susanna would let the matter rest.

Nate, on the other hand, was one person she could encourage. Making her way through the wagons and buggies parked in a nearby field, she found the Northams’ wagon and retrieved her basket from under the driver’s seat. When she returned to the tables, the other ladies were spreading out cakes, pies, cookies and other assorted desserts, and the men had lined up to partake. All except Nate. He still stood by the corral, arms crossed, staring down at the ground.

She had to dodge several men, Rand and Tolley in particular, who’d heard about her special dessert, but at last she reached Nate. His hangdog expression broke her heart. She’d refused to let him cheer her up earlier, so she owed him some teasing.

“Well, Mr. Nate Northam.” She sauntered up next to him, hugging the basket like a treasure. “Here I thought you’d be storming the castle to get some of my dessert, but you don’t even seem half-interested.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Guess I’ll just surrender it to Tolley. He almost snatched it right out of my hands.”

Nate’s gloomy expression slowly gave way to a smile, but she could see his heart wasn’t in it. “Don’t you dare give it to that boy. He’ll eat it all in one sitting, then end up sick.”

“All right, then.” She held up the basket and opened the lid. “Help yourself.” All of a sudden, her pulse sped up. What if he didn’t like her best recipe?

He peered into the basket, then gave her a questioning look. “What is it?” His green eyes twinkled just a bit. “Is it edible?”

“The very idea!” She snapped the basket lid closed and spun away. “I’ll offer it to someone who’ll appreciate—”

Before she could take two steps, he gripped her arm and gently tugged her back.

“Oh, come on, now.” He put on a pitying frown. “I’ll save you from embarrassment and eat one.”

“Don’t do me any favors.” She could hardly keep from laughing. This was her Nate, teasing in his lighthearted way.
Her
Nate? Not really. But hers to enjoy just for now.

He reached into the basket, lifted out one of the soft, light brown squares and bit into it. His eyes grew round, and he grinned as he chewed. “What are these? I like pecans a whole heap, but I’ve never tasted them done up this way. They’re delicious.” He made a grab for the basket, but she held on tight. “Can I have another one? Please?”

“They’re pralines.” She gave him a smug look. “And you’d better not eat any more. As you mentioned, too many sweets will make you sick.”

“Oh, I doubt that.” He gripped the basket. “Let’s see how many I can tolerate.”

“There are two kinds of pralines.” Somehow she felt the need to explain. “Some are hard like candy. These are creamier because they’re made with cream and molasses. The pecans are the best part.” She permitted him to take one more, then firmly retrieved the container. Remembering the look on his face when she offered him Mrs. Barkley’s pickles, she had a pinch of doubt about his sincerity. “Do you really like them?”

“Mmm-hmm.” He nodded vigorously as he chewed. “Never tasted anything as good as these.”

The glint in those green eyes convinced her that he spoke the truth. How good it felt to give this noble man a reward for all his kindnesses to her and Daddy.

“Well, I’d better go find Tolley. If I don’t save him one of these, he’ll never speak to me again.” She turned to walk away.

Again, Nate caught her arm and tugged her back to stand in front of him. “Thank you, Susanna.” His rich, warm voice, accompanied by his soulful, puppy-dog look, sent a pleasant feeling skittering through her insides. He wasn’t talking about pralines.

“Thank you, Nate.” Now she really had to walk away. If his father thought they were sparking, he’d make life impossible for both of them.

Sure enough, across the barnyard, the Colonel stood staring at them, hands fisted at his waist, thunder riding on his brow.
Lord, have mercy.

Because she had a feeling that if the Colonel set himself against either her or Nate, God’s mercy was the only thing that would save them.

Chapter Sixteen

“I
can’t thank you enough for all your help.” George Eberly stood in the center of his newly completed barn, with the entire community of workers standing around him or seated on bales of hay.

“We can’t thank you enough for all that food,” a man called from the crowd.

Nate joined in the laughter ringing to the rafters. He hadn’t been this exhausted since the trail drive last year, but it was a good, rewarding tiredness. Both his spirits and his stomach were fully satisfied. Maybe even his heart. His short visit with Susanna had gone a long way to heal his bruised feelings about the Colonel’s partiality toward the new doctor. She’d also introduced him to those remarkable pralines, his new favorite dessert. He’d have to make sure she knew he wasn’t just being polite when he complimented her cooking.

“Well, with Colorado winters so harsh, our barns have to go up in the summer,” George continued, “so I appreciate your generous gift of time when you all could be building on your own land. Just give me a holler if you need my help on anything.” He surveyed the group. “Today we made it through without too many injuries, and our new doc has taken care of those.”

Even Nate had consulted the doctor about a splinter, one he could have removed himself. But he’d wanted to take the man’s measure, and he found the doc to be a decent sort. Friendly, humble, glad to be part of the new community. Nate couldn’t let the Colonel’s partiality toward John Henshaw influence his own feelings about him.

George settled his gaze on Nate’s parents. “Now, I’ve already apologized to Colonel and Mrs. Northam for stealing their thunder and having a big shindig just three weeks before their special anniversary party.”

“Except ours will be a lot fancier, so wear your Sunday best,” the Colonel called out. “And you won’t have to work for your supper.”

More laughter filled the barn.

“All right, all right.” George waved a dismissive hand at the Colonel. “Folks, it’s still early enough for us to have a little bit of dancing before our Independence Day fireworks. But we have one more thing to celebrate. Maisie, get on over here.” He looked toward the door, where only four of the Eberly sisters stood with Susanna and Rosamond. “Where’s Maisie?”

“Here, Pa.” Maisie poked her head around the barn door, and several people gasped, Nate among them.

Was this the same little gal who’d engaged in mud and water fights with his sister and could outride most men he knew? Indeed it was, but the former tomboy had suddenly transformed into a lady. She wore a bright blue skirt instead of her usual riding getup. Pearl earrings dangled against her clean-scrubbed, freckled cheeks. Her bright red hair was piled up on her head in a tidy, fancy do, and she wore an equally fancy white shirtwaist. If Nate wasn’t mistaken, that was the one Susanna and Rosamond had made for her. Across the way, the Colonel eyed him and tilted his head toward Maisie. Nate just shrugged. While he had to admit she made a fine picture, she still wasn’t the girl for him.

George called his daughter over and announced that this was her eighteenth birthday. While everyone shouted birthday wishes, the Colonel motioned Nate toward Maisie. Nate’s heart plummeted to his stomach. How could he make his father understand he had no desire to court Maisie, much less marry her?
Lord, help me, ’cause You know I won’t marry that sweet little gal.
Not when Susanna stood right there beside Maisie, outshining her in every way, despite her wilted clothes and unkempt hair.

* * *

Fiddles, guitars and an accordion were brought out, and the musicians struck up “Old Dan Tucker.” While couples took to the floor for a lively jig, Susanna moved closer to Rosamond and squeezed her hand. “Maisie looks beautiful, but is she just trying to make us feel better by wearing the shirtwaist?”

“I don’t know for sure.” Rosamond shook her head. “But I have a suspicion. Look.”

Across the way, Maisie whispered something to her father, and he led her over to the new doctor. Instead of her usual boldness, she seemed almost demure. Almost. The dear girl obviously didn’t know the meaning of the word, for she gripped his hand and shook it as if she was pumping water. Even so, Doc Henshaw gave her a big smile and waved his free hand toward the dance floor.

“Oh, my.” Susanna laughed softly. “That’s a surprise. A very nice surprise.” She wasn’t sure Maisie and the doctor would make a good match, but from the smile on Rosamond’s face, jealousy over the newcomer would not come between the two friends. For her part, Susanna would look for the first opportunity to ask him to visit Daddy.

“Yes, a surprise indeed.” Rosamond had just enough time to agree with her before Wes approached and asked her to dance. From the corner of her eye, Susanna saw Seamus, the Irishman, moving in her direction. Although her feet itched to be out there with the other merrymakers, she’d much prefer a different partner.

“Miss Anders.” Seamus gave her an elaborate bow and a wink. “I’d be pleased and proud if you would honor me with this dance.” If she wasn’t mistaken, he was intensifying his Irish brogue for effect. Though he failed to charm her, she still couldn’t turn him down. All these cowboys deserved a dance or two for all of their hard work.

“Thank you.” She took his offered hand and walked with him to the center of the hard-packed barn floor. Too late she saw Nate headed in her direction. He waggled a scolding finger at her, but she stifled a laugh at his antics. No doubt he’d be waiting to claim the next dance with her.

Sure enough, when the fast-paced music ended, she managed to graciously decline Seamus’s request for another dance and move right into Nate’s waiting arms.

“I was about to get jealous.” He put his hand at her waist as the three-four rhythm of “Sweet Betsy from Pike” began.

“And why would that be, Nate Northam?” Hadn’t he seen his father’s earlier scowl? “At best, you and I are just friends. Besides, Seamus, being Irish, outshines any other cowboy when it comes to a lively jig.”

“Is that so?” Not missing a step in guiding her around the floor, he shrugged and laughed. “Anything else in particular that you prefer about him?”

“Well, you can’t beat that brogue for charming.” Susanna easily followed Nate as he raised their joined hands and guided her into a turn beneath his arm. Anyone watching might think they’d danced together for years. How good it felt to be on a dance floor again, even a hard-packed dirt one, with this particular partner.

“On the other hand, I did see him step on your toes more than once.” He shrugged again. “Of course, I couldn’t tell if it was your fault or his.”

“His, of course.” She gazed up at him, enjoying his firm grasp on her waist. Where had he learned to lead a dance partner so skillfully? Maybe that year he spent in Boston. “And you were watching us the whole time?”

“Only now and then.” He looked particularly appealing when he put on his smug face. “With so many pretty girls here, it’s hard to pay attention to just one.” And yet his eyes hadn’t left hers since they’d begun dancing.

“So remind me of why you were jealous when Seamus was my partner.”

“Ha!” He tossed his head back. “You caught me.” He guided her into another elaborate spin, perhaps to avoid saying more.

The music ended, and he led her to the refreshment table, somehow managing to politely rebuff several men who approached to ask her to dance. “You’ve been on your feet all day. Don’t want you to get tired out.”

“Tsk.” She sniffed indignantly. “As if I can’t keep up with the likes of you.”

Handing her a glass of lemonade, he again gazed down at her with an intense look that sent her heart into a spin. “You can indeed, Miss Anders. That’s one of the things I like about you.”

The moment he used her false last name, her heart stopped spinning. How she longed to reveal her real one to him, to tell him she came from money, the same as he did. Daddy still insisted they keep quiet about their past. What would happen if Nate knew they were social equals and should be able to court if they felt so inclined? A quick glance beyond him answered that question. His Yankee colonel father stood across the barn glaring at the two of them as if they’d just shot Lincoln. For her part, if she surrendered her heart to Nate, she could never go home to Marietta. What would he risk if he fell in love with her?

* * *

Nate didn’t have to look behind him to know why Susanna’s smile disappeared. No doubt the Colonel was scowling at them the way he had this afternoon. And yet his father appeared not to have noticed that Rand had slipped out the back door about ten minutes ago, glass of punch in hand. If the Colonel expected this community to keep liquor out, he should start watching his own favorite son a bit more closely.

“Let’s go out and get some fresh air.” Nate set down his glass and started to guide her toward the door.

“Why, Nate Northam.” She didn’t move. “What kind of a girl do you think I am?”

“Uh-oh.” Nate felt like a steer on locoweed. No lady would accept an invitation like that. “Should have thought it through a bit more.” He grimaced. “Please excuse me, but I need to check on something.”

“Never you mind, Nate.” She gave him one of her saucy smiles. “I can take care of myself.” She glanced around the barn as if looking for another partner.

Nate stewed on that for a moment, hating to leave her so some other man could stake a claim on her while he was tending to family business. Pretty selfish, considering he couldn’t court her. Anyway, if she went with him, he’d be showing her the worst side of his family. She probably thought the Colonel was the worst.

Spying Tolley, he beckoned to him. When the boy arrived, he clapped a hand on his shoulder. “You see what a homely pup my little brother is,” he said to Susanna. “Would you do us all a favor and dance with him?”

Tolley ignored Nate’s insult. “Miss Susanna, would you do me the honor?”

“I’d be delighted.”

She took his arm without a backward glance at Nate, but he didn’t have time to worry about that now. As they lined up next to Rosamond and others for the Virginia reel, he headed out the back door.

He found Rand and Seamus, along with several other hands from various ranches, kneeling around a low plank, where playing cards and coins were spread, illuminated by lantern light. His back to Nate, Rand didn’t see him approach.

A cowboy slapped his cards on the makeshift table, faceup. “Read ’em, boys. A full house.” While he raked in the pot, the other men threw down their cards, grumbling.

“We’ll do better next time, friends.” Rand tossed a coin on the table. “I’m in.”

Nate snorted. The gambler’s eternal trap. Quickly forget the loss and believe he’d win the next time. “Say, little brother.” He gripped Rand’s shoulder. “There’s a lot of pretty young ladies inside without partners. Why not join the dancing?” Never mind that the cowboys actually outnumbered the ladies. If he could get his brother to his feet, he could smell his breath for liquor.

“Maybe you’re right.” Rand stood and shoved the coin back into his pocket, blowing out a long sigh. “Sorry, boys. This just isn’t my night.”

Relief, not the stink of liquor, almost knocked Nate over. Here he’d expected the worst, but all he could smell on Rand was lemonade and sweat. Not that gambling wasn’t pure evil, but he’d tackle one of his brother’s faults at a time.

* * *

While the Colonel drove, Mrs. Northam next to him on the driver’s bench, Susanna sat beside Nate on a cushion in the back of the wagon as they wended their way home. Above them, thousands of stars sparkled against the black sky, while the moon was only a sliver of light. To keep the wagon safely on the rough road, Seamus and Wes rode ahead with lanterns held high. On the other side of the wagon bed, Tolley slept against Rosamond’s shoulder while Rand shuffled a deck of cards.

After Nate had enticed his brother back inside the Eberlys’ barn, he’d watched over him, as Edward had always watched over Susanna. She could see his affection for Rand and his worry about his bad habits. She didn’t know why she was surprised to see such fraternal concern in a Yankee family. She supposed it was from a lifetime of prejudices being poured into her. As each day passed, she was learning that many of those prejudices were groundless when it came to a man like Nate. Now, his father was an entirely different story. The Colonel reinforced every one of her opinions about the North.

“Did you like the fireworks?” Nate leaned toward her to whisper, probably to keep his father from hearing him. As it was, a strong breeze blew from the east, so she doubted his words would reach the front bench. That didn’t keep Nate’s warm breath from sending a pleasant shiver down her spine.

“Yes, I did. They were a bit loud, but it was exciting to see the sky all lit up like that.” Susanna felt a great deal of satisfaction over participating in the barn raising, but she almost hadn’t been able to come. The Colonel hadn’t been pleased to see her approach the wagon early this morning, but Mrs. Northam’s gracious insistence that Susanna was needed to help the womenfolk had won out over her husband’s objections. So naturally, every time Susanna turned around today, the Colonel was scowling at her. Didn’t he have anything better to do?

“Did you have Independence Day fireworks back home?” As soon as Nate asked the question, he leaned back and seemed to frown, although she couldn’t quite be sure in the dark.

How could she answer? Due to the war, many folks back home wanted no part in celebrating the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Others insisted the South had as much right to claim that great document as the North because it had set all of the former colonies free from England.

“Some.” Daddy always hated the fireworks because they reminded him of being in the thick of battle. Every time a cannon thundered or a rocket exploded, he ducked, then got embarrassed. But Susanna couldn’t very well say that to Nate. Although it could be her imagination, they both seemed to avoid talking about the war.

Nate nodded as if he understood her brief answer. “Well, I know one thing.” His voice took on the teasing tone she loved so much. “You may have attended only one ball in your short life, but you did manage to learn how to dance fairly well. Why, you almost kept up with me.”