Carol: Sweet Western Historical Romance (Brides of Archer Ranch Book 2)

by Cindy Caldwell

  "Are we ready to go inside?" Saffron asked. "I think Rose is already here waiting for us."

  Carol smoothed her skirt as she looked up at the library. Her stomach fluttered for a moment as Saffron opened the door and Adam reached for the metal handle of the chair and pulled her inside. As they passed over the threshold, Carol's eyes adjusted to the filtered, morning light streaming in from the two large-paned windows on each side of the door.

  She wasn't exactly sure what a library should look like, but she knew what she imagined it might smell like. She breathed in deeply, the smell of leather and paper tickling her nose, and knew that she was just where she belonged. A small desk sat in the corner and Rose pushed herself out of her chair, her smile wide. Carol had always liked Saffron’s older sister, and when Saffron and Adam were married she was pleased that she was now part of Saffron’s family.

  Rose crossed from behind the desk and hurried over to Carol, smiling and nodding at her family as she did. She reached her hand out and took Carol’s, squeezing it lightly. “Oh!” she exclaimed as she looked down at the chair. “Will Stanton suggested I ask Sage if the doctor would let us borrow the chair with wheels, but I see you’ve beaten me to it,” Rose said as she smiled up at Adam. Turning to Carol, she said, ”I’m so glad you're here, Carol. I can't think of anyone I'd rather have manning the library."

  Adam's deep voice startled Carol as he held up his hands and said, “Manning the library? Are you telling me that Carol will be here alone?" He turned to Carol, his worried expression all too familiar.

  Rose tugged at a lock of her dark hair and frowned. "No, Adam, that isn't my intent. But we have a lot of work to do and I'm just glad that she will be here to help. People have been donating books for days and days, and I've had no one to help me catalog them or set them in any kind of order. We’re not even open to the public yet and we won't be until we get some things arranged in here. I’m very glad for Carol's help."

  Saffron turned to Carol, knelt beside the chair with wheels and looked up into Carol's eyes. "Carol, is this something that you'd like to do?"

  Carol looked from Sage up to Adam. "Yes, it's very much something I'd like to do. I think I can be helpful, and Rose obviously needs the help."

  Rose breathed out a deep sigh. "I would be forever grateful, Carol. We’re supposed to be opening in less than a week, with an open house that's already been planned and I just can't get all of this work done by myself."

  Adam shrugged his shoulders and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I can see that even if I did have an objection, I'd be ignored.”

  Saffron laughed and crossed over to Adam's side. "It seems like it's a good arrangement for everybody."

  Rose returned behind the desk and moved aside a stack of papers. "I have an idea. Since today's Saturday, I plan to spend all morning here to see what I can get done. How about if Carol stays with me for a few hours and we can see how she likes it? We can also see how much progress we can make.”

  "That sounds like a wonderful idea," Carol said. "That might make everybody more comfortable." She looked pointedly at Adam as she raised her eyebrows.

  Adam shook his head and pulled his hat down. "All right, then. Guess you ladies have the morning. Carol, I'll be back to fetch you at lunch time. Maybe we can head over to the Occidental and grab a bite."

  Saffron winked at Carol, grabbed Adam's hand and pulled him toward the door. "Have a wonderful time, you two. Give a holler if you need anything."

  Carol turned toward Rose as the door closed behind Adam and Saffron. "Well, I'm all yours. Thank you, Rose, for this opportunity. Just tell me what to do and I'll do my best not to let you down."

  Chapter 11

  “Oh, Lord help us,” Rose said as she looked up from the stack of books she was working through, the ink stamp stopped in mid-air. They’d spent the better part of the morning with the stamps, inking Tombstone Public Library on the front, inside cover.

  Carol turned to follow her gaze and had the same reaction, but didn't say anything. They’d been happily taking care of the books on their own and Carol’s stomach fluttered as the widow Samson and another woman entered the library.

  The widow rearranged her hat—black, of course—and pinched her gray bun in place at the back of her neck. The woman who followed her through the door was tall, and as Carol looked at her closely, she noted that she actually resembled the widow. Her hair was dark but somehow their eyes seemed similar.

  Rose snapped shut the book she’d been working on and stood, smoothing her skirts before she looked up at the widow. "Good morning, Mrs. Samson," Rose said as she rounded the table and walked toward the door. “Lovely of you to stop by and visit."

  The widow tapped her cane twice on the floor and looked from Rose to Carol and back to Rose again. "I wanted to come by and see how it was going with volunteer requests. I noticed the flyers in the mercantile, and took several for some of my nieces."

  Rose tugged her sleeve before she extended her hand to the woman standing right behind the widow. "It's nice to see you again Mrs. Stanton," Rose said as she shook the woman's hand. Carol's ears perked up at that and she turned glancing again at the other woman. This must be Will’s mother. She shuddered hoping that Will's mother wasn't related to the widow Samson in any way.

  "It's lovely to see you again," Mrs. Stanton said as she shook Rose's hand. She nodded and smiled at Carol. "And is this one of your volunteers?"

  Rose turned and smiled at Carol, gesturing for the ladies to follow her. "Yes, it is. This is Carol Benson, so far our first and only volunteer."

  Carol smiled up at the ladies, looking quickly away from the Widow Samson when she saw that familiar look in her eye. They'd had a run-in or two in the past, and the widow had been integral in a dangerous fall Carol had taken at the circus. Carol had hoped she’d never speak to her again, but in a small town like Tombstone that was an unlikely and unrealistic expectation. So while she hadn't been anxious for an encounter, she had known it would come sometime. She was glad that it was now and she was here safely in the library with Rose.

  "Goodness," the widow said as she wandered through the bookshelves. She reached up to one of the higher shelves, pulling out a book and flipping the pages. “This is one of my most favorite books of all time," she said as she held it up to show the ladies. "I imagine it will be one of the most popular for people to borrow."

  Rose walked over to the widow as she held the book toward her. Rose took it from her hand and reached up, replacing it carefully where it had been in alphabetical order by author.

  "Yes, I imagine this and several others will be fairly popular." Rose walked back over and sat behind her desk. “We’ve already had our first customer, who borrowed one of his favorites. Will, in fact. He borrowed The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe.”

  Carol’s eyebrows rose as Mrs. Stanton blanched, her eyes wide. Carol stayed silent as the widow walked over to Will’s mother and looped her arm through Mrs. Stanton’s.

  She patted her hand and turned to Rose, her back to Carol. “I’m glad you have help, Mrs. Tate, but I certainly can’t imagine how someone like Carol could reach that high to help any of the patrons with a book."

  Rose stood, her hands clenched at her side. "We have very carefully arranged the books in here, Mrs. Samson, and I believe that with the help that we have, all patrons’ needs will be met."

  Carol sat up taller in her chair, her heart heavy. There were many things that she could do here at the library, even if she couldn't reach all the way up to the top of the stacks. Certainly, Mrs. Samson could see that.

  She reached for the next book in the pile, opened it and stamped Tombstone Public Library on it as she tried to ignore the ladies speaking with Rose as if she weren't even in the room. She looked up as the bell on the door handle jingled and let out a sigh of relief as Mr. Archer strode into the room.

  "Carol, it's so wonderful to see you here in the library."

  He went straight up to Carol and placed a hand
on each of her shoulders. "I'm so pleased that you are able to help Rose with this venture. A venture, I might add, that has absolutely nothing to do with the schoolhouse."

  He turned and looked pointedly at the Widow Samson before he met Carol’s eyes. "This library is funded by donations that I myself have been able to acquire. And I'd like you to know that the board of directors for the library, of which I am the head, is very happy to have you here."

  Carol hid her smile as Mr. Archer squeezed her shoulders and she felt a sense of safety that she always did when he was around. She looked up at the widow’s puckered face as she took a step backwards, bumping into Mrs. Stanton.

  Mr. Archer turned to his daughter, Rose. "That talented young Will came out and fixed the latches, Rose. Were you able to talk to him about the book racks that you needed?"

  Rose cleared her throat, relief flooding her face at her father's timely arrival. "Yes, Papa. Will is very talented and he is doing the drawings for what I need right now." Rose turned to Mrs. Stanton and smiled. "Your son truly is creative and talented, Mrs. Stanton. We’re lucky to have them here in town."

  Mrs. Stanton's face flushed and she looked down, gripping her hands together. "Yes, he learned a great deal from his father and his older brother. He seems to be able to make things."

  "Oh, I think it's much more than that," Mr. Archer said. "He's got a remarkable talent at seeing things that need to be fixed and fixing them. Not every day a person can do that."

  Mrs. Samson's pinched expression had eased, Carol noted, and she had what might pass for a slight pucker on her face at the compliment to Will. "Yes, both Will and Joe manage to get the job done, just like their father. Isn't that right, Genevieve?”

  Mrs. Stanton nodded without even a hint of a smile.

  "Well, Rose and Carol, I will leave you to get back to work. I just wanted to stop by and see how preparations were coming." Mr. Archer turned to Mrs. Samson and Mrs. Stanton, holding out an elbow to each of them. "May I escort you ladies out? I'm sure you are ready to leave,” he said as he ushered them through the open door. When they were on the boardwalk, he leaned back to grab the handle of the door winked at the girls. "You're welcome," he said with a laugh as he pulled the door shut.

  "Oh, Rose, I'm so sorry."

  Rose looked up at Carol as her hand flew to her chest. "Goodness, what would you possibly have to be sorry for? Mrs. Samson is the one who should be sorry for her hateful attitude."

  Carol tugged at her sleeve. "I really don't want to cause problems here. I do love what we’re doing, and I so much want to work with you. But if it's a problem—”

  “Stop right there, Carol. I asked you personally to come and help me, and I'm thrilled that you agreed. And that's the end of it."

  Carol watched through the large window as Mr. Archer and the two ladies walked down the boardwalk. Mrs. Samson turned before she passed the window and glared at Carol, and Carol was afraid that this was nowhere near the end of it.

  Chapter 12

  Time flew by as Carol went in to the library every day for at least a few hours to help Rose. Rose’s husband, the schoolmaster, had come in when he could but he was also teaching afternoon classes for some of the children in town who couldn't come to school during the day. So for the most part, Carol had spent her time with Rose.

  It pleased Carol that Adam had seemed to adjust well to her leaving every day, and Saffron seemed more than willing to take her to the library and fetch her home. In the past few days, if Saffron hadn't been able to do that, Luke or Andy had gladly filled in. Carol felt that the whole family was swooping in to support her.

  She lifted the stamp from the front of the book in front of her and smiled at the letters it left. She closed the cover, sliding it to her left. There were only a few more books left to be stamped and she looked around the library, not able to count the number in the book stacks. For a while, she hadn't been sure they'd be able to be ready in time for the open house as people still streamed in every day bringing in more books. The shelves were full and Carol was excited for the grand opening, an open house the following evening.

  "Am I too late with these?" a deep voice boomed from behind Carol. She turned and smiled as she saw Dr. Folsom stride through the door.

  "No, not at all," Rose said as she stood from the table on the opposite side of Carol, coming around to greet the doctor with open arms.

  He held out a stack of books and nodded in Carol's direction. "I do hope that you're enjoying the chair," he said as he handed the stack of books to Rose. "It was my hope that it might make things easier here for you."

  Carol smiled and nodded. “I am so grateful, Doctor. I’m not sure I could work here without it. I can’t get around on my own, but at least I can be moved to different places where I can be helpful.”

  The doctor nodded and as he turned back to Rose, Carol noted his strong chin and thoughtful eyes. He was very tall, and his brown eyes sparkled behind his glasses. He was obviously very intelligent, and she could see why Sage looked at him the way she did—especially with how Sage felt about doctors and medicine in general.

  "Thank you for the books, Dr. Folsom." Rose gestured around the room. "You can see that the townspeople have been very generous with their donations, but we can always use more."

  The doctor nodded at Rose and smiled. Turning back to Carol, he said, “These are some of the older medical books that I had when I was in school. I have new ones and I don't need these anymore. I thought maybe the general public might be able to use some of the information inside, but I do hope it doesn't mean that they won't come and visit me if they need medical help." He chuckled and sat down beside Carol.

  "I don't think that will be the case, Dr. Folsom. I think people have had enough of doing their own medical emergency work. It's nice to have a doctor in town."

  A shadow passed over his face and Carol glanced at Rose. “Is something wrong?”

  The doctor cleared his throat. “No, nothing. I hope you’re right. I hear there’s another doctor arriving shortly, intending to set up a practice.” He rubbed the back of his neck and shook his head.

  Rose patted his shoulder. “I’m sure there are enough people in town to keep five doctors busy, let alone two. From what Sage tells me, patients are having to wait a bit to see you, anyway. It could only be helpful.”

  “I hope you’re right,” he repeated as concern cleared from his eyes. The doctor reached into the inside pocket of his coat, took out a magazine and laid it on the table. He spread it open and Rose looked over his shoulder to see what it was.

  "The New England Journal of Medicine?" Carol leaned over, too, and read the top of the journal.

  "Yes, it's a famous journal about new practices in medicine. The oldest one in the country, started in 1812. I’ve been a subscriber for years, and my journal finally caught up with me here in Tombstone." The doctor began to flip through the pages. Rose returned to the opposite side of the table and began stamping books again, setting each one aside as she finished.

  "Is that something that you wanted to donate?" Carol said as she reached for another book to stamp.

  The doctor laughed as he found the page he was looking for and opened the magazine wider on the table. "No, not exactly. I'm not finished with this one yet but there was something that I wanted to show you."

  Carol raised her eyebrows as she turned her attention from the stack of books back toward the doctor. She leaned over and read the headline at the top of the page. "New Advances in Treating Spine Injuries.”

  Carol took in a quick breath and her hand flew to her lips. Rose stopped stamping books, too, and looked at Carol with her eyebrows raised.

  The doctor leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest. "Now, I don't want to get your hopes up, young lady, but it says here there are some things we can try for your condition."

  Carol's stomach fluttered at the news. In her mind, she wiggled her toes and she knew she could feel them. Now the doctor had brought som
ething in that maybe could help her a little bit more. She hadn't heard from Dennis, and wasn't sure when he was going to be stopping through Tombstone on his way to San Diego, but if there was anything that she could do to be more independent, she was willing to try.

  "Thank you for thinking of me, Dr. Folsom. What is it that the journal says that we should try?" Carol tried hard not to wiggle in her chair with excitement. She glanced at Rose, but turned away at her concerned expression.

  "I'm still sorting through it. I would leave the article for you but most of it is in medical jargon and I don’t believe that you would understand,” he said as he smiled kindly down at her. “I just wanted to see if maybe you are interested, because I always love to try new things. If you're willing, I'll investigate more and let you know what I find out." He closed the magazine and stood, pushing his chair back as he placed the Journal back in his inside coat pocket.

  "Oh, yes, I’m very interested," Carol said as the doctor headed for the boardwalk.

  Carol was silent for a moment after the door closed. She watched through the large windows as the doctor donned his hat, stopping to greet Will Stanton, the young man she had seen a few days before and knew to work at the blacksmith shop. They chatted for a moment, and Carol glanced away when the young man looked in the window, tilting his head as he looked at Carol. She knew the doctor would be discreet, and couldn't imagine that he was telling the young man anything about her condition, but his steady gaze and deep brown eyes made her uncomfortable. She wasn't exactly sure why.

  She filled with excitement at the possibility that she might walk again, and turned back to Rose. Her voice hitched in her throat as she saw Rose’s expression, which didn’t mirror her own of excitement.

  "What is it, Rose? Don't you think that was good news?" Carol said as she leaned forward on the table.