They approached the Tabor Opera House. Its elegance stood out among the dust of Harrison Avenue, reminding Annabelle that profit could come out of the mountains. Maybe some, like the Tabors and a few other fortunate people, made a big strike. But too many ended up on her porch, dead broke, hungry, and willing to risk it all for another chance that never came.
In the end, no matter how many of the dazzling grins he gave Annabelle, Joseph was one of them. A miner whose dreams were bigger than his common sense. Otherwise, he’d never have ended up on her doorstep with a little girl who deserved a better life.
“Annabelle!” Lucy Simms, one of the girls she’d gone to school with, waved her over. “I have news.”
“I can spare only a moment,” Annabelle told her. “I need to get home.”
The other girl’s conspiratorial grin did not bode well for a quick conversation. “Papa has given permission for me to take a trip East so I can see the world before I settle down. He’s going to ask your father if you can accompany us. I heard him tell Mama that your father has been looking for a proper escort to take you to visit your aunt.”
Annabelle’s heart leaped at the thought of her father looking for someone to escort her to finally visit Aunt Celeste. Her father hadn’t been ignoring her. Why hadn’t he said anything?
“Annabelle, watch this!” Nugget’s voice stopped her from questioning the situation further as she watched the little girl spin, nearly falling into the street as she did so.
Fortunately, Joseph was there to grab her, then knelt before Nugget, probably to give her a more stern warning about being careful.
“That sounds lovely,” Annabelle told Lucy. “I would love to hear more about it, but—”
Nugget had broken free of her brother and was hurtling toward her. “Annabelle!”
“Another one of your father’s projects?” Lucy’s disdainful look at Nugget was hard to miss.
Annabelle’s back stiffened. Coming from Lucy, the thoughts that had consumed Annabelle sounded completely selfish. Was it so wrong to want to leave the ministry for a life of her own?
But as Nugget raced into her arms, tears streaming down her cheeks, Annabelle couldn’t bring herself to think of Nugget as a mere project.
“Nothing like that.” Annabelle gathered Nugget close. “They’re friends. I’m sorry, Lucy, but I really must go.”
The look Lucy gave her told her that she didn’t believe Annabelle one bit.
What should have been victory at knowing her father had finally relented in letting her visit her aunt now felt like failure.
Which was fine. Annabelle wasn’t sure what to believe herself. She took Nugget by the hand and started toward home.
“She’s got to learn to be careful near the street.” Joseph caught up to them, apparently thinking she’d taken Nugget’s side.
“I know,” she told him, continuing forward. “We’ve been gone too long. Maddie will be concerned.”
Lucy stepped in with them. “I thought your father was expecting you.”
“Yes, yes, he is.” Annabelle didn’t break stride. “I need to do some work for him, but Maddie is expecting me. I have to be home for them both.”
Her words seemed like falsehoods even to her. But she couldn’t stay and play mediator, not with her warring heart, or Lucy, or between Joseph and Nugget.
Spots danced in front of Annabelle’s eyes. The sun. It was too bright. The air. Too warm.
Somehow, though, the ground didn’t seem all that hard when she woke. She hadn’t realized she’d fallen—
“Annabelle? Are you all right?” Joseph’s voice jarred her.
She nodded slowly and started to sit up.
“Careful.” He knelt beside her and offered his arm. “Let me help you.”
“I’ll fetch Dr. Owens,” Lucy said, her voice full of concern.
Joseph helped her to her feet. “I’m all right. I just got a little dizzy. And the boards in the sidewalk were a bit uneven.”
She couldn’t help releasing Joseph’s protective arm as quickly as possible.
Annabelle turned and gave Lucy a smile. “I’ll be fine. Thank you for your concern.”
Joseph’s eyes were on her the entire walk home, making her feel more exposed than when she’d lain on the sidewalk.
What was she supposed to say that wouldn’t make her sound like a complete ninny? I’m trying hard to keep it all together for my father’s sake, but everyone keeps pushing in places I’d just as soon keep hidden?
Even in her own mind, it sounded ridiculous.
Fortunately, they were close to the house, and soon she’d be able to fix herself a cup of tea, then she could rest, and all would be well.
When the house was in sight, Nugget raced ahead. “I’m going to show Maddie my new ribbon!”
Annabelle couldn’t help the smile that crept across her face. Nugget was a delightful girl. In spite of everything she had experienced and witnessed, she still maintained the childlike innocence that anyone would be hard-pressed to resist.
“Ah, there it is.” Joseph touched her cheek briefly. “I was beginning to think we should send for the doctor after all.”
She wasn’t sure if the sensation left by his momentary touch was a good thing or a bad one. Certainly the way it made her stomach turn inside and out wasn’t a comfortable sensation. Nor was there any comfort in the way his eyes seemed to be searching deep within her.
“I just need a cup of tea.”
Annabelle tried to keep her voice steady. The last thing she needed was for everyone to get concerned for her health. Then her father might never let her leave.
“Are you sure?” Though Joseph’s touch was gentle, it burned, like getting too close to a fire. She should have taken a step back, but having his hand on her arm was just as—
A team of horses galloped by. She turned her gaze to watch the matched set in the beautiful carriage. Trimmed out in the finest gold, it had to belong to one of the mining barons.
Annabelle’s heart sank as she pulled her arm away. Men like Joseph came to town believing they’d leave in a carriage like that. Few did.
She straightened. “I’m perfectly fine. But the longer we dally, the more likely it is to worry my father.”
“He knows you’re safe with me.”
Except she wasn’t. Every kindness from Joseph only punctuated the fact that she couldn’t allow herself to enjoy it. Henry had been all politeness and kindness—until she’d truly needed him. And he was gone.
The ache didn’t leave until after she was seated in the kitchen, Maddie fussing over her.
“I can’t believe you fainted and didn’t let anyone call for the doctor. You should have at least had someone get you a carriage.” Maddie placed a cup of tea in front of her.
“I got too warm, that’s all.” As Annabelle sipped her tea, she watched Joseph slip in the back door.
Annabelle looked up at him. “Would you care for some tea?”
“Thank you, no.” He turned his gaze to Maddie. “I want to visit my pa’s cabin. Frank gave me the information, but I’ll admit the directions don’t make much sense.”
Maddie stirred the pot of soup. “I never venture out of town. Don’t want to get mixed up with the riffraff. Annabelle used to go up to the camps with her father. She