Rimfire Bride (28 page)

“Oh, no, I didn’t. It was Carl and Hank who chose the dresses for you. I told them your favorite color was blue, but did you get a blue dress? No, they had their own ideas what you should have. Those men are so funny.”

“They really are, but they’re so appreciative. Jana, some of them told me they hadn’t celebrated Christmas in years. I was so tired after fixing the dinner for them, but it made me feel good to know I was doing something special for all of them.”

“And you should. Mama would be very proud of you, Greta, and so am I.”

“Listen to me going on about my Christmas. I haven’t even asked about yours.”

Jana smiled broadly, and her eyes gleamed so brightly, it seemed more than a mere reflection of the lamplight. “This may have been the most wonderful time of my entire life!” she said excitedly.

“Tell me everything that happened and don’t leave out even the smallest detail.”

“Wait until I get in bed.” Jana began removing her clothes.

For what seemed like hours, the two sisters lay in the dark as Jana told about the house, the furniture, the cowboys, and Christmas.

“Some people just know how to celebrate Christmas. I wish we would’ve had a tree when we were little, because you should have seen how excited Benji and Sam were when they found new saddles under the tree. And then when they got new ponies, they were really happy.”

“They got ponies for Christmas? Drew must be very rich.”

“I don’t know. I suppose he might be. But I do know he’s the nicest man I’ve ever known. You should see the way he treats his children, and the people who work for him, too. He is kind and gentle and understanding.”

“How does he treat you?”

“Oh, he . . .” Jana thought back to Christmas Eve, and she was glad the room was dark. She fell silent.

Disturbed by her silence, Greta sat up in bed and turned up the light.

“Jana Hartmann, look at me. He didn’t do anything to you, did he?”

A smile crossed Jana’s face. “He did. He claimed my heart.”

“You’re in love!”

“I am.”

“You said you would tell me what it was like.”

“I don’t know how to tell you, other than to say it’s the most wonderful feeling. I love him more than I can say, and I can’t tell you how happy I’ve been for the last two weeks. We didn’t do anything out of the ordinary, other than ride horses, or play games, or sit by the fire and talk. We just enjoyed one another’s company.”

“Did he ask you to marry him?”

“No, he did not.”

“Jana, does Drew love you?”

“I don’t know. One time he said he’d like me to share his life with him, but he never said anything more.”

“If he said that, I think that’s a proposal for marriage and you should tell him so.”

“Greta, it’s more complicated than that. Whoever marries Drew Malone also marries Sam and Benji. I think Benji would have me as his stepmother tomorrow, but Sam—well, let’s just say I’m going to have to prove myself to him.”

“If anybody can do that, it’s you. Who would’ve thought two little farm girls from Illinois could be working themselves into the hearts of total strangers so many miles from home?”

“We do seem to be doing that, don’t we? That is, except for one.”

“Don’t worry, Jana, one little boy isn’t going to
stand between you and the man you love. Sam will come around. You just wait and see.”

“I hope you’re right, Greta. I can’t tell you how much I love Drew.”

Greta chuckled as she turned out the lamp. “It’s not me you have to tell. It sounds like it’s Sam you have to convince. And Drew, of course, if you haven’t already.”

For the rest
of the night, Jana thought about what she had told Greta. She did love Drew, but she hadn’t ever said as much. The kisses, even the time in Drew’s bed, was that love to a man? Or was that just lust?

And then there was Addie. Could Drew ever love again? She didn’t know, but she decided that night, January 5, 1883, she would set out to prove that he could. She would do whatever it took to make him love her, because no matter how comforting it was to be with him, just being comfortable wasn’t enough. She had to have his love.

The next morning
Jana got dressed and went to the Emporium. Now that the holiday season was over, she wasn’t sure if she still had a job, especially since she had been away for so long.

But when she walked in, she was met by an exuberant Fern Watson.

“Jana, you’ll never guess,” Mrs. Watson said. “The play you translated for the Ladies’ Christian Union,
The Stranger,
is going to be performed on January twentieth, and Sam Whitney has given us permission to use the Opera House. Isn’t that wonderful?
We’ve been rehearsing, and I just know it’s going to be absolutely magnificent.” Mrs. Watson lowered her head. “Although, I suppose I shouldn’t say that because that may be boasting. You see, I’m playing the part of Countess Wintersen.”

“That’s wonderful news, Mrs. Watson,” Jana said enthusiastically. “And I’m sure you’ll make a perfect countess.”

“Well, don’t forget. You must come to see it. Mr. Whitney says if we get a big enough audience, he may let us use the Opera House again.”

“I’ll be there.”

For the rest of the day Jana was busy working around the store. There was no suggestion that she take her place in the window, but Mr. Watson didn’t say her job was over, either. She was rearranging the hats when she heard a familiar voice.

“Where’s the lady in the window?” Drew called.

“She’s working, now that you finally brought her back,” Mr. Watson said jokingly. “I missed her.”

“And you should.” Drew headed toward Jana. “I’m going to miss her, too.”

“What do you mean you’re going to miss me?” Jana asked when he reached her.

“Because I’m going to be out of town for a while. I wonder if you would mind dropping in on Elfrieda and helping out with the boys, not that she needs any help, but I’m sure Sam and Benji would love to see you.”

“And I’d love to see them, but where are you going and for how long?”

“I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone. I’m going with Colonel Lounsberry and Sheriff McKenzie
down to Yankton. With all the talk of statehood now, we think the capital should be moved to a more central location than Yankton is. And of course, it’s our opinion that the best place for the capital is Bismarck. But the people in Yankton don’t agree with us, so it’s our job to convince the legislature to see it our way.”

“I have no doubt that you can do that, but tell me, Mr. Malone, isn’t this”—Jana paused—“politics? And didn’t you tell me once that you had no interest in the, I believe you called it, ‘perfidious profession’?”

Drew laughed. “You have a memory like an elephant. But this isn’t really politics—it’s business. When Bismarck becomes the capital, everybody’s business will boom even more than it is now. Seriously, will you visit the boys a time or two while I’m gone?”

“I will. But you have to promise me one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“If you’re back by the twentieth, you have to go with me to see
The Stranger
.”

“And who might he be?” Drew’s eyebrows shot up.

“It’s not a
who
, it’s an
it
. That’s the play I translated. It’s going to be put on that night at the Whitney, and I’ve been invited to go see it. Will you take me?”

“I do believe this is the first time a lady has ever asked me for a date.”

“Oh!” Jana gasped, putting her hand over her mouth. “That isn’t very ladylike, is it?”

Drew laughed out loud. “You could wear a ten-gallon
hat and smoke cigars, and you’d still be a lady to me. I’d love to take you to the play.” He kissed her lightly on the lips and turned to leave. “Don’t forget. Go see the boys.”

“I will,” Jana said as she waved good-bye.

Jana was amazed
at how much she missed Drew, especially when she dropped in to see Sam and Benji. She read to them and played games and drew pictures, and both boys seemed to enjoy it as much as she did. She almost breathed a sigh of relief at her tentative acceptance by Sam.

Working at the store and helping Greta at the hotel also helped to pass the time. But she decided to start another project as a special surprise for Drew when he returned.

She began an oil painting of Rimfire Ranch. Unlike her other drawings and paintings, though, she didn’t work on this one at the store. Instead, she did it in the privacy of her room.

“Jana, that’s spectacular!” Greta said as enough of the house became visible for Greta to get an idea. “I think it’s the best work you’ve ever done.”

Jana captured the river and the surrounding scenery perfectly, but the home ranch, as Drew called it, was the primary focus: the long front porch, the green of the shutters and the roof, the bunkhouse and the barn. She even put four horses in the corral.

“This is Dancer,” Jana said, pointing to one of the horses. “He’s mine, and that’s Santana, Drew’s horse. This is Sam’s pony, Buster, and this is Spotty, Benji’s pony.”

“Spotty,” Greta said with a chuckle.

“Now, don’t laugh. I think Benji chose a good name. The pony does have spots, wouldn’t you say?”

The final touch to the painting was to add the golden reflection of the setting sun to the western windows of the house, as well as a corona of red light to the rim of the cliffs surrounding Rimfire Ranch. Those touches gave credence to its name and, Jana thought, were the finishing touches to an accurate painting.

Late one morning,
Jana was working in the store when Charley Draper came in.

“Mr. Draper,” Jana said.

“I have a telegram for you.” Draper handed her an envelope.

Jana was startled. Never before in her life had she received a telegram, and she took it with some apprehension, wondering if it might be bad news from home.

“It’s from Drew Malone,” Draper said, relieving her anxiety.

Curious now, she opened it eagerly.

ARRIVING TONIGHT 7:30. MEET ME WITH BOYS. LOVE DREW.

Love Drew
. She was happy he wanted her to meet him at the train station, but the last two words sang in her heart.

She put the telegram back in the envelope, then held it to her chest and smiled at Draper. “Thank you, Mr. Draper.”

“My pleasure. You’re getting a fine man there, Miss Hartmann.”

“I think so, too.”

When Walter Watson
came into the store, he brought a copy of the
Bismarck Tribune
folded in such a way as to highlight one story.

“It looks like our boys did a good job down in Yankton,” he said. “You might want to read this.”

CAPITAL TO BISMARCK?

Special to the
Tribune
by telegraph from Yankton: Bismarck sent three of its finest citizens to the territorial legislature in Yankton to plead the case that the capital be moved from Yankton to Bismarck. Our delegation, composed of Colonel Clement Lounsberry, the editor of this newspaper, Sheriff Alex McKenzie, Bismarck’s leading advocate, and Andrew Malone, an attorney with the firm of Allen and Malone, were aided in their presentation by the enthusiastic support of Governor Nehemiah Ordway. If Dakota is to become a state, as surely it shall, then Bismarck should be the capital.

There has been a proposal bandied about that the Dakota Territory enter the union as two states, this idea strongly supported by Senator Hale of Maine, whose reasoning is that two states will
mean four new senators, all of whom, he believes, will be Republicans. This would insure the party’s majority status should Virginia’s Readjuster Party throw in with the Democrats, making the Senate in the 48th Congress tied at 38 Senators for each party.

In seeking the honor, and responsibility, of becoming the capital one has but to look to a recent editorial in
The Cincinnati Commercial
to find enumerated the many reasons why Bismarck should be so selected. The article reads thus:

“Situated on the east bank of the Missouri River, at the crossing of the North Pacific Railway, is the thriving city of Bismarck, the county seat of Burleigh County, and perfect for the capital city of the Dakota Territory.

“Bismarck is the center of the great stage routes to Deadwood, Keogh, Yates, Fort Lincoln, Buford, and Mandan, and the steamboat trade. Already the Northwestern and St. Paul roads are heading toward Bismarck, being now but 125 miles distant, with their surveys completed. Work will be rapidly pushed this coming spring.

“Among the improvements of the city are a flouring mill with a capacity of 100 barrels per day, a grain elevator with a storage capacity of 100,000
bushels, seven churches, schools, and a fine courthouse.”

These attributes, put forth by our delegation to the territorial capital meeting in Yankton, and validated by newspapers from the East, have to have a positive effect on the final outcome as to where our capital should rightly be. It is our desire and belief that the time will come, and soon, when Bismarck assumes its role as one of the nation’s guiding cities, by virtue of being the capital of a state, equal in authority and prestige with all the other states in the union.

When Jana stopped
by Drew’s house, Benji shouted happily as he ran to meet her with his usual exuberance, and, as always, he threw his arms around her legs.

“Benji, have you been an extra-good boy today?” Jana asked, bending down to his level.

“Yes, ma’am, I’ve been so good. You can ask Mrs. Considine.”

Elfrieda chuckled. “He’s been asking all day what time you’d come by, but I didn’t expect you until later. There’s plenty for lunch if you’d like to eat a bite with us.”

“I can’t stay now, but I’ll be back. Guess who’s coming home today?”

“Daddy!” Benji yelled enthusiastically.

“That’s right.” Jana and Benji exchanged hugs.
“And he wants us to meet him at the depot. Will you tell Sam when he gets home from school?”

“Goodie, goodie, goodie! My daddy’s coming home!”

“I think that one’s excited,” Elfrieda said. “What time does Mr. Malone’s train get in?”