by Anna Schmidt
“And why wouldn’t we?”
“Well, I sort of violated the whole Harvey code, didn’t I?”
“We’re not going to dump you in the street.” The older woman paused in her task of refolding a stack of towels and looked at Grace. “I do wish you hadn’t broken your word, but I can see that you and Nick Hopkins are very fond of each other. I may be an old spinster, Grace, but my heart still warms to the sight of two young people in love.”
“I do love him,” Grace said softly.
“And it’s quite evident that young man is over the moon for you.”
“It all came upon us so suddenly. One day, we were strangers on a train, and then we began spending time together…one thing led to another—”
Miss K held up both hands as if trying to stop a runaway wagon. “That is more than I need to know, Grace. The question is where will the two of you go from here?”
Grace had thought of little else. “Will I need to find a way to pay back the wages I received before—”
“Heavens no, child. That money was fairly earned. You worked hard. You are…were one of our very best girls.”
“That’s very kind of you to say.”
Miss Kaufmann snorted. “I speak truth only, Grace. You know that.” She glanced around the room and, finding nothing more that needed her attention, opened the door to the hall. “I’ll go see what’s keeping that husband of yours. Sleep well, Grace.”
“Good night, Miss Kaufmann.”
She had her hand on the doorknob but hesitated. “Grace, it occurs to me that in light of our new relationship, could you call me by my given name? It’s Bonnie.”
“I’d like that. Thank you, Bonnie.”
After the door closed, Grace heard voices in the hall, and then the door opened again. Nick stood there a minute staring at her as if she had somehow changed in some marked way.
“What’s the matter, Nick?”
He closed the door and then pulled the chair close to the bed. “Had a talk with Doc Waters. He says you’re coming along.”
“I do feel better,” she said.
“He also thinks we’re going to have a baby sometime this coming summer.”
So that’s why the doctor had kept asking questions about her appetite and how she’d been feeling before this whole business with the fire and Jasper Perkins happened. The truth was, Grace had briefly entertained the idea that she might be pregnant when she realized how tired she had been getting and how short-tempered. But she had dismissed the idea as unlikely. After all, they had been so careful—so frustratingly careful.
“Oh, Nick, I never meant…I mean, maybe Doc is wrong.”
“Do you want him to be wrong?”
“Do you?”
He sat on the bed next to her, taking her in his arms. “No, Mrs. Hopkins. I can’t think of anything more wonderful than you being the mother of my son.”
“Or daughter,” she reminded him, but she was laughing with relief.
“We’re going to be just fine, Grace, all three of us.” He told her about his talk with Cody Daniels and how the sheriff seemed to be on their side.
“But Mrs. Perkins—” Grace protested.
“She’s in shock and grieving. My guess is she’s known about her husband’s activities but chosen to ignore them. Besides, I’ve got a plan. Not fully developed yet, but I don’t want you worrying, all right?”
Other than her father, there had never been a man Grace trusted—or loved—as she did Nick. She relaxed against him. “Can you stay until I fall asleep?” she asked.
“Depends,” he said. “How long we talking?”
“Maybe five or ten minutes,” she admitted.
He chuckled and settled himself more fully on the bed next to her. “Take your time,” he said as he kissed her temple.
Chapter 15
The following day, Grace was sitting up in bed, feeling better for the first time since the fire, when she heard a light knock at the door. “Yes, come in,” she called.
Bonnie Kaufmann entered, looking quite distressed. She was holding a telegram and looking anywhere but directly at Grace.
“Bonnie, is everything all right?”
“I’m afraid I have some bad news for you, Grace.”
Her heart filled her chest, making breathing even more difficult than it had been with all the smoke. “More bad news?” She tried a smile but could see this was no time for lightness.
“Mr. Campbell received this wire a few minutes ago.”
Grace focused on the thin, crumpled paper clutched in Bonnie’s hand. This was it, then. Perkins’s wife had set things in motion that would destroy any chance she might ever have for happiness.
Bonnie sat on the edge of the bed and placed her hand on Grace’s forearm. “There is no easy way to deliver such terrible news, Grace, so I shall simply say it. According to this message, your father is quite ill.” She smoothed out the telegram and handed it to her. “There are no details, but of course you’ll want to leave for home as soon as Doc Waters gives you clearance. Mr. Campbell can make arrangements for a ticket on the ten o’clock train the day after tomorrow, as long as the doctor says you’re well enough to travel. Emma and Lily can pack for you. There’s no need to take everything. I mean, you and Nick are married. Surely you’ll come back. New Mexico is his home—your home now.”
Grace fixed her gaze on the typed words on the paper, words that made no sense and gave her no answers. Her father ill? Impossible. He was the strongest man she’d ever known, except for Nick. “I have no money,” she said, realizing that now that she had violated her contract, she could no longer ride the train for free. She had counted on her January wages and had spent what little she hadn’t sent to her mother on Christmas presents. Not only that, but she still owed Mr. Tucker for the balance on Nick’s pocketknife.
“There’ll be no charge for the trip, Grace,” Bonnie assured her. “I discussed the matter with Aidan, and we are agreed. You’ve suffered quite enough already, and now this.”
“Thank you, Bonnie.” Grace scooted to the edge of the bed and swung her legs over the side. “I need to get up and walk a bit if I’m to be in any condition to travel. My strength—”
“Wait for Nick. He can walk with you, and if you feel dizzy or weak, he can get you safely back to bed.”
“Would you send for him, please? He needs to know about my father.”
“Of course. Don’t worry, Grace.” Bonnie left the room, closing the door softly behind her.
Once Grace was sure Bonnie was gone, she pushed herself to her feet, grasping the bedpost for support. A wave of dizziness rolled through her, but she waited, and it passed. She took one step toward the window and then another. From outside, she could hear the whistle. That would be the four o’clock train pulling into the station. The passengers would head straight for the hotel, where Lily, Emma, and the others would already be at their stations, ready to serve. Grace closed her eyes, imagining the scene—all in readiness in the dining room and kitchen. She was going to miss this. And even though she and Nick would settle in the area and perhaps occasionally come to the hotel for lunch or dinner, it would not be the same.
She realized she was still holding the telegram. She sat in a chair positioned near the window and read the message again.
NEED TO RETURN HOME STOP FATHER VERY ILL STOP COME SOON STOP
The message was addressed to her, in care of the manager at the Palace Hotel, Juniper, New Mexico. It had been sent by Bill Ferris, their neighbor and her father’s closest friend. She scanned the message again as if a deeper explanation might magically appear. But there was no denying the urgency underlying the few words that were there.
She gazed out the window at the train waiting for the passengers to return from their meal. Closing her eyes, she calculated the length of the journey. If she took that late-aft
ernoon train and traveled overnight, she could be home late the following day, assuming she could make the change of trains in Kansas City. Bill Ferris would be waiting to take her to the farm if she let him know the schedule. Of course, it was winter, and the snows would be deep, the roads possibly impassable in places, but Bill could bring a wagon with runners and travel cross country, cutting the distance.
She opened her eyes and briefly wondered if there were any possibility she could be on this train, tonight. But there were too many obstacles. For one thing, she was only wearing a nightgown, and her ruined clothes had been taken to Sheriff Daniels as “evidence.” Fresh clothes were all the way up on the third floor, and although she had made the distance from the bed to the chair by the window without incident, climbing two flights of stairs might be more than she could manage.
Lily and Emma were on duty and would not be done for hours yet. Nick was at the ranch. She may as well face facts. She was not going anywhere tonight. But tomorrow…
* * *
It had been a while since Nick had pulled night watch, but with everything going on in town with Grace, the other cowboys had been spread thin covering for him. So that night, he’d told Smokey to get some sleep and relieve him come dawn. The truth was, he liked the solitude of being out with the herd, alone, in the darkness. He rode slowly over the grazing pasture, staying close to the fencing with an eye out for any signs of the rustlers at work. Across the vast span that was Lombard land, he knew Slim was doing the same thing. The difference was that Slim hated night duty. The least little thing could spook him. Nick smiled, recalling the night the other cowboys had dressed up Smokey in a sheet and pretended he was a ghost, riding hell-bent for leather across the mesa that bordered one side of the land. Slim had never entirely forgiven his friends for that. John Lombard had reprimanded the men, reminding them they could have spooked the herd as well as Slim, but Nick recalled the hint of a smile on the older man’s face as he returned to the ranch house. And a few minutes later, Nick had heard Rita Lombard laughing uncontrollably.
Now, in the dark of night, Nick let his thoughts turn to Grace. He looked forward to the days when he would be the one coming home to her to share tales of the workday. He imagined her meeting him as he rode into the yard after a day on the range. She’d be holding their baby, and he’d slide from his horse’s back and embrace the two of them. She would tease him about needing a bath and a shave. He would take the baby from her and wrap his arm around her shoulder as together, they went inside the foreman’s cabin they had turned into a real home. The very thought of that scene gave him such a sense of peace. But the truth was, they were a long way from playing out that particular tableau.
She was going to be all right according to Doc Waters, but Cody Daniels had not been as reassuring. There had to be some way to persuade Perkins’s widow not to pursue charges against Grace. In his gut, he had a feeling that Polly Forrester knew something she wasn’t telling—and his gut was rarely wrong. Maybe he could get her to open up. Unless she wasn’t in the mood to forgive him for marrying Grace. She’d clearly thought one day she might be the one to become Mrs. Nick Hopkins, although he’d never given her any reason to come to that conclusion.
As the sky in the east lightened to a pale gray, streaks of pink promising another clear day, Nick saw Smokey riding his way. He knew Smokey was coming to relieve him, but there was something about the jagged way he was riding that gave Nick pause. Something had happened. He spurred Sage and took off to meet the cowboy.
“What’s up?” he shouted when he thought they were near enough for Smokey to hear.
“You got a message.” Smokey reined in his horse and dug a paper out of his pocket. “That young kid from the hotel brought it. Grace—”
Nick snatched the paper from the cowboy’s hand.
Nick,
Grace’s father has taken ill. She needs to return to her family as soon as possible. She seems determined to leave today or tomorrow at latest. Thought you’d want to come talk sense to her.
Aidan
“Is Grace worse?” Smokey asked.
“No. It’s her pa back in Missouri. I need to get to town.”
“I got this,” Smokey said, and Nick took off.
At the ranch, he stopped long enough to let the Lombards know what was happening.
“Go,” Rita urged him. “We’re not so short-handed we can’t manage for a while. Grace and her family are your main concern. Stay as long as necessary.”
He did not stop to wash up, shave, or grab a clean shirt. As he rode cross-country, taking the most direct route to town, he planned what he would say to stop Grace from risking her own health—and their baby’s—in her zeal to get back to Missouri. He couldn’t go with her. Once there, it could take weeks for her to sort things out, and as generous as the Lombards were, he could not expect them to simply leave his absence open-ended, not with spring coming. Spring was the busiest time for ranchers—branding, calving, moving the herd to higher, cooler ground for the summer, and hiring cowhands to help do all that.
By the time he reached the edge of town, the sun was almost fully up. He headed straight for the hotel, tied Sage to a hitching post, and entered the lobby. Aidan was at the front desk again. Did the man ever sleep?
“Aidan!”
The hotel manager looked up and seemed to release a breath of relief. “Thank goodness. She simply will not listen to reason.” He and Nick walked down the hall to the room Grace had occupied since the fire. “Doc says she can travel, but—”
Nick opened the door and froze.
Grace was leaning over the side of the bed, retching into a basin Emma held, while Lily knelt behind her, holding back her hair.
“Morning sickness,” Lily explained. “Perfectly normal at this stage of things, according to Doc. Good reason to reconsider the whole having kids idea, if you ask me.”
Blindly, Grace reached for a towel lying on the bed beside her. She wiped her mouth as she sat up. “Sorry,” she murmured, her voice raspy and raw.
Emma set the basin aside and handed Grace a glass half filled with water. “Small sips,” she instructed.
Nick had no idea what to do. Emma and Lily seemed to have everything under control, and there certainly was no room for him on the bed or even sitting next to Grace. Nevertheless, this was his wife, his baby causing all the fuss. He tossed his hat on the bureau near the door and crossed the room. “Grace?”
She looked up at him and smiled. “Don’t look so alarmed, Nick. Lily’s right. It’s all part of the process.”
Well, he sure didn’t have to like it, and seeing her like this did more to reinforce his determination to keep her from traveling than anything else could.
“You heard?” She allowed Emma and Lily to ease her back onto the pillows and reached out her hand to him.
Nick nodded as he sat on the side of the bed and brushed her sweat-damp hair away from her forehead. “I’m sorry, Grace. Has there been any more news? I mean maybe—”
“I have to go, Nick. My family relies on me, and with my father—” Her voice caught, and Nick swallowed his protest that he was her family now.
“We’ll see,” he said. It was a promise that could go either way.
She saw right through him. “I’m going,” she said firmly. “Doc says if I take it easy—”
“And how are you going to do that? Traveling alone? With luggage?” He spotted the sick basin and pointed. “Morning sickness? Emma and Lily won’t be there.”
“I’ll manage. I’m not helpless, you know.” She sounded annoyed and exhausted. “I am getting on that train tomorrow.”
“I’m afraid I can’t allow that,” a male voice announced from the doorway.
Everyone in the room looked up and saw Sheriff Daniels. “Grace Hopkins,” he said, stepping fully into the room, “I am placing you under house arrest.”
* * *
Grace felt the urge to laugh and knew it was not humor but hysteria driving the feeling. Wasn’t it impossible for so much trauma to befall a single person in such a short time? She bit her lip and gripped Nick’s hand. Her hold was partially to steady her nerves but more to keep him from attacking the sheriff. His body tightened beneath her touch, and she saw his eyes harden. “Nick, no. He’s just doing his job,” she said just as Lily crossed the room and stood toe-to-toe with the sheriff.
“Have you any idea what this poor woman has been through already? Any idea what she’s facing now? How dare you!”
“And you are?” Cody asked with a frown as if trying to place her.
“Lily Travis.”
“I mean who are you in relation to Mrs. Hopkins?” He glanced from Lily to Emma, including both in his query.
Emma stepped forward. “I am Emma Elliott, and this is Lily Travis. We are Grace’s friends.” Grace watched as Emma offered a handshake to the sheriff as if this were a social occasion and they were being formally introduced. Dear Emma, she thought.
“Like sisters, we are,” Lily added, folding her arms firmly across her chest. Clearly, she had no intention of offering a handshake.
“What’s changed?” Nick directed his question to Cody.
The sheriff stepped around Emma and Lily to address Nick and Grace directly. “Mrs. Perkins went over my head. She contacted a friend of her late husband who serves in the state legislature. One thing led to another, and this morning, I received word that Mrs. Hopkins was to be formally arrested. I was able to explain that Mrs. Hopkins was still recovering from injuries suffered in the fire—”
“And at the hand of that monster,” Lily added.
“At the moment, that’s still unproven, miss,” the sheriff replied.
Nick was on his feet at once, and there was no way Grace could have stopped him. “Are you telling me we have to prove she didn’t give herself this split lip and black eye? That she ripped her own clothes?”