In Love's Territory: A Western Historical Romance Read online

  “Thank you, Hannah. I will.”

  As the Thompsons stepped outside, Carter approached to say good night.

  “Thank you for a lovely evening,” Edward said as he shook her hand. Kate felt herself grow hot at his touch and she hoped that nobody noticed the glow that she felt appearing in her cheeks.

  “It was our pleasure, Mr. Carter.”

  “I look forward to seeing you again,” he said.

  “Let’s go, Eddie,” Cora piped up. “My feet are killing me in these shoes.”

  Carter’s eyes closed in a long blink, as if he were struggling to control his tongue. “Good evening, everybody,” he said, and they turned to go.

  Kate and her family gathered on the porch to see the guests off, watching as the carriages made their way up to the main road, soon disappearing in the darkness.

  “Mr. Taylor, if you don’t need me for anything else, I’ll be on my way then,” Sam said.

  Thomas turned to shake Sam’s hand. “Sam, I owe you one,” he said. “Good night.”

  “Good night, everybody,” he said, then turned and headed up the hill to his cabin.

  Kate and the others went back inside. While Sarah and Mary finished cleaning up downstairs, Becky helped Kate get undressed; the younger girl could barely contain the yawns that appeared in quick succession as she searched for the hairpins in Kate’s tresses.

  “Long day,” Kate said.

  “I’m sorry, Miss Taylor,” Becky said, her wrist hiding another yawn. “Guess I’m not used to this.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Kate said as they finished up and Becky retrieved her nightgown. “I’m sure we can all use some rest. Good night.”

  “Good night, Miss Taylor,” Becky said, easing the door closed on her way out.

  Lying in bed, Kate could not clear her mind of the image of Edward, leaning over to kiss her hand, his eyes drilling into her as if she belonged to him. Her flesh tingled at the memory of his lips on her skin and his words still echoed in her mind. He can’t think of anything else besides me. She rolled over and pulled the sheet back, letting the cooler air wash over her. He said that he’s thought of nothing else since the day he saw me. Could it really be? Could the same spark have come to life in each of us that night? Oh, if only he had come alone! We could have talked much more than those few stolen minutes on the porch.

  Kate rolled over and flipped her pillow. Even in the cool breeze that flowed in through the window, her bedroom had seemed to become awfully warm. But maybe I’m losing my wits, she thought. He came to find me and said such forward things all while Miss Rice was here in the same house. He even kissed me while she was only down the hall. What kind of man would do such a thing? For all I know, he once said the very same words to her. A decent man wouldn’t betray her trust like that.

  Kate tried to fluff up her pillow, but it was no use. She just couldn’t get comfortable, and the thoughts racing through her mind didn’t help. What was I thinking? How could I have said yes? I shouldn’t have rushed into things like this. She pounded the pillow with her fists, trying to shape it into a more comfortable form. Perhaps Papa won’t even agree. He’s always been so protective of me. But then, why wouldn’t he? I’m of marrying age and Edward is educated, wealthy and successful. Not to mention so handsome that he made me weak in the knees.

  Kate reluctantly sat up in bed. There was no point trying to sleep right now; it just wasn’t going to happen. She went to the window and knelt there, resting her chin on her forearms as she gazed out into the night. Rich, smart and good-looking. Why would I want to wait? In Boston I would have been thrilled to have a man like Edward seek my affections. The thought seemed to bring everything else into a sharp focus. Here’s my chance to be courted by an attractive gentleman and I’m dithering about rushing into things, as if Wisconsin were full of men just like him. It’s a little easier to decide when you look at it like that. And Cora doesn’t seem right for him anyway. It’s probably the best for everybody, in fact.

  She took a deep breath of the fresh night air and felt herself relax, smiling as she remembered being wrapped in his arms and the feeling of his lips on her own. Oh, that kiss. Even now she saw goose bumps forming on her arms, and it wasn’t due to the cool air coming in through the window. Even the mere memory made her heart race. Now I understand what my friends were talking about this whole time. Haven’t I waited long enough? Isn’t it time for me to be happy? There was only one correct decision, and I made it.

  A yawn leaped up out of nowhere and escaped her mouth. Now that she had come to peace with her decision to see Edward, her body seemed to know that it was time to get some rest. A wave of fatigue rushed over her, and she finally felt sleepy. Kate stood up and went back to her bed, tumbling in and pulling the sheets over her body. In only a few minutes, she was beginning a lovely dream about sharing another kiss on the porch, although Edward strangely now had the most beautiful jet-black hair.

  Chapter 6

  “Becky, come with me; I need your help for a second.” Kate glanced at the small clock that hung on the kitchen wall. It was only five-thirty, so she would have plenty of time to get ready. Becky followed her upstairs to her bedroom and Kate closed the door once they were inside. “I need you to help me get dressed and do my hair.”

  Becky shot her an odd look. “Really? Tonight?”

  “Really,” Kate said. “I’ll wear the brown dress; it’s already hanging right in front in the closet.”

  “I don’t recall you ever getting all gussied up like this for dinner before,” Becky said as she helped Kate get dressed. “Unless we had company, of course. Is somebody coming over?”

  Kate couldn’t contain her smile. “Oh, you never know,” she said, her eyes twinkling. The smile remained all the while Becky arranged her hair, until it was nearly six and time to get back downstairs. Becky returned to the kitchen to help Mary with dinner while Kate walked down the hall to the parlor and took a seat on the sofa.

  She picked up a book from the end table, but couldn’t ignore her father’s raised eyebrows for long.

  “What’s with the dress?” he asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You look so nice,” he said. He folded his newspaper and leaned back in his chair. “What’s going on?”

  “Papa, you make it sound like I normally go around in rags,” she said. “Can’t a girl dress up now and again?”

  “Well, of course, but—”

  “Did I look so bad before?”

  “No, but—”

  “Don’t you think I’m pretty?”

  “Of course I do, dear,” he said. “Forget I said anything.” He snapped his paper open again and took refuge behind it, though Kate could see from the corner of her eye that he still peered her way from time to time. She pretended to read her book while keeping an eye on the grandfather clock. The hour hand slowly crept forward until it marked six-thirty; the chime was still echoing in the room when she heard a whinny outside and the noise of carriage wheels rolling across gravel. Exactly on time, she thought.

  Her father set his paper aside. “Now who could that be?” he said, almost to himself as he got out of his chair and turned to look out the window. “Why, it’s Ed Carter.” Thomas slowly turned his head and looked at Kate, his eyes narrowing as he stared at her dress. Before he could say anything, however, there was the sound of boots on the steps and a knock at the front door, drawing Thomas out into the foyer.

  Kate could hear the men greeting each other in the foyer, and she went to the hall to find both of them headed for the parlor.

  “Mr. Carter, this is a nice surprise,” she said, unable to contain her broad grin as she extended her hand. “What brings you out this way?”

  He squeezed her hand briefly. “Oh, just some business I wanted to talk to your father about,” he said. “It’s wonderful to see you again, Miss Taylor.”

  “Thank you. It’s good to see you as well. I’ll leave you two to talk,” she said, stepping out of
the way for them and closing the parlor door.

  “Would you like a drink?” Thomas went to a glass-door cabinet against the wall and took out a crystal brandy decanter and two snifters.

  “I wouldn’t say no.” Carter watched as Thomas poured them each a generous splash and handed him the glass. He took a sip and went to the window, looking out onto the porch and down the gentle slope at the green cornfields below. “Your brother left you quite a nice piece of property,” he said, turning back to Kate’s father. “I’m sure you’ll be content here. Growing corn may not be the most exciting endeavor man has ever performed, but it can be rewarding, I suppose.”

  Thomas joined Carter at the window. “Well, it’s more than a way to make a living for us,” he said. “I had a successful career in banking and I can always return to that if I have to. But for now, I wanted my family to have a simpler life than we had back in Boston. And yes, it can be rewarding, in many ways.”

  “Of course,” Carter said. “I’m sure it is. And family has to come first. Speaking of that, Mr. Taylor—“

  “Edward, please,” Kate’s father interrupted. “I’d like you to call me Tom. We’re not just two fellows who met on the street. I consider you a friend.”

  Carter smiled broadly. “Well, Tom, I’m glad to hear that. I consider you a friend as well. So I hope you won’t mind if I give you some friendly advice.”

  “Not at all,” he said. “If there’s one thing I never turn down, it’s advice.”

  “That’s the mark of a wise man,” Carter said. He rose and retrieved the brandy from the table, pouring some more for Thomas and adding a splash to his own glass as well. “Actually it was just something I was thinking about as I was out for a ride this evening, and I thought I’d stop to talk to you about it,” he said. “It occurred to me that you might consider letting my men have a look at your property.”

  “Really? What for?”

  “Mining, of course,” Carter said. “You’ll take far more money out of the ground by mining, rather than farming. I could have one of my men come over and tour your farm, perhaps take a sample or two, and then we’d have an idea of whether the land is worth anything or not.”

  Thomas took a long drink of brandy, savoring the flavor before letting it slip down his throat. “That’s a very kind offer. But for now I think we’ll just stick to farming.”

  “You know, there are lots of farmers around here who dedicate themselves to the crops in the summer and mining in the winter. It may not be your first thought when you consider how to use your land, but it could be a profitable way to help provide for your family.”

  “Thanks, Edward. I’ll think about it,” Thomas said. “But for now we’ll stick to the corn. At least that’s something I know how to do myself.”

  “Of course,” Carter said. “But if you ever change your mind, just let me know. The offer stands.” He stared out at the field, the corn waving gently as the wind rolled across the hills. “Seems like it’s finally cooling down a bit. Perhaps we should step outside and enjoy the evening?”

  The humidity of the day had begun to disappear, replaced by a breeze that refreshed them as it swept over the porch. Carter reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out two cigars, handing one to Kate’s father.

  “I’ve found that the best way to keep away mosquitoes is with smoke,” he said, grinning. After lighting their cigars, Carter blew out the match and tossed it into the dirt. “Beautiful evening.”

  “It really is,” Thomas said. “It’s nights like this when I realize that we made the right decision coming out here. Maybe it’s because I grew up on a farm, but I always felt that a city was no place to raise a family. There’s no connection to the earth—no connection to other people, even! You’re surrounded by people everywhere but at the same time you’re totally alone.”

  “Very true,” Carter said. “I couldn’t agree more. There’s no life like the country life. City-dwellers really don’t know what they’re missing. Like you said, there’s no connection there. I, for one, am very happy that you’re here too. Wisconsin needs more people like you. Smart people. Good people.”

  “That’s kind of you to say, Edward.”

  “I meant to tell you, I really appreciated you having me over the other night. I have to say, I’ve become very fond of your family.”

  Thomas smiled. “We’re all fond of you too.”

  “Even Kate?”

  Thomas turned to look at him, studying his face. He slowly blew a stream of cigar smoke toward the porch railing. “I’d say that she is, from what I’ve seen.”

  “I feel the same way about her, Tom.”

  They sat and smoked for a while in silence as the sky deepened its display of orange, pink, and purple, and fireflies began to dot the grass between the house and the fields.

  “Well, I should be on my way,” Carter said. “I still have some things to attend to back at the office before it gets too late. That’s the price of success, I suppose. Please pass on my regards.”

  “I’ll do that,” Thomas said as they shook hands. “Oh, before you leave,” he called after Carter, who turned at the bottom of the steps.

  “I expect that Kate would like to see you over for dinner again on Tuesday.”

  Carter gave him an odd smile, one that began like a smirk before blossoming fully.

  “Please inform her that I’ll be back on Tuesday, then,” he said. “Good evening.” Carter untied his horse, leaped easily up into the saddle, and set off for the road.

  ~

  It was an odd thing, seeing the table set for five; the thought quickly flashed through Kate’s mind that she hadn’t seen that since her mother passed away.

  But it’s not a night to be sad, she thought, brushing aside the bitter memories that had leaped into her mind. If anything, Mama would be happy for me tonight. Kate took a quick look around the table, making sure that everything was in order and finding nothing amiss.

  While she was tempted to sit out on the porch in order to watch for Edward, she instead took a seat in the parlor; as much as she wanted to, it just wouldn’t do to sit out there like a dog waiting for its master. She flipped through a book and fought her urge to look at the clock every minute, settling for only every other minute instead.

  When she finally heard the sound of a horse and runabout, Kate practically jumped to her feet. She could feel her heart racing and her hands had suddenly become damp. Calm down, Katie, she ordered herself, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

  At the knock on the front door, she heard Becky going down the hall, and Kate slowly exhaled, forcing out all the air in her lungs along with the nervousness that had filled her; when she opened her eyes and took another deep breath, she felt calm again.

  “Mr. Carter is here, Miss Taylor.”

  Kate turned and smiled. Edward filled the doorway like a painting in a frame; he was wearing a pale ivory shirt and a satin stock tie which perfectly matched his black jacket. He smiled at her as he brushed a lock of his thick blond hair back behind his ear; the light twinkled in his eyes and Kate felt her stomach jump, as if she’d just ridden too fast over a hill.

  “Edward, you look wonderful,” she said. She had to restrain her desire to run to him and throw herself into his arms; instead, she turned to Becky.

  “Please let my father know that Mr. Carter is here,” she said, before moving to take Edward’s hand. He leaned in close, so close that she could feel the heat of his skin next to hers.

  “You are gorgeous. Simply stunning. It seems like forever since I’ve seen you,” he said. “And longer since I kissed you,” he added quietly as there was the sound of footsteps on the stairs. Kate’s cheeks began to burn just as her father and brothers arrived.

  “Edward!” her father called, and the men greeted each other as if they were old friends. The group moved into the dining room and Kate took the same seat as she had last time he had been over, although the view—Edward alone—was markedly improved this evening. He tri
ed not to stare at her, his head swiveling back and forth as he talked to Thomas at the head of the table and the boys at the other end; his glance instead swept over her only in brief passes, like a bee flitting from flower to flower.

  Kate couldn’t help but let a smile bloom on her face as she watched him. He was educated. He was successful. He was cultured. All very important out in the world, and hardly of interest to her at all. She had felt a connection with Edward before she’d learned anything about him, and for things to have fallen exactly into place for her like this was almost too good to believe. He’s perfect. That hair, those eyes. Those hands, that mouth. All mine.

  “Miss Taylor,” she heard Becky say quietly, and she turned to find Becky’s hand on her shoulder.

  “What is it, Becky?”

  “I asked, would you like gravy?”

  “Oh, uh, yes, please,” Kate said. She leaned back as Becky placed the dinner plate in front of her. Jake must have been watching her, as he was barely holding back a smirk; she shot him a quick frown before turning her attention back to Edward.

  “How about a toast?” Thomas asked as he raised his glass. “To new friends and new beginnings.”

  “Hear, hear.” Carter’s gaze lingered on Kate a bit more this time as he took a sip of wine, and her smile quickly returned. He turned to Thomas while Becky and Mary continued around the table serving dinner. “It’s the Fourth of July next week,” Carter said. “Are you planning to go to the parade?”

  “Actually, I hadn’t even thought about it,” Thomas said. “And frankly, I’m a bit surprised that Mineral Point even has one.”

  “Well, it’s probably not going to be the most exciting spectacle. Certainly nothing like you’d see in Chicago or Boston, but any diversion is welcome in this town,” Carter said. “It might sound a bit odd, but it occurred to me that the roof of our office has plenty of space to see the parade, and you can’t beat the view for the fireworks,” Carter said. “I’d be pleased if you all would join me that evening.”