Calico Christmas at Dry Creek

The woman shook her head. “Sam Lee does that. You may have seen the sign on your way into town—Good Washing and Fireworks Here? He’s a Chinaman who does the laundry for most of the town. He’d be hard to beat.”

Elizabeth heard the door to the mercantile open.

“Who’d be hard to beat?” Jake asked as he walked inside and up to the counter. He had the baby in the sling next to his chest. He didn’t know what had Annabelle in such a contrary mood, but she couldn’t have picked a worse time. He’d come to know her because she went to church most Sundays just as he did. He’d always thought her to be a sensible woman and Higgins had praised her extravagantly the last time Jake had shared their evening fire.

Maybe that was the problem.

“I don’t suppose it’s Higgins?” Jake asked Annabelle directly. Higgins had been a trapper for decades, as Jake’s father had been. The man was said to have wrestled a grizzly once and gone back to chopping wood afterward as if like there had been nothing to it. But for all of the man’s courage, he had even less of an idea about how to act around refined women than Jake did.

“I was speaking of the man who does the laundry,” the store clerk said stiffly. “Mr. Higgins is none of my concern.”

“All right then,” Jake said slowly. That should be good, he thought. He turned to Elizabeth. “Did you find a ring that fit?”

“Not quite.” Elizabeth hesitated. “Maybe we could use my mother’s ring until we find exactly what we want.”

Jake searched Elizabeth’s face. “If you’re sure. Most women like new things.”

Something was wrong. Annabelle had stared at his shoulder most of the time she was talking to him and Elizabeth could barely look him in the eye. He supposed she was finally realizing what she was about to do. Not that he could blame her. He knew he had no business marrying someone like her and dragging her into the problems he’d probably have with the people of this town.

Of course, why would that make Annabelle so unfriendly? Maybe it did have something to do with Higgins instead.

“Higgins didn’t propose to you, did he?” Jake suddenly asked. Annabelle had been in town for several months now. Her husband had been a miner over by Helena until he’d been shot and killed. But maybe she’d lived back East before that. “I know things are different out here. Most men don’t feel they have the time to spend courting, so they just get to the point. But they don’t mean any harm by it.”

Jake figured he was speaking for himself as well as his friend.

“Mr. Higgins most certainly did not propose,” Annabelle protested. Her face had gone a bright pink and she looked indignant. “He knows better than that. He’s never even come calling. I’m a widow in mourning. A decent women wouldn’t—” Annabelle stopped and looked at Elizabeth. “Oh. I didn’t mean—”

Elizabeth waved the words away. “Don’t worry about it.”

Jake didn’t know what had happened to his Elizabeth. All of her indignation was gone. She looked tired. For the first time, he felt the urge to put his arm around her shoulders. He didn’t deserve this woman, but he did plan to protect her with all of his might. The problem was he wasn’t exactly sure how to protect her from the discouragement Annabelle was causing her.

“You won’t need to see Higgins if you don’t want to,” Jake said quietly to Elizabeth. “I usually just go over and sit with him and Wells at their place anyway.”

It was probably best if he kept his old trapper friends away from her.

He could see Elizabeth straighten her shoulders. “Your friends will always be welcome at your home. I wouldn’t stand in their way. It’s your house.”

“It will be your house, too.”

Now that they were talking about it, Jake wondered what Elizabeth would think of his house. They were mentioning it as though it was a grand place, but it wasn’t. It wasn’t even really a house. He supposed it would be considered a cabin if a man were generous in his judging. Jake had given all the smooth lumber he had to the school when they were building that. He was due to get lumber in return when the school had some money, but he planned to let the debt pass. The children needed books more than he needed a better cabin, especially since it was just him.