“I think it’s the clean, fresh air. My mother always said I could eat my weight in food each day,” Blake laughed, and then a sadness crossed his face.
“I’m sorry they aren’t here to see how successful you’ve become,” Eliza said.
“It’s not really my success alone. I inherited the ranch and my father’s estate that he had inherited from my grandfather. My parents were happy with the simpler life they found here. I wanted to live my dream, and I built the house and bought more cattle and horses. I’ve been blessed with success with all of it,” Blake confessed. “I had a good start.”
“But you worked hard, Sarah told me about how hard you work. I think she was trying to assure me I would have a good life here, too,” Eliza shared.
“I think it has more to do with living life to its fullest. My parents caught some sort of fever and were gone within days of each other. I buried them here on the ranch. I never caught what they had, and for a time, I felt guilty and then fortunate that I didn’t catch the fever. It was then I decided to build the dream I had as a boy,” Blake explained.
Eliza reached over and took Blake’s hand. “I’m sorry you lost them both close together. I think they’d be proud of what you’ve done here.”
“Thanks, but let’s talk about happy things. Let’s wade in the stream.”
Eliza bit her lip, and she tried not to look at Blake until he lifted her chin with his finger.
“Did I say something wrong?”
“No,” Eliza said. “I haven’t done that since I was a child. I suppose it would be all right and proper to go barefoot in the stream with my husband.”
“Of course, it would,” Blake said and began to pull off his boots.
They spent the next few hours talking and laughing, sharing stories of their childhood, and what the future might hold. Getting to know each other better with each story shared seemed to draw them closer.
Blake looked up at the sun beginning to set and said, “We should get back before someone wonders where we are. At least I don’t have to worry that someone will be waiting for you with a rifle in their hands, asking why I kept you out so long.”
Sadness crept into Eliza’s eyes. “No one has ever truly cared about when I would return home.”
Blake took her hand and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. “As long as you live here, there will always be someone who cares.”
When they arrived back at the house, Aunt Hortense and Constance were sitting on the back porch. Aunt Hortense handed Blake a list of people she wanted to invite to the social gathering she was planning.
“I told you we don’t have the room for all these people,” Blake said.
“I spoke to Sarah, and she said she would make a buffet, and some could eat inside, and she said there is a table you place on the back porch for warm summer suppers. It would be perfect. The important thing is for us to meet the important people in town,” Aunt Hortense said.
“Why?” Blake asked suspicion in his voice.
“Because it is the proper thing to do,” Aunt Hortense answered. “Constance and I will write out the invitations tomorrow. Can you spare a man to deliver them in town?”
Blake blew out a breath and nodded, “I suppose.”
Chapter 12
Constance sat on the back porch the way she had each morning for the past ten days watching Eliza and Blake in the corral. She mumbled to herself about the unfairness of Blake not having a sidesaddle, and she refused to ride astride even if she were to buy one of those unflattering riding skirts.
The back door opened, and Aunt Hortense walked onto the porch and sat next to Constance. “Don’t look so unhappy. I have the solution to all our problems right here.”
Aunt Hortense waved the letter she was holding in her hand, and Constance scrunched her brow.
“How is a letter going to help? I want to go home. This place is boring, and Blake acts as if I’m not even here,” Constance complained.
“You don’t understand, my dear. When we went to the seamstress shop, I sent a telegram. Remember? I telegraphed my lawyer in New York to ask him to find a detective in St. Louis to investigate Eliza. This should be the report,” Aunt Hortense whispered.
Constance sat up straighter and leaned closer. “Do tell, what does the detective have to say?”
“I don’t know. One of the hands dropped it off just now. You must go into town to pick up the mail. We are fortunate someone did today, or we might not have received this in time.”
“In time for what?” Constance asked.
“The party this evening. Everyone important from town except the pastor and his wife will be here when I announce what a terrible choice Blake has made. That woman could not have lived the quiet life as a nanny the way she claims. I hold the proof of what type of woman she is in my hand,” Aunt Hortense smiled another evil smile, and Constance returned one in kind.
Aunt Hortense read the letter and scowled. “This isn’t quite what I expected, but every life has a bit more wickedness than people see. I can elaborate a bit, and soon Eliza will run back to St. Louis or anywhere as long as she doesn’t have to face what the town will think of her.”
“And Blake will be mine,” Constance said.
“Yes, dear, he will.”
Constance’s smile broadened across her face until she glanced toward the corral and saw Blake give Eliza a quick kiss. Constance’s fists tightened, and she began mumbling to herself again.
Eliza slipped her new dress over her head, and Sarah helped her smooth it down and button the long row of buttons down the back.
“This dress is lovely. Florence did a
