Rimfire Bride (24 page)

I would very much like for you to visit with me so we can discuss this issue, because I am sure that you, as well as I, want only what is best for Samuel. I will be available this evening until six p.m.

Sincerely,

Della Peterson

Teacher, Bismarck Primary School

Ten minutes later, Drew strode into the classroom, where he saw Della writing on the chalkboard.

“Miss Peterson,” he said rather sharply. “I would have a few words with you, if you please.”

Della turned away from the chalkboard, then flashed a broad smile. “Ah, Drew, how good of you to come!”

Drew held up the crushed note. “What’s the meaning of this?” he asked between clinched teeth.

“Well, Drew, I thought I made that quite clear,” Della said with a forced smile. “Samuel’s schoolwork has been suffering for some time now, and I’ve been trying to get you to come talk to me about it. I’m glad you’ve finally found the time.”

“I can understand if you’re concerned about his schoolwork, but what’s this crap about Miss Hartmann?” Drew said angrily.

“Mr. Malone! A gentleman does not use that kind of language in the presence of a lady.” Della raised her hand to her lips.

“And a lady does not interject herself into somebody else’s business. Now, what possible business is it of yours who I see?”

“My only concern is for Samuel. You have no
idea how upset he is, because he thinks she’s trying to replace his mother. Now, I know that fear is foolish, but really, Drew, it must be dealt with if Samuel is ever to succeed in his schoolwork. I know Miss Hartmann is a very attractive woman—in a garish sort of way. After all, if she weren’t, she wouldn’t be daily exposing herself for commercial gain. It’s only natural that you’d be attracted to her, but really, you should think of your children. Samuel is such a sensitive child. I worry about his home life.”

“Look, you teach him his letters and his numbers. That’s all you have to do, and I’ll worry about his home life. And as for my seeing Miss Hartmann, that’s absolutely none of your business. Do I make myself understood?”

“Well, I . . . I was only trying to help. That’s what I think a good teacher should do.”

“Then teach. But stay out of my affairs,” Drew said angrily. Then, before she could respond, Drew turned and walked purposefully out of the classroom.

T
wo
days later, Drew invited Jana to go to Rimfire for Christmas.

“What? Why, I couldn’t possibly do that!” Jana said, though every sinew in her body urged her to say yes. “We’d both be scandalized!”

“No, we won’t. The boys will be with us, and of course, Elfrieda will be there as well. Oh, and I want Greta to come, too, if she will. And then there’s Peach.”

Jana chuckled. “Peach?”

“She’s Toby’s wife. So there’ll be a chaperone in every alcove even if Hank’s not around.” Drew kissed Jana lightly. “You don’t have to worry about your reputation because nobody dares question Elfrieda.”

“But, Christmas. I can’t abandon Mr. Watson during Christmas. He’s been so good to me, and that will surely be his busiest time of the year.”

“Christmas comes on Monday. We won’t leave
until the evening train on Saturday, so that way you’ll be there for his busiest time.”

“I don’t know.”

“I’ll teach you to ride a horse. I know you’ll have a good time. And, all right, I didn’t want it to come to this, but, Jana, I need you. The house is finished, and all the furniture we bought is there. Devlin says they just piled it in the great room without even trying to put it in any of the rooms. I can’t even remember what we bought, let alone try to decide where to put stuff. I’m serious. I really do need you to go with me.”

Jana could feel her reserves breaking down. “How long would we be there?”

“Probably no more than two weeks.”

“Two weeks? I can’t stay that long.”

“Why not? Walter’s busy time will be over by then. And anyway, I’ll talk to him. He’ll let you go.”

“All right.” A big smile crossed Jana’s face. “Why can’t I ever say no to you?”

Drew’s eyebrows shot up as his eyes began to twinkle with amusement. “Miss Hartmann, I can guarantee I’ll remind you of your words again sometime, and I can tell you this: you won’t be sorry.”

“I’d love to
go with you, but I can’t,” Greta said after Jana had extended the invitation to Rimfire.

“Why not? Greta, it’s Christmas. We should be together.”

“I promised Tom I’d be here to fix a Christmas dinner, and I can’t let everybody down. Most of
these men who live here don’t have any family at all, and they think of us as their daughters. In all my life, I’ve never made such close friendships, and to be honest, I really do want to stay here and make their Christmas a little bit happier.”

“Of course, I understand.” Jana’s voice showed her disappointment. “I’ll tell Drew we can’t come.”

“What do you mean you’ll tell him
we
can’t come? I can’t go, but there’s no reason why you shouldn’t go.”

“Sure, there is. Half the town already thinks I’m scandalous because of my job. If they found out I spent Christmas with Drew and his family, it would just add fuel to the fire.”

“Do you want to go?”

“Of course I do.”

“Then think about this. To the half that already think you’re scandalous, it won’t make any difference whether you go to the ranch with Drew or not, they will still think you are scandalous. And the other half of the town knows you well enough by now that your reputation will be safe, no matter what you do. Besides, won’t Elfrieda go with you?”

“Yes, she’s going.”

“Then I don’t think anyone would dare question you if Elfrieda is there. Not unless they want to make an enemy of her, and from what I’ve seen of that woman, she’s not someone you want for an enemy.” Greta laughed.

“Oh, Greta, are you sure you think it’s all right?” Jana realized that, for the moment, their roles had changed. She was now looking to her younger sister for guidance and validation.

“I’m positive,” Greta said, also recognizing the reversal of their usual roles.

The Pacific Express
was supposed to leave at seven thirty in the evening for its westward run, but the schedule on the chalkboard said that the train from the east had been delayed and wouldn’t depart the Bismarck station until almost midnight. It would be an eight-hour trip to Little Missouri, which meant the train should arrive at eight o’clock the following morning. Drew wired instructions for Devlin McCarthy to meet the train.

In the Northern Pacific Railway depot, Jana, Drew, the two boys, and Elfrieda waited for the train to arrive, taking seats near the little potbellied stove. It radiated enough heat from the coal fire to keep them comfortable when they were close, but if one wandered away from the stove, the heat began to dissipate and the cold took over.

Drew got a checkerboard from the agent, and the boys entertained themselves by playing checkers as they waited.

Jana saw another family waiting, husband, wife, and a young girl who looked to be about twelve. Jana smiled as she realized that she had thought of them as “another family,” as though she was part of this family.

And why not? She certainly felt more a part of this family than she had ever felt with her mother and Mr. Kaiser.

No, that wasn’t entirely true. Greta and her mother had been family to her. But it wasn’t quite the same as the sense of acceptance surrounding
her now, except for maybe Sam, who remained a little reticent around her.

Finally, at a few minutes before nine, the building began to shake and rumble as the train from the east drew into the station.

“Here’s the train!” Benji said excitedly.

“We all heard it, you don’t have to tell everyone,” Sam said.

“I know, but I wanted to tell everyone. Daddy, do you think we’ll have another train wreck?”

“Heavens, child, I certainly hope not!” Elfrieda said.

“But it was fun, wasn’t it, Daddy?”

“I’d just as soon not have another one,” Drew said.

“It wasn’t a wreck,” Sam said.

“It was, too.”

“Please, boys, let’s not go through all that again. Sam, take the board and checkers back to Mr. Emerson, then let’s go out on the platform. They’ll be boarding soon.”

As they boarded
the train, Jana couldn’t help but compare this car with the cars she and Greta had ridden in on the way out to the Dakota Territory. Those seats had been hard, uncomfortable benches crowded close to each other. These seats were comfortably padded, with plenty of legroom. Also, an enclosed necessary room was at each end of the car, one for the gentlemen and one for the ladies. She grimaced at the remembrance of the horrible odors emanating from the filthy corner on the emigrant car.

Elfrieda sat first, and Jana sat beside her, thinking the boys would want to sit with their father.

“Guys, why don’t you sit next to Mrs. Considine, and let Jana sit beside me. You two will fall asleep before long, and then I won’t have anybody to talk to all the way to Little Missouri,” Drew said.

“You’re gonna talk all night long?” Benji asked as he jumped down and sat next to the window.

“Maybe.”

“Don’t grown-ups need any sleep?” Benji asked.

“This grown-up needs sleep,” Elfrieda said. “Come on, Sam, get over here.”

Jana took the seat next to the window, and Drew sat beside her, his leg just barely touching hers. A moment after they were all settled, the train started forward, first with a few jerks, then evening out as the car began to build speed.

Through the window, Jana watched the lights of the town flash by until soon they were out of town, and all she could see was a long, flat prairie, stretching out and gleaming under the full moon of the cloudless night sky.

“We’re on our way,” Benji said.

“Yes,” Drew answered.

“We’re really on our way,” Benji repeated.

Jana had to smile to herself at his excitement, which mirrored her own, unspoken feelings.

As the train
rolled through the night, the lamps were turned down so that the inside of the car was nearly dark. Before long both Sam and Benji were sound asleep, their heads resting on Elfrieda’s ample lap, their coats placed over them as
blankets. Then Elfrieda’s head began to bob, and Drew rolled his wool scarf so as to cradle her neck against the seat.

“Are you sleepy?” Drew asked Jana.

“No. I’m much too excited.”

Drew reached over to take her hand in his. He did it casually, without asking, and as if not anticipating any resistance. Jana offered no protest because having her hand in his seemed perfectly natural.

“I’m glad you came with me,” Drew said.

Jana became keenly aware of the pressure of Drew’s leg against hers, a pressure that increased whenever the train rounded a curve. She should try to reposition her leg, but she did not.

She stared out onto the night landscape as they passed through a little town not far from Bismarck. She thought about the path her life had taken until she arrived at this precise moment, sitting next to Drew Malone, her hand in his. She had committed herself to spend Christmas with this man and his family—people she had never even heard of as recently as two months ago.

“November fifth,” Jana said.

“I beg your pardon.”

“November fifth was the night I arrived in Bismarck to start a new life.”

Drew squeezed her hand. “And how has your new life been?”

“Interesting, so far.”

“Just interesting?”

Jana chuckled. “How would you have it be?”

“Well, you’ve met me,” Drew teased. “I would have your new life be exciting.”

“There’s been some excitement. And I’m looking forward to seeing this ‘cabin’ that you’re furnishing.”

“I hope you have no regrets when you see it.”

“My only regret is that Greta isn’t here with me. I don’t really understand why Greta wanted to stay at the hotel over Christmas.”

“Sure, you do,” Drew said. “Greta has adopted the men who live there, she feels an obligation toward them, and they feel just as big an obligation toward her.”

“I have to confess that Greta has really blossomed since we left Illinois; not only has her health greatly improved, but her whole personality has changed.”

“What do you mean? Changed in what way?”

“I’ve always thought of Greta as the shy, reserved one, but that certainly isn’t the case now.”

Drew chuckled. “I’ll say it’s not. She’s absolutely effervescent the way she interacts with the residents at the hotel.”

“I only have one regret. I wish our mother could see us now, especially Greta, and how well she’s doing.”

“I’m sure she’d be very proud of you both.”

“This will be the first Christmas either one of us has ever spent away from our mother. I can’t help but wonder what sort of Christmas she’ll have, with both her daughters gone.” Jana smiled. “She loves Swiss chocolate, so that’s what Greta and I
sent her for Christmas. I want her to know that we haven’t forgotten her, and how much we love her.”

“I have a feeling that she knows.”

“I can’t tell you how proud I am of Greta for the way she is taking to this new life.”

Jana thought, but didn’t say aloud, that she felt pride for her part in bringing Greta’s new life about. But, what about her? She was also starting a new life, and—a new relationship. Relationship? Was that what she had with Drew?

She couldn’t really call it new, could she? It was more than just new. It was a first, and here she was, on a train, rushing through the night, bound for a place called Rimfire.

She not only knew little about Rimfire, the place they were going, she realized that she didn’t know that much about Drew. It was time to find out a few things.

“Drew?”

“Yes.”

“How did you meet your wife?”

“I don’t really remember meeting Addie.”

“What?”

Drew chuckled. “What I mean is, we lived next door to one another, and when it was time to go to college, her father convinced me to stay in Evanston and go to Northwestern University. He was a little biased, I guess, because Eli is a professor there.”