The Heirloom Brides Collection (14 page)

It was gone! A thief must’ve broken into the house while she was at the store. Everyone knew Stuart had taken his mother away for a couple of days. Fear clutched at her throat. How on earth was she going to tell Stuart? The watch meant so much to him.

The door opened without a knock, and she spun around. Stuart stood at the threshold. He leaned against the doorframe and nodded toward the open drawer. “Looking for something?”

Betsy frowned. Why did his voice sound so strange? She shoved the drawer closed. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I am.”

“Really? What are you looking for?”

She couldn’t tell him that until she found it, could she? She needed to get away from him and go report this to the sheriff. “What are you doing in my room? This isn’t proper.”

“It’s my house.” He gave such a nonchalant shrug, she knew something was very wrong.

“Did something happen while you were gone? Is your ma okay?”

“Ma is fine.” He shoved his hand into his pocket. “But something did happen. Only it happened here, not in Topeka.”

Growing annoyed with his cryptic answers, Betsy walked toward him and took hold of the door. “You’re acting odd. I have no idea what you’re talking about, so either say what’s on your mind or get out of my room before I call your mother.”

Stuart gave an unpleasant laugh, and Betsy began to grow uneasy. Was he going to try to take liberties? After he had saved her from Leo Blakely and saved her from freezing, did he feel like she owed him something improper? She took a step back. “Stuart, I think you’d better go. Please.”

His eyes widened. “For the love of… I’m not thinking… that, Betsy.” He drew in a heavy breath and released it quickly. In a swift movement he pulled his hand out of his pocket, and suddenly it all became clear. He believed she had stolen his watch.

“Explain this.” His voice was so gruff, so angry, she took another step back.

“I was going to put it back before you got home.”

“Really? And what else have you taken that you intended to return? Or did you plan to sell the silver?”

Shock zipped through Betsy at his implication. “You’re calling me a thief?”

The words were barely audible around the sudden lump in her throat.

“What else am I to believe?”

Spinning on her heels, Betsy went straight to the wardrobe, flung it open, and yanked out her bag. She opened the clasp, turned it upside down, and shook with all her might. “See? No silver.” She walked to the dresser and yanked out every drawer, letting them land how they would on the floor. “Nothing there. Except…” Embarrassed, she snatched up her nightclothes and extra underthings and stuffed them in her empty bag.

“What are you doing?”

“What does it look like?” she snapped back. “I’m showing you there’s nothing in here for you to accuse me of stealing.”

“I meant why are you packing?”

“I should think that would be obvious. You certainly don’t want someone under your roof you don’t trust. And I wouldn’t live under the same roof with a fool who would call me a thief.” Her breaths came fast and heavy from the exertion and fast talking. She’d never been so angry in her life.

“You called me a thief!”

“Well, you are…” She scowled. “I’m sorry for that. You bought the watch. It’s yours fair and square, like you said.”

His eyebrows rose in apparent surprise. “Where do you think you’re going to go?”

“Anywhere is better than here.”

“Betsy Lowell.” At the sound of Mrs. Fields’ voice, Betsy stopped all movement, all speaking. The room spun from the sudden stop, and she dropped to the floor, exhausted.

“Mrs. Fields,” she said, “I did not steal that watch. I was just—”

“You don’t have to explain. Of course you haven’t stolen anything.”

“Ma,” Stuart stepped into the room. “She hasn’t stolen anything else, but she clearly did take the watch. I found it in her drawer.”

“When you had no business being in her room in the first place. What sort of man are you?”

“A man looking for his watch,” he said dryly. “And I found it. In her dresser. Would I have ever gotten it back if I hadn’t come looking for it?” He addressed his question to Betsy.

Slowly, wearily, she stood up and snatched her bag and reticule from the bed. “Yes. I planned to give it to you tomorrow. But when I saw you had returned, I came upstairs to retrieve it.”

She walked to the door and met him at the threshold. They stood so close, she could feel the warmth coming from him. Sorrow seeped from every ounce of her body. How could the man she had grown to love believe such terrible things of her?

“Betsy, where are you going?” Mrs. Fields asked.

“Mrs. Avery has said I can stay there. I’ll do that tonight. Tomorrow I’ll go back to Miss Annie, hat in hand. She hasn’t found anyone yet.”

“Oh, Betsy, don’t go. Stuart is sorry.”

Betsy looked up into Stuart’s brown eyes. He did indeed look as though he regretted being so hasty. But it was too late.

“Good-bye. Thank you both for everything you’ve done for me.”

Without another word, she squared her shoulders, trying to find an ounce of dignity. She descended the steps and found her coat and scarf where she’d left them hanging from the hook by the door.

“Betsy, wait.”

“No.”

She opened the door, unwilling to turn and show Stuart the tears streaming down her face. But he was unrelenting and followed her to the porch. He stepped quickly around her and took her by the arms. There was no point in fighting. She looked into his eyes. He sucked in a breath as he studied her face. “Betsy Lowell, I believe you. But I still don’t know why you had the watch. I… was looking for it at the store tonight. I wanted to give it to you. When I didn’t see it there, I thought…”

Tears flowed harder and she didn’t even care. Let him know that he had hurt her. That she’d begun to care about him, had dreamed of becoming his wife. “That was kind of you. I guess we both had the same thought.”

“What do you mean?”

Placing her hand flat against his chest, she offered a trembling smile. “Your watch is fixed.”

While he was recovering from the surprise of her words, she quickly disengaged from his arms and descended the steps.

S
tuart stared out the window at Miss Annie’s trying desperately to catch a glimpse of Betsy. She’d been back there for three weeks, and his mother refused to eat there and shamed him into staying away himself.

“That girl has made it clear that she wants nothing to do with you—not that I blame her. If you want any chance to get her back, you best respect her wishes.”

He’d even tried to give her the wages she had earned in the few days she’d worked at the store, but she’d sent it back three times.

The winter dance was tonight, and he’d sent her a note asking her to attend with him. But he’d never received an answer. He supposed he deserved what he got, but he missed her dreadfully, and if there were any doubts in his mind about the way he felt, these past weeks had driven them from his heart. He was in love with Betsy and would remain a bachelor the rest of his life if she didn’t relent and give him a second chance.

Miss Annie always closed the restaurant for the town dances. There was no need to stay open. Besides, she enjoyed dressing up and dancing, herself. So Stuart knew Betsy wouldn’t have to work.

He pulled his watch out of his pocket. It had kept perfect time since Betsy fixed it. He’d accused her of stealing it, but every time he looked at it, he felt like he’d taken something that didn’t belong to him. Betsy or no Betsy, he’d never have a moment’s peace until he did the right thing.

“Ma, I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

From the chair next to the fire, she nodded. “I’ll be fine.”

Betsy peeked out the window. “Miss Annie, he’s gone. I’m going to run across the street.”

“That’s fine. Don’t be long. We need to hurry with these dishes so we can get ready for the dance.”

“Yes, ma’am.” The last three weeks had been like working in a completely different place from the first time Betsy worked at the restaurant. Miss Annie had been so happy to have her back she actually gave her the raise in wages she had proposed the day she tried to keep Betsy from leaving. The work was still backbreaking, but it was more bearable.

Mrs. Fields’ face lit up when she saw Betsy walk through the door. “You just missed Stuart.” She paused. “But I suppose you know that, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

Mrs. Fields struggled to get up, but Betsy waved her back to her seat. “I know how to get what I want and pay for it.”

She walked straight to the ready-made dresses.

“Get the red velvet,” Mrs. Fields said.

“You don’t think it’s too… much?”

“Oh, honey. It’s a Christmas dance. There’ll be a lot of red and green.” She got up despite Betsy’s protests. “And you must have the ribbon as well.”

Betsy’s face warmed. “I’m afraid I have only the price of the dress.”

“You will not pay one dime for either. And go over and pick out new stockings and a pair of those ladies’ boots.”

“I’ll do no such thing.”

“Yes you will. We owe you for the days you worked here. I know you won’t take our money, and I can’t say I blame you after the way you were accused, but these things have been in the store for months, and I always meant for you to have this gown. Remember how I told you red is your color?”

Betsy smiled. “Yes, ma’am, I do.”

“For me. Take these, and be the belle of this dance.”

Betsy gave her a quick hug. “I’ll tell you what. I will take these things if you will go back and sit down and let me get them all wrapped up.”

Reaching out, Mrs. Fields pressed her palm to Betsy’s cheek. “Consider giving my son a second chance. He’s finally realized that he loves you.”

Drawing in a breath, Betsy felt her eyes go wide. “He said that?”

“He doesn’t have to. He’s only had eyes for you since he was a little boy.” She smiled and moved her hand. “And unless I miss my guess, you love him, too.”

Betsy averted her gaze.

“It’s okay, dear. No need to say it. But if he asks you to dance tonight, don’t let your pride keep you from saying yes.”

Stuart walked into Old Joe’s room and promptly felt the anger coming from the old man. “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve come to talk to you.”

He scowled. “Well, if you think you’re getting my blessing to ask for Betsy’s hand after what you accused her of, you’re an ignoramus.”

“That’s not why I’ve come. Although I’d marry her tomorrow if she’d have me, I know I did the unforgivable. But if you’ll allow me just a couple of minutes, I’d appreciate it.”

“Fine. Two minutes. And don’t sit down.”

Stuart pulled the watch from his pocket and set it on the table next to the bed. “I want to give this back.”

Old Joe’s eyes narrowed. “What sort of game you playing, son? You think this’ll get you my granddaughter? Because I won’t even tell her.”

He shook his head. “No. But Betsy told me you never meant to leave the watch behind.”

“That’s the truth. But since I did, and you bought it, it belongs to you.”

“Technically, I know.” He grinned. “But the fact is, you won it from my grandfather, and it should never have even been at the auction for me to buy.”