by Kit Morgan
“A trip like that would be lovely,” Major said as he gazed into her eyes.
It was all Honoria could do not to fidget. “I suppose you shouldn’t keep Miss Lynch and her father waiting,” she said.
He sighed in resignation. “No, I suppose I shouldn’t. I have things to discuss with Mr. Lynch.”
Honoria’s heart sank. He needed to talk to him about the wedding, no doubt. She swallowed hard and nodded. “You’d best get on, then.”
He leaned toward her, his head dropping toward hers. “Promise me something.”
Her eyes met his again. “What?”
“That you’ll not go racing across the prairie without me.”
Honoria’s heart stopped. What was he saying? Come to think of it, why say anything, especially if he was going to marry Miss Lynch?
“I’d hate to think of anything happening to you when you’re by yourself,” he said.
Oh – he just wanted to warn her not to go acting like a fool again. She forced a smile and nodded. “Don’t worry, I won’t.”
“I’m gratified to hear that. Now if you’ll excuse me, Miss Lynch is nothing if not impatient.”
“I noticed,” she said.
With a tip of his hat, he left the mercantile. For Honoria, he might as well have been leaving Clear Creek. Now she wanted to cry – and not for joy as Grandma and Mrs. Dunnigan had.
Chapter 9
Honoria trudged towards the livery stable. Wilfred had long since filled her order, and she’d gotten tired of waiting for her father to show up. No doubt he’d run into Mr. Berg and they were catching up on old times.
Several people ran past her as she walked, hurrying toward the other end of town. Even Bowen Drake and his wife Ellie ran by, not bothering to even shout hello. It was amazing how one couple could cause such a stir. But then, the Bergs were no ordinary couple. She might as well join the melee and see if she could find her father in the growing crowd.
When she reached the livery stable there was a huge group of people outside and more coming. For Heaven’s sake, how would she find him in this mess?
“Honoria!” Uncle Colin shouted. He fought his way out and took her hand. “Stay close to me. Your father’s in the middle of all this.”
“Where exactly is the middle?” she shouted above the throng yelling and calling out greetings to the Bergs.
“I’m not sure,” Uncle Colin yelled back. “But if we keep moving, we’ll get there. I dare say, over half the town is here!”
He was right – almost everyone she knew was gathered between the livery stable and the hotel, all angling for position to get to the Bergs. She caught sight of Darcy Comfort, who shrugged as if to say what’s all this about? She smiled in return. He’d find out for himself – or maybe Major would fill him in. Her earlier heartbreak over discovering Major and Miss Lynch’s courtship was being assuaged by the excitement of the Bergs’ return to Clear Creek. She gripped Uncle Colin’s hand as he pushed his way through the crowd.
A booming laugh could be heard, followed by her father’s voice. “Any word from Duncan?”
“We’ve not seen them lately,” Mr. Berg answered loudly.
“We hope to visit them when we return,” she heard Maddie yell.
“All right, all right, give ‘em some breathin’ room!” Eli Turner shouted over the din. “What’re ya folks tryin’ to do, crush ‘em?”
People began to back up, which helped Colin and Honoria break through. “Finally!” Colin whispered, then took one look at Mr. Berg and let out a very un-English “Whoopee! Andel Berg, as I live and breathe! How are you, old chap?”
Mr. Berg pulled Colin into a fierce embrace and slapped him on the back, much as he had Mr. Mulligan, eliciting a similar grunt from her uncle. “Colin, so good to see you! Maddie, look, it’s Colin!”
“Colin!” Maddie hugged Honoria’s uncle. She wished her mother and aunt were here – they were missing out on all the excitement.
Sheriff Tom Turner shoved his way through the crowd. “Is it true?” He stopped short when he saw Mr. Berg and his jaw went slack. “Land sakes, it is!” He cocked his head to one side as if he’d expected to see something else.
Mr. Berg perused him in the same way. “Little Tommy Turner?” he boomed. The crowd quieted in response and stepped further away to give them more room. Mr. Berg put his hands on his hips and looked Tom Turner up and down in amazement. “You’re the sheriff now?”
“’Course I am,” Tom said. He looked at Harrison. “Just what do ya put in them letters ya send these people? Don’t ya tell ‘em nothin’?”
“You haven’t been sheriff long enough for me to write about it,” Harrison said, clearly flustered. “It’s only been over a year now. Besides, I thought Colin told them.”
“I thought you did,” Colin replied in shock.
“Shoot – I guess I should’ve done it myself,” Tom said with a shake of his head. “Well, it don’t matter – Mr. Berg figgered it out.”
“I’m sure you make a good sheriff, Tom,” Mr. Berg said with a smile. “And who is your deputy over there?”
“That there’s my little brother Eli,” Tom said proudly.
“Eli?” Mr. Berg said in surprise.
“He couldn’t have been more than seven when we left,” Maddie said.
Mr. Berg’s eyes fell on Honoria. “All the little ones have grown up.” He looked over the crowd, which had gone silent. He suddenly smiled, raised his hands in the air and yelled, “It’s good to be back!”
Everyone cheered, Honoria included. At least having the Bergs in town would give her something else to think about. She didn’t want to waste all her time fretting over Major Comfort. She’d thought about him far too much during her … incarceration. And to what end? He wasn’t even here, as far as she could tell – probably still at the hotel with Miss Lynch and her father. Time for her to move on. She launched herself into the Bergs’ arms.
“You will, of course, come to supper!” she heard her father say.
“Tomorrow,” Mr. Berg said. “Tonight we have been promised Mrs. Dunnigan’s pot roast!” The crowd went wild.
“I bet I know what else ye’re looking forward to!” Mr. Mulligan shouted. “Pie!”
Honoria could hardly believe it – the people got even louder as they cheered and laughed in response! Then she remembered that Mr. Berg had helped make Clear Creek famous for pie – and why. She giggled to herself, and hoped that Pleasant had the opportunity to meet the couple while they were visiting. Ma and Aunt Belle had teased poor Pleasant relentlessly about the use of pie while she was courting Eli. She glanced around, but didn’t see her in the crowd either.
She swallowed hard as tears stung the back of her eyes. Pleasant and Eli were happily married, as were so many others. And she … she unconsciously glanced toward the hotel, but with so many people surrounding her, she couldn’t see it. She wished she could disappear through the crowd and go home, but there was no way to escape easily. Perhaps if she worked her way backward, she could go find someplace to sit and be miserable while her father and uncle visited. She could always speak with the Bergs when they came to the ranch for supper tomorrow evening.
She slowly stepped back and did her best to worm her way through the crushing throng. After several minutes, she was finally able to break free, turned … and found herself facing the hotel. It figured. She took a deep breath, free from the pushing and shoving, and headed toward it for lack of a better idea.
In the hotel lobby, Lorcan Brody raised his head from behind the counter as she walked toward him. “Don’t tell me … let me try to get it right. Not Sadie … not Belle … but definitely from the Triple-C, that I can tell. Honoria?”
She shook her head in wonder. “How do you do that?”
He smiled. “Years of practice. Besides, ye all have the same scent – it’s that fancy English soap the Duke sends ye.”
“Oh, so that’s what gives us away.”
“At least the ladies,” he sa
id. “Duncan sends yer father and uncle a different kind.”
“Yes, he does.” She leaned over the counter. “And just to let you know, we plan to give some to the Kincaids for Christmas this year. You’ll try not to get us all confused, won’t you?”
Lorcan laughed, his sightless eyes moving this way and that. “It’ll be a challenge, but I’ll get ye all sorted out.”
“I’m sure you will – you always do.” She looked toward the dining parlor. She couldn’t see Major or the Lynches, but could hear their voices.
“Looking for someone?” Lorcan asked.
She sighed. “No, I just thought I’d get away from the crowd outside. I’m sure you’ve met Mr. Berg by now.”
“No, I haven’t – they’ve not gotten this far. But I met their secretary and associates.”
“Associates?”
“Yes, they’ve checked into the hotel and are upstairs preparing the rooms. They are … very different. They smell … spicy.”
Honoria laughed. “Probably because they come from Dalrovia.”
“Ah, that would explain the accents too. Mr. Van Cleet told me once where the Bergs were from, but I admit I’d forgotten. I look forward to meeting them. And I’m sure Ada would love to ask them a few things.”
“Wouldn’t we all?” She turned and stared out the hotel’s front windows at the crowd beyond. “How many people are they traveling with?”
“At least half a dozen, mostly men,” Lorcan said. “They had to have escorted the stage on horseback. They couldn’t have ridden inside.”
“My goodness,” Honoria said. “With such an escort, I would think so.”
“Indeed. Let’s see, there’s what I assume to be a ladies maid, and the rest are Palace guard or some such, I imagine, considering who they are. But I know Their Majesties want to be treated like normal people while they’re here. Mr. Van Cleet told me that, too, in case they ever showed up.”
“Yes, please do. It helps them feel more comfortable, and folks are less likely to make a fuss over them.”
“You mean like now?” Lorcan said with a laugh. “Still, I know Ada and others are going to have a lot of questions. It’s all rather exciting, isn’t it?”
“What?” Honoria had been distracted by the voices from the dining room.
“Having them here. After all, it’s not every day the hotel gets to play host to royalty. A queen and her consort, no less.”
Honoria sighed and turned back to the window. “It’s not every day we get visitors to Clear Creek of any kind.”
“Ahem.” Honoria and Lorcan turned to find Mr. Lynch at the other end of the counter. “You wouldn’t happen to know where Mrs. Upton has got to? We’re waiting for the next course.”
“I believe she’s outside greeting our new guests,” Lorcan said.
“I’ll fetch her for you,” Honoria offered. It was time she left anyway. She didn’t think she could stand to see Major sitting with Miss Lynch at lunch.
“That’s very kind of you my dear,” Mr. Lynch said. “Thank you so much.”
Honoria left the hotel, thinking, believe me, the pleasure is all mine.
On the way home, her father and Colin talked and talked about Andel and Maddie Berg. How long had they been in America? Why hadn’t they written and said they were coming? More than a fair share was spent on how good the couple looked. “I swear they’ve hardly aged a day since we last saw them last,” Uncle Colin said for at least the twelfth time since leaving town.
“I know – strange, isn’t it?” her father remarked.
“Maybe they eat differently in Europe,” Honoria suggested from the back of the wagon as they bumped along.
Her father twisted on his seat to look at her. “Good thinking, poppet. Why else would they look so good after all these years?”
“Not to mention they’re not chasing after cattle like the rest of us,” Uncle Colin added.
“Yes, that too,” said her father. “It must be nice to be them.”
“Mama and Auntie Belle will be upset they missed them,” Honoria said with a sigh.
Her father turned again. “Is something the matter?”
She swallowed hard. “No, Papa. Nothing.”
He studied her a moment, then faced forward again. “Your mother and aunt will be ecstatic. Andel and Maddie will be with us for supper tomorrow evening, so I expect you children to be on your best behavior.”
She smiled. “Because the rulers of Dalrovia are dining with us?”
“No, because your mother will use her best china – and you know how particular she is with that set.”
“As are the rest of us,” Colin agreed.
Honoria nodded. The china had belonged to her namesake, her father and uncle’s mother. “I’ll make sure everyone is extra careful.”
“See that you do,” her father said. “Now, what do you suppose should be on the menu tomorrow evening?”
“Whatever they don’t have in Dalrovia, I guess.” She stared at the road behind them. Major was back there, probably enjoying dessert with Miss Lynch and her father. She shuddered at the thought. She would really have to work at getting that man out of her head – or be miserable until she got over him.
It was a good thing he had no idea of her feelings for him – how embarrassing would that be? Worse, what if Miss Lynch found out? Egads, who knew what she’d do? She didn’t exactly come across as the caring type – more like a hardened harpy. She stifled a sob and coughed into her hand to cover it, her eyes darting to her father and uncle to make sure they hadn’t noticed. Thankfully, they kept chatting between them, making plans for their supper guests tomorrow.
She sunk against the sacks of flour she was leaning against. She just wanted to get home, go to her room and have a good cry. Better yet, she wanted to saddle her horse and race across the prairie, get as far away from Clear Creek and Major Comfort as she could. Then maybe her heart wouldn’t hurt so much. The more she thought about it, the worse she felt.
Of course, she had only herself to blame. That’s what she got for letting herself dream of things that could never be. Besides, what did she think he saw in her? Hadn’t he called her a wildcat in front of her father not weeks before? No wonder he was courting Miss Lynch – she was a refined Southern belle. Much more suitable for a Southern gentleman than a horse-racing, parent-defying frontier mongrel like herself.
Honoria sunk until she was practically lying down and stared at the sky, its bright blue in sharp contrast to the fluffy white clouds. “Please, Lord,” she whispered. “Make this stop.”
She had no idea seeing Major with Miss Lynch would affect her like this, but it had. Her only guess was that in all the excitement of the Bergs showing up, it hadn’t had time to sink in until now. She supposed she would just have to muddle through and hope she got over it fast. Got over him. She rubbed her hands over her face as if doing so would wipe thoughts of Major out of her mind. But no, his face kept flashing before her, demanding to be seen.
She sat back up and took a deep breath. She’d have to get a hold of herself before they got home. Mama and Auntie Belle would want to know all about Mr. and Mrs. Berg, and even though her father and Uncle Colin would do most of the talking, they would still ask her what she thought of the couple. But she didn’t want to talk about them, or about anything. If she opened her mouth, the only thing to come out of it would be her own wretched sobs, and then the worst would happen. They’d ask her what was wrong.
She wiped at the few tears that had managed to escape. They felt hot against her cold cheeks. What could she tell them? I talked myself into falling in love with Major Quincy Comfort over the last three weeks and now he’s going to marry that horrible Miss Lynch. And all because I made a fool of myself, and then Papa grounded me for three weeks, and that wouldn’t even matter if I hadn’t already proven I was so unsuitable for him and God knows who would ever want me and …
She shut her eyes against the cataract of condemning thoughts. She knew she couldn�
�t say a word. She’d just have to bear it alone and face the cold hard facts that she’d messed things up. Worse, it was her own thoughts that put her in her current state of distress. Maybe if she hadn’t let herself dream of a life with Major over the last three weeks, she wouldn’t be dealing with a broken heart today.
You’re a fool, Honoria Cooke, she told herself. You’re a bloody idiot.
Strangely, that made it easier for Honoria to push thoughts of Major Comfort from her mind. After all, he deserved better than her.
Chapter 10
The next day was a flurry of activity at the Triple-C. Honoria’s mother and aunt wanted everything to be perfect for their supper guests – and “perfect” meant a lot of work. Aunt Belle even insisted they polish the silver. After all, she explained to the children, it wasn’t every day they had royalty in the house. This got the little ones excited – they’d never met the Bergs. Neither had Honoria until the previous day, but she was old enough to know of their humble beginnings.
Maddie Van Zuyen, before ascending to the Dalrovian throne, had lived with her parents in New York City before heading west in ‘59. Her father, a prince, and his countess wife Apollonia had fled their country, wanting nothing to do with the crown. Together they’d had a child, Madeleina, though her mother called her Madeline or Maddie for short.
While growing up, Maddie’s mother worked as a headmistress at a school for girls, while her father avoided work, spending his days gambling and womanizing. It was one of the reasons they’d traveled west in the first place – the countess thought a change would help her husband to escape his bad habits. The prince was agreeable, thinking it would get him away from the Dalrovian guard sent to find him.
Unfortunately, bad habits weren’t shaken so easily, and they got the prince shot on the trail. This left a horrible mark on the countess and her daughter. They were fortunate enough to join another wagon train and escape the ridicule heaped upon them by their fellow travelers. That those same fellow travelers had killed her husband didn’t help, nor that they did nothing to the woman involved. Apollonia carried that bitterness with her.