“I’ll see to it. What do I owe you?”
“Two dollars will cover everything.” The train whistle blasted its warning of pending departure.
The man pulled the coins from his pocket, tossed them on the counter and grabbed the bag. “Thank you for your help, sir. My wife and daughter have suffered exceedingly and will be most grateful to find relief.”
“I’m glad to have been of service, sir. Now, you’d best hurry back or you will not have time to administer the first dose before the train leaves the station. Remember, two spoonsful immediately, another two spoonsful after ten minutes have passed and then as needed!” His called words followed the man out the door. He dropped the coins in the cash box and slipped it beneath the counter, grabbed his dusting rag and straightened. The bell jingled.
“That fellow’s in a hurry. He almost knocked me off the steps.” Blake Latherop strolled into the shop and set the boxes of lemons and ginger roots he carried on the counter. “I’ll tell you, Trace, it’s downright dangerous to be anywhere on the porches or the station road when a train blasts its warning of departure.”
“The man’s family is ill.” He returned Blake’s smile, squeezed one of the ginger roots and sniffed a lemon for freshness. “Thanks for bringing these over. I was hoping they had come in on the train. I’m out of my stomach elixir.”
“Your other order came in on the train, too. The crates are sitting at the station. I’m going to pick them up now. I just stopped in to see when you want them delivered. I’m sure your bride is anxious to have them.” Blake held out his hand. “May I offer Audrey’s and my congratulations on your marriage? Audrey is thrilled to have another new bride in town.”
“Thank you. I’ll pass your felicitations on to Katherine.” He ignored the knot forming in his stomach and shook Blake’s hand. “As for the delivery...” The knot twisted tighter at the thought of having to go home. “I have to make the stomach tonic right now. And roll some headache pills...”
“What about after dinner, between the afternoon trains?”
Dinner. There was no escaping that. His stomach roiled. He took another sniff of the lemon and wished he had a bottle of his medicine handy. “That will be fine, Blake. And I’ll come over to your store after I’ve finished my work and settle my account for the month. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get started on the tonic. There may be a passenger on the next train who has motion sickness.” He picked up the boxes and turned toward his back room, away from Blake’s studied look. Did his friend suspect something was wrong? He blew out a breath at the sound of Blake moving toward the door, stopped walking and listened for the click of the latch. The bell jingled, signaling his departure.
Blake was gone. He set the boxes on his work table, turned to the sink and filled a dishpan with cold water to soak the fresh ginger roots clean. Dinner. An image of Katherine sitting across the table from him at breakfast popped into his head. His face tightened. Katherine Fleming was a beautiful young woman. And, though he still was not interested in having any sort of relationship with her or any woman, if he was honest, her beauty made things more...difficult. He was, after all, a young, healthy man. Sharing another meal with her was a test of his resolve he did not look forward to. Thankfully, he had his work to concentrate on meanwhile—once he got the image of her out of his head!
* * *
Katherine put the knitted coat and hat from the wardrobe on Howard and wrapped him in a blanket. The outfit was a little large, but she wanted to take the baby outside, and if Wyoming weather was anything like New York’s it would be cool. Not that it could be any cooler than Trace Warren had been at dinner.
She fastened her everyday cape around her and carried Howard down the stairs and out onto the porch. Trace was faultlessly polite, even thoughtful, but...distant. Dinner had been completely impersonal. They had exchanged more factual information, and then he had left the minute his meal was finished. He had said he had work to do, but she had the distinct feeling he had wanted to escape her company. Irritation quickened her steps to the railing. She had agreed to enter into this in-name-only marriage to help the baby, and she was well aware that it was a simple business arrangement, but it wouldn’t hurt the man to smile.
“Stop it this instant, Katherine Jeanne Fleming! You’re only feeling sorry for yourself. You agreed to this ridiculous marriage—make the best of it. The poor man is probably feeling as uncomfortable and constrained as you.”
Howard squirmed and let out a whimper. She looked down at his sweet face snuggled against her neck and smiled. “I’m scolding myself, not you, Howard. You are far too adorable to ever scold.” She shifted his weight in her arms and gazed out at the towering walls of granite that enclosed the vast valley watered by Whisper Creek and divided by the silver rails of the Union Pacific Railroad. “My, but this valley is beautiful! And just look at those mountains, Howard! Perhaps when you are grown you will climb them. But for now we’ll stroll around the porch and investigate your new home together.”
She pulled the blanket high around his neck and started forward, stopping when a horse snorted. Muted voices came from the other side of the house. Had Trace brought a friend home? She stopped walking and listened. Should she intrude? The sound of a woman’s voice decided her. She patted and smoothed her hair as best she could with her free hand, cuddled the baby close and hurried along one of the angles that formed the deep wraparound porch.
Trace and another young man were lifting a crate from a small wagon. Her attention went immediately to the slender, young woman climbing another set of porch steps. The woman had beautiful, curly red hair. And there was a covered plate in her hands. Their gazes met—so did their smiles.
“Ah, Katherine dearest, you’re just in time to meet one of Whisper Creek’s businessmen and his wife.”
Dearest? She jerked her gaze to Trace. He looked at her over the top of the crate, a warning in his eyes. “I’m not exactly in a position to make a formal introduction.” He shifted his hold on the crate, felt behind him with his foot and backed up the steps. “This is Mr. Blake Latherop and his wife, Audrey. Blake owns the general store. Blake, Audrey, this is my wife, Katherine.”
The young man dipped his head. “A pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Warren.” He lifted his end of the crate higher and followed Trace up the steps.
“And you, Mr. Latherop...” She glanced back at the young woman. “And you, Mrs. Latherop...” Should she invite them in for tea? Or leave that to Trace? It wasn’t her house. She smiled to cover her uncertainty.
“Please excuse my unexpected visit, Mrs. Warren, but Blake had these crates to deliver to your husband, and I couldn’t resist coming along to welcome you to Whisper Creek.” Audrey Latherop lifted the plate she held. “I know you have a cook, but I thought you might enjoy a few cinnamon rolls.”
“How thoughtful of you. Thank you, Mrs. Latherop.” Katherine glanced around. There was a small table with two accompanying chairs sitting against the house wall. “Would you care to sit down?”
“Thank you, but we have to get back to the store. I’ll just set the rolls on the table as you have your hands full. And please, call me Audrey.” The young woman’s gaze lowered and her expression softened. “I heard you had a baby.”
“Yes. This is Howard.” She lowered the baby from her shoulder.
Audrey stepped closer, smiled and touched the tiny hand clutching the edge of the blanket. “So you’re the one we’ve been ordering all of this baby furniture for, young man.”
Howard blinked and went back to sleep.
“He’s beautiful, Mrs. Warren.”
“Katherine, please.” There was a thunk as the men set the crate they carried on the porch next