Waiting For Spring Part 9

Warren walked to the window and stared at the street. Where was the Widow Crowley? Folks at the fort had claimed she'd taken her child back to Vermont. Though the story sounded plausible, it was a lie. Warren had sent a messenger east to find her, but no one in Wesley, Vermont, had seen Charlotte Crowley since her marriage. The town was still buzzing with the news that her sister had married a soldier. As if Warren cared. He didn't. Not a whit. All he cared about was finding Jeffrey Crowley's widow and all that money.

Where was she? As he watched two men striding down Eddy Street, their brisk pace telling him they were late for something, Warren scowled again. There was no point in staring out the window. Widow Crowley wasn't in Cheyenne or anywhere in Wyoming Territory, for that matter. Everyone knew that the gold Big Nose had taken from that stagecoach amounted to a fortune. With that much money, she could be living anywhere-Paris, London, New York. It was no wonder she hadn't returned to a backwater town in Vermont. Widow Crowley was living the life of luxury somewhere. He would find out where.

That money was supposed to be his.

11.

It was surprising how empty the house seemed. Barrett walked briskly down Ferguson Street, thankful to be out of the place that now seemed as quiet as the empty prairie. Harrison had been in Cheyenne less than two months, but that had been long enough for Barrett to become accustomed to his brother's company. Now that he was gone, Barrett's days seemed longer than normal, his meals endless. Hoping to banish the unexpected loneliness, he had ridden to the ranch. At least there the news had been good. Not only had Dustin not found any more dead steers, but the snow had melted, and, thanks in part to the hay he and Harrison had brought to the ranch, the cattle once again had easy grazing. It was surely Barrett's imagination that they appeared a bit thinner than last year, for Dustin claimed they were as heavy as ever.

He ought to be happy, Barrett told himself as he approached his destination. Christmas, always one of his favorite times of the year, was less than a month away. That was the reason he was visiting Mullen's jewelry store.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Landry," the proprietor said as Barrett entered the shop. Of medium height and weight, with medium brown hair and eyes, the man could have blended into any crowd without notice were it not for his moustache. Thicker than normal, it was waxed into elaborate curls that extended several inches past his cheeks. "Can I show you something today?"

Barrett approached the main counter and pointed to a display of rings. "I'd like a ring for a lady."

Mr. Mullen nodded as he fingered one end of his moustache. "Did you have a specific type of ring in mind?"

"Betrothal." Was it his imagination again, or did his voice sound strained? Even though Harrison claimed it was normal and that even normally unflappable Camden had been nervous when he'd asked Susan to marry him, Barrett disliked the feeling that he was entering an unknown world.

"Very good. We have some fine ones." Mr. Mullen opened a drawer, then looked up at Barrett. "Were you looking for a diamond or colored stones?"

This was definitely a new world. Barrett couldn't recall whether his mother's rings had any stones at all, and he hadn't thought to ask Harrison what type Camden had given Susan. He shrugged. "I'm not certain. Why don't you show me what you have?"

The jeweler nodded and placed a tray of rings in front of Barrett. "Any one of these would please a lady."

The a.s.sortment was more extensive than Barrett had expected, with stones in every color of the rainbow. Though he admired the rubies, sapphires, and emeralds, his eye was drawn to one that reminded him of a flower. Six petals of an unusual milky color surrounded a central diamond.

"Those stones are opals," Mr. Mullen said when he saw the direction of Barrett's gaze. "Came all the way from Australia." He withdrew the ring from the case and handed it to Barrett. "Hold it to the light."

When Barrett did, he discovered that the opals were not the simple color he had thought. Instead, they s.h.i.+mmered with sparks of red and gold and green. As he turned the ring, each new angle revealed a different combination of colors. He took a deep breath as he stared at the most beautiful piece of jewelry he'd ever seen. This ring had depths he'd never imagined possible.

"You've chosen well, Mr. Landry. This is my finest ring. Any lady would be proud to have it on her finger."

Not just any lady. Unbidden, the image of Charlotte's face floated before him. This was the perfect ring for her, a woman with depths as great as the opals, a woman who sparkled like the diamond, a woman whose beauty would complement the ring's magnificence. This was Charlotte's ring, but he wasn't buying a ring for her.

Reluctantly, Barrett handed the opal back to the jeweler. "I think a diamond would be better. A large one."

Trying to mask his disappointment, Mr. Mullen placed the opal ring back on the colored stone tray and pulled out one that contained only diamonds. "These are all fine rings too," he said.

And they were. Though none could compare to the beauty of the opal, these were rings Barrett could imagine Miriam wearing. He chose one with a large oval stone in a simple setting. Miriam would like the fact that the stone was a little different from her mother's round one, and she would probably be pleased that it was larger. Yes, this was the ring for Miriam.

As the jeweler searched for a box, Barrett wandered around the shop, looking at the displays in the other cases. Though he had no intention of buying a second piece of jewelry, when he saw a gold filigree bracelet, he stopped and gave it another look. "I'll take this too," he told Mr. Mullen.

The man twirled the end of his moustache. "Your lady will be very happy."

"I hope so."

He ought to be happy, Barrett told himself as he headed home. He'd found a ring for Miriam. Her father had already blessed their courts.h.i.+p. All Barrett had to do was ask her to marry him. He'd do that. Soon. And then they'd begin planning their life together. The prospect ought to fill him with happiness or at least antic.i.p.ation. But it did not. He felt as empty as he had when he'd left home.

Though his house was on the east side of the street, Barrett crossed to the west when he reached 17th Street. It was a ritual he'd begun the day he met Charlotte. Whenever he traveled that block of Ferguson, he walked next to her store, looking at the display in the plate-gla.s.s window. Sometimes he would see her, and he'd wave. Those were the good days. Other times, though the store was open, there was no sign of Charlotte, and he guessed she was in her workroom, putting her Singer sewing machine through its paces the way he did his horses. Those days, he was aware of a sense of disappointment.

Barrett looked ahead, trying to see whether the store was open, and as he did, he saw Charlotte locking the door. By the time he reached her, she had begun to climb the stairs to her apartment.

"Charlotte!" he called in greeting. "I'm surprised you're not still in the store."

She turned, nodding slightly at the yards of fabric in her arms. "I need to finish three gowns tonight, so I closed the store to work."

Barrett recalled her saying that, even though she had a workroom in the store itself, she found that she completed handwork more quickly when she was in her apartment. It made no sense to him, for he knew that David would interrupt, but Barrett suspected Charlotte preferred the interruptions to worries about what her son was doing.

From the first time he'd seen her with David, Barrett had wondered about her decision to open a dressmaking shop. While there was no doubt that she was talented, he didn't understand why Charlotte hadn't taken the path most widows would have: a second marriage. If she'd remarried, she would not have had to open the store, and she would have been able to spend all her time with David. A woman as beautiful as Charlotte should have had her choice of husbands, particularly here in Wyoming Territory, where men far outnumbered women and widows often remarried well before their year of mourning was completed, sometimes mere days after their first husband's death. The only reason Barrett could imagine that Charlotte was still unmarried was that the men were unwilling to consider a widow with a blind child. Stupid men!

When he realized that he'd clenched his fists in anger, Barrett straightened them. Inclining his head toward her sewing, he said, "I understand. You don't need any additional interruptions. It's just . . . I thought I'd stop by to see how David is doing." And his mother. Though thoughts of Charlotte were never distant, Barrett had been able to think of little else since he'd left Mr. Mullen's shop. He didn't need to close his eyes to picture himself sliding the opal ring onto her slender finger, nor was it difficult to imagine her smile of pleasure.

As he watched, Charlotte smiled, and for a second Barrett wondered if she'd read his thoughts. She must not have, for her words were matter-of-fact. "You're welcome to come in. I can't promise I'll be much company, but David will enjoy your visit."

When they reached the landing, Barrett opened the door. Flas.h.i.+ng him a smile of thanks, Charlotte hurried into the apartment, her eagerness to see her son almost palpable. "David, I'm home," Charlotte called as she laid the fabric on the table. A cry of delight was accompanied by the sound of knees slapping the floor as David scurried toward her, crawling faster than Barrett knew a child could. On the opposite side of the room, Gwen smiled a greeting while Charlotte scooped her son into her arms and hugged him.

"You're a lucky boy, David. Mr. Landry has come to visit you," Charlotte said as she tousled his hair.

Though David had raised his face to Charlotte's for a kiss, he began to struggle, clearly signaling that he no longer wanted to be held. "Baw!" he cried.

Charlotte gave Barrett a rueful smile. "I told you it was his favorite toy," she said as she placed her son back on the floor. "That appears to mean that you're now his favorite person. He used to let me hold him for a lot longer than this."

"Perhaps he knows you need to work."

"Perhaps." Charlotte's grin said otherwise. "But I won't complain, because I do need to sew." She gathered the crimson gown and a pile of lace from the table and settled onto the settee in the parlor area. "Where's Rose?" she asked Gwen.

"Napping. I didn't think it was possible, but playing with David wore her out today."

Even if getting worn-out would be Barrett's fate as well, it was a small price to pay for spending time with Charlotte.

Gwen rose and moved toward the door to what Barrett surmised was the front bedroom. "I'll keep Rose occupied if she wakens. That way she won't bother you."

"Rose is no bother."

Gwen's lips twisted into a smile at Charlotte's words. "Barrett's not used to one child, much less two. We don't want to scare him away." Softly, she closed the door behind her, leaving Barrett alone with Charlotte and her son.

David sat at his feet, the ball clutched to his chest. "I see you have your ball, David. Are you going to roll it to me?"

When David tightened his grip on the toy, Charlotte shook her head. "He still won't do that. I think he's afraid of losing it."

Closing his eyes for a second, Barrett tried to imagine what it must feel like for David, releasing his toy, not knowing where it was going. It could be scary, and yet he was missing so much by not playing with it. There had to be a way to show him that rolling the ball was fun.

Apparently convinced that no one would take his toy, David s.h.i.+fted the ball from one hand to the other, seemingly content to play by himself. Barrett turned his attention back to Charlotte, who was attaching lace to some part of the crimson dress. "Business must be good."

She nodded without looking up from the tiny st.i.tches she was taking. "I have twice as many orders as last month. If this continues, I may have to hire another a.s.sistant, especially if I start making bridal gowns." She knotted the thread, then clipped it close to the lace. "Bridal gowns require considerably more time than ordinary dresses."

"The customers are probably fussier too." Though Barrett doubted that Miriam would be demanding, he was certain that her mother would insist on being involved. Barrett could imagine Mrs. Taggert changing her mind about the position of a piece of lace a dozen times before she was satisfied that it was absolutely perfect.

Her face reflecting mock horror, Charlotte looked at Barrett. "I hadn't considered that. I should probably charge twice as much as normal."

"Somehow I can't picture you doing that."

"Probably not. It would seem like stealing."

"Baw!" Apparently bored by the adult conversation, David banged his toy on the floor.

"I think your son is reminding me that I'm supposed to be playing with him." Barrett grinned as he settled on the floor, stretching his legs out to the side. "All right, David. I'm here." He touched the boy's thigh so he could realize how close Barrett was. "Roll the ball to me."

"No!"

Charlotte chuckled. "You've discovered his favorite new word."

Undaunted, Barrett leaned closer to David. "Yes, David. Yes." He emphasized the word. "b.a.l.l.s are meant to be rolled. Please give it to me." His reluctance evident, David handed the ball to Barrett. "Now I'm going to roll it to you." Barrett scooted back a few feet so the ball had a chance to gain momentum. "Hold out your hands. No, put them on the floor." When David was properly positioned, Barrett sent the ball toward him. The boy caught it and giggled. "Good job, David. Now it's your turn. Roll it back to me." But the child would not. Once again he clutched it to his chest.

"I'm afraid my son is a little stubborn," Charlotte said, her voice tinged with amus.e.m.e.nt.

"He must have inherited that from his father." As he p.r.o.nounced the word, Barrett realized that Charlotte had never spoken of her husband. Surely most widows referred to them occasionally. Gwen did. Barrett had overheard her telling Warren the story of their first meeting and how her husband had been stationed at Fort D.A. Russell until he died of influenza. But, though he'd spent considerably more time with Charlotte than with Gwen, Barrett knew nothing about the man she had married, not even his name.

Before he could ask, Charlotte shook her head. "I wouldn't be so quick to blame David's father. My sisters claim I'm stubborn."

Her sisters. That reminded Barrett of another conversation. "Have you told them about David yet?"

Charlotte's fingers flew as they wielded the needle. "I thought I'd wait until after the holidays. I know it's cowardly of me, but I don't want any unpleasantness now. I just want everyone to be happy."

"I understand." That was Charlotte, always thinking of others. Undoubtedly her life would have been easier if she had told her sisters that David was blind when she'd first learned of his condition, and yet she had not, because she hadn't wanted to distress them. "Don't wait too long, though. My experience is that delays only make it worse."

What a hypocrite he was! If he had taken his own advice, he would not be waiting until Christmas to give Miriam a ring. Everyone expected the betrothal. Now that he'd chosen the ring, he should have gone directly to Miriam's house and asked her to become his wife. Instead, he was sitting on the floor in a small apartment, trying to teach a blind child to roll a ball.

Charlotte chuckled, and as she did Barrett's heart began to pound. It was probably an ordinary chuckle, but somehow it seemed so intimate that he wanted nothing more than to hear it again.

"You sound like my father." A smile colored Charlotte's words. "He was a firm believer in not procrastinating."

Barrett raised an eyebrow, encouraging her to continue. He'd wanted to learn about her husband, but he'd take any glimpses he could get into what had made her the extraordinary woman she was. "Was he a teacher too?"

"No, a minister." Charlotte blinked, as if surprised that she'd said that. It was an unexpected reaction, and yet there was little about Charlotte that was predictable. Though she was forthcoming, even outspoken, on many subjects, she was uncommonly reticent about herself.

"Was the church in Vermont?"

Charlotte nodded. "Churches." She emphasized the plural. "We moved frequently."

"No wonder you weren't afraid to come to Wyoming Territory. You must have inherited your father's love for travel."

Biting her lip, Charlotte shook her head. "It wasn't that he loved moving," she admitted. "His ideas were sometimes too modern for the paris.h.i.+oners, and the church elders would ask him to leave. I hated being uprooted."

Which might explain why she had remained in Wyoming after her husband's death.

"What brought you and your husband out here?" he asked. "Was he stationed at D.A. Russell with Rose's husband?"

Keeping her eyes on her sewing, Charlotte shook her head again. "His family were farmers."

Though many had come to Wyoming Territory as part of the military or to build the railroad, others had been lured west by the Homestead Act. It was a difficult life, battling the harsh weather, and while Barrett couldn't picture Charlotte-perfectly coiffed Charlotte with her elegant gowns-as a farmer's wife, there was no reason to think she was lying.

"I don't know how I'm going to finish all this in time," she said as she resumed her sewing. The hint couldn't have been clearer: subject closed.

"I'll try to be quiet," Barrett said and turned his attention back to her son. Though Charlotte had not said a great deal, she'd given him new insights. An image of the opal ring flashed into his brain, reminding Barrett of the way light revealed its inner fire. He'd been right when he'd thought it the perfect ring for Charlotte. If he could give it to her. But he could not. That would be not only unseemly but downright scandalous. He could give Charlotte nothing more than trinkets and small gifts for her son.

"All right, David. What would you like to do?"

A grin on his face, David began to crawl toward the other side of the room.

"He wants you to chase him." Charlotte interpreted her son's activity. "I think he enjoys the sound of our footsteps."

Barrett rose and began to stalk across the floor, making his footsteps heavier than necessary, and as he did, David peered over his shoulder, grinning with obvious delight. "That's it!"

"That's what?" The lines that formed between Charlotte's brows told Barrett she was perplexed.

"You'll see." If he was right-and he thought he was-her simple words had unlocked the key to teaching David to roll a ball. "Does he have any wooden blocks?"

Though her expression still registered confusion, Charlotte nodded and gestured toward a small crate. "They're in the box."

Excellent. Barrett retrieved a dozen blocks, arranging them in a row three feet from where David had been sitting. "I'll chase you once," he told the boy, "but if I catch you, we're going to play my game. Okay?"

David scuttled into the kitchen. Barrett let him almost reach the stove before he strode across the floor and swept him into his arms. "My turn." While David squealed with pleasure, Barrett carried him back to the parlor and placed him on the floor in front of the settee. Though the child couldn't see them, the blocks were arranged directly in front of him. After retrieving the ball that David had abandoned when he began to play chase, Barrett handed it to him. "Now, you give it back to me. Just for a minute."

"No!"

"Please, David. This will be fun."

His reluctance evident, the boy handed his toy to Barrett. "Baw."

"The game we're going to learn is called bowling. We're going to bowl. Can you say that, David?"

"Bowl." To Barrett's surprise, the youngster's p.r.o.nunciation was perfect. When Barrett looked at Charlotte, she mimicked eating. No wonder David knew the word. It was one his mother would have used every day as she taught him to eat.

"That's right. Now, listen." Barrett laid the ball on the floor in front of David, guiding the boy's hands to it, placing his own over David's. "We're going to roll it." Barrett aimed the ball and gave it a firm push before pulling David's hands away. "Listen," he said. As the ball gained momentum, the sound of it rolling across the floor changed, and then it happened. The ball hit the middle blocks, toppling them over in a loud crash.

For a second, David's face mirrored puzzlement. Then he laughed. "Bowl!" He tipped his head to one side, considering the direction of the sound he'd heard. An instant later, he was crawling toward the blocks. Reaching out, he touched them, and as he did, Barrett could see comprehension dawning. David laughed again. "Bowl," he announced.

And they did. Again and again. Though David was too young to learn to arrange the blocks, he soon released the ball without Barrett's hands guiding him. And through it all, he laughed.

"I think you've created a monster." Charlotte had laid her sewing aside and watched the process of her son learning to bowl. "Now he'll want to play that all day."