"A boy or a girl?" Sabrina asked of Brad.

"A girl-Savanna."

"That's a pretty name. How old is she?"

"Her first birthday is next month."

"Any steps yet?" Jeanette asked.

"No, but she's crawling everywhere."

The four talked for a few minutes more, and then the men said they had errands to run. Jeanette went back to her sewing machine, but for a few moments Sabrina sat still with her thoughts.

I didn't expect this, she said to the Lord again. She'd repeated this in her mind many times in the last 24 hours. They're so kind and welcoming. I miss Callie and Danny, but I don't feel alone.

It flashed through Sabrina's mind that they might want nothing to do with her if they knew of her recent past, but she pushed such thoughts aside. It did no good to think about it, and because she didn't know how these folks would respond if they knew, it was also an insult.

"How is that hem coming?" Jeanette asked.

"Almost done."

"What did you think of my boys?"

"I like them," Sabrina said, and then added quietly. "It makes me sad for your sister."

"It is sad," Jeanette agreed. "I think I'm glad that she doesn't seem to know what she's missing."

"And she's a grandmother," Sabrina realized.

"That was hard at first. Savanna was born, and all I could do was cry for Theta's loss. Now Meg just learned she's expecting again, and Trace and Ca.s.sidy's first is due early next year."

Sabrina would have asked if Jeanette thought that was going to be as hard for her, but a woman came in looking for some thread. From there, Sabrina did not know where the day went.

46 "Okay, Jessie," Jeb Dorn called when he came from the mercantile storeroom, "I think I've got things patched."

"I hate mice," Jessie said, frowning to make her point.

Jeb, who was Jessie's older cousin, smiled. Jessie had felt that way for as long as he could remember.

"I think what you saw is old. You know they don't come indoors in weather this warm."

"I can't think how I missed the signs this past winter."

"It helps to have things off the floor. You've done a good job with the shelves in there."

"Thanks, Jeb."

"Do you want me next week?" Jeb asked. He made furniture for a living but also helped Jessie when there was a need.

"I think I'm all right," Jessie answered. "I might have hired someone."

"Might have hired someone? How does that work?"

Jessie told Jeb about the young woman who had stopped in, and how Jeanette had just hired her. Jeb took the information in stride. Outside of mice, there was nothing Jessie Wheeler feared or couldn't turn her hand to. If she'd hired someone to help, it was in the best interest of her business. Jeb reminded her that he could help if this woman didn't work out, wished her a good afternoon, and went on his way.

"Savanna." Brad's stern voice halted the baby's movements. She stopped and looked over her shoulder at him. "I don't want you in the kitchen. Mama's not out there. Stay in here to play."

Expecting to be obeyed, Brad sat on the sofa next to Meg. He was 47not surprised to hear his daughter crawling toward the sofa before she pulled herself up and worked her way around to his legs.

"How's my girl?" Brad asked as he scooped her into his arms and kissed her neck. His answer was a round of giggles. Supper was over, and Meg admitted to being weary. She didn't say much while Brad and Savanna played and was near to falling asleep when the kitchen door opened.

"Are you up for some company?" Trace called in.

"Sure," Brad shouted back. "Come on in."

Meg sat up a little, and Brad realized what he'd done. "Are you going to be all right?"

"I think so," she said and then smiled. And my falling asleep in front of Trace ind Ca.s.s would be nothing new."

Brad's smile was compa.s.sionate. He was done in as well but always welcomed the company.

"How are you?" Ca.s.sidy asked after she'd settled in the living room and had a chance to look at her sister-in-law's weary face. "Just a little tired. How about you?"

"I took a nap today, so I'm not doing too badly."

In the time it took to say this, Savanna had made it to her Uncle Trace's legs, first crawling and then pulling herself up by using his pant leg. Trace was one of Savanna's favorite people-looking and sounding so much like her father-and clearly the feelings were shared. Trace took the little girl onto his lap and smiled into her face.

"How's my Savanna?" Trace asked.

The little girl could not sit still. She climbed Trace's chest until she could be close to his face, her little arms going around his neck. Trace hugged her close, the three other adults watching until the conversation went to the men's Bible study.

Chas Vick, one of the church elders, had started studying with the single men in the church family, ages 16 and up, and Rylan was working with the married men. Brad had expressed an interest in the qualifications for elder, and all the men were studying those pa.s.sages.

48 Brad and Trace took some time talking about the last verse they had studied, and some minutes pa.s.sed before they realized they were losing their wives. Meg's eyes were already closed, and even Ca.s.sidy was drooping.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow," Brad said, remembering they also had a baby to put to bed.

"Will do," Trace said, handing Savanna over and pulling Ca.s.sidy to her feet. Brad didn't try to rouse Meg. He put Savanna to bed and then came back for his expectant wife. By the time his own head hit the pillow, he was more than ready to sleep hard all night.

"How did Bri do today?" Heather asked Jeanette that night. They had just seen Theta into bed.

"Very well. She works fast and is easy to have around. She doesn't talk nonstop, but I can tell she's thinking."

"Do you think she's pa.s.sing through, or will she stick around?" "I a.s.sumed she was staying. Why do you ask?"

Heather looked thoughtful before saying, "She's the kind of person we could all lose our hearts to, and it would be hard to have her leave." - "Even if she does," Jeanette said reasonably, "we would still lose our hearts. We always do."

Heather had no choice but to agree, each woman heading to find her rest.

Sabrina blew out the lantern in her room, but sleep was far away. Without warning she was back working in Denver, her mind on the way it had been. For long minutes she tried to dispel the images, but they would not go away. Conversation and actions she never wanted to remember floated through her mind.

49 Feeling almost desperate, Sabrina began to mentally sing. She recalled one of the hymns she'd heard in Denver and began to sing the few words she could remember. Another song came to mind, one she knew better. She even hummed a little, staying very quiet but needing to hear the music.

Thank You for saving me from that life. Please save me from the memories. Please help me to concentrate on You and what I have now and not on who I was then.

Sabrina could think of no other thing to ask. Aching to put the thoughts away from her, she sang and prayed the same words over and over again until she dropped off to sleep.

Jeanette had told Sabrina she could take 45 minutes for dinner on Friday. Work had gone smoothly all morning, and they had accomplished quite a bit. Sabrina swiftly ate the meal Becky had sent with her and headed to Jessie's store with a question.

"How are things going at Jeanette's?" Jessie asked.

"I think fine. We accomplished a lot this morning, and she gave me extra time for dinner."

"Did you need to shop?" Jessie asked.

"Actually, Jeanette mentioned that you might have heard of apartments to rent, and I wanted to ask you about that."

"Well, I know there was one open at Hulett's," Jessie said, looking thoughtful, "but his usually go pretty fast. And Sandgren usually has one, but that's on Willow Street, three blocks off Main Street, and not the best building in town."

"Exactly where are those buildings?"

Jessie gave directions, and Sabrina wasted no time. She thanked Jessie and started out, soon learning that the mercantile proprietress had been correct-the apartment owned by Mr. Hulett was already spoken for. Sabrina was not put off. Even though she had to head down an alley, she still wanted to speak with Mr. Sandgren before 50 she had to be back at work. However, it didn't prove that simple. She got into the alley Jessie described, but wasn't sure she was in the right place. A man suddenly came from the building in front of her, and Sabrina spoke to him.

"Excuse me," Sabrina began. "Do you know if there are apartments for rent upstairs?"

"They're all full," the man said, his eyes lighting with interest as he stared at the tall, black-haired woman. "But I live upstairs," he added with a smile, "and I wouldn't mind a roommate if she looked like you."

Sabrina saw her mistake too late. Her look became frosty as she thanked him and turned away.

"You don't have to rush off," the man was swift to say as he started to follow her. "Come inside out of the heat. I own this place, and I'd be happy to give you a drink."

"Is this the saloon?" Sabrina turned back long enough to ask. "Yes, ma'am. What did you think?"

"Clearly I didn't," Sabrina answered with a certain level of chagrin, starting down the alley again.

"You could tell me your name," the man said, falling into step beside her.

"Yes, but I won't."

"You could tell me where you live."

"True, but not likely."

"Where are you headed?"

"Please don't follow me," Sabrina tried one last time, but the man didn't listen.

Rylan heard the woman's voice and the words and wasted no time getting to the alley that ran along the back of the livery. He looked out to see Bret Toben from the saloon. He was speaking to a woman with black hair, or rather the woman was speaking to him.

51"What country are you from?" the woman asked Bret.

"What country?" Bret looked as confused as he felt. "I was born right here in Montana Territory."

"Since you seem to be having a hard time understanding English, I made a simple a.s.sumption."

Rylan watched Bret throw back his head and laugh. The lady turned with a roll of her eyes and started off again, but Bret persisted.

Sabrina was done. She had told him in every way possible that she did not want to know him, and still he followed her and tried to find out who she was. This time she not only rounded on the man but stepped toward him. He was so surprised by this move, coming from a woman who looked him right in the eye, that he had no choice but to back up.

"Thank you for the information you gave me," she said now, all kind tones gone. "But I'm leaving the alley now, and you will not follow me."

Bret eyed her. There was no mistaking her meaning. Her eyes were dead serious. Bret, well built, good looking, and successful, had never in the past been forced to push his attentions on a woman and realized he wasn't going to start now. With a slight bob of his head, not showing his regret that she was going to get away, he turned back to his saloon.

Sabrina had started off again, her head down with thought, when she spotted a pair of large boots. She drew up in surprise and jumped a little as she came to an awkward halt.

"I'm sorry I didn't see you," Sabrina spoke, having to tip her head back to see the man's face.

"I didn't mean to startle you," Rylan said. "Are you all right?" "Do you have the time?" Sabrina asked, having already forgotten that asking questions of strangers could get her into trouble.

"Let me see," Rylan said, reaching for his pocket watch. "I've got ten minutes after one."

"Am I more than five minutes from the dress shop?" Sabrina asked.

52"Jeanette's? No. In fact if you come through the livery here, you'll have two minutes to spare."

"Am I just half a block off Main Street?" Sabrina asked, her heart sinking even before he answered.

"Yes."

"Oh, thank you," Sabrina said, thinking she was going to have to get her head on straight. She was so intent on finding an apartment that she hadn't noticed where she was, or the saloon, or that she was talking to a livery worker. His leather ap.r.o.n and huge size should have given him away, but Sabrina had been single-minded in purpose.

"Tell Jeanette that Rylan said h.e.l.lo," Rylan said when Sabrina came out on the street side of the building.

"Oh!" Sabrina said, surprised again and then shaking her head a little as she realized this should be no surprise. Jeanette would certainly know everyone in town.

"I will tell her, and thank you for the time."

Rylan smiled at her rather dazed expression, wondering absently which woman was the real one. The one who stood up to the saloon owner in the alley or the one who looked disoriented by his mere mention of Jeanette Fulbright. Rylan went back to work, realizing he would probably never know.

"We close at one o'clock?" Sabrina clarified.

"On Sat.u.r.days, yes," Jeanette answered. "I know I could be busy all day, but I was waking up very tired on Sundays, and I don't want that. If the folks of Token Creek have a sewing need, they'll simply have to get here before one."

Sabrina nodded her acceptance, but she was busy doing rapid sums in her head. If Jessie didn't need her on Monday and Tuesdays, her finances were going to get interesting. At the same time, maybe Jessie would need her more on Sat.u.r.day afternoons. Sabrina went 53 back to cutting the gingham for a child's skirt, reminding herself that she was off that very afternoon and could gain an answer to at least one question.

"There's a new woman in town," Jeb Dorn told his wife, Patience. "Tell me about her," Patience requested, as interested as Jeb knew she would be.

"She's working for Jeanette, and when Jeanette's shop is closed, she'll be at Jessie's."