Gabe turned to Mr. Dingle. “Dorfmeyer must pay you a lot more than he paid Billingsley.”
A glare from Grandpa silenced the wave of tittering that undulated across the room.
Gabe had the Ainsworths step down and called Mr. Billingsley.
“Who had access to your cash drawer and keys besides you?” Gabe asked.
Sarah saw the hope in poor Mr. Billingsley’s eyes. He sat up straight and said, “Only Mr. Dorfmeyer and Mr. Dingle.”
Peter looked as if it had finally dawned on him he had the wrong man. He stood and pointed at Mr. Dingle. “Where did you get the money to buy a house in Austin and lease a store there? And why would you, when you’re working here?”
Dingle’s face turned red with fury and he shouted, “You think I liked working with you, you arrogant bastard? Listening to your boasts and hearing you put me down day after day? I should have gotten your job when your uncle retired, but he passed over me to give it to an empty-headed braggart like you. Not because you know anything about banking, ‘cause you only know how to lord about, but because you’re related. I figured the bank owed me for putting up with your family all these years.” He turned to Billingsley. “Sorry Roy, someone had to get blamed and I couldn’t figure a way to make Dorfmeyer take the fall.”
When all the trivialities of dismissing the case and binding Dingle to jail were dispensed with, Sarah and the children rushed to congratulate Gabe and Nate.
Nate swung Cindy up in his arms, and ruffled the hair of each boy. “You certainly got an exciting introduction to court.”
Gabe accepted the thanks of the Billingsley family, then offered, “Lunch is on me if anyone’s interested.”
“Can we go to Granny’s?” Sarah asked.
“Sure. Everyone ready?” They stopped when they overheard Peter tell Mr. Billingsley he no longer had a job at the bank.
Sarah spun on her heel and put her hands on her hips. “Peter Dorfmeyer, this man has just been proven innocent. What do you mean he no longer has a job?”
Others milling in the courtroom gathered to listen.
Peter flicked an imaginary speck of dust off his cuff then pushed his nose into the air. “Once he’s been accused of embezzling funds, depositors can no longer trust him.”
“I trust him,” she said and sent her best glare with her statement.
Several onlookers murmured agreement.
A patronizing smirk appeared on Peter’s face. “Now, Sarah, dear, women have no head for business. Don’t fret yourself over something that doesn’t concern you.”
Nate stepped forward, but Sarah pressed a hand to his arm to stay him.
She leveled a glare at Peter and said, “If you don’t give Mr. Billingsley a raise and promotion to your assistant, I am going to move my money to another bank. I’m sure my family will do the same.”
“I know I will,” Grandpa said from behind her. “Wouldn’t mind opening my own bank right here in town.”
Peter gasped at the thought of Grandpa as competition. He looked around him at the sea of unfriendly faces and his eyes widened in fear. “Now, now. There’s no need to be hasty. Billingsley, you can have Dingle’s old job. Be on time tomorrow.”
He turned to Sarah. “I don’t know what’s come over you since you got back from Tennessee. You used to be so proper and now you’re speaking out in public against your friends. I believe it has to do with your new associates.”
“If you have something against me, don’t take it out on Miss Kincaid,” Nate said in spite of Sarah’s restraining hand on his arm and the fact he carried Cindy.
Peter speared Nate with a glare. “I’ll be making inquiries about you.” With that threat, he turned and stomped out of the courtroom.
Grandpa said, “Hmph. Let’s go eat.”
Over a meal at Granny’s Lunches, the men reviewed the case. Diners stopped by to congratulate Gabe and he graciously included Nate in the praise. Sarah was so proud of Nate. He might be used to grand financial schemes in his business, but he had pitched in to help her family while he waited for his business associates.
The children stared at everything in the restaurant, especially the case of desserts. At this time of day, most of the clients were businessmen. Rhoda and her daughter Bayla bustled back and forth. Rhoda’s husband, Abe Kline, took diners’ payments when he wasn’t waiting tables or helping in the kitchen.
Rhoda and Abe delivered their plates heaped with food, and Abe stopped to chat. He and Rhoda had graciously moved two of the square tables side by side so the family could eat together. After introductions to the children, Abe looked at them and inclined his head in Sarah’s direction.
“She tell you this used to belong to her?” he asked.
Luke said, “No, sir.” The other two stared at Sarah.
Sarah explained, “When Pearl and I first came here, I helped her turn this into a restaurant. We worked here, hmm, I guess most of a year before Rhoda bought it from us. Then she and Abe married and he started working here with her.”
“Talks more than he works sometimes,” Rhoda said with a wink as she passed by.
“Still uses Sarah’s recipe for applesauce cake,” Grandpa said. “Best cake I ever put in my mouth.”
Sarah flushed with pleasure. “It’s a family recipe. My mother gave it to me. Said it was something her mother made, but without a frosting. Then someone who’d once worked in a confectioner’s shop in Denver showed her how to make the icing.”
“Then we’ll have applesauce cake for dessert, won’t we?” Nate asked the children.
Joe nodded and Cindy and Luke said, “Yes,” in unison.
After they finished the meal, Gabe made a big show of groaning at the expense when he paid the group’s lunch tab. They left and walked along the sidewalk toward the law office.
“The Judge was right. Best cake I can remember,” Nate said. “And that frosting. Man, I—“
“Well, hello, Mr. Barton.”
Sarah turned and watched two men approach. She liked the looks of the tall one ambling toward them the same way Nate walked. Something about the short round one put her off. Unlike his companion, he strutted toward them. She couldn’t say what about him annoyed her, but the feeling remained. She watched Nate closely, wondering at the way he tensed.
“These are the business associates I’ve been expecting,” he said. He set Cindy on the sidewalk and made introductions.
Sarah’s stomach churned and she wanted to scream at the two to leave, to let things continue as they were with Nate helping Gabe. Surprised she could, she extended her hand and greeted the two men.
Mr. Masterson took her hand in his and his pale blue eyes met hers. “It’s a real pleasure to meet you, Ma’am. I can’t tell you how much I’ve looked forward to this.”
Mr. Hargrove made a fuss of kissing her hand. “My dear,” he said. “What a pleasure.”
She wanted to wipe his kiss off, even if she had put her gloves back on before they left the restaurant. She didn’t like men who called her “my dear” when she didn’t even know them.
Face it, she scolded herself. You don’t like him because you’re afraid his coming will mean Nate leaves you. She listened to the men talk about some railroad and forced herself to pay attention.
“We can explain our plan better if we have a chance to show you our maps and figures.” Hargrove said. “You’ll see what a fine opportunity we offer for investment in this town’s future.”
Hargrove seemed enthusiastic, so she guessed it was something good for the community. Maybe whatever it was would need a local representative and Nate would stay.
Grandpa agreed to see the men at his home for dinner. Free of his day’s work, Grandpa said he’d wait until the next day to fill out the papers concerning the trial and headed home. They stood at the office door now and she expected Nate to leave with his two associates. He bid them good day and went into the building with Gabe. She and the children followed.
Inside the office, Nate sa
id, “If you don’t mind, I’d like to help out here during the day. I can take care of some of the backed up papers before I have to leave.”
Sarah’s heart broke a little and she wanted to sit down and bawl. The kids looked sad, too, when they heard Nate mention leaving.
“You’re efficient and a fast learner,” Gabe said. “Great to have you if you can spare the time.”
“My associates do most of the actual planning. I’ll meet with them and other investors in the evenings. We hope to have a town meeting tomorrow.”
“I...We’d better be getting out of your way,” Sarah stammered. She had to get out of the room or she would embarrass herself by crying. “Thanks for lunch, Gabe. Congratulations to both of you on winning the case.”
Nate frowned and said, “Sarah—“
“I’ll see you soon. Guess we’ll come to the town meeting tomorrow. Don’t forget our picnic on Saturday.” She turned and fled with her three children in tow.
Across the street Maria’s grandson, Javier, waited for her. She signaled to him and went to the buggy. He joined her and took the reins.
“Thank you for waiting,” she said, choking back tears.
“You all right, Miss Sarah?” Javier asked.
“Fine, I’m just fine.” Inside she fell apart, but she stiffened her back and sat as Aunt Lily had taught her. Nate had never promised he would stay. In fact, he’d said he was only waiting for his associates.
Why did she think he’d change his mind just because she wanted him to? Even when they’d made love, he hadn’t made any promises. She’d asked for no assurances, had known she could have only that one night. So why did she feel so abandoned?
***
Nate felt like pond scum. He worked as fast as he could, hoping to block out the sight of Sarah’s face, the hurt and disappointment he’d seen there and mirrored in the faces of the children.
“Hey, you trying for the office record?” Gabe asked.
Nate looked up and blinked. “What?”
“I’ve never seen anyone accomplish so much in a few hours. You got a devil chasing you?”
Nate exhaled. That was exactly what he had, but he smiled and reassured the man he’d come to think of as a friend. “Wanted to help out as much as I could. Won’t be so stacked up until you can get someone in here to work with you permanently.”
Gabe met his gaze, his face inscrutable. “Frankly, I’d hoped that would be you.” He held up his hand to stay Nate’s protest. “I know, I know. You said it was just until these men arrived, but I had in my mind you might stay after their business was concluded and they’d left. Especially since you and Sarah seemed to hit it off so well.”
Nate shrugged. “I hold Sarah in high regard, believe me, but I have other obligations.” Like staying a free man. Free to do what? He hadn’t figured that one out. Run a saloon. Cheat the next sucker? Suddenly it didn’t matter. He cared only for now, today, the few days he had left here.
“You’re not already married are you?” Gabe asked.
“Phfft. Definitely not, but I’ll have to leave soon for other reasons.” To beat the sheriff out of town, just like so many other times.
“Well, if you change your mind, you have a place here. Grandpa’d probably make you a partner in time.”
“Thanks,” Nate said, trying to keep the frog in his throat from making his voice croak. “You can’t know how much the offer means to me.”
And he couldn’t tell Gabe. Not his future plans. Nothing about his real life. Not even his real name. Still, for the first time in his life he’d done honest work to be proud of. Men he’d come to admire like Drake, Storm, Gabe, and the Judge actually sought his assistance, valued his opinion.
He’d work as hard as he could while he remained. This one thing would stand out in his rotten life as something worthwhile he’d done. One place where he’d done the right thing. Maybe someone would remember his work and not hate him too much for what he was going to do to this town.
Chapter Fourteen
The day after the trial, Sarah rode in to town with Pearl and her family. They brought the wagon so there would be room for her and all the children. Storm rode his horse as usual.
They came in for the big town meeting Nate and his two friends had called at the town school, where such meetings usually were held. The town buzzed with word of the meeting and speculation on the reason. People crowded into the school until only standing room remained. Soon people were wedged there also. From the faces she saw, people from nearby ranches and farms were there. Her family wasn’t late, but they would have had to stand had Nate not saved them seats at the front.
She shifted her weight and flushed. No one guessed her secret. She’d slipped something from Pearl’s stores of medical supplies, and the knowledge of her duplicity worried at Sarah.
Not that regret played a part in her reaction, or the embarrassment. No. Awareness might be a better word. Guilt plagued her when she remembred the pessary she had inserted before she left home. If the opportunity arose to carry out her plan, her preparation insured that no child would result.
Sarah had leant her support to Nate’s project even though it would take him away. Her community meant a lot to her. If this would help the people who lived here to prosper, then she would assist in any way she could.
Nate stood by the teacher’s desk. Charts and maps were hung tacked up on either side of him. Wearing his black suit again, he had never looked more in command. He looked so handsome it made her ache.
His fine voice demanded attention. “Thanks for coming. I’ve met many of you while I’ve been in town. Here are my associates, Mr. Michael Masterson and Mr. Henry Hargrove. Mr. Hargrove is from the Kansas and Texas Railroad, and I’ll let him tell you his plan.”
Hargrove strutted to the center and cleared his throat. “Friends, we have a wonderful opportunity to offer the citizens of Kincaid County.” He used the schoolmaster’s willow pointer to trace the route on the map as he spoke.
“We propose to start a train line from Austin through Kincaid Springs and straight West to Sierra Blanca, then on to El Paso. That means growth and prosperity for this community, friends. Participation now means the greatest profit for you folks later.”
Hargrove went on to explain the investment, the interest rate, terms of yield, and how soon building would commence until it made Sarah’s head spin. He took questions from the audience, but few were opposed. Peter stood against the wall near the front, a frown on his face through the entire meeting. Occasionally he took notes, but he said nothing.
Sarah sat worrying her handkerchief. She didn’t want the town to change. It was a lovely place now, the prettiest she’d ever seen. Still, she couldn’t be selfish. Maybe the people who seemed so excited wanted others to move in and bring growth for the town. This Hargrove would leave, though, so it wasn’t his town to change. She guessed the railroad needed the new revenue that growth along the line would bring.
Sarah waited through the meeting and afterward while people lined up to buy their shares of the venture. Storm escorted Lorena Osterman home and Drake and Pearl readied their family to leave. Nate stepped over to ask if he could take her home in Grandpa’s buggy. She agreed, but sent the children home with Pearl and Drake, with a reminder of the picnic they had planned for tomorrow. All three children promised to go straight to bed when they got home.
She found a seat away from people clamoring for a share in Hargrove’s plan or asking more questions before investing. Mr. Masterson’s job appeared to be taking money and writing out the certificates, then recording it in a ledger. She watched Nate as he answered questions, usually deferring them to Hargrove. After all, Hargrove was the railroad man and it was his plan. Refusing to think of this as Nate’s project, she preferred to think of him as working at the law office and only lending a hand to the other two men. She had no idea how Nate or Mr. Masterson fit into all this. Perhaps Nate would explain it on the ride home.
Nate watched Sarah, sitti
ng prim and proper at the back of the room and looking like the beautiful subject of an important painting. She’d worn her hair a new way tonight, piled on top of her head, and she sat ramrod straight with her hands folded in her lap. Knowing she waited for him made him proud.
He excused himself from the few remaining investors and strolled her way. She rose and gathered her shawl about her as regally as a queen donning her ermine robes. When she looked at him with her gorgeous lavender blue eyes and smiled, his heart skipped at least two beats.
He returned her smile. How could he not? “Sorry to keep you waiting, but we can go now.”
Placing his hand at her back, he guided her out of the school and to the buggy. When they sat side by side, he clicked to the horse and they drove away.
“Were you successful?” she asked.
“Yes, thanks.” He slowed the horse so they could converse.
“I’m glad.” She smiled and the warmth of it shot through him until she said, “I invited as many people as I could.”
No, surely he’d misunderstood her. “You...you what?” he asked.
“I know this is really important to you, so we came in early and I stopped by to see as many people as time allowed and encouraged them to come tonight.”
Oh, damn, now he’d involved her in his scheme! He didn’t want any of the blame for his swindle to spill over onto her when he left town.
“Thanks, but, um, you shouldn’t have gone to that trouble.”
Though it was too dark for him to see her reaction now that they had left the lights of town, he heard the hurt in her voice. “You’re not displeased with me for helping you, are you?”
“No. No, of course not,” he assured her with as much enthusiasm as he could muster. “It was very gracious of you. Hargrove can handle everything, though. He’s an expert at his job, which is why I leave everything to him now that he’s here.”
“Will you be leaving soon?” Once again he heard the sadness in her voice. Hell, he hated lying to her, but he couldn’t seem to stay away from her either.
Most Unsuitable Husband Page 20