"Do you think it's too soon? I mean I'm awidow. I keep forgetting that." She looked at him with guiltwritten on her face.
"Don't worry, you'll be the prettiestscandal there." He smiled.
"Everyone will think I'm shameless, it'sonly been a few months. Oh God, Wes, it worries me that I haven'tmourned him."
"Most people knew him, didn't they?"
"Well, knew of him, I'm sure."
"Then they'll understand."
Her face flushed, "Oh Wes, I shouldn’tgo!"
"Stop fretting it will all be okay."
But on Saturday she went to the pond to takea bath after breakfast. She put clean clothes on, but her hair wasstill wet.
Wes saw her coming from the pond and stared,she had no idea how pretty she was. But she'd probably find outtonight, he thought with a bitter taste in his mouth.
She was already slipping through hisfingers. If he'd been a local, he'd have asked her to the dance.But he wasn't. He was a drifter. And she needed a place to growroots, have a home and a man that would be by her side all thetime. And sadly, Frank Campbell was probably that man.
Frank would kiss her, and she'd be lost,just like when he kissed her. Only somehow, he sure wished thatwouldn't happen. He suddenly wished more for himself. Had he beenwrong to run away from life like he had? Had he taken a path of adoomed man, to be alone the rest of his life?
He had to make some plans of where he wasgoing from here. What he was going to do. He suddenly realized thathe was bone tired of moving all the time. Of never having a realplace to call his own. But he also realized he'd have to do a lotof changing too. He'd have to make some money, buy a place, andsettle down. Maybe he'd think about that when he left here. Still,the probability that he'd lose out on the best thing in his lifemade him rethink himself several times.
He looked around the place. For the firsttime he felt bad about leaving. In more ways than one. He liked ithere. He never minded sleeping in the barn. He never minded notgoing into town. He realized too that she'd made this place homeyand he seemed to fit right into it. He loved her cooking, loved hersmiles, and most of all he loved her kisses
That was wrong thinking, and he knew it. Hehad nothing to offer her.
He had to get those ideas out of his head.It wasn't his home. He didn't belong, and he'd be leaving soon. Ifthis Frank fella took her seriously, he'd be leaving evensooner.
So why did it hurt to think of leaving?
He didn't want to leave Dickens either.
He cared for both of them! Dickens wasgetting up in age and that bothered Wes a great deal. What if heleft and come back to find him dead and buried? Could he handlethat?
What if she didn't marry Frank? WouldDickens try to do the work? He couldn't hold up to it much betterthan her. Well, he could always come by and check on them from timeto time. That's what he'd do. Once he knew they would be alright,he'd be out of here forever.
But forever was a long time and justthinking on it made him sad.
It was four and Kate kissed Dickens on thecheek as she got upon the wagon with Wes. "Try to have a good time,girlie."
"I will, thanks for all your help." Shethrew him a kiss.
Wes drove her over and after Annie did herhair Kate put the dress on, the men got to talking.
"So you and Annie going to the dance?"
"Yeah a bit later. I don't want to get theretoo early. They always want you to set things up. I don't go towork, I do enough of that at home. You should come along; they havea pretty good band of musicians and the food is always good."
Wes laughed. "I don't think so."
"You aren't going?"
"Well sir, I'm not really a part of thiscommunity, so I don't usually attend stuff like this."
"You'd be welcome."
"Thanks, but I'll just pick her up when it'sover."
"Oh, why isn't Frank picking her up andtaking her home?"
"She told him she'd have a ride there andhome. She said it's because she doesn't know him that well, and thefact that she's a widow. I can understand that."
"Yeah, I keep forgetting about thatno-account husband of hers. I can understand why she isn't mourninghim."
"She feels guilty that she can't mournhim."
"I can understand that. This Frank seemsokay, but her being a widow, this might be better for her. It won'tlook so much like a date to others if she's picked up and takenhome."
"That's true. She was worried about it beingtoo soon to go to something like this. I hope she's wrong."
"No one will gossip. They wouldn't dare,Frank would get after them if they did. Besides, no one that I knowliked her husband. Any man that visits saloons every weekend,drinks, and barks at his wife all the time won't be missed aroundhere."
"Is this Frank a good sort?" Wes asked withconcern.
"He pulls a lot of weight, and he's beenknown to lose his temper a time or two. But all in all, he's okay.A bit on the snobbish side. Still if he likes someone, no one willdare say a word. At least not while he was around."
"I see. Well, I was just asking on accountof her husband had been a bit rough with her."
"Yes, Annie was telling me about him. Don'tyou fret, I'll keep an eye on her. But seriously, why didn’t youask her?"
"Well sir, I'm just a hired hand." Wessaid.
"Don't let that stop you, most of the youngmen are just hired hands." Mr. Tate chuckled.
"Well, Frank's pretty taken with her!"
"But is she taken with him?"
"Don't know yet!" Wes smiled.
ChapterNineteen
Kate sauntered out of the house, slowly,almost bashfully. She looked so beautiful it took Wes' breath awaywhen he saw her. Mr. Tate seemed to notice and went in the house,after excusing himself.
"Well, what do you think?" Kate askedwhirling around in her blue satin gown.
"Like I said, you'll be the prettiest girlthere." He smiled.
"You think
