Mountain Dreams Series: Books 1 - 3: Mountain Dreams Box Set 1

by Misty M. Beller

  Gideon climbed from the wagon and reached for her with both hands. “We can go in and talk to the sheriff first. He’ll probably send someone out to get these three.”

  Leah gripped Gideon’s shoulders and allowed him to lift her down. The craving to lean into his chest and feel his powerful arms around her again was so strong, she had to grip the side of the wagon to hold herself back.

  With a hand at the small of her back, Gideon guided her around the horses and up the few stairs to the wood door. He stuck his head in the building first, before steering her inside. It had been so long since she’d been able to simply follow—have someone else lead and make decisions and do all the talking.

  She allowed Gideon to take over now, speaking to the sheriff, relaying the day’s events—including the run-in he’d apparently had with Jenson the night before. She didn’t have to say much until the end, when the sheriff turned his bushy grey brows on her.

  “And, Miss Townsend, do you have any idea why these men kidnapped you?”

  She hated this part of the story, but it had to be told. Nodding, she summoned moisture into her dry mouth and started from the beginning—when her father signed a contract to marry her off to seal a business partnership with Simon Talbert, the owner of the largest oil distillery in the southeast.

  It felt good, really, telling her side of the story at last. She’d not even told Gideon or Miriam all the details before now. A glance at Gideon as she finished, though, revealed a firm jaw and a prominent blue vein running down his temple.

  “If you need to confirm my story, Sheriff, you can wire my father’s steward in Richmond.” She paused. “I’d rather you not do that unless you must, though. I’m sure Simon knows I’m in Butte City from his friends, but I’d rather not open the possibility for any more info about me to get back to him.”

  “I don’t think that’ll be necessary. I should be able to get what I need from the sheriff in Richmond. He’ll be takin’ Talbert into custody soon, I’m sure.”

  He turned to another man sitting behind the wood desk. “Tommy, you wanna help me get these jailbirds unloaded?”

  The sheriff turned and reached for his hat from a peg on the wall.

  Leah spoke up. “You’ll be needing a doctor for them. All three men have bullet wounds, and Mr. Walters has an arrow in his leg.”

  The sheriff turned to her with one brow arched. “I’m afraid that won’t matter, ma’am. There’s not a doctor within four hours ride of here. We’ll take care of ‘em, though.”

  Leah froze, her mind flashing back to the blood oozing from Jenson’s shoulder. “But they need medical care. Are you trained to sterilize wounds and stop bleeding?”

  The man shrugged. “No formal training, but we’ve had plenty of practice.” With that, he settled his hat on his head, and left the building with the man Tommy close on his heels.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  “You sure you won’t eat supper with us?”

  Leah leaned against the wagon while Gideon clasped Ol’ Mose’s hand. “The least I can do is buy you dinner.”

  “No, sirree. I need to get this wagon over to the dry goods store so they can unload before closin’ time.”

  Gideon stepped back beside Leah and slipped his arm around her waist again. He’d not let her stray more than three or four feet since he’d first tied the men in the woods. She wasn’t complaining, though.

  “All right then. But make sure you stop by the cabin next time you come through, and we’ll make sure you get a good meal.”

  Ol’ Mose’s toothy grin flashed. “If Miss Leah’s cookin’, I’ll take you up on that one.”

  The old man turned to climb back in his wagon, and Gideon guided her toward the café. Inside, the homey aroma of beef and gravy almost took the last bit of energy from Leah’s limbs. She was more famished than she’d been aware.

  Gideon spoke to a man near the door, who showed them to a table, then he helped her collapse into a chair. What she wouldn’t do to lay her head on the table right here. But that wasn’t an option, even in this uncivilized town.

  Gideon ordered for them both. She needed to put forth some effort, but she was so very tired… Her mind slipped into a daze as their voices hummed.

  “Leah.” Gideon’s voice poured over her like honey on a sore throat. “Leah.” His hand nudged her shoulder. It was more of a push, really, and not as gentle as she would have expected. She raised her head to frown at him. Why was her cheek wet? With effort, she forced her eyes open. What in the world?

  Gideon stared at her, his emerald gaze sympathetic. She touched her cheek. Her hand came away covered with white goo and some kind of brown gelatinous substance. She looked back at Gideon. What was going on? The sympathy was gone from his eyes, replaced by a twinkle, accentuated by the quirk of his mouth.

  “It’s mashed potatoes and gravy. Try it.”

  She had no idea what he was talking about, but she gave him a dark look anyway. He pulled his hand away and leaned back in his chair.

  “You fell asleep at dinner. I was going to let you rest for a while, but then your head landed in your plate.” He leaned forward again and swiped a finger across her cheek, then slipped the lump of fluffy potatoes into his mouth. “Mmmm… You should have a bite.”

  The corners of her mouth pulled. Was Gideon actually teasing her? She scooped her own finger-full of potatoes from her face, then tasted. They were still warm, and reminded her stomach she’d not eaten since breakfast.

  Leah wiped her warm cheeks with the cloth, keeping her gaze averted from Gideon’s face. What must he think? She ate the rest of the food in front of her, forcing her eyes to focus on her plate so she didn’t doze again.

  When all remnants of the meal had disappeared, Leah sat back in her chair and touched the napkin to her lips a final time.

  Gideon watched her, his face a mixture of emotions. Amusement mixed with…intensity? She would love to know what was going through that mysterious mind of his. Another day. When she was strong enough to hold her head up.

  “Let’s get you back to your room for the night.” Gideon rose and helped her from her chair. Pulled her up, really. The walk from the café to the boarding house was a long two blocks, and she was ever so thankful he kept a strong arm under her elbow.

  They stopped to speak to Mr. Watson at the desk in the foyer, but they could have been discussing her gravestone, and she wouldn’t have cared. Not right now. She was so tired…

  ~

  Gideon watched the door to Leah’s room close, listening for the latch to click in place. The wall opposite the door beckoned, so he sank against it for a minute. He needed some time to process.

  Leah had been so exhausted. Had she heard him say not to leave her chamber until he came to get her? It was a huge relief that the boarding house had another room available for him, right at the end of this hall.

  He released a long breath of pent-up air, then ran a hand down the front of his face, stopping to rub his chin. Three days’ growth of beard was starting to itch in full force.

  What was happening to him? He’d been gone from the ranch for a day and a half now. Miriam was by herself at the cabin. No one had checked on the cattle and horses. And here he was in Butte, not about to leave town until he could talk this Easterner into going back to the ranch with him. Had he lost his mind? How had his priorities shifted so sharply? He pushed off from the wall and headed down the hall to room five. He needed to figure some things out tonight.

  After slipping out of his boots and cleaning up a bit, Gideon should have gone to bed. But he went to stand at the window. The streets were dark on this side of town, which was a good thing considering what bright lights meant at this time of night. The view only brought back memories of the fear he’d felt watching Jenson toss Leah into the wagon outside the old mine. Gideon turned from the window and began to pace.

  He’d fallen hard for her, there was no denying that now. When he’d been married to Jane, his love had been sturdy and
wholesome. He had provided for her and protected her—at least until the end, when he’d failed miserably at the protecting part. The vision of her swollen and blackened arm flashed through his mind again, pressing on his chest the way it usually did. He pushed it aside—hard.

  Why had he married Jane, though? He surely had a good reason, at the time. It must have been for Miriam. Yes, that’s right. To be a companion for Miriam, and help her with the cabin and ranch. Jane had done a decent job at that. She’d been generally helpful, if a bit timid, but the two girls had never gotten really close. Not like Leah and Miriam.

  In truth, everything was different about Leah. She consumed him. She was part of every thought, drove most of his actions, made him want to do better, be better. It scared him how important she had become.

  And now he’d almost lost her. Just like everyone else who had been important in his life.

  A sob began somewhere deep inside and burned through his chest until it escaped. He dropped to his knees on the wood floor, laying his head in his hands. The desperate helplessness he’d felt in the woods cloaked him like a heavy fog. It ate up the air around him, replacing it with images. Abel’s bloody body. Jane’s disfigured arm. His mother, frail and delirious from the fever. His father’s corpse, frozen stiff in the snow and already missing fingers.

  The sobs wracked him, and he was helpless against them. The memories, the images, the pain—it all played out before him now. Like a nightmare he couldn’t escape.

  God, please! His mind cried out. It was the same cry he’d sent up in the woods. God, I need Your help here. His soul pleading. Please take this burden. I can’t carry it any more.

  The peace was slow and silent. It had come before he even knew it was there. But his spirit sensed the change.

  “God?” The word echoed in the room, and the response drifted over him like a comforting blanket. A warmth touched his soul, then radiated out to his skin. He wrapped his arms around himself, cradling the peace.

  “God, I want You back. Please.” The warmth expanded, and he turned his face heavenward, relishing the joy.

  Gideon had no idea how long he remained in that posture, his mind finally at peace. No more visions, no nightmares. Just rest.

  And then his mind came to life again.

  Leah always said God had a plan for her, and she wanted to be where He put her. But she had been through so much—fleeing Richmond, boarding the steam boat in St. Louis, arriving in Fort Benton penniless, meeting Ol’ Mose so she had a safe way to travel, then Mose bringing her straight to the ranch. Had God been guiding her all along?

  Then a new thought drifted into his awareness. Was it just Leah that God was looking out for? He thought back through his own life, but saw it through a different lens this time. Life had been great while his parents were alive. Then after Mama had died, he’d been old enough to take care of Abel and Miriam, helping them grow to be strong, competent adults.

  When Jane came, she’d never been happy on the mountain, but she had taught Miriam a lot about cooking and sewing and crocheting. After Jane’s death, he’d put his strength into the cattle and the ranch, nurturing the animals and growing hay for the winters. Abel had been his right hand through it all.

  That was what made his death so much harder to deal with, though. But then Leah had come along and helped distract him. It wasn’t that he didn’t miss Abel, but Leah had kept him from wallowing in guilt and sadness. And she had been the best thing for Miriam. The girl had blossomed with Leah around. She had been what they both needed. And Leah had said God brought her there.

  Ol’ Mose’s words drifted back to him. Weren’t it somethin’ the way God took care o’ that little mess? The picture came clear in his mind like a map, the way God had led him to the mine shaft, put him exactly where he needed to be to find Leah. Then brought reinforcements in the form of a cantankerous old trapper with a hundred-year-old shotgun. He’d guided them all, and most importantly, kept them safe.

  Gideon turned to the window and saw the glitter of the stars. “God, thank you for bringing Leah to us. I think I see what she means about You taking care of us. I’d be obliged if you’d keep on doing that with her, and Miriam, too. And help me be the man You want me to be. And if it’s Your will…please help her stay.”

  ~

  Leah leaned into the stretch as the tension in her muscles released. She relaxed back on the bed, taking in her surroundings. The room was clean, if a bit basic, with cream-colored curtains in the windows being the only real ornamentation. The sunlight filtering through the fabric brought a rush of awareness to clear the fog in her mind.

  Daylight meant she’d overslept.

  Leah lurched from the bed, the groaning of her body becoming audible as she forced herself to stand. She allowed herself a little extra time to wash before dressing. What she wouldn’t do for a warm bath.

  Soon, she slipped the final pin into her hat, and opened the door to the hallway. Sitting against the opposite wall, was Gideon. His arms rested on bent knees, and the strong features on his face clean and freshly shaven. So different from the ragged man who’d said goodnight to her.

  “You feeling better?” His emerald eyes were clearer than she’d ever seen them, as if illuminated by a light from behind. The skin around them creased with a hint of a smile.

  “Yes, much. How are you this morning?”

  “Better than I’ve been in a long time.” The creases grew deeper around his eyes, and the deep green twinkled. Actually twinkled. He rose to his feet, and motioned for her to proceed him toward the staircase.

  What was going on with him? She’d never seen him look so…happy. Or peaceful. The brooding demeanor that had always characterized him was gone, replaced by a calmness. It was like joy and peace covered him in layers.

  “You hungry?”

  Leah fought the urge to look back at him. To see if she could get a hint as to why he was so different. “I guess.”

  “Hungry enough to stay awake?”

  Leah raised an eyebrow as the heat crept into her cheeks. “I’ll try.”

  As they descended the final stairs, the front door opened and the sheriff entered. He removed his hat as soon as he saw them.

  “Miss Townsend, yer lookin’ much better this mornin’. Mr. Bryant.” He nodded at Gideon as they both came to stand at the landing.

  “Thank you, Sheriff. Everything all right?” Seeing the man brought a flood of memories from yesterday.

  “Yes, ma’am. I received a response from my wire to Richmond. The sheriff there confirmed your background. He’s arrested Simon Talbert. For now, he’s holding him for threatenin’ yer life and for payin’ to have you kidnapped. They’re lookin’ into the death of his former wife, too. It’s my guess he’ll be hanged before it’s said and done.”

  A ball of tension tightened in Leah’s stomach as the man spoke. Was it over? Could things really end this quickly? Why wasn’t she relieved?

  Gideon placed a hand at the small of her back as he spoke. “Thank you, Sheriff. That’s the best news you could’ve brought. We were just headed to breakfast, will you join us?”

  The man squeezed his hat brim—an uncomfortable action. “No, thank ye. I ate with the boys at the jail. An’ I should prob’ly get back. Got a cell full of prisoners.” His mouth parted to reveal a coffee-stained smile.

  “Well, we’re much obliged for the update.” Gideon reached out a hand, and the men shook.

  When the door closed behind the sheriff, silence took over the room. When Leah turned, Gideon was watching her, raised brows speaking his question before he did.

  “You don’t seem as happy as I thought you’d be with that news.” His green eyes were caring, prodding into her soul in a way she couldn’t evade.

  She swallowed a lump in her throat. “It’s just that Simon is so well-connected. He could probably buy his way out of jail, or at least send people after me while he’s there.” She tried to resist the panic needling her chest. “And now he’ll have an eve
n stronger motivation to find me—revenge.”

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  She expected to see anger in Gideon’s posture, or protectiveness, or something. But his gaze stayed soft. He kept one hand at the small of her back, and with his other, touched her shoulder, trailing his fingers all the way down her arm until he slipped his hand into hers. His warmth left tingles everywhere it touched, and she had to work hard not to shiver at the effect.

  “Leah.” His voice was deep, husky. “Don’t you think God can take care of you?”

  Between his touch and the intensity of his gaze, she was so mesmerized that it took a moment for his words to register. God?

  “Yes, of course.” What else could she say? Was this Gideon talking about God? Nothing made sense, and the pull of his touch was almost overwhelming.

  His eyes crinkled at the corners. “Don’t worry, then.”

  A door opened behind them, breaking into the spell that ensconced her. As the clerk entered the room, Gideon squeezed her fingers, then released them. He gave her a wink, and turned to nod at the man.

  “Morning, Watson.”

  They took breakfast at the same little café where they’d eaten dinner the night before. For some reason, Leah struggled to carry on a casual conversation. She couldn’t make sense of this new, happier Gideon.

  She picked at the eggs on her plate, spearing a few onto her fork. She raised her eyes to sneak a glance at him. He was watching her, unashamed. He didn’t look away, didn’t say anything, but the tips of his mouth quirked upward in a grin. Who was this man?

  She scrambled for something to say. Something to break the awkwardness and uncover a hint of reason for the change in him. “Are you planning to head back up the mountain today?”