Lacy: (Sweet Historical Western Romance) (Pendleton Petticoats Book 5) Read online

  Lacy reached up and placed a finger across his lips, silencing him. “It’s nothing like that.”

  Crestfallen, Grant took a step back and slowly nodded his head. The only other reason he could surmise was that she wanted to go, just not with him. “I see. I’m sorry for bringing you out here. My apologies for mistakenly assuming you…”

  Her finger settled over his lips again as she smiled. “I’d love to go to the dance with you. It’s just that I don’t have a gown and it’s such a frivolous thing. I can’t spend money on one, no matter how much I’d like to.”

  Buoyed that she did like him and wanted to accompany him, he shoved the box back in his pocket then took both of her hands in his. “You can wear what you have on right now and I wouldn’t care.”

  Lacy glanced down at her riding skirt, leggings and hand-me-down blouse from her cousins. A laugh bubbled out of her and she stared at Grant. “Now, you’re being ridiculous. Of course you’d care if I showed up looking like this. It would be highly improper not to mention embarrassing for you.”

  Grant lifted her fingers to his lips and placed a soft kiss to the back of her hand. “You would never, ever embarrass me, Lacy. Never. However, if you feel you can’t attend unless you are properly attired, I’d be happy to purchase a dress for you.”

  She jerked her hands from his and took a step back. “No, Grant. I won’t be a charity case to you and besides that, you simply can’t go around buying dresses for women. It’s completely inappropriate.”

  “I don’t buy dresses for anyone, except my mother on occasion. That’s only because she likes to have Ilsa make her a few when she’s visiting. Honestly, Lacy, no one would have to know.”

  “I’d know and that’s enough.” Lacy stepped forward and fastened her gaze to his. “There is nothing I’d like better than to go with you to the dance, Grant, but I have to say no.”

  He looked at her for a long moment while his brain frantically worked for a way to convince her to attend. Inspiration struck with a sudden force and he grinned. “What if I got you a hand-me-down dress that wouldn’t cost you anything?”

  The hopeful look on her face kept him talking.

  “My sisters have ball gowns coming out their ears. In fact, I’d say Agnes is about your size. She often gives her gowns away, so she’d think nothing of sending one to you. What do you say? Can I have my sister send you a gown for the ball?”

  Although Lacy knew she ought to turn down his offer, she nodded in agreement.

  Thrilled, Grant gave her a warm hug, dug the box from his pocket, and held it out in his hand once again. “Miss Lacy Williams, will you please accompany me to the spring ball?”

  “Yes, Mr. Hill, I believe I shall.” Lacy smiled at him with her heart in her eyes as he opened the box. Her breath caught as she stared at a pair of delicate silver drop earrings. Sapphires caught and refracted the sunlight where they dangled at the bottom of the exquisite jewelry. “Oh, Grant. Oh, my…”

  At a loss for words, Lacy clasped the sides of her skirt with her hands to keep from claiming the beautiful earrings.

  “Don’t you like them?” Grant continued holding the box out to her.

  Lacy lifted eyes big with wonder to him. She’d never in her lifetime expected to see something so uniquely stunning. She certainly never expected an entirely charming and incredibly handsome man to offer her a gift the likes of which he held on the palm of his hand. “I love them, but I can’t accept them. That is far too expensive a gift.”

  “Who says?” His engaging smile drew one out of her in return. “Don’t you even want to try them on?”

  “Grant...” Lacy gave in to the desire to touch the jewels. She lifted one and admired the rich, brilliant color of the sapphire. “Even if they are the loveliest things I’ve ever seen, I really shouldn’t accept them.”

  Grant placed the box in her other hand and closed her fingers around it. “Go on. Take them. Although I like the earrings you have on now, I thought you might like these, too. The sapphires reminded me of your hair.”

  Lacy laughed and set the earring back in the box, then slipped it into her pocket. Grateful to know what to call the jewels, she’d never seen a sapphire and had no idea what it was, other than expensive. Like most of the women on the reservation, her earrings were made of shells. “How do sapphires remind you of my hair?”

  “Sometimes, when the sun or moonlight hit it just right, I’m sure I can see blue highlights.” Grant reached out and smoothed a hand over her head. The dark strands were even softer and silkier than he’d imagined. Lacy turned her face toward his hand and he cupped her cheek. His voice dropped to a husky whisper even though they were far away from any other humans. “You don’t realize how beautiful you are, Lacy Williams.”

  When she turned her eyes up to meet his, Grant had to swallow hard and drop his hand to keep from plundering her mouth. The soft smile she offered him made his blood thrum through his veins.

  “You don’t realize what a kind, generous, amazing man you are, Grant Hill. Thank you for being so good to me.”

  About to surrender to his desire to hold her close and kiss her long and deep, Grant grabbed her hand and pulled her around to gaze below them at the creek. “I brought along a picnic lunch, courtesy of Aundy. Would you like to eat it up here, or ride down to the creek where the doe and fawn are hiding in the brush?”

  “The creek, if you please,” Lacy said. Impulsively, she hugged Grant then swung onto Star’s back before she gave in to the need to linger in his embrace. If she did, she might never leave the comforting, enticing circle of his arms.

  Mid-afternoon, Lacy and Grant entered the outskirts of Pendleton. They spent several hours at the creek, talking and teasing before the teasing turned to kissing. When the kisses became so heated and demanding that Grant wavered on the edge of losing his control, he suggested they head back to town.

  In no hurry to go, they finally mounted their horses and turned toward Pendleton. As they rode down one of the main streets in town, Lacy shared a story about a new telephone subscriber. He’d accidentally placed a call the previous day and couldn’t understand what he’d done.

  “Every time I tried to ask him a question, he’d respond with ‘hello’. He became quite frustrated and uttered a string of words I won’t repeat. Since the man lives in town, not too far from the office, Millie marched over there to give him a lesson in the proper etiquette of using the telephone.”

  The mental picture of the efficient Millie tapping on the man’s door and barging into his house made Grant chuckle. “I’m sure Millie set him straight.”

  “I’m sure.” Lacy nodded in bemused agreement as they neared Ilsa’s shop.

  Grant enjoyed being with Lacy so much, he hated to see the day end too soon. Hastily concocting an excuse to spend more time with her, he pointed toward a side street. “Want to go with me to the drugstore for a dish of ice cream or a soda? I heard they recently installed a new root beer dispenser that’s shaped like a barrel.”

  Lacy grinned. “How could I turn down an offer like that, but it should be my treat.”

  His argument died on his lips when she placed a hand on his arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Please, Grant. It’s such a little thing compared to all you’ve done for me the last few months.”

  “Fine, but just this once.” Grant offered her an inquisitive look with one eyebrow raised and humor dancing around his mouth. “What will people say when they see the banker letting a slip of a girl buy his ice cream?”

  “That he’s a sensible man who knows when to let a lady salvage what little remains of her pride.” Lacy turned Star in the direction of Ilsa’s shop instead of the drugstore. “However, before I go anywhere with you, I’m going to change. It will only take me a moment, but I won’t accompany you anywhere until I at least comb my hair and put on a proper dress.”

  Grant chuckled. “And here I thought being sensible was important to you. You look fine, Lacy. Better than fine. Beautiful, even. Yo
u don’t need to change just to go to the drugstore.”

  Lacy had learned enough of how to behave in polite society to know she needed to change her clothes and fix her hair before going somewhere like the drugstore with Grant.

  The soda fountain would be busy, and she wanted no one to question his choice of accompanying her there.

  “Please, Grant. I promise I’ll hurry.” The pleading in her eyes forced him to agree. He didn’t care if she went wearing buckskins from head to toe. What mattered to him was spending time with the fascinating girl who’d stolen his heart.

  “While you change, I’ll take Star back to Tony’s. That way, you won’t have to worry about getting your dress dirty later,” Grant offered as they reined the horses to a stop outside Ilsa’s store.

  “If you’re sure you don’t mind…” Lacy swung off Star’s back and handed Grant the reins. “I’ll be ready and waiting when you return.”

  “See that you are, young lady. I hear a dish of chocolate ice cream calling my name.” Grant’s cocky smile added haste to her steps as she ran around to Ilsa’s back door and charged up the steps to her apartment.

  In record time, she washed her hands and face, changed into a clean dress, unbraided her hair then pinned it on top of her head. She’d become quite adept at creating the poufy style so many of the women around town favored. After pinning on her hat at a saucy angle, she tugged on a pair of gloves. She checked her reticule and made sure she had enough money to pay for whatever treats they decided to purchase.

  On a whim, she removed her earrings and donned the sapphire drops Grant had given to her. She turned her head in the mirror above the dresser and watched the jewels dance.

  Pleased, she rushed down the stairs and into the front of the store where Ilsa adjusted a display of hats, making room for one Marnie completed the previous afternoon.

  “What do you think, Lacy? Should I group all the straw hats together or separate the boaters from the toques?” Ilsa motioned her closer to the display.

  Lacy tipped her head to one side, studying the shelves full of hats. She moved two to one shelf and three to another. “How about something like that?”

  Ilsa clapped her hands then gave her a hug. “That looks marvelous.” She turned and smiled at Lacy, noticing she wore the green dress she’d given her along with a gorgeous pair of earrings she hadn’t seen before.

  “Are those new?” Ilsa’s voice held a teasing tone as she spoke. “A gift from a handsome suitor?”

  “Perhaps.” Lacy affected a nonchalant stance, stepping away from her friend, before turning back to her with a beaming smile. “Grant asked me to the ball and gave me these beautiful earrings. I tried to tell him no to the invitation and the gift, but he somehow talked me into both.”

  Ilsa squeezed her hand. “I’m glad. The sapphires suit you well. I’d be happy to help you with a gown if you…”

  Lacy shook her head. “I couldn’t take one more thing from you, Ilsa. I just couldn’t. You and Tony have been so overwhelmingly kind. Grant said one of his sisters should have a ball gown I can use and would be happy to send it.”

  “That’s wonderful, Lacy.” Ilsa leaned against her front counter then pointed outside. “If you’re off for another outing with Grant, he just rode up outside.”

  Lacy spun around and nervously reached up to make sure her hat and hair were tidy.

  Ilsa made a shooing motion with her hands. “Go on. Don’t keep a good-looking man like that waiting.”

  Lacy shot Ilsa a grin over her shoulder and rushed out the door. Grant stepped toward her, holding the basket of flowers he’d given to her earlier. “I thought I’d save you the trip to reclaim these.”

  “Thank you. I’ll set these inside then we can go.” Before she made it inside with the flowers, Grant’s eyes widened and his face paled beneath his tan.

  “Grant? What is it?” Lacy reached out and touched his arm then turned and watched as a short, stout woman in a mauve dress bedecked with ruffles stomped their direction.

  Fury rode the woman’s face as she approached them, glaring first at Lacy then Grant.

  Startled, Lacy took a step back, bumping into Grant. He placed a steadying hand on her shoulder and sucked in a breath as the woman stopped just inches away. She shook a piece of paper at him.

  “Grant Harrison Hill! What is the meaning of this?” Imogene Hill shoved the telegram she’d received at her son’s face.

  Grant snatched it from her gloved hand and read the message, making note of the busybody who’d sent it.

  Astounded to see his mother hastening toward him, obviously angry about something, he had no idea what would bring her to Pendleton unannounced. Clearly, she intended to make her views about Lacy known.

  In fact, if Grant knew his mother at all, which he did, she wouldn’t rest until Lacy was run out of town.

  He wouldn’t stand for it. Not for a moment.

  With a beleaguered sigh, he shoved the telegram into his pocket and motioned to his mother. “Lacy, this is my mother, Imogene Hill, who isn’t supposed to visit until June.”

  Lacy hid her surprise and pasted on a smile as she tipped her head politely to Imogene. “Welcome to Pendleton, Mrs. Hill. Did you have a pleasant trip from Pittsburgh?”

  For a moment, Imogene wondered if the information in the telegram was false, if her friend had been mistaken. The girl standing next to her son exuded class and manners. Lovely, well spoken, and stylish, the girl appeared like any other female that might turn Grant’s head. However, when she noticed the high cheekbones, broad face, and bronzed skin, Imogene concluded her friend was correct.

  Grant was completely and utterly smitten with one of the women from the reservation. With a narrowed gaze, Imogene studied the girl Grant referred to as Lacy from the top of her hat to the tips of her leather shoes. If she wasn’t mistaken, the girl appeared to wear one of Ilsa Campanelli’s creations.

  No doubt, Grant had paid for her clothes.

  Good heavens! What if he’d already married the girl? Maybe he’d taken her on as a mistress. Imogene had raised her son with strong morals. The thought that he might have sunken to such a base level stirred her anger past the boiling point.

  Infuriated with him, she raised her unopened parasol and smacked him on the arm.

  Shock widened Grant’s eyes. “Mother! What in the world do you think you’re doing?”

  “Saving you from a lifetime of misery.” She smacked him again for good measure before he grabbed the parasol away from her.

  Glowering at both Grant and the girl, Imogene pointed down the street to where the carriage she’d hired waited. “You will see me home this instant.”

  “If you mean escort you to the train station so you can leave town, then by all means, let’s go.”

  Imogene’s mouth dropped open at Grant’s impertinence. Her son had never spoken to her in such a manner before and she wouldn’t tolerate it now.

  “Look, you… Indian,” Imogene spat out with a sneer. “I’ll thank you to leave my son alone and return to where you belong, with your kind. You have no business consorting with Grant or his friends. It’s disgusting to see someone of your ilk parading around town like a real person.” Imogene reached out and knocked the basket Lacy held from her hands, scattering flowers across the sidewalk.

  Stunned, Grant glared at his mother, unable to process her hateful words or actions. She’d always been uppity and sometimes thoughtless, but he’d never known her to be so offensive or cruel. He experienced a momentary desire to take the parasol he still held in his hand and pop her over the head with it. Since he wasn’t a violent person and would never strike a woman, he subdued the urge.

  Grant helped Lacy gather the spilled flowers, hastily stuffing them back into the basket. Ilsa opened the door to her shop, uncertain what took place in front of her store.

  When the sunlight glinted off one of the earrings Lacy wore, Imogene gasped. “How dare you give your great-grandmother’s earrings to that godless
creature!” Imogene lunged forward, screeching at Lacy. “Take them off! Take them off this instant!”

  Grant grabbed his mother by her shoulders, pushing her back lest she rip the earrings out of Lacy’s ears. Ilsa slipped her arm around Lacy’s waist, drawing her toward the store.

  “Mother, you will be quiet!” Grant’s voice remained low in volume, but the authority it held forced Imogene into silence. While one arm held his mother at bay, he turned to Lacy and offered her a remorseful glance. “My profound apologies, Lacy. I hope you’ll forgive me if I postpone our trip for ice cream while I see to Mother.”

  Numb and wounded from Imogene’s venomous words, Lacy nodded her head. She started to remove one of the earrings, but Grant clasped his hand around hers and bent near her ear.

  “They are yours, Lacy. A gift from me to you and they look lovely. I’m so sorry. I promise to talk to you later.” Regardless of the wrath it would invoke in his mother, he kissed Lacy’s cheek and followed it with a tender smile.

  “Stop that, Grant! Stop it right now! I won’t have any child of mine…” Grant took Imogene by the elbow and propelled her down the street toward the waiting carriage.

  “Silence, Mother! Not another word or so help me, I’ll find a freighter heading out of town, hogtie you, and dump you in the back of his wagon.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Ilsa nudged Lacy inside her store and closed the door, walking the girl to her workroom. After pushing Lacy onto a stool at her worktable, Ilsa took the basket of bedraggled flowers from her hand and set it on the table.

  Soothingly, Ilsa rubbed her back, but Lacy continued to stare into space with glazed eyes.

  When she spoke, Ilsa tried to sound encouraging. “Don’t worry about Imogene Hill, Lacy. The woman is full of stuff and nonsense, as Aundy likes to say. She’s challenging to deal with on a good day, which today obviously isn’t.”

  Lacy blinked and focused her gaze on her friend, slowly nodding her head. Ilsa sat on a stool beside her and took Lacy’s cool hand between hers, rubbing warmth into it.