Their meal was a chicken and vegetable soup, followed by chicken pot pie and a chocolate
cake for dessert. Patrick watched Ellen throughout the meal, obviously hoping he’d
impressed her with his wealth. She wished she could find a way to tell him she didn’t
care one smidgeon about his wealth. It was him she was interested in.
As they had since they were picked up at the train depot in Denver, Patrick spoke
to only Ellen and Wesley kept his conversation to Malinda. Neither man was rude to
the sister he didn’t favor, but it was very obvious they were each as taken with one
of the women as the women were with them.
Once the meal was over, Patrick asked Ellen to go for a walk with him. She wasn’t
sure if that was a good idea after the kiss they’d shared in the garden, and in whispered
words, she told him so. He laughed. “We’ll be in public. There’s no danger.”
Wesley and Malinda opted to stay in the house, while Patrick and Ellen went for their
walk.
Ellen was pleased he’d asked her to go. After ten days on a train, she needed to
exercise her legs. She couldn’t imagine why Malinda was content to sit still. She’d
been on the train just as long as Ellen had.
Once they were outside, Ellen
was thrilled she’d decided to go. It was chilly. “I wish I’d thought to bring a
shawl. It’s actually
cold
!”
He laughed. “You’ll find the temperature here a lot different than it is in Massachusetts.
I think you’ll be happy here.”
His hand reached out and squeezed hers. “I hope you’ll be happy here.”
She nodded shyly. “I think so too.” She turned her head and met his eyes. “When
I read your letter, I immediately handed it to Malinda, because I had no desire to
be a banker’s wife. Now that I’ve met you, I wish I hadn’t done that.”
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders to warm her. “I wish you hadn’t too. I’d
rather marry you tomorrow than a week from now, but I obviously have no choice in
the matter.”
He sounded slightly sad as he said the words, but was obviously not angry with either
her or her sister.
She sighed. “I just hope I can convince Malinda to follow her heart.”
“Are you really worried she’d choose me over Wesley?”
Why would any woman choose a man she obviously had no affection for over a man she
had feelings for? What would make her do that?
“In some ways. We reacted very differently to the banker coming to remove us from
the only home we’d ever known. It made me hate and resent all bankers, but made her
vow to never be poor again. She thinks if she marries you, she won’t have any more
financial worries, and nothing like that could ever happen to her again. I can understand
that, but I don’t want to give up my chance at happiness just because she’s afraid
of being poor. I don’t think there’s any way I could be happy with Wesley. I’m just
not attracted to him.”
She left unspoken how strong her attraction was to Patrick. How could she put that
into words?
“And you are to me?”
She blushed, happy it was dark and he wouldn’t be able to see it. “I know I shouldn’t
admit it, but yes, I am. As soon as I saw you, I knew I wanted to be your wife.
I was very disappointed to find out you weren’t Wesley.”
“If Malinda wasn’t involved, and I asked you to go through with marrying tomorrow,
but to marry me, would you do it?”
Ellen nodded slowly. “Absolutely. I hated asking you to wait. I tried to talk her
into going through the wedding tomorrow with her marrying Wesley and me marrying you
and she wouldn’t do it. She thinks we need to make sure we know what we’re doing
first. I think she’s trying to decide if her feelings for Wesley are strong enough
for her to ignore the fact he doesn’t make much money.”
She wished she could explain how her sister saw things, but she truly didn’t understand
it herself. Malinda wasn’t a bad person, but she was one who let her fears rule her
life at times.
They had walked the entire length of town by that point. He pointed to a small house.
“That’s where Wesley lives, and where he and I will be staying while you two decide
what you’ll do.”
“I’m sorry to make you wait.”
He ran his hand up and down her arm. “As long as I know you’ll be marrying me in
a week, I can wait.”
She sighed. “You understand I can’t promise that, right?”
“You’d let your sister’s fear of poverty keep you from happiness? Really?”
His voice was intense as he watched her with his dark eyes, daring her to admit
she would go against her sister’s wishes.
“I hope that’s not put to the test. I really do.”
He took her to a small park on the outskirts of town. There was a large wooden swing
hanging from a tree that was big enough for two. They sat together holding hands
and talking. “So you want children?” he asked.
“At least a dozen.”
She hadn’t been around children much, but she enjoyed them. She could picture herself
with children surrounding her and could think of nothing she’d rather do with her
life.
He laughed. “There’s an orphanage full of kids here in town.”
He watched her carefully to see her reaction.
“Let’s go pick out a couple!”
“I thought maybe you’d want to
spend some time there so you can understand a dozen children might be too many
.”
She thought about that for a moment. “I’d like that. You wouldn’t mind?”
“You’ll have plenty of time. I’ll have things for you to do from time to time, like
plan one of my dinner parties that we’ll both hate going to, but for the most part,
you’ll have a lot of free time. Housework is done by the housekeeper, and I have
a cook. There’s really no need for you to do a lot of work around the house.”
For some reason, he felt that she would be happier if she had more to do. He didn’t
want to pressure her into anything, but he didn’t want her to sit around bored all
day either.
“What about sewing?”
“I have a tailor I use. If you want something for yourself you can either choose
to make it or pay someone to do it for you if you’d prefer.”
She made a face. “Sounds like you’re looking to pamper me, and I’m not so good with
that. I do better when I can work and stay busy.”
“I can see that in you. That’s why I brought up the orphanage. There are other things
you could become involved with, but I think the orphanage would probably suit you
best.”
She rested her head against his shoulder as they talked. “I think you’re probably
right. I can’t believe you already know me so well, and we just met this afternoon.”
He stroked a tendril of hair that had escaped her bun away from her face. You’re
exactly the type of woman I was looking for when I sent that letter off. I’m so glad
I’ve found you.” His mouth dropped to hers again and he gently kissed her, his hands
staying on her shoulders.
“You can’t keep kissing me. What if we don’t get married? I’ll miss your kisses
forever.” She knew she was revealing too much about her rapidly growing feelings
by saying that, but she couldn’t hide her thoughts.
He stroked her cheek with the back of his finger. “We’re getting married. I don’t
care what it takes. I’m marrying you, not your sister.”
The more he said it, the faster he’d convince her to throw caution to the wind and
just marry him whether their siblings approved or not.
She drew away startled. “But I’m going to have to spend time with Wesley and get
to know him.”
He nodded. “Don’t let him kiss you. Just me.” His hand cupped the back of her head
as he drew her back toward him. “You’re mine now.”
Her eyes drifted closed as he brushed his lips across hers again. His kisses were
addictive. She wanted to spend the entire night right there in the park kissing him.
What kind of wanton
woman was he turning her into? “We need to get back to the house. I feel like I’m
doing something wrong sitting in a park kissing my sister’s fiancé.”
He shook his head. “I’m not your sister’s fiancé. I’m marrying you. I don’t care
what was said in those letters we all sent back and forth. I have no desire to marry
your sister. The idea of kissing her leaves me cold. I want to marry you.”
She looked into his eyes as well as she could by the light of the moon. “I want to
marry you too.”
He stood up and took her hand helping her to her feet. “I guess knowing that will
keep me going tonight as I sleep in the pitiful excuse for a bed that will be my only
option at my brother’s house. He has a guest room, but the mattress is lumpy.”
He shook his head as if the world would end if he had to spend more than one night
in a lumpy bed.
She smiled. “Well, you’ll be okay. I’ll sleep in your bed while you sleep there.”
He groaned. “I’ll never sleep picturing you in my bed while I’m all the way across
town.”
She smiled up at him. “I will. I didn’t get more than an hour or two of sleep a
night on that train. I’m going to put my head on your pillow and fall straight to
sleep.”
She found she liked the idea of sleeping in his bed. It would make her feel closer
to him during hours they were apart.
He smiled at the picture she drew for him. “Tomorrow evening I’ll take all four of
us out to dinner somewhere. I’d like to treat you to a special meal.”
Her eyes widened. “Tonight felt like a special meal to me!”
She’d never eaten off of such fine china or in such a fancy dining room. Even her
meals at Harriett’s house hadn’t been as perfect.
“The only restaurant in town has an orchestra that plays. We can dance together.”
“I’ve never danced before. I don’t know how!”
Would he be disappointed when he realized she had no idea how people acted during
formal dinners or dances? Sure, her manners were fine for a farmer’s daughter, but
for a bankers wife? She might need to read some books on etiquette.
“I’ll teach you. I love the idea of dancing with you. There’s an outside dancing
area, and I want to hold you under the stars. You won’t mind that, will you?”
“Are you always going to be so good to me?”
He laughed. “The good begins after we marry. I can’t wait.”
Chapter Four
Ellen woke the next morning and for a moment wasn’t sure where she was, but then hugged
the pillow to her. She was sleeping on Patrick’s pillow and just knowing that made
her feel
loved
. She wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do with her day, because the men wouldn’t
be there to take them to dinner for several hours, but she’d woken before the sun
was up as she always had.
She wandered down the stairs, tiptoeing quietly past Malinda’s door, knowing her sister
would still be asleep for
a while
yet. She walked down to the kitchen and looked inside. The cook, whom she had yet
to meet, was standing over the stove. “Good morning.”
The cook, an older woman with silver hair and pretty brown eyes, turned t
o
her. “Good morning! Are you Malinda?”
Ellen shook her head. “No, I’m Ellen. Malinda’s my sister.”
“Oh! So you’re marrying Mr. Wesley?”
Ellen flushed. “That’s still not decided. I’m actually hoping to marry Patrick.”
She knew the woman could have no allegiance to her sister, but she still felt guilty
as she told her the plans may have changed.
“Oh? I thought Malinda would marry Mr. Patrick and you were to marry the sheriff.”
Ellen wasn’t sure if she should be talking to the cook this way, but decided she was
a person just like everyone else. If Patrick didn’t like her being friendly with
his staff, then he wasn’t half the man she thought he was. “Well, when we first saw
the men, I didn’t even notice Wesley, only Patrick. My sister only noticed Wesley.
We were in the buggy to come home before any of us realized our mistake.” She blushed
as she recalled the strong feelings she’d had for Patrick on sight. “I can’t imagine
being married to Wesley, but Patrick?
He’s wonderful. I didn’t expect him to be, because he’s a banker, but I don’t think
he’s anything like the banker I knew back home.”
The older woman eyed her skeptically. “You’re not changing your mind because Patrick
has money?”
Ellen laughed.
She was pleased to see that Patrick’s servants were so loyal to him. It told her
a lot about the man she was considering marrying.
“Not at all! I’d be more likely to change my mind and not marry him because he has
money. I genuinely like Patrick and want to spend the rest of my life with him.
I only hope I can convince my sister that marrying a man you could someday love is
more important than marrying a man who has money.”
The woman nodded slowly.
She seemed to like Ellen’s answers, but reserved judgment on the younger woman.
“I’m Alice.”