Libbie: Bride of Arizona (American Mail-Order Bride 48) (12 page)

Surely, no one had ever done something as horrible as she had. She shook her head. “Not like this.”

He released her and stepped toward the doorway. “Anything special I need to know about your bird?”

“Don’t come up too suddenly on his sides. When he’s startled, he kicks.”

“Take your time, Libbie.” William lifted a hand and waved as he disappeared into the shadowed doorway. “Everything will work out. You’ll see.”

How sweet he was to reassure her. From a distance, she heard her name called and glanced around, looking for who’d spoken.

A man stood on the train depot platform, waving a hand over his head.

She walked in his direction along the boardwalk, seeing he held something in his hand. On this horrible day, any distraction, no matter how brief, was welcome.

The bespectacled ticket clerk met her at the bottom of the stairs. “Miss Libbie, a letter came for you.”

Her heart sped up.
Maybe it’s from Grace, telling me about how she’s faring in Montana
. If Libbie learned this situation had worked for another couple, then maybe she’d believe it could work for Dell and her. She held out her hand. “Thank you, Mr. Henderson.” A glance at the return address showed the letter came from New York.
Our feather money
. “I do appreciate you hailing me.” She turned, anxious to get to Maida and share whatever news the envelope held.

“Oh, and miss, a gentleman who talked funny was asking about you.”

Who could Mr. Henderson possibly mean?
“I’m not sure I understand.”

“A fella came in on today’s train and asked about a Miss Van Eycken. I remembered hearing Dell mention your name the day you arrived.”

“Where is he?” She started across the street. “At the depot?”

“No, ma’am.” Mr. Henderson rocked back on his heels. “He said he needed to throw down a coldie. Although I’m not familiar with the words, I did see him go into the Palace Saloon.” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder to indicate the building across the street.

Coldie. That’s Australian
. “That could be one of my brothers. Oh, can you go inside and tell him I’m here?”

“Sorry, miss. I’ve been away from the depot long enough.” He turned and headed back toward the train station, his boots resounding on the boards.

Libbie stood at the side of the street, glancing between the envelope in her hand and the building that might hold a beloved family member. She turned, dashed past the livery, and pounded up the porch steps to the Stirling house. Giving the door two quick knocks, she twisted the knob and burst into the house. “Maida, are you here?” Her heart pounded in her chest.

Footsteps sounded on the landing above, and Maida’s face appeared over the railing. “Libbie, what’s wrong?”

Smiling, she held up the envelope and waved it. “A letter from Mr. Dekker. Come down so we can share the news.”

Maida hurried down the stairs and stopped at her side. “What does he say?”

“I didn’t open it.” Libbie glanced around Maida and toward the kitchen. “Is Skip here? I need him to go into the Palace.”

“Whyever for? And what in the world are you wearing?” Maida stepped away and glanced up and down Libbie’s length, her nose crinkled. “That shirt does nothing to accent your figure. And what’s that smell?”

“Maida! Listen.” In as few words as she could use, Libbie described what had brought her to town, the unknown contents of the envelope, and the mysterious stranger who arrived and asked about her.

“We have to know about the stranger, of course.” Maida scurried through the kitchen and out to the back porch. “Skip, please do us a favor.”

As soon as they watched Skip head out the front door, they moved to the dining room table and sat. The letter rested in the space between them.

“This could be the start of our business.”

“It’s addressed to you so you should open it.”

Libbie nodded then tore off the shorter end and puffed a breath into the opening. Out slid a letter on stiff paper. With shaky hands, she unfolded the paper and a bank draft slid onto the table. When she read the amount, she squealed. “This is wonderful!” Holding the draft so Maida could see, she couldn’t stop her smile at her friend’s wide-eyed astonishment.

“Fifty dollars? That’s five times the amount I lent you.”

“And that was only for the feathers the birds lost in the journey. We can harvest a few more before winter, and then do a full gleaning in the spring.”

Maida grinned and flopped back in her chair. “I do believe I will like being a lady of business, even if only for a twenty percent portion.”

The front door opened. “I’m back, Maida.”

“In the dining room, Mama. And Libbie’s here.”

Hazel walked into the room, untying the strings of her hat. “Afternoon, Libbie. I didn’t know you were coming to town.”

With all that had happened, Libbie hesitated to share her original reason for leaving the ranch. She glanced at Maida, who frowned and gave a small shake of her head.

“Look, Mama.” Maida held up the bank draft. “This is our first earnings for the feather business.”

Hazel squinted and held out the draft at arm’s length. “Lordy be, that’s a lot of money. Well, I’d say those birds are a real smart idea.”

The front door opened again. “Libbie, are you here?”

Dell
. Heart pounding, Libbie jumped to her feet. At least his voice had lowered to a normal tone again.

Maida stood and started fussing with Libbie’s clothes. After removing the cape, she grabbed out the boomerang and cocked an eyebrow.

“I’ll explain later.” Libbie plucked the bank draft from Hazel’s hands and hid it behind her back. “Yes, I am.”

Hazel and Maida moved away from the table but stayed at the perimeter of the room, gazes bright.

The clump of long strides against bare wood approached. “There you are.” He appeared in the doorway, scanned the room until he met her gaze and then walked straight toward her until only a foot separated them.

Had he become more handsome while she was gone? His eyes were warm and focused only on hers.
So, he is no longer angry?
“I’m fine.” She was a skilled rider, and he didn’t have to worry about her safety.

“I thought you were in you─, um, the house. When I realized you weren’t there, I went a little loco.” He reached for her hand.

Loco? What does that mean?
She gave him her empty one, savoring the strength of his grip. “I didn’t want to hear you yell again.”

“Yell?” Hazel stepped forward, frowning. “Arndell Hart Stirling, you yelled at your bride?”

He turned his head and narrowed his gaze. “Mother, this is between me and my wife.”

The possessive way he spoke that single word set her pulse racing.

Then he looked back at her and gave her a rueful grin. “Jomo is not the most cooperative man. He shrugged away any knowledge of where you’d gone. I do give him credit for being loyal. Finally, I realized the black-feathered bird was missing. I followed that blasted bird’s tracks, which wandered around for a while before they headed toward town.”

She didn’t know if Dell was aware he rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb as he talked. That simple caress was familiar and comforting─making her realize how many times he’d used the same gesture as they’d sat in the parlor, talking about their day’s activities, or as they said goodnight at the top of the landing. A fluttering invaded her stomach.

Just then, the front door opened. “Hey, Libbie.” Skip called out. “I found the guy.”

With reluctance, Libbie pulled herself away from her husband’s hypnotic gaze and looked into blue eyes so like her own.
Can he really be here?
Her heart stuttered and then pounded hard in her chest. Not ten feet away stood a tanned muscled man dressed in kangaroo boots, dungarees, and a wheat-colored shirt. A flat-topped leather hat with a wide brim sat back from his forehead, displaying tousled sun-streaked hair. “Deman, luv.” She burst into tears and ran across the room, hurtling herself into her older brother’s arms. Only by sharing with another who’d suffered the same loss could she truly start healing.

“Oh, Libbie, my sheila. Don’t cry.” He smoothed a hand over her hair and then hoisted her higher into his arms and tucked his mouth close to her ear. “I’m here. No need to worry.”

Libbie clung tighter, letting Deman’s Australian drawl soothe her jangled emotions. They might have teased her until she wanted to scream, but her brothers had always been there when she needed them. Facing down bullies on her behalf, taunting her until she jumped out of the loft onto the haystack, letting her tag along when they went fishing.

“Put down my wife, sir, and explain yourself.”

Again, Libbie heard the possessiveness in Dell’s voice, and she pulled back to look at him, wide-eyed. Frowning, he stood with both arms crossed over his chest, his feet braced wide.

“Libbie, who is this?” His gaze flicked to her and then back to the stranger.

She dashed the moisture from her cheeks and wiggled to be put down. When she remained upright with her feet dangling, she arched backward and then turned to Deman. “Set me down, Dem.”

Flashing a grin, he shook his head. “Nah, I want to see what this bloke’s gonna do.”

“Deman, now is not the time for your teasing.” Glaring, she pushed at his chest and heard the crinkle of the bank draft. Swinging her arm to the side, she stretched to look at Maida. “Take this, please.”

Maida gaped, her gaze riveted on Deman’s face. She hurried forward and took possession of the paper.

Deman glanced her way and then a wide grin spread his lips, and he cocked an eyebrow.

“Enough.” Dell stepped forward, scooped Libbie into his arms, and moved to the side of the room. “I’m waiting for my explanation.”

She wrapped an arm around his neck and held tight. Could she take his action as proof that he wanted their marriage to continue? “He’s my older brother—at least, one of the three. Deman is one of the twins.”

Deman shoved his hat backwards so it hung behind his head by the chin strap. “The older and more responsible twin.”

“Older by two minutes.” She giggled as she grinned like a fool at her brother. “But he never lets Knox forget that fact.”

Dell tightened his hold. “I do like hearing you laugh.”

“Now that the roosters have stopped strutting through my dining room, let’s sit. I’ll put on some coffee.” Hazel walked across the room, extending her hand. “A brother of our sweet Libbie’s is welcome here. I’m Dell’s mother, Hazel.” She shook and then waved her hand at her daughter. “And this young lady you were just gawking at is my youngest child, Maida.” She moved toward the kitchen before glancing over her shoulder. “Skip, run and get your father. He won’t want to miss this meeting.”

What would happen in the next few minutes flashed before her eyes, and Libbie knew she needed to speak to Dell in private. But she was pulled into the kitchen with the women, and she couldn’t hear what was being said.

Maida clasped her hand. “You have three brothers? Why didn’t you tell me that before?”

“Because they live in Australia and rarely visit America.”

“Are the others as handsome as Deman? He’s so tan and tall and vital.” She leaned sideways to peek around the wall.

“I suppose they’re not ugly.” Libbie shrugged. “Tell me, though, do you think your brothers are handsome?”

Maida crinkled her nose and shook her head. “Eww, no.”

“I’ll say it again,” Dell’s voice carried into the kitchen. “Libbie is not going anywhere.”

“Uh oh, I guess Deman has stated his purpose.” Libbie walked into the dining room until she reached Dell’s side and laid a hand on his forearm. “I probably should have explained this earlier.”

He shot her a look. “Probably?”

William came in from the sun porch. “What’s all this?”

Skip swept an arm toward the two men. “A mighty entertaining spitting contest.”

Maida and Hazel walked in from the kitchen, each carrying a tray. The final introductions were made. Chairs scraped and creaked as people seated themselves around the table.

Libbie made sure to place herself between her brother and her husband. When she saw everyone had been served coffee and had selected an oatmeal cookie or two, she cleared her throat. “I’m not sure where to start with my explanations.”

“No, Libbie. Let me start, then you’ll have all the information.” Deman took a sip from his coffee then turned to face her. “As soon as we got the news, we came to a unanimous decision. We want you back on the station, and I’m here to fetch you home.”

Dell inhaled a short breath. “She’s already home.”

His voice was a raspy growl, which sent a thrill through Libbie. Without taking her gaze from her brother’s, she reached out a hand and entwined her fingers with Dell’s. She knew how her oldest brother did business. Most times he had more than one part to each and every one of his plans. “Do you have more to say?”

“Well, in case you decide to stay, I have this to give you.” Deman reached into his back pocket and pulled out a folded envelope. “An advance on your trust fund.”