Another Dawn by Deb Stover Page A

lost, while he was celebrating a new beginning. He had no regrets about helping her. Not anymore.
           "You look lovely," he said, reminding himself that they all considered him a priest, regardless of his thoughts and desires. "I hope you slept well."   In his mind, he saw her asleep last night with her full, firm breast half-exposed to his gaze. The mental image knifed through him.
           Straight to his groin.
           "Yes," she said, still staring at him. "I...for a moment, I..."
           "Are you all right, Sofie?" Mrs. Fleming went to her side and took her arm. "You aren't dizzy, are you? Dr. Wilson said to watch for that."
           "No, I just..."   Her gaze riveted to Luke, she slowly shook her head. "Nothing. It couldn't be. For a moment, I thought I remembered something."
           His heart hammered his ribs and he held his breath. God, please don't let her remember. At least, not yet . Luke managed a weak smile and, finally, a breath. "Maybe your memory will come back a little at a time," he said, though in truth he hoped she never remembered everything. That made him selfish and small, but there it was.
           "Maybe."   Sofie visibly shook herself and dragged her gaze   from Luke. "Dora, thank you for lending me this dress. I'll return it after I've washed my own clothes."
           Mrs. Fleming made a sound of open disapproval. "Sofie,   those rags–"
           "Are all I have of my own," Sofie said. "You've been very kind, Mrs. Fleming, but I hope to regain my memory and my life as soon as possible. I don't wish to be a burden to anyone."   She shrugged and sighed. "I'm not even sure where we are."
           "High in the Rocky Mountains," Luke said, trying not to remember the day Warden Graham and company had escorted him up to the new facility. "Somewhere near the continental divide, I think."
           "Redemption is part of the Cripple Creek Mining District," Dora said, lifting pieces of bacon from the skillet with a fork. "So the Miners here stake their claims and such over to Cripple Creek. Assayer is there, too."  
           "A city of sin."   Mrs. Fleming filled a plate with bacon and steaming biscuits, then held it while Dora ladled out a hefty serving of eggs. "I'll just take this out to Dr. Wilson, and stand there until he eats every bite."
           Luke tried not to look at Sofie. She seemed so vulnerable in the oversized gray dress. It swallowed her, made her appear even smaller and more fragile than before. Then he noticed her worn leather hiking boots peeking out from beneath the long dress, and he smiled. Really smiled.
           "Cripple Creek," Sofie said. "I wonder why that sounds familiar."
           Was she from that infamous mountain town? But most people knew about Cripple Creek, even if they'd never been there. The tune to "Up on Cripple Creek" raced through Luke's mind. Of course it sounded famliar to her.
           In fact, he remembered visiting the historic mining town with his grandparents the summer he turned twelve. He'd found the old buildings and living history fascinating then, but the stories of huge gold strikes had been more than compelling. Age appropriate, no doubt.
           But even at twenty-nine, Luke's palms turned sweaty and his heart rate surged. Could he walk into the mountains now and stake a claim? Might he find a fortune in gold lying just beneath the earth's surface?
           Did it matter? Would it change anything?
           No, freedom and life were more important. He sighed. Money was merely a means to an end. Of course, train tickets would cost money, and the few dollars in Father Salazar's wallet wouldn't take him far. And he should make sure Sofie had some money, too. Then he remembered that all currency carried a date.
           The Denver Mint would have a fit.
           Luke caught himself smiling again. That was twice in one