Whispers on the Wind (A Prairie Hearts Novel Book 5) (27 page)

CHAPTER FIFTY

F
or Hunter, the women’s show went by in the blink of an eye. The hefty woman made no more trouble about the whiskey, and the talk quieted down as soon as Tabitha left with her mother and aunt.

As always, Dichelle gave a wonderful performance that kept the ladies spellbound for almost forty minutes. Her clear voice resonated around the room as Farley accompanied her on the piano. The height of the ceiling acted to amplify her voice. Along with her singing, the women seemed fascinated with her red velvet gown, covered in rhinestones and pearls. Hunter had seen this one before, as well as most of her wardrobe. He’d helped her buy a few gewgaws in Soda Springs. He felt protective over her, and would just as soon see her fall in love with a good man and stop her traveling. But to her, that was a death sentence.

Dichelle gave one more deep bow, turned, and elegantly descended the stairs to the delight of the spectators. Seemed she’d won the crowd over as Hunter knew she would.

“That was beautiful!” Jessie gushed, her face still alight in wonder. “I’ve never heard such a beautiful voice. You’re brilliant. I wish Sarah had been here to hear you. She loves to sing. You would be an inspiration to her.”

“Yes,” Brenna agreed. “As well as my girls.”

“They’s too young to come into a saloon,” Mrs. Hollyhock scolded. “But that don’t mean they can’t hear Miss Dichelle sing them a little song someplace else.” She gazed expectantly at the singer.

“
Sì!
That’s true,” Dichelle replied. “I’d be more than happy to meet them sometime and sing a few songs.”

Hunter strode over to Philomena and Kendall. “You two hang around and smile until the women leave, I have to get over to the bookstore. Be sure to escort Dichelle to the hotel through the back door as soon as possible—before you let any men inside. There’re some out front on the boardwalk waiting to get in. We want to keep an illusion of mystery about our secret weapon. It’ll bring in more tickets. Don’t forget to retrieve the whiskey bottles out of the storeroom before you get busy.”

“Any more orders, sir?” Kendall asked. “Ain’t you coming back?”

“Just as soon as I can. But I don’t know what I’ll be walking into at Storybook Lodge.”

He went up a couple of steps to get everyone’s attention. “My partner and I would like to thank everyone for being brave enough to try something different. It’s been our pleasure having you. And now, I’m off . . .”

As he stepped away, someone called, “Go get her, Mr. Wade! Don’t let her mother run you off.”

“That’s my adopted grandson,” he heard Violet reply with pride as he went out the door. “When he sees something he wants, nothing stands in his way. No, sir. He knows his own mind.”

Laughter ripped around. “I’ll see what I can do, ladies,” he called back, feeling the heat in his face. “I won’t let you down.”

With only the sheriff’s office between the two buildings, Hunter was halfway to the bookstore when Albert stepped out of his office and stopped him. “So, how did it go?” he asked, a little of the sourness that had been in his voice when he’d first learned of the show still there.

The last thing Hunter wanted to do at this moment was stop and speak with Albert. “Everyone had a good time.” He glanced at the bookstore, then back at Albert. “You coming tomorrow night?”

“Thought I would, you know, keep an eye out so no one gets too drunk.”

“Good, I’ll see you then.”

He tried to move away but Albert caught his arm. “What’s the rush?”

He looked down at Albert’s hand on his arm. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. Business with Tabitha. In the bookshop. I need to go.”

“Yeah, seems like big things are brewing over there. Saw her and Roberta, as well as Frank and some unknown woman going—”

“Her mother,” Hunter supplied.

Albert’s brows shot up, but he held his tongue. His hand fell away.

In three seconds, Hunter had crossed the alley between the buildings and pulled open the door. He stopped the second he saw Tabitha, her face red with anger, Frank Lloyd, a distressed expression on his face, and Mrs. Canterbury as well as Mrs. Brown, jabbering like two hungry crows fighting over corn.

“There he is!” Tabitha’s mother bit out. “How dare he walk in here as if he owns the place already. They aren’t married yet!”

Frank huffed out an exasperated breath. “It’s a store, Marigold, anyone can walk in.”

Hunter went to Tabitha’s side and took her cold hand into his own. “So what’s all this fuss about?” he said looking between the two women. “A twenty-nine-year-old woman is capable of making her own decisions.” He glanced at Tabitha, then leveled his gaze on the two sisters. “Especially this one. What’s the problem?” When neither woman answered, he looked to the banker. “Frank? You didn’t offer to sell Tabitha’s business out from under her, did you? Because if you did, I have a bone to pick with you. I don’t like the sound of that at all.” He tried to keep his tone pleasant, but that wasn’t happening today. Her mother was trying to railroad her home against her will. The Tabitha he knew would not stand for such treatment.

“Of course not,” Frank said. “I’m here to help. I’ll assist my niece any way I can.”

Hannah stepped through the door with Thom at her side. She gave Tabitha a meaningful look and then widened her eyes at her aunt. “Aunt Marigold,” she said stiffly. After the scene the woman had made in the saloon, her tone was none too friendly. “You should have stayed for the show. It was wonderful. You would have enjoyed yourself. You too, Mother.”

Roberta huffed and rolled her eyes. “Thank goodness I decided a letter wasn’t fast enough and sent a telegram begging Marigold to catch the next train out. All this talk of a wedding has my poor sister almost in vapors. And I don’t blame her in the least. I’m beside myself as well. I’m just wondering if Tabitha and Mr. Wade aren’t bluffing.”

Thom folded his arms over his chest and leaned one shoulder against a sturdy bookshelf, probably happy this didn’t involve him.

“It’s no bluff, Mrs. Brown,” Hunter said. “If you remember, you caught us kissing in this very spot. Our feelings have been growing for some time.” Tabitha glanced up into his face.

Roberta’s chin angled. “I remember it well, Mr. Wade. I also remember Tabitha slapped you a good one. And you said she had no part in it. Are you pressuring her in some way? Pushing yourself on her to get your hands on your second business in Logan Meadows in an unscrupulous way?”

“Aunt Roberta!” Tabitha gasped. “Please think before you speak. Once your words are out, it’s impossible to call them back.”

“I don’t want to call them back.”

Frank held up a hand. “Stay calm, everyone. I think Tabitha is plenty capable of sorting this out without any help from us. And that means you, Marigold. And you, Roberta. I say we give her and Hunter some private time to talk. We’ll go over to Hannah’s house and wait there until they’re through.” His gaze traced between Tabitha and Hunter. “When they’re ready, they can come over and let us know what
they’ve
decided.”

“Thank you, Uncle,” Tabitha said. “I appreciate your confidence in me.”

The door opened again and Gabe and Julia stepped through the door, totally unaware of the dilemma playing out in the shop. They must have felt the tension in the air, because their smiles ebbed away.

“We saw everyone inside and thought you were open,” Gabe said. “Should we come back later?”

“No!” Tabitha practically shouted, releasing Hunter’s hand and hurrying over to the young couple.

“Fine,” Frank said. “Let’s go.” He took both his sisters by the arm, ushering them toward the door. “Once you’re ready, we’ll have a calm, collected conversation.”

Hunter watched them leave. The store felt quiet. Tabitha’s voice filtered into his thoughts as she questioned her customers about what they were looking for. He ambled closer, seeing her in a whole new light. Was he crazy, agreeing to marry her? His heart said not at all.

“Have you heard from Jake?” Tabitha asked, looking at Gabe as Julia fingered her way through a picture book of animal sketches. “I’ve been wondering. Daisy looks a little lost with him gone.”

“Just a telegram a few days ago. He’s met his father, who is very sick. Jake’s not sure how long he’ll hold on.”

“I’ll take this.” Julia handed the book back to Tabitha. “Can you please hold it for me? I don’t want Nell to see it before her birthday. As you all know, she really likes animals—as well as horses.”

That was an extravagant gift, Hunter thought.

“Nell has done a lot for me,” she explained, as if she knew what the others must be thinking. “Mr. Axelrose too. They took me on when I had nowhere else to go. Gave me a job”—she glanced at Gabe and smiled—“and a future. I’m indebted.”

“Of course I can.” Tabitha said quickly.

She nervously glanced at Hunter as Julia pulled the sides of her coat together, preparing to leave. Soon they would be all alone. And they had some decisions to make. He understood her reaching for straws after the scene her mother created, but them jumping into marriage might not be the best avenue of escape. He wouldn’t lie to himself and say he wasn’t tempted. He just wondered how long it would be until they killed each other.

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

T
he bells sounded as Gabe and Julia closed the door. Self-conscious of what was about to transpire, Tabitha watched them go as silence prevailed in the room. Gathering her courage, she turned to the tall, broad-of-chest wagon master standing only a few feet away.

“How did it go?” she asked, needing to start out slowly.

“Go?”

“The concert? Dichelle? Did the town’s ladies love her?”

Hunter shifted his weight, a smile growing on his lips. “Sure. She has a way of winning everyone over.” His eyes narrowed momentarily when he noticed Dichelle’s unfinished painting leaning against the back wall.

“I hope you didn’t rush out on my account.”

Hunter came closer, reached out, and took her hands into his own. “Of course I rushed on your account. We have important business to discuss. I can’t think of anything more pressing than that.”

“Business?”

“You know what I mean.”

She held his gaze. “I guess I do. Hunter, I can’t possibly explain why I blurted out that we were getting married. I’m sorry. A buzzing began in my head and I just couldn’t stand to hear her say those things one more time. You were right there and I—”

“You’re right, I
was
right there, so you don’t have to explain the whole thing to me. She’s lucky that’s all you did. What if you told her the truth? We weren’t getting married, but that you aren’t going back to New York? How would—”

“You don’t know her the way I do. She’ll
never
give up. She’ll make my life miserable. If she said she won’t leave without me, she won’t. She’ll end up staying here for years. I’m not leaving, and she can’t possibly stay.”

His hands on hers were growing all the more warm. She dropped them, and took a step away.
Why can’t a marriage with Hunter work? I’ve been thinking about him every moment of every day. He makes my blood thrum through my veins.

“Dichelle and I had a talk.”

His eyebrow peaked.

“She shared some of the things that you’ve shared with her. How you delivered a baby, for starters. I was hoping you might help me out now.”

His lips pulled up mischievously. “Getting married is a mighty big help.”

“I agree. But it would only be a business arrangement. We’re both business people, right?”

His smile ebbed away.

The thought of leaving Logan Meadows sliced her through. She’d miss so many people. Hunter the most of all. “Logan Meadows is now my home. I can’t imagine living anywhere else. I feel sad saying this, but my life has been so peaceful since moving here. My mother isn’t the easiest person to live with. As much as I wish she could change, and accept me for who I am, she won’t. I know that from past experience.”

He searched her eyes as if he could see her heart. “Logan Meadows is now my home, too,” he slowly said. “I’m not going anywhere. Do you agree with your mother, that I’m an uncouth heathen with no real education?”

Tabitha couldn’t stop a small smile. “She didn’t quite say all that.”

“Close enough. She plans to either haul you with her back to New York, or remain here—and make your life miserable. I’m not going to change my ways, Miss Hoity-Toity. Can you live with that?”

“Miss who?”

His crooked grin was back. “Miss Hoity-Toity. Your nickname.”

His voice had turned soft.

“I can. I like who you are. If you agree to marry me, all I have is one stipulation.”

His frown was back. “I’m the one who should be making the rules since you roped me into your problems. What now?”

“The marriage will be in name only. In case one of us has second thoughts.”
You have second thoughts.
“A person can get an annulment for up to two years if they haven’t consummated the marriage. I have two bedrooms upstairs that will work fine. We can sign a paper with our intentions and seal it, so the reverend will know we had this planned from the beginning and why. I’m sure he won’t like it, but sometimes extreme circumstances call for drastic measures. What do you think?”

“How do you know all that . . . about two years? You sure?”

“I read it once.”

“You read about annulments?”

“I read about everything.”

He nodded. “That I can believe. Another thing you can believe is I’m not going to wait for two years for you to decide if I’m a keeper or you’re throwing me back into the stream.” He’d pulled back and his face had gone serious. Even with him staring bullets through her, she was beginning to feel giddy. This might actually work.

“No, I wouldn’t expect you to. Does the sound of a month, or whenever my mother leaves, whichever comes first, sound acceptable to you? You’re free to do as you please after that, and I promise I won’t try to influence you either way.”

He rubbed his chin and gave her a good looking over—long enough to make her face flame with heat. “That sounds fair enough. What if one of us wants an annulment, but the other decides they don’t? What happens then?”

“I guess we cross that stream when we get to it,” she said. Was she really going to go through with this?

“Fine then. Should we go tell your family the news?”

“I think we should,” she replied. “The sooner the better.” When he took her hand in his and headed for the door, the realization of what they were contemplating hit her full force. A business agreement instead of a marriage? She just might lose her heart in such a deal and regret it for the rest of her life.