by Annie Boone
Mitchell shrugged. “Who are the husbands? Just strangers?”
She shook her head adamantly. “My clients are good men that come with references from other good people. I build portfolios and sort through the files to see who might work well with one another. There are certain commonalities between folks, and we all have certain needs. And we’ve been very blessed, as have the women who have come our way. Like I said, it’s a lot of hard work, but every woman here has found a husband. If you’re able to explore town, you might be able to meet a few of the couples.”
Clearing his throat, Matthew pointed to himself. “We didn’t pay for her services, but she definitely tested her talents on us. Eleanor grew up with Susannah in Boston and came out here to visit. A long story short, she never returned to Boston.” He chuckled and leaned back. “And I’m grateful for that every day.”
Susannah beamed and glanced at Mitchell whose gaze had dropped again, and she worried they had talked too much. They’d had his attention just a moment ago, but what changed? He was an interesting man, she decided, and couldn’t help but wonder what his story was. The topic soon changed and he hardly said another word before it was time for them to leave.
8
Christina
Morning came, and the sunlight woke her from a deep sleep. After rubbing her eyes, Christina sat up and looked around at her surroundings. It took her a minute to remember where she was, that she wasn’t at home anymore. She was in a strange room, a new and unfamiliar place.
Colorado. She had left Virginia. The emotions of the last few weeks returned just like that, and she didn’t know what to do about it. Inhaling deeply, Christina gripped the blankets and convinced herself to climb out of bed. She was here, and she had to get on with her life. Maybe by going to work she could sort those thoughts out.
And that’s what she did.
“Good morning,” she sang out after dressing for the day and finding her way to the kitchen. The woman, Mrs. Jessup, turned from the cupboards and beamed. Rubbing her hands together, Christina tried to take it all in. “How can I help?”
For a week, she started to get the run of things. They had early breakfasts, she helped with the cows, and handled the laundry. There was gardening, too, that reminded her of her uncle’s farm in Virginia. There were moments where it felt like nothing had changed. Christina loved slipping her fingers into the moist dirt, and rubbing soft leaves against her cheek. The ground was fresh and tender, growing everything they needed to survive. It was something familiar for Christina, reminding her of her family.
That was a bittersweet realization, as she glanced at the winter garden. Her mother had loved the winter garden. Suddenly, she missed the kind woman who had raised her, and held her in her arms whenever she needed comfort. Her mother, who smelled like chestnuts and always had a song to hum and had those twinkling blue eyes. The only person that Christina could trust would never hurt her, and would always love her.
And she wasn’t there. And she wouldn’t be ever again.
Though she’d cried a thousand tears already, the pain was still there in her heart. A tear escaped before she could help herself. It hit her all over again like a crashing wave and she curled her hands into fists, trying to stay in control. Bowing her head, she tried to hide the tears behind a curtain of hair. A lump formed in her throat.
Behind her, Christina heard the porch door swing open, slamming closed. She jumped and hurriedly wiped away the tears that were beginning to trickle down her cheeks. Sniffling, the young woman frantically grabbed at the pile of weeds before her, trying to remember what she was doing just a minute ago. In her haste, she mixed up the weeds and threw several over by the peas, and scrambled to rectify her mistake before that was noticed.
“Still out here, are you?” Mrs. Jessup hummed cheerfully, coming up to her side. “Well, isn’t this a marvelous sight. You truly are a wonder to behold. I think my cabbage heads have doubled their size since you arrived.”
As she knelt to join her, Christina hurriedly scooted over to make room while keeping her head down. Her heart pounded as she tried to remain inconspicuous—this was what she was used to. Being in a new place with new people didn’t change that. “Oh my. Um, I suppose… well, it’s just the sun in my eyes,” she stammered, trying to keep her voice from breaking. Taking a deep breath, she tried to pull herself together. But her chin wobbled, and a tear dripped off and splattered into the dirt.
Susannah started to chuckle, but it died away and Christina knew she had been found out. The woman breathed out softly, slipping a delicate white finger between the curtain of black hair, just enough for their eyes to meet. Christina tried to look away, but the tears sprung back. “Oh dear,” Susannah murmured sympathetically. “Oh, it’s all right. Whatever the matter is, it will be just fine.”
She wrapped her arms around Christina and pulled her close as if they were old friends. It only brought back the memories of her mother more, and Christina couldn’t hide it any longer. She tried to say something only to choke on her voice as the woman squeezed her tightly. “Oh, dear. I’m sorry,” Christina stammered. “I just miss her. I didn’t expect it to be so painful right now.”
“Shh,” Susannah brushed her fingers through her hair, still clean and tender. The soothing motions helped Christina to gather her breath again, swallowing the lump in her throat. The pain in her chest was still there, but it was manageable and she could breathe again. “Whatever it is,” Susannah continued to murmur, “everything will be just fine. You’re going to be well, Christina, all is going to be well.”
Hiccupping, Christina finally pulled back, and fumbled for a handkerchief from her pockets with shaking hands. Susannah brushed the girl’s hair away from her face, and kept a comforting hand on her as she wiped away her tears. “I’m terribly sorry,” Christina murmured, swallowing hard again. “I didn’t mean to be so weak.”
Mrs. Jessup shook her head. “You’re not weak at all! It’s a hard thing, leaving everything you know. Leaving the life you had behind can be quite painful, good or bad. If you really need to, dear, we’ll help you get back home. If you decide this isn’t really your best path, we’ll understand.”
It was a kind offer. Christina shook her head miserably. “There is no home for me back in Virginia, ma’am. I lost my mother not long before this. She’s the one who wanted me to leave Virginia to make a new start. It’s just hard. She was such a good mother and she was always there for me. Now I don’t quite know what I’m supposed to do. Have you ever felt lost?”
Susannah nodded and squeezed her hand. “Yes. Yes, I have. We all face our own trials at one point or another. But dear, it doesn’t mean you need to go through this alone. And it doesn’t mean you’ll be stuck in this place forever.” She offered a sympathetic smile, and glanced around. “Come, let’s get you washed up and fed, shall we? Some food in the belly always helps. And perhaps you can tell me more about your lovely mother.”
Staggering to her feet, Christina nodded and glanced at her dirty hands. There was mud on Susannah’s dress, but when she mentioned it, the blonde only chuckled and idly brushed at it as she lead the way into the house. Lucas was already seated at the table, having stayed home for the day to leave his deputy on the job. He glanced at the women but said nothing as he carefully continued slicing the fresh loaf of bread.
“There’s nothing better than a good slice of bread,” Susannah announced decidedly. “Lucas, fetch the butter, would you? There’s a new batch right next to the milk. I’ll pull the chicken off the fire and we’ll have a lovely meal.”
Christina was grateful for their kindness, the comfort and the willingness to look beyond the tears. She was ashamed of her childish actions and kept her head low as she ate, not very hungry and just picking at her food. Part of her just kept waiting for one of them to tell her she was being foolish, yet nothing like that happened. After a few minutes of staring at her food, she knew there was no way she could finish it. The delicious scent just wasn’
t enough for her queasy stomach.
Just as Susannah was finishing off her coffee, Lucas suddenly paused as he held his nearly finished sandwich in both hands. His eyes focused in the vacant space ahead of him before he finally turned around, facing the front door. “It sounds like Matthew’s cart,” he announced a moment later. Christina still hadn’t heard a thing and watched as the man finished his food in two bites, nodded to the ladies, and headed for the door.
“Yes,” Susannah said after a moment, and looked at her with a knowing half-smile. “He’s always like that.” The woman opened her mouth to say something else but dropped her gaze to Christina’s plate. She’d only managed a few bites. Just as Christina was preparing to apologize, the blonde stood up. “Let’s get you some cider, shall we? Perhaps that will ease your stomach. Are you comfortable there?”
In the distance, the front door opened and there were more voices. Christina’s throat constricted as she glanced down at her hands, several shades darker than Susannah’s. And her nearly black long hair was a clear marker as well. Though she still hadn’t been to town since her arrival, she worried that the people there might be just like the people in Virginia. Standing up, she glanced around at the kitchen. The voices sounded closer. “I, well actually, I think… I think some fresh air might do me well.”
Mrs. Jessup glanced up from the kettle and brought her a warm mug. “Don’t forget a shawl, then. I’ll join you, if you like, after I see to the gentlemen.” She opened the door for Christina and disappeared back inside. “Good afternoon! It’s lovely to see you. Can I get you some cider, perhaps, or coffee?”
The door closed behind her and Christina was alone. That sensation of aggravated nerves slowly deflated as she looked around and leaned against the post looking out. It was the back porch facing the mountains, and they appeared to go on forever. Green and brown and white on top, a beautiful blur. It was the only good thing about Virginia, the land and those mountains. Christina breathed more easily then at the comforting sight and sipped her cider.
A step creaked and she turned, nearly spilling her drink. Coming up from the side porch, a man appeared. One hand on the rail, the stranger stopped as their gazes met, both realizing they weren’t alone. Christina clenched her cup tightly, and inhaled deeply. His eyes were as blue as ice and for a minute that’s all she could see.
9
Mitchell
It was a lovely day, and Mitchell had intended to use it working with the horses. Some of the men were already beginning to act like most people, ignoring him or leaving extra work on his hands. It happened often enough, so he kept to himself and stuck with the horses. However, he had experience in areas that Matthew did and the man came to him daily with questions and ideas.
The current idea was about building a large stable in a new section of the Connor’s expanding ranch. For the last two days, the two of them had been drawing up some plans but Matthew wasn’t certain what sort of structure he wanted to use for groundwork in case of bad weather. For this reason, the two men had packed up their plans and brought them over to the Jessup’s house for Lucas’s input.
Not only was he the town’s sheriff, but Lucas Jessup helped with most town plans for building and construction. Most of the buildings in Rocky Ridge as well as Colorado Springs had once been worked on by the man, and Matthew trusted him to steer them in the right direction. After being welcomed inside and handed a warm cup of coffee, Mitchell glanced at the two men who were already lost in conversation without him.
Excusing himself, he stepped outside. It was a good day with only a few clouds in the sky. There hadn’t been fresh snow lately and Mitchell knew they needed to take advantage of that. After he gulped his coffee, he left the mug on the front bench and started to wander around. It was a magnificent place cradled by the mountains. But it was far enough, he noticed, just enough that an avalanche wouldn’t hit them. The Jessup’s home was snug, spacious, and far enough outside of town that they wouldn’t be bothered.
He was impressed. Trailing his hands along the smooth oak, he made his way around the house on the wrap-around porch with his eyes wandering. The windows were framed with lace, a woman’s touch. The porch was just wide enough for two folks to walk together, and the roof didn’t block any of the view.
So lost in the mountains beyond, Mitchell didn’t realize anyone else was around until he noticed the figure standing by a post. In the same moment, he stepped on a plank that squeaked, and he knew he was caught. There was a twirl of skirts and dark hair as another set of eyes met his. They were so dark that he thought he was drowning in them. He tried to swallow but couldn’t find his tongue.
The two of them stood there for a minute, staring at one another. Until all at once, they both managed to break the spell and looked away. Mitchell glanced down at his boots, stepping on the squeaking plank again. The man winced. Clearing his throat, he gripped the railing again and considering turning back, but if he said nothing that would be perceived as rude.
“My apologies,” he offered hesitantly. “I, um… I thought I was… that is, I didn’t know there was anyone else out here. On the porch, I mean.”
She moved back as he stepped forward. Mitchell stopped, wondering if it was because of him but the woman was moving further back, helping him realize that she was just making room for him. Swallowing, the young man joined her there, hand still trailing across the railings hesitantly.
“It’s all right,” she said softly. “Did you come for the Jessups?”
Mitchell shrugged and swallowed. “More or less. I work for the Connors on their ranch, and Matthew wanted to speak with Lucas. He’s building another stable, you see. And he wanted Mr. Jessup’s eyes on it. They didn’t really need me,” he added after a moment. Fingers drumming on the wood, he glanced around. She knew where the best view was, and it made him grin. The view was spectacular—all the way up the mountains.
“Do you like it? Your job, I mean.” She cut her eyes away quickly and her voice was low. She fiddled with her mug, and he could feel her gaze on him a few moments later.
Glancing over, Mitchell fixed his hat and tried to sneak a better glance at her. With a small adjustment to his collar, he was certain she couldn’t see his birthmark as he looked.
She had hair darker than midnight that hung in a braid almost to her waist, though a few wisps draped around her cheeks. Even from that angle he saw her long sloping nose and high cheekbones. Her skin was smooth and rich, reminding him of the Apache warriors he’d spent a winter holed up with. Whoever she was, the young lady was more beautiful than anyone he had ever seen. His heart hammered and made his face flush as he remembered she had asked him a question. The woman turned to him, waiting.
“I do, yes.” He nodded quickly, and smiled at her. The woman’s eyes were open and for some reason she was easy to talk to. “I’ve been looking to settle down and working with the Connors on their ranch has been very good for me. They’re letting me work with the horses, you see, and breaking them in.”
She bit her lip. “That sounds dangerous.”
Without thinking about it, Mitchell took a few steps closer and shrugged. “Only if you don’t know what you’re doing. Only those who don’t understand the animals need to be afraid of them. Horses are like humans, and you have to treat them with respect. That’s the trick. If you can do that, then those creatures will respect you back. And there you have it. Simple but true.”
“It’s that easy?”
He chuckled at her raised eyebrow. “Well, I suppose there’s a few other tricks involved. But once you do that, the work gets much easier. It’s been a week and already I’ve been riding a Mustang that wouldn’t allow anyone near him. One of the boys, Kyle, has been calling him Thunder. The horse is young, and he’s got a lot of spirit. That’s all.”
Nodding, she cocked her head at him. There was a hint of a smile there, in the corners of her lips. “Spirit is good,” she said at last. “I’m sure Thunder appreciates your respect. I can see th
at you really like horses.”
Mitchell shrugged and glanced away for a moment. “They’ve been better to me than most people.” Realizing he’d said that aloud, he cleared his throat. “Meaning that animals aren’t as complicated as we are, I mean. I’m not saying that people are bad, and horses are all I care about. Just a little easier to talk to. For me, anyway.” Biting his tongue, Mitchell wished he could stop talking.
But the problem was, he enjoyed talking with her. “I like that,” she said thoughtfully. “They don’t judge you or lie to you. They are who they are, and they don’t mind who you are. I’m only sorry I haven’t thought of that before. I would have made friends with all the horses I ever met had I known this.”
She was holding back a laugh, he knew it. But it wasn’t a cruel one. Mitchell glanced after her as she looked up at the mountain and then turned and sat down on the bench. He glanced back at her and she smiled.
“My name is Christina, by the way. Christina Bristol.”
Tipping his hat, Mitchell offered an elaborate grin. “Mitchell Powell at your service. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Bristol. You know my business, then, and what I’m doing here at the Jessup’s place. Are you a friend of Miss Susannah’s?”
“I’d like to think so,” she glanced down at her empty cup, and set it aside to shift her shawl higher onto her shoulders. It was chilly for a bright day and he felt a chill, too. Mitchell noticed the empty spot on the bench beside her and he considered trying to sit beside her. He took another step forward but hesitated as she sighed. “I’ve come to Rocky Ridge to get away from Virginia. I’m just looking for something new, you could say. Perhaps I’ll start breaking in horses.”