by Kit Morgan
Jonas looked inside the envelope and smiled. “Thank you. I’m much obliged.”
“Good. Because we’re also going to give you a little raise as soon as Caleb and Viola have their baby. And you’ll be earning it – we know Caleb well enough to know that he won’t want to stray far from his wife for at least a month. You’ll be doing more work.”
Jonas nodded in understanding.
“And don’t worry,” Jess said. “We won’t decrease your pay once Caleb has his sense back. You’ll still be doing a lot. That is, until you think we need to hire more men.”
“Me? But, that’s your decision, not mine.”
Anson and Jess exchanged a quick look. “True, but we’ll want to consult with you and Caleb. Especially Caleb, since he’s going to be partnering the business with us.”
“What?” Luella dropped her fork. “He is?”
“Yes,” Jess confirmed. “We’re growing, and, well, we’ve talked about branching out further with Pa and Uncle Seth. They’re talking about starting a ranch in California.”
“California!” Jonas and Luella said at once. They exchanged the same look of shock.
“Near San Francisco,” Anson added.
Jonas watched Luella’s hands fly to her mouth. Apparently this was bigger news than he thought. “San Francisco,” she whispered.
“Isn’t it exciting?” Jess asked.
“That’s not the word I’d use, brother,” Luella said. “It’s a shock.”
“A good one, I hope.”
“I don’t know.” She glanced around the table. Caleb and Viola weren’t there, choosing as usual to breakfast in their own home.
“Congratulations,” Jonas said. “It’s good to know your families’ business is doing so well.”
“And we’re mighty glad we found you,” Anson said with a grin. “You’re almost as good with horses as my uncle Ryder. And he’s one of the best.”
“So I’ve heard. And not just from you folks,” Jonas said. “I think I first heard about your uncle’s horse Othello when I was passing through Wyoming on my way here.”
“Yes, Othello has quite the reputation,” Jess agreed. “Believe it or not, he’s still alive.”
Luella met Jonas’s gaze and smiled. “It’s true. That horse has had a good long life.”
Jonas put his fork down and sat back in his chair as the import of what they were telling him suddenly hit. Caleb White would head up their new ranch in California. They were asking him to take Caleb’s place, becoming the foreman for this ranch. That meant a raise in pay, and maybe even inheriting Caleb and Viola’s cottage rather than just a cot in the bunkhouse once it was built.
He glanced at Luella. And that meant …
“Finish your breakfast, gentlemen, before it gets cold,” Zadie dished herself up some eggs. “You can talk about this later. Luella didn’t do all this work just to watch you talk instead of eat.”
Jess grabbed several pieces of bacon off the plate in front of him. “Sorry, Lulubell. But we’ve been bursting to tell you.”
“You mean Jonas,” she corrected. “Your news affects him the most. And Caleb, of course.”
“Caleb ought to be telling Viola about now,” Anson said.
“Oh my goodness,” Zadie said, a hand to her chest. “I hope the news doesn’t send the poor woman into labor.”
Luella did her best to stifle a giggle. “Good heavens, let’s hope not. But it is wonderful news.” She looked at Jonas. “I’m happy for you – and again, congratulations.”
“Land sakes, if any of us gets any more excited over this,” Zadie said, “we’ll never finish breakfast.”
Everyone laughed, then got down to the business of eating.
* * *
“Five days,” Luella lamented. She wouldn’t see Jonas for five whole days. Well, she would just have to make the best of it.
Yesterday had been glorious, and she’d wanted it to go on forever. Jonas not only ate breakfast with the family, but lunch and supper too – a first! But today he’d left for Sweetwater Springs and Luella faced the week with growing trepidation. No speaking with him in the morning as she gathered eggs, no nudging him to have lunch or supper at the house, no watching him work with the horses as she hung the laundry to dry or while sitting with one of the babies in her arms on the front porch in the afternoon.
In short, she’d not only miss him, she’d be bored for the first time since leaving Oregon. So much of her day revolved around the man, more than she’d realized. She looked forward to gathering eggs and hanging the laundry not just for the accomplishment, but to see him. And now that he was gone…
“Luella?”
She turned around at the sound of Lillie’s voice. “Yes?”
“I’ll make lunch today, so you can have a little break.”
Luella suddenly felt panic. Being idle meant thinking about Jonas, with nothing to sidetrack her. Not even her list could help at that point. “Oh no, I don’t need a break.”
“Yes, you do. You’re losing weight, or hadn’t you noticed?”
Luella glanced at her clothing. Her favorite calico dress, a pretty pale yellow, was fitting looser than normal. “I suppose I have. But I’m not tired, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Lillie smiled. “No, but you’re something else.”
She caught the mischievous gleam in Lillie’s eyes and cocked her head in curiosity. “What?”
Lillie shrugged innocently. “Oh, nothing.”
Luella’s hands went to her hips. “Lillie Jones, spit it out.”
She laughed. “Did you know that when Jonas returns he has a birthday?”
“He does?” she said, unable to hide her interest.
“I think Jess and Anson’s decision to promote him to foreman was a big one, don’t you?”
Luella let her hands fall to her sides. She crossed the room to the dresser, picked up some hairpins and proceeded to put up her hair. She turned to Lillie at one point. “It’s the logical thing to do,” she said then faced the mirror again.
“I thought you’d be happier about it.”
Luella turned to her once more and did her best to look indifferent, but was sure she failed. “What do you mean?”
“Zadie and I were talking. We know you like him.”
Luella stuck the last pin into her hair and stared at her. There was no sense denying it. “And?”
“And we thought you might like to do something nice for his birthday. Like bake him a cake.”
A smile formed on her face. “Yes, I could do that. A nice chocolate one. Do you think he likes chocolate?”
“I have no idea, but Jess said he’d drive you to town to get what you needed.”
Luella laughed. “You knew I would say yes!”
“Of course. The two of you leave right after breakfast.”
Luella sighed in relief. Now she had something to focus on over the next five days. Something fun!
Nine
On the long trek from the ranch to Sweetwater Springs, Jonas had time to think – much to his dismay. He thought about his childhood, his mother’s death, his imprisoned brothers, Clyde … well, there wasn’t much anyone could do for Clyde. He thought about where he’d been and how far he’d come in the short time he’d worked for the Joneses. The job was a godsend, no doubt about it. But he could lose it in the blink of an eye if they found out about his past.
By the time he reached Sweetwater Springs, he knew he’d have to tell them the truth when he got back. He couldn’t risk them finding out some other way. At least if he told them outright, he could leave with a clear conscience when they threw him out. Better that than go with regret about having deceived them.
He’d seen the way Luella looked at him across the breakfast table the day before he left. What shone in her eyes was beyond normal attraction. He had no doubt he had the same look whenever he gazed back. He cared for Luella Jones, a lot. And it was bound to get him into trouble.
During the two-day
journey, he’d tried to picture what it would be like to be married to such a woman, to give her children, to have a place of their own. As foreman of the Jones Ranch he’d make enough money to put some away, could afford to buy her gifts now and then, and ensure their children were well-clothed and fed. He might even make a name for himself – make his name something other than a warning on a wanted poster.
He’d worked hard for the Joneses and it had paid off in short order, a miracle. But he knew seeming miracles could up and disappear on you. If he told the truth, he’d likely be out on his ear. If he didn’t, they’d find out eventually and he’d definitely be out on his ear. Though now it seemed unlikely that anyone would ride onto the ranch and expose him.
There was another miracle to consider: Luella Jones. She’d settled his fears with her mere presence, and provided enough peace for him to think rationally again. Prison had taken its toll, and he’d come away from it in worse shape than he thought. Now he felt like he was becoming human again, a child of God instead of an animal in a cage. But if he really wanted to feel like he had his life back, he knew he had to be honest with Luella and the Joneses about where he’d been and what he’d done.
If they’d known all of it from the beginning, would they have even hired him in the first place? He doubted it. If Clyde Rossmore, the foreman of Michael Morgan’s mines, had known, would he have hired him? Probably not, though he could be wrong – some of his fellow miners seemed less than savory. Who knew what had brought them to Morgan’s Crossing or what their pasts entailed?
Jonas found the hotel and checked in, then went to the mercantile to see if the items Jess had ordered had come in. They had, though some of them were passing strange. “What is this?” he asked the storekeeper.
“It’s an ice cream maker.”
“Ice cream?” Jonas said in surprise. “Don’t you need ice for that?”
“Sure do.”
Jonas scratched the stubble on his jaw. “Don’t have no ice at the ranch. What was Jess thinking?”
“When he ordered it, he said it was a gift.”
Jonas’s eyebrows rose as comprehension dawned. Of course! Jess and Anson must have decided to make Caleb a partner before Luella arrived, then been working out the details since. If Caleb were to start up a horse-breeding operation near a big city like San Francisco, even some of the smaller towns in the area would have access to ice. He studied the contraption, having never seen one before, then handed the storekeeper his list.
“I’ll have this ready for you in no time. How are things out at the famous Jones Ranch? Last time Jess was in here he had a mighty pretty gal with him. His sister?”
“That’s right. She came to help out with the younguns.”
“I’m sure she’s been a big help. Outspoken, though.”
Jonas laughed. “That she is.” Then he shook himself – he needed to focus on the tasks at hand and stop thinking about Luella. If the storekeeper had just noticed his feelings for her, then how much more his employers?
Then it hit him. Luella had been at the ranch about a month. If Jess and Anson decided on their gift for Caleb before she arrived, was that when they also decided to make him their new foreman? Had he impressed them that much that quickly? They could have just as easily written to their fathers and had a man brought to their ranch, just as Caleb had come the year before – someone they already knew well and trusted.
Instead they chose him, and he’d only been there a month at the time. True, he did have a gift with horses, a real knack. He understood the animals and had been recognized for it back in Kansas before Clyde and his brothers got a hold of him. Still, he was surprised by the trust his employers must have in him. Which just made him feel all the more guilty for not telling them the truth at the onset.
He thought of the bonus money in his pocket and whether he should give it back. He’d planned on buying a gift for Luella with it. The day before he left for Sweetwater Springs had been one of the best he’d ever had. He shared each and every meal with the family, and felt like he was part of it. They were the type of family he’d always wanted but never dared dream of having.
With a sigh, Jonas watched the storekeeper gather the supplies on the list, wrap everything up in brown paper and put it in a neat pile on the counter. “Is there anything else I can get you, Mr …?”
“Cummings,” Jonas said. “Jonas Cummings.” He saw no harm in telling him his name now. After all, he’d be telling the Joneses in a couple of days – probably followed by leaving town at the first opportunity. Why bother being cagey anymore?
Jonas paid for everything, had the storekeeper put the goods aside and told him he’d pick them up first thing in the morning along with the plow, before he left town. Having been around thieves for so many years before prison and during, he wasn’t about to leave the goods in the back of the wagon overnight, not even covered with a canvas or tarp. If a thief saw an opportunity, he’d take it.
He left the mercantile feeling more downhearted than ever, and decided to go for a walk rather than head to the hotel. He soon found himself standing in front of a little white church. It was the middle of the week, so there were no services. Just as well – the moment Jonas stepped inside a place of worship lightning would probably strike him dead.
“Nice-looking little place, isn’t it?”
Jonas nearly jumped out of his boots. A man with white hair and piercing blue eyes stood next to him. He hadn’t even heard him approach. “Reverend,” he said, noticing the older man’s clothing.
The man smiled at Jonas. “I’m Rev. Norton. I don’t recall seeing you around town. You are?”
Jonas’s mind boggled. What were the chances of running into what had to be the only preacher in town? “Jonas Cummings.”
Rev. Norton clasped his hands behind his back and gave his church an admiring look. “Are you new in town, Mr. Cummings?”
“No, I’ve come for supplies.”
“From Morgan’s Crossing, I take it?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Ah, yes. I heard the Joneses took on another hand. Father Franklin told me.”
“Father Franklin?” Then he remembered. “The Catholic priest that comes through Morgan’s Crossing.”
“Yes, he and I chat now and then when we have the occasion to run into each other. I hold services in the meeting hall every month or so. Haven’t seen you there either.”
Jonas tried not to fidget. “They keep me pretty busy at the ranch.”
“I’m sure they do. That place has made quite a name for itself. If I owned a good mare I’d want to breed her to Anson’s horse myself, or any of the stud horses there for that matter. But Julius Caesar is the most famous.”
“Yes, sir, he is.” Jonas kicked at the dusty ground.
The good reverend smiled. “I married Anson and his wife, you know.”
If God was trying to tell him something, maybe he ought to listen. “Reverend, have you got a moment or two to spare?”
Rev. Norton’s eyes brightened. “Son, I always have a moment.”
* * *
Luella spent the long wagon ride to Morgan’s Crossing frantically trying to figure out what to make Jonas for his birthday. If she made him a shirt, would she get it done in time? With all her other work, she didn’t think so, and she didn’t want to give him something half-done. She could knit up a scarf in short order – he could use it come wintertime, and she could always knit him matching mittens for Christmas. Yes, that’s what she’d do.
That and make him the most fabulous chocolate cake he’d ever had. Providing he’d had chocolate cake before. Who knew? But Luella’s plans to make Jonas’s birthday special didn’t center on his choice of dessert. They centered on relieving the man of that pain in his eyes. He didn’t have it all the time, but when it showed up, the sight nearly tore her heart out.
When they reached Morgan’s Crossing Luella took a moment to take in the town. This was only her second visit, and they hadn’t much time to l
inger before. She’d arrived too late in the day. This time was different, having left the ranch after breakfast.
Morgan’s Crossing was about the size of Clear Creek. One of the first buildings she saw was a pretty gabled house similar to Anson and Zadie’s. It belonged to the Morgans themselves and was painted grey with maroon trim. Zadie had told her that Prudence Morgan was one of the nicest women she’d ever met. Eventually they’d have a ladies’ tea at the ranch, once the babies were older.
Jess pointed out things along the way, like the road to the mine and the local boarding house. He drove past the saloon, the mercantile and the meeting hall where services were held when they got a preacher in town. There were also a few residences, some cabins and finally at the other end of town, the tents where the miners lived. It was there he turned the wagon around and headed back the other way. “Well, what do you think of our fair little town?”
“It’s not so bad,” she teased. “But as long as they have what I need, I’ll be happy.”
Jess brought the wagon to a stop in front of the mercantile, set the brake then faced her. “You seemed pretty excited to come. Are you hankering after something in particular? Or picking up something for someone?”
Luella’s breath caught. Oh no, had it become that obvious? It was bad enough Zadie and Lillie had spotted her growing affections for Jonas, but now Jess? She straightened on the seat. “Whatever do you mean?” Not that acting innocent would help.
It didn’t – Jess burst out laughing. “Don’t try denying it. It won’t do you any good.”
She frowned – Jess was going to give her a hard time about this, and there was little she could do to stop him. “How long have you known?”
“I’d suspected for a while. But I wasn’t sure until yesterday, when Jonas ate all his meals with us. The calf-eyes you two were giving each other were almost sickening.”
She punched him in the arm.
“Ow! All right, ‘sickening’ is a little strong. But really, if the two of you were any sweeter on each other we could put you in a bowl and bake a cake out of you.”