the stage driver, who stared balefully at her.
Mrs. Hargrove touched Ivy’s hand. “Do you offer overnight accommodations?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Conrad asked about the Katy’s current progress in building its line from Kansas toward Texas. Nichols explained that a land grant in Indian Territory had been promised to the first railroad to reach a certain point on the Kansas border, but the Indian Nations were protesting that Congress had no right to grant the land at all.
After serving dessert, Ivy turned to the Hargroves. “Where are you headed after Doaksville?”
“On to Boggy Depot, then maybe up to Stringtown before we make our way to Perryville to see our daughter,” Albert answered.
Maude took her husband’s hand. “We’d love to stay here overnight on our return.”
“I’d be happy to have you.”
Gideon noticed how adoringly the couple looked at each other. He wondered if things had always been that way for them.
Mrs. Hargrove shared a secret smile with Ivy and Gideon. “It will be like a little honeymoon.”
“We try to take one every year,” Albert said.
Conrad pushed his plate away. “How long y’all been married?”
“Fifty-two years.” Albert beamed at his wife.
Maude put her hand over his. “We’ve never spent a night apart.”
Loud enough for only Gideon to hear, Ivy breathed, “It’s a wonder you haven’t killed each other.”
He slid her a look, recalling what she’d said last night about not marrying again.
Now that he thought about it, Gideon realized he’d seen her at Tug’s grave every day since they’d buried the dog, but not once at her husband’s grave site. Did she visit the man’s grave at all?
Mrs. Hargrove gave Ivy a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry for your loss, dear.”
She looked blank for a moment, then understanding crossed her features. “Thank you.”
“It’s not easy being a widow.”
Ivy murmured something, then asked about the woman’s daughter.
It hadn’t escaped Gideon’s notice that she changed the subject whenever her husband was mentioned. He was starting to wonder if she had even liked Tom Powell, much less grieved when he’d gone.
Conrad rose, shoving his long blond hair over his shoulder. “That was delicious, Ivy.”
“I’m glad you liked it.”
He glanced around the table. “I’ll hitch up the team and be ready to leave in ten minutes.”
The passengers nodded, pushing away from the table. After a quick look outside, Gideon decided Conrad didn’t need his help, and he began to clear the dishes.
Mrs. Hargrove handed him her plate. “Miss Ivy is lucky to have you. You make a good pair.”
They weren’t a pair at all, but rather than correct her, he just smiled.
At the thunder of approaching hooves, Ivy glanced at the door. Gideon peered out, not recognizing the dun galloping up the drive or the person on its back.
As the animal neared, Gideon could see the rider was a young man. He guided his mount past the stage team and to the other side of the trough. The lad slid out of the saddle and hastily looped the reins around the hitching post.
He greeted Conrad and the passengers as the stage driver helped Mrs. Hargrove into the coach, then her husband.
Ivy looked at Gideon. “Who is it?”
“Don’t recognize him.”
The black-haired boy, lanky with freckled features, walked quickly across the yard and onto the porch, where he stopped.
Nudging his hat back, he grinned. “You must be Gideon. My brother told me about you.”
“Your brother?”
“Hello, Coy.” As Ivy came toward them with a smile on her face, the boy snatched off his hat. “Gideon, this is Josh’s brother.”
“Nice to meet you.” Coy offered a hand, pumping Gideon’s hard, but his attention was squarely on Ivy. “I brought a wire from the stage line manager.”
“Oh, good.” She took the message. As she skimmed it, the boy’s gaze never left her.
The kid looked purely besotted. Gideon wasn’t surprised. If he weren’t
Mrs. Hargrove touched Ivy’s hand. “Do you offer overnight accommodations?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Conrad asked about the Katy’s current progress in building its line from Kansas toward Texas. Nichols explained that a land grant in Indian Territory had been promised to the first railroad to reach a certain point on the Kansas border, but the Indian Nations were protesting that Congress had no right to grant the land at all.
After serving dessert, Ivy turned to the Hargroves. “Where are you headed after Doaksville?”
“On to Boggy Depot, then maybe up to Stringtown before we make our way to Perryville to see our daughter,” Albert answered.
Maude took her husband’s hand. “We’d love to stay here overnight on our return.”
“I’d be happy to have you.”
Gideon noticed how adoringly the couple looked at each other. He wondered if things had always been that way for them.
Mrs. Hargrove shared a secret smile with Ivy and Gideon. “It will be like a little honeymoon.”
“We try to take one every year,” Albert said.
Conrad pushed his plate away. “How long y’all been married?”
“Fifty-two years.” Albert beamed at his wife.
Maude put her hand over his. “We’ve never spent a night apart.”
Loud enough for only Gideon to hear, Ivy breathed, “It’s a wonder you haven’t killed each other.”
He slid her a look, recalling what she’d said last night about not marrying again.
Now that he thought about it, Gideon realized he’d seen her at Tug’s grave every day since they’d buried the dog, but not once at her husband’s grave site. Did she visit the man’s grave at all?
Mrs. Hargrove gave Ivy a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry for your loss, dear.”
She looked blank for a moment, then understanding crossed her features. “Thank you.”
“It’s not easy being a widow.”
Ivy murmured something, then asked about the woman’s daughter.
It hadn’t escaped Gideon’s notice that she changed the subject whenever her husband was mentioned. He was starting to wonder if she had even liked Tom Powell, much less grieved when he’d gone.
Conrad rose, shoving his long blond hair over his shoulder. “That was delicious, Ivy.”
“I’m glad you liked it.”
He glanced around the table. “I’ll hitch up the team and be ready to leave in ten minutes.”
The passengers nodded, pushing away from the table. After a quick look outside, Gideon decided Conrad didn’t need his help, and he began to clear the dishes.
Mrs. Hargrove handed him her plate. “Miss Ivy is lucky to have you. You make a good pair.”
They weren’t a pair at all, but rather than correct her, he just smiled.
At the thunder of approaching hooves, Ivy glanced at the door. Gideon peered out, not recognizing the dun galloping up the drive or the person on its back.
As the animal neared, Gideon could see the rider was a young man. He guided his mount past the stage team and to the other side of the trough. The lad slid out of the saddle and hastily looped the reins around the hitching post.
He greeted Conrad and the passengers as the stage driver helped Mrs. Hargrove into the coach, then her husband.
Ivy looked at Gideon. “Who is it?”
“Don’t recognize him.”
The black-haired boy, lanky with freckled features, walked quickly across the yard and onto the porch, where he stopped.
Nudging his hat back, he grinned. “You must be Gideon. My brother told me about you.”
“Your brother?”
“Hello, Coy.” As Ivy came toward them with a smile on her face, the boy snatched off his hat. “Gideon, this is Josh’s brother.”
“Nice to meet you.” Coy offered a hand, pumping Gideon’s hard, but his attention was squarely on Ivy. “I brought a wire from the stage line manager.”
“Oh, good.” She took the message. As she skimmed it, the boy’s gaze never left her.
The kid looked purely besotted. Gideon wasn’t surprised. If he weren’t
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