Where Wildflowers Bloom: A Novel (27 page)

“Very good of you, Saxon.” Royal sprang ahead and opened the door for her with a flourish.

Faith turned, hoping the apology in her eyes would be apparent to Curt. “Thank you.”

“No trouble.” Curt climbed into the buggy. “Got to be getting back. I’ll be here at five to take you home.”

“Faith will travel home with me.” Royal growled the words.

Curt glanced between them. “As you wish.” He flicked the reins over the horse’s back. Dust sprayed from the wheels as the buggy sped down the road.

Tears stung Faith’s eyes. Of all the times for Royal to appear. Five more minutes and she’d have been in the store and Curt would have been on his way to the livery. He didn’t deserve the other man’s jealousy, yet she recognized how the scene must have looked to Royal when he first saw them.

Rosemary sent Faith a welcoming smile when she crossed the threshold, then her eyes widened when Royal entered behind her. “Mr. Baxter. What a surprise. We thought you to be in Jefferson City.”

“I returned this morning and came directly here.” He placed a possessive hand on Faith’s shoulder. “She’s promised me an answer to a very important question.”

Faith felt her pulse throb in her throat. The memory of the knife brawl returned. She thought of Grandpa, visiting the cemetery to grieve the loss of most of his family. She was all he had left. It was her responsibility to take him somewhere where peace would overcome his pain.

Royal bent his head close to her ear. “What have you decided?” His warm breath slid over her neck.

She gripped the hand pieces on her crutches. “Yes,” she whispered, “I’ll marry you.”

R
oyal whooped and swung Faith into the air. Her crutches bounced against a counter and clattered onto the wood floor. With his hands tight around her waist he kissed her, then set her back on her feet, supporting her with one arm.

Dazed, she glanced at Rosemary in time to see her shocked expression replaced with a polite smile.

“How wonderful for both of you.” Her friend advanced, hands extended, smile fixed in place. “I wish you every happiness. I’ll help all I can with your wedding plans.”

The suddenness of the decision left Faith with nothing to say. She hadn’t thought ahead to wedding plans. Most girls dreamed about the day they’d say “I do.” And here she was, speechless.

Royal came to her rescue. “We haven’t discussed exact plans. I can promise you we won’t have a lengthy engagement. Summer’s winding down and we need to start west as soon as possible.”

At the promise of the trip west, Faith relaxed against his side. She’d done the right thing.

“I must leave you for now. When I fetch you this evening, we’ll talk to your grandpappy.” He gave her waist a squeeze. “Tomorrow we’ll go to the bank and—”

The bell over the door jingled. Marguerite sashayed in, followed by Nelda. “I thought I saw your beautiful stallion tied to the rail outside,” Marguerite said to Royal in a syrupy voice. She paused when she noticed his arm around Faith. She batted her eyelashes. “Excuse me. It appears I’ve interrupted something.”

Faith lifted her chin. “May I help you with a purchase? My fiancé was just leaving.”

“Your . . . fiancé?” Nelda blinked at them, mouth agape.

Marguerite tried for a smile. “My goodness, you’re full of surprises, Major Baxter.”

Royal swept Faith’s crutches from the floor and handed them to her. “I’ll come for you at five.” He dropped a light peck on her cheek before bowing in Marguerite’s direction and striding through the door.

Nelda wandered across the room to the fabric counter and fingered a bolt of peacock blue velvet.

Her companion broke the silence. “I hadn’t heard of your engagement. When did all this take place?” Spots of pink tinged her cheeks.

“This morning, just before you came in.”

“Well, that explains how he could be in Hartfield last week with another girl. Nelda saw them when she was visiting her aunt.”

“I’m afraid she was mistaken.” Faith moved toward Marguerite, her crutches thumping in time with the pounding of her heart. “Royal’s been in Jefferson City.”

Nelda turned, raising a pale eyebrow. “If you say so.”

“I do. Now, how much of this velvet would you like?”

She backed away from the counter. “None. I was just looking.”

“And you, Marguerite? Some lace, perhaps?”

She shook her head. “I only stopped in to say hello to your . . . fiancé.”

After they left, Faith’s shoulders drooped. If anyone else but Nelda had spread the gossip, she might have believed the story. Still, the thought wouldn’t quite leave her mind. He said he was going to Jefferson City, but she had no way of knowing that’s where he went.

Rosemary patted Faith’s arm. “Don’t let them upset this happy day. You know they’re jealous.”

“If I weren’t trying to keep from falling over these sticks, I’d hug you.”

“We’ll need to get in all the hugs we can.” Tears brimmed in Rosemary’s eyes. “You’ll be gone before summer’s out.”

Faith’s smile disappeared. “I know,” she murmured. “I’m trying not to think about leaving you behind.”

Curt paused inside one of the stalls, a scoop of oats in one hand. A shadowy figure stood in the entrance to the stable. “Anyone here? I’m in need of a carriage.”

The voice couldn’t belong to anyone other than Baxter. Curt dumped the oats into a trough. “Be right with you,” he called. He trudged the length of the stable at a dilatory pace.

Baxter drummed his fingers against the door of the little room Rip used for an office. “I don’t have all day. It’s almost five, and I promised to fetch my fiancée home.” He smirked. “I’ll be renting a carriage from you for a few weeks, until after the wedding.”

Ice raced through Curt’s veins. “Fiancée? Wedding?” He cursed himself for sounding like a parrot.

“Your friend Faith Lindberg has accepted my proposal. Once we’re wed, we plan to take her old grandpappy and head for Oregon.”

The words struck Curt with the force of a blow. “Congratulations. She’s a fine girl. You’re blessed.” His voice sounded as tight as a wagon spring.

“Blessed, or lucky. Whatever you want to call it.”

“I’ll bring the phaeton up for you. Likely you want the best.”

“I’m a little stretched right now, what with supplying for the journey and all. A plain buggy’s fine. Do you have weekly rates?”

Curt ground his teeth. “We do. Paid in advance.”

Baxter counted out several coins, dropping them in Curt’s palm. “Things’ll be better once she sells that store. I’ll get the phaeton from you then.”

“Fine.” Curt placed the grain scoop at the edge of Rip’s desk and scribbled out a receipt. “The buggy you want is out back. Just give me a moment to get it ready.”

Baxter lifted a silver watch from his waistcoat pocket and clicked open the lid. “Make it quick. It’s almost five.”

“Nice watch.” Curt angled to get a closer look while keeping his tone noncommittal.

“Friend gave it to me.” He snapped the timepiece shut, tucking it out of sight. “You getting that buggy or not?”

After Baxter left, Curt grabbed the scoop and flung it against a wall. “Idiot! Why didn’t you tell her how you felt about her?”

Out of habit, he ran his fingers over the scar on his neck. When he lowered his arm, he brushed against the paper he’d carried in his pocket since Ethan gave it to him. He jerked it out. “Won’t need this now.” Crumpling the folded sheet into a ball, Curt sent it flying onto a pile of manure.

Faith perched at one end of the sofa. Royal fidgeted next to her while Grandpa sat with his hands on his knees, staring at both of them. The pain of betrayal shone in his eyes.

“What does it matter now?” he asked. “You want my blessing on something you’ve already decided. I’m disappointed in you, Faith.”

Pain coursed through her at his words. She bit her lip and said nothing.

Royal stood. “Please don’t blame your granddaughter. I took her by surprise this morning. I know I should have called on you first.” He fumbled in his coat pocket and removed a small cloth-covered bundle. “This belonged to my grandmother.” Unfolding the cloth, he showed a ring to Grandpa. “She told me to give it to someone special. With your permission, it will belong to Faith when we’re married.”

“I can hardly refuse now, can I? Faith always gets what she wants. She wants to marry you, fine. I won’t stand in your way.”

A jubilant expression crossed Royal’s face. “Thank you, sir.”

Faith rose, limped over to her grandfather, and kissed his cheek. “It’s for the best,” she whispered. “You’ll see.”

He blew out a weary sigh. “Time will tell.”

Royal took Faith’s left hand in his. “I want to see how the ring looks on you.” He slipped the gold band onto the fourth finger. The garnet and opal setting glowed in the light from the window.

She turned her hand from side to side, noticing colors flickering within the opal. The stone mirrored her heart. To one not wearing the ring, the colors looked like heat, but to her it was a cold fire.

As promised, Royal knocked on the Lindbergs’ door shortly before nine the next morning. When Faith answered, he looked at her in surprise. “No crutches?”

“I want to practice walking. My ankle needs to be stronger before we leave.”

“Good idea, but be careful.” He took her arm. “You could have a setback. We wouldn’t want that to happen.”

“Certainly not.”

When she was settled in the buggy, he flicked the reins over the horse’s back and they rolled into town. Royal cleared his throat. “So, did you tell your grandpappy
all
our plans? Selling the mercantile, outfitting a wagon?”

Faith hunched her shoulders. “Not just yet. He’s a little upset right now.”

Royal slapped his hand on his leg. “Hang it! He’ll be upset if you don’t tell him. You heard him last night.”

She shrank from the anger in his voice. “He’s my grandfather. I’ll tell him when I’m ready.”

The muscles in his jaw twitched, but he didn’t respond. They rode in silence until reaching the mercantile. With exaggerated courtesy, he helped her from the buggy and held her arm while she limped to the entrance. “Be ready at noon. I think we should speak to the banker today about the sale of the business.”

“Today?”

“Yes. The sooner the better. Don’t you want to get as far west as possible before winter sets in?”

She nodded.

He lifted her hand and kissed her palm. “See you at noon.”

Faith pushed open the door, surprised to see Rosemary talking to the salesman from Marblehead Gun Works. Bodie stood sniffing the man’s trouser leg.

Faith dismissed Royal from her mind and moved as quickly as she could toward the empty gun racks. “Mr. Jenner. I’m so glad to see you.” She gave him her biggest smile, thankful he’d returned after the debacle of his last visit.

Rosemary snapped her fingers at Bodie. The two of them moved toward the woodstove, where Mr. Grisbee sat whittling. Faith shook her head, amused. She’d had an audience the last time the salesman called. The only person missing was Mr. Slocum, who was probably patrolling the alleyway.

Mr. Jenner gestured at the wall. “I see no competitors have been here.”

“After your unfortunate visit in May, I felt it only right to place our order with you. We do have the funds to acquire a good shotgun and a Henry rifle.”

“Only one of each?” His voice squeaked.

“For now. Maybe two more next month.” After the work she and Curt had put into collecting bad debts, the thought of the firearms being replaced filled her with satisfaction. She’d tell Curt as soon as she saw him.

The salesman whipped out a notebook and scribbled the order. “Half up front,” he said. “No bank draft.” He showed her the total.

She breathed a silent prayer of thanks for the money she knew was in the cash drawer. Rosemary had kept careful accounts while Faith was forced to stay at home. Every afternoon she took extra cash to the bank and every morning brought a sum to keep in the till. Faith unlocked the drawer and removed two gold eagles.