Fields of Gold Read online

  Fields of Gold

  Jennifer Conner

  Fields of Gold

  Copyright 2011

  By Books to Go Now

  For information on the cover illustration and design, contact [email protected]

  First eBook Edition –June 2011

  Printed in the United States of America

  Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without momentary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to any person, living or dead, any place, events or occurrences, is purely coincidental. The characters and story lines are created from the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously.

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  Acknowledgement:

  To my husband’s Great Grandfather, Miles Washington Conner, who owned

  and operated Conner Mercantile in the Boston Block

  of Old Seattle - 1898

  The photo on the cover is him!

  And for my late mother, Jewel Rose

  Chapter 1

  Theo fought to pay attention to what the widow Kelly said about why the sugar needed to be fresh and not clumped. When she canned her peaches, they just wouldn’t turn out right if the sugar was more than a month old… so on, and on and on. He stifled a yawn, and tried not to look too obvious, as he stretched and brushed his kerchief over one of the dusty panes of glass. He cleared a sight path.

  Since he’d spotted the adjacent shop owner’s daughter across the way, his days were packed with attempts to catch another glimpse of the beautiful blond. Unfortunately, at that moment, the other’s store’s window was completely filled with a miner’s backside.

  Not the view Theo hoped for.

  He should stride across the street and ask her name.

  Innocent enough.

  He’d toss her a coin and tell her he had a sweet tooth for a girl like her. She’d tip her pretty heart-shaped chin and smile. Being demure, she’d say he had to settle for a scoop of penny candy and hand him the half filled bag. He’d think of a tasteful joke, he must know one, and she’d laugh after he told the punch line.

  Easy enough.

  So why did every plan he came up with have problems? Because, Muller’s Mercantile was the arch rival to his brother’s store. Miles Conner, the co-owner of their store hated the Muller’s with venomous fury, though he’d never spelled out exactly why. Theo came to Seattle by way of Missouri a short time earlier to live with his brother. On the first day of his arrival, he’d been told about all the bad blood between the two owners. Sam moved him out here and gave him a job. He’d never do anything to rock the boat for his brother trying to start a life with the wife he adored.

  Theo knew it stayed his secret fantasy. But, he’d never been so captivated by any woman, which meant the heart played cruel tricks. Why couldn’t the Muller’s store be on the other side of town and not right across the way? He was forced to look through the windows day, in and day out, in anticipation of another glance of her.

  As he scooped the last for Mrs. Kelly’s sugar from the barrel, he spotted the girl and his heart took an extra beat. Hair the color of spun honey and lips as pink as cherries.

  He was twenty years old, healthy, and had overheard someone once say he was handsome. Both he and Sam got their father’s dark hair and easily tanned skin. He could read, had a job, and all his own teeth. Quite a catch for any woman.

  He owed Sam a lot, but, Theo wanted a woman too. Sam found Opal, and she was sweet as could be. Perfect for his brother.

  Theo wanted a woman like Opal… only different of course.

  Many of the women he’d come in contact with in town were just passing through Seattle to the Alaska gold rush for prostitution. He could spot a Klondike woman a half a mile away. He’d had to tighten his jaw so it didn’t drop open the first time he heard one shout swearwords at a horse who’d splashed mud on her. He knew the word, but Lordy, he’d never heard it pass a woman lips before that moment.

  He was not one to pass judgment on these women. After his and Sam’s parents died, they were still boys. Theo accepted sometimes you had to do what you had to do to survive. But for a wife he wanted someone sweet. Not a woman who could out spit him in chewing tobacco contest.

  Some competitions were not meant to be entered into.

  Theo brushed his hands on the canvas apron, took Mrs. Kelly money, and headed across the store to the till. She was still talking at his back, but he’d stopped listening about ten minutes earlier. He pushed the round numbered buttons on the large brass register and waited until the cash drawer slid open with a ching.

  “How are things going?” Sam asked as he came along side him.

  “Sales have been steady. I could help more customers if Mrs. Kelly didn’t take so much time telling me about her ‘peach canning’ plans.”

  Sam laughed. “She is a talkative one isn’t she?”

  “Thank God, she only comes into town once every two weeks, or I swear, I’d never get anything done,” Theo grumbled as he counted change.

  “Opal wants you to come over for dinner tonight. She’s making your favorite, stew.”

  “I bet she doesn’t use squirrel like we did when we lived out in the woods for those months.”

  “Nope, little brother, you will never have to eat squirrel again… unless you want to. Opal’s made it with fresh beef from the butcher this morning. We want to show you that we appreciate all your hard work around here. In fact, when you get the order of dried beans unloaded in the back, take the rest of the afternoon off. Do whatever you want.”

  Theo started to protest, say the time off wasn’t necessary, and that he had nothing better to do. Then a thought occurred to him. He knew exactly what he wanted to do with his free time. He’d wash up, change his stained work shirt, and then sneak across the way. His brother or Miles needn’t know.

  He was going to find out the name of the beautiful mystery woman at Muller’s if it killed him. And, it just might if Mr. Conner found he’d been fraternizing with the enemy.

  Chapter 2

  Rose brushed the hair from her face and felt a bead of perspiration run down between her shoulder blades. It wasn’t very ladylike, but who cared? No one would notice if a horn grew from her forehead. She was invisible. The prospectors were here for supplies. They wanted to get in and then be on their way to Alaska. This week’s ship sailed for the Klondike that afternoon, and the store was bustling.

  She put rice and beans into two large burlap bags, hoisted them off the table and then tied them closed before handing them to the man in front of her. If she never saw another dried bean between now and when the cows came home, it would be too soon.

  When the man with the large order finally carried the last of his bags out to his wagon, she sighed of relief. She took a drink of cool water from a tin cup on the counter and then turned to help the next customer.

  “What can I get for you, Sir,” she asked, and stretched her back. He must’ve been nearly a foot taller. She tilted her chin to look him in the face. The young man surprised her by tossing a coin at her. She caught it in midair and closed her fingers around the shiny copper penny.

  “I’ll ta
ke a bag of that penny candy. I’ve got a sweet tooth for a girl like you.” A dark strand of hair tumbled free when pushed his Stetson to the back of his head and grinned.

  Her first thought was how handsome he was, before recognition hit her like a hammer. She looked quickly over her shoulder to her father. Thank goodness, he was on the other side of the store.”What are you doing here?” she asked in a hushed tone.

  The smile faded from his face. The same hammer that hit her looked like it hit him too. “What do you mean, miss?”

  “You’re the boy from across the way. Oh, my goodness.” She grabbed his arm and tugged him towards the back door. “I have no idea why you are over here, but if my daddy sees you… Oh my goodness, “ she exclaimed again. She squeezed past the potbellied stove, around the wooden chair, and practically shoved him out into the alley before kicking the door closed.

  The cool air should have felt good when it hit her flushed face, but it didn’t. She wasn’t sure if she should be angry or scared. If her daddy saw her slip out the back…

  Two women were at the far end of the alley washing clothes in scalding pots of water. Steam rose up the side of the building and obscured them in a foggy haze.

  “What are you so worked up about?” he asked, as he turned to face her.

  “I don’t believe for one minute that you haven’t heard about the bad blood between my father and Mr. Conner. You work in his store.”

  “And, how would you know that?”

  “I’ve seen you working over there!” She crossed her arms over her chest.

  “You have?” The frown faded. “My brother is the new partner.”

  “What happened to Mr. Walker?”

  “Gold fever. Took off in the middle of the night. I’ve heard about the bad blood your father had with Walker. It’s pretty much all old man Conner talks about. I wondered if it was a bad idea to come over here. “

  “Yes, it’s a very bad idea. What would make you do such a thing? Do you want to get yourself shot? “

  He took his hat and crushed the brim in his hand. “If you want to know the gods honest truth, I watch you from out the store window every day. I think you’re the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

  He thinks I’m pretty? She felt the blush return in her cheeks.

  “I’m here because I finally got up the nerve to come over and ask your name. I didn’t mean to cause you any problems for you or your family.” He watched her for a long moment. “I’ve only been in Seattle for two weeks, so I don’t think it’s fair to be blamed or burdened with something I never had a hand in. That was the past, and it had nothing to do with me.”

  “My name’s Rose.”

  A smile lit his face and made his sea-blue eyes turn a lighter shade. “Rose,” he repeated. “I don’t know why I even had to ask, I should have guessed. It fits you. Beautiful.”

  She looked up through her lashes, pleased with his flattery. It had been a long time since a boy showed an interest in her. She was tired after working all day in the store and never took time out for social gatherings. “Daddy says it’s because I have thorns, but mama says it’s because I was born with rosy cheeks.”

  “You still have pink cheeks.”

  Rose lifted a hand to brush her face but then glanced down and was mortified to see her dirty hands. She immediately stuck them into the pockets of her apron. “I need to get back inside. Customers.”

  “Ahh, yes, customers.” He chuckled. “How much easier would our days be without them?”

  “Then our families would go out of business.” She smiled.

  “I know that’s a bad thing. Right?”

  Rose turned and started towards the store when she heard him say, “ You’ll be wondering what my name is later, so I’ll tell you now. Theodore. Theodore Cooper, and I know I will see you again soon, Miss Rose.”

  Rose couldn’t believe only a week had passed since her first meeting with Theo. More than that, she couldn’t believe she was now riding in a buckboard wagon to pick up supplies with him. Theo’s brother, Sam, did some fast talking, but somehow convinced her father it would save money and time if the supplies were purchased together.

  It was such a busy time for both stores, Theo and Rose were the only ones who could stand to be away for three days. With a huge run on supplies, both stores were out of essentials. They were heading to Bellingham to pick up flour, bacon, dried fruit, corn meal, rice, and dried potatoes, in addition to mining supplies of snag-proof rubber boots, heavy wool blankets, and granite buckets to name a few things off the long list. Sam had also convinced her father to allow her to go.

  With a chaperone of course.

  So here she was, with Pastor Farland’s wide girth wedged between her and the young man she couldn’t stop thinking about.

  The telegraph sent by Sam confirmed their supplies were held up in Bellingham after the ship’s captain got drunk, fell overboard, and drowned. There was a scandal of possible murder and an ensuing investigation. They weren’t sure when the ship would sail to Seattle. The two stores were told if they wanted the supplies, they would need to come get them in person. Without the restock, the stores would lose hundreds of dollars a day in sales. Neither Mister Conner, nor her father, trusted the other enough to only send one person.

  Rose tried to look casual as she leaned down. She looked over at Theo and straightened the lace on her shoe. The early afternoon sun lit his strong, rugged face. His shirt wasn’t tight, but clung nicely to his broad shoulders. She hoped he hadn’t noticed her gawking and stole another glance. He caught her looking and the wink he gave her said he’d noticed plenty. His eyes were the color of the sky above which made her heart skip and her stomach sink.

  As he held the horse’s reins, Theo looked cool and casual, with one thumb hooked in the pocket of his Levi’s. But, there was something about his body language – the cock of his head and the faint smile which tugged the corners of his mouth. It told her without words that since the moment they’d left Seattle, he had been thinking about her too. The chemistry between them was wild like fire whenever their gazes met.

  “Theodore,” the pastor said, wiping a stained kerchief over his forehead and pudgy cheeks. He fought to loosen his collar. “I need you to pull the wagon over for a minute. I’m not feeling well.” They’/d barely come to a stop before Pastor Farland barreled over Rose and disappeared into the underbrush.

  Theo jumped off the side, tied the reins, and patted one of the horse’s flanks. He came around to her side and offered her a hand down. “Why don’t you stretch your legs for a few minutes? I think the pastor might be a while.”

  The hem of her skirt caught as she started to swing down. Strong hands caught her, and placed her on her feet.

  “Careful there Miss Rose,” his voice was deep and smooth. He ran a thumb over her cheek, his gaze fixed on her mouth. His finger was calloused but sent warm pinpricks of awareness prickle along her skin “I spent all week trying to think of something other than you, and now it’s down to a test of my willpower. I’m afraid I’m a weak man. Tell me you don’t want this.”

  She forgot how to speak English. She couldn’t even nod yes, or no.

  Taking this as a yes, Theo grasped her by the upper arm and pulled her up on her toes. He slid a hand around her waist, tugged her close and kissed her gently.

  She wanted to tell him to stop.

  No she didn’t. Who was she kidding?

  A delicious unknown feeling flooded from her head to her toes, as she tried to grasp the magnitude of what she was doing. He only broke contact for second. When his lips touched hers again, she heard his breath release in a sigh and knew he felt the same way.

  Heady. Out of control.

  Heat came off his large body in waves. Their tongues met and touched then drove apart, only to meet again.

  She put a hand out to try to steady her weak
knees but made it worse when she felt the solid wall of his chest. Beneath her hand, the flex and play of muscle thrilled her.

  The sound of footsteps crunched towards them. They knew the pastor was returning but neither wanted to break apart. Rose held her breath as Theo’s mouth left hers and he finally stepped away just as the Pastor broke through the bushes.

  Pastor Farland staggered unsteadily towards them. “I need to start to prepare for services. Sunday morning is always a busy time.” His face was mottled in red blotches and his eyes were bleary.

  “Pastor, its Thursday. You don’t have to worry about Sunday services for a few more days,” Theo assured him.

  “No son, Sunday services will start here any moment. I heard the bell ring. Where’s my robe? Mrs. Millon said she was going to do some mending to it. Have you seen it?”

  Theo looked at Rose with a puzzled expression and was just about to say something, when the pastor pitched forward. In a quick move, Theo caught him under the arm and braced him to stand.

  Rose laid a hand on the pastor’s forehead. She gasped. “Theo, he’s burning up.” She climbed into the bed of the empty wagon and pulled a blanket free. “Put him here.” Theo obeyed, and laid the pastor beside her. “I heard a stream running over there.” She pointed as she took a piece of cloth and ripped it. “Fill the bucket with cold water and bring it to me. Hurry. We need to get to Bellingham, and get him to a doctor. With a fever this high, he could die.”

  Chapter 3

  As they sat on a hard wood bench, Rose looked over at the clock for the hundredth time. The ticking echoed in the stillness of the room and showed only a few minutes passed since she last checked the time.

  She wound the limp hair ribbon over her finger into a knot. They had arrived in town and found the doctor. After Theo helped carry the pastor into an exam room, the doctor shut the door leaving her and Theo alone in the waiting room.

  “What do you think is taking so long?” Theo crushed his hat in his hands leaving it in worse shape than the ribbon in hers. “You don’t think he’s died do you?”