Page 49 of The Gold Rush Bride

“Agreed. Will you do that tomorrow?”

“Yes, the sooner, the better. Snow will be here before you know it, and we can’t leave then. The trek is too dangerous.”

“It was bad enough in the end of March. I wasn’t sure I’d get here.” She thought of all she would have missed if she hadn’t been able to complete the journey, and it saddened her. “But thanks to the tram, I made it. We came to an accord and created a child. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

“Nor would I. But now, I must get to dinner. You need to keep your strength up. You’re eating for two now.”

She frowned. “I wish he would stop pressing on my stomach. It might actually make it easier to eat for one.”

Barnaby chuckled. “Ornery already. I can tell he’s my son.”

She tilted her head. “Were you full of mischief when you were young?”

“Yes, I was. My mother used to curse me. She was just a little thing like you.” He grinned. “Well, she was tall like you, anyway. But I was almost this height when I was twelve. I added a few inches, but I’ve been this tall since I was about fifteen. I was so much bigger than her that when she cursed me, I just picked her up, swung her around, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She was laughing by the time I was done and couldn’t remember why she’d cursed me.”

Sadie chuckled and by the time he finished his story, she was laughing. “Your poor mother. I don’t know what I’ll do if this one is like you. I need an easy first child so I can learn to be an exemplary mother.” She lifted her chin a little. “And I will be.”

He cupped her jaw and ran a thumb over her cheek. “I don’t doubt it. You can do anything you set your mind to. You’re the strongest and most determined woman I’ve ever met.”

He lowered his head and gave her the tenderest kiss he’d ever given her.

She aligned her body with his and kissed him passionately, playing and loving him as much as he allowed. If only he knew the extent of her ardor, maybe he would let go of his own feelings and love her back. Maybe. Was she wishing for something that could never happen?

CHAPTER13

The next day, under a sunny sky, Barnaby dug the holes and set the charges.

When they exploded, Sadie couldn’t help the small scream that escaped. She heard the rocks and dirt hit the tent and was glad Barnaby had insisted she stay inside.

Now, though, she ran out to make sure he was okay. When she got to him, he was grinning like a fool.

“What? Are you all right?”

“I am. Look at the ground. What do you see?”

She looked and saw it littered with nuggets, large and small, of pure gold. They glinted and glittered in the morning sun. She turned around grinning, her body tingling. Her father would have been so happy.

“What about the vein? Does it go farther?”

He shook his head. “Unfortunately, no. The last charge didn’t show any sign of a gold vein.”

She waved at the ground. “Well, let’s get this picked up and then be gone from this place.”

“We can’t leave until we’re sure.”

“Yes, we can. Leave the claim to Seth. He can get whatever remains.”

He set his jaw, hands on his hips. “No. We’re not leaving.”

Sadie couldn’t understand his sudden greed. “We have what we came for. By the looks of it, we’ll have as much, or more, gold when we’re done here than you took back to Dawson City yesterday.”

He lifted his gaze skyward and raised a fist high. He walked in a circle, as though he could calm himself that way. “That’s not the point. I’ve lived up here for two years now. No one wants to go home more than I do, but I won’t leave until I’m sure we’ve gotten all we can get. John and I made a pact.”

She fisted her hands and put them on her hips, her breath so tight in her throat she could barely speak. “A pact with a dead man is more important than what your wife needs?”

Barnaby lowered his hand, released his fist, and turned toward her. “In this instance...yes.”

“Then I’ll go by myself.”