Authors: Noelle Marchand
“Later. Right now, I want you to meet someone.” Sean looked up from the child to meet Lorelei’s gaze. “This is my nephew, Timothy. Say hello, Timothy.”
The boy grinned at Lorelei and leaned back onto Sean’s leg. “Hello, Timothy.”
Lorelei laughed. “Hello, yourself. I’m Lorelei.”
Sean poked his nephew slightly in the ribs. “That’s Miss Lorelei to you.”
He watched as Lorelei tilted her head conspiratorially to capture the boy’s dark brown eyes. “How old are you, Timothy?”
“I’m seven,” he stated proudly, then pointed across the room at the little girl sitting on Miss Lettie’s lap. “That’s Baby Grace. She’s little.”
Lorelei nodded. “I see that. She’s your sister, right?”
“Yes, ma’am.” The boy stepped away from Sean to get closer to Lorelei. “I have another sister. She’s with Pa. Her name’s Hope. I think she’s four.”
Sean placed a hand on Timothy’s dark brown hair, and the boy looked up at him. “Hope is five.”
“Right,” Timothy said then looked back at Lorelei. “Hope is five but I’m seven.”
“I remember.”
“Do you want to play with me?”
Lorelei hesitated, then glanced at the other adults in the room as though to ask if it was all right. Kate shook her head. “Timothy, Lorelei just got here. Why don’t you give her some time to talk to the grown-ups, then maybe she can play with you later?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he agreed but whispered loudly to Lorelei, “There’s a bunch of us kids outside. You can play with us when you get bored with the grown-ups, all right?”
She nodded seriously. “That sounds like a good plan.”
Ellie breezed into the kitchen just as Timothy left. “The girls want to get a closer look at your dress, Lorelei. Will you come with me?”
Lorelei lifted the apron in her hand. “I can’t. I promised Kate I’d help with the food.”
“Oh, that’s all right. You go on.” Kate urged, then turned to Sean with twinkling eyes. “I’ll make Sean help me. He can wear the apron.”
“I’ll help but I’m not wearing the apron,” he warned as Lorelei and Ellie left. As he washed his hands in the sink, he suddenly became aware of the palpable silence in the room. He glanced over his shoulder to find that Miss Lettie had left him alone with his sister. “What?”
“I like her.”
He dried his hands on the apron, then put it away. “I’m glad. That’s a slightly different Lorelei than the one I’m used to.”
“In what way?”
“She’s nicer, friendlier…” He shrugged. “Did you see how well she got along with Timothy? Her eyes just sort of came alive.”
She handed him a knife to help her cut up apples. “I noticed that. Maybe she seems different because she’s in a different setting. Or, maybe you were just slightly wrong about her.”
He spared her a quick glance. “Maybe.”
Chapter Eleven
L
orelei deftly tied a wide piece of bright blue ribbon into a dainty bow, then pinned it onto the crown of a wide-brimmed straw bonnet. This hat would be just perfect for Ellie. Lorelei smiled as she thought about the hours she’d spent with Sean’s family on Saturday. They’d been so warm and welcoming. By the time she’d left, she’d become much better friends with both of Sean’s sisters. She’d taken a tour of the horse ranch from his brother-in-law, Nathan, and even had had time to play with his nieces and nephew.
It made sitting in the back room of the millinery shop seem almost boring by comparison. It was Monday and her day to work, so she needed to stop daydreaming before she fell behind on her quota. She stashed her bright white handkerchief in her dress pocket before she made her way from the workroom to the front of the store. Mrs. Cummings glanced up with a smile when Lorelei entered. “Watch the front, Lorelei. I’m going to make a deposit.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Lorelei agreed as the woman tucked a small mound of money into her reticule and hurried out the door.
Lorelei turned her attention to the window display she had been working on. She paused to survey the assortment of hats in the window before she placed the one with the blue ribbon near the middle. Just as she hoped, the bright blue ribbon added color to the display and made the entire window more attention-grabbing.
She smiled, feeling a sense of accomplishment. She’d managed to keep this job for more than a week. That was longer than she’d tended the rose garden. What’s more, she was actually good at this, which was why her bakery idea hadn’t exactly taken off. She was committed to keeping this job if only to prove that she could.
The bell above the door chimed, and Amy Bradley walked in on the arm of none other than Mr. Smithson. Lorelei steeled herself with a smile as she welcomed the young woman who had been her good friend in school. Though the two had drifted slightly apart since then due to Amy’s responsibilities at her family’s boardinghouse, they tried to maintain their friendly ties whenever it was convenient. After inquiring about Lorelei’s parents, Amy introduced her to Mr. Smithson. The man greeted her politely before recognition sparked a gleam of curiosity in his brown eyes. “Miss Wilkins and I have already met.”
Amy sent Lorelei a confused glance. “You have?”
“Well, yes,” Lorelei said blithely. “He helped me free my heel from that broken piece of sidewalk by the bank. I didn’t know he was your Mr. Smithson at the time.”
Amy blushed mightily and gave a subtle shake of her head. Lorelei quickly turned the conversation to another subject entirely. “As you can see, we sell a large variety of ready-made hats for men and women. However, we do encourage that you personalize the hat to better reflect your personality. We can do that by making subtle changes to the ready-made hats or we can help you design your own.”
“That sounds fun.”
“It really is.” She glanced at Mr. Smithson, who was studying her intently. “We don’t offer to design hats for men, but we do have a specialty catalog you can look through if you’d like. With the railroad coming through town, shipping is quick once we take the measurements and send out the orders.”
He agreed to look at the catalog while Amy attempted to try on nearly every item in the store. Lorelei attended to her, sensing the young woman might actually be looking to buy something. Every now and then Lorelei would glance back over to where Mr. Smithson stood and find him already looking at her in that unnerving way of his. If his attentions were any indication, he had not been convinced by her act outside the alley. That meant she had to take control of the situation, just as she and Sean had planned.
She didn’t have much time. Mrs. Cummings would be back from the bank in a few minutes. She needed to do something now. Amy was having trouble deciding between two hats, so Lorelei left her alone to think and moved closer to Mr. Smithson. She gathered her courage to set her plan into motion. “Is there anything I can help you with?”
“Perhaps,” he said without looking up. “I think you know more than you’re letting on.”
She swallowed. “About men’s hats?”
He glanced up in amusement but said nothing more.
Lord, help me to do this right.
She glanced nervously at Amy who was busy trying on a third hat in one of the store’s mirrors. She gave Mr. Smithson a significant look and hoped the right words would follow. “As a matter of fact, I do tend to see and hear more on some subjects than you would imagine. With my father being the president of Peppin’s bank, hearing something about that would draw my interest.”
“I thought so.” He shot a glance toward Amy as the young woman moseyed over.
Lorelei smiled at her, then turned her attention back to Mr. Smithson. Feeling more in control of herself and the conversation, she continued, “I think fashion, especially hats, communicate a lot about a person.”
“What do you mean, Lorelei?” Amy asked with a curious tilt of her head.
“Take, for instance, the bowler hat Mr. Smithson came in wearing.” She dared to lift it from where it rested on the countertop to survey it carefully. “It’s different from the Stetson most men around here wear, so it tells others that he’s a stranger. It also shows that he’s a businessman.” She tilted her head thoughtfully. “You’re a man with a plan, aren’t you, Mr. Smithson? I’d bet the plan is going to involve a lot of money.”
He sent Amy an amused glance that hardened when he looked at Lorelei. “You saw that in my hat, too, did you?”
“Certainly,” she said. “It was easy to tell that from the quality of the hat.”
Amy shook her head. “Lorelei, you’re a wonder. Tell her, Silas. She’s exactly right, isn’t she? Mr. Smithson is an investor.”
“Really? What sort of investing are you doing in our little town? We hardly have much to offer other than land. You’re rather late to invest in that. I’m afraid the railroad already passed through, and those who had land along the rail line cashed in long ago.”
“I work for the railroad.”
“Oh, a railroad investor,” she said, challenging the legitimacy of his statement more for Amy’s sake than anything else. “What exactly does a railroad investor do?”
“Really, miss. I’m just passing through.” He turned to Amy. “Are you about done here?”
“Yes, Silas.”
“I’ll wait for you outside.”
He brushed past Lorelei. They watched him walk outside, then Amy turned to Lorelei with a glare. “Honestly, Lorelei. What were you trying to do?”
She lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “Well, I wasn’t trying to chase him away.”
“That’s for sure,” Amy huffed.
She stiffened. “What do you mean by that?”
“Nothing,” Amy said then amended, “It’s just that if I didn’t have it on good authority you and Sean were courting, I’d think you were trying to show me up with Silas.”
“Goodness, no! I’m not the least bit interested in Mr. Smithson.”
“Good,” she said with a huff, then frowned. “Well, if you weren’t flirting, what in heaven’s name were you doing?”
“I was just letting him know that someone is watching out for you.” She almost said “this town” but caught herself in time. “I don’t trust him, Amy. Be careful.”
“That’s a fine thing to say about someone you only just met. Perhaps I’d better go.” Amy placed the hat on the counter and hurried to the door. She stopped in the door to give Lorelei a wave that said they were parting as friends before she turned and almost ran into Mrs. Cummings.
Mrs. Cummings watched the girl leave before eying the bonnet Amy left on the counter. “What was that all about?”
“A difference in opinions,” Lorelei said as she turned to walk into the workroom. She eyed the table strewn with feathers and ribbon, then closed her eyes. Smithson knew that she was wise to him. That much was obvious. She wished she’d been able to gain a clearer idea of what he was going to do about it.
Lorelei sat down and tried to sort the supplies into some sort of order. Feathers began floating in the air. She pulled out her handkerchief to cover her irritated nose from that onslaught when something fell from her pocket onto the floor. She reached for the folded piece of paper. Unfolding it, she stared at the words printed neatly on a scrap torn from a page in the catalog. She smoothed the folds out of the paper as she read it just above a whisper. “Say nothing. Do nothing. I’ll contact you.”
* * *
Sean slipped the scrap of catalog paper Lorelei had given him during her lunch break into an envelope. He sealed it, then placed in it the slim file he’d collected on the investigation. He knew Silas Smithson was up to no good, but Lorelei hadn’t been able to provide any description of the other man in the alleyway that day. Sean was sure it must have been Calhoun. Unfortunately, he couldn’t prove that or anything else about this investigation. Hence the nearly empty file.
He locked the file in his equally empty bottom desk drawer and frowned. Regardless of the lack of evidence, Sean couldn’t get rid of the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. He was running out of ideas, and he was running out of time. Lorelei was his only chance to break open the case. So far she’d done admirably well. He hated to ask more of her or place her in any more danger, but it was beginning to look as if that might be necessary.
Lawson provided a welcome distraction when he stepped into the sheriff’s office. Sean stood to greet his friend and eyed the man’s large suitcase. “I’d ask how it’s going but I think the better question might be
where
are you going?”
Lawson set the suitcase down on a nearby chair. “I’m going to Austin. Nathan talked to one of his contacts with the Rangers and they’re giving me a chance at a job.”
Sean took a moment to process this, then gave a low whistle. “The Rangers? That’s a great opportunity, but are you sure you want to go?”
He chuckled. “Would I be leaving if I wasn’t sure?”
“Guess not.” He leaned back onto his desk and crossed his arms. “How long are you planning to be gone?”
“At least a couple of months. I’ll try to come back whenever I get a break.” He smiled sheepishly. “Look at me talking like I already have the job.”
“You’ll get it,” he said with quiet certainty.
“Thanks for that.” Lawson shifted uncomfortably, then met Sean’s gaze and held out a hand. “Seriously, thanks for everything.”
Sean shook his hand. “You’re welcome, but that sounds a little too final to me.”
He shrugged. “Well, I’ve said all of my goodbyes, so I guess this is it.”
“Have you seen Lorelei?”
“Yes, she wished me the best.”
“So do I.”
“I told her what I’ll tell you.” He grinned slyly. “I’d wish the same to you, but you already have the best. You’re just too stubborn to see it. You know I think she made the right choice, ending things between us. I hope you don’t hold a grudge for my sake.”
Sean made a noncommittal sound in reply. He wasn’t quite ready to let go of that grudge yet, and he didn’t want to lie to his best friend. Lawson shook his head at him but seemed to accept that. “I also made a deal with her,” he continued. “One I’d like to make with you, too. I’ll pray for you if you pray for me. How about it, Sean?”
“It’s a deal.” He held out his hand, and Lawson shook it firmly.
“I’d better go so I won’t miss my train. Doc and Mrs. Lettie are waiting to see me off.”
Sean nodded. “I know you’ll do us proud but you’re always welcome home.”
“I’ll make y’all proud.” Lawson hefted his duffle bag onto his shoulder and paused at the door to tip his Stetson. Then he was gone.
* * *
Lorelei opened the door to the boardinghouse a few days later with a bouquet of yellow roses to make amends with Amy for their little misunderstanding at the millinery shop. She was also prepared to deal with Silas Smithson should she happen to run into him. She glanced around the large two-story’s foyer for some sort of direction.
She followed a sign’s instructions to ring the bell at the front desk for service. Amy appeared from around the corner. “Lorelei!”
“Hello, Amy. I’m sorry to bother you, but I wanted to bring by some of my roses. I hope you’ll forgive me for the way I behaved in the millinery.”
Amy took the flowers Lorelei extended to her with a smile. “Of course, I forgive you, silly. I thought we’d cleared up that misunderstanding already. Thank you for the flowers. They’re beautiful. Now, I don’t mean to be rude, but a whole bunch of new boarders just checked in and I’ve got to help Ma.”
“Don’t let me keep you.” Lorelei received Amy’s hug before the girl hurried off to do her chores. She opened the door and nearly ran into someone who was entering. She glanced up directly into the eyes of Silas Smithson. “Oh, excuse me.”
His surprise gave way to a pleased grin. “Miss Wilkins, how fortunate. I was just thinking that I should visit you in the millinery and here you are practically on my doorstep.”
Lord, help me to do this right if it’s Your will,
she prayed, though trepidation sent her pulse jumping. He followed her down the steps. She pulled in a deep breath. “What did you want to discuss?”
He tilted his hat to another boarder who passed them. “A present for Amy, of course. Don’t let me hold you up. I can walk with you a ways.”
She glanced at him in wry amusement. “Was that a joke? ‘Don’t let me hold you up.’”
He held her gaze, then looked around before steering her toward the quieter area of town by the courthouse. “Since you obviously know what I want, why don’t you tell me what you want? I assume you want something. Otherwise, you would have already alerted the sheriff.”
All right, Lord, here goes.
She braced herself. “I want in.”
“You want in,” he repeated incredulously. “Tell me why you, of all people, would want anything to do with this.”
She tried to dredge up some of the desperation she’d felt weeks ago. She found it really wasn’t that hard, especially since she’d rehearsed it in front of her mirror. “I’m tired of the memories, the murmurs and the men. I want out of this town. This is going to pay for my ticket and my new life.”
He scoffed. “Why not just ask your dear old papa for the money you need? He obviously has plenty of it.”