She nodded.
It wasn’t uncommon for men to disappear in mining towns. Baker City, and the surrounding areas, were teeming with mines. Men often left behind their families as they went off to make their fortune. Some were killed in accidents while others died in disputes or were the victims of foul play. Some just kept searching for an elusive gold strike, wandering from place to place and never returning to their loved ones. And some did disappear without a trace.
“When did it happen?”
“He left in February,” she said quietly.
“February!” Grady exclaimed.
The woman shushed him then looked toward the bed. The children didn’t seem bothered in the least by the noise.
“He’s been missing for eight months?”
Another nod. Mrs. DeVille took a drink of her rapidly cooling coffee then set it aside. “He said he was going to see about getting a job at a mine and would be back that night, but he never returned. He took the horse with him, so I…” Her voice trailed off.
“You couldn’t leave. Not with the children and no way to get them off the mountain,” Grady said, understanding her predicament. “You’ve been alone up here all this time?”
“Yes,” she whispered. “Alone.”
No wonder she was outside in a snowstorm screaming like she was deranged. He’d have gone mad long before this if he had no way to leave and no one to talk to for months and months on end.
“If you like, I could…”
She flapped a hand his direction, cutting him off. “I’ve burdened you enough, Mr. Gaffney. I do apologize for crying all over you outside and for screaming and… I’m not usually hysterical.”
“It’s quite alright,” he said, wanting to reassure her, even if he couldn’t fully grasp why it mattered so much to him.
“No, it isn’t. I used the last of my coffee today and we’re out of supplies, other than what I grew in the garden. The cow keeps us in milk and the chickens are still laying eggs, but I’m not sure what I’ll feed them or the little ones through the winter. Something snuck into the chicken coop and killed two of my best layers this afternoon. On top of that, Matty accidentally broke my sugar bowl, not that there was any sugar in it, but it was a wedding gift from my mamma. The hinge on the barn door is sticking and I have no idea how to fix it and…” Sheepish, she snapped her mouth shut. “Again, my apologies. It was just one of those days when I had more than I could bear.”
Grady offered a commiserating grin. “Believe me, I do understand.”
She poured the last of the coffee into his cup then returned to leaning against the sink. “I didn’t ask, but you must have a reason for riding up the mountain on a dark, snowy night like tonight.”
Aware he was drinking the last of the woman’s coffee, he wanted to hand his cup to her and insist she enjoy it. Afraid of offending her, he took a long sip before he answered. “I’m the foreman at a mine about an hour from here.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize we were that close to a mine.” She stared at him with interest. “We’re about three hours from Baker City, aren’t we?”
“Yep. It’s not a quick trip down the mountain.”
“No, I remember the trip up when we first came here. Matty chattered the whole time, but Gwennie was so tiny then.” Mrs. DeVille looked as though her thoughts took her far away for the length of several heartbeats. A tear slid down her cheek and she brushed it away.
Grady experienced the strangest yearning to hold her in his arms and offer her comfort again, as he’d done outside. Unsettled by his feelings, he drained the coffee from his cup and set it in the sink. “I best be on my way. Thank you for the soup and coffee and letting me come in to warm up.”
“You’re welcome, but I don’t think you should go anywhere in this storm,” the woman said, motioning to the window.
Grady lifted the lantern from the table, opened the door, and thrust the light out into the dark where snowflakes blew in a blinding flurry. Even if he could make it to the barn, he wasn’t convinced he’d be able to find his way back to the mine. Blizzards had a way of disorienting a body until they couldn’t tell up from down or right from left.
The last thing he wanted to do was stay at the cabin with the woman, but he had few choices, other than sleeping in the barn with Happy and the cow.
“I’ll make a pallet for you on the floor by the stove,” Mrs. DeVille said, taking the lantern from his hand and closing the door against the cold rushing inside.
“It wouldn’t be proper.” Grady had no idea why he was protesting spending the night at her home, humble as it might be. Cracks in the chinking let the frigid air seep in and he’d noticed a spot where moisture dripped from the ceiling.
Despite that, staying at the cabin was a far better plan than dying out in the snow. The only reason he was so eager to escape was to go back to his own place where he could sulk in solitude.
One of Mrs. DeVille’s dark eyebrows winged upward and she gave him a challenging look. “You don’t strike me as the type of man who cares a whit about propriety.”
Grady shrugged and accepted the worn blankets she handed to him. He spread them on the floor in front of the stove. She yanked the cushion from the rocking chair near the bed and tossed it to him. He caught it with one hand.
“Thank you, Mrs. DeVille.”
“You’re welcome. Thank you for…” Pink bloomed in her cheeks but she held his gaze. “Thank you for letting me cry.”
Grady nodded then settled himself in the blankets. At least if he slept by the stove, he’d stay warm and could keep it stoked during the night. There was enough wood piled in a box behind it to last until morning. Before he left, he would chop a stack to last Mrs. DeVille for a week or two. He’d see about making a few repairs, too, if she’d allow it. He had the distinct idea he’d need to battle her pride to accomplish much of anything.
“Good night, Mrs. DeVille,” he said, rolling onto his side as she blew out the lantern.
“Good night, Mr. Gaffney,” she whispered.
He listened as she walked across the floor then heard the bed creak as she climbed into it with the children.
A vision of her magnificent hair spread out on a pillow kept him awake long after his weary body and mind pleaded for rest...
Available on Amazon
Pendleton Petticoats Series
Read more about J.B. and Nora Nash in this heartwarming series
Dacey (Prelude) — A conniving mother, a reluctant groom and a desperate bride make for a lively adventure full of sweet romance in this prelude to the beginning of the series.
Aundy (Book 1) — Aundy Thorsen, a stubborn mail-order bride, finds the courage to carry on when she's widowed before ever truly becoming a wife, but opening her heart to love again may be more than she can bear.
Caterina (Book 2) — Running from a man intent on marrying her, Caterina Campanelli starts a new life in Pendleton, completely unprepared for the passionate feelings stirred in her by the town's incredibly handsome deputy sheriff.
Marnie (Book 4) — Beyond all hope for a happy future, Marnie Jones struggles to deal with her roiling emotions when U.S. Marshal Lars Thorsen rides into town, tearing down the walls she’s erected around her heart.
Lacy (Book 5) —
Bound by tradition and responsibilities, Lacy has to choose between the ties that bind her to the past and the unexpected love that will carry her into the future.
Bertie (Book 6) — Haunted by the trauma of her past, Bertie Hawkins must open her heart to love if she has any hope for the future.
Millie (Book 7) — Determined to bring prohibition to town, the last thing Millie Matlock expects is to fall for the charming owner of the Second Chance Saloon.
&n
bsp; Dally (Book 8) — Eager to return home and begin his career, Doctor Nik Nash is caught by surprise when the spirited Dally Douglas captures his heart.
Quinn (Book 9) — Full of opinions and plans to help women, Quinn Fairfield has no time for such nonsense as falling in love.
Evie (Book 10) — Will a man focused on his work notice the love of a lifetime in his client’s effervescent nanny?
Hardman Holidays Series
Heartwarming holiday stories set in the 1890s in Hardman, Oregon.
The Christmas Bargain (Book 1) — As owner and manager of the Hardman bank, Luke Granger is a man of responsibility and integrity in the small 1890s Eastern Oregon town. When he calls in a long overdue loan, Luke finds himself reluctantly accepting a bargain in lieu of payment from the shiftless farmer who barters his daughter to settle his debt.
The Christmas Token (Book 2) — Determined to escape an unwelcome suitor, Ginny Granger flees to her brother’s home in Eastern Oregon for the holiday season. Returning to the community where she spent her childhood years, she plans to relax and enjoy a peaceful visit. Not expecting to encounter the boy she once loved, her exile proves to be anything but restful.
The Christmas Calamity (Book 3) — Arlan Guthry's uncluttered world tilts off kilter when the beautiful and enigmatic prestidigitator Alexandra Janowski arrives in town, spinning magic and trouble in her wake as the holiday season approaches.
The Christmas Vow (Book 4) — Sailor Adam Guthry returns home to bury his best friend and his past, only to fall once more for the girl who broke his heart.
The Christmas Quandary (Book 5) — Tom Grove just needs to survive a month at home while he recovers from a work injury. He arrives to discover his middle-aged parents acting like newlyweds, the school in need of a teacher, and the girl of his dreams already engaged.
The Christmas Confection (Book 6) — Will Hardman’s sweet baker be able to soften Fred Decker’s hardened heart?
The Christmas Melody (Book 7) — Can a determined woman bring holiday cheer to a man in exile?
Books by Shanna Hatfield
FICTION
HISTORICAL
Baker City Brides
Tad’s Treasure
Crumpets and Cowpies
Thimbles and Thistles
Corsets and Cuffs
Bobbins and Boots
Lightning and Lawmen
Dumplings and Dynamite
Pendleton Petticoats
Dacey
Aundy
Caterina
Ilsa
Marnie
Lacy
Bertie
Millie
Dally
Quinn
Evie
Hearts of the War
Garden of Her Heart
Home of Her Heart
Dream of Her Heart
Hardman Holidays
The Christmas Bargain
The Christmas Token
The Christmas Calamity
The Christmas Vow
The Christmas Quandary
The Christmas Confection
The Christmas Melody
The Christmas Ring
Gifts of Christmas
Gift of Grace
Gift of Hope
Gift of Faith
CONTEMPORARY
Friendly Beasts of Faraday
Scent of Cedar
Tidings of Joy
Boughs of Holly
Wings of an Angel
Grass Valley Cowboys
The Cowboy’s Christmas Plan
The Cowboy’s Spring Romance
The Cowboy’s Summer Love
The Cowboy’s Autumn Fall
The Cowboy’s New Heart
The Cowboy’s Last Goodbye
Holiday Brides
Valentine Bride
Summer Bride
Easter Bride
Rodeo Romance
The Christmas Cowboy
Wrestlin’ Christmas
Capturing Christmas
Barreling Through Christmas
Chasing Christmas
Racing Christmas
Romance by Chance
Taste of Tara
Saving Mistletoe
Silverton Sweethearts
The Coffee Girl
The Christmas Crusade
Untangling Christmas
Welcome to Romance
Blown Into Romance
Sleigh Bells Ring in Romance
The Women of Tenacity
A Prelude (Short Story)
Heart of Clay
Country Boy vs. City Girl
Not His Type
Stand Alone Romances
Between Christmas and Romance
Learnin’ The Ropes
Love at the 20-Yard Line
QR Code Killer
Rose
CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Steve the Mule
NONFICTION
A Cowboy Christmas
Farm Girl
Fifty Dates with Captain Cavedweller
Recipes of Love
Savvy Entertaining
Savvy Autumn Entertaining
Savvy Holiday Entertaining
Savvy Spring Entertaining
Savvy Summer Entertaining
About the Author
Hopeless romantic Shanna Hatfield spent ten years as a newspaper journalist before moving into the field of marketing and public relations. Sharing the romantic stories she dreams up in her head is a perfect outlet for her love of writing, reading, and creativity. She and her husband, lovingly referred to as Captain Cavedweller, reside in the Northwest.
Shanna loves to hear from readers.
Connect with her online:
Blog: shannahatfield.com
Facebook: Shanna Hatfield’s Page
Shanna Hatfield’s Hopeless Romantics Group
Pinterest: Shanna Hatfield
Email: shanna@shannahatfield.com