My Heart Belongs in Castle Gate, Utah Page 6

  “Perhaps it would be an answered prayer, that?” Jack mumbled.

  Leanna stiffened. Her hand froze just above the last hole to pull the lace through. Surely Jack spoke of their most recent argument. She had implied her hope in his demise, hadn’t she?

  Father, forgive me.

  “Hardly.” Leanna dropped her shoulders, tugging the lace through the hole. “You are all I have.” Her quiet words hung on the air like the scent of the mildew that clung to her husband’s muddied clothes.

  Jack’s rough hand caressed her chin and pushed her face upward. His eyes shown with intensity, his brow creased upward with a mixture of desperation and hope. “Lass, you warm my heart.”

  “Do I?” No matter how much her own heart iced at the discovery of Jack’s secret vice months ago, it now flooded with a warm gush, no doubt rivaling Jack’s.

  He brushed his fingers against her neck and twirled the loose hair that fell from her bun. “Leanna, I miss you.” Their foreheads touched. “When I am digging all day for that Mormon’s fortune, all I can think about is my broken promise.” His lips brushed her forehead. Leanna swallowed hard, begging the tears to evaporate. Why was he telling her this? She should tell him to be quiet, to let this moment remain tender and untainted. Did he not realize how easily his words could summon her bitterness again?

  His blue eyes faded, and all she saw was the red-hot coals of her stove finally providing the warmth from her encounter with the evening snow—and the chilled conversations with Coffey.

  Leanna stomped her foot.

  After that night of Jack’s tender words, the next morning proved him to be a liar when she’d caught him with another lost wager.

  Leanna bristled at her attempt to lash out, trapped by the memory. All her hatred bore as much sin as Jack’s lies. Had she not learned anything from her constant prayer for forgiveness? And from God’s obvious mercy in providing for her all this time?

  She was at a crossroads of how to react to Alex. With Jack, she had rushed down the road of a hardened heart and withdrawn herself from their marriage. But Alex was not her husband. He was hardly her friend. And he had given her a place to fall when her hope was lost, twice. Even if he stood in Jack’s shoes, he was the one person who had shown her kindness.

  Could Alex be her chance to prove that she could offer grace, even if she’d failed so many times before?

  Yanni leaned over his steaming cup of Greek coffee, contorting his face as he spoke the English words, “How are you this morning?”

  Alex stifled a laugh. At least his little brother was trying. He was the mule of the family, stubborn in all matters. To break him down enough to attempt to learn English was quite a feat.

  “Bravo, Yanni.”

  Yanni blew out a long breath of air then continued in Greek. “These are not the words that will give me advantage over my enemy.”

  “You must be a civilized person, Yanni. It is the only way to win hearts.” Alex had tried his best to work hard and show respect for his foremen. It gained him wage increases to at least compensate for the monthly charge Anthis demanded.

  After Helena passed, Alex threw off the idea of returning to Greece—a place of poverty and memories—when he was given the opportunity to leave the D&RG and work in the Bingham copper mine for a daily tencent raise. The dank work of mining gave him a purpose. He’d chosen to cooperate with the American foremen and the Greek labor agents. It was the best way to keep a job. Even when union talk arose among his fellow Greeks, he kept his mouth shut and refused to be part of the ruckus. He was for himself then, and he was for his family now.

  “To hurl insults at our enemies will not get us anywhere,” Alex advised. “Your English is only advantageous if you choose wise words.”

  “I see that your civilized way has gotten you much respect.” Yanni raised a skeptical eyebrow.

  “It has given me wages enough to give you a roof over your head.”

  “Yes, and I thank you for that, big brother.” He sighed. “In this harsh winter, I am grateful we have a place for Penelope to rest.” Yanni may be difficult to sway, but he was a weakling when it came to his woman.

  “You are a good husband.” Alex drank the last of his lukewarm coffee. “And a good father.”

  “All of a sudden, compliments?” Yanni smirked. “You are good to care for Maria and Teddy. If Mrs. McKee hadn’t agreed to our arrangement, they would be helpless in this foreign place.” Yanni examined him. What was brewing behind those eyes? He squinted and leaned forward. “That Mrs. McKee is quite a beauty, no? You had a hard time working Papa’s celebration that night.” He winked.

  Heat filled his face. “You know nothing, little brother.”

  “What? Every time I looked for you, your attention was in her little corner. She is quite different than a Greek. Papa would be devastated.”

  Alex tossed his hat on the table. “Shut up. Look at you conjuring up fantasy like a gossiping yiayia. Mrs. McKee and I are nothing alike—you are right. She is nothing to me but the children’s teacher.” Even the words fell to the floor like hollow beads, shattering into slivers of lies.

  Alex could not keep his eyes off Leanna the night of the party, that was true. Her beauty glowed as bright as her flaxen hair in the dark restaurant. She entertained Maria and delighted his mother. Quite a different woman than the one who cursed Jack and worried about the children’s future in this place.

  A sudden sprout of affection for the schoolteacher had frightened him more than an unsteady mine shaft. So when she had grown curious about him, Alex found the chance to cut off her interest. He had implied that he had gambled. And in a way, he had. Even if the money was for his wife, his risk to earn more had led to disaster. Alex had fallen for Anthis’s empty promises once, just the same as Jack had.

  With the schoolteacher invited to his world, and the way his heart reacted, he realized that this next risk was too high. He couldn’t allow an American woman to bring on weakness. Nothing good could come of a Greek man involved with an American woman. Jeopardize all his hard work and the fortune of his family? All would be lost.

  Yanni waved a hand in front of Alex’s face, pulling him away from his thoughts. “I am not the only one conjuring up fantasy, Brother.” He burst into laughter and took a final swallow of his coffee.

  Alex rolled his eyes then stood up. Of all things, he should not entertain any romantic notion. He must guard himself against the golden-haired schoolteacher. She was nothing but helpful to the family.

  After cleaning up and wiping down the table, they parted ways at the restaurant porch. Yanni joined the rest of the Pappas family at the Greek Orthodox service, and Alex turned down the slush-covered Main Street. Sundays were the most difficult with his family around. They did not understand his choice to hike instead of kneel beneath clouds of incense in reverence to Christ.

  God and Alex weren’t on speaking terms as far as he was concerned.

  Main Street was busy with horse-drawn carts, and men and women traveling to church services. He plowed through the soggy ground, glad that he would enjoy his Sunday hike with bare boots instead of his snowshoes. The sunshine dimmed when a golden mess of hair beneath a black brim caught his eye. A cart flung up the melting snow from the road, chasing Leanna to the door of the saloon just ahead of him. Alex slowly released his breath as he considered crossing the street to avoid her altogether.

  She saw him, though, while she attempted to wipe off her dress. “Hello, Mr. Pappas.” Faint music spilled from the saloon door where she leaned on the doorjamb.

  “Quite an establishment to spend your Sabbath.” He couldn’t help but smile.

  “Very amusing, Mr. Pappas.” She continued to shake the tips of her slush-covered boots. “This is worse than snow.”

  “It makes for an easier hike,” he said, tapping his hiking stick on the wooden walk.

  “A hike? I saw your priests arrive at the depot. Are you not off to church?” She shook off her muff. “Is that what your peo
ple call it?”

  “Church? Yes, that’s the word in English. My people believe in the same God as you, Leanna, if that is what you wonder,” he snickered.

  “I assumed so, seeing the large cross around the priest’s neck,” she said. “Why aren’t you going today?”

  He used his hiking stick to push along some more slush from the walk. “Church is not for me.” It hadn’t been for nearly a decade. “I choose a Sabbath hike instead.”

  Leanna narrowed her eyes, examining him as if she thought he were bluffing. Or perhaps, remembering the kind of man he had painted himself to be at the restaurant. A gambling man who skipped church.

  She could think what she wanted. After Yanni noticed the attention he had given the pretty schoolteacher, this was all probably for the best.

  “I look forward to church. It gives me hope.” She nibbled on her lip then said, “Where do you go on your hike?”

  “Ah, it’s quite a view. You would be amazed at the beauty.” A wagon rattled behind him, and he stumbled closer. His shadow slinked across her ivory skin. “Today is a perfect day to go.”

  Uncertainty flickered in her pale blue eyes. “Oh, I don’t know if I could go today.” She looked down at her attire. “Thank you, though.”

  “Oh, did you think I meant for you to—” His heart pounded erratically. Had she thought he’d asked her? “Would you go with me? I mean, you’d consider it?”

  She gasped and then shook her head. “Oh, I misunderstood.” Her cheeks reddened, and she cupped her hand over her mouth. “You were not asking me to go?”

  He couldn’t stand the embarrassment that flooded her face. “You, you are welcome to join me anytime.” He was losing control of his good sense. “Yes, I did say today was a perfect day.”

  “Forgive me, Mr. Pappas,” she said, not looking directly at him. She swiveled on her heel and started off down the street again.

  “Maybe another time?” he called out then stepped into the shadows, suddenly aware of the attention he had drawn to himself.

  She spun back around and seemed at a loss for words.

  “Hello, Mrs. McKee.” The banker, Mr. Tilton, peered down from his approaching wagon, jerking the reins of a gray mare who snorted and danced about. “Ah, hello, Mr. Pappas.” He tipped his hat, while his wife kept her attention straight ahead.

  “Good day, Mr. Pappas,” Leanna gave a cordial smile. “I shall meet Maria and Teddy tomorrow as usual.” She stepped over to the wagon and greeted the banker’s wife.

  Alex tipped his own hat to Mr. Tilton then continued to the Castle Gate formation.

  Frustration gripped him at every turn on his usual trek through town. Hadn’t he just prided himself in being wise over these years with foremen and labor agents? How could he be so reckless now?

  But his heart swelled as he replayed their conversation. What had he said to suggest that he’d invited her this morning?

  And even more curious, had Leanna McKee really considered joining him on his solitary hike for all of Castle Gate to see?

  Mrs. Tilton’s big hat adorned with feathers cast a shadow upon Leanna as she stood between the wooden walkway and their wagon. “How are you, dear?” The woman patted her forehead with a white handkerchief just a shade off from her aging hair. “Was that man bothering you?”

  “Of course not,” Leanna snapped too quickly. “Forgive me. I just assumed you knew that he was my employer in a way. I care for his niece and nephew.”

  Mrs. Tilton lifted a brow. “Ah, Mrs. Rudolf has shared that you’ve grown affectionate for two of your students. A dangerous alliance to make, if you ask me.”

  “Dangerous?” What would she have thought if Leanna had not only presumed that Alex invited her this morning but had also decided to hike with him? Her pulse frenzied with the lingering embarrassment—and perhaps with anger from Mrs. Tilton’s implications. “I have been employed to escort the children to their family’s restaurant. How is that dangerous, Mrs. Tilton?”

  “Do not be naive, Mrs. McKee. Have you not heard of the lynchings or the riots?” She nudged her husband and pointed a gloved finger ahead. “Whites do not need to mingle with such leeches.”

  “Some Greeks may leech off the land, but not all—” Leanna repeated Alex’s words. She savored the grace in that. And the change in her own heart. The children were sweet and loving. And Alex was kind and—

  Trapped by the same vice as Jack. He’d mentioned it clear as the icicles that hung from the roofs. Then why did she want to go with Alex this morning? Why did his dark eyes and dazzling smile trip her heart nearly every time he paid her attention?

  Mr. Tilton gathered the reins tighter around his hand. “We always seem to pass each other to our places of worship, don’t we, Mrs. McKee?” He changed the topic. She was grateful for that. The Mormon meetinghouse was just across the street from her own church. She’d avoided the splash from the Tiltons’ wagon many times. Of course, they stopped today, with Alex there.

  Mr. Tilton continued, “I do hope that you received our package the other day.”

  Leanna forced her lips to perk into a smile and said, “I did. Thank you very much.” At first, she was shocked to find the package from the banker and his wife. After all, Mr. Tilton was the one person in town who was aware of the debt payments she had wired for Jack. The package was lovely, she must admit. It held a box of tea bags, a loaf of freshly baked bread, and an assortment of cheeses. Actually, it had given her supper for almost a week.

  However, they’d hardly spoken two words to her until now. She was certain it was due to her class, and perhaps their differences in religion. While many Mormon women seemed quite humble, Mrs. Tilton managed to put on airs as high as the Rockefellers. Leanna had never been snubbed before—it had been her own practice, one that she’d mastered in Boston. But Mrs. Tilton’s sharp eyes and pursed lips undoubtedly affirmed Leanna’s reasons for leaving the class of her upbringing.

  “You must come have some tea before it is all gone, Mrs. Tilton.” She flashed a wide smile.

  “Ah,” Mrs. Tilton shifted in her seat. “That would be”—she cleared her throat—“lovely, my dear.”

  To travel to that side of town? Of course not.

  “Well, I do believe I will be late to church if I don’t hurry,” Leanna said, stifling a giggle.

  “Let us give you a ride, Mrs. McKee,” Mr. Tilton offered. “Hilary, scoot over.”

  His wife’s face fell at his suggestion, but with a visible poke from his elbow, she slid herself toward him, gathering her skirt in her gloved hand.

  “Well, that is nice of you.” Filling her lungs with crisp air, Leanna heaved herself onto the bench seat of the wagon. This was an invitation she was certain of, and one she could accept. Leanna rolled her eyes discreetly. The effect Alex Pappas had on her emotions both frightened her and filled her with an overwhelming desire to understand him. The grace she’d hoped to bestow on him was easily found today, wasn’t it?

  “We usually take our covered carriage during the winter,” Mrs. Tilton said with her chin high. “But it’s such a sunny day, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, it’s lovely. Except for the slush.” She glanced at her soiled skirt and slid her hand along it.

  Mrs. Tilton leaned in while her husband called the horse to go forward. “Mr. Tilton has it in his head that we will own an automobile in the near future. A cousin in Enterprise saw one this past summer. Ranted and raved about it. I doubt its dependability, though.”

  “In my head?” Mr. Tilton exclaimed. “I’ve already narrowed down the make, Mrs. Tilton.” He chuckled deeply. “Perhaps Mrs. McKee here is more progressive than you, dear?” He craned his neck and gave Leanna a wink.

  “Progressive?” Leanna laughed. “Well, I hope I am that. At least with education.”

  Mrs. Tilton joined in with a tumbling warble. “Teaching the Greeks has surely put a brake on your progress, hasn’t it, Mrs. McKee?” The woman sounded like her mother.

  “If a child is
willing to be taught, that is as much progress as one needs in my profession.” She stared ahead at the bouncing mane of the horse.

  “Ah, that’s the attitude we need.” Mr. Tilton punctuated the air with his words. “Mrs. McKee, do you intend to remain in Castle Gate now that you have no ties to the mining company?”

  She grimaced at his forward inquiry. “I hoped to find employment at a well-respected school in San Francisco.” Speaking this half-truth aloud turned her stomach. She’d have to wait now, according to her cousin’s letter.

  “Perhaps you could lift yourself from the position with such”—he let out a forced cough—“with such undesirables and become a private tutor. In Salt Lake City, for instance?”

  Mrs. Tilton gasped and slapped her husband’s arm.

  “What, Hilary? Bethany needs assistance with Tommy.”

  Leanna’s eyes grew wide, her heart beating wildly.

  The wide brim of Mrs. Tilton’s hat nearly swiped Leanna’s nose as the woman jerked back against the seat and nearly pouted.

  “Our daughter is seeking a tutor for her son. Mrs. Rudolf speaks highly of your ability,” he said, despite his wife’s tight grasp on his arm.

  “That is hard for me to believe, Mr. Tilton,” Leanna said, remembering how the headmistress had not spoken one kind word to her in all her months at the school.

  “Let me remind you, Mr. Tilton, of the one complaint we’ve heard over and over from Mrs. Rudolf.” Mrs. Tilton lifted her hand to her mouth so Leanna could not see, but she could hear the whisper: “She’s attached to those Greeks.”

  Mr. Tilton bounced the reins and cleared his throat. “We must offer her an interview with Bethany. Provide an escape from her current commitment.” He called, “Whoa,” to the horse as they stopped near the entrance of the church.

  His wife huffed, her arms planted firmly across her waist.

  “What do you say, Mrs. McKee?” Mr. Tilton hopped down from his seat. “Shall I take the liberty of arranging an interview with my daughter?”