Ever Faithful

by Karen Barnett

  Elsie retrieved the supplies from the car. “It’s a beautiful day.”

  Teddy took the picnic basket and hung it over his arm before claiming her hand. “It doesn’t get much better. I’m glad we could do this, Elsie. We haven’t had much time together.”

  She scolded the butterflies gathering in her stomach. “Me too.”

  “We could have come on our own, though.” He glanced unhappily toward the rest of their party. “And I wish I didn’t have to head back tomorrow. You really should move back to Mammoth.” He lowered the basket to one of the tables and pulled her into his arms.

  Elsie put a firm hand against his chest. She needed time to get comfortable with his affection. And she also didn’t want everyone seeing. “I’d like to be there to keep an eye on my mother, but I need the extra teaching money for college.”

  He frowned. “I can’t believe we just got together and you’re already talking of leaving me.”

  “I…I’m not. Not exactly.” Elsie fumbled through her words. “I’ve never kept my plans secret from you.”

  “Yes, but I thought…” He released her, dropping his hands to his sides. “Just tell me one thing. If things work out between us—what then? You don’t need some fancy degree to be a park ranger’s wife.”

  A wash of cold swept over her, as if she’d stepped into the frigid waters of Yellowstone Lake. “Teddy, I want more than that. I’ve always dreamed of being a teacher.”

  He cleared his throat. “There’s a school here at Yellowstone, but not at most parks. What if I’m reassigned to Alaska? Or someplace else?”

  She focused on the basket, flipping open its lid with trembling fingers. “Is that your dream? To work in Alaska?”

  “Not exactly. But my job would have to come first—for both of us. You understand that, don’t you?”

  Do I? She’d never really considered marriage a viable option before, so she hadn’t really thought through the issue.

  “You could always school our children, but you don’t need a degree for that.” His frown deepened. “I don’t like the idea of waiting years for you to finish at university.”

  Her stomach twisted. “I think it’s a little early to be worrying about this.”

  He glanced away, his lips pressed tight for a moment. “We’ll discuss it later. Today we’re here to have a good time, and that’s what I intend to do.”

  Elsie dug into the basket and started removing the supplies. Anything to break the tension stirring between them. “I brought hot dogs for us to cook. We should get things ready.”

  “How about a walk by the lakeshore, first?” He reached for her hand again. “Then I’ll come back and get the fire going. Did you bring the lighter I gave you?”

  “I brought matches.”

  “You shouldn’t need matches. That’s why I bought you the lighter.” His brow furrowed. “You aren’t afraid to use it, are you?”

  “No, not exactly.” Elsie sorted through the salads and condiments, hesitant to speak poorly of the man’s thoughtful gift. It did feel a bit unusual to carry a vial of flammable liquid around in her pocket. What if it ignited accidentally? “I don’t want the case to get scratched. I keep it on my desk at home.” She lifted her eyes to meet his. “Where I can see it every day.”

  A smile crinkled across his face, and he stepped closer. “That’s sweet, Elsie. Like you. But the lighter’s a tool. It should be used. Otherwise, what’s the point?”

  “I will use it. I promise.”

  He reached into his shirt pocket. “I keep mine right here by my heart.”

  She couldn’t resist placing her hand over his, against his chest. “Well, then, you can start the campfire. We can take that walk after we eat.”

  He chuckled. “You drive a hard bargain. I’ll grab some wood. But first…” Before she knew what he was doing, he leaned in and brushed a gentle kiss against her lips. He drew back with a smile. “I’ve been wanting to do that for weeks.”

  Her heart had landed somewhere in her throat. As he walked off to get the wood, she reached her fingers up to her mouth, still feeling the touch of his lips on hers. Things were moving so fast with Teddy. Marriage? Children? She knew from watching her friends that she should be twirling in circles about now—at least on the inside. She sank onto the bench. No one had ever said she’d feel queasy.

  * * *

  Nate turned back to look at the view, the sight of the kissing couple sending a kink into his day. He needed to keep his eyes on his own date. Red had twisted his arm into coming on this outing at the last minute in order to keep the numbers balanced, and to be honest, it hadn’t been that difficult. He’d jumped at the opportunity to see more of this park, even if it meant being matched up with a girl he didn’t know.

  Red and Mary continued walking along the lakeshore, the gravel crunching under their feet. Rose stood next to him, her hands firmly planted behind her back.

  He cast one last glance over his shoulder before turning to Rose. “I’m glad Red invited me along. I hope you don’t mind being saddled with me.”

  She smiled, the breeze lifting the curls from around her pretty face. “I was just thinking the same thing.”

  “You must have been to Yellowstone Lake hundreds of times.”

  She sighed. “A few, yes. Pete and I used to come here and rent a boat to go fishing. He loves fishing.”

  The wistful tone in her voice tugged at him. “Does he work for the park?”

  “Yes, though not this summer.” She glanced out over the water as if imagining days gone by. “He was a pack rat—a porter—at Old Faithful Inn. We dated for three summers. He even transferred to the University of Wyoming so we could be at the same school. He was my gallant knight, and he treated me like a princess.” Her voice trembled. “But now he’s got someone else.”

  Losing someone you loved hurt, but having them walk away was a double blow. “I’m sorry. That must have been rough.”

  Her brown eyes glazed with tears. “What’s been hard is being back here and facing all the people who knew us as a couple.”

  Nate couldn’t resist brushing his hand against her arm. “Well, I didn’t know you as a couple. I’m hardly a knight, but maybe we can be friends?”

  “I’d like that.” She smiled and nudged him back. “Listen to me. We’re out here for five minutes, and I’m already spilling about my old loves. You’re easy to talk to, Nate Webber. Elsie was right about that.”

  His heart leapt. “She said that?”

  “Mm-hmm. When she invited me to come today. I actually thought her cousin might be along. You know Graham?”

  “The fellow who drives the buses, right? Is he a friend of yours too?” Suddenly he sensed where Rose was going with this. First Pete’s name and then Graham’s. That bumped Nate pretty far down the list.

  “Yes, but Elsie doesn’t approve. So here we are.”

  She sure knew how to make a man feel good. Nate took a deep breath and blew it out between his teeth. “Would you like to take a stroll, maybe?”

  “You go ahead. I should probably help Elsie get the food ready.” She walked toward the picnic tables.

  Nate fixed his attention on the lake and watched the gulls skim over the rippling surface. No matter. He wasn’t here to meet women and didn’t need the distraction. The sight of Red and Mary walking arm in arm in the distance sent a quiver through his gut. It would be a nice distraction, regardless.

  He turned to follow Rose. Maybe he could help too. It looked like Vaughn had the fire going already, but an extra hand was surely welcome.

  Within thirty minutes, three of them were cooking hot dogs over the fire, the juices dripping onto the rocks and sizzling. Mary and Red hadn’t returned, but Vaughn, Nate, and Rose held sticks over the open flames. Elsie stayed off to the side and fussed over salads and drinks on the table instead.
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br />   Nate propped his hot dog skewer between two stones and wandered over to join her. “Aren’t you cooking one for yourself?”

  She cast a quick glance at the leaping flames. “I’m not a big fan. I’ll stick with the fruit salad and cheeses.”

  “It looks like you brought plenty. I wish Red and I could have contributed.”

  “I’m just glad you could join us.” Elsie lowered her voice so only Nate could hear. “Rose is a sweet girl. I’m sure you two will get along marvelously.”

  He matched her volume. “I think she has her sights set elsewhere.”

  Elsie rolled her eyes. “Yes, my cousin. I’m doing my best to dissuade her.”

  Nate propped his foot up on the bench. “He seems like a nice fellow.”

  “I suppose.” Her nose wrinkled. “But we have history, Graham and me. She’s already had a rough go of it with Pete. I don’t want to see her hurt again.”

  And yet she trusted him—a near stranger? Nate wasn’t sure what to make of that. “One can’t argue with the heart.”

  “I suppose. But you can’t blame me for trying.” She glanced back at Vaughn, laughing beside her friend. A wariness crept through her gaze.

  With a sigh, she returned her attention to the food, adding cheese and crackers to her plate. “I’ve been thinking about your idea of taking the men to see the geysers. How would I go about arranging such an outing?”

  “We don’t work on the weekends. Could you go next Saturday?” He walked back to retrieve his hot dog before it scorched. After plunking it in a bun, he claimed the seat across from Elsie. “I’m sure Lieutenant Stone would approve use of one of the trucks. The cooks could pack some lunches.”

  Vaughn finally wandered over and sat beside her. “Lunches for what?”

  She smiled at the ranger. “I’m going to take my class on a field trip to see Old Faithful next Saturday.”

  “Just you and a bunch of men? I’m not sure I like the sound of that.”

  Nate added some potato salad to his plate. “It’s not like that. It’s a class trip. She’s been teaching about the geology of the park.”

  Vaughn seemed to catch himself. “Of course. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

  Yeah, right. This guy was as possessive as a kid with a handful of penny candy. Nate glanced at Elsie to gauge her reaction.

  Her attention had dropped to her plate as she placed another slice of cheese on a cracker. “You could always come with us, Teddy.”

  “I have to work. I don’t get every weekend off like these…these fellows.” Teddy leaned forward and grasped her hand. “I wish I could join you. I don’t like the idea of you going alone.”

  “She won’t be alone,” Nate bristled. “We’re not a bunch of thugs, Ranger Vaughn. I’ll be there and so will Red.”

  Elsie brightened. “You will? I mean—you’re more than welcome to join us. I’d be delighted to have you there.”

  Vaughn shifted on the wooden bench, his pinched expression not a challenge for Nate to read.

  Nate wiped his mouth with the napkin before speaking. “I’m one of the foremen. It makes sense for me to be there to keep an eye on things.” He glanced over at her boyfriend. “And it might put Ranger Vaughn’s mind at ease.” Or not.

  The ranger’s fingers drummed against the table. “I suppose.”

  “It’s settled then.” Elsie added another scoop of fruit salad to her plate. “Saturday it is.”

  The rest of the meal was uneventful as talk shifted to park activities and favorite hikes. Mary and Red finally appeared and joined them, filling their plates and jumping into the conversation.

  Red was quick to nab a piece of the apple pie. “So what’s this talent show I keep hearing about?”

  Mary slipped her arm through his. “We do it every year, though it moves around between the hotels. This year it’ll be at the Old Faithful Inn, so we’re calling it the Old Faithful Follies. There are singing and dancing acts, comedy, magic—a little of everything. A lot of the staff participate and even some of the visitors. There’s a competition between the different crews too.”

  Red swiveled around to face Nate. “We should do something like that in our camp.”

  “Why not?” He might be pretty low on the talent scale, but some of the others might contribute. “I’ve heard Val sing in the shower.”

  “And Enzo can juggle. I saw him doing it with mess kits the other night, though he boasted he can juggle axes.”

  “Just what we need. A second trip to see the doc in Mammoth.”

  Elsie held out a basket of crackers to Rose. “Maybe the CCC boys could join our show? We could make them part of the competition. CCC against savages.”

  Red chuckled. “You’d win, easy. You’ve got more pretty girls. We’ve just got a bunch of ugly mugs.”

  “Oh, I don’t know about that.” Mary kissed his cheek.

  Rose took a last bite. “I think it’s a brilliant idea. And we’ve got all summer to put together acts.”

  Vaughn shifted closer to her. “No reason you couldn’t team up across lines, is there? If, say, Rose and Nate wanted to put together something?”

  Nate wished he knew the man well enough to kick him under the table. Anyone paying attention could see Rose wasn’t interested in him. “I’m afraid I got the short straw when it came to talents. Can’t dance, can’t sing. Rose would be better off finding another savage to team up with her.”

  She shot him a wide smile, the kind that sent a wave of warmth through a man. “I’m sure you’re too humble, Nate. But I do have someone in mind.”

  Of course she did. Nate broke off another piece of bread and popped it into his mouth. Turnabout was fair play. “What about Ranger Vaughn? He might have a song or two in him.”

  The ranger straightened. “I’m happy to watch and enjoy. Elsie? Are you in the show?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t perform. I prefer to help behind the scenes.”

  Too bad. At this moment in time, there was no one Nate would rather see on stage.

  Saturday arrived quickly, complete with sunshine and blue skies. Elsie grasped Nate’s hand as he helped her down from the cab of the CCC truck in the busy parking area at Old Faithful. Men were jumping out of the back even before Red got the engine shut off. The delight of being on a sightseeing trip had managed to transform the group into a passel of schoolboys on an outing. Elsie had never had such fun. They’d already stopped at Midway Geyser Basin to see the giant hot spring called Prismatic Lake, and the men’s delight was contagious. It was difficult to merely scratch the surface of things to see in each location, but she promised herself that they’d find time for more trips before the end of the summer. She desperately wanted to see their reactions to the mud pots at Lower Geyser Basin.

  Elsie balanced a clipboard and a couple of books against her hip. “We’ll start here at Old Faithful, and then make our way around the trail to see the other geysers.” She checked the timepiece dangling from a pin on her sweater. “We still have plenty of time before sunset.”

  Nate pointed at the building to their left, its high sloping roof topped with a series of flags. “Is that the Inn where you’ll be having the end-of-the-summer talent show?” Several of the yellow buses were parked out front, wedged in between the hordes of family automobiles and flashy coupes.

  “Yes. And we’ll have to go inside so you can see it. The building is simply magnificent.”

  “Better than the Canyon Hotel?”

  “Not grander, maybe, but more interesting. You’ll like it.” She couldn’t wait to witness their reactions. “Trust me.”

  Seeing Nate among her pupils had brought an unexpected surge of joy. Val had informed her that the foreman didn’t actually have a high school diploma, and yet for some reason he’d avoided signing up for her class. It didn’t make sense. He seemed plenty
bright, and his presence clearly encouraged the others.

  He’d stayed at the rear of the group at their last stop, as if determined to maintain his image of being a chaperone rather than a pupil. It was too bad, really. She found him the easiest of the men to talk to, perhaps because they’d spent time together outside the classroom. Something about Nate just seemed safe and relaxed, as if he had no expectations or demands of her. His eyes radiated a gentle kindness. To tell the truth, she felt far more at ease around him than she did with Teddy. Though maybe you weren’t supposed to feel relaxed around someone you loved.

  Do I love Teddy?

  A question for another time. Elsie slowed her steps as they approached the railing surrounding Old Faithful, the men clustering in one area to stay out of the way of the many tourists. The rocky mound might be somewhat nondescript if it weren’t for the constant plumes of steam rising from the cone. Val followed in her footsteps, his lanky frame casting a shadow wherever she went. “Can I carry those books for you, Miss Brookes?”

  “That’s very kind of you, Val.” She gladly released the geology texts into his arms.

  “Careful, kid,” Red grunted. “If you’re too much of an apple polisher, her ranger boyfriend might decide to rearrange your face.”

  A jab of irritation cut through Elsie. “Val is just being a gentleman, Mr. Walsh. The rest of you could take a few lessons.”

  “Sure, he is.” Shorty smirked. “I know his kind in Brooklyn. They practically own the place. Am I right, kid? You Jewish?”

  Val’s face flushed.

  Jewish? Elsie paused. Why would that matter? But she couldn’t miss the uneasy glances that were traded by some of the men.

  “Val’s a Canyonite, like me and the rest of the fellas here.” Nate moved up to stand beside the kid. “If you’d rather be something else, Shorty, there’s a truck rolling out of camp at dusk. You can be on it.” He clamped a hand on Val’s shoulder. “But I thought you needed the dough, like the rest of us.”

  Shorty hunched his shoulders. “Yeah, I do.”