[Song of Alaska 02] - Morning's Refrain (12 page)

She blushed and looked away. “That was a rather bold thing to say.”

He laughed. “Well, I believe in telling the truth. Why play around with words when speaking what’s on your heart is more important?”

Phoebe looked up just long enough to catch his gaze. “And what is on your heart, Mr. Lindquist?”

“A great many things,” he revealed.

“I see. I must admit, I have a great many things on my heart, as well. Like a certain gentleman I’ve just come to know.”

“Now who’s being bold?”

She feigned confusion. “Why whatever do you mean? I was merely referring to Mr. Seymour.”

“Arnie?” Dalton asked with a grin. “And what in the world placed Mr. Seymour on your heart?”

She shrugged. “He seems a lonely man. Has he no wife?”

“Women are at a premium around here. You’ll soon learn for yourself that suitors will come calling in great numbers. Arnie might even give it a try.”

“Oh, he’s much too old for me, and not at all the kind of man I would fancy to court.”

Dalton couldn’t help but smile. “And what kind of man do you fancy?”

She tapped her finger against her chin thoughtfully. “I prefer the type who are industrious, creative . . . educated, but not too educated.” Phoebe paused and shrugged. “I can’t really put it into words, but I’ll know him when I find him.”

“So you are looking.”

“Looking?” she questioned.

“For that one man—that industrious, creative, educated man— the one you would fancy to court.”

Phoebe smiled and toyed with the edge of her bonnet. “It’s possible, Mr. Lindquist. Quite possible. I am eighteen, and many of my friends are already married. I wouldn’t want to be an old maid.”

He laughed heartily at this. “I seriously doubt you will have that problem, Miss Robbins. I, for one, cannot even imagine the possibility of that occurring.”

“Phoebe?” her mother called from just up the street. “Come help me with this material.”

She gave him one more smile. “It was wonderful to see you again. Good day, Mr. Lindquist.”

“Good day, Miss Robbins.”

It was only after she’d gone that Dalton remembered that he was leaving. Would she care that he’d be absent from the island for several weeks, maybe even months? He thought to call after her.

“What can I say?” He stared after Phoebe and her mother as they moved down the street. “I can hardly tell her that she’s bewitched me and that I’d like very much to be that industrious, creative, educated man she wants to court.”

Later that day, Dalton explained everything to Mr. Belikov and Yuri, even offering to bring back any needed supplies from Seattle. “We probably won’t return until September, but I would be happy to take your list with me.”

“That would be good,” Mr. Belikov said, nodding. “There are some things a person would like to have handpicked instead of merely ordered. Don’t worry about a thing, Dalton. You will have a job waiting here for you when you return.” He pulled off his leather apron. “I will go see what we need.”

Yuri leaned over Dalton’s shoulder as his father left the room.

“You might still have a job, but if I have anything to say about it— you won’t have a girl.”

Dalton turned. “I can’t worry about our contest with this on my plate. My sister needs me. And, to be honest, I need this trip, as well.”

Yuri’s smile faded and he took hold of Dalton’s arm. “You
will
come back?”

“Of course.”

“There will be many excitements down there. My father says there is much pleasure to be had in the big cities.”

“There is also much danger,” Dalton replied. “My father has told me that, as has my mother. But it won’t tempt me to stay.”

“Why not? Because of Phoebe?” Yuri asked, letting his lips curl into a grin.

“She’s a part of it, I suppose.” Dalton walked to the boat they’d been sanding all morning. “But my life is here. I feel as if . . . well, that it’s a part of me.”

“But you also want to be a part of something more? You said earlier that it was important to meet your brothers.”

Dalton turned back and looked at his friend. “Yes. That’s important, but not because I would want to trade this place for them. I need to know who my people are. You know about yours. You have family in Russia, along with an entire culture. Your mother keeps that alive with photographs and traditions. If you choose to embrace your heritage, it is because it holds value to you. I have no way of knowing what, if any value, there is in my past.”

Yuri nodded. “I can understand. In fact, I wish I could go with you.” He grinned. “We would, no doubt, get into much trouble.”

“That’s exactly why you cannot go with me,” Dalton said, laughing. “It would completely defeat the purpose.” He drew a deep breath and began to gather his things. “I will return as soon as I can. As for Phoebe . . . well, I shall pray that you make no progress with her.”

Yuri laughed. “You’d best pray hard. I find that I like her more every day.”

Dalton ignored his friend, but on his long walk home, he fought the desire to go back to town to see the young lady in question. They’d only seen each other two times since the dance and the encounters had been merely by chance. He’d never dared to say a word about his interest in her. Maybe he should write her a letter before going.

Maybe . . . maybe he should explain how he wanted to know her better—that she had, in a sense, charmed him—that he thought about her all of the time.

“But what good would it do?” he questioned. “I won’t be here.”

Dalton made it home in record time and found his mother waiting for him on the porch as if by an earlier agreement. He could see that she had something on her mind.

“I just knew you would be coming home early,” she told him.

“Father came by the shop and said that Evie had gotten us transportation to catch up with the
Corona
. I figured I’d best get home and get packed.”

His mother nodded. “First, I need to talk to you about your inheritance.”

He saw the concern on her face. “Of course.” He put his tools on the porch by the door. “Where would you like to do this?”

“Come inside.” She led the way to her favorite rocking chair and took a seat. “Sit here by the fire. There’s a chill in the air today.”

Dalton followed but didn’t mention that he hadn’t noticed any chill. Suddenly his mother seemed so very small and fragile. The thought of his older brother trying to hurt her ignited a smoldering rage deep within his heart. What would he do when he encountered the man who had tried to kill his mother?

“I know that you realize you have an inheritance from the Gray family.”

“You said that you had kept the money given you by my grandfather and some of the money from my father.”

“Yes.” She folded her hands and drew a deep breath. “Dalton, you are a wealthy young man. The money has grown considerably over the years. I’ve had good men watching over it, and they have sent me periodic reports to make sure that I know exactly what is happening.”

“Wealthy?” He couldn’t grasp the thought. They lived comfortably in Sitka—better than most—but he’d honestly never imagined that they were rich.

“You won’t come fully into the money until you reach your majority at twenty-one,” she continued. “However, I am sending you with papers that will allow you to draw funds now. You can see to any need you or Evie have while in Kansas City. You can even arrange to transfer money here or to purchase anything you want to bring back with you. There is more than enough—more than you could ever imagine.”

“Why are you telling me this now?” he asked.

She looked at him, unable to conceal the worry in her expression. “Because I am afraid for you. I fear what your brothers will do. They will know you are well off. They have their spies who will have informed them of the exact totals of your wealth. They have always been greedy, and I have no reason to believe they have changed.”

“Everyone changes, Mother. Who knows if that means they’ve become worse or better.” He smiled. “Please try not to worry. I am not a child.”

“But they will come at you like wolves in sheep’s clothing. They will try to convince you to join forces with them. They will suggest that together you can make the mighty Gray empire they have always dreamed of building. They will appeal to your desire for connecting to the family. They will seduce you.”

Dalton frowned. She was serious. His mother believed his brothers were in league with the devil himself, and that they would somehow have power over him because of this.

“Mother, I will be careful. God will be my guide.”

She shook her head, and her eyes welled with tears. “I’m not at all sure that God lives in Kansas City.”

Chapter 9

Aug ust 1889

D
alton marveled at the Kansas City skyline. He had read about multiple-story buildings that defied gravity but had never figured to see them. The sight was impressive, along with the crowds of people everywhere, all in a hurry.

Wiping his brow, Dalton was grateful for what little breeze they picked up as the carriage made its way through town. The heat was unbearable and already he’d shed himself of the new suit coat they’d purchased in Seattle. Evie fanned herself furiously and seemed more than a little unsettled.

“I’d forgotten how awful it could be—the dampness with the heat just makes a person long for winter.” She shifted uncomfortably. “We used to take a lot of tepid baths, as I recall.”

“It is amazing. It almost seems one can see the heat in the air itself.” He peered out the opposite side. “I must say, this trip has been quite an eye-opener for me.”

She looked at him oddly. “In what way?”

Dalton leaned back onto the thickly upholstered leather of the hired cab. “I feel almost startled to realize how the rest of the world functions outside of our little Sitka. We have truly been isolated and hidden away from the sorrows of the world. Of course, we have our own, but our troubles seem so small and insignificant in comparison. I mean, just look around. Hear it all. There is so much noise—so many people.”

Evie glanced out the window. “It’s as if they’re all fighting for air.”

“It’s very much like that,” Dalton agreed. “I did like the vast open spaces of the western states. The trip through the area they call Montana was quite beautiful. And it amazed me to find such open prairies—miles upon miles of wheat and corn as we drew closer to Kansas City.”

“And now here we are,” Evie said with a sigh. “I grew up here, you know. Of course, it’s all changed. I would bet it has tripled in size.”

“I can’t even imagine. The train station alone held more people than on all of Baranof Island.”

Evie laughed. “I’d never thought of it that way, but I’m sure you’re right.”

Despite her amusement, Dalton could see that Evie was worried. “Should we check into a hotel first?”

She drew a deep breath and shook her head. “I told the driver to take us to the house. We’ll see what news there is of Thomas.

If he has already passed, we will stay there. No sense in renting rooms elsewhere until we know.”

“Do you suppose they will be expecting us?”

“There’s no reason they should. It’s been two months since Jeannette penned that note. She had to realize that the distance would make it difficult to get word to us quickly, and then just as difficult for me to get here in any timely manner. I’ll send one of the servants from the house to take word to our sister. She doesn’t live far away. In fact, she now lives in the house where I grew up.”

“I remember you mentioning that.” Dalton pulled his collar. “What if they’ve changed, Evie?”

“What are you talking about?”

He shrugged. “What if our brothers are better people now? What if Marston really regrets what he did?”

“What if he does? It doesn’t change the fact that he did it.”

“No, I realize that. But you and Mother only remember him from long ago. They could all be very different now. I mean, think of how you’ve changed over the years.”

Evie considered this for a moment. “Anything is possible, Dalton. I just wouldn’t get my hopes up.”

He frowned. He wanted so much to believe there might be some tiny shred of goodness in his heritage. After all, Evie was a wonderful person.
But she isn’t a man,
Dalton reminded himself. Gray men were vicious and underhanded, to hear it told.