An Unexpected Love (The Colorado Brides Series Book 5) (2 page)

“He was interesting,” murmured Mary. “He was completely clean-shaven. Not a hair on his face.”

“No, there wasn’t, was there?” said Susanna. “He was handsome, though, and kind. I could find no fault with him at all. It’s too bad for the Indian part.”

“What do you think he’s doing here?” asked Mary. “Is he a scout or something? Maybe he speaks Indian.”

“I think it’s called Numic. That’s their language,” I said. “The Utes have been driven further into the mountains. I doubt he’s a scout. He more than likely works for one of the ranches around here. That would be the logical explanation.”

Last year there had been an attack on a family near Box Elder Creek. A mother and her two children had been brutally murdered and scalped. Having seen smoke in the distance, the father had arrived to help, but he too had met an untimely end. It had been a great shock to the people of Denver City, and, as a consequence, the general fear of Indians had grown.

I couldn’t help thinking about our encounter with Ryan Hartsock, even after I had delivered my family to school, safe and sound. They were late, by more than a half an hour, but I had explained to Miss Cox that our wagon had an accident, and she had understood.

The school hadn’t been rebuilt yet, and it was located in a public hall. Because of the fire, most of the shops had been constructed of brick and mortar. Before the blaze, Denver City had looked like a temporary campsite, yet it had all the trappings of a real town now. However, the reconstruction efforts had slowed because the war had seen a reduction of men, since they had gone east to fight. Most Denverites had been on the side of the Union, driving out the southerners, including the mayor, John C. Moore. The free gold that had been found in shallow veins had been depleted, and there was little money for new mines, infrastructure, or farming. These were lean years for the town, as people left in droves, but the Hoffmans had decided to carry on. Hannah, Fanny, and Paulina all had farms, and they continued to do well, despite the hardships the city had seen. To add insult to injury, there had been a flood last spring, which had proved devastating to those living in Auraria. It had been the final straw for many people, and they had gone back east.

There were chores waiting for me at home, and I didn’t want to delay any longer than I had to. Fanny and Jack would be gone for several days still, and there was much to do in their absence. As I turned the wagon around, I trundled past the saloon, which had its doors open day and night. The patrons drank, even on Sunday, as if they hadn’t a care in the world. Hannah had attempted to form a temperance league with her friends, Rhoda Caldwell, Adaline Ross, and Sally Higgins, but the movement had gone nowhere, and the drinking and debauchery was just as bad as ever.

I was nearly clear of the establishment, with its bawdy music and laughter, when something flew over my head, nearly hitting me. Shocked, I gaped at the man who had thrown the bottle, but I had not been the intended target.

“We don’t want no Indians! Get on outta here!”

Glancing over my shoulder, I spied Mr. Hartsock, who had arrived before me. The beautiful stallion had been tied to a hitching post in front of the post office. He’d removed his hat for a moment, exposing his ethnicity, which had prompted the man to throw the bottle. Appalled at how he had been treated, I wanted to say something, but Mr. Hartsock stepped into the stirrup, throwing a leg over the horse, seemingly unperturbed by these events. He gave a cursory glance at his nemesis, who stood on the boardwalk with his hands on his hips. He spotted me as well, but he said nothing. Without another word, he trotted away, his horse choosing that moment to defecate in the thoroughfare.

Chapter Two

Managing my brothers and sisters alone was something I had gotten used to over the years since my parents had died. Fanny and Jack were due to return by Friday, and, as the week wore on, I gratefully anticipated their arrival. When things ran smoothly, the mornings were easy: the cow was milked, the chickens fed, and the clothing taken in on the line. The opposite occurred, if I did not get my siblings up on time. I would have to hurry home from town to finish the chores, which were added to all the other things I needed to do. I helped Fanny with housework every day, but doing nearly everything alone had taken its toll.

By Thursday night, I was at my wit’s end. There were dishes piled high in the sink, two pots crusted with food, and the floor needed sweeping. We’d not finished homework either, as there would be a Geography test in the morning.

“Fanny will die, if she sees this mess,” I complained to Susanna.

“But, I haven’t finished my arithmetic yet. I have two pages left.”

“You should’ve done it at lunch.”

“I was eating!”

“Eat faster!” My hands were on my hips. “You’ll be working on homework all night.”

“Then I best get started.” She turned on her heel and left the room, while I fumed with anger.

“I’ll help you,” said Mary, who tied an apron around her waist. “We can put a dent in it in ten minutes.”

“She’s done nothing all week, the lazy little pest. And the boys are just as bad.” I could hear them above me, their booted feet pounding into the floor.

“Your troubles will be over tomorrow when Fanny returns. All things considered, I think we’ve done a fine job managing everything. It might not be as perfect as Fanny’s handiwork, but she’ll be proud of us all the same.”

Mary, being two years younger, was my confidant. “Fine. I’ll get the soap. You fill the sink with water.” When the dishes were done, we dried them, while chatting. “I’m looking forward to Wesley’s return. He’s been in the mountains for three weeks now.”

“Gold is harder and harder to find,” said Mary. “So many miners are quitting.”

“He’s thinking about working at the Trainer Ranch. I suppose, if we married, we’d be living there.”

Her happy countenance faltered. “But that’s so far away. It’s more than ten miles south. You can’t mean to live there.”

I shrugged. “I don’t wish to be so far out. It’s dangerous with the cattle raids, but, if he can’t mine, what will he do?”

“It all remains to be seen. You’ll need to discuss this with him when he returns,” she said wisely.

“I’ll be at Hannah’s next week. Their maid, Maria’s in Clear Creek again, and she needs help with Letty and Charlie.” Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman lived on the property, and they helped when they could, but they were advancing in age and not as robust as they had been. “Gosh, I’ll be busy. I’m never going to finish that quilt now.” It was only half done and collecting dust over the chair in the parlor. “And I’m behind on my reading.”

“We can read in bed.”

“There are never enough hours in the day.”

She flung her arms wide. “The kitchen is presentable now. I’ll just sweep, and it’s done.”

I hugged her. “Thank you, Mary. You’ve been wonderful. I have to make sure there are clean clothes for tomorrow. I hope Susanna’s finished her homework.”

“That task I don’t envy.” A broom was in her hand.

“Me either.”

An hour later, when everyone was getting ready for bed, I held a lamp on my way to the outhouse. This was my least favorite activity, but necessity drove me to it. On the way back, I thought I heard a noise in the field, so I held up the light. Coyotes frequently loitered, brought in by the smell of the chickens, but, if they lurked in the distance, I did not see them. The warmth of late spring made the trek to the privy an easy feat, but the same could not be said in the winter, when often there would be several feet of snow. Once in the house, I turned the lamp down, hearing talking and laughter above my head. The boys would chat for a while before falling asleep.

I joined my sister, Mary, in the bed we shared, while Susanna was on a cot across the room. For some strange reason, I didn’t want to be alone tonight, forgoing the use of Fanny and Jack’s bed.

“Did you have any difficulty?” she asked.

“No. It was fine.”

“I’m debating whether to go myself.”

“I left the lamp on the kitchen table.”

“I’ll think about it.” She yawned. “Gracious, I’m tired.”

I grasped the blanket. “Me too.”

“Did you say your prayers, Jane?” asked Susanna.

“Oh.” I tossed the blankets back, sliding to the floor. “No. Thank you. I’d completely forgotten.”

Getting on my knees, I whispered my thanks to God for looking after us this week, asking
Him
to bring Fanny and Jack home in good health. I also prayed for my future fiancé and his safe homecoming. When I returned to bed, Mary had already drifted off to sleep. I stared into the darkness, knowing that I was the only one awake. Sometimes it was difficult to sleep, as thoughts assailed me, mostly memories of years before. Being the oldest, I remembered my parents, especially my mother, a gentle, fragile soul, and my father, who was seldom home. After he died, mother had bravely chosen to homestead to the Kansas Territory, the images of being on a wagon train drifting through my mind. My uncle, Jason, had been a stranger to me, until my mother had passed away from illness. We had been handed off to Jason then, but he was hardly equipped to deal with five unruly children.

I spent many years feeling unwanted and abandoned, passed along from person to person. Even after Fanny and Jack had married, I could not help feeling that some other calamity would strike, and we would have to fend for ourselves again. It was difficult to trust people, because others had not lived up to my expectations. These last three years had been mostly peaceful, as Fanny and Jack worked to integrate everyone into a functioning family. She had tried her best to make us all feel welcome, and I had resisted at first, but now I had come to see their home as my own.

But…the loneliness persisted, which was perplexing…

***

In the morning, I was in the kitchen, making breakfast for everyone. Mary found me at the cook stove. “It only took a week, but the schedule is perfect now.” Her smile was mischievous. “We’ll be on time, finally.”

I gave her an annoyed look. “It’s disgraceful.”

“So it is,” she laughed. “Better late than never.”

“When do you think they’ll arrive? If they won’t be here until supper, I’ll have to prepare something.”

“We’ll think of recipes on the way to school.” She took a plate down from a shelf. “Now, what’s to eat?”

“Scrambled eggs and bread.”

“Simple, yet hardy.”

“That was my thought.”

Peter and Connor joined us moments later, while Susanna dallied as usual. After we had eaten and things were put away, everyone clambered into the wagon, and we were on our way. The school year was rapidly drawing to a close, and the children would have the summer off. Then they would find themselves with various jobs, just like all the other children whose parents lived on farms.

After I had taken them to school, I set my sights on Hannah’s property, wanting to speak to her about the coming week. She needed assistance with the children, while Maria was away, and I had promised to help. She lived near Louisa, who was married to a furniture maker named Matthias Montgomery. They had four children and another on the way. Paulina and her husband, Samuel, lived further on, but the families were all within an easy mile or so. Although I was Fanny’s stepchild, I was still considered a part of this large, extended clan, and the elder Hoffmans viewed me as a grandchild. Brunches on Sunday were enormous gatherings, typically hosted by Paulina and her husband.

Hannah had been the first to arrive in Denver City, although she lost her husband to sickness. After her remarriage, she’d settled happily, as, one by one, her sisters had arrived. Then, not wanting to live without their children, the parents had joined them. Hannah’s farm was the largest of them all, as Nathan had found gold prospecting years earlier and they were able to add to it by several acres. Although they continued to grow corn, they had also brought in more cattle, and, as the wagon ambled onto the property, approaching the barn, I spotted cows grazing in the distance.

Tying the horse to the hitching post, I headed for the front porch of a two-story dwelling. “Hello!” I knocked, but found the door open, so I entered. “Hannah!” The home smelled of bread, which was typical, seeing that it had to be baked daily, sometimes twice. “Anyone home?” I wandered towards the kitchen, finding the room empty. The cook stove felt warm. It had been used not that long ago. Stepping out the backdoor, I spied Hannah hanging clothing on the line, while Letty supervised her baby brother, Charlie. He was on a blanket with several wooden toys. “Hello!”

Surprised, Hannah’s head snapped in my direction. “Jane!”

“I wondered where you were.”

Her smile was warm. “Is Fanny home yet?”

“No.” I strode towards them. “Hello, Letty. How are you?”

“I’m fine, Miss Jane. I’m playing with my brother, but he’s been fussy today.”

The three-year-old stumbled to his feet. “Me go play!” He ran in the other direction.

“Oh, stop him,” said Hannah. “Letty, go get your brother before he gets lost in the cornfield again. That silly boy.” She glanced at me. “He loves running around in there.”

“The stalks aren’t very high yet.”

“No, but still high enough to hide him.”

“I can help you with those.” I glanced at the basket of damp clothing at her feet. “You’ve been busy.”

“All I do is laundry. Look at my hands.” She held out her fingers. “They’re dry and cracked and awful. I hate washing clothes. It’s the worst job on earth, but with two little ones, I’ve no choice. Charlie makes a mess out of everything.”

“Where’s Nathan?”

“In the field with the new ranch hand.”

I grasped a shirt, using a wooden clothespin to clamp it on the line. “This won’t take long.” Then I reached for another.

“If you could come on Monday, that’ll be wonderful. That way I can get things done so much faster without all the interruptions.”

“I’ll be here as soon as I take everyone to school.”

“Have you had any trouble this week? I was worried about you being alone.”