Cat's Meow (Sweethearts of Jubilee Springs #6) Read online

  Lizett harrumphed. Then her face developed an expression of concentration. “Andrea, Andrea…” She searched her desk again. “Oh, yes. She was your friend from Ellsworth whose letter you sent with yours at the last minute. I do thank you for your kind note of appreciation, by the way. As for Andrea, I do want you to know I found that one of the men I found compatible for her is the same Harold Calloway you have been writing to. However, there was a different man other than Mr. Brinks I found would also be a good match for her. Keep that in mind this weekend. Try to meet these men with whom you have been writing with an open mind. You might think you know which one you prefer, but you might be surprised once you actually meet them in person. They will both be good choices for you, though.”

  Catherine stared at Lizett and said nothing. She didn’t want anything to interfere with her choice of Harold Calloway. She didn’t want to compete with her friend for his attention. Hopefully, Andrea would feel more drawn towards the other man Lizett had picked out for her.

  “My first concern, though, is how we’re going to convince the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad to let you bring a kitten on the train in the passenger car.”

  Catherine smiled with a knowing look. “Andrea and I have this routine down. What the conductor and other passengers don’t know won’t hurt them.”

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  Jubilee Springs, colorado – July 1, 1881

  CHAPTER 9

  ~o0o~

  Friday morning, July first, all the brides intended for the grooms who worked for the Prosperity Mine, boarded the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad passenger coach that would take them to Jubilee Springs. Catherine carried the hamper with Sunny tucked inside. She had fed him well just before they left so with a full belly, the odds were he would sleep for a few hours—enough time to get them on the train and far from the station. Andrea carried both valises. Once again, Catherine chose a seat near the back of the car next to the window.

  Catherine could tell Andrea was even more excited than she was about seeing the mountains and arriving at what would be their new home. She smiled as she watched her friend move from one window to another to see everything. As they neared Jubilee Springs, Lizett had to warn her to sit down before the train came to a stop, or she might be thrown on the floor.

  By this point, Sunny was awake and out of the hamper. “Be patient, Sunny. We’re almost home. It won’t be much longer before you won’t have to travel in this confining old basket anymore.” As they slowed to a stop at the Jubilee Springs depot, Catherine held Sunny with both hands and nuzzled the kitten’s head under her chin before she placed the unhappy kitten back inside the hamper.

  Lips parted, Catherine turned towards Andrea and smiled with anticipation. “This is our new home. Isn’t this exciting, Andrea?”

  Her friend smiled weakly in response, but said nothing.

  The two waited until they were the last to exit the passenger car. The entire time, Catherine’s heart went out to her friend. She knew Andrea, as shy as she was, had to be nervous about meeting prospective grooms. She hadn’t had the same opportunity as the other prospective brides to correspond with a couple of men to get an idea of what kind of man she might be marrying and what kind of town she would be living in.

  Then Catherine turned away. From what Lizett had told her, and Andrea had later confirmed, one of the men Lizett would have had her write to was Harold. Her Harold. Catherine knew it was a selfish thought, but maybe it was a good thing Andrea hadn’t had time to write. Maybe that gave her a better chance of ending up with Harold.

  Then Catherine chided herself. It was unfair to think like that. Besides, Andrea had already made it clear she knew Catherine preferred Harold, and she would go out of her way to not interfere.

  As they exited the train, both of them thanked the conductor who nodded a farewell, but then offered Catherine a disapproving glare at the sound of the kitten’s mewling and clawing at the wicker of the hamper. Oh, well. She and Sunny were home. They wouldn’t need to worry about riding the train again.

  Catherine felt Andrea nudge her as above the hum of the crowd she heard Lizett’s voice calling the brides together. She started towards Lizett, Aurelia and the other brides. Then she noticed Andrea stop in her tracks, her eyes wide with fear. What had frightened her friend? Catherine looked around and noticed the men on the platform crowding her and Andrea. Another group surrounded the other brides. She suspected they weren’t there for personal business, but had come out of curiosity. She had to say something to try to put Andrea at ease.

  Catherine kept the tone of her voice light and positive. “Oh, look, Andrea. So many townspeople have turned out to welcome us. Isn’t that wonderful?”

  I wonder which one is Harold?

  Wide-eyed, Andrea turned back to stare at her. Catherine continued to walk towards Lizett and Andrea followed.

  A booming voice next to Lizett grabbed everyone’s attention. “Welcome, ladies. On behalf of my brother, Clive, and some anxious miners, I say, welcome to Jubilee Springs. My name is Royce Bainbridge, a co-owner of the Prosperity Mine, and a sponsor of this weekend’s activities. We look forward to having you join our community.”

  Lizett batted her eyes and grinned up at the tall man with the well-developed shoulders before her. “So nice to finally meet you, Mr. Bainbridge. I’m Mrs. Millard, and these”—she waved a hand to include the bridal group—“are my ladies, the prospective brides.”

  Catherine didn’t know if she should be happy or sad when Royce Bainbridge chided the men on the platform, calling them slackers and gawkers, then made it clear that none of them were the miners who would be their future husbands. Their future husbands were busy working, proving they could provide for a wife and family.

  Soon the prospective brides were directed towards two light oak surreys with black leather seats. Catherine headed for the second one with Andrea following. All the while she kept an eye out to make sure the men the mine owner had hired on the spot to load trunks into a waiting buckboard found her trunk and barrel.

  A man offered to take the hamper. Catherine smiled and declined his offer. She leaned forward and conspiratorially whispered. “I need it for the kitten.” By then, Sunny howled his complaints. The kitten probably wanted both attention and food. She knew keeping him distracted and happy until they were shown to their room for the night would be a challenge.

  Catherine soon realized Mr. Bainbridge intended to take them on a short tour of Jubilee Springs before he dropped them off at the boarding house. She didn’t know how much she would see with Sunny to take care of. She decided to not worry about it. She would ask Harold to take her around to acquaint her with the town later.

  At one point they stopped by a large open meadow surrounded by trees Mr. Bainbridge identified as the park. Catherine didn’t hear any more he had to say since Sunny was crawling all over her and acted like he was trying to get out of the surrey.

  Andrea nudged Catherine. “Catherine, did you hear that?”

  “No. What did he say?”

  “He said this is the community park where we will have the picnic after church on Sunday, and where we will hold the Independence Day picnic and celebration including fireworks on Monday. Then he made some rude remark about how some of us might not be here because we would be off with our new husbands setting off fireworks of our own. Then Lizett reminded him we have a month before we are expected to—you know.”

  Catherine looked at Andrea, not sure how to reply. Once they were married, would she want to ask Harold to wait a month? Her body nearly hummed each time she thought of him now, and she hadn’t even met him in person yet. Not sure she wanted to wait a full month to become intimate with Harold, Catherine smiled weakly. “Yes, it is.”

  Catherine caught bits and pieces of the names of the various buildings and what they were. The first thing she noticed was the boarding house, wishing they could stop long enough to drop her and Sunny off while Mr. Bai
nbridge continued the tour with the others. Then he mentioned the bakery.

  Catherine nudged Andrea. “Did you see that, Andrea? There’s a bakery across from the boarding house where we’ll be staying. I wonder what kind of sweet rolls they sell. I can hardly wait to find out.”

  Catherine’s mouth watered at the thought of buying a cinnamon bun from the bakery. She had baked plenty of sweet rolls and pastries in her day, but also enjoyed occasionally going into town long enough to enjoy a cup of hot herbal tea or hot chocolate with a sweet. Besides, it would be several days before she and the man she married would be in her own home where she could bake for her new husband. For Harold….

  The thought prompted Catherine to heave a sigh of longing. Only a few more hours, and she would meet Harold Calloway. Only a few more hours and she would know if he was truly the man of her dreams, or if she had been chasing dandelion seeds across a barren field.

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  CHAPTER 10

  ~o0o~

  Friday evening after supper, Catherine was sure the other brides were just as filled with the same anticipation—and maybe a little trepidation—as she was as Lizett ushered them into the Community Church. It was a nice little building, one where she knew she would enjoy coming to Sunday services. The pews were evidently not secured to the floor, for she noticed they had been pushed to the side walls and stacked, with some left available for seating. At one end, a table was set up. A middle-aged woman she would later learn was Aaron Brinks’s mother was arranging the refreshments on the table.

  Several men, most of them dressed in clean work clothes, were grouped around the man Catherine recognized as Royce Bainbridge, one of mine owners who had given the new brides a tour of the town earlier. However, her attention was focused on the men she assumed were the miners who had signed up for wives.

  Which one is Harold?

  Cat noticed one large man who stood a few inches taller than the others in the room. With his wide shoulders and thick neck, it was certain he was far brawnier than most, although they all looked strong and muscular as a result of the kind of work they did. She fixed her gaze on him when she realized he had stopped surveying the group of brides and focused on her. Was he being forward and rude, or was that her Harold? If so, had he figured out who she was? A shiver of delight coursed through her at the prospect.

  Lizett and Royce moved to the center of the room and called for everyone’s attention. After Royce introduce Lizett Millard to the men and explained her purpose for being there, he took a few moments to introduce the townspeople who had come to assist that night. Catherine smiled as he introduced Minna Alwin, the pastor’s wife, who had accepted the challenge to organize parlor games for the night—all designed to help the new women joining the community to become better acquainted with the group of men from whom they would choose a husband.

  Next, the prospective brides and grooms were introduced. When Aaron Brinks was introduced, he struck Catherine as a nice-looking man, one who was quiet and retiring. In fact, he looked like he really didn’t want to be there. However, when Harold was introduced, Catherine’s face lit with a smile that was reflected in his. Harold was the big, strong, hunk of a man who had caught her eye earlier.

  Catherine heard not a word as Minna Alwin and Lizett gave instructions on where everyone should sit so they would be prepared to play the parlor games that were planned. She and Harold moved towards each other as if guided by a force outside themselves. Once Catherine was within arm’s length, she held out her slender hand which Harold immediately enfolded it his giant paw that was twice the size of hers. Speechless, she stared at him a smile glowing on her face.

  Harold leaned forward, his face mere inches from hers as he spoke low in a voice, his words intended only for her ears. “I knew it had to be you, as soon as you walked through the door.” His voice grew raspy. “I’m so happy to finally meet you, Miss Everett.”

  As Harold stood up and took a deep breath, Catherine’s smile melted into an expression of dismay. Harold’s eyes were red-rimmed and he seemed to have choked up. He repeatedly cleared this throat. Was her big, handsome, strong hero going to start crying?

  Harold pulled a large indigo blue bandanna from his back pocket and coughed into it a couple of times. He used it to wipe his nose. A few blinks and the redness and watery look in his eyes began to clear. “Please forgive me, Catherine. I don’t know what came over me.”

  Minna Alwin gathered everyone together for a parlor game she called Three Questions. Catherine looked over and noticed a rather disgruntled-looking Aaron Brinks was the one to be questioned.

  Minna explained the rules. The ladies could ask Aaron three questions about that person’s favorite activity. They must be the kind where he could give a yes or no answer. At the end of the three questions, the ladies could have three guesses. If one of them guessed correctly, Aaron would escort her to the refreshment table. If no one guessed correctly, they could ask him three more questions. The game would end when someone finally guessed the correct answer.

  The questions began. Catherine asked the second question of three.

  Minna stepped in front of the women. “All right, ladies. Any guesses? I’ll allow three guesses from you before you can ask three more questions.”

  Catherine thought back to the letters she had exchanged with Aaron Brinks. She suspected she knew the answer, but she didn’t want Aaron to escort her to the refreshment table. She wanted to go with Harold. As a joke, she called out a ridiculous answer.

  “Sleep?”

  At Catherine’s laugh, Aaron smiled and shook his head. “No.”

  Catherine glanced over at Harold and then did a double-take. Why was he frowning at her and standing with his arms folded? Was he angry because she offered a silly guess?

  Catherine was pleasantly surprised when Andrea made the correct guess, and she hadn’t even corresponded with him. She tried to recall if she ever discussed Aaron’s letters with her friend, and given her enough information to serve as a clue. Catherine giggled under her breath. No, all she had been able to talk about was Harold, especially after Andrea came back from meeting with Lizett and told her Lizett had her paired up with Harold, too, along with a man named Stanley.

  Still unhappy, Harold slid into the seat next to Catherine. He touched the back of her wrist with his fingertips. “Why did you take a guess with Brinks? I want you to guess when it’s my turn so I can escort you to the refreshment table.”

  In response to his touch, Catherine felt a delicious shiver course through her from her wrist clear up to her shoulder and down the front of her. She leaned towards him and whispered. “I knew the answer. In his letters, about all he wrote about was the book he was reading. I deliberately gave a wrong answer.”

  “Achoo!” Harold reached into his pocket and brought out bandanna again and wiped his nose. “Excuse me.” He turned back to her. “You wrote to Aaron Brinks?”

  Catherine turned and looked up at the big, strong man with his muscular neck who sat so close to her he would probably jump up and run away if he had any idea of how being this close to him affected her. He was everything she had dreamed of in a husband. However, the concerned look on his face puzzled her. “Yes. He was one of the two men Lizett—I mean, Mrs. Millard—paired me up with. But, Harold, my letters to him were not as long or involved as my letters to you. I finished school, and I have read several books, but what was I going to write back to him in response to his description of the books he was reading? It was your letters I enjoyed receiving and responding to.”

  Catherine grinned as she watched Harold’s face light up with a big smile.

  Harold leaned in to whisper in her ear. “That’s good.”

  Catherine’s heart began to race as Harold’s face grew close to hers. She curled her toes inside her boots. She didn’t know why she felt so attracted to him, but she did. She didn’t need to get to know the men of Jubilee Springs or him better to kno
w who she wanted to marry. She knew it was being terribly forward to even entertain the thought, but if she timed it just right, and turned towards him, she could catch his lips and steal a kiss. Oh, how she longed to taste his lips to see if they were just as delicious as what she could see of the rest of him. Instead, she maintained decorum and allowed his lips to reach her ear.

  He whispered conspiratorially. “Fishing. Achoo!” Harold leaned away from Catherine and once again grabbed for his bandanna to smother a sneezing fit that lasted several seconds.

  Catherine blinked several times and she studied him with concern. “Harold, are you all right? Is it my rosewater that is bothering you? I know sometimes people are affected by scents.”

  Harold shook his head. “No, it can’t be that, Catherine. You must have drowned your letters with the stuff because it didn’t take long before the men started referring to you as Miss Rosewater. I used to inhale the scent on your letters not only when I received them, but whenever I could without the others watching me. The scent never affected me this way, not even when I first got your letters and the smell was strong.”

  Perplexed, Catherine shook her head. “Then I don’t know what it could be. I’m so sorry something about me makes you uncomfortable. Oh, and if you’d like, please call me Cat instead of Catherine.”

  Harold shook his head with a sparkle in his eyes that matched the grin on his lips. That was when Catherine was almost sure Harold felt the same attraction for her that she did for him. “You would never make me feel uncomfortable, Cat.”

  Minna Alwin clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention. “We are changing the rules of the game just slightly. It has been pointed out to me there are more men than women here, and it would be best if the person who is asked the three questions is a woman, and the men do the guessing.”