She bit her lower lip and looked away. “I might be.”
He laughed all the more. “Could be I have done the same.” He put the horse in motion.
Laura said nothing for a full block, then turned to him. Will could see the questioning in her eyes. “Then what are we going to do?”
Will sobered and flicked the lines to get the horse to pick up the pace. “First things first. We settle this mess, and then I have a feeling the rest will just fall into place.” He looked at her a moment longer, then smiled again. “By the way, how would you feel about living on a reservation?”
Saturday morning, Granite read the front page of theLeader. There was an article about the new governor and his planned arrival in May. It also mentioned a group of men who had been called upon by the local city council to be part of the entourage to bring Governor Campell to Cheyenne. Wilson Porter was among the men listed.
He’d barely finished with the article when Mrs. Duffy appeared with a tray of coffee and his favorite cherry Danish.
She went to place it on a table in front of the fireplace. “Would you like me to serve, sir?”
“No, just leave it. I’ll tend it myself.” Granite got up from his desk and came around to the fireplace. “I’m glad to see that you’re feeling better, Mrs. Duffy. I hope it wasn’t anything too serious.”
“No, and I’m fit as a fiddle now, Mr. Evans. Thank you for your patience.” She straightened and gave him a hurried smile. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I told Mrs. Murphy I’d be right back to help her with something in the kitchen.”
“Of course.”
Granite had always liked the fact that she wasn’t one to linger and draw out a conversation. Mrs. Duffy had proven to be quick to task and never all that interested in gossip.
He had just taken a seat beside the fire when a knock sounded on his office door.
“Enter,” he called, pouring himself a cup of coffee.
“Mr. Evans, Mr. Porter is here to see you,” Mrs. Duffy announced.
Granite couldn’t believe his good fortune. “Show him in and bring another cup for him.”
“Of course, sir.”
She stepped back, and Will bounded into the room. He extended his hand to Granite. “Good morning, Mr. Evans.”
“Good morning, Mr. Porter ... Will.” Granite smiled. “I was just reading about you in the paper.”
“Me?” Will looked surprised.
“Yes, didn’t you know? There’s an article about the coming of the governor in May, and it says that you’re among several men chosen to escort him here.”
“Just from Omaha. John and I were boyhood friends and comrades-in-arms. Not that we’re all that close. Truth is, I didn’t want to go on the trip to escort him back, but I wasn’t given much of a choice.”
“And why would you not want to put yourself into the company of powerful men like Campbell?”
Will glanced up at the ceiling. “Well ... let’s just say there’s some bad blood between us.”
“Oh, really?” Granite wondered just how bad it might be. “Please sit.” He motioned to the other leather chair in front of the hearth. “Mrs. Duffy has gone to get you a cup and saucer. Ah, see. Here she is.”
The woman came into the room carrying the china set. She placed it on the silver tray. “Would you like me to pour?” she asked once again.
“No, I’ll see to everything. Close the door on your way out so that Mr. Porter and I may speak without being disturbed.”
“Yes, sir,” she replied and quickly exited the room.
Once they were alone, Granite poured coffee into Will’s cup. “Do you take cream or sugar?”
“Black is fine,” Will said, reaching for the cup and saucer when Granite lifted it his way.
“There’s cherry Danish, as you can see. The very best. Mrs. Murphy, as you know, is quite capable in the pastry department.”
