Tracie Peterson (2 page)

“I’m afraid my parents don’t understand that the heart’s calling can’t be controlled. And just because my parents don’t approve,” Pamela said as Riley helped her into her coat, “doesn’t change those feelings.”

“Maybe you will change their minds,” Zandy replied. “Until then, you’re welcome to come and visit as often as you like.”

“Thank you, Zandy, Riley. I will call again.”

❧

And she did. Pamela found one excuse or another to make her way to the Dawson house nearly every day. Pamela and Zandy laughed about girlhood experiences until they felt that they’d known one another all their lives. Pamela was only a few years junior to Zandy, who found that the company of a young woman was something that had been missing in her life lately.

“I really like her, Riley,” Zandy said one evening as they prepared to retire. She sat brushing her long brown hair, while Riley watched from the bed. It was a habit he’d fallen into, and he now realized it was as much a part of his bedtime routine as putting on his night clothes.

“I worry that you’re spending too much time together,” Riley finally said.

His words surprised Zandy so much she stopped in mid-stroke. “Why do you say that?”

“Well, she’s here almost every day. And I can’t help but think that you do too much to encourage her when it comes to this Bradley guy.”

“Riley Dawson!” Zandy exclaimed. “You, more than anyone, should understand about falling in love with someone. Especially, I might add, some
one that you can’t have.” The coy smile on her lips told him she wasn’t real
ly annoyed.

The look on Riley’s face told her that he, too, remembered a time when he had actively pursued her, in spite of Zandy’s own protests.

Riley patted the mattress beside him, and Zandy put the brush away and joined her husband. “I just don’t want you getting involved in something that’s better left to others. This is a problem between Pamela and her folks. You have to remember, you aren’t her school chum. You’re a respectable married woman, and you shouldn’t offer too much advice to a young, innocent woman like Pamela.”

Zandy stared in surprise at Riley’s mild reproof. “I may be married, but I’m not so old that I can’t appreciate the company of a young, single woman. I enjoy hearing about her life. She’s known so much and lived in a way that I can’t begin to understand. Do you know that every stitch of clothing she owns was made in either Paris or New York?”

Riley pulled Zandy into his arms and nuzzled his lips against her ear. “Would you like me to take you to Paris so you can have your gowns made there too?”

Zandy melted against him with a sigh. “No, Mrs. Mallory would never speak to me again. I just find Pamela stimulating, and I believe her parents are wrong to keep her from the man she loves.”

“Be careful, Zandy,” Riley warned softly. “You can cause grievous damage by interfering.” He gently turned her face to his. “I know how tenderhearted you are, and I don’t want to see you hurt. Be her friend, but don’t try to be her heart in this matter. Pamela must choose for herself how she’ll deal with this situation.”

“You’re right, of course,” Zandy sighed.

“I always am,” Riley teased, and he reached over to turn down the lamp.

Two

W
ait until you hear this one!” Pamela exclaimed.

Pamela’s enthusiasm for her most recent epistle from home caused Riley to roll his eyes. Zandy caught sight of the exasperation in her husband’s expression but said nothing.

Pamela made a regular habit of sharing her mail from Kansas City with Zandy, and because of the frequency of her visits Riley had found himself trapped into being a part of their afternoon gatherings on more than one occasion. Today was no exception.

Zandy took the cup of tea that Riley offered her and delicately balanced it against her emerald green day dress. The color matched her eyes, and Riley often told her that he fancied the shade on her. Today, however, it seemed to do little to appease his frustration with Pamela.

“Glady, she was my maid,” Pamela said, glancing up from the letter, “says that Mama and Papa were home for a short time last week. They were positively in a rage because they had been forced to endure the company of Horace Tabor, the notorious Silver King of Leadville, Colorado.”

“I know of Tabor,” Riley commented. “He’s managed to make a fortune in silver. Nothing overly notorious about that.”

“Oh, but it isn’t his wealth that put Mama into the vapors,” Pamela laughed. “It seems that Mister Tabor has not only a wife and child but a mistress.” Pamela continued reading and didn’t notice the way Riley blanched at the word “mistress.”

“Mama told Glady that Tabor seems most open about his affair and doesn’t care one thing for propriety. She was absolutely mortified. Seems she told Glady that his mistress is quite willing to be the other woman. Mama couldn’t abide even the sight of Mister Tabor and told Papa that all such men should be lined up and shot.”

At this Riley nearly spewed his tea across the room and brought even more attention to himself by breaking into a fit of coughing. Zandy glanced up, concern flooding her face for only a moment. Catching Riley’s eye, amusement seemed to overtake her, and she grinned broadly.

“Yes, I quite agree with your mother,” Zandy mused. “Such lack of character is appalling. Do go on, Pamela.”

“Well, there isn’t much more. They say absolutely nothing about Bradley. Oh, Zandy,” she sighed and let the letter drop to her lap, “do you suppose I shall ever hear from him?”

“I doubt that your grandmother would allow it,” Zandy replied honestly. “Even if you managed to get a letter to him, you know she’d never allow you to receive a reply.”

“Yes, I know you’re right.”

“Why don’t we just put it behind us and enjoy our tea,” Zandy suggested.

Pamela refolded the letter and put it inside her purse. Just then, a knock at the front door drew Riley’s attention, and he found a perfect reason to excuse himself.

“Riley certainly isn’t himself today,” Pamela said, absentmindedly playing with her teaspoon.

“Oh, he’s just a bit on edge,” Zandy remarked with a glance at the door. “I’m afraid we ought to cut this session short today. I’ve been neglecting him sorely.”

“Oh,” Pamela replied.

Seeing her friend’s disappointment, Zandy pushed on to offer some consolation. “Why don’t we get together tomorrow and go shopping? I have several things I need to pick up.”

“Why don’t you have the servants see to it?” Pamela asked in a rather haughty tone.

Zandy frowned, realizing that the girl was every bit as spoiled as Riley had mentioned that morning at breakfast. “I enjoy doing for myself,” Zandy answered gently. “Sometimes, it is more gratifying to work with your own hands and accomplish something important than to have others do it for you. Now, shopping isn’t all that important, but I enjoy it. If you don’t wish to go along, that’s entirely up to you.”

Pamela put her teacup aside and shook her head vehemently. “No, no. I would very much like to accompany you. I certainly didn’t mean to offend you.”

“You didn’t,” Zandy smiled. Hearing Riley in the hallway, she quickly stood. “Shall we continue our talk tomorrow, then?”

Pamela reluctantly nodded. “I’ll see myself out. You attend to that neglected husband.” Her attempt at a smile was forced, but Zandy pretended not to notice.

At the sound of the front door closing, Riley crossed the sitting room to where Zandy waited and pulled back the edge of the lacy priscilla curtain. “How did you manage this?” he asked, watching to make certain Pamela was really on her way down the street.

“I told her I’d been neglecting you,” Zandy smiled.

“And so you have,” Riley answered, letting the curtain fall back into place. “I was beginning to despair of ever having a moment alone with you again.”

“Now, Riley,” Zandy said, coming to place her hand upon his arm, “there isn’t any need for you to sulk. I got rid of her, didn’t I? By the way, who was at the door?”

“Just the delivery boy from Nelson’s shoe shop,” Riley replied. “I ordered a pair of boots some weeks back, and they arrived today.”

“Are you expecting any more deliveries?” Zandy asked with a flirtatious smile.

Riley immediately caught her mood. “Why no, Mrs. Dawson. I believe that’s the last of them.”

“Good. Then we have the house to ourselves,” Zandy said sweetly. “And the day.”

“And just what do you have planned, my dear Alexandra?” he asked with a chuckle.

Zandy laughed. “No plans. Not yet, anyway. But, I’m sure we’ll think of something.”

❧

Pamela Charbonneau was a young woman used to getting her way, and while she knew it was in poor taste to spend so much time at the Dawson house, she couldn’t bring herself to do otherwise. She’d even taken to lying to her grandmother in order to avoid a scolding from her on the matter of social politeness.

Throwing herself across her bed and rolling over, Pamela stared up at the floral canopy and sighed.

“Where are you Bradley? You promised you’d come for me. You promised you’d never leave me. Where are you?” The words bounced off the nearly empty walls leaving Pamela more depressed than ever.

❧

The next day, Zandy arrived in a stylish one-horse gig. She hadn’t even the time to alight before Pamela appeared on the doorstep, fully prepared for their outing.

Zandy smiled and waved, still preparing to dismount and greet Claudia Charbonneau before their trip, but Pamela would have no part of it.

“Grand-mère
isn’t feeling well,” she said to Zandy. “I’ll give her your best when we return.”

“Perhaps we shouldn’t leave her alone,” Zandy said, reseating herself and pulling wool blankets around her legs.

“No, she’ll be fine,” Pamela said with a smile. “She’s just feeling her age today.” It wasn’t really a lie, Pamela told herself. After all, her grandmother had complained just that morning of how the cold made her bones ache.

“Well, if you’re sure.”

“Of course, I’m sure,” Pamela replied and dismissed any further thought of the matter.

They spent the day shopping and discussing unimportant matters. Zandy had promised Riley that she’d find a way to talk to Pamela about her frequent visits. She fretted over the idea, however, given Pamela’s state of depression over the loss of her Bradley. What if losing her constant contact with Zandy was too much for the girl?

When they finally decided to wrap up the day by having lunch, Zandy found herself praying that God would help her to know what to say.

“I’m positively famished,” Zandy said and took the menu offered her by the waiter.

Pamela said nothing but glanced at the list of offered foods and finally settled on petite chicken salad sandwiches. Zandy thought the choice an excellent one and nodded in agreement before the waiter left to bring their tea.

“Might I ask a forward question?” Pamela said suddenly, catching Zandy off guard.

“I suppose so.”

“I was curious as to why Riley acted so disturbed yesterday when I mentioned Mister Tabor. Does he know him well?”

Zandy smiled and set her gloves aside. “No, he doesn’t know him well at all. Riley Dawson is a most fascinating man,” Zandy went on. “When I first met him in Colorado, he was a man of power and control, just coming into his own. He had holdings that gave him control over a small mining town, and he pushed that advantage until he’d built a solid investment.”

“I’m afraid that still doesn’t explain his reaction,” Pamela interrupted.

“Riley wasn’t at all interested in doing things properly or in a morally right way. He was a godless man with little concern for the human lives he so completely controlled. If ever there was a notorious man, Riley Dawson was certainly one.”

Pamela’s eyes widened in surprise.

“He forced his will upon the people of Temperance, Colorado, and did so in such a remarkably smooth manner that the people didn’t even know they’d been had. In fact, they renamed the town Dawson, after Riley, then elected him mayor. The one thing that eluded Riley—and the one thing he wouldn’t give up pursuit of—was me.”

Pamela smiled as though she thought the whole thing was most romantic. Zandy paused long enough to wait until their tea was served before continuing.

“Riley wanted a mistress, Pamela. Not a wife.” The shocked expression on Pamela’s face told Zandy she’d made her point. “Riley cared nothing about my feelings on the matter, but he did pride himself on the fact that women came willingly to him. I did not, and that moved him to take ugly measures that caused great harm to those I loved.”

“How could you possibly have married him?” Pamela asked in disgust.

“I asked myself that about a thousand times. God seemed to have a purpose in mind, and I was very much up against the wall when I finally gave in. I knew it wasn’t right to marry an unbeliever, but I reasoned that maybe it was God’s way of getting Riley saved.”

“Saved?” Pamela questioned ignorantly.

“You know,” Zandy said with a smile, “saved from hell. I thought God was using me to guide Riley to salvation in Jesus Christ. Truth be told, He was. Riley became most miserable that he’d forced me into a loveless marriage and, even though we were man and wife, he couldn’t bring himself even to sleep in the same house with me.”

Pamela’s mouth formed a silent
“O.”

“Now, I realize this is a most delicate topic,” Zandy continued, “but I use it to share with you just how gracious God was to us and how He worked in Riley’s life.”

The waiter appeared with their sandwiches, and again, Zandy allowed the conversation to halt until they were alone. Pamela picked at her food, waiting for Zandy to continue her story.

“One day, Riley took me to visit one of his new silver mines,” Zandy remembered. “There was a cave-in and Riley was injured seriously. We were buried inside the mine for days, until the people of Dawson dug us out. My folks had me taken to their house, while Riley was taken to the doctor’s. I was sick with exhaustion and weakness for a time, and when I came to they told me Riley had died.”

“Died?” Pamela exclaimed, dropping the sandwich. “Died?” she questioned in a softer tone, looking around to make sure no one was watching them.

“Yes,” Zandy answered. “At least, that was what they told me. In truth, Riley knew he had to come to an understanding with God. He’d accepted Christ while thinking that he was going to die in the mine. Then, as he healed, he was afraid to believe in the reality of it because he feared it was nothing more than a deathbed confession. He couldn’t face me again until he knew for certain that his faith was real, so he allowed the townspeople to believe he had died.”

“What did he do then?” Pamela asked.

“He went about righting the wrongs of his past life. I didn’t see him for over a year, and in all that time I never dreamed he was alive. I tried to make amends for Riley’s behavior myself. I gave back to the people of Dawson their money and deeds. Whatever Riley had stolen from them, I sought to return. Then I came here to Missouri, opened the boardinghouse that sits on the west end of town, and tried to start life anew.

“It was a truly bleak time for me for, while I knew God had control of everything, including my widowhood, I was lonely and sad that I’d never really known who Riley Dawson was. One day, he reappeared and begged my forgiveness and told me just what I’ve told you. It was like being given a second chance at life. That was just last fall, Pamela, and Riley has become the most important person in my life. In fact,” Zandy took a sip of tea to settle her nerves, “I had scarcely even spent time with another person before you came to town. It’s one of the reasons we haven’t any servants, except for the cook. We wanted the privacy.” Her teacup rattled slightly as she placed it on the saucer.

Zandy knew that Pamela was still blind to her purpose. “Pamela, I’ve enjoyed our friendship and hope to continue to do so, but I mustn’t put a wedge into the tender union that has been formed between Riley and me. We are still, in many ways, newlyweds, and I need time with him to come to know him better. Do you understand?”

“I’m not sure,” Pamela replied, dabbing her lips with her napkin. “What has this to do with me?”

“I’m afraid there is no easy way to say this, but to just come out and say it,” Zandy sighed. “It would be best if you were to limit your visits to once a week. I don’t want to jeopardize our friendship, but I can’t put Riley off, either. I’m blessed in the fact that I have his company on a daily basis, and I know that before long he will no doubt find some new project to absorb his time.”

Zandy paused, trying to figure out what Pamela was thinking. “But, until then, I need to spend most of my time with him. It’s what we both want and need.”

“I see,” Pamela said, as a blush crept to her cheeks.

“Please don’t be offended,” Zandy said, reaching out to squeeze Pamela’s hand. “I want very much for us to continue on as friends. In fact, I was hoping that perhaps you would also attend church with us in the near future. We have some wonderful services and so much fun at the socials. The meetings are enlightening, and the pastor is a truly remarkable man.”

“Does going to church really make life better?”