Silver Springs

by Carolyn Lampman

  He nodded emphatically. “Ever since before supper. You can ask Martha.”

  “They probably crept out the back way when Martha wasn’t looking,” Angel said to Ox, “pulled off their little stunt, and then sneaked back in.”

  “We know it was you two. So you might just as well admit it and tell us what you’re up to.” Ox pinned them with a stern look. “What I’m most curious about is why you thought it was necessary to take our horses.”

  “You can’t leave horses standing all night,” Jared protested. “It isn’t good for them.”

  “So much for pretending it was someone else,” Angel murmured. “I guess we’d better get tough, Ox.”

  “I was really hoping we could avoid this, but I guess you’re right. They leave us no choice.” He sighed as he shut and locked the door.

  Jared swallowed nervously. “What are you going to do?”

  Ox shrugged. “Whatever it takes to find out what’s going on. I assume we’ve got all night before anyone comes looking for us. That gives us plenty of time to get the truth, one way or another.”

  Shannon and Jared exchanged an uneasy glance. “We were going to let you out in the morning,” Shannon blurted out.

  “What were the two of you doing that you wanted us out of the way?” Angel asked.

  “Nothing,” Jared said. “I swear, we came home, ate dinner, then came straight upstairs to play cards.”

  “Then why did you lock us in?”

  Shannon hung her head. “We didn’t know how else to get you to spend the night together.”

  “What?” Ox asked.

  Angel just stared at the two of them in mute amazement. Jared and Shannon scooted closer together.

  “We knew you’d never do it on your own,” Jared said defensively.

  “Why did you want us to spend the night in the barn?” Ox asked. “Is there a ghost in it or something?”

  “A ghost!” Shannon said in astonishment. “Whatever gave you a crazy idea like that?”

  “If it was a ghost, they’d have stayed there themselves,” Angel said sardonically. “Were you punishing us for some reason?”

  “No!” The suggestion obviously appalled both Shannon and Jared. “We just wanted you to spend time together.”

  Angel gave Ox a bewildered look. “Does any of this make sense to you?”

  “Not a bit.”

  “John Madison and Sharon Thomas spent the night together in a cabin last year,” Jared explained. “They said they got trapped by a flood.”

  Shannon nodded. “Her father said they had to get married. Mama said it was scandalous.”

  Angel raised an eyebrow. “So?”

  “So, we thought if you spent the night together in the barn, Martha would make you get married, too.”

  “Jesus Christ!”

  Ox’s horrified whisper sent an arrow straight to Angel’s heart. Clearly, marriage to her would be a fate worse than death for him. “John and Sharon were still living with their parents,” she said. “It’s different with people like Ox and me, because we’re older, and we’ve lived on our own.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know; it just is. Nothing could force us to get married if we don’t want to. It’s unfair of you to try.”

  “Why?” Shannon asked bluntly. “Didn’t you say marriage should be based on love? Isn’t that what your big fight with Father was all about?”

  “Yes, but I don’t see—”

  “Don’t you? Even Jared and I can tell you love each other.”

  Color flooded Angel’s face. Were her feelings so obvious?

  “It may seem like it,” Ox was saying, “But it’s all a game we’ve played to fool my grandfather.”

  “I don’t believe you,” Shannon said stubbornly. “The flowers and the perfume were working too well.”

  Angel’s face went from red to purple. “The flowers!” she said in a strangled voice. “It was you two?” Her hands formed into fists. “I’ll...I’ll...”

  Ox watched her with growing alarm. She almost looked as if she were choking. “Alexis,” he said, slapping her on the back. “Are you all right?”

  “They...they...ohhh, I’ll kill them!”

  “What’s she so mad about?” Ox asked the children. “What else did you do?”

  Jared had the grace to look embarrassed. “It was Shannon’s idea.”

  “But you came up with the perfume,” she retorted.

  “Will one of you please explain what the hell you’re talking about?”

  “We...uh...we put a rose on her pillow every night,” Shannon confessed miserably.

  “And we sort of let her believe you’d paid us to do it,” Jared added.

  “All those roses,” Ox murmured. “And the perfume?”

  “We soaked rags with her perfume, then hid them under your wagon seat and behind the drawer in your desk at the station so you’d smell it and think of her all the time.”

  Ox frowned. “That’s why I kept thinking I smelled perfume.”

  “Look, neither Ox nor I want your help,” Angel said angrily. “We’re plenty old enough to make up our own minds about who to marry. We hardly need advice from a couple of children.”

  “But you love him,” Shannon protested. “I know you do.”

  “You don’t know a thing about it,” Angel snapped. “I don’t understand why my sisters are both so sure they know my heart better than I do.”

  “Sisters?” Shannon said in confusion. Then her expression cleared. “Oh, you mean—”

  “Shannon, if you plan on living until tomorrow, you’d better close your mouth right now and keep it that way,” Angel said. She glared at Jared. “That goes for you too.”

  “But we want Ox as a brother-in-law,” Jared said.

  “You’ll just have to be satisfied with Brandon! I’m going to bed,” she said, stalking to the door. “I’m too mad to figure out what to do with you two now. We’ll discuss it at breakfast. Goodnight!”

  “Whew!” Jared said as she slammed the door behind her. “She was really mad. I thought she’d find it kind of funny.”

  “I think we embarrassed her,” Shannon said. “Didn’t you see how red her face got?”

  “So, she thought all those roses in the parlor were from me,” Ox said pensively. “No wonder she thanked me for the flowers.”

  “She kept them in her office, so she could see them all the time. When there got to be too many, she moved them to the parlor.”

  Ox rubbed his forehead. “Alexis says she’s going to marry Brandon.”

  Shannon nodded. “I know but—”

  “Shannon!” Jared grabbed her arm. “We took the Brady oath, remember?”

  Ox looked from one to the other in frustration. “What is it she doesn’t want me to know?”

  Jared gave a disappointed sigh. “Sorry, Ox, that’s all we can tell you.”

  “Can’t you give me a hint?”

  “We’ve already given you as many as we can,” Shannon said regretfully. “We took an oath.”

  Ox ran his fingers through his hair. “Who else knows this deep dark secret?”

  Jared and Shannon looked at each other. “Martha does,” Jared said hopefully.

  Shannon nodded. “And she didn’t take an oath.”

  “Forget it. She already informed me I should be smart enough to figure things out on my own.”

  “When did she tell you that?” Jared asked in surprise.

  “Several times, but the first was clear back when I saw the miniature of Angel and Alexis out at the cabin.” Ox’s mouth twisted into a wry grimace. “I can’t see her giving away your sister’s secret when she wouldn’t even tell me which twin was which in the picture.”

  Almost as if his words had conjured her, the door opened, and Martha came in. “It’s time you two were in bed.” Her eyes widened as she saw Ox. “What in the world are you doing here?”

  “Alexis and I just dropped by for a chat.”

  “Pretty peculiar ti
me for a visit, if you ask me.” She fixed Shannon and Jared with a fierce stare. “What have you two been up to now?”

  “Alexis will probably tell you all about it in the morning,” Ox said, taking pity on the two miscreants.

  “Does this have anything to do with her snapping my head off not five minutes ago for no reason?”

  “Probably.” Ox glanced at his pocket watch. “I have an appointment in the morning. If I leave a note for Alexis, could you see she gets it?”

  “Sure. Why not? I just love tangling with her first thing in the morning,” Martha said sarcastically. “It gets my day off to a good start.”

  Ox grinned as he scribbled out a note on a piece of paper from the children’s desk. It was fitting she be the one to set up the meeting for the final confrontation with Brady and his grandfather anyway. The only thing that could make the victory more complete for her would be to share it with Angel. With the thought came the sudden realization that Angel should be here for the final confrontation.

  “This note should make Alexis happy. It’s what we’ve been working for. I thought I’d be able to do this myself, but something has come up I need to take care of.” He folded the note and handed it to Martha. “Where did you say Angel stays when she’s in Denver?”

  “I didn’t,” Martha regarded him suspiciously. “But I don’t suppose it will do any harm,” she said finally. “She always stays at The Carriage House. Her friend Sally and her husband own it.”

  “Thanks, Martha, you’re a peach,” he said, bending down to give her a swift kiss on the cheek.

  Martha glared at him. “How many times do I have to tell you to save your shenanigans for Angel? You don’t impress me in the least.”

  Ox chuckled as he put his hat on and turned to go. “I know it. That’s why you’re so irresistible.” He blew her a kiss and shut the door behind him.

  Resisting the urge to whistle, Ox walked down the hall to the stairs. Just when life seemed the blackest, the sun broke through the clouds. Right in the middle of his most frustrating moment, it had suddenly occurred to him there was one more person who knew Alexis’s secret. Her closest confidant and friend, her sister, Angel.

  Angel woke with a splitting headache and a grouchy outlook. She hadn’t slept worth spit anyway, and disturbing dreams riddled what little sleep she did get. She was sitting at her dressing table staring gloomily into the mirror when Martha came in with her coffee.

  “My, don’t we look pleasant this morning?”

  Angel glanced at her in the mirror. “If you’re trying to make me feel better, forget it. I’m not in the mood.”

  “I wouldn’t waste my time,” Martha said, setting Angel’s coffee on the dressing table. “If you’re so dead set on making yourself miserable, who am I to spoil your fun?”

  “I think maybe I’m getting sick. I don’t feel very well.”

  “All that ails you is a bad case of stubbornness. Why don’t you just tell him who you are and be done with it?”

  “He’s going to find out soon enough anyway. Alexis and Brandon will be here next week.” Angel stared bleakly into the mirror. “He’ll never speak to me again.”

  “Either that or he’ll ask you to marry him.”

  Angel gave a bitter laugh. “Oh, Martha, you are such an optimist.”

  “And you are the most pigheaded, stubborn woman I ever saw in my life. It’s no wonder you butt heads with your father. You’re just like him.”

  “I love you, too.”

  Martha rolled her eyes. “I think I’ll go do something more pleasant, like empty the chamber pots. Here’s a couple of notes for you.”

  “Oh?” Angel looked at them curiously. “Who from?”

  “Jessie and Ox. I suppose the next thing you’ll be wanting is for me to read them for you.”

  “I’ll manage.” Angel opened the first note and raised her brows in surprise. “Did Ox say what came up that he had to leave?”

  Martha looked thoughtful. “Just that he had an appointment first thing this morning.”

  “That’s odd. He never said a word.” Angel shrugged. “Oh well, I can certainly send the telegrams to my father and his grandfather.” She smiled with smug satisfaction. “In fact, I’ll relish it.”

  “That’s what he figured. Well, this has been a little piece of heaven, but I have work to do, so if you’ll excuse me...”

  Angel barely noticed the other woman’s departure as she read the second note. Her stomach was too busy plummeting to her feet. Jessie was gone, inspired by Angel’s advice to take charge of her own life. By baring her soul to the man she loved, Jessie hoped to convince him to give up his bachelorhood. The note went on for several more lines in the same dramatic vein without imparting any real information. Apparently, expressing herself in writing was another skill Jessie had never mastered.

  The paper dropped from Angel’s fingers as she stared into the mirror in sightless misery. Suddenly, Ox’s mysterious errand made heartbreaking sense. Jessie, the woman no man could resist, had accomplished her goal.

  Chapter 36

  “For pity’s sake, will you sit down?” Martha said, looking up from her dusting in exasperation. “Duncan paid a lot of money for that rug you’re wearing out with your pacing.”

  “I’m worried about Jessie. She’s been gone the better part of a week with no word.”

  “She can take care of herself.”

  Angel stopped pacing to stare at Martha. “You can’t be serious!”

  “Jessie came all the way from New York City to South Pass City alone,” Martha pointed out.

  “I hadn’t thought of that.”

  “I’m not surprised. Your mind has been on other things.” Martha gave Angel a shrewd look. “So, what are you going to do about him when he gets back?”

  “Who?”

  Martha rolled her eyes. “General Lee. Who do you think?”

  “There’s no need to be so sarcastic, Martha. It was a simple question.”

  “Right, as though you hadn’t spent every free minute the last four days thinking about the same man. You know exactly who I mean.”

  Angel sighed. “If you’re referring to Ox, it doesn’t matter. He’s beyond my reach.”

  “Horsefeathers! You’re not going to start that nonsense about him leaving with Jessie again, are you?”

  “It’s not nonsense. She said—”

  “She was going to the man she loved. I know, you’ve told me a dozen times, and I’ve told you just as often, it wasn’t young Treenery. Jessie never showed the slightest interest in him.”

  “She said he was sweet.” Angel turned back to the window. “Besides, she went straight to him after I convinced her to follow her heart.”

  “I still say she meant someone else.”

  “Who else is there?”

  Martha snorted. “Every man in town under the age of ninety that isn’t married or blind. Come on, Angel, you want it to be Ox so you can feel safe again.”

  “That’s ridiculous. I’m not threatened by Ox.”

  “No? Then why haven’t you told him who you are? I know what the real problem is here, even if you don’t.”

  “And what is my problem?”

  “Has it ever occurred to you that Alexis’s fear of your father’s power is exactly the same thing as your fear of marriage?”

  Startled, Angel met Martha’s eyes. “What?”

  “Forcing you and Alexis to his will is the worst mistake Richard Brady ever made. It shattered something in both of you, something that has never healed.”

  Angel blinked. “What are you talking about?”

  “I’ve known your father most of my life. Richard Brady has gotten where he is by ruthless conniving and scheming.”

  Angel made a face. “That’s not exactly new information, Martha.”

  “No, but he used to have a softer side. Most of it vanished when your mother died. Losing her made him hard and driven. Business became the focus of his life, and he forgot you were a se
venteen-year-old girl in love with the idea of falling in love.” Martha sighed. “He truly thought Duncan Smythe was the perfect husband for you.”

  “Duncan was old enough to be my grandfather!”

  “I know, and Vanessa tried to tell Richard that, but all he could see was the businesses you’d inherit when Duncan died. He thought it would somehow make up for the rest.”

  Angel took another turn around the room. “I know. He told me as much, and I told him Duncan’s money meant nothing to me!”

  “Not Duncan’s money, his railroad and his banks. Your father saw you at the head of them, running it all in a few years.”

  Angel stopped and stared at her. “He thought I would run Duncan’s empire?”

  Martha shrugged. “You’ve always had a gift for business.”

  “But he couldn’t have thought Alexis would.”

  “No, he severely miscalculated there,” Martha said. “He fully expected you to swoop in and save your sister before the wedding.”

  “I would have if I’d known what was going on,” Angel said bitterly.

  “I don’t think it ever occurred to him that you were well and truly gone. He thought you were hiding out with friends and would eventually come home. He never intended Alexis to marry Duncan.”

  “I’m sure he consoled himself with the thought that he’d wind up with everything when Duncan died.”

  “And he knew exactly who to blame when it didn’t turn out that way.” Martha smirked. “He came home from the reading of the will grumbling about ungrateful daughters and dogs in the manger. I don’t think he was talking about Alexis.”

  The corner of Angel’s mouth quirked. “I almost wish I’d been there.”

  “Alexis had a hard time of it after you left. She was so grief-stricken, I don’t think she was aware of what your father was up to until she woke up and found herself married to Duncan. She’s been convinced your father is unstoppable ever since.”

  Angel started pacing again. “I felt the same way, like I’d lost part of myself. Some of it was homesickness, but mostly it was missing Alexis. If it hadn’t been for your sister and her husband…”

  “That’s why I sent you to them. I knew Alice and Bill would keep you safe until you were on your feet.”