More Than Gold

by Nerys Leigh

  His good cheer vanished when a shriek came from the house.

  He leaped from Jed’s back and sprinted across the yard, fully expecting to find some horrific scene when he plunged through the door.

  Grace stood in the centre of the room, shaking with fear.

  “What is it?” he panted. “Are you hurt? What’s wrong?”

  In reply, she pointed a trembling finger at the shadowy corner by the bed.

  Nervous of what he might find that could have scared her so badly, he crept around the bed and peered into the darkness. At first he couldn’t see anything, but then a shape separated itself from the surrounding gloom.

  He breathed out in relief. “It’s just a spider. It won’t hurt you. Those ones aren’t poisonous.”

  Admittedly, it was a pretty large spider, but it wasn’t dangerous.

  “Th-that’s not a spider, that’s a monster.”

  He was about to laugh, but then he saw her face. She truly was afraid, her skin pale and skirts gathered around her as if she was afraid the spider would dart out of hiding and run up them. He didn’t understand why women were bothered by things that couldn’t hurt them, but seeing her so frightened stirred a feeling of protectiveness he wasn’t used to.

  “It’s all right, you just stay there. I’ll deal with it.”

  She backed away a few steps and nodded.

  Feeling just a little pleased with himself for his ability to protect his wife, even if it was just from a harmless spider, he crept slowly up to the offending creature and raised his boot.

  “Don’t kill it!”

  Her sudden cry startled him and he had to grab at the wall to keep from falling over. The spider scuttled back into the corner.

  He glanced back at her, confused. “I thought you wanted it gone.”

  “I-I do. But I don’t want it dead just because I’m afraid of it.” She bit her lip.

  He looked back at the spider. “Then what do you want me to do?”

  “Can’t you catch it or something? Take it away?”

  Catch a spider instead of killing it. Now he’d heard it all. “It would be easier to stomp on it.”

  “Well, sometimes the easiest thing to do isn’t the right thing to do.”

  He glanced back at her again. Scared as she was, she was standing up straight, defiance in her eyes. She may have been afraid of spiders, but she wasn’t afraid to stand up for what she felt was right. Unexpected pride filled him. His wife was strong.

  “All right, I won’t kill it. But I’m going to need something to catch it with.” The spider may not have been dangerous, but it was big enough that a bite would probably hurt.

  She went to the cupboard and returned with an empty glass jar, staying as far away from the spider as possible as she stretched forward to hand it to him and then retreating to the center of the room.

  He coaxed the arachnid from its corner refuge, slammed the jar down over it as it darted across the floor for freedom, and carefully pushed the lid underneath. With the spider safely contained, he stood and turned the jar over so it slid down to the bottom, legs scrabbling uselessly at the glass.

  “What do you want me to do with it?”

  “Take it far away, so it won’t come back inside.” She touched his arm as he walked past her and gave him a shaky smile. “Thank you.”

  The amount his chest puffed out was far out of proportion to what he’d done, but a grin was still stretching his face as he headed outside.

  He put the jar down so he could unsaddle Jed and put him in the pasture, then he carried the spider well away from the homestead and deposited it among some rocks.

  “You’re a lucky spider, to have found her,” he told it as it scuttled away. “Be grateful by not coming back and scaring her again.”

  He was talking to a spider. It was possible he was losing his mind.

  When he got back to the house, he found Grace, a lamp in her hand, gingerly lifting the corner of the blanket on the bed with a stick and peering underneath.

  “Did you find another one?”

  Her eyes stayed on the blanket. “No, but if that one was here, there might be more.”

  Watching her make her way painfully slowly around the bed, he sighed. “Give me the lamp.”

  It took him half an hour to search every nook and cranny in the entire house. By the end, he’d amassed a jar full of agitated spiders and sore knees from crawling around the floor to catch them, fully aware that a whole new set would probably be in there before he’d even got rid of the ones he’d caught. But the grateful smile Grace gave him as he carried the jar out gave him a warmth in his chest that was worth the largely pointless exercise. It felt good to be needed, especially by his wife.

  This was what husbands were meant to do, wasn’t it? His own father hadn’t been the most loving of men, and most of the time he’d felt like a stranger to Gabriel, but the one thing he had done was provided for and looked after his family. Gabriel figured that was more important than anything else. Removing spiders may have been pointless, but Grace needed him to do it, so he did. He couldn’t help feeling proud of himself for that.

  He took the spiders further this time, releasing them by a shallow cave where they’d hopefully make their home rather than returning to the house. By the time he got back, supper was almost ready.

  He walked into the barn to wash up and change and came to a halt, staring in astonishment.

  His makeshift bed with a milking stool to put the lamp on beside it had gone and a metal-framed bed with a mattress stood in its place, complete with pillows, sheets and blankets. One of the bedside tables from the house stood beside it and a washstand had been created from two barrels, a plank of wood, and a large bowl. There was even a mirror hanging from a hook on the wall above it.

  Grace walked up beside him. “Do you like it?”

  He looked around, taking everything in. “How? Where did the bed come from?”

  “I took the buggy into town and asked Pastor and Mrs. Jones if they knew of anyone who might have a bed I could borrow for a few days. Turned out they had one that was perfect. It screws together so it was easy to take apart and we managed to get it into the buggy with the mattress rolled up. Then I brought it home and put it back together.”

  “By yourself?”

  She laughed. “Of course by myself. I’m a woman, I’m not helpless.”

  “I didn’t mean...”

  “I know.” She was smiling. “So do you like it?”

  He sat on the bed, a real bed, and grinned. “This is real nice, thank you.”

  She looked at the floor. “I just want you to know how grateful I am that you’re waiting for me. I know it’s my fault that you’re sleeping out here and I’m sorry, but I promise it won’t be forever and...”

  He reached out to touch her hand. “You don’t have to be sorry. No man has the right to make a woman do anything she doesn’t want to. I can wait. You take as much time as you need.”

  Had he just said that?

  Her face lit up in a radiant smile. “Thank you.” She glanced back at the house, a hint of pink touching her cheeks. “Well, I should get back to supper. It’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

  “I’ll wash up and be right there.”

  She nodded, still smiling, and headed for the house. When she was out of sight inside, Gabriel flopped onto his back. The mattress bounced beneath him.

  Had he really just told her to take as much time as she needed before she let him into her bed?

  He had.

  And what was even more bewildering, he’d meant it.

  What was happening to him?

  The teasing aroma of Grace’s cooking had his mouth watering as soon as he walked into the house. He joined her at the table and closed his eyes, waiting for her to say the blessing.

  “Lord,” she said, “thank You for this food and for Your abundant provision. Thank You for keeping us both safe today. And I want to especially thank You for Gabriel, for the way he helped
me with the spiders and for his patience and understanding. Thank You for bringing me here. I’m very glad I came. In the Name of the Lord Jesus, Amen.”

  Her prayer set Gabriel’s heart thumping. He opened his eyes to see her cutting two slices of the pie sitting in the centre of the table.

  “Are you truly glad you’re here?” He’d never asked her before, but her answer was suddenly important to him.

  She smiled. “I’m very glad I’m here. I don’t think many other men would have spent all that time getting the spiders out just because I’m afraid of them. I truly am grateful.”

  As far as he was concerned, any man who wouldn’t do anything he could to gain Grace’s favor was a fool. “You ever need anything, whatever it is, you just ask me.”

  “I will.”

  He was glad she was there too. At that moment, he didn’t think he’d ever been more glad of anything in his life.

  Chapter 10

  The sound of hoof beats in the yard interrupted Grace while she was sweeping the floor the next morning. She leaned the broom against the table, mystified as to who would be visiting the tiny homestead. No one ever seemed to come here. Maybe Gabriel had returned for some reason.

  Brutus scrambled to his feet and followed her to the door, stopping beside her on the porch outside.

  “Good morning, Mrs. Silversmith.” Mr. Fowler raised his hat in greeting from where he sat on his horse in the middle of the yard.

  Grace nodded in return. “Good morning, Mr. Fowler. I’m afraid my husband isn’t here right now.” It occurred to her that it wasn’t wise to admit that to a virtual stranger when she was all alone, so she added, “But he’s due back anytime.”

  “That’s all right, ma’am, I didn’t come to see him. I came to talk to you.” He smiled, looking completely unthreatening.

  She fought the urge to glance back into the house where Gabriel’s revolver sat on the bookcase. Although Mr. Fowler had given her no cause to suspect him of anything, Gabriel’s reaction to him on his first visit had her on alert.

  He rose up in the stirrups and Brutus took a few paces forward to the edge of the porch, emitting a low growl. Grace stared at him in astonishment. She’d never once seen the laid back dog display any threatening behavior at all. It made her even more wary.

  Mr. Fowler froze in the process of dismounting and glanced back at the huge dog. “Would you mind putting him inside while we talk? He’s making my horse nervous.”

  His horse? How stupid did he think she was?

  “He’s fine right here.”

  His throat bobbed as he rotated himself back into the saddle. “Of course. Nice dog.”

  Brutus would be getting a treat once the man left.

  “So what can I do for you, Mr. Fowler?”

  Brutus had stopped growling but was still standing in front of Grace at the top of the porch steps, posture rigid and eyes fixed on the intruder.

  Mr. Fowler stared at him for a few moments before moving his gaze back to Grace. “I feared you may have got the wrong impression of me from our first meeting. I would like to correct that.”

  “Did I?”

  His smile appeared somewhat forced. “Your husband’s view of me is no doubt colored by his reluctance to sell his claim, and I understand that completely. A man sets out to do something, he wants to see it through to the end. Don’t get me wrong, I admire him for that, but I think it’s clouding his good judgment.”

  “Is it?”

  “I fear that it is.” He glanced at Brutus for a moment. “Mrs. Silversmith, I’m going to be honest with you, I was hoping to enlist your help in changing his mind. I can tell you’re an intelligent woman and, as a husband myself, I’m of the opinion that wives often display more sense than their spouses.”

  She said nothing, not because she didn’t agree with him, but because she suspected he didn’t agree with him.

  “Mr. Silversmith’s work ethic is admirable, but is he really making enough from his claim to be worth it?” He looked around the little cluster of buildings. When she still didn’t reply, he went on. “I can tell you are a woman of refined taste who would rather be living in a civilized town than out here in the middle of nowhere. And with the two thousand dollars I offered your husband for his claim, there would be more than enough money for you to have a very nice house in town.”

  Two thousand dollars? Gabriel had turned down two thousand dollars for his claim? She tried to keep her shock from registering on her face, but Mr. Fowler’s barely veiled smirk told her she might not have been successful.

  “That’s a lot of money,” she said. “You must want his claim very much. May I ask why?”

  “It’s not a secret. My employers have been buying up all the claims in that area. They’re planning on reopening the mines. With the current advances in mining techniques, we’re hoping to be able to extract the ore that the miners who previously worked them weren’t able to.”

  “But my husband doesn’t have a mine on his claim. He takes gold from the soil. I believe it’s called placer mining.”

  “I know, but some of the ore seams run under Mr. Silversmith’s land. Legally, we can follow a seam wherever it goes, but we prefer to own the land ourselves, to avoid any future issues. I’m sure you understand. Which is why we’re prepared to give such a generous amount for a largely unproductive claim.” His smile put her in mind of a snake.

  “Well, thank you for coming by,” she said. “I’ll give our conversation some thought. Although obviously the decision is my husband’s, not mine.”

  “True enough, but I’m sure Mr. Silversmith values your opinion. As would I, if I was in his position.”

  She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. His compliments were becoming ridiculous, given he knew absolutely nothing about her.

  He tipped his hat. “It was a pleasure to speak with you, Mrs. Silversmith.”

  Brutus barked as he turned his horse, as if to say ‘good riddance’, and moved back to sit at Grace’s side.

  She rubbed his ear as she watched Mr. Fowler leave. “Good boy, Brutus.”

  She had no idea what to make of the whole situation, but she and Gabriel were definitely going to have a talk when he got home.

  ~ ~ ~

  “Two thousand dollars?!”

  Gabriel brought Jed to a halt but didn’t dismount. The sight of Grace striding across the yard towards him had him nervous.

  “I’m sorry?” He was pleased with himself for the response, serving, as it did, both to indicate his confusion as to what she was talking about and his abject remorse for anything he might have done wrong.

  She reached the horse and looked up at him. Brutus plodded up beside her and sat, also gazing up at him. Gabriel had the feeling he was being ganged up on.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  He seemed to be all out of clever responses. “Tell you what?”

  “That Mr. Fowler offered you two thousand dollars for your claim!”

  Oh. That.

  He shrugged. “Didn’t think it was important, since I wasn’t going to take it.”

  He dropped to the ground, figuring he was in the clear as far as being guilty of wrongdoing was concerned, and draped the rein over the fence

  She followed him to Jed’s side. Brutus walked around them and touched his nose to the horse’s in greeting. Jed snorted in his face and Brutus sneezed and wagged his tail.

  “But two thousand dollars! That’s a huge amount of money.”

  “I guess so.” He pulled his rifle from the scabbard on the saddle and rested it up against the fence.

  Grace followed him. “Well then, why?”

  “Why what?”

  When he moved to go back around to remove the saddle, she pushed her palm into his chest to stop him. “Will you talk to me?”

  “I am talking to you.” He’d never noticed how pretty she was when she was annoyed, with her eyes flashing and just the tiniest hint of pink coloring her cheeks. It was going to make arguing with her
so much more pleasant.

  “You’re not. You’re...you’re...” She huffed out a breath. “Why are you turning down two thousand dollars for your claim? How long would it take you to make that much from working it?”

  Pretty as she was, he didn’t particularly want to have this conversation. He stepped around her to unfasten Jed’s cinch. “That isn’t any of your concern. You don’t have to worry about money. I’ll make enough to provide for you and any young ’uns we have.”

  “Gabriel Silversmith!”

  He froze, wincing. That was a tone that took him back to his childhood, specifically the parts of it when his mother had discovered one of his transgressions.

  Grace marched up to him and planted her hands on her hips. “I ran my father’s household, including the finances, for seven years. I set budgets and paid the bills and the servants’ wages and the taxes and I knew every penny that came in or left his bank account. Most of the reason my father has any money at all is because I made sure he did. So don’t you ever, ever tell me our money isn’t my concern.”

  “I didn’t mean...”

  Except, he did mean. In his world, men dealt with the money. They provided it and they decided how it was spent. He’d never even considered otherwise. So where did the fact that she’d apparently had far more experience with finances than he ever had leave him?

  “I just meant that I have my reasons for turning down Fowler’s offer.”

  He lifted the saddle from Jed’s back and tried to walk around her. She moved to block his path.

  “And those reasons are?”

  Why did he always have to explain himself to her? “Private,” he snapped, a little more harshly than he’d intended. “So you’re just going to have to accept that I have them and leave it at that.”

  When she didn’t answer, or even move, he walked around her and placed the saddle onto the fence. When he’d checked Jed’s hooves, removed his bridle, and turned him out in the pasture with Fred and Goat and she still hadn’t moved, he began to get nervous. He darted glances at her as he put away his rig, but she was staring out at the valley and paying him no attention at all. At least, that he could tell. But knowing Grace as he did, he suspected that was a ruse.