Corrin also bought her niece new shoes, stockings, jewelry, gloves and handbags, as well as a couple more everyday dresses and skirts. Amelia had a difficult time accepting her Aunt’s abundant generosity. Certainly Aunt Corrin was spending a year’s profit on all of these things.
“Honey, please allow me to do this for you. I’ve never had a daughter to dote on before. Besides, you don’t think I’m spending my own money, do you? This trip’s on Paul and Jeremiah.”
They giggled, and Amelia gratefully accepted Corrin’s generosity, knowing it was making her aunt happy to do this for her.
“Aunt Corrin, do you think Paul will like the way I look in this gown?”
“I thought you were going to the dance with Jeremiah?”
“Oh... I am---that’s who I meant to say.” Amelia blushed.
“Sweetie, they’re both going to adore the way you look in that gown.” Corrin patted her arm. She also had bought herself several gowns.
“We’re going to need to hire another stage coach if we buy anything else,” Amelia teased.
They spent their evenings in fine restaurants and attended the theater one night and the opera the other. Amelia felt like she was being treated like royalty. She enjoyed herself so much. Her mother would have loved an outing like this, but she had always worked hard to provide the best she could.
Friday afternoon, the ladies arrived back in old Glory Gulch. As the stage came to a halt in front of Sarah Jane’s Restaurant her aunt tapped her arm. “Someone’s here to meet you, sweetie.”
“Who is it Aunt Corrin?”
The door sprang open and a hearty voice greeted them.
“Good morning, ladies,” Paul said in a lively voice. “I trust your trip was pleasant and safe.”
“Yes, Paul,” Amelia said excitedly. “It was a marvelous trip. I’d like to tell you all about it sometime.”
First, Paul took Corrin’s hand and helped her out of the coach. Then he reached for Amelia. “Put your hands on my shoulders.” He then placed his hands firmly on her waist and gently lifted her down, bypassing the step that had been provided.
Amelia was impressed by his broad, capable shoulders and the strength of his arms.
Harry, who had also met the ladies, offered to carry their carpetbags and packages back to the saloon for them. He laughed as the driver continued to hand parcel after parcel to him.
“By the looks of it, I’d say there isn’t anything left for sale in Glenwood Springs.”
“Harry, I’ll help you carry these.” Corrin also laughed. “My, but it looks like the boxes multiplied during the trip back.”
“Here, let me get some of those for you,” Paul offered.
“I’ll let you take care of my favorite package.” Corrin put her arm around Amelia in a half-hug.
“Thank you, Aunt Corrin. This was a week to remember.”
“You’re welcome, sweetie. Now don’t fret about a thing. We’ll take care of it all for you.
“And I’ll take real good care of this one for you,” Paul said as he took Amelia’s hand and wrapped it in the crook of his arm.
Amelia felt certain she blushed.
“Would you like to take a walk, Paul? I’ve been sitting so long; I need to stretch my weary bones.”
“I was just going to ask you the same thing. Come on.” He placed her hand under his arm and as they strolled through town, they both started talking at the same time. “Go ahead,” he said.
“First, I want to thank you for the wonderful music box. I was overwhelmed when I found it. And I love it. I want to ask you to forgive me for my rude behavior Monday night---”
“I’m sorry for the way I behaved too,” Paul interrupted. I shouldn’t have let Cowan pull me into that argument. It was foolish. Please, forgive me.”
“Of course. I forgave you Tuesday morning when I saw the music box. I had hoped you would be at the stage to see us off so I could tell you then.”
“Oh, I had every intention of seeing you off, but I had an emergency at the mill that I had to attend to and couldn’t leave.” Paul paused a moment, and Amelia hoped he was smiling at her. “I missed you.”
Amelia smiled with delight and wanted to tell him that she missed him too, but was apprehensive. She had never felt this strongly about a man before. What was appropriate behavior in this situation? Did she know enough about him yet? Was it too soon to encourage him? She simply had no idea that matters of the heart would be so confusing.
They ate a delicious lunch at Sarah Jane’s, and then Paul had to return to the mill. He escorted her to the busy Saloon. Upon arriving at Amelia’s door, they had no privacy because the door was open and Corrin was inside unpacking clothes from boxes and carpetbags, attempting to put some order back into her niece’s wardrobe. So he simply kissed the back of her hand, said good-by, and took his leave.
› › ›
Paul returned at suppertime to find himself invited to dine with the two ladies there at the Silver Slipper. After the meal was finished, Corrin managed to enlist Paul to help with the dishes.
Amelia yawned and announced that the trip had worn her out and that she was retiring for the evening. She rose from the table, found her way to her aunt, and kissed her on the cheek. “Good night, Aunt Corrin. I had a wonderful time in Glenwood Springs with you. I’ll never forget it. I love you.”
“I love you too, honey.” Corrin hugged her.
Amelia then located Paul, stood on her tiptoes, reached for his face, and kissed him on his cheek.
“Thank you again for the music box, Paul. I love it. And I love that it came from you.” And with that, she headed to her room, leaving Corrin and Paul both smiling and gazing lovingly at her.
“Well, Corrin. It took me almost twenty years,” Paul grabbed a dish and started to dry it. “But I think I may have finally won the attention of an attractive young lady.”
“You just be careful with her. She’s not like most young ladies. She’s more innocent because of her blindness.”
“That just makes her all the more attractive to me.” He never thought he’d fall in love again, and certainly not this hard this fast. If a locomotive ran over him, it wouldn’t be as jolting as this feeling consuming his every waking hour.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Saturday promised to be a pleasurable day---sunshiny, but not too hot. Paul joined Amelia on the porch for their usual morning visit. She persuaded him to allow her to practice playing his piano, but she had to agree to accompany him to lunch first.
He returned at twelve-thirty, and the two ambled over to Sarah Jane’s, arm in arm, delighted to be in each other’s company.
After a light meal, Paul escorted Amelia to his large, elegantly decorated home and guided her on a brief tour of the first floor entryway, parlor, music room, dining room and kitchen. He told her the private housekeeper’s quarters were off the kitchen, and he introduced her to Mrs. Scranton, leaving instructions for her not to disturb Amelia’s practice except to bring her tea later in the afternoon. There were five more rooms on the second floor and five on the third, but he had to get back to work and didn’t have time to show them to her. Making sure she was comfortable before he left, Paul thought how splendid it was to have her in his home. It was as if she belonged there and filled the emptiness of the home.
› › ›
When Amelia heard his footsteps walking away from the house, she began her practice session in the usual way with finger stretching pieces. Gradually, she found herself playing as if no time had lapsed at all since the last occasion she had skillfully guided her long fingers across the ivory keys.
It felt good to be playing again, but it took her several hours to bring herself to play the piece she wanted to perform for her Aunt that night. She was grateful for the tea and biscuit cookies Mrs. Scranton brought to her later. During the break, she resolved to play the special sonata. She stretched her fingers, took a deep breath, and then began to play the treasured piece, Braham’s Sonata in F Sharp
Minor.
› › ›
Paul walked onto the porch to come for Amelia, but she was concentrating so hard she hadn’t heard his footsteps. He paused at the front door, straining to hear the beautiful music that was wafting out to him. Trying not to make a sound, he entered the house and crept through the parlor into the music room. There he beheld the most wondrous sight he could have ever envisioned.
Amelia sat at the piano, playing with the skill and ease of an accomplished pianist in a renowned concert hall in New York City. He watched her admiringly.
However, it soon became evident that something wasn’t right. Amelia had been holding back tears, but they now were trailing down her face and alighting upon her arms and hands as she played. Her breathing became deeper and deeper until she suddenly collapsed face down onto her folded arms on the keyboard, striking a loud, dreadful chord. She sobbed uncontrollably.
Paul rushed to her side, sat on the bench beside her, and picked her up in his arms. Amelia allowed herself to be swallowed up in his embrace and continued to weep against his broad chest, unable to speak for almost fifteen minutes. He stroked her hair and kissed her on her head, but mostly just allowed whatever distressed her to wash away with the tears. When she finally calmed herself, she drew back from him.
“That was my mother’s favorite piece,” she began quietly. “That was all she ever wanted from me each year on her birthday. I played it for her when she was sick, and it seemed to comfort her. One day her breathing had become irregular and she was more quiet than usual. Nothing the Doctor seemed to do for her made any difference. Finally, she asked me to play the sonata for her. She said that it would soothe her tired body.”
Amelia paused and Paul caressed her face with his hand. The tears again trickled slowly down her cheeks, and he caught them with his fingers.
“I wanted to stay in the room with her,” she continued.”But the Doctor strongly insisted that I perform for her. I went to the piano and played. Paul, I played the piece like I never had before. It was as if something inside was urging me on. When I finished I went to her bedside.” Amelia’s head sank onto Paul’s shoulder. “And she was gone home to heaven.”
He wrapped his arms around her, his heart breaking for her. He felt inadequate in knowing how to comfort her.
“I want to play that piece for Aunt Corrin tonight for her birthday present. It would be my way of showing her how much she has come to mean to me, but I don’t know if I can get through it now.”
“No one expects you to do more than you are willing or capable of, Amelia. If you’re not ready, don’t put yourself through this. Couldn’t you just play something else for her? Your music is so beautiful; I think Corrin would enjoy whatever you played for her.”
“But I want to play that one for her, Paul.”
“Well, perhaps now that you’ve played it for the first time since your mother’s death, you may be able to get through it if you gave it another try.”
“ Perhaps . . .” She repositioned herself on the bench and raised her hands to the keys in preparation for another attempt to play the fine sonata she longed to give to her aunt as a gift.
Paul arose to sit on a chair.
“No,” she tenderly enjoined him. “Please don’t go. I think I can do it with you beside me.”
Paul’s heart turned tender toward her. He placed his arm around her and kissed her temple. “I know you can do this.” He then dropped his arm so as not to interfere with her performance.
She played softly at first as if unsure of herself. Twice she almost stopped due to the uncontrollable urge to cry, but she just let the tears slide where they wished and continued without missing a note. When she finished, she beamed toward Paul through a tear-stained face.
“I’m so proud of you,” he told her.” What you’ve just done today is admirable. But I think you’ve pushed yourself beyond your limitations and need to get away for awhile.” Paul produced a handkerchief and dried her tears. He stood, pulled her to her feet, placed her cane in her hand, and led her through the house and out the front door.
“Where are we going?”
“Someplace restful.” He lead her down the lane and then to the edge of town to the river.
“Is this a creek?”
“It’s the Colorado River. My mill’s not far from here. The river is what turns the paddle wheel that turns the cogs that turns the belts that runs the saws that cut the wood into boards. How’s that for an overview of my operations?”
Amelia smiled and he was glad to see it. He led her to the river bank and carefully helped her to sit down.
They sat in silence for awhile, Amelia listening and thinking and Paul thoroughly overwhelmed by his love for her, drinking in her sweet presence and beauty as one would wantonly drink in the rejuvenating waters of the river.
“Take your shoes off and we’ll go wading.” Paul removed his shoes and socks and cuffed his trousers almost up to his knees.
Amelia was reluctant at first, but soon complied. After removing her footwear, she stood and tucked one corner of her skirts up under her sash. He took her by one arm and cautiously led her to the water’s edge.
“Step down now. Don’t be afraid. I won’t let go of you. Here, I’ll go first.” Without letting go of her Paul stepped backward into the water, leading her into the river’s edge. “It’s not very deep or running very quickly here.”
Amelia took a deep breath, held very tightly to his arms and cautiously put one foot into the water.
“Oooh! It’s cold!” She put her other foot alongside the first.
He loosened his grip on her.
“Please, don’t let go of me!” she cried.
“You’re all right.” He kept his voice calm and soothing. “Move your feet around, there aren’t any rocks at this spot, just squishy mud.”
She took a couple steps forward as Paul stepped backward, and then let go of her altogether and stepped away. Amelia stood very still, as if frozen in the mud, cocking her head, listening to discern where he had gone.
“I’m right here. Don’t panic,” he called from a few feet away.
Finally relaxing, she reached down and let the water swirl around her hands, and then dabbed her eyes with some of the river water. She reached back down again and cupped her hands to catch some drank. She drank several handfuls which definitely refreshed and invigorated her. Her face had relaxed and a small smile played at the corner of her lips.
“Paul?”
“I’m still here.”
His answer had pinpointed his exact location, and then with one fast move Amelia scooped as much water as she could and heaved it at him.
He was taken totally off guard, let out a loud shout, and stood for a moment, holding his arms out to drip-dry. “That’s freezing!”
Amelia giggled uncontrollably. He sloshed through the water toward her. She turned to escape, but only managed to go a short distance onto the bank when he caught her.
“An eye for an eye and wet clothes for wet clothes!” He pushed her backward toward the water’s edge.
“No! Please! Don’t! Paul, I’m sorry! I won’t do it again! Please don’t throw me in!”
He laughed at how she was begging him for mercy. And he liked how she was holding onto him tightly. After a moment he stopped pushing her and instead, pulled her to his chest. He wrapped one arm around her and tilted her head upward with the other.
“Amelia Jackson. You’re an angel and I adore you.” He kissed her lovingly and with all the fervor that was burned within him. To his elation, she slipped her arms around him and kissed him back for the first time. He couldn’t pull her close enough to him as his hands shifted from her face to the back of her head, down her back. They stopped kissing for a moment and Paul held her face in his hands.
“I love you, Angel.” He resumed kissing her.
They finally checked themselves, and just held each other for awhile, two hearts pounding above the roar of the river.
“
You’re really wet.” Amelia said impishly when they broke apart.
“I wonder why.” He laughed. “Oh, that reminds me. I hope for your sake that my watch didn’t get ruined.” He withdrew the gold watch from its pocket and opened it. “You’re lucky, it’s fine.”
“May I hold it?”
“The watch?”
She nodded and he gingerly placed the watch in her hands. She rubbed the cover with her fingers in much the same way she did when she read that Braille book last week. There was a raised picture of what she thought was a train engine on some tracks. Feeling the rest of the precious possession, Amelia rubbed over some scratches in the inside cover.
“Is there an inscription here?”
“Very perceptive.”
“Read it to me, please.”
“It says, Paul; Prosperity, Health, Happiness, Love---May these be your future. JC”
“JC?”
“Jeremiah Cowan.”
“He gave you this watch?” She smiled and nodded as if she understood their friendship.
Perhaps Corrin told her tales of their youthful escapades on their trip to Glenwood Springs. “Yeah. On opening day at my Mill about fifteen years ago. He said if I was going to start acting like a big businessman, I’d better start looking like one too.” Paul grinned because she was smiling at him, and it captivated him.
“What time is it, by the way? Aunt Corrin wants me home by five. It’s going to take us time to transform ourselves into the “Belles of the Ball.’”
“Well, I’d say it’s time you start to think up an excuse as to why you’re going to be late, young lady. Better get your shoes back on.”
He hurried her back home, and upon arriving at the door, the two were greeted by a frazzled Corrin Dannon.
“You’re late, Sweetie! I was beginning to worry about you. I have a sandwich and some juice for you in your room. You’d better eat up. I have a bath waiting for you too; you don’t want it to cool off.” She grabbed Amelia and headed upstairs.
Angel In The Saloon (Brides of Glory Gulch) Page 10