Rustlers and Ribbons, Page 3

  She was so young, though! She hadn’t even reached her fiftieth birthday. But Dr. Sanders said it was cancer of the liver, and he had no cure. He didn’t even have a cause. And so they watched her deteriorate without a clear idea of why or how, and no idea whatsoever of a way to keep it from happening. And when it did happen, Gabriel was expected to rise up and take over his father’s estate, carrying on the impeccable Brody name.

  He startled when he felt Hope touch his sleeve, and he realized he’d been standing there, staring after the departing Miss Barnard, and she had disappeared several moments before.

  “You’re thinking about Mother,” Hope said, her usual gaiety missing from her voice.

  “Yes.” Gabriel sank back into his seat. “Father wants me to take over soon.”

  Hope’s eyes widened. “No. It can’t be as bad as all that. Not so fast.”

  He nodded. “They’re trying to protect us by not saying it bluntly, but we have to face it, Hope. Mother’s not going to recover.”

  She looked down at the carpet. “We’re hardly children anymore. I don’t see a need to protect us.”

  “But they do anyway because they’re our parents, and that’s what parents do.” He reached out and touched her elbow. “You’ll do the same thing for your own children someday.”

  She chuckled. “And you won’t?”

  “Having children is far from my mind right now. I can’t imagine trying to balance a family and the hotel—I’m not Father. I don’t have his ability to be everything to everyone.” His mother’s words came back to him, reminding him that he only had to be himself, and yet that was hard to internalize because he didn’t feel adequate at all.

  “But you will, you know. You’ll find someone and marry her, and you’ll have dozens of children and be blissfully happy.”

  “Dozens?” He laughed. “And how does this imaginary future wife of mine feel about dozens?”

  “Oh, she’s delighted. Who wouldn’t be?”

  He decided to turn the tables on her. “And what about marriage and family in your future, dear sister? How are things progressing on that front?”

  Her cheerful expression fell away as quickly as it had come. “I believe that particular young man will not be coming around again.”

  “What? Why not?”

  “Let’s just say that he proved himself to be somewhat less than worthy of my attentions.”

  Anger boiled up in Gabriel’s chest. “He didn’t . . .”

  “No, but I did find it necessary to remind him of my birthday gift from Father.” Adam Brody had always insisted that his waitresses know how to shoot, and his daughters were no different. The pearl-handled pistol he’d given her lived in her dress pocket no matter what she was wearing, and Gabriel was furious to think that she’d had to remind her young man of that fact.

  “You’ve got a lot of gumption,” he told her.

  “I’m my mother’s daughter.” She smiled, but it faded. “Oh, Gabe, what are we going to do without her?”

  “We’re going to do the best we can, the same as we’ve always done, which is what she wants from us,” Gabriel said. “She’ll want to be lovingly remembered, but not mourned too deeply. She always talks of joy, not of sorrow.”

  “And so that’s what we’ll give her. Does Rose know? How bad it is, I mean?”

  “Mother’s been writing to her, but I don’t know if she’s been very direct.”

  Hope nodded. “I’ll write her myself tonight. One can send a letter from Colorado as well as one can from Kansas, can’t one?”

  “I imagine one can,” Gabriel replied, wondering if his sister was aware of the joke she’d just made. In the meantime, he’d go fetch their bags from the train station and bring them back to the hotel so they could settle in for the night.

  “Oh, Collette, that’s wonderful!” Beatrice gave her a big hug. “I’m so glad. I’m sorry that we’re losing you, though—I wish you could have stayed longer.”

  “I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done for me,” Collette replied. “You’ve been so generous.”

  Beatrice shrugged. “It was selfish on my part, I assure you—I love chatting with other women and hearing their opinions on everything. So, you returned the dresses?”

  “Yes, I finished them, and she was so pleased, she paid me a little extra. That will help me feel less beholden to Lady Sybil, although I don’t fool myself into thinking I could ever pay her back anyway.”

  “She doesn’t strike me as the kind of woman who wants to be paid back,” Beatrice replied. “I believe she wants you to be safe and happy, and that would be her best reward.”

  “You’re right, of course. I struggle to imagine someone being so generous without wanting it repaid in some way, but if I could see it in anyone, it would be her.” Collette smiled. “And you—I’ve offered a dozen times, and you keep turning me down.”

  “And just how would you pay me back? All I’ve really done is feed you, and no, I don’t want you trying to send me pots of stew through the mail.” Beatrice laughed, then grew solemn again. “But you must send me letters.”

  “I will. Regularly. No matter where I end up.”

  “Do you think you’ll be going back to England, then?”

  Collette sighed. “I have no idea. Lady Sybil didn’t say if she had another post for me, or if she means to have me find my own. When her package arrives, I’m sure there will be a letter, and I’ll know what she intends to do with me.” She laughed. “Of course, I don’t have to do everything she says, but I would like to hear her opinion so I have clearer options.”

  “And you’ll tell me absolutely everything.” Beatrice gave her another hug. “Take care, Collette. I’m glad our paths intertwined if only for a short time.”

  “I am too.”

  Collette wiped at her eyes as she walked away from the Jamesons’ house. They had acted like true angels in her life, and she would never forget them.

  Back at the hotel, she changed into the nicest of her few dresses and did her hair freshly, then came back down to the dining room, where Gabriel and Hope were waiting for her. Gabriel wore the same suit, but a fresh shirt, and Hope had put on a yellow dress and looked like a garden flower.

  “You were able to deliver the dresses?” Gabriel asked as he slid her chair in for her.

  “I was, thank you. And I said goodbye to my friends, so I’m all set to go.”

  “I’m sure you’ll like Topeka,” Hope said. “Our hotel is near several nice shops, and not too far from the river, and the church is just three streets over.” She paused. “Do you go to church, Collette?”

  “I haven’t been to one in some time, but I am religious,” Collette replied. “I’d enjoy attending again.”

  “Good, because that’s very important to some people.” Hope looked pointedly at her brother, who seemed oblivious as he buttered a piece of bread. Collette hid her smile.

  “I know plenty of young men and could introduce you around,” Hope continued. Collette wondered why she’d do that when she so obviously wanted Collette to marry Gabriel, but then she realized that Hope was trying to make Gabriel jealous.

  “Oh? How many young men?” Collette asked, deciding to play along.

  “Six come to mind right off, although there are a few more at college who will be home soon,” she replied.

  “Six seems like a nice number.” Collette picked up a slice of bread as well. “Plenty to choose from. Although I probably shouldn’t become too involved—I don’t know where I’ll be a month from now.”

  “This is true, but you should have what fun you can. I’m sure there will be a dance or something in the meantime, or we could even throw one.” Hope turned to Gabriel. “We should throw one! It’s been a long time.”

  “I don’t think Mother would be up to the chaos,” he replied quietly, and Hope immediately turned sober.

  “We’d best not plan a dance, then,” she said quietly. “But we can go to one somewhere else.”

/>   Collette wondered what had happened to make the mood at the table change so quickly, but she wasn’t going to ask and make it worse—she’d just met them, and it wasn’t her place to ask prying questions or to intrude.

  The waitress brought their plates just then, and the awkwardness passed while they ate—or at least, Collette hoped it had. She was sorry that her situation had seemed to come at a time that caused inconvenience or trouble for this family who only wanted to help her.

  “I hope it’s not mean of me to say so, but our dining room is much better than this,” Hope said. “We really have the best cook—wait until you have some of her roast beef. It’s so tender.”

  “Tell me more about your hotel,” Collette said.

  “It sits on the edge of an apple orchard, and when all the blossoms are on, you can walk through the trees and breathe in the scent—that’s one of my favorite things in the world,” Hope said. “The carpets . . .”

  Collette glanced over at Gabriel and found that he was picking at his food, not paying much attention to the things going on around him. His demeanor had changed at the mention of his mother, and he hadn’t regained his cheerful spirits like Hope had. Collette couldn’t pay full attention to Hope’s description of their home while Gabriel was so obviously unsettled by something. She wished to help in some way, but she was a stranger to this family—what could she possibly offer?

  They finished their meal, and Gabriel came to his feet. “I suggest we all get a good night’s sleep,” he said. “Who knows what the conditions will be on the train tomorrow, and we won’t arrive in Topeka until quite late at night.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Collette replied, recognizing that he needed to be alone and was trying to excuse himself graciously. “I’ll see you both in the morning.”

  “I’m not tired in the slightest,” Hope began.

  “I brought along a book you may borrow,” Gabriel told her, and she seemed content with that.

  Gabriel and Hope walked Collette to her room, then continued down the hall. Collette closed her door and dressed for bed, trying not to think too much about the young Mr. Brody. He had certainly caught her attention from the moment she first saw him, but it was made worse with Hope’s teasing. That girl had far too many romantic notions running through her head. Perhaps Collette might have arrived at the same conclusions herself, and perhaps she might not, but now she almost had no choice but to imagine herself married to him. Her cheeks felt warm at the thought. There were certainly worse things that could happen to her.

  For now, though, she wouldn’t dream any dreams or make any wishes. She’d go with them to their home in Topeka and wait to hear from Lady Sybil. Perhaps she had some ideas for Collette’s next step, and if not, maybe Collette could find work in Topeka while she decided where to go next. New York had a great many possibilities, and returning to England wasn’t out of the question, although she did cringe at the cost of the boat fare. With no family, she wasn’t obligated to be any particular place, and while in a way that was unnerving, it also gave her a sense of freedom. Why, she could travel on to California if she liked and see what had Mr. Reynolds so enamored with the place.

  In her heart, though, she knew she wouldn’t. She would either stay in Kansas or she would go back to New York. California held nothing for her—she wasn’t interested in the so-called glitz and glamor. She rather hoped that Kansas would hold what she needed. If nothing else, it would be nice to put an end to the traveling.

  Chapter Five

  What do you think of Collette?” Hope asked when they reached her bedroom doorway.

  “Collette?” Gabriel glanced down the hallway, where they had just left the young woman in question. “She seems pleasant. Why do you ask?”

  “Pleasant? Really?” Hope shook her head. “Honestly, if it weren’t for the fact that you’re still standing upright and occasionally speak, I’d wonder if you had a brain in that head at all. I’m not talking about her being pleasant. Do you think she’s pretty? Interesting? Appealing in any way?”

  Gabriel held back a sigh. “Are you trying to play matchmaker again, little sister? I thought you’d learned your lesson.”

  “I thought I had too, but this one seems like a real candidate. I didn’t realize we’d have to send to France to get one, but I think we may have found you a wife.”

  He chuckled. “We talked about this earlier . . .”

  “We did, and I wasn’t satisfied with how it ended. I might keep bringing it up over and over and over again until you admit that I’m right.”

  Gabriel placed a hand on his sister’s shoulder. “I make you a promise. If I find a girl I want to marry, and if through some miracle she decides she wants to marry me, you’ll be the first to know. In the meantime, we have other things to think about. I’m already anxious about getting home—it feels like we’ve been gone a long time, and I wish I knew how Mother was doing.”

  “Should we have sent someone else to come on this little trip?” Hope asked, her eyes concerned. “Do you think we should have stayed home?”

  “I don’t know. I thought our coming was a good idea, but during dinner, I realized that by the time we get home, we’ll have been gone three full days. So much can change in three days, Hope. What if . . . what if we’re too late?”

  She grabbed his hand. “Don’t say that! Don’t even think that! We’re going to be home in time, Gabriel. I don’t think Dr. Sanders would have let us go if she was that close, do you?”

  “How can he know? He’s a doctor—he’s not a god or a fortune teller. He can only make an educated guess.” Gabriel gave her hand a squeeze, then pulled away. “Let’s get some sleep, all right? Do you still want that book?”

  “No. I think I’ll be all right.”

  “Okay. Goodnight.” He waited until she’d entered her room and he heard the lock click, and then he entered his own room and sat on the edge of the bed to remove his shoes. Sleep was what he needed—lots and lots of sleep. He could lose himself in the world of his dreams and not think about his mother or the duties of the hotel or the fact that for the first time, he’d seen his father’s age around his eyes. How had he missed seeing those wrinkles before, that fatigue? He supposed he’d seen what he wanted to see, or what he’d been used to seeing since his childhood. It was so hard to accept that the years were advancing on his parents just like they were on everyone.

  Gabriel took off his suit and draped it over a chair, then dug around in his satchel for his nightshirt. Then he turned out the light and climbed into bed, staring at the ceiling. He’d thought the question was inconsequential, but now he found himself asking, what did he think of Collette? Well, he thought she was pretty—that wasn’t in doubt. She was quiet, but after spending a day on a train with his sister, Gabriel supposed that anyone would seem quiet. She was well mannered and obviously educated. He was also impressed by her desire to finish her customer’s dress before she left. That showed integrity and a strong work ethic, and he admired both those traits.

  As far as marrying her . . . he laughed into the darkness. If Hope had her way, she’d arrange a marriage for every man and every woman in the world and throw them lavish weddings and shower them with flower petals as they drove off on their honeymoons. She was like a child playing with dolls, assigning this character to that character without their knowledge or permission. He wondered just how many couples had come together because of her shenanigans so far—more than just a few, he imagined, but he wouldn’t be one of them. Somehow he had to make her understand that his life wasn’t a thing to be speculated about. He had to concentrate on the hotel and on the needs of his parents. Everything else came first, and Lady Sybil had Collette well in hand. Gabriel’s only task was to escort the girl home.

  And that would only take one more day.

  He rolled onto his side and squeezed his eyes shut. One more day, and then he’d be back at the hotel where he belonged.

  The day had been long and exhausting, but Collette had enjoy
ed every minute of it. Hope was an entertaining traveling companion and kept up a lively chatter, telling stories of the waitresses who had come and gone from the Brody Hotel during Hope’s lifetime. It seemed that each of them had experienced some kind of wonderful romance and that her father had to keep advertising for new girls.

  “It’s because there’s a curse on the place,” Hope said matter-of-factly. “Although, I don’t know what it’s called when a curse makes good things happen instead of bad—what’s that called, Gabriel?”

  “Your imagination,” he said good-naturedly from his seat across from theirs. “It’s true that a great many people have met their prospective spouses and gone on to get married from the hotel, but there’s no reason to think that anything magical or special is going on. A hotel is a gathering place, and when people gather, it’s only natural that they’d form attachments.”

  “Well, you’re not going to change my mind,” Hope said, folding her arms. “I think the hotel is magical in some way. That’s where Mother and Father met, and I think that started a whole chain of romances that will trickle down through generations until the place rots in the dust.”

  “I thought that was a rather poetic thing you were saying until you got to the part about rotting in the dust.” Gabriel tipped his hat over his eyes. “I’m going to nap for a bit, ladies. I didn’t sleep well last night.”

  “I don’t think there’s anything unpoetic about dust,” Hope said, turning to Collette, who had been watching the exchange with amusement. She didn’t have any siblings, so she didn’t know if this sort of behavior was normal, but she certainly found it entertaining. “Don’t you think that the notion of returning to dust is rather poetic?”

  “I’m not sure I can say,” Collette replied. “I’ve never considered it.”

  “I have. Lots of times. We are people of the earth, and when we die, we will return to it, and our bodies will feed the soil, and so we will give thanks to it for the life it gave us.” Hope looked dreamy. “It’s a beautiful cycle, don’t you think?”