Tracie Peterson - [New Mexico Sunset 03] Read online

  “I learned today that Mrs. Widdle plans a train trip to Denver to see her niece. I took the liberty of speaking with her and suggested that you might accompany her.”

  Angeline perked up noticeably. “Truly?”

  “Yes,” Daniel replied. “She seemed quite happy about the idea, in fact. She said that her niece had more than enough room to house you, and there would be ample time for you to see the town and visit the shops and museums.”

  “It sounds wonderful!” Angeline’s mind raced with thoughts of what she’d wear. “When do I go and how long will I be gone?”

  “Mrs. Widdle plans to leave next Friday. She intends to stay for two weeks, then return in time to head up the Sunday school class graduation ceremonies.” Daniel paused. “I know it’s not as extensive as you’d like. It certainly isn’t New York or California, but I think you will be pleasantly surprised.”

  Angeline gave her father a reassuring smile. “I know it will be grand!”

  Lillie smiled at her daughter. “It will be, but you must be cautious. Denver is a very big city and the likes of which you’ve never even known. People can’t be trusted the way they are here.”

  “Your mother is right, Angeline. The larger the city, the less personal and more problematic,” her father joined in.

  “I will be on my guard,” Angeline offered, completely unconcerned with her parents’ worries. She was going to Denver in less than a week! Denver!

  ❧

  “She’s going to Denver, at least that’s what Dr. Dan said,” Dolan relayed to Gavin.

  “How soon?” he asked, trying to sound like it was unimportant. Inside he felt as though someone had dealt his midsection a severe blow.

  “I guess she’s leaving Friday,” Dolan answered. “Aunt Lillie thought it’d be fun to have a little party to send Angeline off on her trip. She told me to be sure and have everybody come over Thursday evening for Angeline’s last night in Bandelero. So she must be leaving the next day.”

  Gavin took in the news and frowned when his brother wasn’t looking. This wasn’t in his plans, and given his serious manner of planning everything out to the last detail, the news was rather upsetting.

  “Did you tell Mom?” Gavin finally spoke.

  “Not yet, I was just on my way into the house. Hey, you gonna help me unload this feed or just stand there and look like you’ve lost your last friend?” Gavin gave his younger brother a puzzled look. “Oh, quit trying to play games with me,” Dolan smirked. “I know you’re in love with Angeline.”

  “Oh, really?”

  Dolan shrugged his shoulders. “It doesn’t bother me in the least, although it might be wise to lay your claim to her before she gets all the way to Colorado to look for a husband.”

  “What makes you think she’s going to Colorado to find a husband?” Gavin questioned cautiously. Maybe Angeline had said something to make Dolan believe her interest in matrimonial conquests.

  “What else would a woman like Angeline have on her mind?”

  Gavin laughed at this. “Knowing Angel, she’s got plenty on her mind besides husbands.”

  Dolan laughed and hoisted a heavy feed sack against Gavin’s chest and open arms. “I think you’d better talk to her just the same.”

  Gavin said nothing, but he was still considering Dolan’s words an hour later when he saddled up his horse and headed to Bandelero. Maybe it was time to make his intentions clear to Angel. Maybe she was truly too naïve to know how he felt. She was, after all, just eighteen.

  Gavin rode straight to the Monroe house and noted the absence of the buggy Dr. Dan used for housecalls. With any luck maybe he’d have a chance to talk to Angel alone.

  ❧

  Angeline answered the door with her long blond hair dripping wet. “Gavin!” she exclaimed and quickly threw a towel over her head to hide her hair.

  Gavin grinned sheepishly and stuffed his hands deep in his jeans pockets. “You’re looking good, Angel.”

  Angeline blushed crimson. “Mother and Father are out delivering a baby on the Stanton ranch. Is something wrong?”

  “No. I came to see you.”

  “Me?” Angeline quickly forgot about her appearance as she lost herself in Gavin’s blue-gray eyes.

  “May I come in?”

  Angeline nodded and stepped back from the door. “I was just washing my hair. If you’ll wait in the front room, I need to go comb it out.” She wasn’t at all the same self-confident girl who usually commanded the attention of everyone around her.

  “Why don’t you bring your comb and come sit with me?” Gavin’s words were soft and alluring.

  “I suppose I could,” Angeline replied rather nervously. She slipped into her parents’ bedroom and retrieved the brush.

  When she appeared in the family sitting room, she held up the brush, momentarily not knowing what else to do. Gavin motioned her to sit and reached out for the brush.

  “I think this looks like fun,” he said, and Angeline was so surprised that she couldn’t even protest.

  Gavin took the brush in his trembling hands and began to run it down Angeline’s long, wet hair. The feeling was like nothing she’d ever known, and it was all Angeline could do to remain seated. No one besides her mother had ever brushed her hair, and now it seemed that Gavin’s actions were the most intimate she’d ever shared with anyone.

  Gavin felt the same way, although he, like Angel, would never admit it. Forcing himself to speak, Gavin remembered his brother’s words.

  “I hear you’re taking a trip,” he began, “to Denver.”

  “What?” Angeline’s voice gave away her inability to concentrate.

  “A trip,” Gavin repeated.

  “A what?”

  Gavin would have enjoyed her reaction had he not felt the same uncertainty and nervousness. “I heard that you planned to visit Denver.”

  “Yes,” she managed.

  “When are you leaving?”

  “Uh. . . Friday. I’m traveling with Mrs. Widdle.” Angeline’s voice was barely audible.

  Gavin continued the long brush strokes. “How long you gonna be gone, Angel?”

  “Gone?” she sounded like a child and tried to shake herself out of it. “I’m not sure,” she answered.

  Gavin, always given to getting right to the point, stopped in mid-stroke and drew a deep breath. “I came here to talk to you about us.”

  “Us?” Angeline was hesitant. The single word brought Angeline to complete awareness. “What about us?”

  “That’s what I want to know.”

  “I don’t guess I understand,” Angeline said, turning to face Gavin.

  “I don’t like the idea of you going off, but I guess it’s because I’ll miss having you around. It might also be because I don’t like the idea of those city fellows giving you ideas and causes that will take you away from here.”

  Angeline’s mouth opened slightly. “What are you saying, Gavin?” she finally asked.

  Gavin looked at her for a moment. Her lavender eyes were wide with surprise, and even with her hair wet and clinging to her back, Gavin thought she’d never looked more attractive.

  “Look, Angel, we’ve grown up together. There’s never been a time when I haven’t been a part of your life.”

  “The same can be said of your brothers and sister too,” Angeline protested. She was quickly beginning to see where Gavin was headed.

  “That’s true enough,” he replied. Pausing for a moment, Gavin put the brush aside and reached out to pull Angeline to her feet. “The fact is, Angel, I’ve loved you since you were a little girl. I made up my mind when I was sixteen and you were just twelve, that you were the one I intended to marry.”

  “Marry?” Angeline took a step backwards. “Marry?”

  Gavin smiled. “I think I’ve been rather patient while you’ve courted half the town. Now I’m just laying my claim before you go off and get half of Denver to fall in love with you as well.”

  ❧

  Ang
eline was stunned. For all the attention she was used to receiving, no one had ever asked her to marry them. Now here was Gavin Lucas, the one man who seemed least interested in her, and he was proposing marriage. No, he was demanding it, she thought.

  Gavin seemed unconcerned with Angeline’s shock. “Look, Angel,” he said stepping towards her, “it’s time to consider the future. I want you to be my wife.”

  Angeline quickly regained her composure and ducked under Gavin’s outreaching arms. Putting a chair between them, Angeline shook her head. “I can’t believe you think you can just waltz in here and propose like that. Gavin Lucas, I have no intention of marrying you or anyone else!”

  Gavin was the one who looked surprised now. Angeline quickly took the advantage. “You’ve treated me like I have some awful disease these last months. Hardly ever talking to me at parties or picnics. Never so much as saying a single word when we crossed paths in town. Now you come here and tell me that you’ve chosen me for your wife, like it’s some kind of honor.”

  Gavin grinned at this. “You might consider it just that, after you get the ring on your finger.”

  Angeline shook her head. “I’m not ready to marry anyone yet.”

  “You are a bit immature, I’ll give you that.”

  “Why you. . .you,” Angeline stammered for something to say.

  “Look, Angel,” Gavin said, easily pushing the chair aside in order to get to the woman he loved. “I know I’ve surprised you, but it’s not like we’ve never had anything between us.”

  “What have we had between us, except friendship?”

  “Friendship is a good start,” Gavin said softly. “But we’ve always had more than that. You’re friends with my brothers too, but I’ll wager you don’t feel the same things for them that you do for me.”

  Angeline shook her head once again. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I like all of you. You’re like family to me. But, I intend to travel a great deal. I want to go abroad when those European ninnies quit fighting with each other. I want to fly in one of those aeroplanes. I want to sail on the ocean, and I can’t do any of that by getting myself married off to you or anyone else.” Angeline noted that Gavin seemed completely unmoved by her declaration. “Besides that, there are things I want to do and be a part of. There are important causes out there, things that I can help with.” Angel backed up while Gavin just kept coming toward her. “I mean it, Gavin. I don’t have those kinds of feelings for you.”

  Gavin reached out and pulled Angeline into his arms, then very gently he tilted her chin upward and kissed her deeply. Angel was too shocked to do anything. She felt Gavin’s strong arms encircle her waist, while his lips commanded her attention.

  She held herself rigid, hoping the kiss would end in just a moment, but it didn’t. When Gavin continued to kiss her, Angeline couldn’t help but feel her resistance give way. It was after all, her first kiss. Although Angeline would never have admitted it to Gavin.

  Gavin stopped kissing her abruptly and set Angeline away from him. He grinned when she gripped the back of a nearby chair to steady herself.

  Then, completely to Angeline’s surprise, Gavin turned and without even stopping to look back at her, called out, “I think you should reconsider what you think you feel, Angel. I have my own causes and marrying you is right at the top of the list.”

  Chapter 3

  Thursday evening arrived, and Angeline forced thoughts of Gavin from her head and replaced them with ones of the party to come. She dressed carefully in a white gown of cotton eyelet which was trimmed daintily with ribbons of pink. Three flounces fell in graceful swirls to make up the skirt, while the bodice fit snug to accentuate Angeline’s small waist. She pulled her hair back from her face and tied part of it with a large pink ribbon that matched those on her dress. Twirling before her mother’s cheval mirror, Angeline smiled. She’d never looked better, and she was more than a little pleased.

  Angeline went downstairs and found everyone in a surprisingly good mood. Letters had come that day from John and James, and her mother was greatly relieved to learn that they were well. Her father, one of only two doctors in the town, happily announced that he had successfully saved the leg of one of the town’s older residents. The man had taken a fall on his horse, crushing his leg and breaking it in several places. Dr. Monroe had worked most diligently to restore the limb and now, after ten days of battling a fierce infection, he declared the leg well on the way to mending. Everyone was happy and the tone of the party was set in that mood.

  The first to arrive at the party was David and Jenny Monroe and their twins Samuel and Hannah. At twenty, neither of the twins seemed all that concerned with leaving home. Samuel seemed to favor banking, while Hannah had spent the last year diligently working on the Belgian Relief cause. Angeline herself had joined Hannah’s efforts for a time, until boredom set in, as it usually did, and she was off and running to right wrongs somewhere else.

  Angeline seldom gave too much consideration to her cousins. They were simple people, uninterested in the things that Angeline found fascinating and completely too quiet to be considered fun.

  The Lucas’s arrived not far behind David and Jenny, and Angeline was relieved when Gavin seemed content to keep his distance and not bring up their previous conversation. Still, Angeline couldn’t help but watch Gavin out of the corner of her eye. She felt herself tremble once when she caught him staring at her, but when he did nothing but grin and give her a slight nod, Angeline calmed a bit and chided herself for being silly.

  Maybe he’s thought better of it, Angeline decided silently. Maybe he’s sorry and embarrassed for asking me to marry him. But just as soon as she considered that thought, Angeline knew that she didn’t want him to be. She rather liked the idea of having been proposed to, although she had no intention of accepting. A woman should be flattered when a handsome young man asked for her hand.

  “But he didn’t ask,” Angeline muttered, quickly looking up to see who else might have overheard her.

  “What was that, Dear?” her mother questioned, but no one else seemed to have heard.

  “Nothing,” Angeline said, forcing a smile. “Nothing at all.”

  ❧

  The Monroe’s beautifully cultivated yard was soon filled with several dozen people. Angeline was pleased with the effort her parents had gone to. Her father had strung paper lanterns around the yard, and her mother had decorated a beautiful buffet of food for all of the guests to enjoy. Angeline had never felt so special in all her life.

  It didn’t take long for the men to begin their courting. Angeline was soon the center of attention, laughing at their stories and pretending to be shocked at the risks they faced in their jobs. But Gavin wasn’t among them, and for the first time, Angeline wasn’t nearly as interested in what the other men had to say. What was wrong with her?

  From time to time, Angeline sought the crowd for Gavin. Inevitably, she found him after searching for several minutes, only to realize that he knew, when their gazes met, that she’d been looking for him. He’d smile smugly, maybe give her a nod, but otherwise he made no attempt to command her attention or greet her. Angeline felt a sense of ineffable disappointment when Gavin finally turned to engage in conversation with Hannah and Samuel.

  ❧

  “Sometimes I think she’s too popular,” Lillie Monroe said, coming to stand beside Gavin.

  “She deserves to enjoy herself,” Gavin replied softly.

  “Still, a mother worries about such things. Angeline is very stubborn, like her father,” Lillie said with a grin that Gavin shared.

  “I heard tell it was the other way around,” Gavin offered lightly. “In fact, I’ve heard a few stories about you and my mom that make Angel seem kind of tame.”

  Lillie laughed out loud. “Gavin Lucas you’ve been listening to your father again. Or was it Daniel?”

  “Both,” Gavin admitted. “I guess they just want to train me up so I’ll not be shocked when I take a wife.”


  “Then your mother and I had best get busy and give you our side,” Lillie said with genuine affection for Gavin. She looped her arm through his and with a more motherly tone, spoke of courtship. “Stubbornness can be both a virtue and a curse, depending on how you use it. In my case, stubbornness keeps Dr. Dan and I together. But, we love each other a great deal,” she added softly, “and just like the Bible says in Proverbs 10:12, ‘Love covereth all sins.’ ”

  “It does tend to make you overlook things, doesn’t it?” Gavin reflected, his eyes still on Angeline.

  Lillie was rather taken back by his response. She followed his gaze to her daughter. “I worry something fierce about her, Gavin. She’s so young, and she’s not a bit aware of how ugly the world can really be. Now she’s going off to Denver and, after that, who knows where? Her heart is so soft and giving, and she’ll expect everyone else to be the same way.” Lillie stopped, pulled her arm from Gavin’s.

  Silence engulfed them for a moment, then Gavin turned to his mother’s lifelong friend. “Don’t worry about Angel,” he said softly. “I intend to see to it that she’s well cared for. I’ll never let anyone hurt her if I’m able to do anything about it.”

  Lillie smiled at Gavin’s chivalrous reply. “You can’t be everywhere, Gavin. Angeline’s bound to take wings and fly away someday, and there’s no way I can stop that. Not that I really want to stop her from growing up, it’s just that I worry about the kind of people she’ll meet; the type of man she’ll finally settle down to marry.”

  “Then stop worrying about it,” Gavin said boldly. “I intend to marry Angel and I told her so. She just needs to get used to the idea.”

  Lillie’s mouth dropped open at Gavin’s declaration. “You what?”

  Gavin looked a bit embarrassed as if suddenly realizing it was Angel’s mother he was talking to. “I hope that didn’t seem too out of place. I do intend to speak with Dr. Dan about it before just barging into the family.”

  Lillie was still dumbstruck as Garrett and Maggie came up to announce they were heading for home.

  “I’ll help you get the wagon,” Gavin said to his father and followed him off into the night.