A Love of Her Own (34 page)

Her mysterious request moved him into action, so he swung the door open and, with a sweep of his hand, motioned her inside. “I’ll see what I can do for you.”

Fifteen minutes later, April emerged with a smile on her face and a package underneath her arm. She couldn’t wait to give it to Wes. It was only a little something, but she hoped he’d be pleased.

When she entered the depot, she was surprised to see Morgan talking with Billy. Lenora was serving coffee while they sat at a small table, and all three looked up as she entered.

“Howdy, Miss April,” Billy said warmly with his usual bright smile.

“Hello, everyone. I wanted to stop in and see how you’re doing, Morgan.” April approached the passengers’ waiting area. “From the looks of it, I’d say you’re doing well.”

“I’m doing great, and grateful to be alive.” He stood up, moving a little stiffly from his seat. “I owe you my thanks. Here, please have a seat.” He pulled out a wooden chair.

“You don’t owe me a thing. I’ll think of it as my first Montana adventure! But I’m sorry about Leon. He was very kind to me.”

Lenora gave April a big smile. An apron was tied neatly at her back, and she carried a cookie sheet. Placing the cookies on the table, Lenora got another cup and poured coffee for April. “I have some warm oatmeal cookies. Would you care for one?”

“I’d love to sample one,” she said, lifting a cookie off the tray and taking a bite. “Delightful, Lenora. Billy, how have you been?”

Billy stood straighter and pushed back his shoulders. “Just fine, Miss April. I’ve been helping Morgan around here as much as I’m able.”

Morgan cocked his head to look at the boy. “You’ve been a great help. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you around here.” Morgan smiled broadly, exposing his mouthful of white teeth.

Billy looked as though his chest might burst, and April was happy he’d found a place to live and work. “He’s a quick learner, and soon he’ll be driving that stage for you, Morgan.”

“I can hardly wait until you’re better, Boss, so you can teach me.” Billy smiled broadly.

“Don’t you worry none, Billy, it’ll be sooner than you think,” Morgan said, giving him a clap on the back.

“How’s Jane and the riding lessons?” Billy asked April with a sheepish look.

“Wes tells me she’s doing much better.” April tilted her head as a thought formed. “Why don’t you come with me? I’m going out there, and I know she’d be glad to have someone close to her age to ride with. You can see for yourself how she’s doing. That is, if Morgan can spare you for a couple of hours.”

“You go, Billy. You haven’t had any free time since all this started.”

“I can?”

Morgan nodded, smiling back at the boy. “Finish your cookies and saddle up Star. Will and I can handle things this afternoon.”

“I’ll be outside waiting for you, Miss April.” Billy took off like the room was on fire.

“Don’t go off without your jacket,” Lenora called after him. “It’s colder this morning.” The three of them laughed at Billy’s excitement and Lenora’s motherly advice.

“Is Will around?” April asked. “I need to send a telegram.”

“I’m here.” Will appeared from the office in his usual white shirt and black suspenders, looking like a true office clerk. “What can I do for you?”

“Oh, I didn’t see you back there, Will. I have a telegram to send back home.” April turned to Morgan and Lenora. “If you will excuse me.” She walked over to where Will stood with his tablet in hand, awaiting her instructions. She gave him the particulars and paid for the telegram, fully aware that Lenora and Morgan could hear their conversation.

“I’ll let you know if you get a gram back, or I’ll run it over to you,” Will said as he closed the cash drawer.

She thanked him, then went back to the waiting area. “Morgan, who’s going to drive the stage next week?” she asked while watching Lenora pick up the coffee cups and napkins. “I saw your sign in the window that your route was postponed.”

“Oh, are you offering?” He chortled and winked at Lenora.

“Hardly. I was just curious . . . but if you really needed me to, I suppose I could.”

“I’m a little sore and stiff, but the doc says I can get back on the road Monday, and I’ll take Billy with me. Now that Lenora’s here, she can help Will out with tickets or anything else that needs seeing to.”

“I’ll be cooking dinner for the passengers who’d like to buy a meal. I love meeting new people,” Lenora said. “I’m looking forward to it.”

“Then I can’t wait to taste some of your Southern cooking. I just sent a wire to my maid, Tilly, back in Colorado. I want to see if she’ll make a trip out here.”

Lenora gave her a strange look, but Morgan teased, “Guess you need a maid to dress you with all those new frocks you bought out here. But I thought you were leaving soon.”

“It looks as though I might be here awhile, and you’ll get a chance to get to know me even better,” she teased back, knowing she’d been a bit of a thorn in his flesh. “I know you’re just
dying
to do that.”

“Won’t matter to me. I can always use a hand with the team,” Morgan said.

“You don’t mean stay permanently, do you?” Lenora asked. She wiped the crumbs from the table, then paused to wait for April’s response, her hands on her hips.

“Could be, Lenora,” she answered coyly.

“Then it has to be a man! That’d be the only way you’d ever leave home, I’ll declare. I know that from experience—and by the look on your face.”

April laughed and tossed her hair back off her shoulders. “That’s exactly what Tilly would say. You’ll get along well with her, if I can talk her into coming.”

“I figure that man to be Wes,” Morgan said. “It’s no surprise to me. Leon and I knew it would happen because of the way you two quarreled and looked at each other.” His faced saddened when he mentioned Leon.

April didn’t deny the observation. “I’ve agreed to stay awhile for now.”

“Good thinking. We love having you around,” Morgan expressed with a serious face.

April scurried over to give him a quick hug. “You may change your mind about that later. But you’ve treated me like a daughter, and I want you to know I appreciate yours and Lenora’s friendship. Between you and Miss Margaret, I didn’t have a chance.”

Tears misted Morgan’s eyes, and he said, “Here now, you’re gonna make Lenora jealous!” But April knew he was pleased.

April turned to leave. “I’d better go find Billy so we can ride out to the Rusty Spur.” She hurried out, anxious to see Wes.

Watching April dash out the door, Lenora turned to look at her husband. “I really like that girl. She’s all right. At first I didn’t know how to take her.”

Morgan narrowed his eyes, looked out the window, and watched April and Billy mount their horses then trot down the road. “I know what you mean, honey. I’ve seen changes in her, and I think besides Wes, Miss Margaret has been a positive influence on her.” Morgan said a silent prayer that God would watch over April and guide any decision where Wes was concerned. They would struggle, but the effort would be worth it in the long run.

It pleased him the way April had treated Lenora from the beginning. Not everyone wanted to be friends with black folks, but it didn’t seem to matter one bit to her. He was grateful for the friends he had, especially Miss Margaret.
I wonder what Josh will
think about Wes courting April? I never dreamed a man like Wes
could change so much. Change in the hearts of men comes slowly,
so that has be the work of the good Lord.

Morgan reached for Lenora’s hand. “Have I told you lately how much I love you?”

Lenora let herself be pulled close and blinked her eyes. “Let’s see . . . this morning before we got out of bed. But I always want to hear it. I’ve missed you, and I’m so glad the robber was a bad shot.”

Morgan gazed into his lovely wife’s dark eyes, appreciating the love he saw reflected there. A single tear rolled down his cheek and disappeared into his beard. He was a very happy man. Very happy indeed.

“Morgan! You’re crying.” Lenora reached up, caressing his wet cheek.

Morgan cleared his throat, embarrassed at his sudden emotional state. “Naw, I’m not . . . I’m just happy that you’re home at last. Right where you need to be.” He pulled her to his chest and kissed the top of her head. She released a deep, contented sigh. “Want to go back upstairs for a while?” he whispered in her ear.

Will smiled from behind the ticket counter as the couple mounted the stairs, arm in arm.

26

“Billy, I’m glad you rode over today!” Jane was already on the back of Cinnamon when they arrived. Her face was flushed despite the chill in the air, and April figured it was more from the fact that Billy was nearby than from the riding lesson.

“Hey, yourself! Morgan gave me a couple of hours off today.” Billy drew his horse up close to the corral where Jane was. “Nice horse you got there.”

Wes stood inside the corral with Jane, leaning against the railing. He glanced up as April and Billy came into view. “Looks like this might call for a picnic down by the stream later. How are you two this morning?”

“Good, Wes. How’s our star pupil?” April’s heart thumped when she saw Wes’s friendly smile and his gaze sweep over her. “A picnic might be just the thing today.” She smiled back.

“I’ve packed us some sandwiches and fruit. Let’s all ride down to Big Spring Creek. What do you say?”

Billy’s eyes gleamed with delight. “Wow, I’ve never been on a picnic before.”

“You haven’t?” Jane gave him a dubious look. “It’s fun. Follow me and I’ll lead the way.” Billy fell in next to Jane, and soon they were chatting about the start of school.

Wes reached through the fence and touched April’s hand. “I’ll go get the lunch and be right out. Don’t go away.”

“I promise I’ll be right here. You’d better hurry, they’re leaving us behind. Seems Jane’s in very happy spirits. You’ll have to tell me what happened.” April’s tone was hushed so Jane couldn’t hear. Her eyes slid over Wes’s lean body in approval. He was dressed in worn but clean jeans, a green plaid shirt that set off his hazel eyes, a coffee-colored leather vest, and a matching leather hat. One thing she knew for certain, besides a love of horses, they both loved leather outfittings. She’d have to ask Tilly to bring her another pair of boots and a belt if she came to Montana. After her bargaining for Sassy with her good boots and belt, April hadn’t found a way to replace anything as fine as those, but she’d try. She didn’t begrudge Jane having them now. Wearing them made Jane seem happy and look like a real horsewoman.

Wes hurried inside, and true to his word, he was back in a flash carrying a basket with a blue-checkered cloth, which he handed to her. It thrilled April that he would be so romantic to think of doing something like that. He got on his horse, then edged Dakota up next to her, close enough to talk.

The earlier winds had died down, and the hawthorn blazed deep red along the thick wooded trail on the way to Big Spring Creek. It was a perfect day in April’s mind—peaceful, with only the sound of the horses’ hoofbeats clomping on the packed trail, an occasional crow cawing overhead, and the distant sound of the young people’s chatter. All was right with the world, and she felt a contentment she’d never had before. Was it because of the man riding next to her?

“Wes, what was the outcome of Jane’s walking?’ April kept her eyes focused on the trail before her.

“She told the truth to her mother, which was what I was hoping for. But sadly, not walking or standing for months did take its toll on her leg muscles. It’ll take awhile before they’re strong again, so she’s somewhat shaky when she walks.” Wes flicked a bug off his arm absentmindedly. “I think it’s best we suggest that the riding and passing of time is making her legs stronger, which is partially true. Cynthia agreed to save her from embarrassment. I felt sure she would.”

“You must have been very persuasive to be able to convince Jane to be truthful.”

Wes shrugged. “I don’t know. I did try to help by sharing my own mistakes. Jane’s a good kid, she’s going through a hard time.” When April raised an eyebrow, he added, “She just happened to make a wrong decision based on her feelings. I think it all stems from losing her dad in a mining explosion.”

“I think she has a new friend in Billy. They played board games together when he didn’t know she could walk. But was Cynthia angry with her?”

“She didn’t say too much about it. I think she’s just happy that Jane can walk. She loves her daughter, although she admitted Jane is a little spoiled.” Wes glanced over at her. “Do you see much of Cynthia with Mark at the boardinghouse?”

“Not really. She comes right after lunch to help in the kitchen and leaves by supper time. I believe she and Mark were brought together in friendship because of Jane. He’s beginning to court Louise now, or didn’t you notice the other night at Miss Margaret’s?”

Wes nodded. “I wondered about that. It looked to me like they were enjoying their time together in the parlor before we left on our walk. Louise looked different . . . prettier and not as stiff.” He wrinkled his nose in thought.

April giggled. “I may have had something to do with that.”

Wes’s laughter reverberated throughout the wooded glen, causing Jane and Billy to glance back at them. “I have no doubt you did.”

The scenery before them was spectacular. The autumn purple ash trees splashed brilliant red to tinges of purple, which would later become deep purple. The trail opened wide as they approached Big Spring Creek. They could hear its rushing water, and the pungent smell of spruce was fragrant in the air. Long willow limbs trailed to the ground, and huge cottonwoods flourished near the creek.

Wes yelled at the kids, “This is a good place to stop for lunch.” He slid off Dakota and held Sassy’s reins while April dismounted. “Billy, there’s a blanket rolled up on the back of Cinnamon. Could you fetch it?”

“Sure thing.” Billy hopped down and untied the blanket. Walking over to them, he handed the blanket to April, who unrolled it and placed it on the grassy meadow. “Wes, how do we get Jane down?”

Wes clapped the boy on his back. “Easier than you think.” They walked back to where Jane was with Cinnamon. She stared down and chewed her lip.