Forget Me Not (The Heart's Spring)

by Amber Stokes

  Her breathing growing labored, she huffed a question for Joe. “Is my brother short on funds?”

  “Naw, not at all. He’s doin’ fine. I think the fire of ’75 really struck fear in him, though, ya know? So many people lost everything. He had to rebuild his business, but he still had his home. Decided not to give up and move on.” He nodded his head. “I really admire him for that. It takes courage to rebuild. And now look at him! He has a wife, plenty of money, and a thriving business.”

  Joe paused, then added in a quiet voice, “With a decade separating him from that disaster, ya would think he would finally feel secure.”

  Elizabeth pondered Joe’s words. Joe probably thought Jacob worked too hard. Maybe her brother got that from their father. Not that she really remembered what her father was like, but many farmers had the same trait.

  Shaking her head, Elizabeth craned her neck again and squinted at the mountaintop. It continued to rise above them, a tan habitation full of secrets. “What is this mountain called?”

  “Mount Davidson. But that’s its official name. I prefer ‘Sun Mountain.’ That was its first name.”

  “Sun Mountain,” Elizabeth repeated, liking the way the name matched the hill’s golden color. “I think it fits better, too.”

  Joe sent another smile her way. “Reckon yer right.”

  ***

  Joe found himself looking back more than was safe, and he wished that David-fellow didn’t stick to Elizabeth like flapjack batter to a frying pan. Jacob was a good friend of his, and he figured that any family of Jacob’s would be good, too. He just never could have imagined how good.

  “Where do you live, Joe?”

  Another question from Elizabeth, but he didn’t mind. In fact, he wished she would never run out of questions. Of course, judging by the look on David’s face, Joe guessed David was wishing the opposite. That brought a grin to his grimy face—a face he knew would be cleaner during Elizabeth’s stay than it had been for years. He’d make sure of it.

  “Well, ma’am, I live out of town a ways, in the canyon.”

  “Oh. But didn’t you say you work for my brother here in Virginia City?”

  “Yep. I stay at a boardinghouse in town during the week, then head back home come week’s end.”

  “Who watches your home for you while you’re away?”

  “My brother. He and I both work a ranch down there in the canyon. Well, mostly my brother and some hired hands do the work now. I help out when I can.”

  “Why would you work in town when you have a ranch?”

  Joe looked back and gave her a wink as he replied, “Wouldn’t want to miss all the fun in town, now would I?”

  When Elizabeth blushed and glanced down at the ground, he returned his gaze to the street. “My brother’s the eldest of us two, so the ranch rightfully belongs to him. I would move into town, but I really do love it down there. So I make my living up here and get my rest, so to speak, on the ranch. And only the Lord knows whether I’ll have to someday make a choice between the two. Until then, I’m as content as cattle grazing on green grass.”

  “Which is rather scarce around here,” David mumbled.

  Joe smiled wide. “You noticed that, too?”

  When he arrived at Jacob’s house, Joe waited for Elizabeth and David to catch up. David seemed to be doing fine, although a noticeable drop of sweat slid down his forehead. But Elizabeth was breathing heavy, and her face was red from the hard walk. Joe wanted to ask if she was all right, but David kept very close to her and didn’t seem agreeable to anyone else doing the same.

  Elizabeth must have spotted the look of concern on his face, as she hurried to reassure him. “That was quite a walk, but I needed to stretch my legs after all that time on the train.” She smiled, and the temperature seemed to spike several degrees. Nodding, he led the way up to the front door and knocked.

  Annabelle answered the door right away, the constant lines of melancholy still etched on her face. Her gaze took in the newcomers, and she turned to Joe with new lines of confusion wrinkling her brow. “Who did you bring?”

  Elizabeth stepped forward, her smile only slightly dimmed. She held out her hand. “I’m Jacob’s sister, Elizabeth. It’s so wonderful to meet you.”

  Annabelle gasped. “Jacob’s sister? I didn’t even know he had any siblings.” Not waiting for an explanation, she bypassed Elizabeth’s outstretched hand and gathered the girl up in a hug. “I’m Annabelle.”

  Joe grinned, sensing a friendship forming. Good. The Lord knew Annabelle needed a friend.

  The smile that had grown on Annabelle’s face faded when she looked past Elizabeth to see David. “And may I ask who this is?”

  “Oh! This is my…uh…dear friend, David. He made sure I got here safely.”

  Annabelle nodded to David. He removed his hat and replied, “Ma’am.” Well, at least the man had manners for everyone else but Joe.

  Joe cleared his throat, and Annabelle stepped out of the doorway, motioning for all of them to come in. “I wish Jacob could have been here to greet you, but he should be home later today.”

  While he doubted Elizabeth or David caught it, Joe didn’t miss the skepticism in her eyes. And he couldn’t blame her for it, either. The contrasting innocent delight in Elizabeth’s green eyes—clearer than her brother’s—was all the motivation he needed to say his farewells and head straight back to C Street. He was going to give Jacob a piece of his mind…and maybe his fist.

  Chapter 7

  A feeling of dread pulled hard on David, making him wish he could back out of the house like Joe had done and return to the train. He had done what he set out to do, which had, surprisingly, turned out to be easier than he had thought after Elizabeth’s confession back in Cheyenne. He’d delivered her safely to her brother’s home. Yet, even if he could somehow find the will to step out of Elizabeth’s life, something felt amiss, and he wouldn’t let her suffer through any unknown trouble alone. He couldn’t.

  Maybe, just maybe, when he had figured this problem out, she would be willing to leave with him.

  Sensing that someone was directing a question at him, he focused his attention back on the ladies gathered in the small parlor. “What was that?”

  Annabelle repeated, “Will you be able to find someplace to stay? I’m so sorry that we don’t have enough room for you both, but…”

  “It’s fine.” That was that, then. He would search for a room and a job. Shouldn’t be too hard.

  Turning, he noticed Elizabeth’s expression had fallen. Her brows scrunched as she bit her lip. “You’re not staying?” Her whisper quavered in the air between them.

  “I’ll be around. I won’t leave you.”

  “You’ll tell me where you’ll be stayin’?” It was a plea.

  “Of course.”

  Taking one last look around, David admired the room with the small, colorful chandelier, furniture with soft blue cushions, flowered wallpaper, and deep burgundy carpets. Elizabeth would be comfortable here.

  “Well, I’ll be going now.” He regretted the uncertainty in Elizabeth’s soft, sagebrush eyes, but he walked out the door and let it shut firmly behind him.

  ***

  Joe leaned against the counter of the general store and glared at Jacob Lawson. “When are you going to realize that people need you? And I’m not talkin’ about here.” He waited for Jacob’s inevitable denial of the truth. Jacob couldn’t seem to tear himself away from his work, not even to focus on his wife or his best friend. At least, Joe fancied himself to be Jacob’s best friend. He hardly knew anymore.

  “I know.” Jacob turned away from the shelf where he had been stacking cans of beans. “I just can’t believe that I have a sister. That she’s here. I’m not ready to face her yet.”

  “You can tear yerself away from yer business for a few hours, can’t ya? Don’t ya trust me enough to take care of things while you’re gone?” Joe wouldn’t admit that he was glad he was the one to find Elizabeth at the station—
and that he wouldn’t mind spending more time with her. Let Jacob stew for a while and suffer for his stupid choices.

  “Of course I trust you. There’s just a lot I need to take care of here. You know it’s hard for me to get away at any time.”

  “Oh yes, I know. Whenever I see Annabelle I’m reminded of that little fact. You don’t even have time for yer own wife, so how are ya goin’ to find time for yer sister, right?”

  Jacob’s face turned hard. “Don’t start with me. I have my problems, but I’m a good man. As your boss, I treat you fair, right? And Annabelle hasn’t ever wanted for anything.”

  Shaking his head, Joe replied, “Except fer some company. She never wanted for that before you married her. How do ya expect her to handle the loneliness now?”

  “Come on, Joe.” Jacob sighed. “It takes a lot to make a living in this dyin’ town. You should know that by now.”

  Joe couldn’t deny it. Grabbing a can of beans off the shelf, he studied it, wondering how he could convince Jacob to do right by his sister. She had come all this way to meet her long-lost brother, and now he was being a stubborn mule of a man. That pretty little girl deserved better than this.

  “Don’t put her off for too long. She had to have sacrificed a lot to come here. No matter what sort of guilt yer feeling, she needs you.” Tossing the can to Jacob, he shook his head. “Right now I’m on her side, and I don’t see that changin’ anytime soon, regardless of our friendship.”

  Jacob held the can tightly in his hands, staring down at it as if all the solutions to his problems were contained in that worthless piece of trash. Disgusted, Joe went to the door, ignoring the curious glances of customers.

  Turning back one last time, he met Jacob’s gaze and added, “At the rate yer goin’, yer life won’t be worth more than that can of beans.” With that, Joe walked out the store and left his sorry excuse for a friend behind.

  ***

  “What an interesting place to live!”

  Elizabeth couldn’t satisfy her curiosity quickly enough to suit her. She somehow needed to convince Annabelle to go into town with her and show her around. Not that sitting for a little while after that long, arduous walk uphill was objectionable. And visiting with her sister-in-law was certainly enjoyable. She hadn’t talked to another woman since… Well, it had been a long time.

  “It is a different sort of place, isn’t it?” Annabelle offered a small smile, appearing amused by Elizabeth’s enthusiasm.

  “You have such a lovely home. I had no idea my brother was so…comfortable.” Elizabeth admired the small parlor they were sitting in, eager to see the rest of the house and, eventually, the rest of the town. “Would you mind if I take a look around?”

  “Not at all. I’d love to show you our home.” Pride filled Annabelle’s voice as she ran a hand down her long blond hair. Just the words “our home” seemed to lift her spirits. Elizabeth grinned. How wonderful that her brother’s wife was so excited about the life she and Jacob were building together.

  As Annabelle showed Elizabeth around, her excitement grew. There was the small kitchen with floral print paper covering the walls. The table was small but elegant, and the space was larger than the kitchen she and Sarah Anne had at home. Upstairs were the bedrooms—two of them. One was for guests, where Elizabeth would be staying. The room was done in greens and browns, and Elizabeth found it quite elegant with a large dresser and matching wardrobe.

  Annabelle and Jacob’s room was grand. The walls boasted red-and-gold-striped wallpaper, and a red carpet covered the floor at the foot of the bed. But it was the bed itself that really captured Elizabeth’s attention. It was so big! Elizabeth admired the carved headboard and striped spread that matched the rest of the décor.

  “This is magnificent.” Elizabeth looked about her in awe. “Why, this might be even better than a room in a hotel!”

  Annabelle’s laugh was full of merriment. “I wouldn’t think so, but I do love it. Jacob spared no expense.” At those words, the laughter left her lovely blue eyes.

  As they headed back down the narrow stairs, Elizabeth asked, “Would you show me the town, too? I know I just got here, but I can’t wait to see more of it.”

  Annabelle shook her head. “No, I don’t think that’s a very good idea. Virginia City is still a rather rough town, even though there’s good society here, as well.”

  Elizabeth cocked her head, noticing for the first time that Annabelle’s speech seemed to be rather slow. It wasn’t that her words seemed uneducated. It was more like each word was chosen carefully. Looking up to find Annabelle watching her, she scrambled for something to say and ended up returning to her plea. “Oh, but it would be so much fun! And we’ll be going together, so we should be fine, right?”

  Once again, Annabelle shook her head, not quite meeting Elizabeth’s gaze. “I’m rather tired, aren’t you? Why don’t we wait here for Jacob to come home?”

  “Well, I guess if you don’t really want to go to town, maybe I could just venture a quick look around by myself.” Elizabeth thought her eager countenance would coax a smile from Annabelle, but instead, she frowned.

  “Elizabeth, I really don’t think…”

  “Oh, don’t worry. I’ll be careful, and I won’t be gone long.” Before Annabelle could protest further, Elizabeth rushed outside. Surprised at her own boldness, she turned back around to stare at the closed door. Since when had she become so fearless? And since when had she become so rude? Elizabeth pressed on downhill, afraid that if she let herself stop and really think she would be overcome by a disappointment she couldn’t quite comprehend.

  Chapter 8

  Amazing how hairy a man could get when there wasn’t a woman around to impress. Joe looked up from the hair on the wooden floor and smiled at his image in the mirror, admiring the barber’s work. “Do ya like the mustache, Bill? Or do ya think I should just get rid of it all?”

  Bill took a step back and grabbed his chin with a finger and thumb, thinking deeply. “I think the mustache suits you.” A slow smile crept up his dry and weathered face. “Besides, yer already shocking enough as it is with so much hair gone.”

  Joe grinned broadly. “And really, I look almost—what’s that word?—uh, debonair, right? Like a gentleman.” It was tempting to purchase new clothes to match his new look, but he didn’t have that much money to be tossing about to the wind. The shave and haircut would have to do. His blond eyebrows fell over his eyes as he wondered what Elizabeth would think.

  “You’ll be impressin’ every woman in town with the new Joe. They’ll wonder where the handsome stranger came from.”

  “Just what I wanted to hear.” Placing some money in Bill’s hand, he added, “I’m headin’ out to show the town of Virginia City the cleaned-up me.”

  “Have a good time, son.” Bill waved as Joe stepped out the door and glanced up and down C Street. The middle of the street was crowded with people milling about and horses and buggies trying to weave through the herd. The saloons were open, but he knew the small groups of people inside would grow as soon as the sun began to set. Joe had never really had much desire to enter the Bucket of Blood, the Delta, or any of those establishments, but he knew that they were frequented by many of the citizens of this town. His ma’s teachings still held sway in his life, and he was accountable to his brother, so he did his best to stay out of mischief. Too bad he couldn’t say the same for Elizabeth’s brother.

  Stepping off the wooden sidewalk and out into the dusty street, Joe was startled to see Elizabeth wandering around, glancing into shops and practically running past the saloons. What was she doing out here all alone? Nervousness twisted through him, and his pulse picked up speed. He couldn’t recall feeling such concern for someone else before, besides his ma, and he wasn’t sure he liked the feeling. Like it or not, though, he was going to catch up to that girl before she got herself into a heap of trouble—and before she found herself on the wrong street.

  ***

  It was the last
job in the world David wanted, but it seemed like the last job in the world available to him. At least the pay was good. Actually, it was more than good. But then, was it really a wonder miners had to be paid so much to go into the depths of the earth and suffer all day?

  As he headed out the office door, a fellow miner came up and started walking with him toward the mine’s entrance. The man appeared to be Irish, and David was reminded again of how many different countries the miners represented. It was as if people from all over the earth had come to dig some sort of future out of the heart of the West.

  “Where ye stayin’?”

  It was the question that had been on his mind ever since he had left Elizabeth with her brother’s wife. “I don’t know. Why do you ask?”

  “I’d rather die with a friend than an enemy, if it comes to that when we’re down below. Jest wanted to do a good turn for the newcomer and tell ye to stay with me Cornish friends. Up near the top of Sun Mountain.” The man shrugged. “They’re not the fanciest or cleanest, mind ye, but ye go where there’s cheap room, right?”

  David paused and stared curiously at the man. “They live at the top of the mountain?”

  “The highest streets.” The man pointed upwards.

  “Ah, I see.” The higher levels of the city. “Must be some view from up there.”

  “Yes, indeed. They’ve got a grand view o’ the valley.”

  “Mind if I ask why you chose to come here?”

  The man now pointed to the ground. “Down there is me chance for a better future. Ye must feel the same, if yer here.”

  Nodding, unwilling to explain further, David resumed walking and then ducked beneath the wooden beams framing the mine’s entrance. He picked up a pack with the equipment he’d need, just where his new boss said it’d be, and hefted it over his shoulder. A sudden apprehension seized him as he thought of going down into the mine. Returning to their previous topic, he asked the man, “Do you think the Cornish would accept me?”