“Why didn’t you go with the others?” she asked, kneeling beside the dog.
“Mangy hound.” She scratched his ears.
“You’ve been a thorn in my side from the day we met.” She buried her face in his wiry coat and fought back the tears. The door opened behind her, and she heard Stubs’ footsteps on the floor.
“Got your trunk loaded on the sled.” She rose from the floor.
“You take care of everybody for me, Joker,” she whispered. She completed her circle, her eyes continuing to caress each nook and cranny of the log house.
“All right, Stubs. I’m ready.” She walked past him and out to the waiting sled, climbing onto the wagon seat without waiting for the cowboy’s assistance. She pulled the hood of her cloak up over her head and clutched it tightly beneath her chin. She refused to turn her head to look at Stubs when he joined her on the seat.
“Where to, Miss Harris?” Disapproval was clear in his clipped question.
“Challis.” There was a pause.
“But I thought–”
“I’m going to catch the stage for home.”
“The wedding’s to take place in Boise?”
“I broke off the engagement with Mr. O’Donnell yesterday. There isn’t going to be any wedding.”
“Does Gavin know that?” Rachel turned her head and met the man’s direct gaze.
“It wouldn’t make any difference if he did. May we please get started? I want to be gone before he returns with the children. There’s no point in upsetting them more than necessary.” He opened his mouth as if to speak, then clamped it shut. With a shake of his head, he slapped the reins, and the team surged forward. More than anything else, Rachel wanted to twist on the wagon seat and look back at the house and outbuildings. She wanted to memorize every board, every window. Very soon, memories would be all she would have. But she resisted. If she looked back, she would fall apart. Joker’s barking announced his arrival. He galloped beyond, then circled the trotting horses and wagon bed, returning to Rachel’s side of the sled. His long tongue lolled out the corner of his mouth as he ran beside them.
“Go back, Joker,” Rachel shouted at him.
“No point in tellin’ him t’git. He’s taken a particular likin’ to you. Prob’ly senses you’re goin’. I’ll bring him back home with me. Won’t do him no harm to follow us into town.”
She remembered the first time she’d seen the unruly hound. She remembered the way he’d jumped up on her, soiling her blouse and pushing her to the ground. She remembered Gavin’s laughter. Your dog, no doubt, she’d said to him. Lord, she was even going to miss that stupid dog.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“Yes, ma’am. Sometimes the stage is getting’ through now, but it’ll be Saturday ‘fore the next one is due in. Might be here. Might not. Can’t never tell this time o’ year.”
“Saturday?” Rachel stared at the man behind the counter.
“But that’s four days.”
“Yes’m. Reckon it is at that.”
“Rachel?” Stubs’ hand touched her shoulder.
“Why don’t I just take you back to the Lucky Strike? I’ll bring you into town on Saturday.” She swung around to look at him.
“No,” she said emphatically.
“I can’t go back with you.”
“Well, I don’t take too well to leavin’ you alone in town. The man’s right. Never can tell about the stage in the winter. It can get snowed in by one of the passes. You could be here for a couple weeks even.”
“Weeks?” she repeated softly. She mentally calculated the amount of money in her reticule.
“Come on, then.” Stubs took hold of her elbow.
“Let me take you back.”
“No. I am not going back to the ranch, and that’s final. You may take me to the hotel. I will be perfectly all right until the stage arrives.”
“Obstinate fools, the both of you,” he muttered as he escorted her out of the stage line office. Stubs couldn’t understand how much she
longed to return with him to the Lucky Strike, but she’d said her good-byes, however privately, and couldn’t bear to go through it again. And Gavin? He would be furious if he should find her there. No, she would have to stay in Challis and wait. There wasn’t anything fancy about the hotel Stubs took her to, but it was clean and affordable and far enough away from the nearest saloon to remain reasonably quiet at night. Stubs was still frowning as he stood in the door of her hotel room.
“What’re you gonna do about getting’ your trunk to the stage? It’s too heavy for you to drag over there.”
“I’m sure I can hire someone to take it over for me. Please don’t worry about me anymore, Stubs. I’ll be fine.”
“I’m not so sure.” She felt her self-control slipping. In another moment, she would burst into tears in front of him, and she didn’t want that.
“I’m going to lie down now and rest. Thank you again.”
He touched the brim of his hat.
“It’s been a pleasure, Rachel.”
“Good-bye,” she managed to whisper.
“Take care of everyone for me.” The door closed behind him. Rachel sank onto the bed. The sob she’d been holding in all day tore its way up from her chest, and she curled into a tight ball in the center of the bed and gave herself over to tears. He’d done it for her own good as well as his. He’d had to be cruel. He hadn’t had any choice. They weren’t good for each other. Hadn’t been from the start. They would only have made things worse if she’d stayed even one more day. This way, at least, she could have the rich husband she wanted. Perhaps Patrick would never know what had happened. She’d been a virgin. Why had she thrown her virtue away on him? Wasn’t she smart enough to know it could ruin everything for her? She could be pregnant with his child even now. What if she and Patrick still didn’t plan to wed until summer? Everyone would know what she’d done. Why had she come so willingly to his bed? Rachel walked along the boardwalk toward the hotel as dusk fell over the town. She had to pass several saloons on her way back from the restaurant, and she’d already had to skirt two scrubby-looking men who were well into their cups despite the earliness of the hour. She wondered if a drink of whiskey might be the cure for what ailed her. Could alcohol heal a broken heart? And even if it couldn’t, she wouldn’t care as long as it brought her just a few hours of oblivion, a short respite from the pain. But, of course, she didn’t dare go into a saloon, nor did she really want to find solace in drink. She just wanted to get back to Maggie. Maggie would help her make sense of it all.
“Rachel!” She stopped and turned at the familiar voice.
“Sure but I never thought to see you in town,” Patrick said as he strode across the street and stepped up onto the sidewalk.
“What are you…?” He stopped abruptly as he looked down at her face.
“Rachel, my lovely, what’s wrong?”
“I’m going home,” she answered. A sudden crash of glass and wood sounded from a nearby saloon.
“Here. Let’s get you off the street.
“Tis not safe for you t’be out alone at night. What’s Gavin thinkin’? Where is he?” She felt too tired for explanations.
“Gavin’s not with me. I’m alone.” The truth of those words cut her like a knife.
“I’m all alone,” she repeated.
“Rachel…” His big hands closed gently over her arms.
“Tell me what’s happened.” She lifted her chin in a show of mock strength.
“I’ve left the Lucky Strike. I’m going home to Boise as soon as the stage comes. Until then, I’m staying at the Gumbel Hotel.”
“Come on, then.” He started walking, pulling her along with him.