Chapter 11
By the time they were done with their baths, made love, and dressed to go eat, Belle found she had quite the appetite.
They walked over to the restaurant.
A redheaded waitress seated them by the kitchen. As usual, the establishment was full. Miners had to eat, and they ate ‘round the clock.
Dolly, the blonde beauty who had served them last time, was their waitress. “Well, hi there. It’s good to see you here.”
Belle stood and gave the woman a hug. “How are you doing?”
“Great. Working for Kitty is almost like not working at all. She treats us really well. I hear we have a special meal being prepared for you. What do you want to drink?”
“Coffee for me,” said Seth.
“I’ll take tea, please,” said Belle.
“I should have known that. I remember you loving your tea. A coffee and a tea, coming up.”
Dolly returned with their drinks. “Thought I’d let you know that you’re having rice with the steak and gravy. We ran out of potatoes and the supply ship hasn’t come yet. They hit some bad weather or something, according to one of the miners I talked to earlier.”
Seth nodded. “Not surprised. It’s that time of year. Nice on one side of the mountains and a blizzard on the other.”
“Yup. Exactly,” said Holly. “I’ll be back with your dinners in a minute.”
She made her way around the other tables with the coffeepot, then returned to the kitchen.
Belle leaned on her arms folded on the table. “Shall we wait until tomorrow to do the shopping? Then we don’t have to worry about it being stolen overnight.”
He sipped from his coffee mug. “I thought we would. The mercantile opens at eight tomorrow morning, so after shopping and loading up, we’ll still get home in plenty of time to unload everything before supper.”
“Exactly.” Then she frowned. “I’m disappointed we won’t get any potatoes at the mercantile either. That’s the first place Kitty would have gone to replenish her stores of potatoes.”
“Me too, but we can get rice, instead. It will last longer, too.”
“I suppose that’s true.”
Holly returned with their meals and set them on the table.
The cook had fried the thick elk steaks and covered them in a savory brown gravy. He used the same gravy on the rice. Sourdough bread completed the meal.
Belle thought the meal was wonderful. Any meal she didn’t have to cook was a treat, even though Seth often cooked. Since she wasn’t baking for Kitty anymore, there was no dessert, but Belle didn’t think she could eat anything more, anyway.
In this case, though, it really was a great meal. The cook had cooked the steaks until they were done, but not dry.
“I’m stuffed.” She patted her belly.
Seth leaned back and showed he still had room in his belt. “I could eat more but then I always can.”
She laughed. “My mother used to say my brothers had hollow legs. I guess you do, too. Maybe it’s just something about men that they can always eat just a little more.”
He reached across the table and took her hand in his. “Are you ready to go to our room, or would you rather do something else?”
The rising voices in the room made it so he had to shout to be heard.
“Yes. Let’s get out of here.”
He dipped his head and led her out of the restaurant, and didn’t stop until they reached the lobby where it was quieter.
Kitty was sweeping the entry. She looked up and smiled. “Did you enjoy your supper?”
Belle closed her eyes in ecstasy. “It was superb. Is Louis still your cook? Assuming he is, he is wonderful, and I’m glad he hasn’t lost his touch.”
Kitty nodded. “He is. I think there will be riots in the street if he ever leaves.”
Belle turned to Seth, placed her hand on his chest, and laughed. “Louis is French. He came here for the gold—like everyone else—and when that didn’t pan out, he started looking for work. Fortunately for us, he found Kitty first, and she was needing a new cook.”
“And again, we are fortunate,” said Kitty. “Because his occupation before coming here to dig for gold was as a chef in a French restaurant. He likes to sauce everything. That’s why there is always a gravy served. Most other sauces take butter in one amount or another, and since we haven’t have any butter until recently, he makes gravy. I haven’t let him make a sauce needing butter since we don’t get a lot of it.”
“On that note, I think we will head to bed. It’s already been a long day, and tomorrow will be even longer. Goodnight, Kitty.” Belle turned toward Seth and took his hand.
“Yes, thank you and goodnight, Kitty. Will we see you in the morning?”
Kitty shook her head. “Not likely, unless it’s after noon. I like to sleep in most mornings so I can be here for the girls.”
Belle had almost forgotten that Kitty ran a brothel, in addition to the best restaurant and hotel in town. “Of course. So, this is probably goodnight and good- bye. We’ll see you again next time we come to town.”
Kitty came around the desk and hugged her. “You’re the best baker this town has ever seen. Remember, you always have a job here, if you need it.”
Seth placed his hand on the back of Belle’s waist. “That’s not an offer she will ever have to take you up on.”
Belle whirled around and lifted an eyebrow when she looked at him. “Well, I should hope not.” Then she laughed, gave Kitty another hug, and stepped back.
Seth put out his hand toward Kitty. “Thank you for keeping her safe...for me.”
Kitty’s mouth turned up on one side. “You’re welcome.” Then she drew him into a hug. “I’m glad you two are working out. I’d have felt real bad at having to bury you in an unmarked grave.”
Belle laughed, but thought that the woman was only half kidding.
They left Kitty and walked down the hall to their room.
Seth pushed the door and held it for her to enter in front of him.
“I wanted to say, I can’t think of anything better than being in a soft bed with you. Walking in town isn’t like taking a stroll anywhere else. Here it’s a fight to stay on the boardwalk and out of the mud.”
Seth chuckled. “Well, you are right about that. Too many people here all at once. You should have seen it a year ago. It was twice as bad. You had to fight for wherever you wanted to go. It was literally wall-to-wall men on the boardwalks and in the street. Good luck trying to get a horse through the mess. And a wagon? Forget it.”
Belle walked to the bed and took off her boots, putting them to the side. Then she sat her back against the pillows, fingers laced behind her head, and her legs straight out in front of her. “So, what shall we do now? I bet Kitty has a deck of cards we could use.”
He chuckled. “You don’t want to take advantage of the bed?” He lifted one brow. “I can think of all sorts of things we can do on the bed, and not one of them includes cards.”
She laughed as she stood and unfastened her pants, pushing them down and off her feet. Then she unbuttoned her shirt. Last, she took off her long johns and stood before him clad only in her wool socks. It felt good that she didn’t immediately start to shiver like she did at home. Home. The tent was her home, because Seth was there. He was her home. Would he ever feel like that about her? “Well, aren’t you going to join me? Or will you stand all night gawking?” Belle climbed on the bed, under the covers, turned to her side and lifted onto one elbow.
Smiling, he removed his clothing in record time.
Then he was with her, kissing her. Making her feel like the best present he’d ever had. He certainly was hers. She didn’t know what she’d done in the past that made her deserve a man like Seth Kirby, but she was thankful, nonetheless.
Soon, he covered her with his body and took her to the clouds. Loving her the way a man did with a woman he cared for. Could he love her, too? Maybe as much as she did him?
She wasn’t certain when it happened. Maybe after he rescued her, after Ezra kidnapped her. Even wounded as he was, he came for her. Her. Amos would have left her; she knew that for certain. He would have been hoping she never returned. That was why he left her in Dawson City. Hoping he could lose her once and for all. That act was the kindest he’d ever been, and he never knew it or would have cared if he had. He hadn’t had a kind bone in his body; she knew that better than anyone. Yet, here she was, married to the kindest man she’d ever known.
She cuddled into his side.
He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer. Then he covered them with the blankets and closed his eyes. He was sleeping in no time.
Belle couldn’t fall asleep for the life of her. Belle’s thoughts were jumbled, as she wanted to know if what she suspected was true. He loved her. She thought of all the scenarios where he would tell her and then she could confess her own feelings. What if he didn’t tell her? Weren’t his actions those of a man in love? Lord help her, she wished she knew. But this was the first time she’d been in love. Yet she knew what it was. It was the constant feeling of joy. The little things he did for her, stacking wood by the oven so she didn’t have to. Leaving enough of their meager meals that she got full before he finished everything off. Catching fish so they would have more than just beans.
But it was in the happiness she felt when he brought her the first flowers of spring. Tiny little wild flowers that meant more than the most expensive roses ever could.
She sighed, finally content enough to close her eyes and get some sleep herself.
But then thoughts bounced around in her brain, and her eyes popped open.
Would she always feel this way? This content? What if Seth didn’t love her back...ever? Could she still stay with him?
Belle and Sethmade love again in the morning and then packed their backpacks and headed to the restaurant for breakfast. They had rice with gravy, sourdough bread, and coffee. Lots of coffee. Though simple, the food was filling.
After breakfast, they walked to the mercantile and bought their supplies. They picked up extra flour, sugar and canned fruit for cobblers as well as rice, beans, and crystallized eggs. Belle found bacon, which she was eager for. The grease would add flavor to their meals long after the bacon was gone. But she also added lard, canned vegetables, baking powder and anything else that caught her fancy.
Seth smiled. “Watching you is like seeing a kid in a candy store. Speaking of which, I see some hard candy sticks. Why don’t you get some of those? It doesn’t matter if they get broken, they’re still good.”
“That’s a grand idea. I might even suck on one on the way home.”
He looked up to where Joe stood behind his register, checking out another person. When that person left, Seth called, “Hey, Joe, can we leave this stuff here for a bit? We have some other business to take care of unless you’re interested in buying a horse?”
“You’re selling one of your horses? Actually, I am in the market. Not that many horses around here.” Joe was wearing his usual white apron tied over a flannel shirt. He had small, round spectacles perched on the end of his nose. That along with his full beard and rosy cheeks, made him look like a young St. Nicholas.
“We have four at the moment and only need two. I’ll give you a good price for one horse and the gear. Twenty-five dollars takes it all.”
He put out his hand toward Seth. “Sold. I’ll take it off your bill if you like.”
Seth looked at Belle.
She nodded.
Taking Joe’s hand, Seth shook it. “You’ve got yourself a new horse. He’s at the stables right now, but I’ll leave word you can pick him up at your convenience. If you know anyone else who wants a horse tell them there’s one at the stables.”
“Sounds good,” said the merchant as another customer walked up.
Before Seth, she never would have thought of a tent as home. But between the changes the Drakes had made and then the further comforts that Seth furnished, their tent was rather cozy. She’d seen the other miners’ tents and knew they could have been rather spartan. Instead, over the two or three years Seth and the Drakes had been panning for gold, they had gradually built up the amenities.
The trip home took longer because they loaded up both themselves and the horses with supplies, so they couldn’t ride. They arrived back at camp in the late afternoon.
Once they completed stowing everything and grooming the horses, it was well past suppertime.
Belle prepared biscuits and tinned pork for dinner. She was too tired to make anything more. The jerky, hardtack, and water they’d had for lunch was long gone from their bellies, and both she and Seth were ravenous.
After they finished doing the dishes together, all she could think of was getting in bed and going to sleep. Even the thought of making love with Seth didn’t appeal. She was just too tired.
Belle took off her clothes and crawled under the covers.
Seth climbed in after her and pulled her to his side. “I’m not feeling up to making love, but I still want to touch you and be with you.”
She laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes. “This is nice. I’m so tired and my feet are killing me. That was a long walk.”
“It was. About twenty miles. We rode the horses on the way to town, so it didn’t seem so far. Walking back makes it seem twice as far. But we made good time.”
His voice rumbled from deep in his chest, right under her ear. The sound calmed her and soothed her soul. If she wasn’t so tired, she could listen to him all night. What would tomorrow bring? Perhaps new revelations about her husband or their marriage? Only time would tell.