Chapter Seventeen
WHEN RUTHANN REACHEDHill’s General Store, she breathed a sigh of relief. In all her years in Cañon City, she never thought she’d feel a degree of terror simply walking through the main part of town in the afternoon. And yet, she never thought she’d be accosted by a stranger in the middle of the day either.
Thankfully, there had been no sign of that man. It was as if he’d arrived and fled town the same day, and Ruthann could only hope that was true. In the meantime, after many conversations during which she’d had to convince Nate that it was perfectly safe for her to walk around town alone, she held her breath and stayed watchful whenever she left home.
It was bustling inside the store, filled with people Ruthann knew or at least recognized, which was reassuring. Jasper Hill stood behind the counter, filling an order for Penny Young, the sheriff’s wife. Ruthann said hello to Penny, who asked if she’d seen any more trouble.
“I haven’t, thankfully. I hope that man has left town.”
“Well, if he has any sense whatsoever, he has,” Penny replied as Mr. Hill slid a wrapped parcel across the counter toward her. “How odd it is not to see Molly behind the counter,” she said to Jasper as she took the package.
“Is she enjoying Denver?” Ruthann added.
“She is,” Mr. Hill said, although he made a pained face with the reply. Ruthann dared not ask whether it was because he didn’t have his sister’s help or because he disapproved of her summer visit to Denver, where his mother had already told Ruthann that Molly was hoping to meet a husband. She glanced at Penny, who raised her eyebrows, but who also—wisely—said not a word.
Penny thanked Mr. Hill and laid a hand on Ruthann’s arm. “If you see that man again, or feel frightened, all you need to do is tell Ben or myself. He can ensure someone watches the photography studio, as he did for this store last summer.”
“Thank you,” Ruthann said. She hoped her situation wouldn’t escalate to the fear Mr. Hill and his wife Grace felt when Grace had inadvertently interfered with some outlaws’ escape plans from the Territorial Prison on the edge of town.
After Penny left, Ruthann peeked into Grace Hill’s dress shop at the rear of the store. But Grace was busy showing a customer some fabric, and so Ruthann attended to the reason she’d come into the store in the first place.
The men’s pocket watches were arrayed in a pleasing fashion atop the end of the counter. Nate’s pocket watch was entirely unreliable, and as patient as he was with it, Ruthann thought it might be nice to purchase him a new one—particularly since his birthday was today. He hadn’t mentioned it to her at all, but there were things a woman never forgot about the man she’d thought of daily since she was sixteen years old.
With Mr. Hill’s assistance, she chose a simple but masculine watch. He wrapped it for her and agreed to hold it at the counter while she completed her shopping. There were only a couple of other items Ruthann needed, but she took her time walking around the store. Perusing the items in stock at the general store was one of her favorite things to do. As she walked and admired the various items for sale, she thought on the cake she’d prepared and the meal full of Nate’s favorite foods. She hoped he’d be surprised and happy with it.
“That one is pretty, but it doesn’t hold a candle to what can be purchased in New York. If you’re so lucky as to visit, anyway. I purchased several when I went last year for Ada Boone’s wedding.”
Ruthann looked up in surprise. Sissy stood right next to her. Where she’d come from, Ruthann couldn’t imagine, but she quickly set down the gold and pearl hatpin she’d been admiring.
“How are you, Sissy?” she asked, ignoring the other woman’s slight. “It was wonderful to see you having such a good time at the church dance.”
“Oh, yes, Paul and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, although I wish this town would invest in a proper ballroom for such dances.” She paused, her eyes narrowing just slightly. “It appears you and Mr. Harper had a fine evening too.”
“We did,” Ruthann said cautiously. Sissy was smiling again, but it felt forced. Was Ruthann imagining it? She had to be. Why in the world would Sissy be jealous when she had a new beau?
“I’m sorry I didn’t come to say hello. I’m afraid I was so caught up in the fun that I hardly noticed who was there and who was not.” Sissy giggled, and the sound set Ruthann on edge. She couldn’t help but hope Sissy married this new beau of hers and they both went back East, to New York or anywhere far from Cañon City.
“It’s quite all right.” Ruthann gave Sissy an encouraging smile. She much preferred Sissy be infatuated with her new beau than remember how Nate had rejected her. “I haven’t met your fellow, but I noticed more than one lady looking his way.”
Sissy lifted her chin, the corners of her mouth rising at Ruthann’s words. Jealousy was something Sissy thrived upon, and Ruthann’s statement had the exact effect she thought it would. “I’m not surprised. Paul is quite the catch.”
Ruthann nodded along. “I’m very happy for you.”
“Thank you. That means quite a lot.” The way Sissy spoke the words indicated that it didn’t mean much at all to her, but Ruthann suspected she was happy that so many people had noticed her with her beau.
Sissy reached out and picked up the hatpin Ruthann had laid back on the display shelf. She turned it over absentmindedly as she looked back up at Ruthann. “A friend of mine mentioned something that worried me. And I’d feel remiss if I didn’t share it with you.”
“Oh?” Ruthann couldn’t imagine what Sissy’s so-called friend might have said to her.
“Yes.” Sissy pressed the sharp tip of the hatpin against her gloved finger, but she didn’t take her eyes from Ruthann. “On several occasions, when you were occupied with others, he saw that Mr. Harper was watching Paul and me. I want to think it was because he was happy for us, but my experience with him makes me hesitate.”
Ruthann blinked at her. Surely she couldn’t still bethatfixated on Nate.
