The Timeless Love Romance Collection

by Dianne Christner

  “I didn’t mean to make you cry more by keeping you from falling.” Amusement tinted the man’s voice.

  “You didn’t.” Lillian pushed away from him. She kept her eyes downcast as she wiped her face on her apron. “Thank you.”

  “Want to talk about it?” he asked.

  “No, thank you. I need to be going.” Lillian tried to step around him, wanting to be on her way before she further humiliated herself. Faster than a striking snake, his big hand grasped her arm.

  “Have you walked in the woods much?”

  “No. I usually walk along the rim of the canyon on my time off.” She tugged, but his grip was firm. Still staring at the man’s worn boots, Lillian wished he would let her go. She wanted to be alone in her misery.

  “This time of day there are certain critters to watch out for. I’ll walk along with you.” At his announcement, Lillian’s gaze flew to his face. She gasped.

  “Mr. Knight. I didn’t realize it was you.” Her face felt as if her color could rival that of the fiery sunset. “I don’t need anyone with me. I’ll be fine.”

  “I don’t suppose you’ve had the chance to meet Uncle Jim.” The beginning of a smile tugged the corners of his mouth.

  “I don’t know any of your relatives.” Lillian’s mind raced in confusion. Had she been introduced to any other Knights? “Do they work here at the canyon, too?”

  He chuckled. The humor made his gray-blue eyes sparkle and lit up his whole face. “I’m talking about Jim Owens. He’s not related to me. Everyone calls him Uncle Jim.”

  “No, I don’t believe I’ve met him.” Lillian fell into step with Franklin when he tugged on her arm. “Why would this Uncle Jim influence my decision to walk alone?”

  “Well, he’s working hard on holding the record for killing the most mountain lions here at the canyon.” Franklin’s eyes still held such humor that Lillian wondered if he was teasing. Yet she remembered that Miss Gibson and Mr. Niles had mentioned the problem with the big cats and cautioned the girls to be careful. In her haste to be alone, she’d forgotten the admonition.

  “I’ve never even seen a lion when I’ve gone for walks.” Lillian wished he would release her arm. He didn’t have a tight hold, yet she could feel the impression of each fingertip as if he were branding her through her sleeve.

  “You won’t see them along the rim where there are so many people and so much open country. At least, not very often. The big cats prefer the forest where they can approach undetected.”

  Lillian shuddered. Her gaze traveled over the dense thickets of trees and undergrowth that could hide several large animals.

  “This time of day is the best time to spot them. The deer like to come out to feed, so the mountain lions like to catch some supper, too. They aren’t real picky about what they catch.”

  “Have any been spotted around here?” Lillian asked. She moved a fraction closer to Franklin’s side.

  “One of my men saw one the day before yesterday. I went out to Uncle Jim’s to get him to hunt it before one of the guests or workers could be injured.” He chuckled again. “Jim has a sign on his cabin that says, ‘LIONS CAUGHT TO ORDER, REASONABLE RATES.’”

  “And just how many lions has Uncle Jim killed?”

  Franklin rubbed his jaw with his free hand. “He has marks up for each cat. I’d say it’s somewhere around two hundred by now.”

  Lillian stopped. Her mouth fell open. “Two hundred? Lions? From here?” Her gaze flew to the surrounding woods. “That’s like an army of cougars, isn’t it?”

  Laughing, Franklin started walking again. “They don’t travel in packs like wolves. Besides, Jim hunts them all over the area, not just around the El Tovar and the canyon.” His gesture took in the area around them. “We don’t have hundreds of pumas circling the buildings at night.”

  She couldn’t help laughing at the ludicrous picture. She wasn’t sure how true the lion story was, but Franklin had helped her forget her troubles for a moment and lightened her day.

  “If I come out here by myself again, I’ll be sure to carry a juicy steak to throw at any cats that stalk me.”

  “Feeling better?” His question caught her off guard.

  “Yes, thank you.” She looked away from the intensity of his gaze. What was it about this man that pulled at her so? “It seems I’m ruining the reputation of the Harvey Girls by my clumsiness.” She shrugged. “I needed to get away, and I promised to think about being more coordinated.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Thinking about coordination will help?”

  She laughed. “Not in my case. I’ve been perfecting my clumsiness since I was a child. When you’re good at something, you find it hard to give it up.”

  Another grin split his handsome face. “Isn’t it nice to be good at something?”

  “Yes.” She swept her skirt around a bush that intruded on the path. “I think perhaps I should have chosen something else to excel at, though.”

  For the past few minutes, Franklin had been trying to tell his fingers to release Lillian’s arm. His hand seemed to have a mind of its own. He had never been so aware of a woman before, and he’d escorted many society girls of his mother’s choosing. Even though he knew Lillian to be just another gold digger, he couldn’t make himself walk away from her.

  What is this, Lord? Yes, I’d like to marry, but I want a woman who puts You first, before anything, including me. Franklin sent up the silent prayer, hoping God would take away the intense attraction he felt toward Lillian. This is why he’d left the influence of his parents and their money. He didn’t want to live his life under the dictates of finances and the power that came with riches.

  “Look at that.” Lillian’s words jerked Franklin from his reverie. He glanced over to where she pointed. “Someone left a mule tied up?”

  “He’s mine.” Franklin turned them onto the side path leading to the mule.

  “Yours?” Lillian asked. “You mean he belongs to the Harvey Company. He’s one of the mules they use to take guests on trips down the Bright Angel Trail, isn’t he?”

  “No, Moses is all mine.” Franklin released his hold on Lillian and strode ahead to untie the mule. Moses stood with his head drooped a bit, his long-lashed eyes half closed, his ears flopped toward the ground. Most people would think he hadn’t even noticed their approach, but Franklin knew better. This beast probably knew everything that was going on within a quarter-mile radius.

  “Moses?” Lillian’s mouth quirked up, her full lips trembling with the beginnings of a smile. “You named him after Moses in the Bible?”

  “You got it.” Franklin couldn’t help grinning as he patted the mule’s shoulder. “He has more objections to what I ask him to do than you could count. But if I’m patient and explain why I want him to do the job, he carries through even on the toughest chores. I’d say that the Moses in the Bible had one tough chore leading all those Israelites. He had plenty of arguments, too, but after God explained things, Moses did what he was supposed to do. Most of the time, anyway.”

  Lillian nodded. She stepped toward the mule. Franklin opened his mouth to warn her to watch out, since Moses didn’t usually take to someone right off. His mouth stayed open as he watched in amazement as his cantankerous partner lowered his head to allow Lillian to scratch that special spot. Without any coaching, Lillian seemed to know just the right place to touch the animal.

  “I can’t believe he let you do that.” Franklin shook his head. “Moses isn’t the friendliest mule around. He’s always cautious around people he doesn’t know.”

  “Oh, he recognizes someone who understands him.” Lillian’s smile brightened the deepening shadows. “I didn’t realize how much I missed home. My father has mules. One of them is marked just like Moses.”

  “Where is home?” Franklin moved closer, draping his arm across Moses’s neck.

  “Nebraska. My parents have a small farm there.”

  “What made you leave?” Franklin asked.

  She leaned
closer to Moses, breathing in his scent. Franklin knew what she was doing, because he’d done the same thing many times.

  “I’m the oldest of ten,” Lillian said. “I felt like I’d been raising kids all my life. We didn’t have any money, so I thought I’d try to get away. One less mouth to feed should help. Anyway, the others are old enough to do my chores and care for the baby.”

  He could read between the lines. Lillian loved her family. If Franklin were a betting man, he’d say that Lillian sent money home to her family any chance she got. He better understood her desire to find a man who had more than enough money to support her. His heart began to soften. Besides, Moses liked her right at the first, and Moses had great judgment. More than once God had used an unusual means to get a message across to Franklin. He knew God had orchestrated this meeting in the woods to help him lay aside some of his doubts. Somehow he was certain Lillian wasn’t the money grabber he’d thought she was.

  Giving Moses a quick hug, Lillian stepped back. “Thank you for talking with me.” She turned her gaze on Franklin. Once again he felt the strong pull toward her. “I’d better get back to the El Tovar. Mr. McClean asked me to meet him after the evening meal to walk along the rim. I wasn’t going to after talking with Miss Gibson and Mr. Niles, but I feel so much better now, thanks to you.”

  Franklin’s grip on Moses tightened. The mule swung his head around to gaze up at his master with expressive brown eyes, as if asking what was wrong. Franklin loosened his hold and patted the animal’s neck. “I’m glad I could be of help.” The words almost choked him as he realized his help had led her to seek out a man only because she was interested in his money.

  Lillian backed away a few steps. She gestured to the side. “I can see the lights coming on through there. I should be safe from mountain lions. Good-bye.” She gave a small wave as she backed away then turned to hurry off into the twilight.

  Chapter 4

  Even though Lillian knew Franklin was watching from behind her, the short walk in the shadowy woods had her peering around trying to detect any sort of movement. She’d never realized how many branches pine trees had—places to conceal a crafty mountain lion while he waited to pounce on some delectable, unsuspecting prey. She tried to appear unconcerned, but her stomach clenched at every rustle in the grass.

  The lights of the El Tovar were the best sight she’d seen in some time. As she entered the lobby, the happy chatter of satisfied guests surrounded her with a haze of normalcy. Lillian gave a last glance over her shoulder, wondering if Franklin had headed on to the stables to put up Moses. She refused to dwell on the way her heart responded to his every glance and touch.

  “There you are, Miss Robinson.” Andrew McClean approached from the dining room, his honed, attractive features made more so by his welcoming smile. “I expected to see you working.” He reached out and clasped her hand. Lillian allowed him a quick squeeze before she tugged free.

  “There weren’t as many customers tonight, so I didn’t have to work.” She straightened her skirt, well aware of the disapproving gaze of Mr. Niles from across the room. “I went outside to enjoy the fresh air.”

  Andrew took her elbow, guiding her toward the queue at the door. “You might not want to walk, then. Would you rather watch the Hopi dancers?”

  “No, I always enjoy a walk along the rim in the twilight.” Lillian flashed him a quick smile, hoping he didn’t think her childish. “Sometimes I even go in the rain. The canyon is so beautiful with the clouds down below you like that.”

  “Well then, I’m delighted to have someone experienced to show me around.” He smiled as they exited into the balmy evening.

  “Is this your first trip to the Grand Canyon, Mr. McClean?” Lillian asked.

  “Yes, it is. Mr. Kemper is my banker. He’s been telling me of the canyon’s beauty. I have some business investments in Phoenix. I came up here to see about bringing some of my best customers to the Grand Canyon for an outing.”

  “Investments?” Lillian’s heart pounded. Mr. McClean must have a lot of money. “What kind of things do you invest in?”

  “My family is in the hotel business.” Andrew smiled down at her. Although Lillian felt none of the connection or excitement she’d experienced looking into Franklin Knight’s eyes, she allowed Andrew to pull her a little closer to him as they walked. “We have hotels in most of the large cities back east—Boston, New York, Philadelphia, even Chicago. My family thought it was time to move out west. My brother was sent to San Francisco. I came to Phoenix.”

  “So you’re kind of like the Harvey family?”

  “Yes, I guess that would be a fair assumption. My father knew Fred Harvey for years.” Andrew grinned. “In fact, for a time they were in competition with one another to see who could have the best hotels. Mr. Harvey had a brilliant idea with following the railroad and establishing the Harvey Houses. We’ve stayed with individual businesses instead of a chain of places all named alike.”

  “What is the name of your hotel in Phoenix?” Lillian asked. Her head was spinning with the thought of how much money this man came from. He had to be the reason God brought her here. Andrew must be the right husband for her, even though he was quite a bit older. She pushed away the image of gray-blue eyes that made her blood rush. God wouldn’t expect her to marry a mule skinner.

  “Right now we don’t own any. I’ve invested in a couple of large hotels that we might take over. I’m acting as an adviser to improve the holdings and the clientele.” Andrew closed the gap between them, releasing Lillian’s elbow and tucking her arm through his. Her skirt brushed across his boots, they were walking so close.

  Lillian held her breath, waiting for the tingling to start, the same type of electricity that sparked when she stood this close to Franklin. Nothing happened. To hide her disappointment, she gave Andrew a bright smile. Her mother used to say that sometimes love developed over time. Perhaps her love for Andrew would grow in the next few days that he would be here.

  “Mr. Kemper and I are leaving tomorrow afternoon.” Andrew’s fingers wrapped around hers where they rested in the crook of his arm.

  “I thought you would be staying on to see what the canyon has to offer.” Lillian tried to conceal her frustration. She didn’t want to appear pushy.

  “We had lunch with the head mule skinner. I’ve arranged to bring some people up in two weeks. Some of them will take the mules down the canyon; the others will hike. I’ll be taking the hiking group down, and I’d like for you to join me.”

  “Oh, but I have to work.” Lillian forced a smile. “Unless you happen to come on my day off, I can’t go.”

  “I’ll speak with Mr. Niles.” Andrew reached over to wrap a wayward strand of her golden hair around his finger. “As a friend of the Harvey family and a man of means, I’m sure I can convince him to let you have the time off.”

  Excitement surged through Lillian, despite the niggling doubt about breaking her contract and the problems that would bring. She wanted to believe the slight euphoria had to do with her nearness to Andrew and not the opportunity to go down into the canyon. She’d wanted to do that since she’d first come here. Now she not only would have the chance to do something she longed to do but also would be accompanying her future husband. In the next two weeks she would have plenty of time to dream about the possibilities for her future. She could almost picture the gorgeous ring Andrew would place on her finger when he proposed.

  Watching from the shadows in the fast fading light, Franklin couldn’t take his eyes off Lillian. Even from here he could tell she didn’t light up with McClean like she’d done with him. Some of her sparkle had faded, yet she continued to walk closer than she should and allow him little privileges that should belong only to her betrothed. When McClean touched her hair, Franklin had to fight to contain himself. He wanted to challenge the man, to ask his intentions. Although he didn’t know McClean well, Franklin had heard the family name. He knew men of McClean’s type, and they weren’t the kind with w
hom Lillian should become involved.

  Moses nudged Franklin on the shoulder, reminding him that supper should have been served an hour ago. Although he’d eaten some while tied in the woods, the mule still wanted to get to his hay at the stables.

  Stepping back, Franklin slung an arm over his companion’s withers. “Just a few more minutes, boy. I can’t help feeling like she needs someone to watch over her. I know McClean acts like a gentleman when others are around, but I’m wondering if he’ll carry through when he has her alone.”

  The soft clop of the animal’s hooves didn’t echo in the evening air. As the cacophonous chattering of the groups of people fell behind, the symphony of night noises took over. Cicadas whirred. In the distance, Franklin heard the cry of a mountain lion. He hoped Jim Owens caught this one soon. The big cat was too close to civilization for comfort.

  “Evenin’, boss.” A couple of Franklin’s wranglers materialized out of the dark.

  “Evening, boys.” Franklin nodded at the pair. They were probably headed to meet some of the girls up by the dorms. Most Harvey Houses frowned on any mingling between male and female employees, but here at the canyon the rules were somewhat relaxed. The closest town of any size was Williams, a hundred miles away by train. That meant life could get pretty lonely for unattached men and women even with the entertainment room provided for them. There were still strict rules to enforce propriety, but that was to be expected.

  “You boys remember we have a large party going down canyon in the morning. I’ll need you rested up and ready to help out by first light.” Franklin made the admonition despite the fact his employees were the best workers he’d been around. No matter how late they stayed out, they would all roll out of bed on time, ready to go.

  By the time the wranglers moved on, Franklin had lost sight of Lillian and McClean. Moses had one hoof cocked. His head drooped, and his long-lashed eyes were closed. Franklin gave the reins a light tug. “Come on, boy. Let’s see if we can see her one more time to make sure she’s all right. I don’t want that scoundrel taking advantage of her. She doesn’t have the sophistication of the ladies he’s used to.”