She gave a short huff of a laugh. “You know you don’t have to ask.”
He nodded toward the stable with his head. “I wasn’t sure you’d want me to with Graham here to see it.”
She shrugged. “I don’t see Graham at the moment.”
He took that as a yes and pulled her into his arms, kissing her like he’d wanted to do since the day before. The way she kissed him back told him more than her words ever could. She cared about him. He wasn’t sure if it was love or not, but it was something.
Someone clearing their throat made him break the kiss. Graham was at the stable door, looking at anything but them. Daisy blushed so bright red, he wasn’t sure the color would ever come off, and he chuckled before taking a step away from her.
“She’s ready to go,” he said, looking over at Graham. He helped her into the sleigh as Graham crossed the distance between them, and when she was settled with several blankets piled on her lap, he leaned down and gave her another soft kiss.
Graham gave the rein a shake before clicking his tongue, and they were off before he could say another word.
He watched them go, the sleigh gliding easily over the frozen snow on the street, and before they reached the corner, Daisy turned, getting up onto her knees on the seat to look back at him. She threw her arm up. He thought she was going to wave, but her arm never moved. That’s when he noticed her hand. She was giving him the hand sign for, I love you.
He grinned and stood there for long minutes after they rounded the corner, too stunned to move yet. She loved him. A man who owned nothing but a sack of clothes. Looking at the livery stable, he wondered if that was even true now. He could own a piece of Butte, Montana. All he had to do was decide if he was going to take it and hope Daisy came back if he did.
Chapter 13
The ride home took two grueling, cold days, and Daisy hoped she never had to take another long-distance trip when snow was falling.
It was near dark when they made it back to Silver Falls, not a soul to be seen. Graham pulled his horse to a stop by the livery stable. Just seeing it made her heart hurt. If things were as they had been, Clay would have come out to greet them and bed down Graham’s horse for the night. Today, no one came out. Gunter Reeves, the owner, had already retired for the evening.
They left the sleigh in Elkin, where Graham had rented it, and had to make the last leg of their journey on the back of Graham’s horse. It had been cold and uncomfortable, but it was over now.
Her legs ached when Graham helped her to the ground; her back was stiff. Graham nodded to the house with his head after taking the horses' reins. “You go on ahead. I’m sure they’re all waiting for you.”
She didn’t reply; instead, she headed home as he said.
The two-story house she’d grown up in was a welcoming sight. Lights were flickering behind the window panes, and she knew once she stepped inside, they'd bombard her with questions. As much as she loved her family, she wasn’t in the mood to see them yet. Her heart hurt. Leaving Clay in Butte had been hard. More so when she thought of Liam’s offer, knowing he may never come back. Was it possible for her to sneak in and crawl into bed without being spotted?
Doubtful.
She blew out a breath and climbed the steps to the porch. The moment she opened the door, Violet stuck her head out of the kitchen doorway.
“She’s here!”
Violet was the first to reach her, enveloping her in a tight hug before Rose, Gramps, and Josiah took hold of her. They had beaming smiles on their faces, their lips moving so fast she couldn’t tell what anyone was saying.
Her eyes misted with tears, and as their questions kept coming, the heartache she’d been fighting for the past two days finally got the best of her. The tears came unbidden when she started crying. All four of them stilled, their smiles vanishing, and she felt someone’s arms wrap around her the moment she closed her eyes. Time stood still, the warm embrace of someone comforting her was welcome after all she’d been through the past few weeks.
She lifted her head long minutes later, her vision clouded with tears. Violet was the first one she saw. Her eyes were glassy, as if she, too, had been crying, and knowing Violet, she probably had been. Gramps moved Violet aside and embraced her, followed by Rose. Graham was standing by the stairs with Josiah, the look on Graham’s face saying he knew why she was crying so hard, and the tears started flowing again.
“You need to rest,” Violet said, taking her arm and turning her toward the stairs. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up and into bed.”
Violet led her upstairs. She turned her head as she ascended the steps, looking back down at Rose, Graham, Josiah, and Gramps. They were talking, all four of their heads close together. When Rose looked up at her, she knew Graham was telling them about Clay. The fact that he wasn’t there made her chest ache again.
She removed her cloak when they reached her room and Violet left to fetch warm water as she removed her boots. She sat on the edge of the bed, staring at nothing in particular, when Violet came back, a pitcher of water in her hands. She filled her washbowl, setting out a few washcloths and the fancy soap that was imported all the way from Paris.
Violet left her to bathe, making her promise to come get her when she was finished. She didn’t. She put on her nightdress and crawled into bed, pulling the covers up to her ears, and was almost asleep when she felt a hand on her arm. Her eyes opened to find Violet in her room. She sighed and rolled onto her back. “Can this wait until morning?”
“No,” Violet said. “You’re upset, and it won’t do you any good to lie up here and wallow in whatever grief you’re dealing with.”
“I’m sure Graham has already told you plenty.”
“He didn’t say anything other than that you had a lot to tell us.”
“I don’t even know where to start.”
