Her last conscious thought was of the sweet peace soothing her soul.
Chapter Nineteen
On Thursday morning, Ty stopped by the Gazette. Camille was at the front counter, discussing an ad with the new tailor. Figuring it might be a while, Ty unbuttoned his heavy coat. He picked up a copy of the Fort Worth Daily Gazette and thumbed through it. He had one back at the office but hadn’t taken the time to read it yet.
It had rained heavily throughout North Texas. Dallas also had snow, sleet and freezing rain. The Houston & Texas Central was the only railroad centering at Dallas that was making anything resembling their schedule since the bad weather had set in.
Another article caught his eye. No mail from St. Louis and the east had been received in Dallas since Sunday. Trains were still abandoned on the Dallas branch of the Missouri Pacific, which had five miles of track and trestle underwater between Dallas and Denton.
Ty had already known about that since he hadn’t received any shipments all week and had checked on them by telegraph. The article mentioned another area of railroad that was unsafe, and the Trinity River was over a mile wide at Dallas, submerging the pike road and the bottoms west of the city.
He glanced over the top of the newspaper, watching Camille. The new tailor was German and had a heavy accent, but she paid close attention and seldom misunderstood what he said. When she did make a mistake, her sweet smile quickly banished any frustration on the gentleman’s part.
She looked different today. He couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was, but she seemed to have a glow he hadn’t noticed before. She glanced toward him and her smile grew softer, more tender. He caught his breath. She looked like a woman in love.
The tailor said something, drawing her attention again, and Ty lowered his gaze to the paper—right to a drawing of gums and teeth in the advertisement for a Dr. A. J. Lawrence, Dentist. Making a face, Ty closed the paper, folded it and set it on the counter.
Camille thanked the tailor for his business and looked at Ty. “Mr. Schroeder, have you met our mayor, Ty McKinnon?”
“Yes, he came to see me when I first opened the shop.”
Ty shook the other man’s hand. “It’s good to see you again, sir. I trust you’ve had some customers since I saw you.”
Schroeder nodded. “A start, but I can use more. This beautiful lady convinced me to advertise in her paper. Do you think that’s a good idea?”
“A very good idea.”
“Give it a few weeks, Mr. Schroeder,” said Camille. “Maybe even a month if the weather doesn’t clear up soon. With all the rain and snow folks have been staying close to home this past week.”
“Once it warms up, everyone will be anxious to shop. I’ll do my best to steer the gentlemen your way,” said Ty.
“My thanks. Now I must get back to work. Good day, Mayor. Miss Dupree.” Schroeder quietly left the office.
Ty moved down until he faced Camille. “Good morning.” He was tempted to lean across the counter and give her a kiss. Maybe he should. After all it was Valentine’s Day.
Her brow lifted delicately, and a knowing glint lit her eyes. “Good morning. You appear to be feeling better.”
“I am.” Ty rested his arms on the counter, leaning closer. “And you are incredibly lovely.” He searched her face and eyes. “Different somehow.”
“Really? It shows?”
“Something does.” Ty nodded toward the inner office. “Is Ralph in?”
“No. He’s touring town to see if there have been any damages from the rain and snow. Would you like to come into the office?”
“Yes.” Ty walked around the end of the counter, nodded a greeting to the typesetter, and followed Camille into the office she shared with Mr. Hill. He caught a fleeting expression of surprise on her face when he shut the door. “Do you mind?”
“No.” She watched him every step of the way as he crossed the room to stand in front of her. “God loves me,” she said softly. “Jesus, too.”
Joy swept through him. “That’s why you’re glowing this morning.”
She laughed and hugged him. “I don’t know about that. I just know I’m happier and more at peace than I’ve ever been in my life.”
Of course, he put his arms around her and hugged back. “Do you want to tell me about it?”
“I couldn’t sleep and then I heard Nola up, so I went downstairs. She couldn’t sleep, either. This weather makes her ache, poor thing. We talked for a while.” A sparkle lit her eyes. “A little about you. More about Jesus and God. I admitted that it was hard for me to believe that God loves me. She told me to go upstairs and ask Him if He loves me.”
“Did you?”
“No, I was afraid. I don’t know what I expected. I certainly didn’t think He would talk to me or anything, but if I asked and nothing happened…”
“It would have been very painful.”
“So, I told God that maybe we could talk about it today. Isn’t that awful?”
He chuckled and pulled her a tiny bit closer. “We all do that on occasion, especially when we figure it’s something He wants to deal with and we don’t want Him to. So you talked to Him this morning?”
“Yes, but in the middle of the night, too. This sounds crazy, but I think God figured I might not ever work up the courage to ask Him if He loves me. So He took matters into His own hands.”
Ty listened in amazement as she told him about her dream, how Jesus had come to meet her and take away her sins. His eyes misted as he considered God’s mercy and grace by reaching out to her in such a personal way.
“I woke up right after the dream.” Her voice dropped to barely more than a whisper. “I felt as if He was right there with me. I felt His love surrounding me.” Moisture glistened in her eyes, but Ty sensed they were tears of joy and reverence. “I still feel Him with me.” She laid her hand on her heart. “In here.”
“Then it’s the joy of the Lord that I see in your face, in your smile.” He gathered her close and held her gently. “That’s the most beautiful testimony I’ve ever heard.”
She laid her cheek against his chest. “I love Him so much, Ty. I knew I felt empty inside, but I didn’t realize how big that hole was until He filled it.”
“That I understand. I still remember the night I asked Him to be Lord of my life. I haven’t been the same.” He eased away from her. “This seems kind of minor, now, but I have something for you.”
Reaching inside his suit jacket, he took out the card he’d spent half an hour selecting at the store. It didn’t say exactly what he wanted it to, but all the others said too much. Though his feelings for Camille grew deeper every day, he didn’t know if he was in love with her. He definitely wasn’t ready to say anything about it.
“Happy Valentine’s Day.” He held out the simple brown envelope containing the card.
She stared at the envelope, then lifted her gaze to meet his. He couldn’t begin to discern the emotions sweeping across her face.
“A Valentine?” she whispered. “For me?”
“Yes.” He hoped she wasn’t expecting something declaring his everlasting love. God, please don’t let her be disappointed. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she took it from his hand. “No one has ever given me a Valentine before.” She opened the envelope and carefully slid out the card. Her mouth formed a silent “Oh.”
He desperately wished he’d found one that said something better than accept this tribute of my sincere regard.
“Ty, it’s beautiful,” she said in hushed awe. She traced her fingertip around the paper lace and bright flowers. “How can they make something so delicate without tearing it?” Pausing, she read the printed sentiment, then the simple wish for a happy day and his signature that he’d put on the inside.
Ty cringed. “The wording is a little lame. It doesn’t quite say what I wanted it to.”
“It’s perfect. I treasure your regard, Ty. I truly do. If it were more sentime
ntal, I wouldn’t have believed it. After all, we’ve only known each other two weeks.”
“Is that all? It seems like forever.”
“Yes, it does.” She looked at the card again, pleasure written all over her face. “Thank you.” Throwing her arms around his neck, she surprised him with a kiss.
“Maybe I should give you one of these every day.”
“Nope. Then it wouldn’t be so special.” She moved backward a step and turned toward her desk. Propping the card against a couple of books, she admired it with a happy smile.
Ty wished he could always make her so happy. “I’d intended to bring you a box of chocolates, too. But the last shipment was smashed, and the new order hasn’t arrived.” He withdrew a small bag of stick candy from his coat pocket. “These will have to do.”
Camille laughed and took the bag from him, opening it eagerly. “It will do nicely—at least until more chocolates arrive. Thank you, kind sir. Would you care for one?” She held the open bag toward him.
“No thanks. Might spoil my dinner. Speaking of which, would you like to eat at Trotter’s with me? They’re having their grand opening today.”
“I’d love to.”
“I’ll come by a little before noon. I’ve already reserved a table, so we shouldn’t have any problem getting a seat.” He buttoned up his coat and moved to the door.
She followed him, giving him a sweet smile as he left. He didn’t realize until he opened the door to the store that he had been whistling a jaunty tune since he left the Gazette.
They fell into a comfortable routine of dining together at noon and attending church on Sundays, along with Nola. He still ate at Nola’s every Wednesday evening and visited there many other evenings as well. Sometimes they played dominoes or simply chatted. Other times, when Camille had a particular question or had come across something in the Bible that she didn’t understand, they spent the evening discussing it.
After over a week of freezing temperatures, the weather warmed up and the snow and ice melted. The trains from the east finally began running to Dallas again, and he was able to replenish his dwindling supplies at the store.
Camille wrote an interesting and humorous article for the paper about her experiences in the snow, as well as those of other folks. People complimented her for days. He wasn’t sure who was prouder—her or him.
He watched her blossom in her job, praised God as Jessie and other new acquaintances became friends and admired her loyalty to Nate and Bonnie. It was difficult to imagine that she had spent most of her life in such an opposite fashion.
Ty took her out to the ranch, chuckling as she willingly fed the chickens but refused to gather the eggs. He didn’t blame her a bit. Those old hens liked to peck. He taught her how to drive a horse and buggy, an adventure that took them far enough from the house and curious eyes to steal a few kisses.
The next Sunday morning, after a particularly moving sermon, the minister asked if anyone wanted to accept Jesus or to come forward and publicly acknowledge their belief in Him for the first time. Camille was the second person down the aisle. He wasn’t the only one to notice the radiance on her face as she shared about finding Jesus and the joy He brought her. No one could doubt that her testimony was heartfelt.
March arrived with unusually warm days and the promise of the coming spring. As the days passed, Ty’s feelings for Camille deepened, and he accepted the undisputable fact that he was in love. He couldn’t be positive about Camille’s feelings, though she certainly seemed to hold him in high regard and deep affection. He wasn’t quite ready to take the leap and proclaim himself. Perhaps he was a coward, but he simply wanted to enjoy their courtship a while longer.
One day he quietly realized that he was no longer angry or bitter toward God over Amanda’s and the baby’s deaths. The ache was still there, but he supposed that would always be with him. For the first time since he’d lost them, he truly believed life was good.
And it was only going to get better.
Chapter Twenty
On Monday, March tenth, Ty saw Cade and Jessie off on the train to Dallas where they were to attend the Cattlemen’s Convention. Early that evening, Nate threw open the door to the store, rattling the glass. “Ty, your livery is on fire!” He only paused long enough to shout the warning before running next door.
Ty dropped a stack of shirts, bolted out the door and down the street, followed by Ed and everyone else in the store. His heart lurched at the sight before him. Flames shot up the wagon-yard side of the building, engulfing practically the whole wall. The terrified shrieks of the horses pinned in their stalls spurred him to run with all his might.
Two horses raced out the large open doors, followed by the stable manager. Joe stumbled and fell to his knees, coughing and gasping for air. Several bystanders hurried to his aid, dragging him away from the fire.
Ransom and Quint met Ty thirty feet from the blaze. “I have to get the horses out.” Ty ripped off his jacket and dunked it in a nearby water trough. “Has anybody gone for the fire wagon?”
“I see them coming.” The bell on the hand-drawn wagon announced the impending arrival of the fire hose. Ransom shed his jacket and dipped it in the water, too.
Quint grabbed it out of his hands. “I’ll help Ty. You get people organized. They’ve never had to fight a fire.”
Ransom nodded and started giving orders. “Make way for the fire wagon. Move away from the hydrant. Give them room to hook up the hose. You men, get some buckets and blankets.” He pointed at a handful of other men. “Get those wagons and buggies out of the yard.”
Ty threw the wet jacket over his head. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Quint do the same. Please, God, protect us. Help us get those animals out of there. He took a deep breath and using a wet coat sleeve to shield his face, he rushed through the doorway. Quint was right behind him.
The smoke was thick and dark, but the spreading flames cast an eerie glow throughout the building. When he was forced to take another breath, the intense heat and smoke stung his lungs. He jerked open the door to the first stall, stepping back out of the way as Dusty raced for safety. Another horse followed right behind him.
At the next stall, he had to slap the horse with his jacket to get it moving in the right direction. The third horse had almost broken the stall door down. As Ty’s fingers closed on the latch, she kicked the door and almost knocked him off his feet. “Easy girl.”
Dragging in a smoky breath, Ty wished he’d kept his mouth shut. Coughing, he fumbled with the latch, stumbling back out of the way as it swung open and the horse dove out. For a second, she went the wrong way, then spun around, slamming him against the stall wall, before she raced out the main doors.
Ty groaned and grabbed the doorjamb to keep from falling.
Two other horses raced by.
“You all right?” Quint appeared at his side, then doubled over with a fit of coughing.
Ty straightened. “Yeah. Go.” He pushed Quint toward the door and waited a few seconds to see if he could make it. When he figured he would, Ty felt his way through the thick smoke to the last stall. Buttercup. Joanna Watson’s sweet little mare, the most docile, shyest horse of the lot. Though she stomped and cried out in fear, she’d backed into the corner. She didn’t budge when Ty opened the door.
He took the wet coat from over his head and shoulders, and eased into the stall, holding back a cough with every ounce of willpower he possessed. He threw the coat over her head, covering her eyes, grabbed a fistful of mane and led her toward freedom.
The heat scorched the back of his hands and his neck. Unable to breathe, he pulled an edge of the coat over his mouth and nose, hoping it would filter out some of the smoke. It was enough to keep him on his feet as they made for the door. Water streamed from his raw eyes. Through the haze of smoke and tears he barely could see the outline of the big double doors.
He heard a crackling overhead and looked up. Fire swirled along the roof, chunks of burning wood dropping do
wn into the hayloft above them. A fiery board fell, hitting his arm. He jerked away, clenching his teeth against the pain and dodged the board as it hit the ground.
They cleared the doorway, the horse dragging him from the building when his legs turned to rubber. Fighting for air, Ty was vaguely aware of hands reaching for him, arms going around his waist to hold him up and of being pulled away from the smoke. Someone threw a rope around Buttercup’s neck and led her to safety.
Collapsing on the ground, Ty sat up, struggling for air. Every breath seared his lungs and triggered more coughing. Suddenly, Camille was beside him, kneeling in the street. She handed him a cup of water, then helped him hold it to his mouth and drink. He repaid her kindness by coughing and spewing water all over her. “Sorry,” he rasped.
“Don’t be.” Putting her arms around him, she held him close, letting him lean on her for support. “You’re safe. That’s all that matters.” He felt her shudder. “I was so afraid you wouldn’t come out of there.”
He looked up at her face, his heart aching at the tears rolling down her cheeks. “Don’t cry, sweetheart,” he whispered. It was all he could manage. Resting his head on her shoulder, he closed his stinging eyes.
“Don’t tell me not to cry, Ty McKinnon. You scared the life out of me.” She sniffed and angrily wiped her nose on her sleeve. “A woman has a right to cry when the man she loves goes dashing into a burning building.”
It was a second before her words sank in. It took a great deal of effort, but he looked up at her face again. “You love me?”
“Yes, I love you.” Scowling, she sounded downright mad about it. “More’s the pity since you’ll probably always go charging into fires or helping Ransom chase after desperadoes, bent on being a hero.”
“Couldn’t let the horses die.” Ty touched her cheek with his fingertips, leaving a trail of black soot. He couldn’t let the moment pass. She was right. He might have been killed in that livery, and she never would have known what was in his heart. “I love you, too, Camille.”
Twice Blessed Page 18