He sighed again and got to his feet. “I have been so busy with trying to get the governorship that I didn’t have time to buy you a birthday present. I knew the day was coming and had fully intended to do something wonderful, but time got away from me. I am without excuse. I’m a terrible father.”
Laura shook her head. “No, you aren’t terrible. But I don’t want you to think you have to lie to me.”
“I knew it was wrong to give you the necklace. I wanted you to have something new, something all your own, but there wasn’t time. The necklace was everything I knew you would love, and ... I suppose it was exactly what I would have had made for you had I taken the time to arrange it.
“That’s what makes me so terrible. I could just as easily have gone to the jewelry store and had something similar created, but I’ve been so wrapped up in my desires. Oh, Laura, I am sorry. It was deplorable of me. Can you forgive me?”
Her anger faded. “If you’d just admitted to me that you’d forgotten my birthday, I wouldn’t have been upset.”
“But you’re my everything, Laura. All that I’ve done, I’ve done for you. You alone. You’re my entire world. After your mother died, I kept driving myself forward, thinking of you. I had to find a way to give you a better life. I had to find a way to make enough money that you would never be denied the medicine you needed or doctor’s care you deserved.
“Laura, I must admit, I did things during the war that ...well, let’s just say that if realized, would have been considered traitorous to the North. But also to the South. I played both sides against the middle because I hated that we’d gone to war. Despite it being profitable to me, I hated that it sent you even farther from me. Tennessee was right in the middle of everything, though. I couldn’t risk something happening to you by having you remain there. And I couldn’t send you deeper into the South. I knew things weren’t going to bode well for them in the end. They were already struggling for supplies and food. How could I leave you there to endure such things?”
Laura was touched by his words. It broke her heart to think of him having no alternative but to send her away to keep her safe. She went to her father and touched his arm.
“I’ve always understood, Father. Please don’t grieve so. I am no worse for my experiences, and it certainly didn’t diminish my love for you.” She put her arms around his waist, and he wrapped her in a warm embrace.
“I just wanted good things for you, Laura. I wanted to give you all the things I could never give your mother. You will always be so precious to me.”
“I know that, and you are precious to me too.” Laura rested her face against his chest. “I’m so glad to finally be with you, Father. I just want us to be happy.”
“As do I. In fact, I have a surprise for you.”
Laura pulled away just enough to look up into his face. “What is it?”
“I started the construction of our new house. The men broke ground two days ago. I wanted to show you the plans for it, but once again my work got in the way. I promise tomorrow at breakfast I’ll show you what I have created. I think you’re going to love it, and if you have any concerns,we can address those and make changes. I want you to feel that you have a say in it. It will be your home too ... at least until you marry.”
Laura didn’t know quite what to say. She didn’t want to contemplate marriage just now, and she didn’t care about a palatial estate.
“The new house sounds quite interesting, but this place serves us well too. I’m in no hurry to move.”
“We will have one of the finest houses in all of Cheyenne,” her father declared. “Perhaps it shall even be the place to house the governor of the territory. Wouldn’t that be something?”
“But President Grant appointed another. I’m sorry he didn’t choose you.”
Her father released her and shrugged. “I don’t expect Campbell to stay long. He isn’t from around here.”
Laura laughed. “No one is really from around here, with exception to the Indians.” That made her think once again of the necklace. She reached for her father’s arm. “I know it’s late, and we must go to bed, but I want to let you know one more thing. I think it’s only right that I return the necklace to Will.”
Her father studied her for a moment. His expression seemed one of concern. “Of course. I should have thought of it myself. Please do. And let him know that I will speak to the sheriff as soon as possible.”
“Thank you, Father.” Laura gave him a kiss on the cheek, then headed for the door. “I’ll see you in the morning and look forward to seeing your plans for the new house.”
She didn’t really care about the plans but knew they were important to her father. She hated that she had managed once again to cause him such pain. But it dawned on her thatshe had done nothing wrong. She had confronted him about lying to her, and yet he didn’t seem to understand nor care.
With each step she took, Laura began to see a pattern in her father’s behavior. Whenever he was confronted with something he’d done wrong or asked questions that he didn’t want to answer, her father had a way of creating a stir of emotions that caused her to pity him, to feel terrible for what he’d gone through. He always seemed so humbled by the confrontation and willing to admit his failings in the matter. But there was a lack of sincerity that Laura was only now coming to see.
She paused at the top of the stairs and frowned. Was it all just a game to distract her? Was Father still lying?
Granite sought the seclusion of his bedroom before allowing his anger to surface. He immediately went to where he kept the liquor and poured himself a tall glass of whiskey. With one gulp he downed the burning liquid and poured another.
How could he have been so stupid as to have given her the necklace? He knew where it had come from. But when she’d reminded him it was her birthday, the necklace was the only thing close at hand that he could offer to prove he was not only aware of her special day but had planned it out as well. At the time, he’d thought it fortunate that he’d found a small box for the piece. He’d hoped to sell it in Chicago and had been preparing it, along with the other jewelry and watches they’d collected from the stagecoach passengers. He’d known that it would be foolish to sell any of the pieces there in Cheyenne and planned to make arrangements with Gus for the stuff to be moved east.
His hand tensed on the glass. How could he have been so rash. Now there would be no end of questions about how he’d gotten the necklace. No end of questions regarding the supposed drifter from whom he’d purchased it.
Ire rose inside, and Granite couldn’t contain his rage. He threw the glass into the fireplace and growled as the flames caught the alcohol on fire. What was he supposed to do now? He’d at least settled Laura. She was so easily calmed. All he had to do was pretend deep sorrow over the pain he’d caused. Then, by taking it one step further and making a scene of how much he’d failed ... well, there wasn’t anything Laura wouldn’t do for him. She’d even gone along with his idea of arranging suitors.
Granite tore at his necktie and threw it across the room when it finally came loose. He’d been so careful, how could this be happening now? It was bad enough that he would have to deal with Grant’s new appointment for the governorship. It offered little comfort that his friends in positions of power told him that his name had been a close second for the position.
