Love Inspired Historical November 2014 (79 page)

And what if she suffocated in the process? Already her lungs felt like they'd been filled with the dreaded slag from the mines. Her eyes burned. And her heart might shrivel up and die completely. That, she supposed, would be a mercy. Maybe then, the pain would stop.

“What will I do while I'm here?” In the past, she'd visited parishioners, helped with Polly's chores, and then she and Polly would be on the lookout for—

Annabelle closed her eyes. Henry was gone, and who knew what had become of Polly's Tom? Regardless, there would be no giggling over weddings and babies.

“Joseph needs your help. If he's going to find his father's silver, he can't have a child underfoot. Mining is dangerous work as it is, and with the man who tried taking Nugget, he needs someone to take care of her.”

Meaning Annabelle. And it didn't diminish the threat of the man who wanted to take Nugget.

“So we're still in danger?”

Her father shook his head. “Slade found some good tracks and he's confident that he'll be able to locate the culprit. You and Nugget will be safe enough with Gertie.”

Leaving Joseph alone. “But what if the man comes after Joseph?”

“I'm glad to see you care about them. Now for you to start caring about the rest of the people in your life.”

Annabelle drew in a breath. “Of course I care about the people in my life. I just...”

The look on her father's face told a different story. He didn't need to say it. She already knew that wallowing in her grief had been selfish. But remembering the sadness on Gertie's face as she reminded Annabelle of the people she'd been shutting out, Annabelle's excuses seemed rather thin.

“You're right. I should be more sociable toward Gertie and her family. I should talk to Polly.”

It wouldn't be enough time to repair the breach, but she could make the effort. Maybe she'd even find the words to mend things with Polly. Of all things she regretted, it was that she'd said such harsh things the last time she'd spoken to the girl who'd once been her best friend.

It wasn't Polly's fault Henry had left. She'd merely been the bearer of bad news, and Annabelle had taken her heartbreak out on the other girl.

So many wrongs Annabelle had to make up for.

Her father followed her gaze to where Polly stood. “It would be a good start.”

Annabelle swallowed. Her father didn't know the half of what had gone on. He'd been visiting a sick parishioner while Annabelle sobbed the whole story to her dying mother. None of them had realized how little time her mother had left, and sometime in the midst of Annabelle's pain, her mother had died.

She'd already been grieving the losses of Susannah and Peter. But that day, Annabelle had lost the man she'd thought she was going to marry, her best friend, and her mother.

Maybe Gertie was right. Maybe Annabelle hadn't had to lose everything. But as Nugget's laughter rang out across the camp, Annabelle wasn't sure she could risk opening her heart up again. What if she did everything right, and she still lost everything?

Chapter Twelve

J
oseph swung the giggling girl in another wide circle.

“More!” Caitlin cried, the air full of her joy.

Nugget stamped her foot. “No! It's my turn.”

He set Caitlin down and looked at the little girls. “You've both had turns, and now my arms are tired. Take a break and play with your dolls.”

They ran toward the stumps where they'd set the dolls for a nap, and Joseph took a seat on another old stump. He hadn't remembered youngsters being so tiring. Of course his sisters were older, though Bess only by three years. Still, it had been a long time since he'd heard such laughter. Or maybe it only felt that way.

“Joseph!” Frank walked toward him, but Annabelle was nowhere in sight.

Joseph stood. “Is everything all right with Annabelle?” He wanted to kick himself for his impertinence. It wasn't his place to be concerned for her. “I'm sorry, Frank, I had no right.”

“You care about my daughter. You have every right.” Frank frowned, then looked over at the girls playing before turning his attention back to Joseph.

But this wasn't attention Joseph wanted. He didn't have the right. Not when he wouldn't be there for someone who clearly needed more stability than Joseph could provide.

“I've tried to be a friend to Annabelle.”

Frank nodded slowly. “What are your intentions toward my daughter?”

Joseph sighed. “Friendship is all I have to offer. Back home, I have five sisters and a brother to raise.” The giggling girls drew his attention. “And then there's Nugget.”

A complication he hadn't dealt with in terms of sharing with his family and figuring out how they were going to incorporate this sweet little girl into their lives. There was no question about his love for Nugget. But telling his siblings, and getting them to accept her...

“Does she know that?” Concern filled Frank's eyes.

He hadn't said so in so many words, but he knew where he stood in terms of Annabelle.

“When we were stuck on the mountain, I proposed in case there were any repercussions to her reputation. She made it clear her answer was no, even if her reputation suffered.”

Only Frank stared at him like he was crazy. “Any woman with pride is going to say no under those circumstances.” He looked at Joseph hard. “But the way you take up for her, it's got to make her wonder if your feelings aren't deeper.”

They were. But feelings didn't make for a decent marriage. He couldn't be the kind of husband she or any other woman deserved.

“I'm sure she understands.”

But as the words came out of his mouth, he wondered if this was what Annabelle felt sometimes. Wanting to give the right answer, but not sure if he himself believed it.

Joseph shook his head. “I'll be sure she's clear on my plans.”

The preacher looked at him with the same kind of look Joseph often gave Annabelle. He didn't believe him for a second. “It's been my experience that love doesn't always follow people's plans.”

Love? That's not what he and Annabelle had.

But Frank didn't give him a chance to refute that statement. Gertie was striding toward them, clearly intent on whatever purpose that brought her.

“Is everything all right?” Frank's attention to Gertie clearly indicated that their conversation was over, as well.

Joseph started in the direction where Gertie had come from.

“Everything's fine.” Gertie held a hand out. “I was coming to let you know the living arrangements up here. Annabelle's going to watch Nugget while you search for your pa's silver.”

“I'd thought to have Nugget with me.” Joseph glanced in the direction of the two girls playing. His sister seemed to be thriving in this environment, but with everything, he didn't want her far from him.

“It would make more sense if Nugget stayed here.” Gertie smiled, then glanced in the direction of the girls playing in the distance. “The mountains are no place for a child. With the trouble you faced at the cabin, it's even more dangerous. You'll be able to avoid the bandits easier if you don't have a child to protect. And, well, I could use the company for Caitlin. She's been lost without Susannah, and this is the longest I've seen a smile on her face since.”

The longing on the older woman's face would have been enough to get him to say yes, even if he'd been inclined to say no.

As much as it pained him to admit it, Gertie was right. He wouldn't be able to protect his sister and find his pa's treasure.

“Annabelle won't mind?”

Frank and Gertie exchanged an uneasy look. Of course Annabelle minded. She'd made it clear that she'd rather be anywhere but here.

“She understands the importance of keeping Nugget safe,” Frank finally said.

Not the same as not minding, but Joseph was hardly in a position to argue Annabelle's cause.

Her father was already concerned about the possibility of Annabelle falling in love with him. Even if Annabelle thought nothing of it, he had to be careful of people's talk. And of taking up for her out of—simple human decency, that's what it was. But her father didn't seem to understand.

“It's settled then.” Gertie gave him a wide smile.

What kind of life would it be with people around them who cared about one another? Annabelle had no idea how fortunate she was.

“Come on, girls,” Gertie called in a booming voice, and they came running.

He hadn't seen such a big smile on Nugget's face before. It had to have been a hard life, living the way she had. He hadn't asked a lot about what had gone on in that situation. He hadn't really wanted to. It was too painful to hear about the woman who had stolen his pa's affections.

They walked back to the main area, back to the noise and chaos of the mining camp. They stopped at a tent a couple of yards from Gertie's cabin.

“This is where you'll be sleeping,” she said with authority. “My boys sleep here in the summer. It's plenty warm when the weather's nice. They're already up working with Collin. The wages are good, and it's enough until Collin makes his own strike.”

“And then he'll work that mine?”

“My, no.” Gertie smiled in the same indulgent way she looked at the girls. “Pretty much all of the mines here are owned by the big companies. It's too expensive to buy the equipment needed to get the silver. That's the real dream here. To find a big enough strike that someone will buy it and you can go retire somewhere. I've got a sister in Denver, and it sure would be nice to be closer to her.”

He hadn't thought of it that way. Of what would happen if he struck silver. “So why would my pa be hiding the fact that he found silver if he was going to sell it to the corporation?”

Gertie shrugged. “Either it wasn't quite enough to interest the corporations, or he was digging deeper to find a higher price.” She looked deep in thought for a moment, and then looked at him. “Or the land he was prospecting wasn't his own.”

She gave a quick nod and half smile as she looked over at Nugget. “No disrespect to your pa intended. It happens, though.”

“Would it explain the people after Nugget?”

Gertie shrugged. “Perhaps. We can talk about that once we get settled.”

Gertie pointed to the cabin across the small fire pit area. “That's where Nugget will be sleeping. She'll be sharing the loft with Annabelle, Polly and Caitlin.”

Nugget's face lit up. “You mean it? I get to stay here with Caitlin?”

Both girls squealed with delight, not waiting for a response, but running into the cabin.

“I'd rather have Nugget in my tent. To protect her.”

Gertie shook her head. “I'm afraid that wouldn't look proper. I know she's your sister and all, but being that she came from a woman of—” she mouthed the words
ill repute
“—folks wouldn't be comfortable with her in a tent full of men.”

Laughter erupted from inside the cabin. “Besides, you won't deny the girls the pleasure of each other's company, will you? It'll be so good for Caitlin.”

The happiness emanating from the girls was almost enough to convince him. But Gertie didn't seem to understand how dangerous the situation was.

“But will they be safe?”

Though Gertie looked offended at the question, he had to ask. She hadn't been at the cabin when those men tried taking Nugget.

“Annabelle and Polly will be up there, too. There's no better shot than Annabelle. And Polly, well, this miner tried taking advantage of her at the creek one day, and let me tell you. She done such a number on him that he left town.”

Gertie's warm laugh shook her belly. “No, you won't find a safer place for Nugget than with Annabelle and Polly.”

He peered inside the tent he'd be sharing with Gertie's sons. “It's awfully cramped. Are you sure I'm not imposing?”

He stood and looked back at Gertie, who'd crossed her arms across her chest.

“You've been giving me all these reasons why you can't, or why this is a bad idea, but let me tell you. You won't find a better offer or a safer place. You'll be well taken care of, but if you can't accept that, then maybe you want to take your chances on your own. I guarantee you will be looking over your shoulder every night. Get much past our encampment, and you'll find plenty willing to slit your throat over a day's wages. Folks find out you've got information on a mine, well...they'll do that and plenty worse if they think it'll get them out of this place.”

Her words shamed him. She was only trying to be nice. He'd just been thinking about the wonderful hospitality, and here he was spitting on it.

“I'm truly sorry for any offense. You have to understand, we're not used to this kind of treatment. Back home, our own family and church is barely lifting a hand to help us. Where I come from—”

“This isn't where you come from,” Gertie said. “Why do you think we're all here? Every person in this place has come looking to build a better life. I know there are some who think that living in a cabin and taking in wash is no life, but one of these days, we'll be able to afford a house. Maybe it won't be one of those big mansions, but it will be our house.”

Wouldn't that be nice? A home where he and all of his siblings could be together without Aunt Ina breathing down their necks, barking orders and threatening them all the time.

If anyone could sell him on the dream of mining, it was Gertie. But then, he didn't need her words to convince him. He already had a mission of his own. Six sisters and a brother, all of whom who needed him. As much as he'd like to find a dream of his own to follow, that wasn't possible right now.

“Thank you, Gertie. I really do appreciate all you've done for us.”

“Mama, we're hungry.” Caitlin ran to them and tugged at her skirts.

“There's an extra biscuit or two in the cabin.” She smiled at her daughter and patted her on the head as she raced off. “We don't do a proper noon meal here, on account of everyone being up at the mine. But I fix them all a good lunch to take with them. Supper's at dusk, and you'll want to be prompt with the way my boys eat.”

She looked at him. “I know you won't be going up to the mine, but I'll still pack your lunch all the same. Mind you get home by dusk. As safe as we've made it, it's still not a good idea to go wandering about by yourself.”

Her words reminded him of the bandits and the danger they faced. Yes, this was the best option. Frank reappeared. “I've got some visiting to do. Why don't you come with me so I can give you the lay of the land?”

Joseph nodded. They'd wasted so much time already. Though it had done his heart good to see Nugget so happy, it'd do him even better to have her safely settled.

As they walked back to the horses, Joseph asked quietly, “Any word on the men who were after Nugget?”

Frank shrugged. “Slade isn't back yet. I'd put Gertie and Annabelle up against any man if it meant keeping a child safe.”

Though he knew firsthand how capable Annabelle was of keeping Nugget safe, it didn't cause him to worry any less. Not with the attempt against Nugget, and the niggling feeling in the back of his mind about his father's death. If someone was going to this length to find his father's silver, his father's death was looking less and less like an accident. Which meant the danger they faced was far greater than they were imagining.