A Ruby Glows (Cutter's Creek Book 15) Page 12

  “Because my brother is smitten with her. I want to get to know the woman who was able to climb that mountain.” She lifted her skirts as she picked her way across the frozen, rutted street.

  “May, wait! You can’t say anything to her. She don’t feel that way.”

  May stopped in her tracks and Mr. Jorgensen had to pull up hard on his lines to keep his horses from running her down in the street. May didn’t seem to notice.

  “Beau, you wouldn’t know the first thing about how women think. You’ve been running from anything feminine for so long she could walk up to you, kiss you silly, and tell you she loves you, and you still wouldn’t know for sure.”

  Beau felt heat rush to his cheeks as he glanced around to see if anyone heard May. Then he took her hand, tucking it into his arm to hold her back. “I’m not quite as daft as you think.”

  “We’ll see.”

  He stopped at the base of the stairs leading to Ruby’s apartment. “May, behave yourself.”

  She pulled her hand from his arm and rang the bell, then ran halfway up before he could stop her. “I always do.” She turned and winked at him then ran the rest of the way, knocking as she landed on the last step.

  Beau squared his shoulders. It wouldn’t take much effort to rush up there and push his sister right over the edge of the landing…not that he would, but at least then she wouldn’t make the situation any worse. He’d failed Ruby and she was probably hopping mad about it. He would be.

  The door above him opened as he took the first step. “May, so good to see you!” Lily’s voice floated down to him. He’d be outnumbered.

  “Beau is tagging along. He’ll be up in just a moment.”

  Lily peered down the stairs at him and he ran up the last few steps so she wouldn’t have to hold the door open. The room was stiflingly warm and he pulled off his coat, draping it over one of the chairs. May did the same. Ruby sat at the table, her hands and face pale. She was wrapped in two thick cloaks. She stood but focused on her hands clutching the table in front of her.

  Beau stepped forward and took her hands in his, they were like ice. “Ruby. I’m so glad to see you back. You had me worried.”

  She pulled her hands from his and sat back down, wrapping the shawls tightly around her. May pulled up a chair. “It’s a good thing they didn’t get far. What did they want?”

  Beau laid his hand on May’s shoulder and squeezed. “She probably doesn’t want to talk about it, May.”

  Ruby glanced up. “They were on the hunt for someone else. When they realized I wasn’t the one they were after, they waited to decide what to do, that’s what gave the sheriff time to find me.”

  Beau couldn’t hide his flinch. He couldn’t blame anyone but himself. He’d had to leave the search to check something else. Something pointless. Something that took him away from the one woman he’d wanted to save.

  “Were they searching for Mrs. Ivy Masters?” May leaned forward in her seat.

  “How did you know?” Ruby’s brow wrinkled.

  “Mrs. Masters may not know it, but there’s a price on her head. She’s worth about $10,000 alive, only $2,000 dead. Or, she was. Her husband was murdered, so the bounty is now void. We’re still searching for her, but only to award her the proceeds of the will. The amount is undisclosed and much higher than her bounty. Her relatives would like nothing more than if Ivy were never found. Then they wouldn’t have to share their fortune.”

  “So, you aren’t going to turn her in?” Ruby tucked a lock of hair behind her ear then hunched deeper into her shawls.

  “You sound like you might know something about the situation.” May stared across the table and Beau held his breath.

  Ruby frowned. “I know where Ivy is, but like I told the bounty hunters, I won’t tell you anything until I can be sure it won’t hurt her. I’d like to talk to Ivy to see if she wants to be found, inheritance or not.”

  “How is it that we’ve been hunting for her for over a month, yet you already knew where she was?”

  The shadow of a smile crept across Ruby’s mouth. “She was hurt in a way that only someone who shares that hurt would understand. She saw that in me.” Ruby sought his eyes and, more than anything, he wanted to wipe the pain off her face. He wanted to give her new memories by helping her forget the old. He blinked and she’d glanced away. He’d make it up to her. In some way. He would.

  I’ll rescue her sisters for her.

  He smiled. “May, I think we should let Ruby recover in peace. Why don’t we say our goodbyes?”

  “But, but, Beau. I’m talking to Ruby and I need to know about Ivy,” May blustered.

  “You heard the lady. She isn’t going to tell you a single thing until she talks to Ivy, so you’d best let her rest up so she can.” He stood and pulled out May’s chair so roughly she almost lost her balance. May threw an evil glare over her shoulder. He pulled her coat off the back of her chair and draped it over her shoulders, then pulled his own coat on over his. “I hope to see you soon and as right as rain, Ruby.” He strode over to the door. “Coming May?”

  May glared at him as she shoved her arms into her coat. “Yes, brother.” She elbowed him in the ribs as she stomped by. He held his stomach and tipped his hat to Ruby and Lily, securing the door behind him.

  “What was that all about. We’d just begun a good visit. They hadn’t even offered us anything to drink yet.” May stomped down the street.

  “Couldn’t you see how tired she looked? She wasn’t glad to see us and she wasn’t going to tell you anything else about Ivy. She doesn’t know you and if she knew about your original plans for Ivy, she certainly wouldn’t tell you anything.”

  May had the grace to blush. “I’ve thought about that a bit. I’ve only ever known people who cared about me so it seemed a bit odd that she’d run away, especially from a rich husband. But Emerson’s been telling me about the Masters family, and if it had been me in that situation, I don’t know that I would’ve stayed.”

  “So, when did Mr. Caruso become just Emerson?” Since May changed the subject, he’d go along with it.

  “Emerson is still Mr. Caruso at work, but we do talk some at lunch and after office hours.”

  “I thought there was nothing between you two?” He tried to catch her eye, but she moved too quickly.

  “I said he didn’t show any interest. He may not stay in Cutter’s Creek. Since I must stay for Pa’s sake, it wouldn’t do any good for me to form any attachment to him, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the time I have with him while I have it.”

  “And what if he does stay?”

  “Then perhaps I will see what he feels, if anything. I know you think of him as cold, but really, the Ivy plan was mine, not his. The Masters family has always provided for him, but he sees Cutter’s Creek as a possible way of escape. We’ll just see if he takes it.”

  “Give him a reason to, May.”

  “Now you sound like me.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

  “It wasn’t bad advice,” he shrugged, hiding a grin.

  ***

  “Do you think they are gone and do you think they’ll follow me if I go talk to Ivy right away?” Ruby chewed her finger nail.

  Lily sat down on her bed. “I’m sure I don’t know. Do you think it’s wise to go out when you’re ill?”

  “It isn’t that I want to, but if it means that Ivy could finally be free, I’ll do it.” Ruby stood and the room spun, she fought to keep what little she ate in her stomach. She stumbled back to her seat. “Just maybe not this minute.”

  “That’s what I thought. Give yourself another few days. If you’re not better by tomorrow, I’m going to ask Dr. Peirce to come see you. Oh! That reminds me, I heard that Maddie went to see Dr. Gentry earlier today. In his opinion, she’s just fine. He wasn’t sure what Dr. Peirce saw that made him think she was unwell, but he couldn’t find anything.”

  “So, I’m without a job, again.” Ruby let her head fall into her hands.

&nb
sp; “If you haven’t been fired yet, then don’t worry about it. You love little Malcom and they can keep you on as a nanny.”

  “They don’t need a nanny. Maddie would love to sit with her baby and play, she just hasn’t been allowed to. Now she can, and that’s wonderful.” Warmth spread through Ruby’s chest. “And watching little Malcom made me feel something I never thought I would.”

  “The feeling of wanting children?” Lily moved to the table, sitting next to Ruby.

  “Yes. I never wanted them before, since I come from such a big family. I thought I had my fill of little ones.”

  “I know what you mean. I was an only child and feared having any of my own, but I am so smitten with James’s baby, David. He even calls me ‘Lily-mommy’, which would be frowned on if anyone but his father and mother heard, but I love it. I can’t wait to be his mommy for real.”

  “I’m glad you’ll have that chance.” Ruby closed her eyes and tried to imagine what a family would be like, but try as she might, Beau was the only man she could picture as her husband. Beau, her sisters, and her. They could be a family. If only she could rescue them from the same fate Pa had dealt her.

  “You’ll have that chance, soon enough. It didn’t seem to bother you one bit when Beau showed up just now.”

  “I had no idea he’d come and certainly not May, though she was only here because she suspected the whole thing had to do with Ivy.”

  “Now, here’s the question.” Lily stood and put her hands on her hips. “Do you trust me? If you do. I’ll go out tonight after dark and bring Ivy here so you can talk to her.”

  “If it wasn’t safe for me to wander at night, what makes you think you’d be safe?” Ruby’s heart raced and she clutched the edge of the table.

  “Well, if she’s in hiding, she isn’t going to come out in the daytime, is she?” Lily said. “It isn’t like I want to go out, especially after you were taken. But those men were caught and I don’t see any other way.”

  “I’ve been to see her during the day once before. I’ll go tomorrow, after I speak to Maddie about my job.”

  “If that suits you.” Lily frowned. “Would trusting me have been so hard?”

  “She asked me not to tell anyone. I can’t break her trust.”

  “Ruby, you have to learn that there are some people in this world who aren’t trying to hurt you and take advantage of you. By the same token, if you look for bad people, you’ll always find them.”

  “Lily, you’ve never been traded like a cow. You’ve never had someone you thought loved you, cast you away.”

  “That isn’t true. Your hurts aren’t so much different than mine. I was terrified I’d be ostracized right along with my parents, but the people of Cutter’s Creek understood. You have to open up. If you don’t let people love you, and learn to love people, imperfect as they are, you’ll always be lonely.”

  “I’ll go as soon as I’m feeling up to it.” Ruby ducked her head, avoiding Lily’s gaze.

  Lily sighed loudly. “If you want to sit here and wallow, then so be it. I’ll be back later.”

  The door clicked shut behind Lily and the laughing in Ruby’s head grew louder. She covered her ears and it grew louder still.

  “You won’t win, Arnold. I won’t let you.”

  The voice just laughed harder. “I already have.”

  18

  “May, I need to find somewhere to put the Arnsby girls.” Beau strode back and forth in front of the fire.

  May laid her open book in her lap and set a ribbon on her page, closing it and setting it aside. She cocked her head slightly. “There aren’t many homes in Cutter’s Creek that’d be big enough to comfortably house that many girls. You could practically found a school with all of them.”

  Beau frowned. “That isn’t helpful, May.”

  “Well, Mrs. Camden has enough room, but she’d never agree to it. Dr. Peirce has a few rooms, but he needs them. The Moore’s have a large house and might be willing to take in some girls, but I don’t know that anyone who has the room would be able to afford that many extra mouths to feed. Most folks here have only stored enough food for their own families for the winter.”

  Beau stared into the fire. “I have a little money squirrelled away, I only used a bit of it to bring you back here. I’d hoped to use it to move to Dakota, but Ruby and her sisters are more important.”

  “Oh, the Williams’s! They have lots of room in that lovely old house of theirs. It reminds me of the Queen Anne style homes in Maine. Honestly, it’d have to be the Moore’s or the Williams’s, all other homes in Cutter’s Creek are too small or too full.”

  “I can’t go talk to Heath about this, word might get back to his wife who’d then tell Ruby. It’s important to me that I surprise her. I failed her by not finding her myself, I need to make it up to her.”

  “Well, now that Dr. Gentry is here you can go visit the Williams’s. There’s an announcement in the paper about the impending marriage of Dr. Gentry and Carol Williams. They are to be wed on the New Year.”

  “Carol is getting married?” He couldn’t believe it. It hadn’t been that long ago she’d been chasing his coattails and he’d been running in the opposite direction.

  “Yes, sometimes these things move fast.” May laughed. “Now that Cutter’s Creek doesn’t have to worry about their young men, perhaps the good doctor can also keep her from wagging her tongue. If he can do that, she’ll make him a good wife.”

  “Harrumph.” Beau returned to pacing in front of the fire. “So, I can choose between a couple getting married in days, or a family where Ruby works…”

  “Go, talk to Heath first. Let him know it has to remain a secret. If they are unable to do it, you can always go right over to the Williams’s house and try there.”

  Beau donned his hat and coat. “Best get it squared away. I’m not looking forward to the trip to Yellow Medicine this deep in winter, but this can’t wait.”

  While the streets of Cutter’s Creek were generally bustling in the summer, the winter was another story. People tended to stay indoors unless they were forced outside. The less people had to open their doors, the less heat they lost. He knew all this yet it still shocked him to walk outside and find empty streets. It didn’t help that it was closing in on the dinner hour. If he hurried, he could catch Heath before he sat down to eat.

  He knocked on the front door and tried to hide his surprise when Maddie answered.

  “Beau! I haven’t seen you in quite some time. Heath just got home. I’ll take you to him.” She stepped back, letting him in and taking his coat.

  She led him to the back of the house, to a small office where Heath sat opening his mail. He glanced up and nodded, smiling at Maddie.

  “Hello Beau, thank you dear.” He stood and kissed her on the cheek, then closed the door as she left. “I haven’t seen you in some time, Beau. Are you hoping to work at the mill? Cahill is looking for a couple men. I could surely get you in.” He gestured for Beau to sit.

  “I might take you up on that, since I’ve got to stay here all winter, but that’s not what I came to see you about.” Beau scratched his chin and tried to think of a good way to ask someone to take in what’d amount to seven orphans.

  “Did you want to join us for dinner and talk about it? I’m sure Maddie won’t mind. Since we let the cook go this morning she’s been cooking constantly.” He laughed.

  “I don’t know that that’s such a good idea… You know Ruby, of course.”

  “Well, yes. Maddie knows her better than I do, but yes.”

  Beau leaned forward in his seat. “Ruby doesn’t know that I’m here, and I’d rather she didn’t find out. She has seven sisters and they are in a bad way. I plan to bring them here to Cutter’s Creek to live with Ruby, but she doesn’t have the room in her tiny apartment. Do you have room here, just until spring? We could find some other place for them by then.”

  Hopefully, they’ll be with me in the house I’ll get for Ruby and her family�
�

  Heath shook his head. “Seven? That’s a lot of extra mouths to feed, Beau. Maddie was just given a clean bill of health, and I’d like her to not be worn out by watching extra children.”

  Beau closed his eyes and let his head drop a bit. “Would it change your mind if I paid Ruby’s wages?”

  “I’m sorry, Beau. I don’t mind telling you it scared me when Dr. Peirce said Maddie shouldn’t tax herself overmuch. We still don’t know why he said that, so we don’t know if it could happen again. I have to think of my wife first.”

  “I understand. Thank you for talking with me about it.” He stood and shook hands with Heath.

  Heath nodded. “I wish I could help in some way, but we just can’t.”

  Beau left the room and Maddie met him by the door, handing him his coat. “My, that was a short visit. Are you sure you won’t join us for supper, Beau? It’s no trouble at all.”

  “Thank you kindly, but I’ve got a few more errands to attend to before I can sit down for a meal.”

  She smiled, opening the door and letting him out. That left him with one other place; the house he didn’t want to go to. He’d made it a point not to go to the Williams house after Josiah had gotten married, mostly because of Carol Williams. Even if she was getting married, she wasn’t yet, and he didn’t want to put himself within her reach.

  The lateness of the hour meant he’d have to delay his visit until the morning.

  He might have to delay his plan, anyway. With the doctor and Carol getting married, they’d leave on a honeymoon. While they couldn’t go anywhere besides the hotel for a honeymoon, Beau couldn’t leave Mr. Williams in charge of so many girls.

  Those Arnsby girls might have to wait until mid-January for their rescue. That didn’t sit well with him.

  ***

  Ruby pulled her cloak on over her dress. After a full night’s sleep and a good, hot meal, she felt much better. First, she’d go speak to Ivy, then she’d make her report to the sheriff. Hopefully, the men who kidnapped her would stay jailed until the circuit judge could come for a trial. Though, with the weather, they could sit in the jail for months, not that she minded, as long as they were far from her and Ivy.