Nolan started to protest until he saw her quick glance, willing him not to cause problems with his grandparents.
“Just yesterday Ennis Donovan said they were full again. You’ll need to check into the Paulson’s Hotel—if you plan to stay in town,” Dan noted with a touch of haughtiness in his voice.
Holly stiffened her back at the man’s words, which clearly pointed out Holly had no job in the café either.
“Well, we still need to get you out of the cold, Grandma. I’ll have Holly’s and my trunks taken over to the hotel then.”
“No, Nolan, your room is ready at our house, so please have your belongings delivered there.”
Holly didn’t look up when she knew Nolan was looking at her. This was going just as Holly feared it would.
“All right, I’ll stay with you. Gramps, how about you escort Grandma and Holly over to the hotel while I see about our baggage?”
“Oh, of course. That’s on our way home anyway,” the older man shuffled forward and extended his elbow to Holly. He may not approve of Holly, but he did have manners.
“Thank you, sir.” Holly grasped his elbow, noting the frailness of his arm. What were they doing out in this cold weather? At least the paths were fairly clear for them to walk. Most of the snow had blown off the boardwalk when they walked around the front of the depot, providing a safer path down the block.
“It might be safer for you to walk together and I’ll walk behind you,” Holly mentioned as she let go of Dan’s elbow. At their snail’s pace, Nolan would catch up with them before they walked the block to the hotel.
As the couple concentrated on their steps, Holly had time to look at the businesses along the way. Taylor’s Mercantile had a nice display in their windows. They also walked by a drug store, clothing store, and the marshal’s office.
But what struck Holly was the front of Clancy’s Café across the street. It was in dire need of a coat of paint, and didn’t look open for customers. Did Nolan’s grandparents close it so they could meet Nolan at the depot, or was it only open for breakfast and lunch since it was late afternoon now?
Next to the café was a nice, two-story building with the sign above the door proclaiming “Lyle Elison, Attorney-at-law”. It looked like a full apartment above the lawyer’s office, where the café had a false front.
The business on the other side of the café had a sign saying “meat, eggs, cream”, which would be handy for the café.
“Shepard and Sons Saddlery” was next to it with the blacksmith shop rounding out the block.
Holly glanced at the Clancy’s and decided she should be watching their walking instead of the stores. Dan stopped to lean on a porch post, trying to catch his breath.
“I just talked to Mack Reagan at the depot,” Nolan said as he approached them and stopped to talk. Did he notice the problem with his grandfather, too?
“He’s building the new block of businesses in town, staying above one of them while looking for merchants to move in,” Edna said with pride for her town.
“I didn’t take the time to ask, but what’s going in the new stores?”
“Not for sure yet, except for a dress shop,” Edna said as Nolan opened the door to the hotel for his grandmother.
The hotel was very nice with beautiful woodwork, large tapestry rugs, and three groups of upholstered settees for seating in the lobby. The clerk’s desk was situated in front of an open stairway. Holly could see a fancy dining room off to the right. She couldn’t afford to stay here, but maybe she could work here.
“Well, Nolan Clancy, welcome home!” A middle-aged woman came from behind the desk and greeted Nolan with a hug. Her auburn hair swirled up on top of her head in the latest fashion, and she wore a stunning russet brown dress. Apparently, the hotel business must be good in Clear Creek.
“Are you here for a visit?” the woman asked as a young girl, about four years old actually climbed on and slid down the stair banister, then hopped off and stood by her mother.
“Phoebe, hotel manners,” she said under her breath without dropping her smile.
“No, I’m out of the army now and moving back home to help with the café.” Nolan said, while reaching for Holly, who reluctantly moved to his side.
“Helen, this is Holly Brandt. Holly, I’d like you to meet Helen Paulson and... Which daughter is this?” Nolan gestured at the child politely listening into the conversation.
“So nice to meet you, Miss Brandt. This is our youngest daughter, Phoebe. She might have been just a baby when you were last home, Nolan?”
“I believe so. Your older girls still around or have they married and moved away?”
“All the girls are still in Clear Creek. Iva Mae is the schoolmistress—and still waiting for Gabe Shepard to take a hint and ask her to marry him.
“Maridell is in charge of the dining room here in the hotel, and Avalee does most of the housekeeping. Luella is still in school, as are the younger girls, Nadine, Daphne, and Cecilia. Phoebe is with me here in the hotel, although Ethan’s parents watch her quite a bit over at their home.”
“Well, it’s nice to see your family and hotel all flourishing. Miss Brandt is moving to town and needing a place to stay. Do you have something inexpensive and available for short term?”
“Well, I’d have...”
“Nolan? You’re finally home! I’ve been waiting for you!”
Holly stood stunned as a young woman hurried down the stairs and launched herself in Nolan’s arms, brazenly kissing him on the lips! Was this one of the Paulson girls? Nolan’s grandparents were broadly smiling, as if glad to see this reunion.
Nolan gently disengaged the woman’s arms from around his beet-red neck. The color moved up to his hairline before he glanced at Holly. Was he embarrassed or happy to see this woman?
“Holly, this is Mrs. Abram Jenkins. Mary, this is my friend, Holly Brandt.” Nolan gestured between the two of them.
The woman spun on her heel, studying Holly, before giving Holly a contrite, “Hello. I didn’t catch your name. Was you last name Brand?”
Holly Brandt,” Nolan corrected Mary while reaching for Holly, but she slid away from his extended hand.
All of a sudden, Holly realized this had to be the woman responsible for Nolan joining the army. He’d mentioned her, confessing she was his first love. What was she doing in Clear Creek?
Nolan cleared his throat before asking, “Uh, you home visiting your parents? Last I knew you were in Chicago.”
“No we’ve moved back to town. Mack is building me a dress shop down the street. We’re staying here at the hotel until we can move upstairs in our new building.”
“So what does your husband do in town?”
“Oh, Abram’s not with me. He died six months ago, fortunately leaving me a comfortable savings so I could move back near my family.”
“Sorry for your loss. You said ‘we’?” Nolan gave her his sympathy, which Mary acknowledged by taking the liberty of hugging Nolan around the waist again.
Mary reluctantly pulled away. “I have two children, Burdette, age five and Nolan, age three.”
She named her son after Nolan. Holly watched as Nolan blinked in surprise.
“That’s nice you have children to remember your marriage by. I’m sure it helps with your grieving.”
“Thank you, Nolan. It didn’t turn out to be the perfect marriage, but our children were my blessing for the unfortunate union.” Mary demurely nodded, while sending a clear message about her marriage situation.
Holly’s head was pounding with tension and she wished she could return to the train to head back west. This meeting of Nolan’s grandparents and her problem of housing and employment wasn’t going as she’d hoped, nor as Nolan had promised.
Holly glanced at Nolan, realizing he looked stunned at meeting Mary and couldn’t seem to collect his thoughts to continue.
“Mrs. Paulson, we were talking about a room for me,” Holly tried to get the conversation back on track before sh
e bolted out to the street instead. She didn’t know how she’d pay for a room in this fancy hotel, but maybe she could afford a night before finding something else.
“Saint’s be praised, Nolan! You’re home!” Everyone turned to see a woman in her early forties, walk through the hotel door, and straight up to Nolan. She took Nolan’s face in her hands and pulled his face down to her level to give him a kissing smack on both cheeks before changing it into a fierce hug. Nolan relaxed and laughed, apparently loving the affection he received from this red-haired woman with the distinct Irish brogue.
“It’s about time you came home, Son. You’re grandparents have needed you. Now, introduce me to your lady friend.” Holly’s eyes widened when she realized all eyes were on her now, including a big, young man standing behind the woman.
“Kaitlyn, this is Miss Holly Brandt. Holly, this is the pastor’s wife, Kaitlyn Reagan, and her third son, Mack, is towering behind her.”
“I’m so glad to meet you, Miss Holly!” Kaitlyn grabbed her right hand with both of hers and gave it a good shake. Then Kaitlyn’s arm slid around Holly’s shoulder and stayed there while she continued.
“When Mack stopped by the parsonage to tell me Nolan brought home a pretty lass, I had to come see you for myself.”
Why wasn’t Nolan saying anything? The woman was endearing but embarrassing, not knowing the situation between her and Nolan. Especially with his former flame standing right beside him.
“Thank you, Mrs. Reagan. I met Nolan in the Montana Territory when he was on his way home, and he...thought I could find work and a place to stay here in Clear Creek as I lost both recently.”
“You caught Nolan’s eye, you did, and he was taught to help others. What did you do in the territory?”
Holly looked around at everyone watching for her response. “I lived with an older woman, and helped run her café. But she decided to close the café and move to Billings to live with her daughter’s family, so...”
“So Nolan knew you’d be the perfect person to help his grandparents at home and in their café.”
Kaitlyn turned to her son, who Holly now realized was holding her trunk in his beefy arms. “You must have gotten this wrong, son. You should be delivering her trunk to the Clancy’s house instead of a hotel.”
“Uh, my grandparents haven’t agreed...” Nolan’s few words and nod to Kaitlyn, meant Holly hadn’t been invited to stay with them—which had already been clear to Holly before they walked to the hotel.
“Well then, Holly, you’re moving in with me and Pastor.” Before Holly could think what to say, Kaitlyn turned to Mrs. Paulson.
“I don’t mean to take business away from you, but don’t you think the lass needs some guidance, like Pastor and I can provide?”
Helen laughed, apparently not a bit surprised by the woman’s remarks. “Holly couldn’t find better accommodations in Clear Creek than the parsonage.”
“You sure you have room? Don’t you have a big family?” Holly was sure Nolan said she had six boys.
“All grown and out of the house. The parsonage isn’t big so that the Pastor and I are rattling around the house, but we now have two extra bedrooms and people are always welcome to stay with us. Especially when they’re a friend of Nolan’s.”
Everyone in the room seemed to sigh with relief that “someone” had taken in Holly so “they” didn’t have to. Holly blinked away the tears threatening to fall.
“Thank you, Kaitlyn. I’d appreciate a room since that seems to be my only option.”
“It will be our pleasure to have you stay with us, Holly.” Kaitlyn gave Holly’s shoulder another squeeze.
“Nolan, Mack and I will take Holly home and get her settled. You need to have a talk with your grandparents.”
Holly glanced around the room before turning to leave with the Reagans. Helen was ushering her daughter into the room marked “office” behind the desk. The Clancy’s were looking at Nolan with worry in their eyes, and vice versa. And Mary stood near Nolan, looking very happy that he was back in town.
Where did Holly fit in this picture? She didn’t, although Nolan had painted a glowing picture of acceptance and life in Clear Creek for her.
Chapter 10
Nolan felt like he’d been ambushed.
First, about his grandparent’s declining health, which they’d failed to mention in their letters to him. Granted, he noticed his grandma’s handwriting wasn’t as clear as it used to be, but he didn’t connect that with how frailly they moved now. They needed to have help at home instead of trudging around in the snow with this cold air.
Second, it was clear that the café was closed and in bad need of repair. When did it close, and why hadn’t they written about it? And why hadn’t the Reagan’s written him to let him know about the café closing and his grandparents’ health? Probably because his grandparents told them Nolan already knew about both, or it wasn’t anyone’s business and to stay out of it.
And third, he felt ambushed because it was his grandfather’s idea that they needed to stop at the hotel for Holly. Gramps knew Mary was living in the hotel, probably in one of the third-floor suites, and thought it would be a good idea to push him and Mary together again.
Was it because Mary hinted she was wealthy, and his grandfather thought Nolan could use her money for the café if they married? Or because they thought he was still secretly pining for his lost love?
Even though it was clear Nolan had a woman friend with him. He hated to think of it, but his grandfather’s manner might be because of Holly’s skin color.
It was Nolan’s fault that he hadn’t been clear to his grandparents about his relationship with Holly when they first met. He felt like he and Holly were good friends now as they spent time together working, and then traveling together. They had pretended they were married to protect Holly, but he liked his role, and wasn’t sure if he wanted to give it up now.
Nolan hated the pained look on Holly’s face when she realized his grandparents didn’t want her in their home. And then to take her to the Paulson Hotel, where she clearly couldn’t afford to stay. Nolan would have paid for her room until he found her other accommodations, but that would have cut into his savings, which were sorely needed for café repairs.
It was time to walk his grandparents’ home and have a private talk. He’d check out the café later, after walking over to the parsonage. Pastor and Kaitlyn would give him their version of what had been going on with his grandparents, plus he wanted to see Holly again.
“Shall we plan lunch here in the dining room tomorrow?” Mary’s question pulled Nolan out of his thoughts. What? Lunch? Why?
“Excuse me; I wasn’t paying attention, Mary.”
“We need to reacquaint ourselves, and I want you to meet my children, so please come over for lunch at noon tomorrow.”
Years ago, this invitation would have thrilled Nolan, but now the timing almost irritated him. Didn’t Mary realize what all he needed to do, first for his grandparents, and Holly? Mary had never been a selfish woman, but right now, she was thinking of herself first.
Oh. Was she looking for her next husband and father to her children? Why did that make him feel like he needed to tug on his shirt collar as if it was too tight?
“I’m sorry, but I need to settle in with my grandparents and see about the café. We can visit after church on Sunday and I’ll meet your children then.”
“But that’s days from now.”
“And I have a feeling I’ll be busy, so the days will go by fast for me.
“Good to see you again, Helen.” Nolan called to the hotelier while tucking his grandmother’s hand in the crook of his arm. The first thing to do is to find the woman’s gloves or buy her another pair.
“That was nice of you to help the Indian girl, Nolan.” He was about to open the door when Mary brought up Holly, probably fishing for details.
“Holly’s mother was Cheyenne, but her father was a white man in the army, and Holly grew up on mili
tary forts.”
“Oh, so she’s had some education then.”
“More than you realize I believe, plus she’s a very talented violinist.” Why had he tossed that information out to Mary and his grandparents? Because Nolan felt like he needed to defend Holly.
Holly had looked so self-conscious meeting Mary, even though they’d bought a pretty dove gray ready-made dress for her in Denver to replace her black mourning dress. But then Mary was dressed in a fancy navy blue silk gown, almost too pretty for normal daywear in this frontier town. Mary’s mother had dressed her in ribbons and frills while growing up, and Mary always prided herself in looking her best as a young woman. Guess that’s why she was opening a dress shop.
“I can’t quite imagine an Indian playing at a barn dance,” his grandmother added. It was time to end this conversation and get his elders home.
“Then imagine Holly playing music by Bach, Mozart, or Beethoven because she’s that talented.”
Nolan opened the door, motioning his grandfather to walk out. “Let’s go home.”
Nolan instantly noticed several problems in his grandparent’s home, both outside and inside as they entered the front door and he took off his coat to hang on the coat rack.
Scraping and painting the siding of the house would have to wait until warm weather this spring, but the loose board on the porch was a priority, along with building a handrail beside the steps.
“It’s cold in here, Gramps. Why isn’t the front room stove lit?” No wonder his grandmother said she’d leave her cape on for now as she walked into the kitchen.
“Oh, we spend most of our time in the kitchen now. Easier to just keep the kitchen stove going instead of this one, too.”
“But this stove is below the heat registers in the ceiling that help heat the upstairs rooms.”
“Then you might want to light the stove so you don’t freeze upstairs tonight.”
Montana Sky: Nolan's Vow (Kindle Worlds) (Grooms with Honor Book 0) Page 11