didn’t want Patricia using the name she preferred. To Patricia, she’d always be Mary Kathryn, the saloon gal’s daughter, anyway.
“Are you planning on renting a horse from that rude man?”
“Jethro Cable? Rude? I’ve only met him once, but he seemed perfectly friendly. I plan on renting a wagon for tomorrow.”
Patricia’s eyebrows lifted. “Oh, going somewhere in particular?”
“Yes,” Kate answered without elaborating. It was none of Patricia’s business what she wanted with a wagon.
“I see, well, I do hope you have good weather for your ride. Cole and I were saying, last night over dinner, just how fair our weather has been lately. He hopes the good weather continues for the Founder’s Day celebration coming up soon.”
Kate’s heart nearly plummeted to the ground. The Founder’s Day celebration had caused her nothing but despair. She recalled all too vividly the past and how much she had wanted Cole’s invitation to that particular celebration when she had been a love-struck girl of fifteen. But instead, he’d asked Patricia and he’d broken her young heart. Nothing seemed to have changed except that Kate had hardened her heart andher spirit to Cole. He was a different man than she remembered. But it still hurt when she looked into his eyes. It still hurt to see him about town, tall and proud, wearing his sheriff’s badge like a shield of honor. It still hurt to know she wasn’t good enough for him.
“I really have to see Jethro now, Patricia. Have a good day.” Kate walked past Patricia without even a second glance. She had too much to do and couldn’t spend any more time reliving the past.
She walked to a stall where she spotted Jethro combing down a bay mare.
“Hello, Mr. Cable.”
He turned to face her, setting down his currycomb. “Why, Miss Malone, good afternoon.” Kate watched as he swatted a fine layer of dust off his clothes and came out of the stall. “And it’s Jethro, if you don’t mind.”
“Jethro,” she said with a smile. “And I’m Kate.”
“Kate,” he repeated with a nod. “Nora told me she came by for a visit. She said you were working on fixing up the old Brown place.”
“Yes, it’s coming along nicely. I’ve actually gotten most of the cobwebs out,” she said. “I’m so glad Nora came by. We had a good visit. She’s a wonderful woman.”
“She speaks highly of you, too.” He grinned and white teeth flashed against a handsome face. “What can I do for you?”
“Well, I need to rent a wagon for tomorrow. Is that possible?”
“Sure thing. How long will you need it?”
“Not all that long. I have to drive over to the lumber camp on the other side of Crystal Creek.”
Jethro scratched his head. “I see.”
“Is there a problem?”
“No, ma’am, but a lady shouldn’t be going into one of those lumber camps alone.”
“I’m afraid I have no choice. I plan to order the wood to rebuild the exterior of the saloon. While I’m there, I also hoped to hire on a few men to do the building.”
“Listen, Miss Kate, I have me an idea. Abe will be here all day tomorrow, working the livery. I’ll be happy to drive the wagon and take you. No extra charge. It’ll be my pleasure.”
Kate debated about half a second. She had dreaded going into that camp alone. She’d heard stories about the women-starved men up there in the hills. Having Jethro by her side would certainly ease her mind. “Thank you, Jethro. I think I’ll take you up on your offer, but only if you let me repay your kindness. I’d like to have the Cables to dinner one evening.”
Jethro cast her a wide grin. “Just name the day, Miss Kate. I’ll be there.”
Chapter Five
M rs. Gregory wiped her hands on her apron after breakfast and scooted Meggie out of the room, telling her to wash up and get dressed. Once Meggie had left the kitchen, Cole’s housekeeper turned to him with a look of concern on her face. “I’ll be needing to speak with you,
“Are you planning on renting a horse from that rude man?”
“Jethro Cable? Rude? I’ve only met him once, but he seemed perfectly friendly. I plan on renting a wagon for tomorrow.”
Patricia’s eyebrows lifted. “Oh, going somewhere in particular?”
“Yes,” Kate answered without elaborating. It was none of Patricia’s business what she wanted with a wagon.
“I see, well, I do hope you have good weather for your ride. Cole and I were saying, last night over dinner, just how fair our weather has been lately. He hopes the good weather continues for the Founder’s Day celebration coming up soon.”
Kate’s heart nearly plummeted to the ground. The Founder’s Day celebration had caused her nothing but despair. She recalled all too vividly the past and how much she had wanted Cole’s invitation to that particular celebration when she had been a love-struck girl of fifteen. But instead, he’d asked Patricia and he’d broken her young heart. Nothing seemed to have changed except that Kate had hardened her heart andher spirit to Cole. He was a different man than she remembered. But it still hurt when she looked into his eyes. It still hurt to see him about town, tall and proud, wearing his sheriff’s badge like a shield of honor. It still hurt to know she wasn’t good enough for him.
“I really have to see Jethro now, Patricia. Have a good day.” Kate walked past Patricia without even a second glance. She had too much to do and couldn’t spend any more time reliving the past.
She walked to a stall where she spotted Jethro combing down a bay mare.
“Hello, Mr. Cable.”
He turned to face her, setting down his currycomb. “Why, Miss Malone, good afternoon.” Kate watched as he swatted a fine layer of dust off his clothes and came out of the stall. “And it’s Jethro, if you don’t mind.”
“Jethro,” she said with a smile. “And I’m Kate.”
“Kate,” he repeated with a nod. “Nora told me she came by for a visit. She said you were working on fixing up the old Brown place.”
“Yes, it’s coming along nicely. I’ve actually gotten most of the cobwebs out,” she said. “I’m so glad Nora came by. We had a good visit. She’s a wonderful woman.”
“She speaks highly of you, too.” He grinned and white teeth flashed against a handsome face. “What can I do for you?”
“Well, I need to rent a wagon for tomorrow. Is that possible?”
“Sure thing. How long will you need it?”
“Not all that long. I have to drive over to the lumber camp on the other side of Crystal Creek.”
Jethro scratched his head. “I see.”
“Is there a problem?”
“No, ma’am, but a lady shouldn’t be going into one of those lumber camps alone.”
“I’m afraid I have no choice. I plan to order the wood to rebuild the exterior of the saloon. While I’m there, I also hoped to hire on a few men to do the building.”
“Listen, Miss Kate, I have me an idea. Abe will be here all day tomorrow, working the livery. I’ll be happy to drive the wagon and take you. No extra charge. It’ll be my pleasure.”
Kate debated about half a second. She had dreaded going into that camp alone. She’d heard stories about the women-starved men up there in the hills. Having Jethro by her side would certainly ease her mind. “Thank you, Jethro. I think I’ll take you up on your offer, but only if you let me repay your kindness. I’d like to have the Cables to dinner one evening.”
Jethro cast her a wide grin. “Just name the day, Miss Kate. I’ll be there.”
Chapter Five
M rs. Gregory wiped her hands on her apron after breakfast and scooted Meggie out of the room, telling her to wash up and get dressed. Once Meggie had left the kitchen, Cole’s housekeeper turned to him with a look of concern on her face. “I’ll be needing to speak with you,
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