It was a lot to think about. Ruby decided to put it aside for the moment. After Ray was gone, she and Miles could discuss it.
“I’ll have supper on the table in a few minutes,” Pamela said.
John kissed his wife on the forehead before she headed for the kitchen. “Have a seat and tell me about the mine you’re here to inspect.”
Ruby felt like she should go help Pamela so she didn’t have to do all the work herself, but that wasn’t something Ray was expected to do, so it would seem odd if he did. Instead, she sat and listened while Miles and John talked about mining and ranching.
“How about you, Ray? Do you plan to stay in mining, or do you have other interests?” Carter asked.
“I’m certainly interested in the mining industry, but I don’t want to be a clerk forever.” She glanced over at Miles. “No offense meant to you, sir. You’ve been good to me, but I’m more interested in mine safety.”
“Mine safety?” Miles asked.
“Certainly. Both my father and older brother were miners, and died as a result of their jobs. So it’s important to me.”
Miles brows came together, showing his concern. “Ruby told me they’d passed, but I had no idea they’d been miners. I’m sorry you lost them.”
Ruby shrugged. “They chose the work, and they both enjoyed it. But Father died of sickness, and Charlie died in a cave-in. How many men do we lose every year to illnesses or injuries or death caused by working in the mines? I’d like to look into ways to make the work safer for our men.”
Carter nodded in agreement, and Miles cocked his head and looked at her as if seeing Ray in a new light.
“That’s an admirable goal,” Miles said. “We’ve made some strides in that area since I took over management.”
“If you take care of the men who work for you, they’re more likely to work harder and be more loyal,” Ruby said. “And you can always improve their working conditions.”
Carter chuckled. “Looks like you’ve talked yourself into a promotion, Mr. Jackson.”
Miles only managed a “We’ll see,” before Pamela came to collect them for supper.
All through the meal, Ruby’s mind worked at safety solutions for the mine—ways to improve the work and production for the men. She tried to focus on the conversation, but she was excited about having had the courage to bring up the subject, and encouraged that Miles hadn’t dismissed it. When she took the job at North Hill mine, she’d been determined to either find ways to make things better, or receive compensation for her family’s loss. In a way she’d received compensation in the form of learning a job and being paid for it. She’d also found Miles.
But she could still do more good for others. Her mind raced with ideas for preventing the accidents and conditions that killed her father and Charlie. Although she hadn’t seen the mine before Miles took over management, she’d taken the time since she’d been working there to review the records and knew the improvements he’d made. But she could do more.
Supper flew by and afterwards the Carters invited Miles and Ray to stay at the ranch for the night, and John offered to drive them back to town in the morning for their meeting.
“That’s very generous of you,” Miles said.
“It’s no trouble at all. You’re family,” John said.
Chapter 7
Back in town the next morning, Miles led Ray to the saloon where they found a slightly worse for wear Roger already sitting with Daniel Bernard.
Miles approached Daniel and offered his hand to shake. “Daniel. It’s good to see you.”
Bernard shook his hand. “Good to see you too. Thank you for coming.”
“Good to see you too. It’s been a while,” Miles said. In fact, he hadn’t seen Daniel since he’d been a guest instructor at Colorado School of Mines, and met Daniel while doing some bank business. They’d hit it off and been friends ever since.
“It has. I didn’t know if you’d be willing to come, but there’s nobody I trust more in the mining business to help me with this project, so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask,” Daniel said.
“Appreciate that,” Miles said. “I see you’ve met my engineer. This is my clerk, Ray Jackson.”
They all shook hands, then Daniel took a seat, and Miles and Ray joined them.
“Tell me about your project,” Miles asked.
“As you know, I’m a banker, not a miner,” Daniel said. “But I bought the rights to this claim from a man who desperately needed the money, and couldn’t afford to develop it. So now I need advice to get the operation up and running.”
“Certainly. That’s why I brought Roger with me. He can help you with the engineering required, and help you find a good engineer of your own.”
“Before we discuss all your management details,” Roger said, jumping into the conversation. “How about we go look at the site? I can’t do anything until I see it.”
“That’s a fair request,” Miles said. “We’ll go inspect it then Roger and I can give you a fair estimate of the expense and work involved in developing it.”
“Let’s do it,” Daniel said. “We’ll need to put together gear and supplies. It’s a day’s ride. My things are upstairs. If you wait a few minutes, I’ll collect them. We’ll need to go to the mercantile, then rent some horses for you lads at the livery.”
Miles waited with Ray and Roger while Daniel collected his rifle and belongings from his room above the saloon, then they walked to the livery stable and while Daniel collected his own horse, Miles rented horses for himself, Roger, and Ray.
“This little filly can be a bit excitable, so be sure to talk to her gentle-like,” the stable master said of the horse he gave to Ray. Ray looked at the man askance, and Miles had to bite his lip to keep from laughing.
“I’ll take the filly,” Miles offered in an effort to save Ray from a frisky horse.
But Ray shot him a defensive look. “I can handle her.”
“If you say so,” Miles said, but he’d keep an eye on the two of them just in case.
They headed out of town after a brief trip to the mercantile to purchase supplies—canteens, food, blankets, and a few other things they’d need for camping out.
Daniel and Roger hit it off as if they’d been friends forever, which left Miles to plod along behind Ray at the back of the pack. He had no idea how far out of Sweetwater Springs the stake was, but Daniel had said it was a day’s ride, so Miles settled in for the long haul.
The scenery was pleasant enough, and it gave him time to think about Ruby and getting married and what life would be like after that.
He hadn’t lied to Ray on the train that he didn’t understand their family. Not that he’d had a chance to meet them, yet. Ruby’s and Ray’s odd behavior regarding their family made Miles wonder why. What were the two of them hiding? He didn’t like feeling suspicious about his fiancée, or about Ray. He loved Ruby, and he wanted nothing secretive between them. Marriage had a better chance of success if the two involved were honest with one another.
He shook his head, clearing the thought. He had no idea if either of them hid anything. Maybe their family was just different. He really only had his own family for comparison, and who was he to say his family was normal? He’d press Ruby when they got back. If they were going to be married, he should know her family no matter what they were like.
They’d been traveling the better part of the morning, and had transitioned into some rocky, hilly terrain when Daniel turned in his saddle and waved them all up toward him to talk, dragging Miles out if his thoughts.
Ray moved his horse up alongside Roger, and then everything happened so fast, Miles didn’t even have time to react.
The filly snorted and screeched, then reared up, kicking at the air before dropping back to all fours and bolting away at full gallop.
Roger, Daniel, and Miles just gaped at each other as the filly took off into the distance, Ray holding on for all he was worth.
Then the telltale rattle broke t
heir surprise and the rest of the horses danced nervously away from the rattlesnake coiled in the gravel near their hooves.
“Whoa boy,” Daniel said, fighting with his horse to get him under control.
Roger struggled with his own animal.
Fear tightened Miles’ gut as he wrangled the reins to keep his skittish mount in check. Ray clearly didn’t have the experience required to handle the spooked filly.
“I’m going after Ray,” Miles called over his shoulder. He didn’t wait for the others to reply, just gave the horse his head and chased after Ray. He only hoped he didn’t find Ray dead after being thrown.
It took him too long to catch up, and by the time he did he was afraid he’d lost him.
When he came upon him, Miles’ heart jumped into his throat at the sight before him.
Ray had indeed been thrown. The filly stood nearby, calmly munching on grass unaware of what she’d done.
Miles had barely pulled his mount to a halt before sliding from the saddle and running to Ray’s lifeless form, crumpled on the ground.
“No no no,” Miles said, gently rolling the boy to his back. “Stay with me, Ray.”
God, Ruby would never forgive him if Ray died while in Miles’ care.
He leaned down and placed his ear near Ray’s mouth, hoping to hear or feel his breath. Miles held his own breath as he listened, and let it out in a rush of relief when Ray exhaled onto Miles’ face.
Thank God.
Miles pressed his fingers to Ray’s neck, and the steady thud of Ray’s pulse flooded Miles with relief. At least he wasn’t dead.
Doing a quick inventory, Miles checked Ray for serious injury. His fingers came away from Ray’s head red with blood. So he’d hit his head when he fell.
Arms seemed to be okay, ribs elicited some twitching and a groan. But reaching under Ray’s coat, Miles’ fingers encountered something wrapped around Ray’s chest. Had he already broken some ribs and wore a wrap because of it?
Why would he not have told Miles about that? Miles opened a couple of buttons on Ray’s shirt and sure enough, he wore a wrap across his chest.
Then Miles noticed the swell beneath the wrap, then the other swell, and he scrambled backward away from Ray.
What the devil?
Miles sat back and puzzled on the problem.
Ray wore a wrap around his chest to conceal what were clearly breasts.
Which meant Ray was a woman.
Miles couldn’t make his mind comprehend the implication of that. A woman had dressed up as a man and fooled him into hiring her, and he’d been working with her—him—ever since.
Who would do that, and why?
Then it clicked in his head. Not only was Ray a woman. Ray was Ruby.
Ruby and Ray weren’t sister and brother. Ruby was Ray.
The woman he loved and planned to marry had played him for a fool.
***
Ruby woke up in a bed with a splitting headache, pain in her ribs, and discomfort in her right ankle.
“Oh, good, you’re awake.”
Ruby’s gaze followed the female voice to find Pamela sitting in a chair nearby.
“How did I get here?”
Her head felt muddled with the throbbing ache, making it difficult to latch onto any one thought for longer than a moment. She recalled a horse and a snake and…
“Oh my God,” she said sitting bolt upright in bed, then flopping back down when pain stabbed at her head.
The horse had panicked and taken off running when a rattlesnake hissed and put up a clatter. The last thing Ruby remembered was yanking on the reins and the horse rearing, and losing control before she slid off the horse’s rump and toppled to the ground.
“Miles brought you and asked if we’d care for you until you could travel back to Nevada,” Pamela said. She studied her hands in her lap as she spoke, avoiding Ruby’s gaze.
So, Miles had discovered her secret and now Pamela and John knew as well.
She could only imagine the scene after the horse had thrown her. Miles had probably rushed after Ray, worried about him, and when he’d found Ray injured he’d checked to be sure Ray was alive only to discover Ray wasn’t who he claimed to be. Miles had to have been horrified at the discovery, and then when the implications set in, he had to feel betrayed.
Ruby covered her face with her hands. This wasn’t at all what she’d wanted. She’d got herself into such a shameful mess.
“Where is Miles?” Ruby asked from behind her hands, afraid to hear the answer.
“He went to survey the mine.”
He’d left her alone.
She couldn’t blame him, even if it did break her heart. He wouldn’t even stay to make sure she was all right.
Ruby scrubbed her hands down her face, then crossed them over her middle.
“I’m sorry for the inconvenience, Pamela. I appreciate you taking me in despite…everything.”
“I’ll admit, it is rather shocking.”
“I really need to talk to Miles. Explain myself.”
Pamela cleared her throat and shifted nervously in the chair. “Miles didn’t seem amenable to explanation.”
He’d have to talk to her sometime. Unless his intention was to toss her aside and ignore that she even existed.
She shuddered at the thought. Would he really do something like that? It seemed cruel, and not in his character. If he was anything, he was fair and despite being angry she thought he’d at least hear her out.
And if he refused to see her, at least she knew where he worked.
Should she dare show up for work as Ruby?
Probably not. That might push him beyond his limit.
She’d let him cool down some, then seek him out so they could talk.
“So you’re meant to get me back on my feet then put me on a train?” Ruby asked.
Pamela shrugged and made a noncommittal sound that confirmed Ruby’s assumption. “I don’t understand the situation, and your relationship with Miles is none of my business. But I’ll do what I can to make sure you recover from your injuries. I’ll not rush you out of my home.”
“Thank you, I appreciate your kindness.”
They sat in silence for a moment. Ruby wanted to get on the train now, she felt that out of place despite Pamela’s assurances. Miles had left her with strangers. Just dumped her and left, as if she’d never meant anything to him. He couldn’t even be bothered to be polite.
Now she was left to explain herself—or not—in the company of people she’d only just met, in embarrassingly delicate circumstances.
“He was too angry to stay with me?”
“I didn’t speak with him, but when he spoke with John my impression was that he was hurt and confused,” Pamela said. Then as an afterthought she added, “In addition to being angry.”
“I apologize that you find yourself in the middle of this. If you or John could take me to the train station tomorrow, I’ll be on my way and cause you no more trouble.”
Pamela stood and came to sit on the edge of the bed. She took Ruby’s hand in hers and patted it. “I can’t say as I understand any of what’s happened, but if it helps any, I saw the look on Miles’ face when he brought you to us. His heart was broken with worry for you. He may be angry and hurt now, but he loves you. Whether that’s enough to heal the damage between you, I don’t know, but real love is always worth saving.”
Her eyes shone with earnestness as she squeezed Ruby’s hand in her own, enough that Ruby grasped at her encouragement. What other choice did she have? She loved Miles and despite how hopeless things looked now, she had to believe she could make things right.
John drove Ruby to the station the next morning. Pamela had been generous enough to share one of her dresses with Ruby, who blushed when she realized all she had to wear were Ray’s clothes.
John wasn’t as sympathetic to Ruby’s plight as Pamela, but he behaved like a gentlemen and put her on the train with nary a negative word.
The
trip passed in an anxious fog and before she knew it, Ruby stepped off the train in Virginia City and headed back to Della’s with her tail between her legs.
She trudged up the steps, her feet as heavy as her heart, and pushed through the front door not even caring that Della might be angry she hadn’t used the back entrance. Inside, she went to the kitchen and flopped into a chair at the table. Sarah was hard at work, as usual.
“Child, you look like the world done you wrong,” Sarah said, wiping her hands on her apron.
Ruby huffed a half-laugh, half-sob. “Sarah, you have no idea.”
“Your man discovered your secret,” she said, crossing her arms and daring Ruby to tell her she was wrong.
“He did,” Ruby said, hanging her head.
Della entered the kitchen at that moment. “Oh, Ruby. You’re back.” She took a closer look, then had a seat. “What happened?”
“Her man found her out,” Sarah said.
Tears had begun to slip down Ruby’s cheeks. She’d suppressed them all the way home, but now the dam had broken and there was no holding them back.
“I don’t know what to do, Della. I had a plan to get rid of Ray. It wasn’t perfect, but it would have meant he’d be out of our lives and we could get married and we’d be happy. It wasn’t honest, but it would have fixed everything and put Ray behind me. But that stupid horse had to throw me and Miles found me and then….discovered the truth.”
She covered her face with her hands, embarrassed for even her new family to see her humiliation.
“I really wanted to marry him,” she said behind her hands.
“Do you love him?” Della asked.
Ruby dropped her hands to her lap and faced Della, her anguish naked on her face. “With all my heart.”
“Then why are you giving up?”
She threw her hands up in exasperation. “I’m not giving up, I just don’t know how to fix things.”
“You don’t fix them by surrendering,” Della said.
“It ain’t a war, Miss Della,” Sarah said.
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