The WESTWARD Christmas BRIDES COLLECTION: 9 Historical Romances Answer the Call of the American West
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The door slid open. Evidently the doctor didn’t get it closed well. He started to rise when he heard Annie squeal with laughter, and listened, enjoying her delight. Suddenly the door flew back and she ran into the room. She skidded to a halt, blinked several times, and then smiled. “Pa!”
Annie rushed to him, and Cade lifted her up and hugged her, being careful not to hurt her arm.
“You got a owie.” She lifted her hand and touched the bandage.
“Yes, I do.” He reached for her little hand and kissed her fingers.
“Me got owie.” She lifted her injured arm, which rested in a sling, and beamed proudly. She pushed up and kissed his chin then resettled in his lap and gazed up at him. “Why you hiding?”
Because he was a coward? She would never understand his reasoning—that he only wanted to protect her. “Pa got hurt like you did and has been resting here.”
Content with his response, she cuddled up against him, increasing his guilt but filling his heart with delicious warmth. He needed her as much as she needed him. There had to be some other answer than relinquishing her.
A sudden thought tramped across his mind. What if he were to marry again? Not for love, but for Annie—and to help a woman in need like a widow with a child. Mail-order brides were not uncommon in Texas. Since he couldn’t work for the next few weeks, he could care for Annie and search ads until he found just the right woman. He needed to pray about it, but the thought wasn’t as appalling as he might have expected it to be. An image of Beth rushed across his mind, but he dismissed it. She had plans, and a refined city woman would never want to settle for a gruff blacksmith. Carl Peterson, a local farmer, had written back East to a woman who later came out and married him. They seemed happy and now had a passel of young’uns. He could do the same. He’d find a way to make it work. He lifted Annie up and snuggled his cheek against her head, relieved now that the decision had been made.
Lizzie ran into the room and halted. Her mouth dropped open, and then she grinned. “Mr. Max!” She jogged up to him and leaned against his knee. “You hurt your head?”
Beth followed, holding a hand to her lips. “Oh dear. The secret’s out.”
He flashed a wry smile and shrugged. “Yep.”
She leaned against the doorjamb, looking relieved. “Maybe it’s for the better.”
“Maybe so.”
Hope flared in Beth’s eyes. “Does this mean—”
“It doesn’t mean anything. It just happened, and I need time to rethink things.”
She nodded. “Do you feel up to joining us for lunch in the dining room? Mrs. Reinhardt just let us know the meal is ready.”
He thought about it for a moment. He still felt weak, but if he were going home tomorrow, he had to get up, and he was desperate to get out of this room. “I believe so.”
Beth’s warm smile was all the encouragement he needed. Cade kissed Annie. “You ready to eat?”
“You comin’, too?” Annie gazed up, her expression puckered.
She was worried—afraid to leave him. Afraid he’d disappear again. That was his fault.
“I don’t think you should carry her. You might be a bit unstable after being in bed for several days.”
Cade nodded and set Annie on the floor. “You walk with Lizzie, sweetie, and I’ll follow right behind you.”
She looked like she didn’t believe him, so Cade stood. The room shifted, and he reached for the table to steady himself. Beth hurried to his side and wrapped her arm around his waist. “Are you all right?”
“Just a bit dizzy. I didn’t expect that.” He cautiously opened his eyes, glad the room had stopped swirling.
“Do you need to sit?”
Both girls stared up at him with wide blue eyes. They looked enough alike that they could be sisters. He straightened, not wanting to frighten them. “I’m all right.”
“Why don’t we walk you into our sitting room? Then you can rest a moment before venturing to the dining room.”
His head buzzed—but not so much from pain or his unsteadiness as from Beth’s closeness. He glanced down, and she looked up, arching a brow. He held her gaze, and his heart pounded. When had he become infatuated with her? And he must be, because that was the only explanation for the way he felt with her at his side.
He saw her swallow and look away. “Do you feel up to walking into the other room?”
Cade wanted to say he’d walk around the world if she’d only stay at his side, but those weren’t words a blacksmith uttered. He settled for a nod.
By the time they reached the parlor sofa, Cade was ready for a rest. Sweat beaded his brow, and his headache intensified, but it was bearable.
Annie walked over and touched his knee. “C’mon, Pa. I hungry.”
“Just a minute, sweet thang. Pa’s resting.”
“Girls, come with me, and I’ll get you settled at the table. Then I’ll come back and help Mr. Maddox.”
“I’ll help him.” Beth’s father walked out of the bedroom, pulling on his jacket.
Disappointed, Cade flicked a glance at Beth and thought he saw the same expression on her pretty face. He sucked in a sharp breath. Dare he hope she might have feelings for him?
Chapter 7
Beth stared out the parlor windows. She ought to be happy that Cade was well enough to return home, but she missed him, even though he left only a few hours ago. She’d enjoyed talking with him over the past few days and watching him play with the girls once they’d discovered him in the bedroom. Lizzie had cried for the first time since they left New York when Cade and Annie returned home. Only the revelation that Cade had arranged to take meals with Mrs. Reinhardt and that they would see Lizzie at breakfast had gotten the tears to stop. The two girls got along as famously as if they’d known each other their whole lives. As if they were sisters. The thought brought tears to Beth’s eyes, and she searched for a distraction.
A wagon slowly made its way down Main Street, and two men stood outside the mercantile, chatting. Advent was a minuscule town compared to New York City, but there was a quiet charm to it. If she lived here, could she be happy? She’d miss the concerts, lectures, and parties she’d often attended, but not the constant flow and chatter of people. And there weren’t many women around.
When she left this town, she would miss Cade and Annie deeply—she already missed them. Both had sneaked in and wound around her heart like a vigorous vine, and she didn’t want to sever her link to them. She was delighted that Cade had changed his mind about keeping Annie, but his problem of who would watch her when he returned to work remained unsolved. Too bad the boardinghouse kept Mrs. Reinhardt so busy. She’d be a wonderful caretaker, and Annie loved the older woman and her constant supply of treats.
“I see you finally got that child to sleep.”
Beth spun around, startled by her poppa’s voice. “I thought you’d retired.” She crossed her arms. “Why do you insist on referring to Lizzie as ‘that child’? She has feelings, you know, and can sense you don’t like her. It’s sad, Poppa.”
He hung his head for a moment and looked up. “I distance myself from children because losing one is so hard.”
Beth deflated. “I’m sorry, but hearing you say that does help me to understand.” He blew out a breath. “I also got a bit fed up with those hooligan boys you brought with us.”
“That quartet was a handful.” She thought about the four boys—two sets of brothers—who’d constantly pestered the six girls on the train. She was thankful she found two couples, each willing to take in a pair.
“What’s going to happen if you don’t find a home for”—he cleared his throat—“Lizzie.”
Beth grinned at his use of the girl’s name then sobered. “I don’t know. I keep praying and asking around, but God hasn’t provided the right family yet.”
“Well, I’m certain He will.”
The picture of the family she imagined for Lizzie was that of her and Cade as parents and Annie for a sister. She swal
lowed the lump in her throat and turned her thoughts away. “Christmas will be here before long, and I don’t have any idea of a present for you. Is there anything you need, Poppa?”
He dropped down into a side chair. “I need to restock some of the medicines I’ve used while here and bandages. This town has a lot of sick and wounded people.”
“I don’t think it’s just the town. I heard people for several counties over have been coming to Advent because they heard a doctor was here.” Beth glanced at her father, who’d picked up a newspaper that Mrs. Reinhardt had received in the mail. Her heart increased its speed. “Maybe we should settle here and not go all the way to Arizona.”
“We should do as we planned.”
“But why? What’s in Arizona?”
He sighed and lowered the paper. “For one, I paid Everett Jones to find a house for us to rent with rooms below for my office. I thought you wanted to go there.”
Beth shrugged. “I didn’t mind so much. It rather sounded like an adventure at first, but things have changed—and you’re so needed here.”
“Once I’ve doctored everyone, business will slow.”
“But that’s true of anyplace.”
He blew out another breath and collapsed the paper into his lap. “What’s this all about, Elizabeth?”
Beth swallowed. He never used her full name unless he was upset or angry. She walked over and sat on the chair opposite him. How did she explain how she felt when she didn’t understand it herself? “Well, Poppa, you know how you’ve wanted me to marry now for several years?”
He nodded.
Heat suddenly warmed her cheeks. Was she actually going to tell him about her strong attraction to Cade? “Well, I think I have finally found the man for me.”
Poppa’s eyes widened. “When did that happen? Why didn’t you tell me? If I’d known you’d met someone, I’d never have insisted you leave New York.”
“I didn’t meet him there.”
Her father frowned. “Where, then?”
She stared at her lap, knowing he wasn’t going to like her response. He’d always talked about her marrying a well-educated man. A college professor or businessman who could support her well. “I met him here.”
He sat up. “In Advent?”
“Yes.” From his expression, Beth knew his mind was racing.
He sobered then narrowed his eyes. “Surely you don’t mean that blacksmith.”
Beth nodded. “Yes, Poppa. It’s Cade. I’ve developed feelings for him—and for Annie.”
He jumped from his seat like a man years younger. “That’s preposterous! He’s not at all the kind of man you need. I warned you about becoming attached to your patients.”
“It’s not that.” Beth stood so he wouldn’t tower over her. “I was already attracted to Cade before he got injured.” From the first time she met him when he strode into their temporary housing carrying the man who’d gotten injured when the bridge washed out, she’d had trouble keeping her eyes off the handsome, brawny man. Then she saw how much he loved Annie and how gentle he was with Lizzie, and she started caring for him on a deeper level. A man that strong and caring would deeply love and protect his family. He loved his daughter so much he was willing to let her go. That was a powerful love—the kind she longed for.
Her father took off his spectacles and polished them with his shirttail. “I think it’s time for us to leave. Tomorrow I’ll look into when the train will depart again.” He returned his spectacles to his face. “I’m going to bed. Good night, Beth.”
Stunned, she watched him make a beeline for his bedroom door. “What about Cade?”
He paused in the entrance and turned. “That man isn’t good enough for you.”
The next morning, Cade glanced down the length of Mrs. Reinhardt’s table at Beth. Gone were the happy smiles and sparkling eyes. She kept her head tucked and had barely acknowledged him when he came in. He’d been so anxious to see her again and to talk with her, but she practically ignored him. What had happened in the hours since he and Annie had left the boardinghouse?
Lizzie had parked next to Annie and had barely stopped jabbering long enough to take a bite. Dr. Ruskin, sitting at the far end of the big table, seemed so focused on his food that Cade wondered if he had a patient waiting. Beth glanced up and their gazes met. His pulse sped up. Her lips turned up in a sad smile.
What? he mouthed.
She shook her head and glanced at her father then stared at her plate as if she spied something profoundly interesting.
Cade sat back. What did that mean?
When the meal was over, Dr. Ruskin rose, mumbled something to Beth, then strode past Cade without looking at him. The man had never been friendly, but neither had he been rude. Baffled, Cade turned around from watching the man don his hat and leave to find Beth stooping down next to Annie’s chair and tickling the girl’s belly. Annie giggled and rubbed her stomach. Beth placed a kiss on his daughter’s blond hair then lifted her eyes to him. His heart bucked. He didn’t know how it had happened, but he’d come to care for her.
She moved closer. “I need to talk to you. Mrs. Reinhardt agreed to let the girls help her clear the table to give us a few moments alone. Let’s go into the parlor.”
Cade nodded his thanks to Mrs. Reinhardt—both for the fine breakfast and the time with Beth—then followed Beth from the room.
Instead of sitting on the sofa, she stopped in front of the wide window that looked onto Main Street and stared out with her arms crossed.
He waited a minute then stepped closer. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
She slowly turned and looked up with tears in her eyes. “Poppa is on his way to exchange our tickets so we can continue on our journey.”
Cade felt as if icy cold water had rushed off a roof and slid down his back. Beth was leaving? “When did he decide that?”
“Last night. Right after I asked him if we could stay here.”
Cade jerked his head up to look at her. Why would she want to stay in Advent … unless …
“Aren’t you going to say anything?” Beth rubbed her hands up and down her upper arms as if she were cold.
He cared for Beth, but did he love her? “I’m sorry.”
“That’s it? You’re sorry? But I thought—never mind.” She turned toward the window again.
“Do you have to go just because your father does? I mean, you’re a grown woman. You should be able to make your own decisions.”
She slid a glance his way but didn’t turn. “That’s easy for you to say. You’re a man with a way to support yourself.”
“Advent is small, but there must be something you could do to make a living.”
She swung toward him with hurt in her eyes. “I was hoping for something different. I’d better go get Lizzie. Mrs. Reinhardt is probably tiring of her and Annie’s help.” She spun and walked toward the door but paused in the entry. “I just wanted you to know that we’re leaving.”
Then she was gone.
Cade stared at the empty doorway. She was upset with him, but he didn’t know why. What had she wanted him to say? He’d suggested she stay. Had she wanted more?
He remembered her in his house with the aroma of beef filling each room, Lizzie at the table. He wanted to encounter that homey scene again, but he barely knew Beth. And still, she wouldn’t leave his mind day or night. The thought of her leaving town and him never seeing her again pained him, but did he love her?
Until he was positive of the answer to that, he couldn’t say the words she wanted to hear.
Heart breaking, Beth walked to the kitchen to get Lizzie. She found Mrs. Reinhardt seated in a chair with the girls on the floor, a large bowl of dried cranberries between them. Lizzie handed one up to the woman, who took it, stuck a needle in it, and pulled it down a long piece of thread.
Mrs. Reinhardt looked up and smiled. “The girls are so kind as to help me string some cranberries for the tree Mr. Maddox is getting for me. I just love Christmas. I hope
your family will still be here to help me celebrate. Christmas is more fun with little ones in the house.”
“My turn.” Annie waved a cranberry in the air.
Beth didn’t want to be the one to disappoint their kind landlady by telling her they were leaving soon, so she would allow Poppa to break the news. With Christmas less than a week away, Beth assumed they’d be traveling that day. Still, she could buy several small presents to make the day special. “Lizzie, we need to go to the mercantile.”
“Aww … Can’t I stay and help?”
Beth shook her head as heavy footsteps approached from behind. She tensed. Why couldn’t Cade read the affection in her gaze? She knew he had feelings for her because she’d caught his longing stares several times while he’d been recovering. But what she didn’t know was if his feelings ran as deep as hers. She reached out her hand to Lizzie, and the girl took it. “Thank you for watching the girls while we talked.”
Mrs. Reinhardt looked from her to Cade, her curiosity obvious.
“Yes, I’m obliged to you, ma’am. Annie, we need to go.”
The little girl stuck out her lower lip. “Me help.”
Cade squatted down. “You’ve been a good helper and that makes me proud, but now it’s time to go.”
“You can come back and help me another time.”
“Can I?” Lizzie bounced on her toes.
“Of course. In fact, why don’t you two help me decorate my tree once Mr. Maddox finds a good one?”
“Yay!” Both girls clapped and bounced on their toes.
Cade lifted Annie up and tipped his hat then turned and strode back through the dining room, rattling the cups and saucers on the sideboard, and marched out the front door. Beth sighed.
Mrs. Reinhart looked over the top of her spectacles. “I’m guessing things didn’t go as planned, huh?”
“Unfortunately, no.” Beth laid her hand on Lizzie’s shoulder, and the girl leaned against her as if sensing her dejection.
“Men can be denser than mules sometimes.”
In spite of her melancholy, Beth couldn’t help smiling.