His
intentions were clear.
Patty was obviously shaken by the disclosure. “I love Emily
so much, but I don’t know what I can do? I keep a shotgun below the counter,
but I honestly don’t know if I could use it. Perhaps I can ask a few gentlemen
to keep their eyes open—discreetly of course. I’ll watch the play yard
from inside the lobby, and I’ll keep my ears open, telling you if anything
sounds helpful.”
“That will be fine, Patty. But remember, the man is
dangerous. Please be careful.” Blake was concerned for all the residents of
the hotel, but he was especially worried about the women. The small and
elegant Patty, and the sweet, vivacious Cassie could very well be in danger of
this madman. He prayed Dora could take care of herself.
Cassie’s eyes lit up with an idea, and she announced, “I’m
bored staying around the hotel. It’s time I got out some. Naturally , I’m still unsure of walking
by myself through the streets of town . . . so, therefore, I will insist that Emily allow me to walk with
her when she goes out. She’ll be doing me a big favor.” She smiled, thinking
she was very clever. “I think I’ll also mention this to my corporal. He may
know something. Maybe this old man has been to Fort Hays.”
Blake was shocked. Why hadn’t he thought of that? He
grabbed Cassie by her soft pink cheeks and kissed her right on the lips. “I
love you, Cassie! You’re brilliant!”
Then he, literally, ran out the front door and straight to
the livery, where he saddled his horse in record time. He would go to the fort
and inquire about this man. He wasn’t a ghost. Somebody must know who he is.
Cassie lightly touched her trembling fingers to her lips, in
a thoughtful pose. Then, with a slight look of anxiety on her face, she
muttered to Patty, “Gee, I hope Emily doesn’t find out the doc kissed me.
Wouldn’t want to make her jealous.”
Patty giggled, and put her arms around Cassie’s shoulders.
“Que sera, sera,” darling. What will be, will be.”
“Huh?”
* * *
A month had gone by with no news of Emily’s stepfather.
Things were slowly getting back to normal. Everyone still kept vigilant, but
the feeling was less urgent than before. Even Emily seemed to settle back down
to her daily routine. Dr. Donovan never again spent the night in her
bedchamber, much to his disappointment, but he was waiting and hoping for an
invitation.
Farmers were coming in to sell the last of their season’s
harvest. The days were growing shorter and cooler. Soon there would be
harvest dances to attend and holiday planning. Once winter blew in, the people
would hole up in their cozy homes until spring. Winters were brutal on the
Kansas plains.
Emily was clipping the last of her roses when she heard a
wagon pull up and stop in front of the hotel. Guests normally came in on the
train or stage. If they rode in, they stopped at the livery before arriving at
the hotel. Curious as to who would park their old wagon in front of the hotel
entrance, she stood up and got a good look.
“Eve! Ty! Oh, my lord,” she shrieked, dropping her shears
and the yellow roses she had gathered, as she ran toward the newcomers. “Dora!
Patty! Eve and Ty are here!” she yelled as she ran to greet her friends.
Before she reached the steps, a happy and excited Patty was
throwing her arms around Eve. Dora burst through the door, crying from sheer
joy, and went straight to baby Carol.
“Let me at that baby!” she cried. “Oh, she’s just beautiful.
Look at her.” She squeezed the child so tightly the little girl began to
struggle. She wanted her papa.
“Glad to see you too, Dora,” Ty teased. He chuckled at the
woman cuddling his daughter. “Patty, Emily.” He tipped his hat. “Where’s
Cassie?”
Patty smiled at Eve’s handsome, cowboy husband. “She’s got
herself a beau. He’s a corporal at Fort Hays . . . and a very nice young man.
They went to the mercantile to buy some trinkets for her. He spoils
intentions were clear.
Patty was obviously shaken by the disclosure. “I love Emily
so much, but I don’t know what I can do? I keep a shotgun below the counter,
but I honestly don’t know if I could use it. Perhaps I can ask a few gentlemen
to keep their eyes open—discreetly of course. I’ll watch the play yard
from inside the lobby, and I’ll keep my ears open, telling you if anything
sounds helpful.”
“That will be fine, Patty. But remember, the man is
dangerous. Please be careful.” Blake was concerned for all the residents of
the hotel, but he was especially worried about the women. The small and
elegant Patty, and the sweet, vivacious Cassie could very well be in danger of
this madman. He prayed Dora could take care of herself.
Cassie’s eyes lit up with an idea, and she announced, “I’m
bored staying around the hotel. It’s time I got out some. Naturally , I’m still unsure of walking
by myself through the streets of town . . . so, therefore, I will insist that Emily allow me to walk with
her when she goes out. She’ll be doing me a big favor.” She smiled, thinking
she was very clever. “I think I’ll also mention this to my corporal. He may
know something. Maybe this old man has been to Fort Hays.”
Blake was shocked. Why hadn’t he thought of that? He
grabbed Cassie by her soft pink cheeks and kissed her right on the lips. “I
love you, Cassie! You’re brilliant!”
Then he, literally, ran out the front door and straight to
the livery, where he saddled his horse in record time. He would go to the fort
and inquire about this man. He wasn’t a ghost. Somebody must know who he is.
Cassie lightly touched her trembling fingers to her lips, in
a thoughtful pose. Then, with a slight look of anxiety on her face, she
muttered to Patty, “Gee, I hope Emily doesn’t find out the doc kissed me.
Wouldn’t want to make her jealous.”
Patty giggled, and put her arms around Cassie’s shoulders.
“Que sera, sera,” darling. What will be, will be.”
“Huh?”
* * *
A month had gone by with no news of Emily’s stepfather.
Things were slowly getting back to normal. Everyone still kept vigilant, but
the feeling was less urgent than before. Even Emily seemed to settle back down
to her daily routine. Dr. Donovan never again spent the night in her
bedchamber, much to his disappointment, but he was waiting and hoping for an
invitation.
Farmers were coming in to sell the last of their season’s
harvest. The days were growing shorter and cooler. Soon there would be
harvest dances to attend and holiday planning. Once winter blew in, the people
would hole up in their cozy homes until spring. Winters were brutal on the
Kansas plains.
Emily was clipping the last of her roses when she heard a
wagon pull up and stop in front of the hotel. Guests normally came in on the
train or stage. If they rode in, they stopped at the livery before arriving at
the hotel. Curious as to who would park their old wagon in front of the hotel
entrance, she stood up and got a good look.
“Eve! Ty! Oh, my lord,” she shrieked, dropping her shears
and the yellow roses she had gathered, as she ran toward the newcomers. “Dora!
Patty! Eve and Ty are here!” she yelled as she ran to greet her friends.
Before she reached the steps, a happy and excited Patty was
throwing her arms around Eve. Dora burst through the door, crying from sheer
joy, and went straight to baby Carol.
“Let me at that baby!” she cried. “Oh, she’s just beautiful.
Look at her.” She squeezed the child so tightly the little girl began to
struggle. She wanted her papa.
“Glad to see you too, Dora,” Ty teased. He chuckled at the
woman cuddling his daughter. “Patty, Emily.” He tipped his hat. “Where’s
Cassie?”
Patty smiled at Eve’s handsome, cowboy husband. “She’s got
herself a beau. He’s a corporal at Fort Hays . . . and a very nice young man.
They went to the mercantile to buy some trinkets for her. He spoils
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