The Blacksmith’s Bravery (38 page)

Luke's face flashed across her mind again, unbidden. Would she see him again? Why would he come to Idaho? She knew he didn't need a reason. While she was with him, they'd drifted around from town to town, wherever he saw a chance to get some money. Luke wasn't above stealing, but he preferred gambling. So long as she stayed away from Boise and kept close to her lodgings when she was on the road, she ought to be fine. Provided Luke didn't decide to hop a stagecoach to Silver City. That was entirely possible if more of
the mines opened up again. Where there was gold dust, the saloons multiplied, and that brought more gamblers.

She certainly didn't want to see Luke again. She'd look twice at only one man if he came around to call, and he wasn't Luke Hatley.

What was she thinking? She stood in the tub of water and reached for her towel, telling herself sternly, “It wasn't even him.”

When Vashti went downstairs, refreshed and dressed in her old red taffeta gown, several guests were already eating in the dining room. Vashti scooted to the kitchen and donned an overall apron that hid the neckline she now found embarrassing.

“Sorry I'm so late coming down. That warm water was just too heavenly. I wanted to stay there all night.”

Bitsy laughed as she picked up two platefuls of the evening special—meat loaf with mashed potatoes and gravy. “You'd have frozen if you stayed there much longer.”

“Yes, it was quite cool when I finally got out.” Vashti smiled.

“What shall I do first?”

“Put on another pot of coffee, and then I'll let you help me serve.” As she headed out the door, Bitsy called, “Augie, we might need more biscuits. Two more people just came in.”

When Vashti entered the dining room a few minutes later, Hiram Dooley was holding the door for Libby Adams. She smiled at them and looked around for an empty table that would be out of the traffic, so they could talk quietly. The dining room was half full of patrons, a good turnout for Thursday supper.

Bitsy hastened to the couple and led them over to a secluded corner. Perfect. Vashti poured two glasses of water. She recalled that Libby liked a glass of water with her meal.

“Good evening, Mrs. Adams. Mr. Dooley.” Vashti set the water glasses before them.

“Hello, Vashti.” Libby smiled up at her. “Hiram was just telling me about your uneventful trip to Nampa.”

“Blessedly boring.” Vashti nodded toward the chalkboard that Augie had recently hung as a way to list the daily specials. “We've got
meat loaf tonight or baked chicken. Oh, and fresh dandelion greens. Augie just told me Ruth Robinson picked a mess and brought them into town this morning. He bought all she had.”

“By all means, I'll have those,” Libby said. “I've been hankering for fresh greens.”

“How about you, Mr. Dooley?”

He gave her his shy smile. “You can call me Hiram. I'll try some, with the meat loaf.”

“Yes, meat loaf sounds good,” Libby said.

“I brought your party in this afternoon.” Vashti watched Libby's face.

“Yes, and I appreciate it. They said that a cute boy drove them and they didn't think he could be over sixteen.” Libby laughed. “We're going ahead with the sale. The Hamiltons will take over the emporium a week from Monday. They'll stay at the boardinghouse until I've moved out of my apartment.”

Libby's face was the picture of joy. Vashti felt a stab of envy. It must be wonderful to have the love of a good man. She might never find that. Even though she knew some decent men, they all knew her past—or thought they knew.

She went to the kitchen, where Augie was putting a pan into the oven.

“Big crowd tonight, my darlin' tells me.”

“She's right,” Vashti said. “I've got two meat loaves for Mr. Dooley and Miz Adams. And they both want the dandelion greens.”

“They make a right sweet couple.” Augie took a china plate from the stack and ladled a mound of mashed potatoes onto it. “Good thing I made plenty of gravy.”

When she took their plates out on a tray, Hiram was holding Libby's hand on the tablecloth. As Vashti approached, he let go and picked up his water glass. So cute. Vashti could see why Libby had fallen for the quiet man. He had a romantic spirit, that one.

“Here you go, folks. I hope you enjoy your meal.”

Libby glanced at Hiram then smiled up at her. “Vashti, I'm bursting to tell someone my news. Mr. Dooley and I just set the date for our wedding.”

“Well now.” Vashti stood there holding the tray and grinning. “I'm very happy for you. When is it?”

“Two weeks. From Saturday, that is.” Libby laughed and reached out to Hiram. He grabbed her hand again, beaming but saying nothing.

“Oh my,” Vashti said. “That sounds like an excuse for a new hat to me.”

Libby's laugh burbled out, and other diners turned to look. She covered her mouth with one hand and continued to chuckle.

“May I tell Bitsy and Augie?”

“You certainly may. Goldie, too, if you like. It's no secret.”

“Or anyway, it won't be for long,” Hiram said with a wink.

When Vashti reported to the livery on Monday morning, Griffin greeted her with an anxious nod.

“You've got a shotgun messenger I pulled from the Mountain Home line, but I'm also letting Zach and Annie Harper and Opal Knoff go along, provided there are enough seats, as guests of the line. All heavily armed, and they've signed a paper saying they won't sue us if they're injured.”

“Terrific. I'm a little surprised Annie's going.”

Griffin shrugged. “She wanted to real bad, but Zach said he wouldn't let her go without him. Zach's a fair shot, and he's packing a hundred rounds for that shotgun of his.”

“And Opal?”

“Ted says if she's not back serving drinks at the Nugget by sundown tomorrow, she's fired.”

“Oh, that's accommodating of him.” Vashti made a face as if she'd bitten into a crabapple. “At least he gives her a day off now and then. I'll make sure she's back on time.”

Griffin slapped her shoulder lightly. “That's what I told Ted. And that he can't stop his employees from doing what they want on their own time. Of course, Art Tinen's different. Starr wanted to go, and he put his foot down. He said she's not going out and mixing it up with outlaws when they've got a baby in the house.”

“Can't blame him there.” Vashti imagined that when it came down to it, Starr couldn't leave the nursing infant overnight, anyway. “She's probably just jealous that Art went last time and feeling a little deprived.”

“Cabin fever.” Griffin nodded. “Well, you stay on guard, especially near those rocks and when you're coming to bridges. They hit the stage on the Catherine road by the bridge. I've had the station agent over there hire an extra man for Johnny Conway's run tomorrow.”

“I'll keep it in mind. What are we carrying today?”

Griffin looked around and leaned toward her. “Got some ore samples and a bit of gold dust coming down from Silver, and a bank deposit for Walker's Feed. Libby Adams might want to send in the check those Hamiltons are giving her, too. I told her to bring it to the office, so I can stash it in the box when I load the mail.”

Vashti gritted her teeth. Her first time carrying a significant amount of valuables. “We can handle it.”

“Sure you can.” Griffin held her gaze for a moment then sighed. “If I could, I'd go myself. But I've got too much to do here.”

She almost wished he was going. But that was crazy. “Don't worry. We'll get through just fine.”

“There's something new you'll notice when you climb up to the driver's box.”

“What's that?”

“I bolted the treasure box to the floor of the driver's boot. That way, if you do get stopped and they tell you to throw down the box, you tell 'em you can't. They're doing this on other lines, and sometimes it's enough to stop the outlaws, or at least slow 'em down. And with the armed passengers and your messenger, that might be enough to tip the scales your way.”

Vashti gulped. What if that only angered the robbers? “My plan is to not let them stop us in the first place.”

“That's the best way, all right. You want to grease your axles while Justin and I get the team hitched up?” he asked.

“Yes, sir.” Bill had taught her how to do this, assuring her that any driver worth his pay would grease his own wheel fittings and do it liberally, thus ensuring that he wouldn't have a “hot box” from the
friction of the axle. Vashti didn't especially like that part of the job, but she accepted it as one aspect of caring for the equipment. When she'd finished all four wheels, she handed the dope pot to Justin and wiped her hands on a rag.

“Uncle Griffin's going to hire some more men if we get the mail contract,” Justin said.

“More drivers and messengers?”

“Yes'm, and more help here at the livery, too. But he says I can keep on working for him. He's paying me now.”

Vashti raised her eyebrows. “That's a fine thing. Is this your first paying job?”

“Except for stacking wood for some neighbors back home.”

She nodded. “Your uncle's a fair-minded man, and I'm proof of that. Work hard, do a good job, and he'll treat you right. He appreciates people who do their job well and do it on time.”

“Not like Marty.”

“Well, no. Marty wasn't the best at either diligence or punctuality.”

Justin frowned. “I guess. Anyhow, we heard he's gone to California.”

Twenty minutes later, Vashti drove the coach to the office. Griffin loaded the mail and put a small sack and an envelope in the green treasure box and locked it. Vashti shivered. If she lost the Walkers' money, would the aging couple have enough to make do? And what would they do to her? She could envision Orissa Walker screeching at her and demanding that Griffin fire her, or even have her locked up.

“That envelope has to go directly to the bank,” Griffin said. “Instructions are written on it. Make sure the driver who takes over at Nampa understands.”

“Yes, sir.”

Griffin drew a deep breath and held her gaze. His eyebrows pulled together the way they did when he wasn't pleased. “It doesn't seem right, sending a woman off like this. Georgie, if you want to change your mind…”

She scowled at him. “Change my mind? What would you do if Johnny or Bill came to you and said, ‘Mr. Bane, I don't want to drive today.' Hmm?”

He gave her a tight smile and looked away. “I wouldn't blame them right now, I guess. Not with this gang plaguing our lines.”

“Well, I'm in this for the long haul. And we'll get through just fine.” She nodded. “I'll see you tomorrow.”

She looked forward. Justin was holding the leaders' heads. They were well-behaved mules, and he hardly needed to do it, but it made the boy feel important. She smiled and nodded firmly, and he let go of their bridles and jumped up on the boardwalk.

Vashti cracked her whip three times before the mules settled into a road trot. Behind her, Opal, Annie, and Zach called good-bye to their friends who'd come to see them off. It seemed like a frolic as they breezed up the street. But once they'd passed the smithy and the Nugget, Vashti hunkered down and concentrated on driving and watching. Now and then, she shot a glance at the messenger, Cecil Watson. She half wished Griffin was beside her. Cecil had to be at least forty, but she didn't hold that against him. Bill Stout was older than that, and he was still one of the best drivers in Idaho. She just hoped Watson had good eyesight—and an even better aim.

CHAPTER 26