Page 29 of A Steadfast Heart
Seconds later, a cowboy pulled his horse to a stop near the stoop, looking around carefully before tipping his hat to Kaitlyn. He must want to talk to one of the men.
Kaitlyn pushed aside her disappointment. A visit with a local woman would have been a blessing. “Are you here to see Drew? I can send David to find him.”
He studied the house with calculating eyes for a moment, then leaned down to hand her a sealed envelope. “I brought this for you. Mr. Quade was in town and thought you’d want it as soon as possible.”
She moved to the second step and took the packet. A telegram? Was it from Michael? Her heartbeat raced, and she took a deep breath to try to settle it. The telegram was probably from her lawyer.
She pressed trembling lips into a smile. “Can I offer you some tea?”
“Can’t stay.” He juggled his horse’s reins to adjust his leather gloves. “But if you want to send a reply, I can take it to Mr. Quade. He’ll be heading back to town tomorrow. You’ll have to give it to me quick though.”
The bushes beside the porch rustled. Probably Patch. That dog loved the kids, but he tended to hide when Tillie wanted to tie sunbonnets on him.
Sizzling came from the kitchen. “Oh no! My stew!” She waved at the cowboy. “I’ll have to reply later. I have to go!” She tucked her telegram into her skirt pocket and hurried through the parlor and into the kitchen.
Kaitlyn grabbed a rag to move the stew pot to a cooler part of the stove. Smoke tickled her nose from the places where the stew had cooked over. She tested the potatoes with a fork. Ready to serve. A glimpse into the oven confirmed that the cornbread was nicely golden on top. She pulled out the pan and placed it on the stovetop.
Someone was already ringing the bell hung on the back porch. Nick had told her they could hear it over the front half of the ranch, but everyone was working close to the house today. She’d only have a moment to read her unexpected telegram. From her lawyer. It had to be from her lawyer.
She stepped onto the porch in time to see Jo slip into the trees around the edge of the yard. She’d probably rung the bell. Probably moved the stew to the hottest part of the stovetop to make it overheat as well. Kaitlyn shook her head. Jo was an issue for another day. The telegram was all she could handle right now.
She moved to lean against the porch railing, the cool air a relief after cooking over the wood stove. Everything smelled so much fresher in the West. She enjoyed a couple of bracing lungfuls of mountain air before finally tearing open the envelope.
Her knees almost gave way at the signature. Her lawyer, not her brother. She scanned the slip of paper.
Received letter STOP Need further documentation to honor request STOP Send proof of marriage STOP Best wishes STOP
Proof of marriage? Her word wasn’t good enough?
Footsteps pounded from the corral to the front of the house.
“Wash up,” she called as the noise moved inside, and she pushed the telegram into her pocket.
In a matter of minutes, everyone had taken their seats and passed their bowls for Kaitlyn to fill. Drew said grace, and everyone dug into their dinner. The tightness in her chest relaxed. The silence said more than a thousand compliments could.
Jo’s spoon clanked against her bowl. “Our new ma got herself a visitor today.”
Nick’s eyebrows rose, but Kaitlyn thought it was more over thenew macomment than the visitor.
Drew spoke around a mouthful. “Mrs. Boutwell?”
Jo smirked. “Sure looked like one’a Quade’s hands.”
Drew’s gaze sharpened as he finished chewing. “Is that true?”
“Um, yes.” She paused, took in the sea of angry expressions that surrounded her. “He brought me a telegram from town.”
Drew’s features tightened. “How long was he here? What’d he ask about?”
“I don’t understand. Why does it matter?” Didn’t neighbors do favors for each other out here?
Drew took a drink, then set his glass down a little too hard. “I don’t want any of Quade’s men on the ranch.”
“Mr. Quade himself saved me from some ruffians on the boardwalk when I first arrived. He rode with me out here, delivered me to your doorstep.” Kaitlyn swallowed hard, memories clashing inside her heart. Memories of the men in town following her before Mr. Quade had taken over. Memories of her brother forbidding visitors.
Drew caught his youngest brother’s eye. “You didn’t tell me Quade brought her here.”
Nick added butter to a third piece of cornbread. “I didn’t know.” He scoffed, then turned toward Kaitlyn. “He probably sicced those cowboys on you in the first place.”
