Chapter Five
Dugan lifted a foot and rested it on the edge of the water trough located outside the depot office as he waited for the afternoon train to arrive. He and Seth had flipped a coin to see who would go to the depot to meet the sheriff and drive his family home. Pleased he’d won, Dugan looked forward to seeing Tully, Brianna, and Sammy.
With the three of them gone, the town seemed a little too quiet.
Dugan took out his watch and glanced at the time before tucking it back into his vest pocket. He removed a piece of Adams’ Tutti Frutti gum from his pocket and popped it in his mouth, then returned to waiting. Only a minute or two had passed when he heard the train chugging down the tracks.
The big locomotive belched steam into the air as it ground to a halt amid much screeching and creaking. It rocked to a stop with a final blast of steam and a long sigh.
Dugan straightened and watched as the porter stepped onto the platform and began helping women down the steps. A broad grin filled his face as Sammy Barrett leaped off the steps and raced his way.
“Dugan!” she called, launching herself into his arms.
He swung her around in the air and kissed her rosy cheek before setting her on her feet and watching as her adoptive parents stepped off the train. Brianna looked as lovely as ever and Tully appeared happy and relaxed as he settled a hand around his wife’s waist and guided her toward Dugan.
“It appears the trip was a success,” Dugan said, shaking Tully’s hand then kissing Brianna’s cheek.
“We had such fun,” Brianna said, brushing a hand over Sammy’s head. “Tully and Sammy built a huge sandcastle.”
“Until the tide came in and washed it away,” Sammy said with a slight pout. Almost immediately, she brightened. “We saw whales, Dugan, and I got to feed a seal, and we ate, um…” She looked to Tully, and held both hands so they looked like pincers. “What were they called, Dad?”
“Lobsters, Sam. We had lobsters.” Tully grinned at his daughter.
“And they were so good. And we played in the waves and cooked on the beach over an open fire and ate salt water taffy.” Sammy thrust her hand into the pocket of her dress. She pulled it out and handed Dugan a piece of candy wrapped in paper. “Here, I saved one for you.”
“Thank you, Sammy.” Dugan tucked the candy into his pocket to enjoy later and turned to where the luggage was being unloaded. “How many trunks did you come home with?”
“Only one more than we took,” Brianna said, giving Tully a warning glare.
The sheriff shrugged and squeezed Brianna’s waist. “I kept her too busy to do much shopping.”
Sammy snorted. “That’s for sure. When we weren’t off seeing whales and exploring the beach, Dad kept smooching all over Mama.”
Brianna’s face turned pink then a brighter shade of red as she scowled first at Tully and then Sammy.
Dugan placed a hand over his mouth in an attempt to hide his smile.
Tully chuckled and slapped him on the back. “Let’s go get those trunks. I’m ready to head home and relax in my favorite chair.”
“I borrowed Edwin’s wagon and Hattie sent along a basket full of food for your supper,” Dugan said as Tully hefted one trunk and pointed to the others that belonged to Brianna.
Dugan picked one up and led the way to where he’d parked the Greenfield’s wagon. After loading the trunks, Tully lifted Brianna up to the wagon seat then swung Sammy into the back. Dugan climbed up and took the reins in his hands. Once Tully settled on the other side of Brianna, Dugan released the brake, snapped the reins, and guided the team away from the depot.
“Anything interesting happen while we were gone?” Tully asked, looking around Brianna to Dugan.
He glanced at the sheriff then back at the road. “The new meteorologist arrived in town on Monday.”
“Is he gonna be any better than the last three?”
“Definitely. His name is Captain Ross Robbins, although he prefers not to be addressed as Captain because he retired from the military last year. He’s spent the last twenty years working with the Signal Corps in one form or another, and is quite knowledgeable. He’s a likeable fellow and he has a daughter.”
“A daughter?” Brianna asked, studying Dugan. “Is she close to Sammy’s age?”
Dugan shook his head. “No, she’s closer to mine.”
Tully chuckled. “Let me guess — she’s a homely, addle-brained thing.”
“Sure, boss. That’s what she is.”
Brianna smacked Tully’s leg with her reticule. “That’s enough out of you, mister. I want to hear about Miss Robbins.” She looked back at Dugan. “Where are they from? Is Mr. Robbins a widower? What’s Miss Robbins like?”
“They moved here from Washington, D.C. Mr. Robbins is a widower and Miss Robbins is unlike anyone I’ve ever met.”
Brianna and Tully both stared at him.
Disturbed by their observant glances, he focused on driving the wagon through the afternoon traffic. “I just meant that even though you can tell she was raised in high society, she’s willing to get her hands dirty. I found her stuck in the attic at the house with a wild raccoon. She didn’t even faint when she realized she wasn’t up there alone.”
“Well, that’s something, I guess,” Tully said, ignoring the look his wife gave him.
“What does she look like?” Sammy asked, leaning over the seat between Dugan and Brianna.
“She has gleaming dark brown hair and eyes the color of melted chocolate, and a smile that looks like she captured a little bit of sunshine. And a long, long neck, like a graceful swan.”
Sammy gave him a look nearly identical to the studying glances of her parents. “Is she tall or short?”
“Neither. She’s not tall like Allie Amick, but she’s taller than your mama.” Dugan wished he could change the subject. Why did the Barrett family seem intent on pestering him with questions about Miss Robbins?
“I bet she’s just right,” Sammy said with a grin. “What’s her name?”
“Delilah. Delilah Robbins.”
“Oh, that’s a pretty name.” Sammy moved back and sighed. “Delilah. Sounds fancy to me.”
“Well, wait until you see her,” Dugan said, giving the child a teasing wink. “Maybe you’ll think she’s a dilly.”
“You and Seth have any problems while I was gone?” Tully asked, abruptly changing the subject.
Grateful, Dugan shook his head. “Nary a problem at all. Other than a few drunken miners and one attempted robbery with a thief too dumb to figure out how to get out of the store after he broke in through an upstairs window, it’s been quiet.”
“That’s great to hear.” Tully leaned back against the seat and slipped his arm around Brianna. “I’m glad everyone behaved, at least for the most part. How are Thane and Jemma getting along?”
“If you’re asking if the baby arrived yet, the answer is no. Ben and Allie were in town this morning and said Jemma’s doing well, but Thane may require a stay in an institution for the insane before long.”
Tully chuckled. “I can believe it. We probably better head out that way tomorrow and check on them.”
Sammy released a whoop from behind them. “Maybe I could spend the night and come home after church on Sunday.”
“Now, Sammy, Jemma might not feel like having an extra youngster underfoot right now,” Brianna cautioned, looking over her shoulder at her rambunctious daughter.
“It won’t hurt to ask, will it?” Sammy pressed. “Allie and Ben would let me stay with them in the cabin if Jemma doesn’t want extra company.”
“I see you’ve already planned this all out, haven’t you?” Brianna tried to give Sammy a stern look, but the child tossed her an impish grin.
“Not all the particulars, but the important details.” Sammy kissed Brianna’s cheek with a noisy smack. “Please, Mama?”
“You may take a bag of your things in case you get to stay, but we won’t ask until we see how well Jemma feels. Deal?”
“Deal,” Sammy said, hugging Brianna around the neck, and then giving one to Tully, too.
“I didn’t negotiate. How come I get a hug?” Tully asked, as he reached back and patted Sammy on the shoulder.
“Just ‘cause I like hugging on my daddy.”
Dugan saw Tully swallow hard and glance off in the distance as he guided the horse off the road and down the lane toward the Barrett home. A year ago, it had been a modest house, like many other farm houses in the area.
Although it didn’t appear much different from the front, rooms had been added at the back, including a bathroom. Electricity wasn’t yet an option this far from town or Dugan was sure Brianna would have had it installed, too. The woman had more money than she could spend in ten lifetimes, but chose to live a fairly simple life with Tully and Sammy.
Dugan had to admire her for that when she could have built or bought the fanciest house in town. She also could have insisted if Tully loved her that he return to her home back East. Instead, she’d taken to Baker City and decided to stay there.
Thoughts of her mine partner made Dugan grin. Crusty ol’ Clive Fisher disliked women in general and bathing in particular. But after Brianna came to town and demanded her share of the mine, Clive had turned over a new leaf. He bathed with some regularity, stopped wearing filthy clothes, and occasionally even appeared at a social gathering in town.
The wagon hadn’t quite rolled to a stop when Sammy jumped out and raced over to the pasture where a dozen horses grazed. Cotton and Hoss, the horses Tully and Brianna rode, nickered and trotted toward the fence, but the rest appeared indifferent. A horse Tully had spent considerable time and money trying to gentle merely raised his head and looked around before returning to nibbling at the grass.
“Loco hasn’t had a miraculous change of personality while you were gone,” Dugan said, picking up one of the trunks while Tully hefted one and Brianna led the way to the house.
“I didn’t expect he would, but all the horses are alive and well, so that means he at least behaved himself while we were gone instead of trying to let the others know he’s the mean king of the hill.” Tully impatiently waited while Brianna took a key from her reticule and tried to unlock the door. “Fred, didn’t I tell you that thing wouldn’t open if you locked it.”
Brianna frowned at Tully over her shoulder and wiggled the key in the lock a few times. A loud click sounded then she turned the knob and swung the door open wide.
Dugan wouldn’t have been surprised in the least if she’d stuck her tongue out at Tully. The sheriff and his bride, like Thane and Jemma Jordan, didn’t always see eye to eye. In fact, more often than not, they locked horns, but he knew the couples were devoted and loving to one another even when their opinions differed.
“Just set that trunk there by the stairs,” Tully said, motioning toward the stairs that led to the upstairs bedrooms.
“I can carry it up if you want me to.” Dugan moved onto the bottom step.
“No, it’s quite alright, Dugan. I need to sort through the contents of that trunk because part of it is Sammy’s treasures and the rest will stay down here.” Brianna motioned for him to set the trunk down on the entry floor.
“Anything else I can do to help?”
“Why don’t you stay for supper, Dugan, since you brought it,” Brianna looped her arm around his and walked with him outside. He took a large basket from the back of the wagon.
“You don’t need to include me. I can rustle up some grub for dinner,” he said, handing her the basket then lifting another trunk.
“Please stay. We all enjoy your company and I’m quite interested in hearing more about delightful Delilah Robbins.”
Dugan scowled as she laughed and led the way back inside. “I never once said she was delightful.”
“But I could tell you were thinking it,” Brianna teased.