Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Dianne stared. “I’ve never viewed anything so beautiful.”
The wagon rumbled to a stop as she took in the scene.
To the side of the trail, the hill sloped down to a lake and a lush valley.
The water was a turquoise color such as she’d never seen before.
Flowers in burnt orange, yellow, and pink scattered down the hill.
On the lake’s far side, a rock face rose, and, from it, a waterfall fell.
She couldn’t stop admiring the beauty and filling her senses until nothing else mattered.
“God has created a wonderful world,” she whispered.
Jace looked in the same direction. “Chet used to say no one can do things as good as God does.” The words jerked his attention from the scene. “We need to keep going.”
The wagon rumbled along the rugged trail. In places, the ground fell away almost beneath the wheels, and she leaned against the drop-off as if she could prevent them from going over the edge.
She needed to distract herself and returned to her plan of trying to convince Jace he wanted to return to the ranch.
But all her talk about food had drained her.
She loved cooking. Plus, she enjoyed nothing more than a clean house.
She missed both. She missed her father and Edmund.
A sob shuddered through her. She clamped her lips together and hoped Jace hadn’t taken note.
Thankfully, his attention was focused on guiding the wagon around a sharp bend.
Her breath sucked in like a jagged knife as the ground disappeared at her side.
A wheel bounced over a rock, and she gasped, clinging to the seat.
Her fingers would leave permanent indentations in the wood.
As soon as she could tear her gaze from the specter of the deep valley, she turned to check on Eddie.
He lay asleep in the back. Thank goodness.
At least she didn’t have to worry about him leaning out too far.
They passed between two rocky banks, rising on either side of them, and her ragged breathing eased.
“That was scary,” she murmured, more to inform herself they were safe than to inform Jace of anything.
“You were never in any danger.” He seemed as calm as the midday sky.
“I’d like to believe that’s true.”
“Believe it or not, it is.”
Something about those words stirred a thought. Somehow, it applied to his situation and the ranch, but she couldn’t quite pinpoint what she meant. Before she could, he spoke.
“What happened to your husband?” He gave her a quick glance. “I hope I don’t offend you by asking.”
“His name was Edmund.” She glanced over her shoulder.
“Eddie is named after him. And I don’t mind you asking about him.
” She studied her hands, folded together in her lap.
To an onlooker, she would appear relaxed.
For the most part, she could discuss Edmund’s death without her heart twisting, but there was always a little bit of something she didn’t want to face.
Nor could she even say what it was. Sorrow, of course.
Surprise. Sadness. And yes, a touch of anger and resentment that he had done something that affected her without considering the consequences.
Jace leaned over his knees, the lines in his hands. Had he given up on her answering?
Sucking in a deep breath and releasing it noisily, she began. “Edmund died in a wreck with a horse.” Her voice caught, and she couldn’t say more.
“Ah, that explains it.” His decisive nod said he understood when, of course, he couldn’t possibly.
“What does it explain?” He had no idea how it had changed her life.
“Why you are afraid to let Eddie ride a horse.”
“I’m not afraid.”
“If you say so.” Totally unconvinced.
“Edmund was acting foolishly. With no concern about how it would affect us. Me and Eddie. A foolish dare to jump his horse over a chasm.” She snorted hot angry air.
“What would it prove if he had? But instead, he died a senseless death, leaving me with a two-year-old to raise on my own.” Another hot blast of air from her lips.
“And no home. We lived in a company house.”
He touched the back of her hand. “I’m sorry.”
The spot held a comforting warmth. She drew in a steadying breath. “Father welcomed me back. I was ever so grateful to him.” Her words quivered. Pain replaced her anger. “And now he’s gone.”
“Tell me what happened to him.”
His gentleness beckoned. She wanted to talk to someone. So far, he’d proven to be a good listener.
“A year ago, Father caught pneumonia and passed. He coughed so much at the end I know death was a relief for him. But again, I was alone. Little did I know he had mortgaged the house. I had a year, and then I was ousted.” Strength returned, and she sat up tall and stared ahead at the rocky trail.
“And so I came to live with Chet and take care of his home. And we know how that has turned out.” At an urgency to persuade him to reconsider, she flung around to face him. “I need a home.”
He opened his mouth to speak.
“Stop saying I can live there and run the ranch. I can’t, and we both know it. You need to take over. Out of respect for Chet. And if you can’t do that, then do it so Eddie and I have a home.”
“We’re almost at the next station. I know the agent—Bart. He and his wife, Dawn, will feed you and let you stay there until the next stagecoach. They’re good people.”
His words slammed into her, and she sat back, her teeth clenched. She’d begged. She’d given him her reasons—sound reasons. Nothing she said made a difference.
Well, she huffed. She’d lost two homes. She did not intend to lose her only remaining option because, no matter what Jace said, she would not marry a desperate miner.
In one of his letters to her father, Chet had described the living conditions of those searching for gold.
A hastily erected shack that barely kept out the weather.
Dirt floors. Almost no furniture. She shuddered.
No, her sights were set higher than a hovel.
“There’s the station.” He pointed to the cabin in a sunny clearing. The road ran straight past the place. In ten minutes, they pulled up before the yard. Horses whinnied a greeting.
A tall dark-haired man stepped to the porch. “How do,” he called.
Jace jumped down. “Jace Reynolds here.” He held out a hand.
“I recall you. You were here with Chet Berch. Good man he was. Sorry to hear of his passing.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“What can I do for you?” the agent asked.
Eddie peeked over the side of the wagon. “Mama, is this the ranch?”
“We’re not there yet.”
“This is Mrs. White and her son.” Jace nodded toward Dianne, then introduced Bart to her. “The pair were on the stagecoach to Golden Valley and got left behind. Can they stay here until the next one?”
A woman joined the man—a dark-eyed beauty with shining black hair in thick braids. “I am Dawn. Wife to Bart. Won’t you please come in for dinner?” Her voice had a softness that eased away Dianne’s tension.
Jace helped her to the ground, then lifted Eddie down.
The three of them went to the porch.
Bart cleared his throat. The rough sound caused Eddie to cling to Dianne’s hand.
“Please join us for the meal.” The big man waved them inside.
The interior was bright and clean. The room was three times the size of Jace’s cabin.
Open shelves held baskets and canisters likely storing provisions.
From the rafters in a nearby pantry hung onions and dried herbs of some sort.
On the counter were more baskets. One revealed some kind of white root vegetable, but it didn’t look like potatoes.
“Please sit down.” Dawn indicated the table. Even before she finished speaking, she hurried to the stove and returned with a steaming pot of stew that smelled heavenly. Then she slid fresh biscuits from the oven.
It looked like she’d been expecting them, but that wasn’t possible.
They gathered around the table seated on wooden benches.
“I’ll give thanks to the Almighty for the food.” Bart bowed his head and murmured deep-throated words, most of which Dianne didn’t understand. He was either mumbling or speaking another language. Not that it mattered, for she silently prayed her own words.
Lord, thank You for this wonderful-smelling food. For keeping us safe on this journey. For this pleasant place to wait. And please, Lord, help Jace change his mind so we can have the home we need.
The food was passed around the table. Dianne scooped stew on her plate and to Eddie’s and took biscuits for them both. Everything tasted as good as it smelled.
“This is delicious,” she said. “Thank you for feeding us.” Though she chafed at the delay.
Bart cleared his throat, and again, Eddie pressed closer to Dianne.
“Don’t ’spect the next coach for three days. Dawn and I are about to leave.” That explained the satchels by the door. “Going to visit her family.”
They were leaving? Dianne couldn’t swallow the food in her mouth. Could she stay here alone except for Eddie? Shivers tracked up and down her spine. Like a spider traveled her skin. With an audible gulp, she forced her food down her tight throat.
This trip had proven more challenging than she expected—especially this last bit.
The skin on her face grew taut, drawing down her bottom eyelids.
Her fork clenched in her hand so hard it bit into her flesh. She directed her gaze to Jace. Would he see her silent appeal for him to come to her rescue?