by Karen Cogan
Kathleen’s thoughts were interrupted by knocking on the front door.
Nancy had brought a hot meal. “I heard what happened. I’m so sorry. Is he going to be all right?”
“The doc says he’ll mend. But it’ll take time. I’m worried about the store. Vic means well, but he’s awful lax.”
“Let me help. I’ll organize the ladies from church. We can take turns sitting with your father in the afternoons so you can check on the store.” Her eyes shone with sympathy.
Kathleen smiled at her friend. “That would be a great help.”
After Nancy went home, Kathleen and Papa ate some supper. She covered him warmly and gave him another dose of the sedative the doctor had left. When he was sleeping soundly, she settled in the parlor. She had not bothered to make up the fire and the room was cold. She was too numb from the day’s disaster to care.
A soft rap sounded on the door.
She stifled a groan. Probably Martin. She didn’t feel much like his company. Still, if he’d come out in the cold to offer his sympathy, she couldn’t very well leave him standing on the step. She forced a smile and cracked open the door.
“I came as soon as I heard,” Collin said.
She stepped aside to let him come in, feeling a mix of emotions.
He hung his coat, opened his arms, and pulled her against him. He cradled her to the comforting sound of his heartbeat, stroking her hair and murmuring words of sympathy.
She did not resist. She basked in his nearness. Here in his arms she felt protected. She didn’t care what their disagreement had been. It didn’t matter anymore.
After a moment, he drew back with a smile. “I brought you something.”
She blinked at him, puzzled, as he reached into his coat pocket and withdrew a tiny, sleepy bundle of shiny black fur. He held the kitten out for Kathleen to see.
She gasped with delight as she reached for the tiny animal. She cradled it, enjoying its soft warmth. Roused by her cold hands, it began to meow and lick at her fingers.
Collin smiled. “I’m sorry she’s not a tabby, but she was the sleekest and healthiest of the bunch.”
Kathleen rubbed the kitten against her cheek. “She’s perfect. I love her. I’ll call her Maggie.”
“Why don’t you get her some milk while I start a fire? It’s cold in here.” He collected wood from the pile outside the kitchen door and set to work in front of the stove.
Kathleen settled Maggie with a saucer of milk and returned to the parlor where Collin had built a roaring, cozy blaze.
He pulled her onto the settee with him. “How’s your father?”
“He’ll be all right. I didn’t want him to go. When I think what could have happened…” Tears collected in her eyes and one rolled down her cheek
He wiped it gently away with his finger. “I’m glad he wasn’t shot.”
“As it is, he’ll mend slowly. He’s not young anymore. The young men were all at the mines.”
“Not many young men left. The other mines shut down today. Men are packing up to leave town before the worst of winter. My mine is running short hours with a skeleton crew. It won’t be long before we shut down, too.”
”And you? Will you be going?” Fear entered her heart.
He touched her lips with his fingers as a slow smile spread across his face. ”I aim to stay around awhile. I’ve got some savings that will hold me, and I can trade fresh meat for rent. I’m going hunting in a couple of weeks. I’ll split whatever I get between you and Mrs. McGee.”
Kathleen relaxed and settled against his shoulder. “What’s going to happen to us?”
“It’ll be a hard winter, but I don’t think this town’s done for yet. I have an idea or two of my own.”
She smiled up at him. “I hope they’re good ones.”
“I hope so, too.” He didn’t want to tell her that he would have to be out of town for a few weeks. He could wait until he’d made his plans. He didn’t want anything to spoil the moment because tonight, she needed him and he needed her.
11
Kathleen didn’t see Martin for several days. As she lay in bed at night she became convinced that she didn’t love him. She didn’t even miss him. And without some claim on her emotions, marriage was out of the question.
When he finally dropped by he apologized for not coming sooner. “I was forced to be out of town for several days. I had business in Ouray. Tell me, how is Stan?”
”He’s fine except for the breaks that keep him in bed, with his leg propped upon a pillow.” She steeled herself to tell him what she’d discovered about her heart, that there could be nothing except friendship between them.
But Martin did not bring up the subject of marriage. He seemed distracted, staying only a short while and spending the last part of his visit with Stan before he left without seeing her again.
Kathleen was a bit slighted by his lack of doting. But it was wrong to covet his attention without desiring to return it. If she didn’t want to marry him she must break the news to him at some point. But when would he ask her again?
Business at the store grew slow. Since many families had already left, the store wouldn’t make enough profit to justify ordering additional supplies. People would have to make it through the winter with what was on hand.
Kathleen was grateful for the deer meat Collin had brought. It would help them tide over until spring. If folks didn’t move back there was no future for the store.
“Will we sell out and go back to St. Louis?” she asked her father one day.
“Can’t,” Papa said, sounding resigned. The weeks in bed had begun to dampen his spirits. He met her puzzled gaze. “I put all of our savings into the store and this house. Who would we sell to? Everybody’s moving out.”
Anxious dread creep into her body. They had nothing to fall back on. Were they doomed to remain in a ghost town with no means of support?
“Try not to worry. Collin believes this town isn’t done for, yet.” She said it firmly, hoping he’d take heart.
“Collin’s a miner. How could he know?”
How could he know, indeed?
Nancy braved a cold November wind to visit. “They’ve shut down the assayer’s office. The last mine closed today and Tom is out of work. We’ll have to move to Ouray. He’s been offered the office there.”
“You can’t. It won’t be the same here without you.”
Nancy patted her hand. “I know. I feel the same way. But it’s not so far away. Maybe when Stan is healed you can come and see us.”
“Maybe, but with the store…”
She was cut off as Nancy smiled broadly. “I have some better news. I’m finally expecting. Can you believe it? We’ll have a baby in the spring. I’m so excited I can hardly stand it.”
“A baby?”
“Yes. I feel as if I’ve waited forever. Now, we’ll have a new home and a new baby.”
Kathleen hugged her. Yet, her happiness was tempered by the fact that she would miss not only Nancy, but the birth of the baby. She wondered how many other people would close their businesses and move before spring. “How long before you go?”
“Two weeks.”
“Then we’ll have to get busy on baby clothes. We can sew in the mornings when I’m home with Papa.”
From then on, they spent all the spare time Nancy could manage sewing the baby’s clothes.
Kathleen pretended their days would go on forever. “What will you name the baby?” she asked.
Nancy paused her knitting needle that was forming a tiny bootie. “If the baby is a boy, we’ll name him Thomas after his father. If the baby is a girl, we’ll name her Kathleen to remind us of you.”
Tears well in Kathleen’s eyes. “Oh, Nancy, I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything. If we name her Kathleen I’m sure she’ll be beautiful like you.”
Kathleen gave Nancy a hug.
They both giggl
ed, giddy with emotion.
“I’ll get us some muffins. I baked them this morning. You need to keep up your strength,” Kathleen said with a smile.
The weeks passed much too quickly.
Kathleen stood at the train waving good-bye as Nancy and Tom rolled away. They would continue to the small town of Albany and then take a wagon along the toll road to Ouray. Kathleen prayed that the clear weather would hold for their trip.
Collin stood beside her. He put an arm around her shoulders. “You’ll miss her, won’t you?”
She wiped her eyes with her handkerchief. “I felt as if we had just gotten to be good friends.”
He squeezed her shoulders gently. “You’ll see her again. I’m sure you will.”
Christmas approached. Perhaps a party was exactly what everyone needed to be cheered. A taffy party, just as Kathleen had suggested so long ago to Collin. She broached the idea on a cold Sunday in mid-December as they walked back from church. It was the first Sunday she had left Papa since he had broken his leg.
Today he had insisted he would be fine on his own. “You need and deserve an outing. Go to church. You’ve been nursing me too long.” Papa refused to be denied.
Martin had not been at church. This was both a relief and a revelation to Kathleen.
Snowflakes were collecting atop Collin’s hat.
The sky had turned a steel gray with the promise of a snowstorm that would pile drifts against their doors and make getting out uncomfortable for the next few days.
“I’ve been thinking about having a party, a taffy pull. We could invite a few people from church the Saturday before Christmas. Don’t you think it would be fun?”
Collin didn’t answer for a moment and his expression turned grim. “I wanted to spend Christmas with you, planned on it, in fact. But I got a letter from my father about three weeks ago. He’s asked me to come home for Christmas. And since we have some things to discuss, I think I’d better go.”
They faced each other, shivering in the cold.
“I thought you…that you and your father…well, I didn’t think you had any fondness for home.”
He took her arm and they began to walk again. The snow swirled heavier around them.
“We used to have our differences. I’m hoping to mend them.”
“That’s good.” She tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice. “When will you leave?”
“As soon as the snow clears.”
They reached her house and paused on the porch to brush the snow from their clothes.
Kathleen took his sleeve and pulled him inside.
He grinned at her. “Does this mean you’ll miss me?”
She stared into his dancing green eyes. “Of course I’ll miss you. I had looked forward to spending the holiday together.”
They hung their coats.
Collin grew somber as he pulled her over to the settee. “Something has been weighing on me and you’re the only one who has the answer.” He leaned forward studying her carefully.
Her pulse leapt at his serious tone.
He took her hand. “I can’t believe you could not know how I feel about you. You captured my heart the first time I saw you. And I’ll admit that watching Martin compete for your affection has been harder than any work I’ve done down in the mine. What I need to know is, how do you feel about me?” His question came with honest sincerity.
Kathleen could not have stopped from blurting the truth. “I love you. I think I always have. I was afraid not to consider Martin since everyone else said he was so perfect.” The words sounded a bit tactless.
Collin did not seem to mind. “When I get back I hope I’ll be free to explain some things to you.” He broke off as Papa called from the bedroom.
“Did you bring company? Is that Martin? Ask him to stay for lunch and a visit.”
Kathleen rolled her eyes.
Collin heaved a sigh while giving her a good-natured grin. “I’m about to be a disappointment.”
“Not to me you’re not,” she said firmly. Kathleen sent Collin into the kitchen while she went to greet her father. “I’ve brought Collin home for lunch. He will be out of town for Christmas. I’m going to miss him, Papa,” she added softly.
Papa nodded, resigned. “Just bring me a tray. Then the two of you can eat together.”
“Are you sure? We could join you in here.”
“I’m not much in the mood for company.” His spirits were down. The forced confinement made him grow more lethargic each day. His leg needed to mend. Perhaps then, he would feel useful again.
She heated left-over venison.
Collin sliced bread and cheese.
Kathleen made them each a mug of hot coffee and set Papa’s food on a board that served as his tray.
“I’ll take it to him if you don’t think he’ll mind,” Collin volunteered.
“I think he’s feeling a little sorry for himself. He said he didn’t want company.”
Collin flashed her a grin as he lifted the tray. “I’ll just bring in his food, and then leave him in peace.” He disappeared from the kitchen.
Kathleen dished up their lunch. She settled at the table and waited. Finally, she got up to see what was keeping him. She slipped into Papa’s room.
Collin was leaning against the armoire telling her father about how he’d shot the buck. “It was pretty exciting. Before I came here, I’d only hunted small game, pheasants, mostly.”
“I’ve never got a deer, myself. Hunted rabbits when I was a boy,” Papa said.
Kathleen smiled; pleased to see them enjoying each other’s company.
Papa caught sight of her. “You two best get to your lunch. We can talk huntin’ later.”
She caught Collin’s arm as they left the bedroom. “He didn’t seem disappointed with your company. I think he likes you.”
Collin raised a sable brow. “But not as well as Martin.”
“I think he’s impressed by Martin’s money and position. My father has worked hard all his life, and he looks up to success.”
His face clouded. “That sounds familiar.”
Kathleen gave him a quizzical look. His relationship with his father was a mystery to her. She let the subject drop.
Kathleen didn’t see Collin again until the frigid afternoon he came to say good-bye.
Since he wouldn’t hear of having her stand shivering at the train station, they said their good-byes in Kathleen’s entryway. They clung to one another, lips lingering in a tender kiss, each unwilling to part.
As Collin pulled away he looked down into her eyes. “I’ll be back as soon as possible, no longer than three weeks, I hope.”
“I’ll miss you.”
He ran a finger tenderly along her cheek. “I don’t intend to spend another Christmas away from you, forever.”
Her spirits soared. She could stand a temporary parting if she knew it would be followed by permanent happiness. “Take care of yourself in Kerry Patch. I couldn’t stand it if you were to get hurt.”
He stared at her. A small frown creased his brow. “Kerry Patch? Why would I go there?”
“Martin told me you grew up there. I assumed it’s where you father lives.”
An unmistakable flash of anger passed over his face before he masked it. “I’m not from Kerry Patch.” He released her and shrugged into his coat. “I have to catch my train. I’ll explain everything to you when I get back.” He plowed through the snow that covered the yard in a blanket of white.
What had he planned to tell her? Nothing he could share about his background would make her love him any less.
Collin boarded the train. When he returned, it would be time to tell Kathleen about his upbringing. He hoped his father had forgiven his youthful folly. Then he would know whether he would offer himself to Kathleen as a McAllister heir, or as a man set on making his own fortune. Either way it went, the assurance of Kathleen’s love made him fe
el like a rich man.
The tedious hours went by as the train chugged along the canyon.
Collin passed the time by reading and engaging in occasional conversation with other passengers. When he finally arrived in St. Louis in the early evening of the next day, feeling rumpled and exhausted, he was met by his father’s buggy driver, faithful old Henry.
A light drizzle fell around them as Henry whisked Collin out of the rain and into the warm confines of the buggy. His face had split into a wide grin at the sight of the young master.
“Your father would have come to meet you, but he’s been laid low with a cold. Nothing serious, but it was best he stayed inside with a warm toddy. He’s eager to see you, though.”
Henry’s assurance lifted Collin’s spirits. The last time he’d been in the company of the elder McAllister, his father had berated him sharply before throwing down the gauntlet. Looking back, he had deserved every criticism that had been laid at his feet.
They clattered along the wet streets until they reached the sweeping grounds and massive brick residences of the finest part of St. Louis. Coming home was a strange feeling, so familiar and yet so at odds from his recent life.
Henry took the buggy along the circular drive that led to the front door of the McAllister estate. He stopped the horses and climbed down to shield Collin with an umbrella until they reached the ornate oak door that was dwarfed by three stories of red brick and gables that ascended upward. To each side, the house sprawled out with downstairs parlors, a music room and libraries, the huge kitchen, and his father’s prized study. A separate building behind the main house served as the servants’ quarters.
Peters, the butler, took Collin’s coat and hat. “Your father is expecting you for supper at eight o’clock, sir. Your room has been made ready for your arrival.”