Where the Wild Rose Blooms (6 page)

Boulder, Colorado

Robert Langley rocked his chair back onto two legs and smiled at the letter in his hand. Eddie wanted him to come for a visit. She had not come right out and said so, but it was there. Roberts
eyes
closed as he pictured her in his mind, and again he smiled. He had told her that he'd been looking for her for a very long time, and this was quite true. She was everything he could possibly hope for in a wife. She shared his faith in Christ, she was gentle, kind hearted, and lovely. He had spent only three hours with her, but it felt like they had always known each other. And when they parted, he touched her hand oh-so-briefly, but even now his heart thundered in his chest at the thought of holding her in his arms. How soon could he leave ...

A knock sounded on his office door, and Robert was forced back to the world of banking.

"Come in," he called and stood up with a smile when his friend, Travis Buchanan, came in.

"Travis," the men shook hands.,"what brings you into town?"

"Just a little business. We're starting a cattle drive soon and I needed a newspaper."

"Well, since you're here, I'll buy you lunch at the hotel."

"With an offer like that, I wonder why I don't come into town more often."

Robert reached for his suit jacket, and the men made their way through the bank and out onto the street. The contrast in their mode of dress was fascinating, and they caught many eyes, but some of this probably could have been attributed to their height. Robert Langley was no midget at 62", but Travis was the main attraction at 6'4". He was a rancher by trade, and with his dark jeans, plaid shirt, broad shoulders, and worn cowboy boots, he appeared even larger. Robert was also a large man, but his dress was very much that of the banker, with black serge pants and jacket, snow-white shirt, and a dark tie at his throat. Both men were well known in town, so seating in the dining room at the hotel was immediate and comfortable.

"What day do you expect the cattle to go?" Robert asked. They had placed their orders and been served large mugs of strong, black coffee.

"It looks like two weeks from Thursday, but I'll need to be back in town the day before." A sudden smile split Travis' face, and he said, "Shall I buy lunch that day?"

Robert smiled as well, his expression rather wistful. "As a matter of fact, I don't think I'll be around."

"Business?" Travis felt free to ask.

"No," Robert told him with quiet contentment. "I'm going to Georgetown."

Again Travis smiled. "Tell Eddie that I look forward to meeting her."

Robert only nodded, but he looked pleased. A moment later the waitress arrived with their food.

It did not go unnoticed by Jackie that Clayton Taggart sat directly behind her in church the next Sunday. It was not planned, but suddenly there he was. Her father liked to be very punctual when attending church—he told her one time that it impressed God—so they were often early and in a pew far to the front. Jackie would have preferred to sit a little farther back, but she was not given this option.

Now today she wished she could think of some reason to leave. The Fontaine girls were expected to take care of their needs before church began, so that excuse would never work, but Jackie thought if she could look sick enough ...

Her thoughts were cut off by a sudden itch on the bottom of her foot. Jackie wiggled her foot out of one shoe in order to scratch it with the toe of the other, but she never put the shoe back on because her mind was distracted by a woman moving toward the front to sing.

Jackie steeled herself for an awful screech and clamor and was not disappointed. "All About Gods Love" was a song her mother liked to hum while she worked, but this woman was spoiling it. And the woman's hat looked like a windblown birds nest! Jackie rolled her eyes in disgust but looked over to catch her fathers stern gaze. His serious eyes were enough to make her alter her expression and sit up straight. At the same time, she remembered her shoe. With her stocking-clad foot she felt around on the floor but couldn't locate it. She began to move a little more, searching as far as she could reach, but Eddie suddenly leaned close.

"Father said if you know what's good for you, you'll sit still."

Again Jackie did as she was directed, but her mind was not on the sermon that was just beginning. Indeed, the next half hour was torturous. Where in the world had her shoe gone?

"I would like to close with this verse," Jackie was relieved to hear Pastor Munroe finally say. "Joshua 1:8 says, 'This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.' "

"I read this, dear friends, because I want you to understand that Sundays are not enough. You must be reading and studying your Bibles all through the week, and my prayer for you this day and always is that you will understand this truth and act upon it. Let us pray. "

Jackie had never been so glad to hear the end of a sermon in her life. Her toes were sore from all the bumping around, and she still had not found her shoe. She was nearly bent double now, searching the area but finding nothing. She was bounced into by two of her sisters who moved past her to leave, but the shoe was nowhere to be found. The church was emptying fast when Jackie finally stood and turned around.

Seated on the pew behind her, the shoe dangling from one finger, was Clayton.

"Lose something?" he asked solicitously.

Incensed, Jackie leaned to snatch it away. All Clayton did was grin.

"You are insufferable," she told him between clenched teeth, her shoe finally in place. Clayton only stood, his movement lazy, and tried to look hurt by her words.

"I take it you won't be heartsick when I leave town this next week."

"Not in the least," the young beauty told him with flashing eyes. "I hope you never return."

Again Clayton was not offended. He gave Jackie a lazy smile and nod before moving on his way, his hat held
loosely in one hand. Jackie was angry that he would go out ahead of a lady, but she was through talking to him. Indeed, she believed the man was impossible and vowed at that moment never to speak to him again.

However, she watched as he walked all the way to the double church doors, put his hat firmly in place, and stepped out into the morning sunshine.

"Now, girls," Adaline gave instructions the next morning, "everyone is to come home right after school. We are invited to the Taggarts' for dinner."

"What did you say?" Jackie questioned her mother. She hadn't been attending her words.

"You should have been listening," was all Addy would say. "Now, whether or not Eddie and I are here, I want your chores done and no bickering."

The girls all agreed respectfully and finished their breakfasts, but as Jackie, who had finally understood, was leaving the table, she mumbled under her breath, "At least Clayton won't be there."

"Why do you say that, dear?" her mother, whose hearing was keen, wished to know.

"He told me he was leaving town."

"He is. So is Mr. Taggart, but not until Tuesday. That's why we were asked over tonight." Addy turned away then, missing her daughters face. To look at her, one would have thought she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. Indeed, something told Jackie it was going to be a very long day.

"A telegram?" Eddie questioned the kind man. "For me?"

"Well, if your name is Edwina Fontaine, then its yours."

"Thank you," she said faintly and then turned to find her parents' and uncles eyes on her.

"I received a telegram," she explained unnecessarily and then stood there.

"Are you going to read it?" her mother asked gently.

"Oh!" Eddie started. "Yes." She unfolded the thin piece of paper and read the few short lines.

EDWINA STOP AM LEAVING BOULDER BY STAGE STOP SHOULD BE WITH YOU FRIDAY STOP ROBERT LANGLEY

"He's coming," she now whispered, her eyes flying to meet her mothers. "I never actually asked him; I just sort of hinted, but he's coming. Next Friday he'll be here. Oh, Mother, he's actually coming to Georgetown!"

Something clenched around Morgan's heart as he watched his wife move forward and hug his oldest daughter, his precious Ed.
She's really going to leave.
His heart faced the fact for the first time.
She's really going to be married and go away
For an instant the pain of it threatened to rob him of breath, but he was swift to recover. Suddenly he knew it was good and right and also realized that he'd come to this conclusion none too soon. Eddie was now turning to him, the need for approval lingering in her
eyes.

"You still feel it's all right, don't you, Father?"

Morgan held out his arms, and Eddie welcomed his embrace, hugging him in return. He then held her at arm's length.

"It will take a very special man to be good enough for my Ed, but I am looking forward to meeting your Robert."

Eddie, who couldn't have asked for more, beamed at him. Her heart felt like it was going to float from her chest.
Your Robert
had been her father's words. Eddie felt his acceptance in those words, and her heart knew a soothing rest.

Jackie held her body poker straight as she walked into the Taggart home that night, but there was no need. It had seemed to her she would be walking into the enemy camp, but nothing could have been further from the truth. Mr. and Mrs. Taggart were kind to a fault, and neither Clayton nor Milly gave her any undue attention.