Rocky Mountain Dreams & Family on the Range by Danica Favorite (summer beach reads txt) 📕

The preacher looked at him with the same kind of look Joseph often gave Annabelle. He didn’t believe him for a second. “It’s been my experience that love doesn’t always follow people’s plans.”

Love? That’s not what he and Annabelle had.

But Frank didn’t give him a chance to refute that statement. Gertie was striding toward them, clearly intent on whatever purpose that brought her.

“Is everything all right?” Frank’s attention to Gertie clearly indicated that their conversation was over, as well.

Joseph started in the direction where Gertie had come from.

“Everything’s fine.” Gertie held a hand out. “I was coming to let you know the living arrangements up here. Annabelle’s going to watch Nugget while you search for your pa’s silver.”

“I’d thought to have Nugget with me.” Joseph glanced in the direction of the two girls playing. His sister seemed to be thriving in this environment, but with everything, he didn’t want her far from him.

“It would make more sense if Nugget stayed here.” Gertie smiled, then glanced in the direction of the girls playing in the distance. “The mountains are no place for a child. With the trouble you faced at the cabin, it’s even more dangerous. You’ll be able to avoid the bandits easier if you don’t have a child to protect. And, well, I could use the company for Caitlin. She’s been lost without Susannah, and this is the longest I’ve seen a smile on her face since.”

The longing on the older woman’s face would have been enough to get him to say yes, even if he’d been inclined to say no.

As much as it pained him to admit it, Gertie was right. He wouldn’t be able to protect his sister and find his pa’s treasure.

“Annabelle won’t mind?”

Frank and Gertie exchanged an uneasy look. Of course Annabelle minded. She’d made it clear that she’d rather be anywhere but here.

“She understands the importance of keeping Nugget safe,” Frank finally said.

Not the same as not minding, but Joseph was hardly in a position to argue Annabelle’s cause.

Her father was already concerned about the possibility of Annabelle falling in love with him. Even if Annabelle thought nothing of it, he had to be careful of people’s talk. And of taking up for her out of—simple human decency, that’s what it was. But her father didn’t seem to understand.

“It’s settled then.” Gertie gave him a wide smile.

What kind of life would it be with people around them who cared about one another? Annabelle had no idea how fortunate she was.

“Come on, girls,” Gertie called in a booming voice, and they came running.

He hadn’t seen such a big smile on Nugget’s face before. It had to have been a hard life, living the way she had. He hadn’t asked a lot about what had gone on in that situation. He hadn’t really wanted to. It was too painful to hear about the woman who had stolen his pa’s affections.

They walked back to the main area, back to the noise and chaos of the mining camp. They stopped at a tent a couple of yards from Gertie’s cabin.

“This is where you’ll be sleeping,” she said with authority. “My boys sleep here in the summer. It’s plenty warm when the weather’s nice. They’re already up working with Collin. The wages are good, and it’s enough until Collin makes his own strike.”

“And then he’ll work that mine?”

“My, no.” Gertie smiled in the same indulgent way she looked at the girls. “Pretty much all of the mines here are owned by the big companies. It’s too expensive to buy the equipment needed to get the silver. That’s the real dream here. To find a big enough strike that someone will buy it and you can go retire somewhere. I’ve got a sister in Denver, and it sure would be nice to be closer to her.”

He hadn’t thought of it that way. Of what would happen if he struck silver. “So why would my pa be hiding the fact that he found silver if he was going to sell it to the corporation?”

Gertie shrugged. “Either it wasn’t quite enough to interest the corporations, or he was digging deeper to find a higher price.” She looked deep in thought for a moment, and then looked at him. “Or the land he was prospecting wasn’t his own.”

She gave a quick nod and half smile as she looked over at Nugget. “No disrespect to your pa intended. It happens, though.”

“Would it explain the people after Nugget?”

Gertie shrugged. “Perhaps. We can talk about that once we get settled.”

Gertie pointed to the cabin across the small fire pit area. “That’s where Nugget will be sleeping. She’ll be sharing the loft with Annabelle, Polly and Caitlin.”

Nugget’s face lit up. “You mean it? I get to stay here with Caitlin?”

Both girls squealed with delight, not waiting for a response, but running into the cabin.

“I’d rather have Nugget in my tent. To protect her.”

Gertie shook her head. “I’m afraid that wouldn’t look proper. I know she’s your sister and all, but being that she came from a woman of—” she mouthed the words ill repute “—folks wouldn’t be comfortable with her in a tent full of men.”

Laughter erupted from inside the cabin. “Besides, you won’t deny the girls the pleasure of each other’s company, will you? It’ll be so good for Caitlin.”

The happiness emanating from the girls was almost enough to convince him. But Gertie didn’t seem to understand how dangerous the situation was.

“But will they be safe?”

Though Gertie looked offended at the question, he had to ask. She hadn’t been at the cabin when those men tried taking Nugget.

“Annabelle and Polly will be up there, too. There’s no better shot than Annabelle. And Polly, well, this miner tried taking advantage of her at the creek one day, and let me tell you. She done such a number on him that he left town.”

Gertie’s warm laugh shook her belly. “No, you won’t find a safer place for Nugget than with Annabelle and Polly.”

He peered inside the