Heart of Gold (27 page)

Her stomach fluttered. Her pulse quickened. “I’ll be just a moment more, Father.”

She hastened to finish dressing her hair, ending with a bejeweled decoration that had belonged to her mother. Then she rose, drew in a deep breath, and left the bedroom.

In Matthew’s opinion, Shannon had never looked prettier than she did that evening. Her fiery hair was captured in a white net and sparkled with jewelry of some kind. The scooped neckline of her gown was low enough to reveal her pale throat and collarbone, high enough to be proper for a pastor’s daughter.

Before Matthew could speak, Todd beat him to it. “You sure look pretty, Miss Adair.”

“Why, thank you, Todd.” Her eyes flicked to Matthew, a question in them.

He guessed what she was wondering and answered her. “Alice and Jack Dickson are waiting outside. Todd’ll spend the evening with them.” He took a step forward. “Are you ready to leave?”

“Yes.” Her smile seemed to curl around his heart.

He offered her the crook of his arm, and she moved toward him to take it.

“Good evening, sir,” he said to the reverend without taking his eyes off of Shannon.

If they’d had far to go, Matthew would have borrowed a buggy for the occasion, but Alice had insisted that it wasn’t too far for her to walk as long as they weren’t in a hurry. The dance was being held outdoors in a vacant lot on the east end of Main Street. Bad weather would have ruined everything, but that hadn’t happened. The night was balmy, the skies clear.

Last week, Matthew had been part of a group of men who’d built a dance floor. Since then, others had strung lanterns on ropes stretched between buildings. In the soft light of this summer evening, the location had taken on a magical appearance. The plain, unpainted buildings seemed to fade from view, even before night fell.

Jack announced he was taking Alice and Todd to see what foods would tempt them. Matthew nodded, watching as the threesome walked away, uncertain how he felt about the sheriff bringing his sister to the festivities.

As if reading his thoughts, Shannon said, “Alice has been looking forward to this all day.”

“I don’t want her to overdo.”

“I think she likes Mr. Dickson.”

“It’s not hard to like Jack. Everybody does, unless they’re on the wrong side of the law. But things being as they are . . .”

Shannon laid her free hand on his forearm. “Mr. Dubois, your sister is still among the living. She deserves to feel that way.”

For someone of her years and sheltered experience, there was a lot of wisdom in her words. He decided to let Alice enjoy the night the way she wished and concentrate instead on the woman by his side.

Matthew’s explanation to Shannon about men dancing with men proved true, and as they stopped on the street they saw a number of such couples spinning around the makeshift dance floor in time to the music. But there were some women in attendance, wives of merchants for the most part, and they would be in high demand as dance partners throughout the evening.

Matthew would not be happy to see Shannon dancing with other men. If he could, he would keep her entirely to himself throughout the evening. But even a stagecoach driver who grew up in the wilds of Oregon, even one with a limited education, knew that would be selfish. By heaven, though, he would be the
first
to dance with her tonight.

The music came to a halt, and laughter and conversations rose to fill its place. Couples moved off the floor. More couples walked onto it. A Virginia reel was announced, which pleased Matthew to no end. This was one dance he’d mastered.

“Miss Adair?” he said, looking at her.

She smiled and nodded.

He escorted her onto the floor, where they joined two lines of six or seven couples. With the shortage of women, the lines were not always compiled of mixed pairs. Matthew knew the lead couple, though— Henry and Ruth Ann Rutherford. Henry was an elder at the church, his wife the self-appointed leader of Grand Coeur society. Or at least that’s what Matthew had heard.

The music began. Ruth Ann Rutherford and the man at the foot of the line advanced diagonally toward each other. She curtsied while he bowed, then they retired to their places.

It would be awhile before anything was expected of Matthew and his partner, positioned as they were in the middle of the lines. Thus he allowed himself to simply watch Shannon, to enjoy the way the light played upon the jewels in her hair, to take pleasure in the lovely bow of her lips as she laughed her enjoyment.

Was he crazy to think she would consider marrying him? She could have her pick of a thousand or more men in these mountains. She could find a man from the South. She could find a wealthier man.

She could find a man who was handsomer or older or younger or better educated. She could find a man without a nephew to raise.

Shannon looked toward him, found him watching her, and her smile broadened. The look took his breath away.

Look at her, Adelyn. Look at our daughter
.

Delaney stood with other onlookers at the edge of the dance floor, watching Shannon as she waited her turn.

She’s in love with him. Do you suppose she realizes it? She’s said nothing to me. Not yet
.

His gaze shifted to Matthew.

I like him, Adelyn. I think you would too. There’s something solid about him. And look at the way he looks at Shannon. Here is a man who will cherish her. I believe it with all that is in me. But they’ll be equals too. We were equals, Adelyn. Weren’t we? Though you were always wiser than I, more patient than I, a better judge of people. I miss hearing your voice of wisdom, my dear
.

“I’ll wager you never seen anything like this back in Virginia. Did you, Reverend?”

Delaney looked to his left to find William Washburn standing beside him. “You would be correct, Mr. Washburn.”

“Glad you put your stamp of approval on the festivities. You may not have been here long, but folks already look up to you. Even those who don’t go to church.”

Delaney gave the man a nod, acknowledging his words, before turning his eyes back toward the dancers.

If that is true, Father, grant me favor with those who oppose the coming of faith into this community. Give me wisdom and show me what I’m to do
.

He saw Shannon spin in Matthew’s arms. Her laughter drifted to him, causing happiness to blossom in his chest.

And if Matthew is the man for her, Lord God, show them both that it is Thy will. Speak to their hearts and help them walk in Thy ways
.

It had been years since Shannon had enjoyed herself this much. The music. The dancing. The food. The laughter. The fireworks. And Matthew.

Matthew . . . How could she have ever thought him anything less than wonderful? He was more than wonderful. He was . . . perfect.

It was late as the pair left the heart of town and headed toward the parsonage. The sky overhead twinkled with stars, no moon in sight. The air was soft upon the bare skin of her arms.

“It was a fun night,” he said, breaking the silence that had grown between them.

“A great deal of fun.” She looked at him, though she couldn’t see his face well. “But you lied to me, Mr. Dubois.”

“Lied to you? About what?”

“You said you weren’t much of a dancer.”

“It wasn’t a lie.”

“But it was. You’re a very good dancer.”

He chuckled, the sound warm and inviting. “I reckon you’re being kind.”

“Not at all, Mr. Dubois.”

In a pool of light spilling through the window of the Wells, Fargo office, he drew her to a stop, then turned her toward him with his light grasp on her arm. “Do you think you might get to the place where you could call me Matthew or Matt?”

The world seemed to narrow until it consisted only of him. Her breathing grew shallow. Her pulse pounded in her ears. She moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue.

His voice grew husky. “Do you think you could get to that place?”

“Yes,” she whispered. “I think I could. Matthew.”

Go on. Kiss me . . . kiss me . . . kiss me. Please kiss me
.

Did she have the slightest idea what she did to a man with her eyes? It was all Matthew could do not to pull her close and kiss her until they were both breathless. But he’d made the mistake of acting on a similar desire once before and had nearly scared her away. He wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. He might be inexperienced with courting a woman, but he was learning. He would proceed slowly and with care.

He wouldn’t get swept up with desire. He wouldn’t act recklessly. He needed her to want to marry him. That was enough.

“Maybe we’d better continue walking, Miss Adair.” His voice broke like a schoolboy’s.

She stared at him a few moments longer before nodding.

But he didn’t move. Neither did she.

The kiss, he supposed, was inevitable, and there was no doubt about her willing participation this time. As he gathered her close, her arms reached up to twine around his neck. He felt her rise on tiptoe to meet his lips.

It came to him then, the realization that his feelings for Shannon Adair were deeper and more complicated than he’d first thought. This wasn’t only about her being the kind of woman a man wanted to help raise an orphaned nephew. This was about much more than that.

What that was, he couldn’t yet be sure.

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