Heart of Gold (13 page)

“Shot.” Jack mirrored Matthew’s action, holding his arms tight. “But not dead.”

“You don’t know how glad I am to know it. And to find you here in Idaho Territory.”

“What about you?” Jack cocked an eyebrow. “Never thought I’d see the day you’d give up driving.”

“Makes two of us.” He released his grip and took a step back. “It’s just for the summer.”

“Where are you staying?”

“The company’s got a house up the hill.” He pointed in the general direction. “My sister and nephew are with me, so I needed a place big enough for them.”

“Full of surprises, aren’t you, Matt? I never knew you had any family left.”

Matthew shrugged. What could he say? That he was a poor excuse for a brother?

“I’d better get back to the jail. Had a bit of trouble at one of the saloons last night, and I’ve got more men in the cells than usual. But don’t be a stranger. Stop by and we’ll catch up.”

“Why don’t you come to supper some night? Alice would like to meet you, and I know the boy would think it special to have the sheriff of Grand Coeur sitting at the supper table. Let me find out what day would be best, and I’ll let you know.”

“Be my pleasure. I’m not one to turn down a home-cooked meal.”

Jack tugged his hat farther down on his forehead. “Right good to see you, Matt. Right good.” He glanced toward the counter again. “Thanks, Bill. Let me know when you get an answer.”

“I’ll do that,” William replied seconds before the door closed behind Jack.

Amazing how seeing his old friend improved Matthew’s spirits. Maybe the time spent in Grand Coeur wouldn’t be as bad as he’d once thought. And if he really hoped to get Miss Adair to marry him, he’d better be thankful Jack Dickson wasn’t a churchgoing man or he might have some serious competition for her affections. Jack definitely had a way with the ladies.

Alice was having one of her good days. The kind of day that was too few and far between anymore. Her heart beat steadily, her breathing was unlabored, her stomach without pain. In fact, she felt well enough to come downstairs and eat lunch with Todd and Shannon at the dining room table.

“I think when we’re done I’d like to go outside and sit on the porch,” she said before taking another bite of her sandwich. “Oh, that is so good.”

Shannon laughed softly. “That’s the third time you’ve said so. I am quite certain it isn’t
that
good.”

“But it is. Still, you should know that I told my brother we can’t have you go on caring for me
and
cooking. I’ve asked him to find us a cook. Although I’m certain we shall not find anyone who makes a sandwich as tasty as this. Or your fried chicken either. Especially since we can’t pay very much for a servant.”

“Father hired a Chinese girl to come in to cook and clean at the parsonage during the week. Her wages are quite reasonable, he said. Perhaps Sun Jie knows someone in her community who could cook for you. Would you like me to ask her?”

“Would you? That would be most helpful.”

“I’ll be happy to ask. Sun Jie and her husband are Christians, and she talks as if they know everyone in Chinatown. I’m sure she’ll know of someone suitable.”

There was something different about Shannon today, Alice thought. What was it? Then it came to her. There was a noticeable absence of underlying resentment. That’s what it was. She seemed to have forgotten—at least temporarily—that Alice’s husband had been a Union soldier. That Alice was related to “the enemy.” That was good. Shannon wasn’t simply doing her Christian duty or utilizing her training as a nurse. They were making progress toward becoming friends. And Alice so wanted that to be true before she died.

“I’ll tell Matthew to speak to you about it.” She pushed the now empty plate away from her.

Shannon rose from her chair and came around to Alice’s side of the table. “Todd, would you fetch a blanket for your mother? We don’t want her taking a chill while she’s outdoors. And a pillow, please.”

“Sure.” Her son jumped to his feet and tossed a grin in Alice’s direction. “I’ll get ’em, Ma.”

Shannon offered the crook of her arm to aid Alice to her feet, then the two women walked slowly out to the veranda and around to the sunny side where Alice sat on one of the wooden chairs waiting there. Soon Todd reappeared, blanket and pillow in his arms. First the pillow went behind Alice’s back, and afterward Shannon tucked the blanket snugly around her legs.

Alice took a deep breath of the crisp mountain air. “Heavenly,” she whispered.

“Todd,” Shannon said, “will you stay with your mother while I take care of the dishes?”

“Sure.” He sank to the floor of the porch.

“I won’t be long,” Shannon added before walking away.

Nugget scampered around the corner of the veranda and hopped onto Todd’s lap. The puppy’s paws hit her son’s chest and his tongue swiped his face again and again. Todd laughed as he tried to escape the uninvited bath. Nugget’s tail wagged back and forth like a metronome in a frenzy.

Watching them, Alice laughed too. It felt good to laugh, to feel an ordinary pleasure in life, to forget that there were too few of these kinds of moments left to her. Ah, but that thought was sad, and she didn’t want to be sad today.

“Stop it, Nugget!” Todd protested, still laughing, proving he really didn’t mind.

The puppy ignored him anyway.

“Here,” Alice said. “Give him to me. Before long, he’ll be too big to sit in anyone’s lap. Look at those paws. When he grows into them, look out.”

Todd stood, pup in arms, and placed Nugget in her lap. Alice pressed her face against the puppy’s soft coat on the back of his neck and rubbed her forehead back and forth. The fur tickled her nose, and again she laughed, the sweetness of this day, this moment, bursting within her a second time.

Thank You, God. Thank You. Thank You
.

From the corner of the house, Shannon observed Alice, Todd, and the puppy. Though the tenderness of the scene made her smile, at the same time unshed tears of sorrow caused the threesome to swim before her eyes.

There were things she, as someone who’d learned how to nurse the sick and dying, could do to ease the pain of Alice Jackson’s moving from this life into the next, but there was nothing she or any physician could do to stop it from happening. She hated the helplessness she felt at such moments. Alice shouldn’t have to die at such a young age. She shouldn’t have to leave her son an orphan.

I’ve seen too much death already. Too much death
.

God’s will be done. That’s what her father would tell her. And Shannon truly did want God’s will. Only she would much prefer that

His will wasn’t so difficult at times. She felt a twinge of guilt, realizing that what she wanted was for His will not to be difficult for
her. She’d
seen too much death.

Forgive me, Lord. I don’t want to be selfish, to think only of myself. Help me to be more like Father, to serve and not want to be served
.

“How is she?”

Her heart raced as she glanced over her shoulder, her prayer forgotten in an instant. Matthew stood mere inches away, and she was all too aware of his height and breadth. Though no later than one o’clock, there was already a shadow beneath the skin of his clean-shaven face. Would it feel rough beneath her fingertips if she touched it? An almost overwhelming desire to discover the answer swept over her. Swallowing hard, she turned toward Alice again, answering in a whisper, “She seems stronger today.”

“Good. I’m glad you think so. I thought so too.”

It seemed an eternity, but at last he moved a step or two away. Her breathing eased.

“I won’t disturb her,” he said in a way that caused a shiver to run up her spine.

She heard his footsteps carry him back into the house, and almost without conscious thought she followed after him. He looked surprised at the sight of her entering the kitchen. Feeling the need for a reason to be there, she hurried to explain, “Mr. Dubois, your sister mentioned that you want to find a cook.”

“Yes.”

She took a moment to tell him about Sun Jie and her husband. When he seemed unconcerned that she was recommending a servant from Chinatown, relief swept over her. Though why she should feel relieved was a puzzle to her.

“Maybe I could stop by and speak to Sun Jie on my way back to the office,” Matthew suggested. “Would she be at the parsonage now?”

“Yes, she’s there.”

He set his hat over his dark hair. “Thanks. I’ll talk to her.” He paused, then added, “I appreciate all you’re doing for Alice, Miss Adair.”

“I’m glad I could be of service.”

Wordlessly, he continued to look at her, something unspoken swirling in his eyes. Nerves tumbled in her belly.

“You’ve been a godsend,” he said at last, sincerity in his gentle voice.

Unable to speak, she shook her head, the compliment making her uncomfortable for some reason.
He
made her uncomfortable for some reason.

“I’ll see you tonight.” He turned on his heel and left the house.

Matthew was halfway to the Wells, Fargo office before he remembered he’d intended to stop at the parsonage first. Something about Shannon’s expression, about the green of her eyes, about the way she’d looked at him as she stood in the kitchen, had made him forget everything else. Including speaking to his sister about Jack Dickson joining them for supper later in the week. Couldn’t do that without hiring a cook. Couldn’t expect Shannon to prepare a meal for not only his family but a guest too. Besides, he’d just as soon Jack didn’t meet Shannon Adair anytime soon.

A frown creased his brow at the return of that thought. He told himself it was only because he didn’t want any competition as he sought to woo Miss Adair—and he only needed to woo her because of Todd, because the boy would need someone to mother him after Alice died.

He turned on his heel and walked back up the hill, turning aside on Gold Hill Road. A short while later, he rapped on the door of the parsonage. It was opened not by the expected servant, but by the reverend himself.

Matthew removed his hat. “Good afternoon, Reverend Adair.”

A concerned expression crossed the pastor’s face. “I trust nothing is amiss with your sister, Mr. Dubois.”

“No, sir. Alice is doing better this week. I came to speak to Sun Jie. Your daughter thought she might know of someone we could hire as a cook.”