Rose and Emma glanced at each other. They knew she wasn’t telling the truth.
Granny finally thought it was best to be direct. “Do you know of Frank’s past, my dear?”
“The judge dismissed all charges against Frank. He was innocent or the judge wouldn’t have done that,” Leigh said.
“I can assure you that my brother was not innocent,” Rose said.
“Frank told me he wasn’t guilty.”
“I don’t mean to be an intrusive old woman, but you seem like such a lovely young woman, and I can’t understand why you would trust your future to Frank. Frank is my grandson, but he has not led the kind of life that would be advantageous for a young woman,” Granny said.
“Frank loves me and I love him,” Leigh said.
Seeing she was having no impact warning her about Frank, Granny changed tactics. “I understand you were shot during the robbery in Denver.”
“Yes, ma’am, and Frank helped me through my recovery,” Leigh replied.
“How did you get shot?” Emma asked.
Leigh hesitated. “I was coming from the bank when I saw Frank and I stopped to talk to him. The robbery happened right at that moment.”
“I understand Frank’s wife was killed at the same time. That must have been terrible for you,” Granny said.
“Yes, it was terrible.” Leigh pulled her handkerchief from her reticule and held it to her eyes.
* * *
Clay walked into the restaurant and his eyes immediately zeroed in on Emma. He didn’t know if she would chop his head off, but he decided he would stop and say hello to her. Just a few feet from the table, he noticed the other woman at the table along with Rose and Granny. He almost turned around when he saw Leigh, but Sweetie spotted him and ran to greet him. Once everyone at the table turned to see him, he had to stop and say hello.
“Clay, how nice to see you. Why don’t you join us?” Granny asked.
He removed his hat and acknowledged the women with a nod, his eyes lingering on Emma longer than the others. “I don’t want to intrude on your conversation.”
Emma tried not to look at him, but she couldn’t help herself. She really wanted to know if he was looking at Leigh King. When she glanced up at him, he was looking directly at her.
“You aren’t intruding. Please sit with us,” Granny insisted.
The only empty seat was between Emma and Leigh. He had a feeling he was going to regret this decision, but he pulled the chair out and sat down.
“Mrs. King was telling us how she came to be shot in that bank robbery,” Granny said.
“It’s a blessing that you survived a bullet wound,” Clay said politely. He didn’t want to say anything that would keep him in the doghouse with Emma.
“I’m very fortunate. I was just saying how Frank helped me during my recovery,” Leigh said.
Clay bristled each time Leigh said something complimentary about Frank. Maybe someone needed to tell her the truth. “Did Frank tell you how we met?”
“No, he didn’t. I know he was upset yesterday when he saw us together, but he thought . . . well, he thought something he shouldn’t have.” She wanted Clay to think that Frank thought she was interested in him. She’d made it no secret that she liked handsome men, and the pastor was definitely attractive. And she did want Frank to know she found Clay attractive. “How did you meet him?”
“Rose and I were traveling from Boston on the same stagecoach. We stopped on the trail and were about to witness Frank’s hanging, but Rose asked Morgan to take Frank to jail instead of hanging him. There was an accident and Rose was injured, and Frank rode away without any concern over the welfare of his sister.” Clay didn’t soften his words. It was time Leigh understood the kind of man she was taking for a companion.
Leigh stared at him for a moment before her eyes skittered over Frank’s family. “Frank has told me he’s done some things he’s not proud of, but I know he loves me.”
Everyone was silent for a moment, and Clay turned to Emma, and said, “Did you tell your family I’m taking you to Denver next week for your performance?”
Emma hadn’t told him he could take her to Denver. But considering how direct he was with Mrs. King, she found her attitude softening toward him. “No, it completely slipped my mind.”
“You have another performance?” Granny said.
“Yes, but we will be performing again on the Saturday before Christmas, so it’s not necessary for you to attend this one. It will be the same performance as our last one.”
“Christmas will be here before we know it, and we have a lot to do before then,” Rose said.
“I would love to see your performance,” Leigh said.
Emma thought if Clay invited her along she would find a different way to Denver. Without a doubt, Leigh King was not being truthful. The woman was well aware that Frank was an outlaw. Not only that, but Emma felt Mrs. King was definitely involved in that robbery. Everyone else might believe her fake tears, but Emma wasn’t buying them. She couldn’t wait to hear what Granny had to say. Even though Granny was inclined to want to believe the best in everyone, she also had a knack for sensing deceit.
Clay remained silent, so Emma said, “You should have Frank take you to Denver.”
“I will see what he says,” Leigh replied.
“Clay, will we have a late sermon next Sunday since you are taking Emma to Denver?” Granny asked.
“I haven’t asked Emma, but if she doesn’t mind, we will be coming back that night.” Clay glanced at Emma and waited for a response.
“That would be fine with me. I appreciate your offer, but I will need to leave early Saturday so we have time to rehearse.”
“I don’t mind. I’m delighted to see another performance,” Clay responded.
“It may not be as appealing as the first time you heard it.” Clay smiled at her. “I assure you, if it is half as good as your last performance, it is worth hearing again. I will gladly be your escort for the later performance, too.” He thought he deserved a medal since he’d made it clear to everyone at the table he wanted to escort Emma to Denver. Even Emma couldn’t say he was trying to woo Mrs. King.
Emma didn’t know what to make of his solicitous behavior. When he sat down, she’d expected him to give his undivided attention to Mrs. King, but it was quite the opposite. “That may not be convenient for you. I will need to go to Denver a few days before that performance. We haven’t rehearsed the songs and we will need some time to practice.”
“I will be happy to take you to Denver, return home, and come back for the performance.” Clay’s intention was to prove to Emma that he wasn’t interested in Mrs. King for any other purpose than helping her escape Frank’s clutches.
* * *
Lunch ended and everyone said their good-byes. Granny, Emma, and Rose left to do some shopping and Clay left the hotel with them.
When they reached the mercantile, Granny said, “Morgan is at the sheriff’s office visiting with Jack.”
“Then I will say good-bye to you ladies here and visit with the men.” Clay tipped his hat, and winked at Emma.
As soon as Clay was far enough away to keep from overhearing, Emma said, “Well, Granny, what do you think of Mrs. King?”
Granny stopped just outside the mercantile and turned to her granddaughters. “Sadly, I think she was involved with that bank robbery, just as Morgan and Jack said. It pains me to say something like that about such a lovely young woman, but there it is.”
“I thought the same thing,” Rose added. “She didn’t really shed one tear, even though she did try to convince us otherwise.”
“I noticed the same thing. She’s definitely in on it with Frank,” Emma agreed. “And I doubt she will be going to Denver. Frank doesn’t want her there.”
“The real question is, why does he keep going back to Denver?” Granny asked.
* * *
Once the women left the mercantile, Emma needed to go to the telegraph office to send a te
legram to Carlo informing him of the time she would be arriving on Saturday for their rehearsal. They were walking down the sidewalk when Emma saw Clay across the street walking with Leigh King. They were going in the direction of the church, and Mrs. King had her arm looped though Clay’s.
In Emma’s estimation, they looked very absorbed in their conversation. “I guess he couldn’t stay away from her long.”
Not having seen Clay, Rose and Granny gave Emma a perplexed look. Emma pointed across the street. “It looks like they are having a serious conversation.”
“Now don’t jump to conclusions. She may have sought him out. Maybe she needs to discuss something and would feel more at ease if she discussed it in the church,” Granny said.
Emma rolled her eyes.
Chapter Thirteen
The night before Emma was expected in Denver for her next performance, she was in the kitchen helping Rose and Granny with dinner. As she was carrying food to the table, she noticed an additional table setting. “Are we having company for dinner?”
“I guess I forgot to mention that Morgan asked Clay for dinner. Morgan knew he was taking you to Denver tomorrow, so he invited him to spend the night. That way, you two can leave as early as you need,” Rose said.
“Yes, you did forget to mention that to me,” Emma said. She’d been so excited Clay was going to take her to Denver, right up to the moment when she stepped out of the mercantile and saw him escorting Mrs. King to the church. “I had planned on asking someone else to take me tomorrow.”
“At lunch you allowed Clay to think he was taking you,” Granny said. “It would be ill-mannered of you to offend him by asking someone else.”
“Why would you want to ask someone else?” Rose asked.
“I think he has better things to do than to ride me back and forth to Denver.” Such as escort Leigh King around town, she thought. Maybe she should suggest he take Mrs. King to Denver since she wanted to see the performance.
“If he had better things to do, he wouldn’t have offered,” Granny replied.
Hearing a knock on the front door, their conversation ended.
“Emma, would you get the door?” Rose asked.
Emma tightened her lips at the suggestion. “I know what you two are trying to do, but it is not going to work. The pastor and I have about as much in common as I would have with a rattler.”
Granny laughed. “That sharp tongue of yours has often reminded me of a rattler.”
Emma couldn’t help but smile as she left the kitchen. Before she reached the door, it opened, and Morgan and Clay walked in together.
“Look who I found on the porch,” Morgan said.
Clay removed his hat and smiled at Emma. “Hello.”
“Hello,” Emma replied unenthusiastically.
Hearing Clay’s voice, Sweetie scampered from the kitchen and ran to Clay.
Clay gave Sweetie his usual ear rub, thinking at least Sweetie was glad to see him, if not Emma.
“Is dinner ready?” Morgan asked.
“Yes,” Emma said.
“Good, I’m starving.” Morgan walked ahead toward the kitchen, leaving Emma with Clay.
“How was the shopping trip?” Clay asked.
“Good.” She wanted to ask him if he’d spent his day with Mrs. King.
“Did you buy me a Christmas gift?” It surprised Clay how he enjoyed baiting her. He hadn’t teased a woman in a long time.
“I did not,” Emma said.
“Don’t you plan on giving me a present?” Clay saw the blush rising up her neck. Emma wasn’t as indifferent being teased by a man as she wanted everyone to believe.
Emma didn’t know what to make of his flirtatious manner. “I hadn’t given it a thought.”
Clay leaned in to her ear and whispered, “I like homemade cookies.”
Emma couldn’t walk to the kitchen fast enough. It was a new experience having a man fluster her. She’d always managed to have a witty comeback, but her mind went totally blank when Clay teased her. “If you want dinner, you’ll follow me to the kitchen.”
Clay chuckled. “Yes, ma’am.”
After dinner, Clay offered to wash dishes. “Maybe I can talk Emma into drying.”
“Thank you, Clay, but you are our guest,” Rose said.
“I want to help.” He glanced at Morgan, silently telling him to get Rose out of the kitchen.
Morgan got the message. “I appreciate that, Clay. I can spend some more time with my wife tonight.”
Emma noticed no one asked what she preferred. When everyone left the room, Clay stood and gathered the dishes.
“I should have asked if you prefer to wash or dry.” He’d often helped his wife in the kitchen. No, he wasn’t going to think about Violet tonight.
“I can do both,” Emma said. “You can go on in the parlor and relax.”
Her words landed like a bucket of cold water on his thoughts. “I know you can do both, but I want to help.”
“Have it your way. You can wash.” She thought men hated washing dishes.
Clay considered her indifferent mood tonight. She had been very friendly at lunch the last time he saw her, but tonight she hadn’t strung together more than a few words each time he said something to her. She was a hard one to figure out. He rolled up his sleeves and pumped water into the sink. “Why don’t you tell me about some of your travels?”
Emma placed the dishes she was carrying on the counter. “I doubt that would interest you very much.”
Clay put one long arm on the counter next to her and leaned around to look into her eyes, and said, “It interests me.”
Emma felt as though she couldn’t catch her breath. Her gaze traveled from his eyes to his mouth. He was grinning at her. A flirty, lopsided grin. Almost as if he knew she was thinking he was the most attractive man she’d ever laid eyes on. “Why?”
“Why what?” he asked.
“Why does it interest you?”
He moved an inch closer. “You interest me.”
She blinked. “Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why do I possibly interest you?”
Clay’s grin grew wider. “Do you always ask so many questions?”
“Only when things don’t make sense,” she replied.
She was truly a perplexing woman. “What doesn’t make sense?”
“Why you seem to have an interest in me. That is, until Mrs. King always happens along. Are you the kind of man who simply enjoys flirting with women?”
“Why, Emma, do you think I’m flirting with you?”
What did he think he was doing leaning down so close to her face that she could see the gold flecks in his beautiful eyes? “Aren’t you?” If he wasn’t a pastor, she might be inclined to pull his face to hers and give him a kiss he wouldn’t soon forget. That would probably shock him all the way back to his pulpit.
“I guess I am. But I don’t flirt with Mrs. King.”
“You two certainly seem to have a lot to say to each other,” Emma said.
“You were sitting right beside me at lunch. You heard every word I said,” he said.
“We saw you after we left the mercantile. You were walking down the sidewalk with Mrs. King, arm in arm. You seemed very engrossed in your conversation. So much so that you certainly didn’t notice us.”
So that was what had a bee in her bonnet tonight. “I didn’t seek her out. She was going to the church and saw me on the sidewalk going the same way.”
Emma thought he smoothly evaded what they were talking about. “It seems you two are destined to be together.”
“I don’t know what you mean by destined to be together. She said she had some things to discuss, so we walked to the church together. Nothing more.”
Again, he didn’t say what they discussed. “Frank doesn’t want her around you, so why are you provoking him?” She thought she knew the answer to that question. He was attracted to the woman, plain and simple.
Clay moved away, leaned his h
ip against the counter, and folded his arms over his chest. “Why don’t you tell me why I should be concerned about what Frank thinks?”
She looked at him as though he’d lost his mind. “For one reason, he called you out. For another reason, he’s not above shooting you in the back. You seem to forget he’s dangerous.”
“I haven’t forgotten anything. I was on that stagecoach with your sister when Frank threatened her life. But I can’t live my life worried about what Frank might do. That young woman is in need of help, and it is my duty to help her if possible. I am the pastor of this town. I won’t place my responsibilities aside because I worry that Frank won’t like what I say or do.”
“Do you intend to get in a shoot-out with him?” Emma demanded.
“Of course not. That goes against everything I believe now.” Clay had faced those demons when he was searching for Culpepper and Taggart. He wasn’t that man any longer. At least, that’s what he kept telling himself.
The man was beyond frustrating. “How do you plan to defend yourself against him? If he hears you are spending time with his woman, you can bet he will come after you. Your Bible won’t stop his bullet.”
He searched her eyes. “Is it Frank you’re worried about, or is it something else?”
“I know my brother. But I also know Mrs. King and Frank were involved in that robbery together.”
“How do you know that?”
Emma threw her hands in the air. She wasn’t going to change his mind. He didn’t want to believe what was in front of his face. “For heaven’s sake, the woman cries fake tears. You can bet she’s up to her pretty little neck in that robbery.”
“I think Frank was involved, but I don’t believe she was.” Clay replayed in his mind everything Leigh had told him. She’d discussed that day at the bank when Frank’s wife got shot. Leigh seemed truly distraught over the whole ordeal. He thought she was indeed a young woman in need of some guidance.
“Then tell me why she doesn’t go to Denver with Frank.”
“You know she doesn’t want to face the judge. She felt safe with Frank, and that was why she left with him.” Clay had revealed more than he’d intended.
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