Miss Berry’s eyes opened wide. “Really? I would love to have some. I haven’t had any since I went on the train last year and a young man offered the rest of his to me. I was parched. I think he could tell. It was the most delicious drink! And I was very energetic after having drunk it.”
She and Claire made their way around the room, picking up small bits of trash. Finally, Miss Berry picked up a broom and began to do a quick sweep.
Claire watched her through anxious eyes. She really wanted to get that drink. She might get a beer if she didn’t think Miss Berry would disapprove. She’d see how that went when they got there. She hadn’t spent a lot of time with Miss Berry, so she wasn’t sure.
When they were leaving, she grabbed her bag and her shawl and headed out behind Miss Berry, going down the stairs quickly with one hand on the railing.
“Do you think the festival is going to go off without a hitch?” Claire asked. “I’ve never been to anything truly spectacular, although there have been several small fairs and parties since I came. I’ve never seen a town go so completely bonkers over something like this.”
“This is a serious festival for us,” Miss Berry said, turning a wide smile to Claire. “It is the one where people come from the surrounding counties to sell their wares, their crafts, and their art. They offer the best their talent has to offer at reasonable prices.” She tried to stay serious but it seemed impossible. She laughed. “That’s one of the best things about Wickenburg, my dear. If there’s a reason to celebrate…”
Claire finished the sentence with her. “Wickenburg will find it.”
Miss Berry continued laughing, resting one hand on Claire’s arm. “You are family already, dear. And I’m sure you will have a ton of fun with your young man.”
“My young man…”
“The young man that was here this morning. Mr. Stapleton. I think he’s perfect for you and would adore you. He seemed like the adoring type.”
Claire giggled. “How do I know if he’s the adoring type?”
Miss Berry looked back at her like she’d lost her mind. “You know it when he shows it. And I’m sure if I lived at the hotel I’d see it all the time. He is already attracted. Don’t let that man go. He seemed quiet, gentle, and very compassionate. I liked him. Plus,” she jostled Claire’s arm. “He was quite a man to look at. Those eyes…” Miss Berry shook her head, closing her own eyes so that it was easier to picture Gabe’s gorgeous face. “You won, Claire. You should get the prize.”
Claire laughed. “I can’t believe you can talk about him like that.”
The two women stepped out into the lowering sun, the dry air, and the sounds of the approaching night. “Shall we walk or take a wagon?”
“Let’s walk. It’s a beautiful evening. Let’s enjoy it.”
“All right,” Miss Berry agreed. They turned to walk toward the Horse N Saddle, Miss Berry putting her arms through the crook of Claire’s elbow. “Tell me, Claire, how did you enjoy your first day at the school?”
“I enjoyed it thoroughly,” Claire replied.
“I’m sure having your young man show up unannounced made it all that much better, didn’t it?”
Claire was not put off by Miss Berry referencing Gabe as her “man”. She longed for him to be her man. When someone mentioned him that way, it made it easier to believe she’d already won his love.
“It did. But… but he’s not my man. I wish he was.”
Miss Berry looked surprised. “That’s not what I saw, my dear. I saw a man wanting to see his woman. When he looked at you, it was written on his face.”
“That’s nice to hear, but he really isn’t my man. I’m waiting for the festival. I want to see what happens then.”
“Do you have a plan?”
Claire turned her head to stare at her shorter friend. “A plan? Like what kind of plan?”
“Like going up to him and hugging him spontaneously or making sure you spend every moment of the festival in his presence.”
Claire shook her head. “I have no plan. I can’t think of it that way. I need to make sure he has his space. There’s… there’s a lot involved in this.”
“Well, I hope you will discuss it with me over a drink.”
Claire looked up at the Horse N Saddle sign. Both objects mentioned in the title had been created with bent iron. More bent iron was attached to the objects to spell out Horse N Saddle and a large arrow pointed into the building.
“Here we are. Let’s get a drink,” Miss Berry went through the doors first, releasing Claire’s arm. Claire licked her lips, hoping she would see Gabe in the saloon. She didn’t think he frequented the place often but there was no reason not to hope.
She went through the doors and waited a moment to let her eyes adjust to the dim light. Miss Berry was already headed to a table, where she sat, placing her bag at her feet. Claire followed her to the table. She didn’t see Gabe anywhere in the room.
As she slid into the chair, she leaned over the table and said quietly, “There are quite a few people in here.”
Miss Berry looked around, nodding. “There’s a reason for that. A lot of people get off work this time of the day. Since Sam started offering more food and drink, everyone has been flocking here. Tell me, does Elizabeth ever mention that he’s taken some of their business from them?”
Claire shook her head. “I’ve never heard it mentioned. I’ve only heard good things about Sam from the people at the hotel.”
“You’ve been in here before, haven’t you?”
Claire looked around, her eyes finally adjusting. “Only once. I just wanted to-" She stopped abruptly. Miss Berry’s eyes followed hers.
Claire could see Agatha sitting at a table near the back on the other side of the room. The woman had her head down. She was staring at the mug she held between her hands as if she was holding on to it for dear life.
“Oh my,” Claire breathed.
“Isn’t that another one of the hotel residents? I can’t remember her name,” Miss Berry said.
“Her name is Agatha. And yes, she lives at the hotel where I am. It bothers me that she is in here so frequently.”
“How do you know she comes in here frequently?”
Claire didn’t take her eyes off Agatha. She could feel the strings of her heart being pulled. That woman needed help.
“She needs help,” Claire voiced her thoughts out loud. She turned her eyes back to Miss Berry, who was older and wiser. The woman looked back at her.
“You can’t provide the kind of help she needs,” Miss Berry said simply.
“How do you know that?”
“Because you’re not a doctor, you don’t know anything about the human brain that would be useful and from the look of it, I don’t think you particularly like her much. Has she treated you badly?”
Claire just nodded slightly. “It’s nothing to be concerned about. I can handle myself. I’m strong.”
“I am sure you are. But sometimes people can say cruel things and hurt our feelings. I’m willing to bet that’s what happened this time, too.”
Claire looked at the older woman through curious eyes. She nodded up at Sam when he brought her a mug of beer. “Thank you, Sam. How did you know I wanted this?”
He smiled at her. “Miss Berry always gets a beer or two. Rare for her to order anything else. This time she held up two fingers and here you are.”
Claire laughed. “Well, thank you kindly, sir.”
“You are most welcome. Would you care for anything to eat?”
Claire looked at Miss Berry who shook her head. “I’ll eat when I get home but feel free to get something if you like.”
Claire looked up at Sam. “Nothing for me, Sam. I don’t want to ruin my appetite for dinner.”
“Very well.” Sam backed away, smiling. He turned and headed back toward the bar.
“What a fine man,” Claire said. “I can’t believe he isn’t married with a dozen children.
Miss Berry eyed the barten
der. “You know, you’re right about that.” The woman let her eyes linger on the big Irish man as he moved back and forth behind the counter, sometimes disappearing when he bent low to retrieve something.
“However did you know that Agatha has said some rude things to me? It has very much swayed my opinion of her.”
“Not enough to hurt your confidence, though, and that’s a good thing.” Miss Berry nodded in approval.
“I’m glad you think so, but there’s another problem I’m having with her that makes it even more difficult for me.”
“What’s that?” Miss Berry took a small swallow of the beer, gazing at Claire.
Claire looked back, not wanting to talk about it anymore but finding it satisfying to do so. She continued, “If she has a chance to step in between me and Gabe, she’s going to take it. I can tell. She’s almost admitted as much out loud. But she didn’t actually say she would step in.”
“She has been very rude to you about Gabe?”
“I believe it stems from that. Her rudeness, I mean. It stems from the fact that she wants to be with him and so do I. One of us will lose him. The other will hopefully gain an amazing spouse. I personally think she’s only obsessed with him because he has a lot of money.”
“Does he have a lot of money? I may have to go after him myself.”
Claire narrowed her eyes and gave her a mean look, which was immediately replaced by a wide smile. “You better not,” she murmured through clenched teeth. Miss Berry burst out laughing. “He has a lot of money from the sale of his ranch. I suppose she could only want that. But I don’t think it’s all about the money for her. I think she’s got some kind of crazed obsession with him. Lots of people like Gabe and plenty of women will like the money. But I think those are two bonuses for Miss Agatha. I think she wants him all to herself. If she could shrink him and hide him away from everyone and everything, she would.”
“That doesn’t sound like a healthy attraction.”
Claire shook her head. “No, I don’t think it is, either.”
“And that’s what she was rude about? That’s why she was threatening you?”
“Not in those words, but yes. I think she’s up to something sinister. She mopes around the house, she looks like she’s hiding something, and she lies to everyone she meets. I don’t even know if she realizes she’s doing it. Do… do you have any advice for me?”
Miss Berry looked at Agatha across the room. The woman had barely moved since she last looked at her. “She’s not a bad looking bird. She reminds me of someone wounded who needs someone else to care for them.”
“Not unlike an injured bird,” Claire said quietly, daring to move her eyes to Agatha’s face once more.
“Yes,” Miss Berry nodded vigorously again. “That’s exactly what I mean. Exactly.”
“So what do I do?” Claire asked. “I really like Gabe. I want him to be my man. I know she wants him, but I’m not going to give in just because I have competition. I think Gabe would choose me. He knows she has a problem staying out of the Horse N Saddle. If I was any other woman, I’d be raising money in here.”
“I’m glad you’re not.”
Claire nodded. “So am I. I certainly wouldn’t be now. I don’t want… I want to be with Gabe. I don’t want any other men.”
Miss Berry nodded. “I understand what you’re saying, my dear, don’t worry. And I know you won’t have to worry about that. You will be the one to end up with him. I’m
predicting it. I predicted everything else.”
“Ah, you guessed,” Claire said with a laugh. Miss Berry stared up at her.
“We shall see, my dear. We shall see.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
THE WOMAN IN THE CORNER
THE WOMAN IN THE CORNER
Claire walked slowly back to the hotel after her evening beer with Miss Berry. Her head felt light and dizzy. She didn’t drink often and the two she’d had in the Horse N Saddle nearly put her to sleep. Sam had teased her about it but she had the feeling he’d seen much, much worse.
When she left the saloon, Agatha was still seated in the corner, though Sam was bringing her only coffee cups now. She didn’t look happy about it, but she no longer argued with him.
Claire decided on the way home she would not think about Agatha anymore. She wasn’t going to be concerned with what the woman was doing. If Gabe wanted to spend time with her, he would. If not, she would be content to continue on her way.
She knew as the thoughts went through her head that it wasn’t true. She did want Gabe to spend time with her. She was fine alone, she knew that. However, now that she knew him, she couldn’t help wanting to spend time with him. They would go to the festival together, they would have fun together. All she wanted to do was walk beside him, eat a big cookie, and maybe win a ribbon. He would win her a ribbon from one of the competitions.
She smiled. It would be an exciting time.
She was surprised when she didn’t see him in the lobby of the hotel. She wondered where he was. She went up the stairs to put on a more comfortable casual dress. She glanced to the side at Gabe’s door. There was only silence. As she passed Harry’s door, she could hear him inside talking to himself. She knew he was talking to himself because he was very animatedly responding to his own questions.
He was an eccentric man, she knew. It amused her and impressed her at the same time. He was such a free spirit. He never seemed to have any worries. She was sure he did. She just didn’t know what they were and wasn’t about to probe into his personal life to ask him questions about himself. She wasn’t going to date him or marry him, so what happened to him made no significant difference to her.
She went into her room and sat at the dressing table, pulling a stack of loose paper toward her. She picked up the pen and pulled the ink well just a bit closer to her.
Dear Grandmama, she wrote slowly. She stopped and stared down at the paper. I wanted to write to you about this young man I’ve met. I think he may be the one, Gran. I think he might be the one I marry and have children with. He’s a little older than me. Maybe ten years or so. I don’t see that being a problem. I hope you get to meet him someday. He’s tall, handsome, and well-spoken. He doesn’t seem to be highly educated but he’s very intelligent. I like smart men, you know that. I hope we have a future together, Gran. I long to be loved and desired.
As soon as Gabe left the lumber mill after working the entire afternoon on the plans for Claire’s desk, he went to the Horse N Saddle. He was there only moments after Claire and Miss Berry left, which prompted Sam to tell him they had been there. He also pointed out where Agatha was sitting so Gabe could decide if he wanted to sit near her or away from her and out of sight.
Gabe sat on a stool at the bar, looking in Agatha’s direction. “She looks so sad, doesn’t she?” he asked Sam. Sam turned his head to look at the woman in the corner.
“She does. She looks like a lot of men I’ve seen come through here who’ve suffered a tragic loss. Has she lost anyone recently?”
Gabe took the drink from him, lifting it in thanks. “I don’t think so. I mean, she hasn’t mentioned it to me. She said she’s supposed to be working at the schoolhouse but I’ve not heard anything like that from Claire.”
“Speaking of Claire, she was just in here earlier. In fact, you just missed her.”
Gabe looked up at him, disappointment flooding him. “I did?”
“You did. They didn’t stay for too long. Only for two beers each.”
Gabe felt something other than disappointment this time. He tried to deny he was filled with jealousy but he couldn’t. “Who was she with?” he asked, in a harsher tone than he intended. Sam grinned at him.
“The teacher, Miss Berry, from the schoolhouse. You know… where she works?”
Gabe laughed with him, relief flooding him. “I’m glad to hear it. I would hate to have to challenge someone to a duel.”
“Glad that’s not happening,” Sam said. “I’d lose a good cus
tomer and worse, a good friend.”
“Sam, you hardly even know me.”
Sam threw the dishcloth he was holding over his shoulder after wiping his hands dry with it. He leaned on the counter with both hands. “I’ll tell you something, Gabe; there are some fine people here in Wickenburg. Your cousin Mark is one of them. So is Adam Collins. And you know both of them; you lived here before I came. So you have roots here. I trust that you being a relative of Mark is good enough for me to call you friend. Plus, you’ve shown me no reason not to.”
Gabe held out his hand. Sam took it and they shook. “Thanks, Sam. That really means a lot.”
“You’re a good man, Gabe. I know you are. I’m a good judge of character. I can see you are a good man.”
Gabe tried not to let his cheeks flush but they did anyway. He was glad the light was somewhat dim where he was and the sun beaming through the windows was behind him. Maybe Sam wouldn’t notice.
The big man moved away to help another customer, leaving Gabe with his thoughts. He could hear Sam’s compliment reverberating in his mind. He was a good man… a good man…
He wished he could say that about himself. He wished he didn’t have secrets to hide, horrible secrets that could easily change the mind of anyone who heard about it. The thought of Claire finding out what he was hiding made him sick to his stomach. He wanted to live a long time admiring her beauty and her sweet personality.
He couldn’t hide it forever. Sooner or later, it would come out and he would have to answer for what he’d done. Fear struck him like a lightning bolt. He picked up his mug and dashed back the entirety of its contents.
He wasn’t like some of the other men. He didn’t tell Mark or Adam, but they were much braver and courageous than he. Gabe put on a good front when it came to that but he wasn’t the tough man he made out to be. He was constantly filled with fear that he would not escape his past. He was strong and did what had to be done when necessary. Now… now that his courage had taken him too far… now he was afraid. He didn’t want to hang from the gallows. He didn’t want to rot in a dirty jail cell for the rest of his life.
An Obsessive Bride Page 11