“I’ll see what I can do. I’d best be going—Mrs. Clark is waiting for her order from the store.” Jake tipped his hat and escaped as quickly as he could, knowing he’d been a little rude, but not sure how else he could have gotten free. He’d never been so glad to go shopping for thread and ribbon in all his days.
Chapter Three
“Well, this isn’t the fanciest place we’ve ever seen, but it will do.” Regina gave a nod at their room at the Miner’s Hotel. It was simply furnished with two single beds, a wash basin, and a small table with two chairs, but at this point, they didn’t need much more. “Let’s head back to the train station and ask for our trunks to be sent, and then let’s find Reverend Bing. We saw the church while we were looking for a hotel—where there’s a church, there has to be a reverend nearby.”
“Is that some sort of law?” Ariadne asked. She had just tossed her hat on the bed nearest the door, and Regina didn’t imagine that she wanted to put it back on. She shouldn’t have taken it off in the first place, truth be told.
“It’s just logic.”
“You and logic. Honestly, Regina, you’re going to logic yourself right out of all the fun you could be having.”
Regina turned to her sister in astonishment. “I’m the one who decided we should come to America. What could be more fun than that?”
“Yes, you came up with the idea, but you did it in the most logical way possible. There wasn’t anything spontaneous about it.”
“But it’s foolish to move halfway around the world spontaneously! Of course it has to be done logically.” Regina shook her head. “Let’s take care of these two little errands and then get settled for the night, all right? Yes, it’s still early, but we’re both worn right out, and we’ll be less testy with each other after we’ve had a good night’s sleep.”
Ariadne picked up her hat and jammed it back on her head. “Very well. But dinner too—I’m famished.”
“Yes, I’m sure we both are.”
The stationmaster was happy to have the trunks delivered, and Regina led the way to the church she’d spotted. The man they found out front wasn’t Reverend Bing, however.
“My name is Eugene Theodore,” he informed them, pausing in his sweeping of the church steps. “Reverend Bing preaches in Bachelor, which isn’t far from here, but I shouldn’t think that you’d want to seek him out this late in the day. You’d have to hire a buggy and drive out there, and it would likely be full dark before you’d completed your errand.” His tone indicated that he’d very much like to know what that errand was, but Regina didn’t think she should tell him—at least until they’d spoken with Reverend Bing. Until that conversation happened, she wouldn’t actually know why they were there.
“Thank you, Reverend Theodore,” she told him, and the two sisters headed back to the hotel.
“I suppose we’ll rent a buggy in the morning,” she said as they reached the hotel doors. “I’ve never driven one, but they can’t be too difficult to figure out, can they?”
“Gracious, I don’t know. I’ve never thought about it before.” Ariadne gathered the front of her skirt and stepped over the threshold. “And even if we did know how to drive a buggy, exactly where are we driving it? I don’t like the thought of wandering off and getting lost in these mountains.”
“Neither do I.” Regina paused in the hotel lobby, trying to decide what to do. “Could we hire a driver along with the buggy? I’m sure we could.”
“That’s a wonderful idea,” Ariadne replied. “Oh, look. Here comes a nice-looking young man. I’m sure he could tell us what we should do.”
Regina looked in the direction her sister had indicated. He was a nice-looking young man, certainly—standing over six feet tall, with dark hair and what appeared to be blue eyes. He seemed to be heading for the dining room as well. She didn’t like approaching strange men and striking up conversations—her mother would have a fit at the very idea—but she didn’t feel as though she had much choice.
“Pardon me, sir,” she said, taking a few steps forward to catch his attention. “I wonder if I could trouble you . . .”
When he turned to face her, she found all the air sucked clean out of her lungs. Gracious. He was a genuine American cowboy, and she couldn’t breathe.
“Yes, ma’am?” he asked.
His voice was rich and mellow, and she could have drowned in it. Instead, she decided she’d better start breathing again. That was the wisest choice. “My sister and I have just arrived from London, and we’re looking for Reverend Bing. We understand he lives in a town not far from here.”
The man smiled. “That’s right. It’s not much of a drive from here to Bachelor.”
“Is there a place to rent a buggy and a driver?”
“Yes, there’s a livery stable, but as far as a driver goes . . .” He seemed to consider it for a moment. “My name’s Jake Honeycutt, and I work out at the Circle K Ranch. I rode into town for some supplies, but a few things were delayed and won’t come in until tomorrow’s train. I thought I’d stay the night and meet the train tomorrow, which gives me a morning free, and if you wouldn’t mind, I’d be pleased to drive you out to Bachelor.”
Regina looked over at Ariadne, whose eyes were wide and bright. No doubt her sister found this man as attractive as she did, but that wasn’t the best way to judge a man’s character. That had been proven earlier with Mr. Grady. Mr. Honeycutt was different, though. She sensed genuine kindness in him, and she didn’t think that had anything to do with the way his eyes sparkled or that nice little dimple in his cheek. “How much do you charge, Mr. Honeycutt?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t charge, ma’am,” he replied. “Just getting to hear your pretty accent is payment enough for me. It’s like music.”
Gracious. Regina didn’t know how to respond to that. She thought she ought to be offended by his forwardness, but he’d spoken so simply that she just couldn’t find it within herself to be upset with him.
“What a sweet thing to say,” Ariadne said, deciding for her. “We’re the Stoker sisters—I’m Ariadne, and this is Regina. We’d be delighted for your help come morning.”
Regina could only nod.
“Sounds like a plan. I’ll take care of renting the buggy, and I’ll have it out front here at nine o’clock. Does that suit?”
He might have been addressing Ariadne, but his eyes hadn’t left Regina, and she nodded.
“All right, then. You ladies have a good night.” He gave them each a slight bow and then disappeared into the dining room. Regina closed her eyes and pulled in a deep breath.
“Don’t worry—I know full well he’s yours—but my goodness. He certainly is unexpected, isn’t he?”
Regina’s eyes flew open. “What do you mean, he’s mine?”
Ariadne gave her an overly patient smile. “The way the two of you were looking at each other? I know better than give him a second thought. I do wonder if he has any brothers, though.”
“I just . . . You make it sound as though I was staring at him or something. I don’t stare.”
“You weren’t staring, but the visual contact seemed to be a bit more prolonged than one would expect for two people who have just met each other.”
Regina shook her head with exasperation. “I’m hungry. Are you hungry? There’s a dining room straight ahead, and here we are, arguing over something completely ridiculous.” She crossed the floor and entered the room, noticing that Mr. Honeycutt was seated on the far side of the room. Perfect—she wouldn’t have to look at him all through the meal. That would certainly put her off her appetite.
***
It wasn’t unusual for Jake to spend the night in Creede when he came in for supplies, so he knew the folks back at the ranch wouldn’t worry about him. He’d get that last package for Mrs. Clark when it came in and be on his way. It was his morning errand that was keeping him from sleeping.
Regina Stoker. What a lady. He hadn’t expected to meet her when he’d gone into the hotel—it
seemed that fate had given him a little nudge to stay there and not at the boarding house. The memory of a so-called angel with braids flickered through his mind, but he dismissed the thought as soon as he had it. Angels didn’t masquerade as little girls—he was pretty sure of it. He believed in heaven and hell, but he wasn’t that fanciful about it.
Miss Stoker’s voice was as mellow and sweet as anything he’d ever heard, and her accent made him think of all the things that were nice about the world. Picnics and bluebells and spring. He chuckled at himself—he sounded like a lovesick fool, and he’d only just met her. Well, he’d be spending a couple of hours with her the next morning, and he’d probably see that she wasn’t anything like what he was building up in his head. That would be a nice dose of reality he needed. He was a cowboy, a man who worked in the dirt. She was a real lady from England, someone who’d be much more inclined to fall for someone in a suit and top hat—someone like Archie. Except without the streak of evil in him.
Jake gave a firm nod in the dark. Miss Stoker would find herself a wealthy man, and Jake should keep his eyes open for a nice young lady who was suited for country living. He pictured her as being able to ride a bit and shoot a gun, know how to do some chores, but still be sweet as honey. That’s all he really needed, wasn’t it? Someone to be a partner by his side—he didn’t need someone who made his heart pound like Miss Stoker did. That would be too much for one man to ask.
Chapter Four
Neither Regina nor her sister were interested in breakfast the next morning, so they didn’t go to the dining room. Regina almost went down just for a cup of tea in hopes of catching sight of Mr. Honeycutt, but she scolded herself—they’d be spending time with him soon enough, and she didn’t know why she’d had that silly notion in the first place. Gracious—it wasn’t as though she’d never seen a handsome man before.
When they came downstairs and exited the hotel, they found Mr. Honeycutt out front with a horse and buggy. The buggy was nicer than Regina had expected of a hired hack, and the horse looked well-muscled.
“Are you ready to go, ladies?” Mr. Honeycutt asked, holding out his arm.
“Most definitely,” Ariadne said, grasping his arm as she climbed into the buggy. “I’m sure this hotel has its charms, but I won’t feel right about things until we’re in a place we can call our own.”
“And what about you, Miss Regina?” he asked as he turned to her. “How did you sleep?”
If he kept looking at her that way, she wouldn’t have a sensible word left in her head. “Not badly,” she said at last. “My sister’s right, though—it’s always so much nicer to be in your own home.”
He nodded and held out his arm. It took her a moment to remember that she was supposed to use it for stability as she climbed into the wagon—for a ridiculous second, she thought he was asking her to dance, and she was about ready to accept. It was a good thing Ariadne couldn’t read her thoughts, or she would certainly never hear the end of it.
After both sisters were settled, Mr. Honeycutt circled around and climbed into the driver’s seat. “The road to Bachelor is something else,” he said as he flicked the reins. “You’ll see some of God’s most choice creations, but we’ll also be driving along a somewhat treacherous part, and you’ll need to trust me.”
Regina met his gaze behind Ariadne’s head. “And are you trustworthy, Mr. Honeycutt?” She’d meant her question to sound light and teasing, but it came out rather solemnly.
He answered her with the same gravity in his voice. “I assure you, Miss Regina, that I am.”
Something told her that he wasn’t referring just to the drive, but to the way he lived his life, and she swallowed. If she wasn’t careful, she was going to find herself very attracted to this man.
The drive was everything he’d said it would be. The mountains were spectacular, and Regina was glad she was sitting on the outside of the bench so she could see out without having to lean. But then they reached the stretch Mr. Honeycutt had mentioned, and she wished she was sitting in the middle so she could grab his arm. The road dropped off on one side and tumbled down to a river far below, and she closed her eyes.
“What if we encounter a wagon coming the other way?” Ariadne asked, her voice sounding small. “Do we just pray it doesn’t happen?”
“Oh, it happens,” Mr. Honeycutt said. “That’s why you’ve got to trust me.”
“Perhaps we trust you, but it’s the other wagon we’re not so sure about,” Regina added, her eyes still closed.
Mr. Honeycutt laughed. “Any drivers who choose to take this road have the necessary skills, Miss Regina. Sit tight, and it’ll all be over before you know it.”
She decided that sitting tight meant it was perfectly all right for her not to open her eyes until they were far past this particular spot. She also leaned toward her sister, as though that shift in the weight would somehow help.
At long, long last, Mr. Honeycutt said, “There’s Bachelor up ahead.”
Regina opened her eyes one at a time and saw that the scary parts were over. She sat up straighter and touched her hair automatically, as though fixing any stray locks would help her recover her dignity. A glance at Ariadne told her that her sister’s face was pale, so regardless of how foolish she must have looked with her eyes pinched tight, she knew she’d made the right choice by not watching during the drive.
Mr. Honeycutt guided the buggy up a street to a modest church and brought it to the back, where a small house was attached. “Here’s the Reverend Bing’s,” he said. “Hold on a minute and I’ll help you down.”
When Regina’s feet hit the ground, her knees almost buckled beneath her. She hadn’t realized that her fear had taken away all her strength.
“Are you all right, Miss Regina?” Mr. Honeycutt hadn’t released his grip on her elbows after helping her down, and she was glad of it. She was sure he was the only thing keeping her from collapsing.
“I’m fine, but thank you,” she told him. His arms were very strong—she was a bit embarrassed to notice that.
The front door opened, and she stood up straight. Being caught in a man’s arms by a pastor would be even more embarrassing than thinking about how strong those arms were.
“Hello,” the man who exited called out. “May I help you? Who have you brought to see me, Jake?”
“Hello, Reverend. These are the Stoker sisters from London, Miss Regina and Miss Ariadne.”
Reverend Bing approached and took both sisters by the hand one at a time. “It’s a pleasure. Won’t you come in? You too, Jake—you look like you could use some tea.”
Mr. Honeycutt shook his head. “I’m not much of a tea drinker, but thanks. I’ll wait out here with the rig.”
“How about some cool lemonade?”
Mr. Honeycutt grinned. “Now that does sound good.”
“If you’re determined not to leave the rig, I’ll send Millie out with a glass.”
“I think I’d like that, if she wouldn’t mind.”
“Not at all.” Reverend Bing held out his arm and motioned toward the house. “Please come in, ladies. I’m eager to hear about your travels.”
He showed them into the parlor, then called toward the back of the house, “Millie, we have guests.”
Just moments later, a kind-looking young woman with beautiful red hair came in the room, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. “Oh, my! Hello there. I’m Millie Bing, the reverend’s sister. I’m sorry I didn’t hear you come in—I was up to my elbows in dishwater, and quite distracted.”
“That’s quite all right,” Regina said.
“Millie, these are the Stoker sisters from London, Regina and Ariadne,” Reverend Bing said. “Jake Honeycutt brought them, and I wonder if you’d take him out a glass of lemonade.”
“Of course, but doesn’t he want to come inside?”
“He said he’d rather stay with the rig.”
Millie shook her head. “I worry about him sometimes. He’s such a nice young man, but he al
ways seems to hang back in social settings.”
“He seems fairly outgoing to me,” Ariadne chimed in.
“I’m glad to hear it. He has to come out of his shell sometime or he’ll never settle down.” Millie shook her head again. “Well, that’s not for me to arrange. Would you like lemonade as well, or perhaps some tea?”
“Tea, please,” Regina and Ariadne said nearly in unison.
“We’re from England, so we must have our tea,” Ariadne added with a smile.
“I wish I had more of a selection to offer you,” Millie replied. “The stores here only carry the most basic kinds. I’ll be back in a moment with the tray.”
She bustled out of the room, and Reverend Bing sat forward with an expectant look on his face. “So, ladies, I’m certainly very curious to hear what brings you to my door.”
“We read your newspaper advertisement when we landed in New York,” Regina explained. “Are you still in search of people to help build up your community?”
He sat back with an astonished look on his face. “My advertisement made it all the way to New York? I never dreamed it would. Of course, Julianne Fontaine read it in Chicago, but that’s so much closer to here . . .” His voice sounded musing, and Regina was afraid they were losing his attention.
“It is rather amazing. We read the ad and felt as though we should come, so here we are. If you’re still in need, that is.”
“Of course we’re still in need, and we’re delighted to have you. Tell me, what are your skills?”
“Our skills?” Ariadne echoed.
“Yes. What contributions have you brought along with you? Are you teachers, seamstresses, nurses . . .?” He looked back and forth between them expectantly.
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