Chapter Eight
MATTHEW STARED AT HERin disbelief. “You’re coming to Crest Stone?”
“I suppose it’s as good a place as any. Is it a nice town?”
“It’s . . . yes,” he said carefully. “It won’t compare to Kansas City, and it has rough edges, but it’s growing.”
“Then I suppose it will do.” She gave him a tentative smile as he tried to piece together the puzzle that was Miss Zane.
Putting aside her promise to help him find a wife—as unnecessary and unexpected asthatwas—he concentrated instead on the fact that she’d come all the way out here seemingly without a plan. “Did you not have a destination in mind?”
Miss Zane drew up her knees and rested her chin on them. “I didn’t. My only thought was to leave Kansas City. Once I took Miss Timperman’s place and discovered she was to leave the wagons in Colorado, I figured that would work out just fine.”
Matthew couldn’t find words for his thoughts. Did she not realize the danger that came with her journey? Did she expect to arrive in Colorado and simply find a decent man to marry? Or did she think it would be safe to live as a woman all alone in some frontier town?
Only one thing was clear—Miss Zane didn’t know the first thing about the country into which she’d thrown herself.
She chewed on her lip as he stared at her. “Is it . . .” She paused and raised her head. “Is it all right if I come to Crest Stone with you?”
“I insist on it,” he said before he realized the commitment he’d taken on. Liar or not, he could hardly abandon a young woman to fend for herself in Pueblo.
A smile brightened her face. “Thank you. And I promise I’ll do the best I can to find a good woman to be your wife.”
Where she planned to find one, Matthew didn’t know. “There’s a reason I employed an advertising service.”
“Hmm. Well, in that case, I’ll assist you with your letters.”
He didn’t dare tell her that writing and receiving letters was not something he necessarily needed help with. She seemed so eager to do something. Was it guilt for lying to him? Or was it simply part of her nature to want to help?
His mind was far too mixed up to think any more on it tonight. “We ought to get some rest.”
She nodded and laid down. It wasn’t long at all before her measured breathing indicated she’d fallen asleep, leaving Matthew alone with the thoughts spinning in his mind.
#####
MATTHEW AWOKE AT DAWN, surprised to find he’d fallen asleep at all. He sat up and stretched muscles that ached beyond anything he’d ever felt before in his life.
Beside him, Miss Zane still slept, curled up on his coat. The cloud settled over his heart again. She wasn’t Daisy Timperman. He wouldn’t be arriving back in Crest Stone with a bride. He had to start the search all over again. Thoughts tossed again through his mind, seeking out all the words he might have said in his letters that made Miss Timperman have a change of heart.
No. What was done, was done. It was good that she chose not to come at all, rather than arrive and then decide to leave. All he had now was wounded pride, which was preferable to a shattered heart.
Miss Zane stirred, and Matthew couldn’t help but smile. He ought to still be angry with her. And to be honest, he wasn’tentirelycertain she was trustworthy. Time would tell whether her lies were as she’d said, desperate and situational, or more of a compulsive nature. But in the meantime, he was absolutely certain she was brave, smart, and well . . . pretty.
He shook his head and stood. Thoughts like that would only lead to trouble. He’d take her back to Crest Stone, and she could carve out a life there if she chose. There were more than enough men, if she wanted to marry, or plenty of new opportunities if she preferred to work in a store or a restaurant. She would be safer there than alone in some wilder place.
As for him, he’d comb through the other letters he’d received again. Perhaps one of them would strike his fancy now that Miss Timperman was no longer an option.
