Amethyst (15 page)

“Besides which you don’t know the way, and storms can blow in here within an hour. We’ve seen the temperature drop twenty degrees in less time than that. No, you certainly can’t walk out there—I will ask him when he comes back in. He and Mr. McHenry are out pumping water to fill the stock barrels while the weather is decent.”

Amethyst well knew that, holiday or not, the animals had to be cared for. And caring for the animals back home in the winter was far easier than here. “Do you think he would have time?”

“We’ll ask him when he comes in.”

Amethyst knew she had to be content with that. “Thank you.” But knowledge was one thing and making her insides mind was an entirely different thing. Her stomach clenched into a knot, and her mouth was so dry she could barely swallow. Joel was so close and yet so far away.

“This is a hard Christmas for Cora Robertson. Her husband, Ward, was shot and died last summer.”

“How awful.” And for poor Joel with his mother gone.
I have to know how he is faring
.

Carly stopped in front of Amethyst, the new doll clutched to her side, no one-arm dragging with this one. “Read?”

“I don’t have a book.” The urge to sweep the child up and hug her nearly swept Amethyst off her feet. There had been so few children in her life, and sometimes the wanting one of her own ached worse than an infected tooth. Joel had been like her own, and he’d been jerked away.
Sometimes you don’t realize how much you love someone until they are gone,
she thought. At least that had been so for her.

“Carly, go get your book off the shelf. That is, if you don’t mind reading to her. She loves stories.”

“Not at all, unless there is something I could be helping you with in here.”

“No. The ham is in the oven, you’ve already peeled the potatoes, the cabbage is ready to boil, the carrots too. I’m going to put this child to bed and come join you.” Smiling down at the yawning baby boy filling her arms and lap, she said, “Right, Joseph? Your tummy is full, and now you’re ready to sleep.” She nestled the baby tight against her side and stood. “Why don’t you two go into the parlor, and I’ll bring in tea and cookies. How would that be?”

I want a baby like that
. The thought hit like a sledgehammer to her heart.
An auntie but never a mother
. Amethyst could hear Carly in the parlor when a book hit the floor. “I’ll go help her.”
Lord, I want to see Joel—you know how badly. If we could leave tomorrow, I might still have enough money to buy his ticket and pay for my stay here. We’ll need to eat on the train too
. Her thoughts followed her into the parlor.

“Can I help you?” she asked, kneeling by the little girl.

Carly handed her the doll, as if bestowing a great privilege. “Here.” She turned back to putting the fallen books on the shelf, her brow wrinkled in concentration, handling the books with great care. When all were neatly aligned, she dusted her hands off on her pinafore and brought the book she’d selected to Amethyst. “Sit there.” She pointed to the rocking chair.

Amethyst got the point. She was to sit in the chair and hold Carly on her lap. That was just the way it was done. Once they were settled, with the doll on Carly’s lap and the book open to the bookmark, the little girl looked up at the woman holding her.

“Here.” She pointed to the top of the left-hand page.

“Carly, you didn’t say please,” Pearl said from the arched doorway.

“Pease.”

Amethyst nodded. Joel was the last child she’d read to. Ever since he left, she’d not read aloud, knowing that it put her pa a bit on the defensive, as if she were lording her superior reading ability over him. But when she’d read to Joel, Pa had been right there to listen and enjoy. Men were certainly strange creatures. At least the ones that she knew.

The story of
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
unfolded as she read.

“Do you know that you have a lovely reading voice?” Pearl commented as she set the tea tray on the low table. “I’ve been enjoying the story as much as Carly.”

“Thank you. I love to read, but I never have time anymore.” Amethyst didn’t add about her pa.

“I’ll pour the tea, and then we can visit. Carly, you come sit over here so you don’t spill.”

When Carly slid off her lap, immediately Amethyst felt less, as if something precious had been taken away.
Now, don’t you go getting all teary-eyed over this. You will be traveling home with Joel soon, and you can read to him all the way
. Somehow her orders to herself didn’t really make her feel better.

Mr. Hegland didn’t harness up the team until after dinner. If Amethyst weren’t still recovering, she’d not have eaten a bite, just pushed the food around on her plate. But she knew she needed the nourishment, and she didn’t want to hurt Pearl’s feelings. Besides, the meal was delicious. She’d never made candied carrots like the ones served and asked for the receipt.

Some time later, after Carl helped Amethyst into the sleigh, Pearl handed her a basket. “Now, make sure you stay tucked under the robe with your scarf over your face. Please deliver this to Cora Robertson. Mr. McHenry and I will hold the fort, but”—she turned to her husband—“don’t be too long. You know there’ll be company coming later.” She handed Amethyst a hot rock wrapped in flannel. “Put this at your feet.”

Bundled into the sleigh, Amethyst did as she was told. Even so, as soon as the horses trotted out, harness bells jingling a merry tune, the wind bit her nose and made her eyes water. Hearing other bells, she turned to see a wagon box on skids coming toward them from town.

Mr. Hegland waved the occupants on to his house. “We’ll be back shortly. Pearl has the coffeepot on.”

“Merry Christmas” floated back to them as they headed south.

“The Little Missouri River is off to our right, bordered by the cottonwood trees. It’s frozen solid now. If we were going to Rand Harrison’s ranch, we’d drive up the river. It’s a lot closer that way. Ruby, Rand, and Opal are really good friends of ours. Ruby and Opal are sisters, and they owned a hotel called Dove House until it burned down. Ruby married Rand Harrison, a local rancher.” The sleigh headed up a hill, the horses tossing their heads and continuing their spirited gait.

Amethyst couldn’t believe the beauty of the country—the snowladen trees, the red-and-orange cliffs so bright against the white snow they glowed, naked tree limbs that appeared black against the dazzling white.

Carl Hegland pointed to deer nibbling on tree branches, cattle sheltering under pine and grazing on the branch tips like their wild relatives. “That’s the Robertsons’ ranch house ahead on the left. You can see the smoke rising.” He pointed off to the right. “You continue that way to Rand Harrison’s ranch. He’s the last outpost between here and points south. Marquis de Mores was running a stage and hauling line down to Deadwood from here. Come spring there should be a lot of travel out this way.”

“He, the marquis, I mean, has brought a lot of change to this area, hasn’t he?”

“He’s a dreamer, all right. If only all his schemes would work out as well as he plans.”

“They aren’t?”

“Well, the big eastern packing houses are trying to force him out by making it real hard for him to sell the beef he ships. They want all the beef shipped on the hoof and let them do the slaughtering.”

“I see. But as a carpenter, I’m sure all this building has been good for you.”

“That it has.”

A low house with a porch across the front came into view as they topped a small rise. Several outbuildings were set back from the main house, one of them flanked by a corral with only the post tops and the highest rail showing.

A young girl stepped out the front door and waved.

Is this where I find Joel?
Amethyst clenched her gloved hands under the robe.
Please, Lord, let him be here
.

“Merry Christmas, Mr. Hegland.” The girl ignored the shoveled steps and leaped to the smooth pathway. Someone had been out shoveling this morning. The porch was swept bare, and a path led to the hitching rail, welcoming visitors.

“Merry Christmas, Ada Mae. I brought you a guest.”

“Really?” She smiled at Amethyst. “Mother will be delighted. Come in, come in.” She knotted a tie rope to the hitching rail, stroking the horses’ noses as she did. A cloud of vapor from their breathing made her step back. “Do you have blankets for them?”

“Right here.” Carl Hegland reached behind Amethyst and lifted out two heavy blankets and threw them over his team. Then he helped his guest from the sleigh bed. “We won’t be able to stay long. Can’t leave the team out here—too cold.”

Amethyst nodded and took the path to the front porch. “I am Miss O’Shaunasy,” she answered in response to Ada Mae’s greeting.

“I’m glad to meet you. Come right in.” She opened the door and stepped back for the guest to enter. “Ma, we have a visitor.” She raised her voice to be heard over the laughter of a group of people gathered around the fireplace.

“I’ll be right there.”

“Let me take your coat.”

“Auntie Colleen!” Joel broke away from the group and came running across the room to throw his arms around Amethyst.

She hugged him back. “Ah, Joel, you’ve grown a foot since I last saw you.” She rested her cheek on the top of his head. “I thought you fell off the face of the earth.” Stepping back slightly, she cupped his cheeks in her hands and gazed into his eyes. “I cannot begin to tell you how much I’ve missed you.”

“Me too. How’s Grandfather?”

“Fine when I left.”

“Is he coming out west too?”

“No, he’s waiting for you back to the farm.”

“Oh.” Now it was his turn to take a step back. Impossibly long eyelashes hid his gaze for a moment. He took her hand and led her nearer to the fire where a man stepped forward.

“Hello, Miss O’Shaunasy. I am Jacob Chandler…Joel’s father.” He held out his hand.

Amethyst stared from man to boy and back again. The only real difference between the two was height and age. Their blue eyes crinkled the same way, a lock of dark blond hair fell across both foreheads from the same cowlick, dimples matched in their cheeks.

“I-I think I better sit down.” Amethyst put a hand to her throat, where a pulse threatened to rip through her skin.
But what about Patrick?
her mind screamed.
He was your father. I was there the day you were born. Your name is O’Shaunasy!

Someone brought her a chair, and she sat gingerly on the edge, but all she wanted to do was collapse in a bundle of tears.

“I know this is a shock,” Mr. Chandler said, his eyes gentle. “Can I get you something to drink? Coffee? Water?”

She shook her head, thoughts dipping and swirling through her head like bats on a feeding frenzy.
What will Pa say to this? How will I ever tell him?

CHAPTER TWELVE

“I’m sorry for the shock this is causing you, but I can see there is no doubt in your mind that Joel is my son.”

“Yes, I mean, no….” Amethyst wished someone would throw her a life preserver before the riptide carried her farther out to sea.

After several false starts, the truth hit her. Melody had been pregnant—no wonder the wedding had been so rushed. Did Patrick know? Ideas careened in her head, waves attacking from every direction.

When Mr. Hegland said it was time to head home, she mumbled her good-byes, grateful to be leaving.