Western Fate

by Janelle Daniels

  It wasn’t fancy like the mansions back East, but it certainly was the size of them.

  The building resembled a glorified two-story farmhouse with wide, cozy porches under a sloped roofline, and it called to her, inviting her inside to rest and be at ease.

  She wasn’t certain a structure had ever called to her like this in the past, and she marveled over it.

  Who owned it? It was on the opposite side of town, so she hadn’t happened upon it yet. She wondered if the owner would be willing to sell it, but even if they were, how could she afford it?

  She didn’t have any money, and it didn’t appear she would find a rich husband anytime soon, she thought with a laugh. So as much as she was drawn to the house, there wasn’t anything she could do about it.

  At least she could enjoy it while she spent time with Arabella.

  Stopping in front of the house, she parked the wagon before jumping out and helping Arabella down. “I love this house,” she told the little girl. “Do you like staying here?”

  Arabella nodded quickly and ran in a wide circle around Grace. “I like it outside.”

  Grace laughed. “I do too. There’s so much space to run around.”

  The little girl continued to run in a circle around her, so Grace chased her. Delighted squeals filled the air when Arabella caught on to the game. She took off toward the house as if it were a safe zone.

  Instead, Grace caught the girl in her arms. “Got you!” she said before tickling her mercilessly.

  The little girl was giggling so much she could barely breathe.

  Finally, Grace relented. “Whew! I apologize, Arabella, I don’t know what came over me.”

  More giggles and happiness shone in the little girl’s eyes.

  “Why don’t you show me inside?”

  “All right. Let’s go to my room, and I’ll show you my doll! Uncle Oliver gave her to me right before the trip, and she has a china face.”

  “Oh, how lovely.” Grace made sure to look suitably impressed. “I can’t wait to see her.”

  “She’s really beautiful. But I still like Fluffy best.” She hugged the bear that always seemed present.

  “You can always have two favorites. A favorite bear and a favorite doll.”

  Arabella grinned as if she liked the thought.

  They raced through the house, but Grace still noticed the gleaming wood floors, the thickly paneled walls, and the glimmers of crystal in each room. The more she saw, the more she fell in love with the place.

  Perhaps if she did ever marry a rich miner, she could convince him to buy the property. The owner must be willing if they were renting it out to Oliver—of course, Oliver might be a friend, or maybe he made an offer they couldn’t refuse.

  But then maybe her fictional rich husband could also. She laughed at herself.

  The time passed quickly, and Grace was charmed by the little girl. They had a tea party with her dolls and Fluffy, completed her lessons as Oliver had asked, pretended they were both princesses abducted by pirates, and then played a game where one would hide and the other would seek them out.

  “I think we should go play outside for a bit,” Grace declared. It wasn’t too hot, and children needed fresh air.

  Arabella’s eyes lit up, and they were off on their next adventure.

  The little girl ran through the tall grass just west of the house. “I wish the park had grass like this,” she said. “Then I could pretend I’m a lion.”

  Grace’s lips twitched. “You’d make a very fearsome lion.”

  “Rawr!”

  “Ah!” Grace mock-screamed and ran away as Arabella chased her. She slowed, allowing the little girl to gain ground, and Arabella’s arms wrapped around Grace’s legs.

  “Got you!”

  “I got you too!” Grace tickled the girl until they fell in a laughing heap, sucking in deep breaths from all the play.

  As they settled, Arabella scooted closer to Grace, snuggling beside her. “This is fun.”

  “I’m having fun too.” Grace wrapped an arm around her little form.

  The girl quieted for a moment. “My mommy used to play with me too.”

  Grace stilled, her heart aching for the little girl. “I bet she loved that.”

  Her little head bobbed. “I did too. I miss her.”

  “I know. I miss my mother too.” Grace squeezed her.

  “What happened to her?” Arabella’s eyes widened. “Did she go to heaven too?”

  “She did. But I was older than you.”

  “Do you miss her?”

  Grace smiled at the girl then tucked her wispy blond hair behind her little ear. “Every day. But I know she’s looking down on me. I know she loves me. Just as I know your mother and father are watching over you and love you very much.” Arabella bit her lip, considering that. “I can also tell your Uncle Oliver loves you very much.”

  The little girl nodded but didn’t say anything more.

  Deciding to change the subject, Grace exaggerated a yawn. “Oh, the sun is so warm, and I’m so sleepy.”

  “Sleepy? But it’s not nighttime.” Arabella looked at her skeptically.

  Grace lay back on the grass. “Oh, and it’s so soft here.”

  The girl giggled, and the sound lightened Grace’s heart. “Maybe we should take a nap.”

  “Uh-uh. I’m big now. I don’t need naps.”

  Grace leaned up on her elbow and frowned. “Are you certain? Fluffy takes naps.”

  A mutinous light shone in Arabella’s eyes. “I don’t!”

  “Oh, all right.” She sighed dramatically. “Perhaps we should return inside then.”

  Arabella sprang to her feet. “Race you!” And with a shot, Arabella ran toward the house.

  Grace chuckled. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had such a wonderful day.

  Chapter 5

  Oliver had practically been living at the mine for a week, doing his initial research. His drive to succeed and carry his weight fueled him—but even he needed a break. The conditions in the tunnels were hellish, and his eyes would cross if he had to read one more report.

  And he needed to spend time with Arabella.

  He hadn’t seen her much, though he could tell she was happy spending time with Grace. But he wanted to spend time with her as well, to let her know that he was here, that he wasn’t going anywhere.

  He rode up to the house, dirty and exhausted. He needed a bath, a plate full of food, and a week of sleep. But all of that would wait—except the bath.

  He laughed, thinking of how his associates back East would cringe if they saw him now.

  And although he never thought he would enjoy the work, he had to admit that the physical exertion felt good. He worked hard in his home laboratory in New York and often put in long hours. But this was different. This wasn’t just mentally challenging, it was physically challenging also.

  He hadn’t understood what his partners had seen in the untamed town or how staying here would make their wives happy, but Oliver was starting to see the appeal.

  Of course, this life wasn’t for him. He had other responsibilities, and no matter how good of a town it was, Arabella deserved more than Promise Creek could offer.

  Giggles floated through the air, and he smiled at hearing his niece happy. He’d been greeted by the same each day since Grace had started caring for her. They were sounds he hadn’t heard in six months, and he was grateful that had changed.

  He’d originally planned to head straight to his room and order a bath, but he couldn’t help but look in at his niece first—and Grace.

  He’d done his best to keep his distance from her, to ignore the attraction he felt for her, and to some extent he’d been successful. Where would he be without his self-control, after all? But each day, he could feel his resolve softening.

  He followed their voices down the hall to the library. As he stepped in the doorway, his footstep stilled.

  Grace and Arabella were snuggled in one of the deep
leather chairs together, giggling over a story Grace was reading. Her voice changed as she took on the personae of different characters, and he watched in awe as his niece giggled and looked at Grace with affection.

  His stomach clenched as Grace placed a soft kiss on Arabella’s feathery blond head before continuing on. Neither of them noticed him watching, but Oliver couldn’t look away.

  Every reason he’d had for dismissing his attraction to Grace went out the window. Right then, he’d never seen anyone more beautiful, and he ached for the things he didn’t have.

  Married life might not be so bad. Not all relationships were like his parents’, he reminded himself.

  As much as he’d tried to fight it, he wanted Grace. And not just in the physical way he’d first thought. There was more here.

  But wasn’t it impossible? They led completely different lives. They lived on what felt like the other side of the world from each other. They had very little in common.

  He shifted on his feet, catching Arabella’s attention. “Uncle Oliver!” She wiggled away from Grace and raced toward him, wrapping her arms around him. “You’re home!”

  He chuckled and patted her on the back. He wanted to pick her up, but he was filthy, and it would ruin her dress. “Careful, sweeting. I don’t want to get you all dirty.”

  Arabella’s nose wrinkled. “You stink.”

  “Arabella!” Grace chided, but she couldn’t quite stop a chuckle from escaping her lips. “That’s rude.”

  Oliver notched up his niece’s chin. “But true.” She giggled. “I should’ve taken a bath before seeing you, but I missed you.”

  “I missed you too.” Uncaring of the dirt, Arabella hugged him once more.

  He patted her back, then looked up at Grace as she watched the exchange. “Arabella, will you go ask Mrs. Porter to have a bath readied in my room?” he asked.

  She looked back at Grace. “Is Grace leaving?”

  “Yes. It’s time.”

  Arabella nodded, but before running off to see to the task, she returned to Grace and gave her a big hug.

  Grace squeezed her back. “I’ll see you soon. I have something planned for next time.” Arabella’s eyes lit up, and she grinned like they had a secret before scampering out of the room.

  Oliver waited a moment, listening to his niece’s footsteps head down the hall before looking back at Grace. “She’s taken with you.”

  She laced her fingers in front of her. “The feeling is mutual. She’s a lovely child.”

  “You’ve done well with her. I haven’t seen her this happy since the accident.” He knew it wasn’t wise to continue to spend time with Grace, but he couldn’t let her leave just yet.

  “She started telling me about her mother, about how she misses her.” Sadness filled her eyes.

  His stomach clenched. He wished he could make everything better for his niece. “It’s hard on her.”

  Grace nodded slowly. “I imagine it’s hard on both of you.”

  He wasn’t sure what to say. He’d been so focused on helping Arabella, he’d hardly taken a breath to process that his brother had died. “It is. She’s all I have left.”

  He expected to see pity in her eyes, but all he saw was understanding. “It’s hard being alone.”

  He could hear the echoes of sadness in her tone. “Are you alone?”

  “Yes. There was nothing for me back East, no family, no friends. No true ones, anyway.” She held up her hands. “But it’s better now.”

  “How?” he asked, knowing it was none of his business.

  “I have a home here and friends.” She let out a soft laugh. “I had no idea when I accepted the offer that I’d get so much more than a fresh start.”

  Oliver could tell from his partners’ wives that they were all very close, but he hadn’t realized how Grace would feel now that they were all gone and married. She must feel so alone, ostracized, now that they’d progressed to a different stage of life. No wonder she spent her time volunteering.

  He wanted to comfort her, but it wasn’t his place. He was drawn to her. He couldn’t deny it. But any further deepening of feelings between them would only cause hardship in the long run.

  He might be coming around to the idea of marriage, but his feelings and opinion wouldn’t change overnight. They just didn’t have enough time. “I’m glad it’s been good for you here. I’m sure the town is appreciative of all you do.”

  She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’ve been happy to do it. Same with Arabella. Will you need me tomorrow?”

  Her question, so innocently asked, filled him with warmth. There were many different types of needs, and even though he knew she referred to her care of Arabella, he thought of his simmering need to see her, to speak with her, to be with her. But instead of saying anything so foolish, he shook his head. “No. I’ll be spending time with Arabella.”

  She nodded, and he could tell she approved. “All right. I’ll be here first thing the day after that.”

  “Thank you.”

  Sensing the end of the conversation, she walked past him toward the door.

  “Grace.”

  She paused, turning back toward him. “Yes?”

  He didn’t know what he wanted to say, and he realized he just wanted to see her face one last time. He shook his head. He was such a fool. “Thank you again.”

  She smiled at him. “Have a good evening.”

  Without another word, she stepped out of the room, and he could hear her heading toward the front of the house.

  He stood in place for a few minutes, breathing in her faint apple blossom sent that lingered in the air. There was something about her that tugged him. He couldn’t place his finger on it, and no matter how he tried, he couldn’t seem to stop himself from feeling that way.

  He just hoped that when their time was done, he would be able to move on and say goodbye to the woman who was starting to make him feel like more was possible.

  Grace’s muscles ached, but she refused to set the water bucket down and take a break. No matter how hard she found the task of carrying water to the workers in the mine, their labors were so much more rigorous.

  She turned down one of the other tunnels near the top of the shaft and found a group of sweaty, dirty men. “Would anyone like a drink?”

  The man closest to her closed his eyes as if in prayer, tossed his pickaxe down, and converged on her with the rest of the men. “You’re an angel,” one of them said.

  She snorted. “I don’t know about that, but if I can help you in any small way such as bringing you a drink, I’m happy to do so.”

  It was her day off from watching Arabella, and she’d spent the morning walking around her silent home until she couldn’t stand it a moment longer. She had nothing else to do with her time, and sitting alone was driving her crazy. The least she could do was help the men who labored so diligently—but it wasn’t until she was here that she fully comprehended how awful the conditions truly were.

  Perhaps she should talk with Emery about it. Her husband, Everett, was in charge of safety and working conditions. There had to be a way they could improve these men’s lives.

  The men drank the tepid water thirstily, asking for seconds that she happily provided. They looked bone-tired, weary, and overheated. It couldn’t be good for them. “Do you enjoy working here?” she asked one of the men.

  He laughed and returned the ladle to her. “No. No one enjoys working in mines.”

  “Then why do it?” Surely he could find work elsewhere.

  “Because it pays well. Much better than being a ranch hand, anyway.” He shrugged. “It’s hard, but it’s honest, and I make more than I need. It isn’t a bad life.”

  Just a hard one.

  She swallowed any further comment she had and moved on to the next section of the mine further down the shaft. The men here looked just as exhausted. “Would anyone like a drink—”

  “Grace?”

  Before the men could set their t
ools down, a man marched toward her, his stride determined. And angry.

  She took a step back before she realized who it was. “Oliver—Mr. DeHart?” Grace looked at him from his dirt-coated hair down to his scuffed shoes. “What are you doing here?”

  “What am I doing here? What are you doing here?”

  “Um…” She held the bucket she carried a little higher. “I’m bringing water to the men.”

  He was already shaking his head before she finished. “You shouldn’t be doing this. You should go.” He took her arm and steered her toward the way out.

  It took her a moment to realize what was happening, and she dug in her heels. “I certainly will not leave. I’m here seeing to the men’s welfare. I can’t leave yet.”

  When he realized the other men were listening to what was happening, he pulled her to the side and lowered his voice. “You shouldn’t be here.”

  “Why not?” Did he think she would cause problems or get in the way? She was about to give him a piece of her mind.

  “It’s not safe.”

  Her indignation deflated. “Then why are you here?”

  “Because I have a job to do.”

  She wiggled the bucket again. “I have a job to do too.” She frowned then, thinking of Arabella. “On that note…what are you doing here? Where’s Arabella? I thought you said you would be with her today.”

  His lips firmed, and he looked away. “That’s what I had planned, but there was a development here, and I had to come on short notice.”

  “Who’s looking after Arabella?”

  “I had to leave her with our cook. It wasn’t ideal, but she’s safe.”

  Grace was about to offer to go to her and take over the responsibility, but she’d already told Lily she would see to this task. “I’m glad to hear it.”

  He looked at her intently. “You’re not going to leave, are you?”

  She pressed her lips together. “No. I’m needed here, and I intend to see my task done.”

  His hand tightened on her arm a moment before he released it, sighing. “You’re not an easy person to dissuade, are you?”

  “Depends on if you have cake or not,” she said in a chipper voice.