by Emily Woods
However, Kate remembered many times when the woman had pressed her to eat one more cookie or take another piece of pie when she denied her own daughters, possibly because Kate had always been so slender while Margaret and her sisters tended to be on the plump side.
“It's really no bother,” she tried again. “In fact, I would prefer it. I'm afraid I wouldn't be good company.”
Mrs. Johnston clearly disagreed. “It'll do you both good,” she insisted. “Jane is the same age as Maddie. They can play together.”
Although she would never say so, Kate didn't particularly like the little girl. There was something of a mean streak in her, and she didn't want Maddie to be in her line of fire. Still, there seemed to be no way to wiggle out, so she accepted with a small smile.
The dinner preparations were finished, but Maddie slept on. Mrs. Johnston went out to visit a neighbor, so Kate took a seat at the end of the couch and brought her daughter's small feet onto her lap. The stockings she wore were much too big, but there wasn't any help for that. Until she was able to sort out their finances, there would be no money for new clothes.
The sight of the sagging stockings broke the dam and tears threatened. She clamped her hand over her mouth to keep from making noise. Tears spilled over her fingers and trickled down her chin. Once they started, she felt helpless to stop them.
Gently, she replaced Maddie's feet on the couch and rushed to the bedroom. There, she threw herself down on the bed and sobbed, drenching the pillow. Her chest heaved, and she felt like her heart was actually breaking into two.
In the back of her mind, she was calling out to God, begging for His comfort, but she couldn't bring herself to make it a conscious plea. She didn't want God right now. He'd taken her parents from her along with her home. All her security was gone now, blown away in the wind. Unconsciously, she moved from the bed to the window that faced her house.
When she caught sight of the charred remains, a fresh wave of grief threatened to overwhelm her. Somewhere in the blackened ruins lay her parents’ bodies. Even now, the firefighters were working to sort out the mess. How could this be? How could her whole life be ripped away from her in the course of one day?
Although despair threatened to undo her, a survival instinct pushed her forward. If not for herself, then for her daughter, she would survive.
Great Falls, Montana
“What is it, Marge? Something serious?”
Marge Tanner frowned as she read the telegram, not hearing the words of her foreman-turned-partner. “I can't believe it,” she muttered, moisture gathering in her eyes. “Lord, send your angels to them.”
Luke Winston folded his arms and leaned against the side of the house. He'd seen the rider come up and deliver a message to Marge and had come out of the barn to see what had happened. Riders didn't come out unless it was some kind of emergency. As concerned as he was about the contents of the telegram, he waited until Marge was ready to share them with him.
A few minutes passed, and she must have read the message several times before she finally turned to face him. In that short time, she seemed to have aged another ten years, making her look nearly her actual age of fifty-five.
“My brother,” she mumbled, not looking at him but toward the mountain range that stood sentry to the east of them. “He and his wife...they died.”
He waited for her to explain, but she seemed frozen.
“How?” he prompted gently.
Shaking her head a little caused the tears to flow freely. “A fire. I-I can't believe it. I'll never see him again. Well, not never, but you know.”
He did know. Marge was a firm believer in the afterlife, Heaven specifically, and had helped him to understand and believe it as well. His road to faith had been rocky, and was rocky still, but he held onto the hope that God was real and that He loved him.
“Who sent the telegram?”
Still in a daze, she didn't appear to hear him for a moment. Her eyes continued to brim with tears which streamed down her cheeks unhindered. “My niece...Katherine. She and her daughter were living with them, but now she has nowhere to go.”
“Sure she does,” he replied easily. “She'll come here.”
The confidence in his voice didn't match how he felt. A young woman coming to the place where he'd finally found solace did not sit well with him, but of course there was no other option. Marge's niece was alone and needed her family. He knew from what Marge had told him that her mother's family was across the ocean, so that just left Marge.
“She's a city girl,” Marge replied with a hint of a smile. “I don't think she's ever even seen the mountains.”
Luke shrugged. “No time like the present. Want me to ride into town and send a reply?”
Marge released a long, shaky sigh. “I hope I can help her. I don't know the first thing about daughters and such.”
Although she was a widow, Marge had never had children. Still, Luke believed that the ranch would be the best thing for Katherine and her daughter Madeline, or rather, Kate and Maddie as Marge called them.
“She's a full grown woman, Marge. I don't think she's looking for a mother, just a place to lay her head.”
“And you think that's here? Are you sure?” She looked at him carefully.
He knew that she was being respectful of his new position as partner, but he still thought of Triple Range as her ranch. “Yeah, I'm sure. I'll ride out in the morning and send the telegram. It's the right thing to do.”
The fact that it was right didn't make it easy. If Kate was anything like her aunt, he knew that he would have to avoid her whenever possible. That was actually a compliment. Marge was the best woman he’d ever met, and a younger version of her would distract him to no end. The last thing he needed in his life was a woman. God knew that, and yet here he was, going to issue an invitation to a desperate widow to come live with them. Surely God was testing his resolve to remain single.
“Let's pray on it tonight,” Marge advised. “God might have something else in store for her...and for us.”
It was good advice, but Luke was fairly certain that one night's sleep would change nothing. He refrained from saying so and merely nodded before heading to the bunkhouse for the night. He would go to bed early. Tomorrow was bound to be a long day.
Bristol, Connecticut
“Aren't the mountains beautiful?” Kate murmured, pointing to the pictures in the large book they were looking at. The library had many books about the West and Kate wanted Maddie to learn a little about it before their journey.
She'd received a reply to her telegram the day before yesterday, just one day after she'd sent her own. The answer had been brief, but reassuring.
“Come. Need ticket?”
She had enough money to pay for their tickets, but not much more than that. Until the property could be sold, she would be almost entirely reliant on her aunt's generosity. That sat easier in her mind than living here. The dinner she'd endured with Mrs. Johnston's daughter had proven that her days here had to be limited. She recalled a bit of their conversation.
“So, you've nowhere else to go? Nowhere at all? And no money either?” Margaret had asked her.
The comment might have sounded sympathetic coming out of anyone else's mouth, but Margaret St. Clair made it sound as though Kate were some sort of beggar imposing on her mother's goodness. The last part was true, but not because she wanted to. She'd offered several times to stay at a hotel or boarding house, but Mrs. Johnston had become visibly upset at the idea.
“Over my dead body will you do any such thing!” she'd declared vehemently. “Your mother would never forgive me if I...” At that point, she'd been unable to continue, so overwhelmed by the mere mention of her late friend.
Kate had to promise that she wouldn't leave to make the poor woman calm down. Margaret left that night as bitter as ever, and Mrs. Johnston promised that she wouldn't invite her over again until things were settled. She also vowed to talk to her daughter and make her see how wr
ong her attitude was.
However, Kate knew she couldn't wait for that to happen. If her aunt wasn't able to take them in, she would find a job and someone to watch over Maddie. It would be the last resort, but she would prefer it over living there.
However, the last resort hadn’t been needed, she thought in relief as she held her daughter in her lap, poring over the photographs of life in the West. Although Maddie seemed intrigued by the book and the journey to the West, her silence continued. Mrs. Johnston told Kate not to worry, that it was common enough for young children to retreat into themselves after a tragedy.
Kate understood that much. She would have done the same if she could, but people might have committed her to an asylum if she went that route. No, she had to keep herself together. She wouldn't let herself go the way she wanted to because then Maddie would have no one except for Roland's parents, and that would be a nightmare. The people who had raised her late husband were cold and critical. She could never allow that to happen.
“See all the horses? There will be horses there too.”
It was with immense gratitude that she'd accepted the invitation to live with her aunt. Part of her was even a little excited at the prospect. Even though Mrs. Johnston had asked them to stay until her parents' property could be sold, she knew that business could be dealt with long distance.
“I can’t wait to get on the train and see our new home,” she told Maddie, who looked up at her questioningly. “Your great Aunt Marge will love you.” She infused her voice with as much enthusiasm as she could, but the act was getting tiring. She fervently hoped that all her words would come true. Her memory of the woman was hazy, because she'd left for the West with her husband more than twenty years before. The last time Kate had seen her, she was only six years old.
It was on the tip of her tongue to utter a prayer that they would have a good life in Montana, but then she remembered that she wasn't praying anymore. Instead, she would ensure that their new life would be good.
It was all up to her now.
Chapter 3
Great Falls, Montana
The train ride was long, but Kate made the time pass by looking out the window with Maddie and telling her stories. They also read from the book that Mrs. Johnston had bought as a going-away present. It was similar to one they'd read at the library, full of pictures and information about life in the West. Kate hoped that it was an accurate representation. At least that way, she would be a little prepared.
“Great Falls is your next stop!” the conductor shouted. “Great Falls!”
Her heart tripped a little at the announcement, and she shoved the book back into her bag.
“Almost there, darling,” she trilled, trying to sound more excited than nervous. “You can see the station up ahead.”
Maddie pressed her face against the window to better see the approaching town. Although she still didn't say anything, her eyes widened in surprise.
“It's bigger than I expected,” she told her daughter. “More than a thousand people live here now. And you know what? The train station is brand new! It was just built a year ago.”
Of course this information didn't mean much to a child, but Kate took heart in knowing that it wouldn't be complete wilderness. She just hoped that the ranch wouldn't be too far outside of town.
The train pulled into the station, and she grasped Maddie's hand as they stepped down onto the platform. A sea of faces greeted them, and Kate's heart swelled with the tangible joy expressed at the reunion of so many loved ones. Glad shouts and warm embraces surrounded her. Of course, her own situation was different. She was a bundle of nerves, but nerves were better than sorrow, the only emotion she'd felt since the death of her parents.
The crowd thinned out a little as people left the station, and she wondered if her aunt had gotten her telegram saying when she was coming. There had been no reply, but she knew the one week it took to travel there would be sufficient for them to receive it.
“Mrs. Landry?” a male voice inquired behind her. She twirled around so fast that she nearly tripped, but was caught by a firm hand. “Sorry 'bout that. Didn't mean to startle you.”
His voice flowed like warm honey, soft and smooth. Eyes so dark they were almost black rendered her speechless. A dull roar blocked out any sound and even though her eyes were fastened on his mouth, she could barely make out what he was saying.
“...about two hours. At least it's a nice day.”
Shaking her head, she managed to pull herself out of her trance. “Ah, yes, it is. Thank you. I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name.”
The side of his mouth quirked for the briefest moment. “Luke Winston, ma'am. At your service.”
He had probably just said that, along with why he was there instead of her aunt, but she'd missed it all while she'd been staring at him like a star-struck schoolgirl.
“Yes, nice to meet you. I'm Katherine Landry.” She flushed when she realized that he already knew who she was, but she suddenly felt completely thrown. “And this here is Madeline, Maddie, actually.”
She looked down at her daughter and found that she'd almost completely hidden herself behind her mother's skirts. Only one eye peered around the voluminous material.
“Come out, darling, and say hello to Mr. Winston.”
Desperately, Kate wished for a miracle. She nearly prayed that Maddie would open her mouth and words would come out, but of course, it was too much. Even before the fire, Maddie had been painfully shy. Now, she was nearly terrified of strangers, especially tall, unfamiliar men such as the one before them.
To her great surprise, Luke doffed his hat and squatted down until he was eye level with her little girl.
“Howdy, miss. It's a pleasure to meet you. I hope you'll like it here.”
Although she didn't reply, Kate saw a hint of smile touch Maddie’s face. She hoped that Luke wouldn't start peppering her with questions about why Maddie didn't respond verbally.
“She's shy,” Kate said quickly, wanting to thwart any inquiries.
Luke stood up and nodded sagely. “Not the worst thing. I used to be pretty shy myself. Still am sometimes.”
Kate had a hard time believing this powerful, shockingly handsome man was ever shy. It wasn't that he was loud or abrasive, but he carried himself with quiet confidence. She was contemplating his statement and didn't hear what he asked her…again
“Pardon me?” She hated that her cheeks heated up so quickly, but it couldn't be helped. She found it hard to focus in his presence. “I’m afraid I’m a little overwhelmed.”
“I was asking which trunk is yours. There are still a few waiting to be picked up.”
Flustered, she turned toward where the porters had unloaded the luggage and scanned the bags to find her own. “That dark brown one with the black straps,” she said, pointing toward the rather battered case. It had belonged to someone at the church who no longer had need of it and contained a few items of clothing that had been given to her by Mrs. Johnston, castoff clothing that was no longer fashionable and were entirely too big for her and Maddie. Along with the three dresses, the case contained a few items for Maddie, articles of clothing that had belonged to Margaret's daughters.
“Not much of a case,” he murmured.
Mistaking his comment for criticism, she lifted her chin. “Well, a fire will do that, leave you without much.”
It wasn't fair to assume that he was being callous, but Kate was hard-pressed to do otherwise. Her emotions were too close to the surface. Her initial infatuation fell away and in its place, the level-headed woman that she considered herself to be reappeared.
His eyes widened in surprise and his mouth opened a little. “I didn't mean anything by it. I just mean...well, I guess I'm used to women having a lot of clothing and such.”
“Until last week, I did.” She blinked a few times and then bent over and pretended to fuss with Maddie's hair.
He didn't respond to that, but just picked up her suitcase and brought it ove
r to a wagon that she presumed belonged to her aunt. The line of his jaw was set and his mouth was firmly closed as though he didn’t wish to say anything further that might insult her.
Carefully, he helped her up to the bench and then passed Maddie to her. She was surprised that Maddie didn't balk at being held by him, but had little time to dwell on it before Luke set the wagon in motion.
It wasn't the most spectacular start to her new life, but at least they were in one piece. She set her eyes to the road ahead and held Maddie close. She couldn't wait to get to her aunt's ranch.
While waiting for Marge's niece, Luke had disappeared into the shadows of the new station. The overhang provided just enough shade to hide from the townspeople, most of whom seemed to enjoy seeking him out. For what reason, he couldn't fathom. He'd only lived in this part of the country for five years and knew practically no one. People always wanted to hear about his life and how he came to live here, but that was a story that very few people would ever know.
When the train pulled in, Luke waited for the passengers to disperse before seeking out Marge's niece. At first, he thought that he must have the wrong train. No one matching his idea of mother and daughter got off the train. He did, however, see a teenager with what he assumed was her younger sister and shook his head in dismay. What kind of parent allowed such a young girl to travel without a chaperon?
But then, the girl turned, and he realized that she was much older than she first appeared. He wasn't sure if it was her petite frame or her apprehension that made her seem so young at first, but now he felt quite certain that this was Katherine Landry. He should have known anyway. No young girl dressed like that.
Her simple cobalt blue dress had a full skirt, something a teenager wouldn't wear, and from the matching hat perched atop her golden hair trailed a long ribbon. He would have said that her clothing showed her to be a woman of moderate means except that it seemed slightly large, as though borrowed from an older sister or a taller friend.