Rocky Mountain Dreams (Leadville, Co. Book 1) Read online

  The lump that Joseph had been successfully swallowing all evening wouldn’t go away this time. Everything had meaning to the Lassiters, yet they were both able to share. Frank more willingly than Annabelle, but even her, he couldn’t fault for being stingy.

  “Thank you, Frank. Your generosity means the world to me.”

  Frank gave a small nod. “I hope someday you pass on that generosity to someone else.”

  The floorboards creaked as Frank once again retreated, leaving Joseph in the cozy room bathed with soft candlelight. He glanced at the Bible, which smelled of the hope and promise of things yet to come. So far, he hadn’t found any of the answers he’d been seeking in Leadville. But Frank Lassiter had given him the hope that he’d finally come to a place where he could.

  Chapter Four

  Annabelle walked into Jessup’s Mercantile, Nugget’s hand clutched tightly in hers.

  “I ain’t allowed in here,” Nugget whispered.

  “You’re with me, so it’ll be fine. Be a good girl, and I’ll let you choose a peppermint when we’re done.”

  She gave the little girl an encouraging squeeze and a smile.

  “I don’t like peppermints. The men who visited Mama always gave ’em to me, and then I’d have to go away.”

  After a day with Nugget, none of her experiences should shock Annabelle. But each one put an anger in her heart that wasn’t going to be easily erased. How many other children endured what poor Nugget had? Despite her anger, Annabelle felt powerless to do anything.

  “I’m not going to make you go away.” She gave Nugget another squeeze. “But I will let you pick out whatever treat you’d like.”

  Nugget’s grip loosened in her hand.

  “Who is this young lady you have with you today, Annabelle?” Mrs. Jessup greeted her with a smile as Nugget shied into Annabelle’s skirts.

  “Good morning, Mrs. Jessup.” Annabelle returned the greeting. “We have a very special guest staying with us, so I’ve brought her with me to pick up a few things for Maddie. Nugget, please give Mrs. Jessup your most polite how-do-you-do.”

  Mrs. Jessup blanched. “Nugget? That isn’t the child from...” She glanced over Annabelle’s shoulder in the direction of State Street.

  Annabelle straightened her shoulders as Nugget let go of her hand and clung to the back of Annabelle’s skirt. She reached behind and gave Nugget a pat on the head. “Why, yes, she is. And she’s currently our guest, so please treat her with the respect accorded all of our important guests.”

  “But that child is filthy and full of bugs.”

  “Am not!” Nugget burst out of Annabelle’s skirts. “Mama made sure I didn’t get no bugs.”

  Annabelle put her arms around Nugget and pulled her close. “Maddie scrubbed her clean herself. Didn’t find one bug on the sweet little girl.” She did her best to keep her voice modulated and calm. Nugget was just a child, after all, and didn’t deserve Mrs. Jessup’s scorn.

  “Is that the dress I ordered from New York City for poor Susannah?”

  The horror on Mrs. Jessup’s face brought a pang to Annabelle’s heart. After all, it wasn’t Mrs. Jessup’s sister who’d died.

  “Why, yes, it is.” Annabelle gave a smile in spite of the sick feeling in her stomach. “And I’m sure she’d be pleased that it wasn’t getting eaten by moths in some closet. All Nugget needs are a few ribbons for her hair to make her the picture of sweetness.”

  Wasn’t that the very thing Maddie had said this morning? And Annabelle had politely agreed, all the while resenting having to give up Susannah’s dress. But now, in the face of such meanness, she’d parade Nugget around with Susannah’s beloved china doll to show the world that she didn’t give a whit where Nugget came from.

  “Your mother would be horrified that you’re associating with such people.”

  Her mother would have been ashamed it had taken Annabelle so long to take up Nugget’s cause.

  “What people? Nugget has done nothing wrong. She’s a good girl who hasn’t given me a bit of trouble.”

  Mrs. Jessup’s face turned as red as the bolts of flannel she kept for the miners. “She was raised in that...place!”

  “And she’s now a guest in my home.” Annabelle didn’t mean to raise her voice, but when she did, a group of women looking through the buttons stopped and looked up at her.

  “I understand that your mother is gone and I’m sure your father has no idea how to explain such delicate matters to a young lady, but let me assure you that no good can come of—”

  “What? Taking in a child who needs a home?” Annabelle gathered Nugget closer to her. “My mother and father both instructed me on such matters, and when a sinful woman was brought before Jesus, he asked those without sin to cast the first stone. I am certain that none of us can lay claim to leading such a blameless life.”

  Mrs. Jessup couldn’t have exploded any more brilliantly than the time the old cookstove’s pipe had been blocked by a nesting raccoon.

  “You...get...out...” she thundered, pointing at the door.

  Annabelle smiled sweetly. “With pleasure. I’ll be talking to my father about taking our business to Taylor’s. Come along, Nugget.”

  She grabbed Nugget’s hand and ushered her out the door. Once they arrived on the sidewalk, Annabelle tried taking a deep breath, but Maddie had laced her too tight. What a bad day to be fashionable.

  Nugget tugged at her hand. “I told you I weren’t allowed to go in there.”

  Annabelle straightened. “That’s right. You’re not allowed to go in there. You’re too good for the likes of Mrs. Jessup.”

  She scanned the street and looked toward Taylor’s Mercantile. Her boast in leaving Mrs. Jessup’s had been just that—a boast. Her father was very strict about which stores she shopped in, with all the riffraff that came to Leadville. She wasn’t supposed to go anyplace else alone.

  But even her father wouldn’t be able to fault her disobedience in light of Mrs. Jessup’s meanness.

  “Come on, Nugget. You might not like peppermints, but I could use a sweet right now.”

  She grasped Nugget’s hand and strode across the street to Taylor’s.

  * * *

  Joseph had just stepped through the back storeroom into the main store with Frank and Mr. Jessup when he heard Annabelle’s raised voice.

  “And now she’s a guest in my home!”

  Joseph stepped forward to come to Annabelle’s aid, but Frank held his arm out. “Let her fight her own battles.”

  “But that’s my sister they’re arguing about.”

  “Annabelle is doing fine. Listen to her.”

  The pride in Frank’s voice was obvious. Joseph had to admit that he hadn’t seen this side of Annabelle. She might not think much of him, but she’d protect his sister with everything she had.

  Mr. Jessup shifted nervously. “I should probably go out there and...”

  “You should,” Frank told him quietly. “But first, you need to know that while I respect you as a friend, I’m going to stand by my daughter’s decision unless your wife apologizes to her.”

  “Apologizes?” Mr. Jessup’s face turned redder than a hot coal. “After your daughter insulted her and practically accused her of not being a Christian?”

  Joseph couldn’t help but grin. Annabelle had done just that, and beautifully so.

  “No hard feelings, Bill.” Frank held out his hand for Mr. Jessup to shake, but he didn’t take it.

  “Joseph, I know we’ve spent a lot of time picking out the gear you’ll need for your father’s cabin, but I believe we’ll be taking our purchases elsewhere. Go ahead and set the things down. We need to go make sure the girls are all right.”

  Joseph did as he was bade and followed Frank toward the door. Mrs. Jessup stopped them.

>   “Did you hear what that daughter of yours said to me? Without a mother, she’s going positively wild.”

  Frank nodded. “And I couldn’t be more proud. Good day, Mrs. Jessup.”

  As they strode out the door, much to the shocked faces staring after them, Joseph was proud to know her, as well. Annabelle Lassiter was one of the finest women he knew.

  He watched as Annabelle crossed the street, firmly clutching his sister’s hand in hers.

  “Annabelle!” Frank called his daughter’s name, and she paused to stop and wave.

  The two men rushed over to Annabelle and Nugget.

  “Good,” Annabelle said with forced cheer. “I’m glad you’re here. I’ve decided that we need to start shopping at Taylor’s. My friends assure me that Taylor’s is perfectly respectable, but I’m sure you’ll want to see for yourself.”

  Frank laughed. “Annabelle, my dear, Joseph and I were in the back during your argument with Mrs. Jessup. We heard the whole thing.”

  Annabelle’s face fell, and for a moment, without the false cheer or guarded expression Joseph was used to, she looked almost pretty. “Oh,” she finally said. She looked down at Nugget, then back up at her father.

  “Well, if you think I’m going to apologize, then—”

  Her father held a hand up. “I’d be disappointed if you did. I told Bill that unless Mrs. Jessup apologizes to you, we won’t be patronizing their store anymore.”

  Annabelle’s cheeks tinged pink, and a smile lit her eyes, the blue even more striking in the sunlight.

  All right, Joseph would admit it. Annabelle Lassiter was downright pretty. But that momentary admiration was all it could be.

  “But that does leave me in a bind.” Frank put his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “I now need to make arrangements with another store to get supplies for our ministry. As members of our church, the Jessups gave us a good discount.”

  “Oh.” This time, when her face fell, Joseph immediately felt guilty. He hadn’t meant to bring grief to them or their ministry.

  The false cheer Joseph was used to seeing on Annabelle’s face filled Frank’s. “It’s all right. The Lord will provide. And since I haven’t had the pleasure of getting to know Mr. Taylor, perhaps it’s about time I did so. He belongs to the new church across town, but God’s children are all God’s children, right?”

  Annabelle nodded slowly.

  Frank turned to Joseph. “While I’m conducting business with Mr. Taylor, I hope I can trust you to stay close to Annabelle and Nugget. Though I’ve also heard good things about Taylor’s, I’d feel better knowing they had some protection until we’ve experienced it for ourselves.”

  Annabelle gave a small but ladylike grunt, and Frank shot her a look. Joseph couldn’t help but grin as he watched the tiny rebellion cross her face. The independent woman didn’t like it one bit, but she’d obey.

  Joseph held up an arm. “Ladies?”

  Though Annabelle took it, he could feel the glower come all the way from her face down through her gloved hand to his arm. Some might call it unladylike, but he appreciated the feisty woman who very clearly knew her own mind.

  They walked into the store, and Joseph noticed how Nugget still clung to Annabelle’s skirts.

  “Are you all right?” He ruffled his sister’s hair with his free hand.

  She looked up at him, wide-eyed. “Uh-huh. That lady was mean, but Annabelle showed her.” Then she looked at Annabelle, like she believed more in Annabelle than she did in him.

  “What if they’re mean to us here?”

  The already proper woman straightened even more. “Then we’ll find another store. And we’ll keep trying until we find someone who will treat us with respect.”

  Annabelle’s conviction shamed Joseph. With all the places that had turned them away, he’d taken Nugget and slinked away with his tail between his legs. If they had refused Annabelle, she probably would have given them the what-for.

  “Thank you.” He turned and looked at Annabelle.

  She looked confused. “For what?”

  Joseph nodded his head toward his sister. “You treat her with dignity.”

  Her face colored, and she reached for Nugget’s hand. “Come on, Nugget. Let’s go look at some ribbons.”

  So far, no one had noticed their presence in the store. Frank appeared to have already engaged in serious conversation with the proprietor.

  As they walked toward the ribbons, a woman approached them. “Hello. I’m Mrs. Taylor. Your father said you needed help with your shopping.”

  Joseph examined her face for any sign of the judgment he’d come to expect with Nugget. But she appeared pleasant and willing to do business with them.

  “Thank you, yes.” Annabelle gave the woman the kind of smile Joseph wished she’d direct at him. “Our housekeeper, Maddie, provided me with a list of items. But I’d also like to look at some ribbons for Nugget.”

  Annabelle pulled the little girl off her skirts and in front of her. “Nugget is my friend, and I hope you’ll be kind to her.”

  “Of course.” Mrs. Taylor bent in front of Nugget. “Why don’t you go select a peppermint for yourself?”

  “Thank you all the same, Mrs. Taylor, but my friend doesn’t care for peppermint.”

  How did Annabelle know that Nugget didn’t like peppermints? He’d shoved dozens of them at the poor child before she’d finally told him that she didn’t like them.

  The genuine affection in her face as she looked at Nugget tore at Joseph’s heart. And the smile Nugget gave her back was enough to make him melt.

  “Well then, come along.” Mrs. Taylor’s voice was pleasant, accepting.

  They wound their way through stacks of goods, neatly displayed. All the while, Mrs. Taylor spoke of the weather and treated them as she would any other customer.

  With each step, Joseph felt more of the worry fall off his shoulders. By the time they arrived at the ribbon display, he felt as light as any other man shopping in a mercantile.

  “Here are the ribbons. Are you looking for something to match that pretty dress of yours?”

  Mrs. Taylor bent to Nugget, giving her a smile that spoke of understanding and kindness.

  “Annabelle?” Frank’s voice called from the other side of the store. “Can you come here for a moment?”

  She immediately looked at Nugget.

  “It’s all right,” both Joseph and Mrs. Taylor said at once. He stopped himself, then looked at Mrs. Taylor.

  “She’ll be fine, truly,” Mrs. Taylor said. “I have a little one myself, and I miss her dreadfully. She’s visiting my mother, and I can’t wait until she gets back next week.”

  “I...” Annabelle looked at Joseph.

  “We’ll be fine.”

  She nodded slowly, then went to her father’s side.

  “I promise I’m not like that awful Mrs. Jessup,” Mrs. Taylor told him. “Pastor Lassiter told us what happened in her store. I can’t say I’m surprised. She’s been spreading rumors about us ever since we opened.”

  Mrs. Taylor put her hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have shared gossip about her. I’m sure she means well. It just burns me sometimes...” She shook her head.

  “Anyway, on to more pleasant things.” She held up a ribbon. “What do you think of this ribbon, Nugget? It would bring out the pink flowers in your dress nicely.”

  Nugget looked at the floor.

  “It’s all right. You can look at the ribbon,” Joseph told her.

  As he watched the emotions play across his sister’s face, he realized how hard it must be to have grown up the way Nugget had. How many rejections had she faced because of who her mother was?

  Nugget looked, but didn’t touch. She just stared at it, wide-eyed. “Somet
imes the men would bring me ribbons.”

  Mrs. Taylor knelt in front of her. “I’m not like those men. I’m your friend.”

  Nugget looked up at him, and Joseph nodded. He was quickly learning how precious friendship was in this place, especially with a child like Nugget. She reached for the ribbon.

  “May I put it in your hair? Annabelle is going to think you look so pretty.”

  With deft fingers, Mrs. Taylor put the ribbon in Nugget’s hair. The shy little girl preened as Mrs. Taylor held up the mirror.

  “See? You look very pretty. Why don’t you go show Annabelle?”

  Nugget skipped all the way to Annabelle. Joseph watched her with a lightened heart. He’d been worried about his family accepting her, but surely with the acceptance she was finding here, his family would eventually warm to her.

  “I knew her mother,” Mrs. Taylor said over his shoulder. “Lily was a kind woman. She came to town with a worthless husband. When he died, she didn’t have anyplace else to go. So she took up the life she did. She wasn’t a bad person.”

  Her words were meant as a kindness, but they hurt. “Did she know my pa was married?”

  “They’re always married, sugar. Sometimes, though, we’re fortunate, and we find someone who will take us away.”

  He turned and looked at her. “You?”

  Mrs. Taylor shrugged. “Things aren’t always what they seem. I didn’t know your father, but I’m sure that his relationship with Lily had nothing to do with your mother. Mining is lonely business.”

  Hard to imagine this genteel lady in the place where he’d gotten Nugget. Also hard not to blame his father, despite Mrs. Taylor’s words.

  “How do you know all of this?”

  She smiled. “Because I’ve been there. And if you ever need anything for Nugget...”

  He watched as Nugget giggled at something Annabelle said to her. “Thank you. It’s good to know that she’s got so many people who care about her.”

  Something he hadn’t expected. But the longer he spent in Leadville, the more he was learning to expect the unexpected. Just then, Annabelle turned and looked at him, the smile in her eyes blinding.