What Once Was Lost (33 page)

Mr. Dunnigan cleared his throat. “Mrs. McLain …”

Rose gave a start and turned her attention to the man. “Yes?”

He slipped his thumbs into the little slanted pockets on his vest and set his feet wide. “Do you have previous experience as a governess?”

Rose blinked twice. “Well, I reckon not.”

“Do you have experience raising children?”

Rose’s skinny shoulders squared. “I certainly do. Raised two fine boys, Peter and Paul. But”—sadness crept across her features—“neither one came home after the War between the States.”

Christina placed a comforting hand on Rose’s shoulder.

Rose sniffed, then lifted her chin. “But I helped with the children who showed up at the poor farm. Joe and Florie, of course, as well as Laura, Francis, and Tommy.” Her eyes narrowed in a challenging manner. “Do you need to know anything else?”

“May I ask”—he cleared his throat again, a hint of pink entering his cheeks—“your age?”

Rose pursed her lips. “I don’t consider it a gentlemanly question, but I’ll answer anyway just to set your mind at ease. I turned sixty-two this past December.” To Christina’s abject horror, Rose waggled a finger at the man as if he were a misbehaving boy. “But don’t think for a minute that makes me too old to be a governess. I’ve got more than enough vigor to keep up with these two scalawags.”

Christina quivered in embarrassment. She loved Rose, and often she’d found herself amused by the woman’s lack of inhibition. But in that moment she wished to clamp her hand over Rose’s mouth and prevent her from saying anything else that might offend Joe and Florie’s new parents.

But Mr. Dunnigan laughed—loudly, boisterously. His eyes twinkled merrily as he grinned at his wife. “Well, what do you think, Parmelia? Should we pursue hiring Mrs. McLain as the governess for our children?”

Mrs. Dunnigan tipped her head, the tiny diamond studs in her earlobes catching the light. “Employing an individual who is familiar with the children might hasten their settling in with us.”

Rose flashed a bright smile of success in Christina’s direction before fixing a businesslike look on Mr. Dunnigan. “I’d be pleased to consider the position. But of course it’d be nice to know where I’d be staying and how much it pays before I give my final answer.”

Mr. Dunnigan laughed again. “Then I suppose we should show you.” He slipped his arm around his wife’s waist. “Parmelia, you stay here with the children while I visit a telegraph office. I shall alert the staff to ready a guest room for Mrs. McLain.”

He turned slightly toward the door, but Mrs. Dunnigan stopped him with
a gloved hand on his chest. “Please have them ready
two
rooms, Maxwell. I think perhaps spending a few days with the children at our home would assure Miss Willems they’ll be well cared for.” Understanding sympathy shone in her eyes as she faced Christina. “Am I correct, Miss Willems?”

Cora chased dust off the shelves behind the counter with a feather duster and listened as Louisa visited with Pa Creeger. Since Monday’s awful discovery of the empty money box, Pa Creeger had sent Cora home with Ma Creeger each evening, and he’d stayed in her little room over the store. If the thief returned, he wanted to be ready. The whole town was abuzz about the theft, with people speculating on who could’ve done such a spiteful thing. Cora wanted to know, too. She kept her ears tuned for any clue that might help the Creegers solve the mystery.

“Seeing as how telegrams cost money, I can understand why Miss Willems would send such a short one.” Louisa sounded more dismayed than angry. “But I’d just like to know why she and Rose have been delayed.”

Ma Creeger arranged new button cards on a pegged rack. “How are you getting along over at the boardinghouse?”

“As well as can be expected, working for the likes of Imogene Beasley. Mercy, but that woman is a tyrant!”

Cora cringed as she flicked the stiff feathers between little boxes of medicinal cures. Tyrant, indeed! Louisa was probably counting the hours until Miss Willems returned and took over those duties again.

“But I told her,” Louisa went on, a hint of smug defiance in her tone, “a body can only move so fast, and her boarders won’t starve to death if supper lands on the table a few minutes past six. I told her if she wants things done just so, she can either lend a hand or do them herself. That took the wind out of her sails. She hasn’t pestered me nearly as much since.”

Cora and Ma Creeger exchanged a quick smile. Cora wished she could’ve been there to see Mrs. Beasley’s face when Louisa stood up to her. Ma Creeger
said, “Did Christina’s telegram say when she and Rose would come back to Brambleville? Jay said several men intend to do some work at the poor farm Saturday. They don’t have enough lumber to do the walls since so much of it got battered by the ax, but they hope to protect the house in case we get more rain. I’m sure Christina would like to oversee their efforts.”

Cora finished dusting and tucked the duster beneath the counter next to the cashbox, which Pa Creeger now kept out of sight of customers. She moved to the end of the counter to help Ma Creeger.

Louisa sighed. “Not a hint of when she might return. It just said, ‘Delayed. Visiting Kansas City with twins.’ Visiting! As if she has money for such a treat.”

Ma Creeger shrugged. “I’m sure she’ll share the entire adventure with you when she comes home. And if it isn’t by Saturday, then she’ll have a nice surprise waiting, with some of the repairs already done at the poor farm.”

“I suppose that’s true …” Louisa fingered a card with four mother-of-pearl buttons. Her gaze drifted to the button beneath Cora’s chin. “Why, look here, these match your dress just right, Cora. I admired your new dress at church last Sunday. Did you buy it here in the store?”

Cora smoothed her hands over her hips, pride filling her. “Yes, ma’am. Found it on the dress rack and paid for it with my clerkin’ money.” It felt mighty good to be able to see to her own needs.

Louisa gave Cora a lingering look-over. “You chose a good color. The blue makes your cheeks seem pinker. You’ve always been so pale and thin.” Her gaze seemed to settle on Cora’s midsection. A light chuckle left her throat. “Of course, here of late you’ve been filling out some.” Louisa reached out as if to give her stomach a light pat. “Mrs. Creeger must feed you—”

Cora jerked backward so fast her head spun. She caught hold of the edge of the counter to keep herself from falling flat.

“Why, Cora!” Ma Creeger took a step toward her, concern lining her face.

Cora braced herself for the questions that were sure to come. But before Ma Creeger said anything, the mercantile bell announced an arriving customer.

Louisa eased toward the door, sending Cora a puzzled look. “I’d better get
back to the boardinghouse. It’ll be time to start the evening meal soon. So …” She moved past the man who’d shown up on the boardinghouse back stoop awhile back. He tipped his hat, but Louisa didn’t pay him any mind as she scurried out the door. The man shrugged and ambled to the counter.

“Howdy, ma’am. I’m Ham—Hamilton Dresden.” He plopped his hat on the wooden top and rested his elbows on either side of it, idly grinning at Ma Creeger. “Can you fetch the owner for me?”

“That’s me.” Ma Creeger smiled, but Cora noticed she wasn’t as friendly as usual. Either she was uncomfortable around the man, or she was still thinking about why Cora had jumped away from Louisa’s touch. Shame burned through her swollen belly. Louisa had skedaddled in such a hurry. Would everyone run from her when they learned the truth? She eased behind the apple barrel.

“You sure?” Dresden raised one eyebrow. “Don’t know of many businesses owned by a lady.” He barked out a laugh.

Ma Creeger wiped her hands on her apron. “My husband and I own the mercantile together. But if you’d rather talk to him …”

“I’d like to talk to you both if you don’t mind.” He glanced around the store. “He here?”

Ma Creeger looked at Cora. “Cora, would you call Jay from the storage shed, please?”

Cora hated to leave Ma Creeger alone with Hamilton Dresden. Miss Willems didn’t like him, and he gave her a funny feeling. But she couldn’t refuse. She gave a quick nod and trotted as quick as she could to the backyard where Pa Creeger was arranging a new shipment of plows and harrows in the shed. He whacked the dust from his britches as he followed Cora. When they entered the back door, Cora heard Ma Creeger exclaim, “What are you doing with that?”

A concerned look crossed Pa Creeger’s face. He zinged past Cora, and she broke into an awkward run behind him. They burst onto the store floor, and Pa Creeger went straight to his wife. “What’s the matter, Mary Ann?”

Panting, Cora reached the end of the counter as Ma Creeger pointed to a silver disk cradled in Dresden’s hand. “Jay, look what he’s got.”

Cora leaned forward slightly. The man held a watch—with etchings exactly like the one Miss Willems had. It even had a tiny nick near the clasp, the same as hers.

Dresden chuckled. “You folks act like you’ve never seen a watch before. I took it out to check the time—wanted to make sure I wouldn’t be late for an important meeting at the hotel. Soon as I brung it out, the lady here got all excited.”

Pa Creeger extended his hand, and Dresden amiably plopped the watch into his palm. Pa Creeger turned the watch this way and that, then rubbed his thumb on the nick. He frowned at the man. “Is this your watch?”

“Has been since this past Sunday.” Dresden reached across the counter and plucked the watch from Pa Creeger’s hand. “Used to belong to Miss Christina Willems. You folks know her? She an’ her pa ran the poor farm.” He shook his head, poking out his lips in a sad pout. “Such a sad, sad thing—what happened out there. But much as it pains me to say so, I’m not surprised.”

Cora nearly danced in place, nervousness making her edgy. Wes had told her this man wasn’t to be trusted. Miss Willems had seemed downright scared of him. She wanted to warn the Creegers not to listen to him, but she couldn’t find the words.

Ma Creeger shifted closer to her husband. “Surprised about what?”

He acted shocked by the question. “Why, that fire of course. Something was bound to happen by and by, seein’ as how the place didn’t have no man in charge.” He touched his lips with his fingertips and ducked his head in a humble manner. “No offense to you, dear lady, but womenfolk … Well, lemme just say there’s a reason God plucked out one o’ Adam’s ribs to make the first lady. It was His way of showin’ that a woman needs a man’s arm tucked around her. Miss Willems, she wouldn’t let any man give her help. I tried—heaven knows how I tried.” His eyes beseeched the couple to believe
him. “But she wanted to do it all by herself in her own way. An’ look what it got her … a fire-burned house.”

“That doesn’t explain how you came to have her watch,” Pa Creeger said.

Cora silently cheered. Pa Creeger was too smart to be taken in by this fellow. She held her breath, waiting for Dresden to answer.

“Well …” He rubbed his chin, pushing his whiskery skin back and forth. “I come by it when she sold it.”

Pa Creeger’s frown deepened. “To you?”

The man released a throaty chuckle. “How else would I come by it?”

An uneasy feeling scampered up Cora’s spine. Miss Willems wasn’t at church Sunday. And the sheriff said the cashbox probably got emptied on Sunday. How many letters had the woman sent requesting money, only to be told no again and again? Had she finally lost patience and done something … Cora shook her head hard, dispelling the unwelcome thoughts. Of course Miss Willems wouldn’t steal!

Dresden continued. “She’s probably tryin’ to get money in hand to make a new start somewheres else since the mission board’s told her she can’t live at the poor farm no more.”

Ma Creeger grabbed for her husband’s hand. “That isn’t true! Why, several townsmen are planning to work on the house the day after tomorrow. The owner of Jonnson Millworks is donating the lumber. All the work is at Christina’s request. Why would she go to such trouble if she didn’t intend to live there?”

Cora couldn’t stay silent. “That’s right, mister. Miss Willems wouldn’t try so hard to fix up the place if it wasn’t gonna be her home.”

Dresden angled his head to the side and shrugged with the opposite shoulder. “I can’t rightly say what she’s thinkin’. She’s a hard one to figure. But I reckon you can ask her when she comes to the mercantile next. You, um, seen her lately?”

Pa Creeger frowned. “She’s out of town.”

“That so?”

Cora blurted, “She went to Topeka on Monday to get Joe and Florie so we can all go home.” But then what was she doing in Kansas City? Cora’s stomach twisted into knots. She wished Miss Willems was here to explain everything.

Dresden quirked one eyebrow. “Mm-hmm … Topeka. That’s what—less’n a half-day’s journey? An’ she left on Monday, you say?” He held his hands wide. The silver watch caught the light and sent a shaft of white across the room. “Then why ain’t she back?”

Ma Creeger took on a fierce look. “Mr. Dresden, I don’t like what you’re implying. Why, Christina Willems is a fine young woman who serves her Lord.”

Pa Creeger marched from behind the counter. “I agree with my wife. I think it best if you leave.”