Silver Nights With You (Love in the Sierras Book 1) (27 page)

Morgan’s lips quivered as his eyes fell to the ground. Lila cried openly for Morgan’s pain. “Just there,” she said, nodding her head toward his body. Collette gasped and ran to him.

Morgan hated himself for not going to the body. Val deserved to be cried over, but there was an intense pain that strangled him, held his feet to the ground where he stood. He just couldn’t make himself move.

“Doctor!” Collette cried. “Please come! He is still breathing!”

When the color of Valentine’s skin shifted from an ashen gray to a shallow buttermilk, everyone felt the flutter of hope. It had been one week to the day since he’d fallen, and after the doctor successfully stopped the blood flow he worked tirelessly, his own arm hastily cleaned and bandaged, to stave off infection.

The fever came on the third night while Lila washed him down with wet cloths. He called out and thrashed around the newly-delivered mattress in what would be hers and Morgan’s bedroom. Morgan had to hold him down several times throughout the night to prevent his wounds from opening. After two days of fiery skin Morgan carried Val out to the river and waded into the water with him. Lila joined them to pour pitchers of water over his hair and forehead.

Finally, the fever broke, and Val slumbered peacefully for two more days before waking to the sounds of chirruping birds and hammering. He turned his head and saw Collette sitting beside the bed, embroidering a white veil. She wore a simple gray skirt and white buttoned blouse, but her face was framed by the frilly edges of a bonnet that tied elaborately beneath her chin. As always, the headgear was as ostentatious as the woman.

“Why do you always wear those silly hats?” he asked hoarsely, and she looked up. Relief and joy brightened her face at first, but then the stiff, pert mouth returned.

“It’s about time you woke up,” she said. “Zer is a wedding here tomorrow and much to be done, you lazy man!”

“I’m not lazy, Collette,” he said wearily, rubbing is face. “I was shot.”

“Zat is no excuse!” she waggled a finger at him. “I’ve been shot before, and it didn’t take me a whole week to get out of bed.”

Val’s mouth fell open. He didn’t know what surprised him more, that she had been shot before or that he had been in bed for a week. The wedding she spoke of could only be Morgan and Lila’s, which meant that they had both survived. His heart nearly flipped with happiness.

“What happened after I was shot?” he asked, and Collette’s features worried themselves into a frown.

“I killed your friend, David,” she said matter-of-factly. “But he deserved it.”

“David’s dead?” he said in shock.

“Yes, but he shot za doctor, and he tried to shoot my leetle Helene!”

“Wait, what?” he asked, shaking his head. “What happened to Jared Percy and his accomplice?”

“I shot Jared Percy, too. He and
both
of his accomplices are dead.”

She explained everything to Val, filling his head with facts that made it hurt. The shrill excitement in her voice didn’t help either. When he winced and fell back against the pillow, she knew she had overwhelmed him and she stood.

“I’ll let za doctor and your brother know zat you are awake,” she said with a stiff nod and left the room.

When Morgan entered, Lila and Argyle were right on his heels. Morgan had a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. Argyle carried two more. As the glasses were filled, Lila scooted a chair over to the bed and balanced a bowl of broth on her lap. Val looked around curiously.

“Furniture, whiskey, wedding…life sure moves fast when I’m asleep.”

Morgan thrust a glass of whiskey into Val’s hand and knelt beside the bed. His heart was light seeing his brother awake. The past week had been a nightmare during which he’d grieved his brother, only to find hope and then lose it again, then find it again. When Argyle declared that the worst passed, Morgan finally let the weakness in his legs consume him, and he sank to the ground, Lila happily beside him.

Since then, Argyle insisted on speedy wedding preparations, knowing that his daughter had been close to being a widow before a vow had ever been spoken. No one argued, but several trips to town ensued, Collette’s wagon being put to good use. Ellie and Sandy had come and gone, bringing items Morgan requested.

Philip had arrived earlier in the day, declaring the new mining supports a success and announcing the busy work of clearing the rubble and the order of timber. He and Morgan had been outside, working wood into a kitchen table when Collette announced that Val was awake. Morgan abandoned Philip without a word and ran to see his brother. He lifted his whiskey glass.

“To the best damn family a man could ever ask for,” Morgan said, his eyes flitting from one face to the next, “and to God for keeping us all here together a while longer.”

Sounds of affirmation went up before they all drank their good fortune. Val looked at Morgan.

“So, David, huh?”

“Seems to be,” he said solemnly.

“I guess I’m not really surprised.”

“You’re not?” Lila asked. “But you were his friend. How could you befriend someone like that?”

He shrugged then winced at the pain it caused him. “Some folks are born good. Some are born bad. Some can go either way. David was one of those. I saw the good and the bad, always believing he’d ultimately end up on our side.”

“I’m sorry that he didn’t,” Morgan said soothingly.

“Me, too.”

“As it turns out, I didn’t kill Jared’s brother,” Lila announced, and Val raised an eyebrow. “When we buried the bodies I noticed a small black ring on Jared’s finger. I saw that same ring during the robbery. It was on the hand of the man who tore my dress, the man that David shot in the back.”

Val shook his head. “So, all of this for nothing.”

“All of this for greed,” Argyle said softly.

Morgan sighed then refilled the whiskey glasses. “So, you heard about the wedding tomorrow?

Val nodded.

“Think you’ll be able to stand by then? I need my best man by my side.”

“I think I can stand right now.”

“Even better,” Morgan laughed. “Because I’m also going to need my best man out of my bed by the wedding night.”

Lila wished she had a mirror. A woman ought to know what she looked like on her wedding day. Collette only had time to make a simple gown of white satin with a v-necked bodice that rested slightly off-shoulder. She kept the sleeves long, given the onset of autumn. An overlay of lace was sewn over the skirt and trailed out behind in a train. That same lace was used to fashion a veil. Ellie had bundled her hair with so many pins that she felt like a pin cushion. Then, the veil was fastened to the back with an ivory comb.

Alone in her room, she could hear the bustle of voices on the lawn outside, waiting for her arrival. She picked up the photograph of her mother, which had found a permanent place on the stand beside her bed. She looked young and beautiful and refined, but mostly she looked happy. Lila smiled. She knew that this was the happiest day of her life and if that’s all anyone ever remembered of her wedding day, she would count it a success.

There came a slow tapping on the door, and she called him in. Argyle entered, fashioned in one of his new suits, compliments of Collette. His right arm was still bundled in a sling as he said it would be for quite some time, but he still looked sturdy and strong. Lila’s eyes watered, filled with gratitude that he had survived.

“I always said you were the stoutest man God created,” she beamed.

“And I always said you were the most beautiful creature God created,” he replied in an emotional whisper. “Are you ready to be a wife?”

She nodded, and he folded her arm in his, leading her outside where a hush fell as she came into view. Morgan stood in his best suit, his hair neatly clipped, his eyes shining. Val was beside him, leaning gingerly onto the cane Morgan made him. The congregation consisted of Sandy and Ellie, Sadie, Philip, Collette, Helene, and a small band of musicians.

The preacher read the ceremony under a rustling mélange of fall colors, and once the groom sealed his vow with a kiss, a party began. Meat roasted over the fire pit. Ellie filled trestle tables with salads and pies. Whiskey and beer flowed and the bride and groom danced beneath the stars to the sounds and smells of celebration. Soon, they joined Philip for a mug of beer by the keg.

“Mrs. Kelly,” Philip said, “You are the most radiant bride I’ve ever seen.”

“Thank you, Philip,” she returned. “I would order you to call me Lila, but I love the sound of Mrs. Kelly so it’s all right.” She burrowed closer to Morgan’s side with a grin.

“You know, there is a lot of talk about a possible patent on the new mine engineering,” he continued.

“That’s wonderful,” she replied.

“I will only patent it if it is listed under yours and my name,” he returned, and she shook her head softly.

“I did nothing, Philip. You are the mastermind.”

“If not for you, I’d still be sitting out here playing with sticks.”

“Oh, I have no doubt you would have come to a conclusion.”

“Perhaps, but I didn’t. I received my inspiration directly from you.”

“And I from honey bees,” she laughed. “I have no knowledge of how to translate a work of nature into a work of construction. Please, Philip, take the credit you deserve.”

“So, you will not allow me to list you?”

She shook her head again. “It wouldn’t be right.”

“Then, it shall go unclaimed I’m afraid,” he declared. “Just as you see it unfit to claim, I see it unfit to claim on my own.”

“But if you don’t patent it-”

“Lila,” Morgan cut in with a laugh. “Never argue with a German, especially this one. Once their mind is made up it takes an act of war to change it.”

Philip laughed and refilled his friend’s mug. “Aah,
Hurensohn
. It is so good to be by your side once again.”

They laughed and danced and laughed some more. Val and Morgan decided to give Morgan’s portion of the mine to Sandy and Ellie as a wedding gift. The man shook their hands with robust appreciation. When two riders approached the gate, the revelry stopped and the music died. Two men dressed in crisp, black suits dismounted and removed their hats.

“Pardon the interruption of your celebration, but we are employees of Mr. Leonard Stacy requesting a word with Morgan and Valentine Kelly, if you please.”

The brothers exchanged a curious glance. “What for?” Morgan asked.

“We’d like to discuss a business proposition with regards to your mine.”

Morgan laughed. “I’m afraid you’re about a handshake too late on my account. I no longer own any part of that mine. You’ll be wanting Valentine Kelly and Sandy Bowman.” He nodded toward the men, and they stepped forward. “This is my wedding. So, if you’re here on peaceful terms, conduct your business, and then my wife and I invite you to join the festivities.”

“Much obliged,” they said with a nod.

As Val and Sandy conferenced with Stacy’s men, Morgan pulled Lila to him for a steamy kiss as they swayed to the music. He cradled her face and looked down at the firelight flames dancing in her eyes.

“I never thought I could be this happy,” she said, misty-eyed.

“I did,” he replied, “the moment I laid eyes on you.”

Love swelled in her chest and desire pooled in her belly. She sighed, inviting the rush of both. “I couldn’t ask for anything more than this.”

“I could,” he said with a sensual smile.

“Oh?” she said, a suggestive and willing eyebrow arched. “And what would that be?”

He kissed the tip of her nose lightly. “A lifetime of long, silver nights with you.”

The Nevada silver boom was an unprecedented event in American history. At its height, Virginia City was larger, more populated and more glamorous than San Francisco. In fact, history shows that it was the silver of Virginia City that built San Francisco. Some of the west’s wealthiest and most interesting characters flocked to and lived in Virginia City. Newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst had a financial interest in the mines and built a mansion in Virginia City. A young Mark Twain, also known as Samuel Clemens, spent years in Virginia City writing for the local newspaper. When he was lambasted for writing stories more fantastical than true, he decided to try his hand at fiction writing.

In the present day, Virginia City has less than a thousand residents, but draws more than two million visitors per year. Many of the original buildings still stand and operate as businesses. The bar in which this tale’s Sandy Bowman worked is the Gold Hill Hotel in Gold Hill, Nevada. There are still greenbacks adorning its rafters from more than a hundred years ago, and some even say the ghosts of departed miners roam the place at night. Ellie’s boarding house still stands for hire. The Silver Queen is perhaps the most infamous saloon in the town, and still swings its doors open for gambling and whiskey. The opera house, which was actually built four years after Lila and Morgan’s tale, is a popular concert and event venue.

The early days of silver mining were dangerous, and the collapse and destruction in this story were portrayed accurately. Millions of dollars and the best minds of the world went into re-rigging the mines and constructing hydraulic water pumps to reroute the natural springs beneath the mountain, all in an effort to extract the largest silver lode ever discovered. German engineer, Philip Deidescheimer, was hired to devise a new, untried method of construction. He created the mining structures of square sets, or underground honeycombs. The method was so successful that it was used in mines the world over, yet he never received a penny in royalties because he never patented the idea. When asked why not, his answers were vague and inconclusive.

The town has a colorful and haunting history. What better place to build a love story? I hope you enjoyed my version of a wild west tale. If you liked this one, you ain’t seen nothing yet! Just wait for Val’s and Collette’s. Here is a sneak peak at…