CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
That evening, after the small birthday celebration in Belle and Mavis’s hotel room, Belle had a difficult time keeping her thoughts on track. Blake’s kiss had changed her life—or at least mixed her up completely. If nothing else, it had shown her how little she felt for Lesley. She hadn’t known a kiss could move the ground under her feet. Or whisk her to the highest mountain peak. The two worlds the men represented couldn’t be more diverse. Her emotions had been running high yesterday after she’d read her father’s letter, but still. There was much to consider.
“Belle, pay attention!” Emma scolded, holding the bowl filled with scrap papers that were inscribed with their father’s five businesses. “This is important! You look as if you’re five thousand miles away.”
“Sorry. I am paying attention. After drawing straws, it seems Lavinia will choose first, followed by Katie, Mavis, you, and then I’ll get what’s left over. Lavinia, are you ready?”
Lavinia, in her pretty blue dress and with her dark-brown hair brushed to a high sheen, stepped forward as if in a Broadway play, eagerness moving across her face. Everyone was excited this moment had finally arrived. Since the reading of the will, one calamity after the other and then the roundup had made them delay. Henry had relayed that the townspeople were anxious to get to know their new bosses. They were beginning to fret, so the girls knew they should not put off choosing any longer.
All Belle had been able to do since she’d arrived in town two hours ago was think about Blake back on the ranch. Why did he kiss me? It didn’t make any sense at all. But she had to admit the kiss had sent an eruption of delicious sensations flashing through her body. His warm lips, strong arms, and the feel of his chest were seared into her mind. The caress, which must have only lasted seconds, felt like a lifetime. She’d been able to think of nothing else since. They’d ridden back to the ranch in silence, and she’d been there when he’d given Riley and Bush the good news. The men were younger than she’d expected—younger probably than Katie.
Lavinia stuck her hand in the bowl and made a show of fingering all the scraps of paper before choosing. One more piece of the puzzle of their lives was about to fall into place. She withdrew her hand and carefully opened the fold. “I’m the proud new owner of the hotel café! I’ll be working alongside Karen!” She clutched the scrap to her chest as if her fortune had just been revealed.
Belle was thankful the eatery hadn’t gone to her.
Everyone smiled and cheered. The happy sentiments felt good after what they’d learned yesterday about being the targets of someone’s scheme. Emma moved to Katie, whose face glowed with excitement. Katie enthusiastically put her hand in the bowl.
Opening the paper, she sucked in a breath. “I’ve got the mill and lumberyard. I know nothing about milling boards.” Her gaze touched each of her sisters’.
“You’ll learn,” Mavis said. “Whoever runs the place now will help. Just think, you’ll have your finger on the pulse of Eden as it grows. That’s exciting.”
She put her gloved hand in the bowl next and chortled after she pulled out a paper and read her lot. “The livery! I’m partner with Maverick Daves. Oh my!” Her face flamed red, making Belle, and everyone else, take note.
“And you’ll also be working with Cash Dalton, the sheriff’s fourteen-year-old son,” Emma said with a saucy laugh. “He may be practically a boy, but he’s incredibly handsome.” She nudged a flustered, scarlet-faced Mavis with her elbow. “Don’t you think, sister? I became tongue-tied when I met him in the café a few days ago. Maverick isn’t bad himself. Perhaps he’ll ask for your hand. I wouldn’t be surprised in the least.”
Belle averted her gaze when Mavis subconsciously clasped one hand over the other, covering her missing finger. She knew Emma hadn’t meant to hurt with her comment, but Mavis was overly sensitive about her plight. Belle snorted to herself. She finally realized more of the blame for that accident resided with Velma, instead of her. With their father’s money, rightfully given to them when it should have been, she and Mavis wouldn’t have been outside cleaning up refuse like a couple of garbage men. Perhaps . . .
“It’s my turn!” Emma called, quick to draw a scrap of paper.
Belle didn’t care what business she ended up owning. All she really wanted to do was be out at the ranch riding herd. Amazing how much the duty had grown on her in the little time they’d been in Eden. Is that the real reason? Or am I missing Blake with my whole heart and soul?
“What did you get, Emma?” she asked, trying to silence her annoying inner voice.
Emma beamed. “The Toggery! It’s exactly what I wanted. I’m going to tear that place apart, enlarge the building, and import all sorts of pretty clothes for women made of the finest wool. You watch and see if I don’t. You won’t recognize the place when I get through with it.”
“That will take some doing,” Lavinia replied with an exasperated sigh. “Their inventory is shocking. Or should I say lack of inventory . . .”
Belle made a face. “That leaves me with the run-down leather shop on the Old Spanish Trail that backs up to Dr. Dodge’s medical office. How exciting. Anyone except Lavinia want to swap? Please? Please?”
They all shook their heads.
“I didn’t think so.”
“Sorry, Belle.” Emma was fairly glowing. “Looks like you’re stuck with what you have. Everyone seems to like their challenge at hand.”
“I’ve never even been out to the mill,” Katie said. “Or seen it. Where is it?”
With the excitement over, Mavis lowered herself into a chair. “On the other side of the river. Clint told me there’s a bridge just past the icehouse, across from the cantina. You won’t be able to go down there by yourself, Katie. None of us will. At least not yet.”
All color had drained from Katie’s face. “No, I wouldn’t want to. Did Henry say if the mill has an office in town?”
“He didn’t. But that’s an idea you might want to implement if they don’t.”
A knock sounded on the door. Belle’s heart leaped, thinking Blake may have followed her into town like he had yesterday. Lavinia opened the door to reveal Henry.
“Good evening,” he said. “How’s the choosing coming along? Did I miss the fun?”
“Come in,” Lavinia gushed. “I’m the new owner of the café downstairs. Would you like something delightful to eat? It’s on me.”
Everyone laughed, feeling Lavinia’s lightheartedness. In Belle’s mind, she and Emma had gotten the types of businesses that would be pleasing to a woman. She was glad.
“As a matter of fact,” he said, coming in and closing the door behind him, “I’ve just finished a tasty bowl of stew from downstairs, thank you very much.” He glanced around. “But I have other news. It’s not as fun as what you’ve been discussing.”
Belle moved closer. “Oh?” The news could be any number of things. She steeled her nerves.
He stood straight, legs slightly apart, looking every bit a protector. “I’ve had a reply to my telegrams regarding your guardians.”
A hush fell over the room.
“The last known sighting of Vernon and Velma Crowdaire was at the shipyard. They were seen at the ticket office, but no one there has a recollection of where they went. I’m under the belief they paid off whoever sold them their passage. There were several ships leaving that day. One to France and two to South America.”
The excitement Belle had been experiencing at the thought of those two getting their comeuppance vanished. They’ll escape. Walk free after all they’d done to hurt my family.
“What can we do? Is there any way to find them?”
Henry dropped his gaze. “I won’t lead you on. Searching for them in another country will be like finding a needle in a haystack. Difficult and expensive, but not impossible. Our end result may take some time. I do have several connections in both of those destinations. I’ll send correspondence right away. Perhaps my letters will beat their crossing, but there is no telling. If that doesn’t happen, our chances lessen more.”
Emma leaned into Mavis’s arms, her face a mask of hurt. Belle knew exactly how she felt.
Henry set a comforting hand on Lavinia’s shoulder. “But I’ll keep trying. The least we can do is keep them in hiding. Keep them from living the high life on the plunder they’ve stolen from this family. If they’ve planned for a time like this, and have a strategy laid out . . .”
“Finding them may be impossible,” Belle finished for him.
He nodded.
“Well, at least we’ll keep them on their toes,” she said.
He smiled. “Now for a bit of good news. Everything is lined up. Construction on the house might begin as early as tomorrow. I suggest you start conspiring on colors and furniture. I know how much women like such things.”
Belle gave him a look. “You’re sure about the ranch house? We’ve talked about it at length, and we’d never want anyone to think that’s why we’re staying. We’ve lived in one bedroom our whole lives. Since we’ve arrived, sharing these two in the hotel has felt like a luxury. We don’t need—”
“Belle! We’ve been over this many times. The ranch will be more valuable with a new home. Would you deny your father his dying wish?” He smiled kindly. “You need to come to grips with just how well-off you all are. We’re not talking peanuts, I can assure you.”
Someone else knocked on the door, and Emma answered.
“Good evening, ladies.” Clint stood in the hallway, holding his hat. His brows shot up when he saw Henry.
“Please come in,” Emma said, holding the door open.
“Only for a moment. I’m just back from Dove Creek.”
Henry’s expression grew dark and all business.
By the look on the sheriff’s face, this was more bad news. “What did the prisoners say when you questioned them?”
“I didn’t get a chance. They’d been released.”
A gasp went around the room.
“What do you mean?” Henry barked. “Who would do such a thing?”
Clint held out a telegram. “Apparently, I did.”
They all crowded in. The telegram said it was from Clint Dawson, sheriff of Eden.
RELEASE MY PRISONERS IMMEDIATELY STOP MISTAKEN IDENTITY STOP WILL SEND MORE INFO LATER STOP