Rocky Mountain Dreams. Danica Favorite

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СКАЧАТЬ himself to say. “What about Nugget?”

      “Don’t worry about her. Like I told you, Annabelle loves children. Once I tell her what’s going on, she’ll have Nugget cleaned up, and if I know my daughter, she’ll probably have found her a pretty new dress and done her hair all up. You won’t find a better person to leave Nugget with than my Annabelle.”

      Joseph remembered the looks of disgust the other women in town had given them as they’d walked in search of the church. Annabelle was different. She’d taken Nugget’s hand and treated his little sister with respect.

      All these warm feelings did nothing to dispel his wariness. In fact, it only made them worse. Liking a golden-haired girl such as Annabelle couldn’t be on his mind. He’d come to Leadville to solve the problem of how to care for his siblings, and so far, all he’d come up with was another mouth to feed and a few probably worthless pieces of paper.

      Thinking thoughts he had no business thinking about a girl was just borrowing trouble. And Joseph already had more than his share.

      * * *

      Annabelle reached to knock on the door to her father’s office just as the door opened, causing her to nearly run into the miner’s chest.

      “Where’s Nugget?” Joseph peered around her, invading her personal space.

      “She’s fine,” Annabelle said, stepping out of the man’s way. “Maddie’s got her taking a bath in the kitchen, so if you could give her a little privacy...”

      She entered the office, looking around to see any sign that her father had yet again funded some foolish endeavor. “Maddie also wanted me to tell you that supper’s going to be ready at seven. We’ll be serving outside so if you could get some men to put out the tables, she sure would appreciate it.”

      No sign that anything was missing, so at least this man wasn’t a thief. One time, a miner stole the gold crucifix from her great-grandfather right off the church’s wall. And her father, with his forgiving soul, had let him.

      “What’d I tell you,” her father said, putting his arm around her. “You don’t have to worry a bit about Nugget. Go take your bath so you can be back in time for supper. Maybe some of the miners your father knew will be there.”

      Joseph cleared his throat. “Are you expecting many?” This time, his voice sounded less raspy, more husky, and less like he’d spent too much time in the mines. She briefly wondered what he’d sound like singing in the church, but then shoved that thought out of her mind.

      Her father gave her a squeeze. “Only the Lord knows. But He always provides enough. My dear, sweet Catherine, before she passed, had a heart for making sure those boys had a home-cooked meal. Every Wednesday night, and also after services on Sunday, we invite anyone who wants to eat over for supper. I don’t know what I’d do without Annabelle to carry on the tradition.”

      Annabelle’s heart sank at his words. How was she supposed to leave Leadville and move on with her life when her father needed her so desperately?

      “Your kindness is much appreciated,” the miner said gruffly. So unlike most of the miners who’d grown to expect the handouts. This one was different.

      Not that she’d allow herself to see him as different, she told herself as sternly as she could. Seeing miners as individuals and caring for them as people was dangerous stuff. Getting attached had gotten her heart broken more times than she could count. Which was why, after all the tragedies of the winter, Annabelle absolutely was not going to find herself caring about this miner or his child.

      She’d do her duty, feed them, give them what they needed, then send them on their way. Just like she did with everyone else. And when the letter from Aunt Celeste came, giving her the means to escape, she was going to do it, and pray that somehow her father would find a way to get on without her.

      Because if her heart was forced to take on any more burdens, it would certainly crumble under the weight.

       Chapter Three

      One would think that by now, Annabelle’s back wouldn’t ache so much after feeding a hungry crowd. But every muscle in her body hurt. Not to mention her head from the din of all the voices in the backyard. She returned the last plate to the cupboard, looking around the kitchen to make sure her share of the chores were finished.

      Despite their best efforts, the floor looked like a herd of cattle had tromped through the kitchen. Maddie wouldn’t be pleased. She went to grab the broom when Maddie’s voice interrupted her.

      “I’ll finish in here. The poor lamb is all tuckered out. I’ve got her on your bed, but I imagine you’d rather her on Susannah’s. Why don’t you get that fixed up? I’ve already done Peter’s room for the miner.”

      The miner. Her father had never allowed a miner to stay in the house before. Of course, none had brought a child with him, either. She supposed she should give him a little credit; after all, he’d taken responsibility for a child borne to him by a woman of questionable morals, and certainly in her line of work, he couldn’t really be sure that the child was his.

      Nugget lay sprawled across Annabelle’s bed, her feet tangled in the quilt Annabelle’s mother had made. Rosy cheeks had replaced the grubby face, and in the dim candlelight, Nugget looked almost like a porcelain doll. Hard to believe the tiny girl was six years old. Just two years younger than Susannah had been when she died. Such innocence almost made Annabelle want to believe she was making a difference helping with her father’s work.

      Annabelle pulled out the linens and made up Susannah’s bed, trying not to remember the way her sister had traced the pattern of the quilt at night to fall asleep. She forced herself to push aside the memory of Susannah’s sweet voice asking Annabelle to tell her one last story. She wasn’t ready to confront the loss of her sister.

      Every day. Every day her father asked her to do one more hard thing for the sake of his ministry. And every day, she had to shove one more piece of her hurting heart into the abyss.

      But as she lifted the sleeping girl off her bed and into the newly made bed, she told herself that maybe somehow it would be worth it. And maybe someday, it wouldn’t hurt so much. Though she suspected it wouldn’t happen until she could finally leave this place and all its painful memories.

      Maybe now that her father had some time to grieve, he wouldn’t mind so much letting her go to Aunt Celeste. Maybe there, she could build a life for herself. A life that didn’t include putting her heart out to be broken on a daily basis.

      “I was going to have her stay in my room.” The miner’s voice came from her doorway.

      Annabelle jumped at the interruption, then took a breath as she smoothed the covers around Nugget. “I’ve already gotten her settled. Besides, it’s not seemly for her to share your room.”

      “She’s my sister. We can share.” He stepped into the room as if he was going to snatch Nugget away.

      Annabelle stood. Sister? She hadn’t expected that. What sort of man took on the care of a sister when he barely seemed capable of taking care of himself? Yet again, she realized that this man was different. And she didn’t like it.

      Ignoring the desire to know more about his СКАЧАТЬ