CHAPTER TWELVE
Clint waited as long as his impatient instincts would allow for the mule skinners to come into his office on their own to pay the overnight fee. Early morning was long past. The clock on the wall chimed quarter past ten. A few hours ago, on his way to the café for breakfast, he’d taken a roundabout route to make sure Captain White hadn’t skedaddled without paying. The mules stood peacefully under the large trees in the corral, head to tail, swatting off flies.
Stepping outside, he was brought up short. Four of the Brinkman girls stood by the hotel entry, gazing around with interest. He wondered if they were frightened to leave the hotel without an escort.
Time for a proper sheriff’s welcome, he said to himself as he strode forward and touched the brim of his hat with a forefinger. “Good morning, ladies. You must be John Brinkman’s daughters.”
In a flurry of nods and smiles, one replied, “Yes.”
“Sheriff Dawson, at your service. Welcome to Eden. This day has been a long time coming.”
All wore black dresses that were a bit too fancy for their new town. “I can’t remember Eden ever having so many new women at once.” Pretty too. “You’re creating quite the stir. Let me know if anyone bothers you, and I’ll take care of them right away.”
All four straightened.
Maybe not the smartest thing to say. He hooked a thumb over his shoulder. “My office is over there.” They’d have to be blind to miss the large sign, but pointing it out couldn’t hurt. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“And we you.”
Mavis, if he were to guess, gave a slight tip of her head. The strawberry-haired one would be Emma. Lavinia was giving him the stink eye for being so bold as to introduce himself, and the blue-eyed baby with the honeycomb-colored hair must be Katie. Blake had described them perfectly. He took a quick glance around for Belle. He wondered at the wrist-length gloves Mavis wore even though the weather was nice. Is she too uppity for Eden?
“You must be Mrs. Mavis Applebee. And these are Emma, Lavinia, and Katie Brinkman. But, ladies, aren’t we missing someone?” He smiled mischievously as they glanced between themselves, visibly astonished by how much he knew about them. “Surely you can understand how news of your arrival would spread quickly.”
All three blushed at his compliment.
“Belle preceded us to Mr. Glass’s office,” Mavis replied. “That’s where we’re headed now.”
An unpleasant smell wafted by on the breeze. Mavis waved one gloved hand in front of her face, and the others wrinkled their noses.
“That’s the tannery,” Clint said quickly, wanting to make it known he wasn’t to blame. “Ol’ man Little must be soaking his hides today. I’d be honored to escort you to Henry’s,” he said, to change the subject. The office was just across the quiet street.
“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary,” Lavinia said, the earlier narrow-eyed expression having given way to a smile. Her dark hair looked velvety in the early light as the upswept curls glimmered and her brown eyes snapped a challenge. “We can cross on our own, Sheriff Dawson.”
“You sure? Now that you’re in Eden, I’d hate for anything to happen.” He wasn’t ready yet to let them go.
Right then, the first of seventeen mules rounded the corner, heading toward them, with Captain White leading the way. The mule brayed loudly, his pack swaying with each step.
The captain’s timing couldn’t have been better. Clint gave Lavinia a satisfied smile, and she looked away. Her spirited response made him chuckle.
Captain White pulled to a halt in the road before them. “Sheriff, we’re on our way out of town, but first I intended to stop by your office and pay what I owe. The security of having our merchandise locked in the barn last night was a boon. I wish all our stops provided such accommodations.” His gaze moved slowly over John’s daughters. One of his men rode closer when he saw the pretty display of femininity.
“You can pay me now, if you’d like. Or stop by the office. Either way. The pay box is just inside the front door. You can’t miss it.”
The girls stood quietly, listening.
“I’ll leave payment in your office, if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.” He wouldn’t share the fact he’d been on his way to their camp, suspicious they might try to leave without doing just that. “What’s your end point?” he tossed out, friendly-like.
The third man’s eyes narrowed, presumably not liking Clint’s meddling. Clint didn’t blame him. He’d feel the same if the tables were turned. Captain White, an expert in diplomacy, masked his reaction with a smile and scratched under his hat. “Agua Mansa.”
“Ah, California. A long trip. I’m surprised you’re not stopping over for a rest and trading.” Or have you already? “These Easterners just showed up. Perhaps you’re carrying some souvenirs these ladies might like to buy.”
Why am I trying to get them to stay on? That strange pull inside was back.
White gave a fake laugh. “Can’t. I have a schedule to keep. Bartering for a herd of horses and mules we’ll be bringing back this way. If we don’t show up on time, they may sell to another with cash in hand.”
As they pulled out, Clint did his best to memorize their faces. Sugar House, Utah’s territorial prison, was located just outside of Salt Lake City, a few days’ ride from where the Old Spanish Trail meandered through Utah on their route. Clint knew several marshals who worked at the penitentiary, and they had been grumbling about the conditions. There’d only been two prison breaks since Clint had become sheriff, and all the escapees had been killed in the recapture. By his way of thinking, the fact that the mule skinners didn’t want to barter at all or stay around town for any length of time was unusual. On the other hand, Captain White could be telling the truth. Maybe they’d lingered too long in another town and now had time to make up. Who could say?
Mavis, Clint saw, was studying the long train as the animals trudged by. Her profile was one of intelligence and beauty. She resembled John around her eyes and nose—but softer, sweet. She caught him watching and dropped her gaze.
“You know, Mrs. Applebee,” Clint said low, for her ears only, “I’ve met you before a time or two. I’m sure you don’t remember, but I do. When you were a child.”
A crimson line crept up her face. “I’m sorry. I don’t. You must have been just a boy.”
“No, ma’am. I was about eighteen.”
The middle rider passed, and then the final man behind the last mule.
“That was exciting,” Katie gushed when the road was again clear. “Those men were like nomads, going from one town to the next. I can’t imagine a life like that. And caring for so many animals.” She shook her head in astonishment.
“Ready to go?” Traffic was booming today. After a peddler’s wagon driven by an old Chinese man rolled by, Clint put out both elbows and waited for someone to take hold. “By now, Henry will be wonderin’ where you are.” He felt a brief moment of disappointment when Emma took one arm and Lavinia the other. Surprised, he realized he’d been hoping for Mavis. The women lifted their skirts as they stepped across the multiple droppings the pack animals had left behind. He enjoyed having one sister on each arm, but it was the nonchalance of the oldest that had piqued his curiosity the most.