Page 38 of A Late-Blooming Rose
They reached the “library.” The phantom walls outlined by stakes surrounded the men digging in the muddy holes and trenches.
Andre guided them along the perimeter, talking and waving his arms and describing various rooms. From time to time, he’d call out greetings to the workmen, knowing them all by name.
Seeing the boundaries made Rose realize, even better than when viewing the blueprints, how large this library would be. From Andre’s descriptions and from the plans she’d studied, she could tell he already had a fully formed building in his mind. She couldn’t wait to see the reality.
Once again, possessiveness surged through her.My library. Mine!
After circling the whole perimeter, Andre led her in the direction of a covered bandstand before suddenly stopping. “This is where the fountain is going.” He pointed to a big circle of stakes. “I’ve played with several ideas about the kind of statue I’d like, almost settled on a curled-up dragon, long tail wrapped around the body.” He made a large waving motion.
“You always were fascinated with dragons.” As soon as she uttered the statement, Rose pressed her lips together, wishing the words unsaid.So much for ignoring our past bond.
Andre smiled down at her, the fond look in his eyes, obviously remembering. “But this is the West—no place for the fantasies of mythological creatures. Montana is the land of thehorse.”
Grateful he didn’t acknowledge her mention of their shared past, she reminded herself to stay in thepresent.
“The race at the Harvest Festival fired my imagination. I visualized several racing horses thundering through the water, their manes and tails waving….” He made a sound, half-laugh, half-grunt. “I’d forgotten that idea until just now.” His expression sobered. “The robbery happened during the race. That’s why no one knew, and the gang could get away.”
“That must have been so—” she couldn’t even think of a word that fit the shock and horror and settled for something that sounded mundane “—dreadful.”
“The initial reaction was greatly impacted by our fears that Joshua’s father, who’d been in the bank most of the day receiving the donations, had been harmed or killed by the robbers.”
“You all must have been terribly relieved he was unhurt.”
“Among so many other feelings.” His jaw firmed, then he let out a deep breath. “Reverend and Mrs. Norton are still shaken, but I only know their state of mind because Joshua confided in me his concern for them. To look at them doing their duties around town, you’d never know how disturbed they were. Those two are the most admirable couple I know. I suppose—” he thought for a moment “—I’d describe them as strong in their faith, yet good and…andkindin their attitude toward others.”
“Your daughter is very blessed in her in-laws.”
Andre stopped abruptly, let out a breath, and looked at Rose, his admiring gaze studying her face.
Heat crept into her cheeks, and she wondered if he noticed the wrinkles and gray hairs.
“This outing has been good for me. Having you and Cora here. Knowing everyone’s safe. That the bad guys are taken care of. The money for the church is returned. I feel a thousand times better. It’s been a truly awful…horrible week. I can’t even put into words how bad…. Why now, I could almost kick up my heels.”
Rose laughed and held up her hands. “Don’t let me stop you.”
“Alas.” He pulled a mock frown, but his eyes danced. “I’m a respectable businessman. A staid father and grandfather. Best not mar my dignity with improper displays of high jinx.”
For the second time that day, Rose had to fight giggles. She’d forgotten how much Andre made her laugh. The memory caused her to straighten, edge away a few inches, and look around for a change of subject. “The architect comes to town in a few days? I can’t remember his name.”
“Elton Reid, and yes, you shall meet with him.”
“I’d like that.” She was careful to keep her smile polite and distant.
He didn’t seem to notice, holding out an elbow to escort her. “So, Miss Librarian. What shall we do next?”
“I suppose start cataloguing the books. I need to know what you have, what all I’ve brought, and go from there.” She took his arm.
“That sounds like a good beginning. And once you’ve finished that task, we will start talking to people about donations—of either books or money for books.”
Rose wasn’t sure she liked that idea. Thinking of trying to coax money from strangers made her want to retreat to her room and hide.I’ll just have to don the librarian role I use in social situations.“Do you think many people will contribute?”
“For starters, I happen to know one family with boxes of books in their barn.”
She gasped. “In theirbarn?”
“Well, perhaps not in the barn anymore. When Trudy Flanigan came here as a mail-order bride, her father had just remarried and combined households with his new wife, giving Trudy all the extras, including a piano. She brought a lot of book boxes with her.”
“I thought mail-order brides were just in dime novels. I can’t imagine having the courage to marry a stranger.” Rose shuddered.Traveling across the country to live with a former beau for the sake of a job is bad enough.
