Joseph stepped into the kitchen and said, “The weather is turning bad. It’s starting to snow, and the wind has picked up. I don’t like the look of the sky. We could be in for a bad storm. I want both of you to head home now. I can finish whatever needs doing, and if the weather gets worse, no one will come in for supper anyway.”
Neither Holly or Charity needed to be convinced. They pulled on their coats and hurried out the door each walking in opposite directions. Bad winter storms could come out of nowhere and snow for hours. By the time Holly reached the boarding house, the fat flakes were falling fast enough it made it hard to see.
Holly was shivering by the time she entered the boarding house and pulled off her coat. Ruth Winslow met her in the parlor.
“The weather kicked up fast. I’m happy to see you’re here before the worst of it hits,” Ruth said while placing another log on the fire in the fireplace.
“Do you get bad storms here in Wyoming?” Holly asked as she gazed out the window at the rapidly falling snow.
“That we do. With that wind whipping around we may have a blizzard on our hands. Come and have a cup of tea to warm you. You’ll be safe here. The house is solid, and I have ample wood for the fireplaces and stoves.”
Holly smiled, “We had bad storms in Chicago, too, but I suppose it’s different here. The buildings are closer together, and there are a lot more people to clean the streets after a snowstorm back in Chicago. Everywhere I look here, the open plains greet me. It’s peaceful and beautiful, but I suppose it takes longer to clear the roads.”
“Once it stops snowing, the town will all work together. It doesn’t take the men long to clear the boardwalks, and they haul the snow off the streets out into the fields. The stage route needs to be cleared, and wagons drag the snow to the side of the roads and trails. The town will be back to itself in no time,” Ruth explained. “Now, let’s have a cup of tea. We can’t stop the weather.”
~ * ~
Holly spent the next few days reading, helping Ruth bake cookies, and finishing adding the ivory lace to her own Christmas dress.
While Holly busied herself, Lydia stormed around her small house alone in the storm. She vowed Joseph would be hers and no one was going to get in her way. She sat and thought and thought until she came up with a perfect plan. Holly would just leave town and Joseph would see that whatever he felt for Holly was foolish. Lydia would step in and heal his heart and be his wife.
When the storm subsided, and the town’s streets were clear, Lydia was able to put her plan into action. Holly wouldn’t suspect anything if Lydia went to the café. After all, they were friends. Lydia still needed help with her Christmas dress and what better excuse than to see Holly and arrange a sewing session? The plan would work out well. Holly was sweet and innocent. She’d believe anything Lydia told her. Lydia smiled knowing Joseph would soon be hers.
Chapter Seven
Lydia put her plan into action the following day. Instead of waiting for Holly to arrive at her house, she met Holly outside the café with her horse and wagon.
“Hello,” Lydia greeted. “The snow is beautiful, and I thought we could ride out to my ranch. I want to show it to you and check to see if it was damaged by the storm.”
“We can do that,” Holly agreed. “Just give me a moment.”
Holly hurried back into the café and told Charity about the change in plans and that she’d see her later.
The wagon ride to Lydia’s ranch wasn’t long. Lydia’s ranch was as close to town as Charity’s. Lydia and Holly chatted, and Lydia shared some of the town’s history. They discussed the mystery of the missing bells. Holly smiled knowing she and Lydia could be friends and lived close enough to visit.
Lydia’s house came into view. It was smaller, and a bit rundown but Holly had seen buildings in varying stages of disrepair since arriving in town. Life was probably difficult for Lydia if she ran the ranch alone with just one hired hand.
Stopping the wagon at the rear of the house, Lydia asked, “Would you like a cup of tea to warm up a bit before we walk around? I could use a cup to shake off this chill.”
“Yes, that would be delightful,” Holly answered following Lydia into the house. The home was inviting, and Holly followed Lydia into the small but spotless kitchen.
Lydia stirred up the fire in the stove and put on a water kettle. “While it’s heating, I want to show you something brilliant Joseph helped us build. In summer, we can have dangerous storms that can create twisters. Joseph read an article about a place to seek shelter that can also be used as a root cellar. He added one to his home in town and offered to help father build one before father passed away.” Lydia opened the pantry door and then lifted a trap door in the floor.
Holly looked down into the cellar, but darkness made it difficult to see clearly. “What makes it special?” Holly asked confused.
“It’s hard to explain. You need to see it for yourself.” Lydia lit a lamp and handed it to Holly. “Go on, and I’ll close the door behind us. You get a better sense of the security when we’re all locked in, and you’ll see how comfortable Joseph made it for us.”
Holly thought Lydia’s request was a
