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  When she quieted, Denver cleared his throat. “Belle, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  Belle sat silently on her boss’s lap, damp to the skin, her hair falling in wild loops around her head, covered in mud and ash, beside untaxed booze and a fortune in gold, as well as moldy hardtack, in an unknown tunnel under the remains of the burned-out downtown district of Silverpines. Practically in the dark. Her lips pulled until she was smiling, a giggle escaped, that grew into a full-blown belly laugh.

  Denver pushed her upright and studied her face, a worried expression on his. “Are you all right?”

  “Ye… Yes.” Belle tried to stifle her laughter, without much success. “This has to be the strangest place and situation ever for a proposal of marriage.” She fell against his chest, giving way to loud guffaws.

  Denver held her close, patting her back and murmuring, “It’ll be okay. Don’t worry. It will all work out.”

  Nature suddenly called and Belle struggled to get out of his arms. “Let me go.”

  “No, Belle, it’s all going to be fine. We can get married. There won’t be any repercussions to your reputation.”

  She stilled. “Well, of course we are going to get married. That’s the only option, with us trapped here overnight. But, if you don’t want more wetness on your lap, then you better let me up.”

  He released her, and she scrambled to her feet. When he started to rise, Belle pushed him back down. “You stay here, we aren’t married yet.” She grabbed the lantern, knocking the oil tins over, and headed out of the room. Turning the way they hadn’t gone, and in the direction of the running water, Belle stalked off to do her business.

  When she returned, the oil cans were upright and back in their position, precisely straight and in line with the edges of the crate. She glanced at Denver and gave a little shake of her head. How had he done that in the absolute darkness? She set the lantern on the crate, careful to align it with the crate edge and oil cans.

  “Better now?” Denver asked.

  “Yes, now let me in. It’s cold out here.” She snuggled into his arms and allowed him to tuck his coat around them again. “That’s better.” Her shoulders gave a little shudder as she warmed, his arms holding her snug against his chest.

  Belle waited for Denver to resume their conversation, but he sat silently. She began to worry. Maybe she’d fallen asleep and dreamt the proposal. Well, even if she had, it made no difference. The outcome would be the same. Society dictated that they wed.

  Finally, Denver spoke. “So, you agreed to marry me, right, and aren’t very upset about it?”

  Belle gave another giggle. “I can be upset later if I want. It’s going to happen one way or another. No real sense in flying off the handle.”

  This time it was Denver chuckling. “No, I guess not. I suppose laughing at my proposal is better than hysterical crying.”

  “Discount my tears earlier. They came from concern about how worried I am about Connor and Neva. I hate that they are going to be spending a worse night than we are.” Belle fell quiet, grieving over the emotions her children must be going through. She yawned. It wasn’t long before she drifted into sleep.

  ~~~~~

  Denver hated that he had to wake Belle. She was sleeping so peacefully. They were warm within his tweed coat. But, there were two major reasons it was imperative. The lamp was needing oil and nature was now calling him.

  It marveled him, her reaction to his proposal. He’d thought he’d have to convince her of their need to marry, possibly even to the point of argument. Instead, Belle had understood their situation and accepted the results of their night trapped here with grace. Well, loud guffaws really. It made him smile. She was no shrinking violet to cringe at the first sign of difficulty. No, she took the bull by the horns and tamed whatever struggles a problem made. She had, after all, taken his off the cuff remark about finding a way to help him in his job and ended up being hired.

  He’d observed her in action several times. A couple of the business owners had objected to the new requirements of using brick for the buildings they were going to build to replace those burned. With grace, humor, and sometimes a lot of cajoling, Belle managed to rend agreement from the most reluctant business owners.

  She’d also been right about the ladies still being active in the businesses. All the women had been at the meetings with their husbands and were not shy about speaking up. Denver had realized early on that she was an asset in dealing with the people of Silverpines. It was obvious everyone knew and liked her.

  Now, Belle was going to be his wife. It didn’t really surprise him that he was quite comfortable with the idea. He’d been attracted to her ever since she’d walked into his office practically demanding a job. When they’d talked on the street the day before, he’d been too overwhelmed with the devastation wrought by the fire to really notice her.

  Denver hadn’t considered courting her since she was his employee. And the thought had crossed his mind several times, only to be pushed away as inappropriate. Now, he didn’t have to. She was going to be his wife, and he was going to become a father. That thought scared him enough that he decided he needed to wake her up now.

  “Belle,” he said gently. “Wake up please. Just for a few minutes.”

  “Hmmm.” She snuggled against his chest wiggling her bottom.

  “Belle, please honey, you need to wake up.” He gave her a little shake.

  “What? Is it morning?” she mumbled.

  “Not yet, but the lamp needs oil, and I need to leave the room for a short while.”

  “Oh, okay.” She stretched, pressing her bottom down as she did. That didn’t help his need one bit.

  Denver grabbed her around the waist and set her on her feet. He had planned to add more oil to the lantern first, but instead, Denver grabbed the lamp and hurried out into the tunnel.

  When he returned, Denver stuck his head in the room. “Are you okay in the dark? I want to see if it’s still raining.”

  “Just don’t take too long.”

  “I won’t.” Denver hurried back to the basement. The air was heavy with moisture, but it was no longer raining. Back in the room, he refilled the lamp and took out his pocket watch to read the time. Belle was wrapped in his tweed coat, her eyes heavy with sleep.

  “What time is it?” she asked as he sat and pulled her onto his lap.

  “About 3:30. It’s stopped raining. I don’t think anyone will be out until after sunrise. With little to no businesses and everyone still removing rubble, I doubt anyone is eager to get started very early.”

  “I suppose not, especially after so much rain.”

  When he had them settled and wrapped in his coat, Denver tucked Belle’s head under his chin. It seemed to fit there so well. “Let’s try to get some more sleep. We have several more hours before we can even think about getting rescued.”

  Belle gave a little giggle. “If I had to be trapped in a muddy basement that smells slightly of dead fish and mold, I’m glad it is with you. I’d hate to be trapped overnight anywhere with Mrs. Wallace.”

  Denver laughed, then instructed, “Go to sleep, Belle.”

  ~~~~~

  Denver shifted a sleeping Belle so he could get to his vest pocket. Pulling out his pocket watch, he checked the time in the dim light from the lantern. People would be out soon, and hopefully they would be rescued.

  “Belle,” he said, shaking her shoulder. “Belle, wake up. It’s morning.”

  “Hum?” She yawned, then straightened. “Morning?”

  “Uh huh. It’s nearly 6:30, we should get back to the basement. Someone may come by soon, and we can get out of here.”

  She scrambled off his lap and stretched. “Let me have the lantern. I’ll be back in a minute.” She grabbed the light and exited before he could say anything. That made him smile. She was a pistol. It would be an adventure being married and getting to know her better. His body certainly wanted to.

 
He saw the light coming back up the tunnel and stepped out of the room. “Come, let’s get back to the basement. That way you’ll have light when I take a short trip down the tunnel.”

  She grinned at him. “Sounds like a plan. I can listen for anyone on the street.”

  When he came back to the basement, she was waiting for him under the opening in the floor. “Belle, I don’t think it’s a good idea to say anything about what we found until we can talk with Marshal Sewell and Luther. We don’t want anyone down here taking anything.”

  “Oh, you’re right. We don’t know who it belongs to, or did, and whether it was stolen or not.”

  “Let’s just say we fell through and had to stay here until morning. Once we get cleaned up and have something to eat, we or I can speak with them. It can be their problem to figure out how to proceed.”

  She nodded.

  They stood under the opening and waited. Belle’s shoulders drooped. “How long do you think we’ll have to wait before someone finds us?”

  Denver pulled her back against him. “As soon as we hear someone up there, we’ll shout so they hear and come looking.” He thought about what would happen and need to be done once they were rescued. “Belle, I think we can take the day off. When we get out, you go home and reassure your children you aren’t dead. Then get washed and fed. I’ll come once I’ve talked with Luther and Alex. We can make plans then.”

  “Okay. I do want to spend the day with Connor and Neva. I may keep him home from school. He wouldn’t learn anything anyway.”

  “I want you to rest too. You mustn’t take sick from our night in the cold and damp.”

  Belle tipped her head back and looked up at him and grinned. “Already the bossy husband, and we haven’t taken any vows yet.”

  He snorted a laugh. “Not bossy. Watching out for my betroth’s wellbeing.”

  She opened her mouth to retort, but they heard voices above. They both hollered and soon two faces appeared in the hole.

  “Well, the lost is found,” Alex Sewell said. “Young lady, I had your mother-in-law at my door early this morning in a panic. I’m glad we found you…” He paused, looking them over. “As well as could be expected, I guess. You must be trapped down there or you would have gotten out. Ryder, let the others know we’ve found them. Have them bring a ladder. Then go to let Mrs. Stewart know her daughter-in-law is safe.”

  “Yes, sir,” Ryder Cutler said, and his face disappeared from the opening.

  “Marshal, don’t let anyone down here. I’ll explain more later, but we’ve found something that needs to be kept quiet for a while. First, we need to get Belle home.”

  “Right, Denver. I’ll post a man here to keep people away. I’ll say it’s for safety reasons, which it is. They don’t need to know anything else.”

  More voices could be heard approaching, and soon a ladder was lowered. Denver helped Belle with her skirts as she climbed from the basement. Someone wrapped her in a blanket and hurried up the street with her. Belle glanced back at him. Denver nodded, letting her know he was fine with her leaving. He really wasn’t. He wanted her with him, but knew she needed to get to her children. He’d conclude what he needed to do, then get to her as soon as he could.

  Denver looked down at himself. He was covered in mud and ash. There was sawdust from the brandy crate stuck to his trousers. It had been a long time since he’d been this filthy, and he couldn’t wait to get out of these clothes and into a tub of hot water.

  ~~~~~

  “Mama, Mama.”

  Belle heard Neva’s cries as she hurried up the street. Lacy Lou Moore was holding her hand but let it go so Belle could run. She’d given Belle the blanket and stayed with her as they headed to Belle’s house.

  “I’m here, baby. It’s all okay.”

  Neva was running toward her, as was Connor. She knelt and captured them in her arms. They were all crying. “It’s okay.” She kissed both of them over and over. Geneva arrived a moment later and hugged them all.

  “I’m being squished,” Connor complained against her chest.

  Belle stood, holding Neva in her arms. “Let’s go home, and I’ll tell you all about my adventure.”

  Lacy Lou tucked the blanket, which had fallen off, around Belle’s shoulders. “You hold this for your mama, Neva. She’s cold.”

  “You’re an awful mess, Mama. You need a bath.” Neva leaned back in her mother’s arms and examined her.

  “You are so right, my love, and I’ll take one as soon as we get home.”

  Belle heard Lacy Lou tell Geneva that she’d come help. Glad for the assistance for her mother-in-law, she smiled at her friend.

  Soon, she was sitting in the warm kitchen, still wrapped in the blanket. Water was heating for her bath and a cup of coffee steamed in her hands. The children were eating their breakfast and listening avidly while Belle embellished what had happened, making it into an exciting adventure. She didn’t mention the room with the liquor and gold, but told of exploring the tunnel, speculating on where it might lead.

  “I can’t wait to tell my friends at school. This is even better than when Ryder, Nathan, and Jackson got trapped on the island in the river.” Connor finished his glass of milk and scooted his chair back, exiting the kitchen at a run.

  Belle began to say he could stay home today, but his excitement to have a story to tell kept her quiet. It wasn’t long before he came back and kissed her and his grandmother.

  “I’m glad you came home and had such an adventure. I was real worried,” Connor said, his eyes serious. “Just don’t do it again, or you’ll be in real trouble.” He waggled his finger at her.

  “Yes, sir,” Belle promised and watched her son rush out the door. “Oh, I should have told him to tell everyone not to go to the remains of the post office.”

  Geneva shook her head. “It’s better you didn’t. Scripture says, ‘The power of sin is the law.’ As soon as you tell them not to do something they will surely do it.”

  ~~~~~

  Belle was washed, dressed in her nightgown, and sitting under the covers in her bed. Neva had begged to go see her friends Grace, Opal, and Ida and tell them all about the adventure her mother had had. Lacy Lou took her to the park where they would be at the mercantile tent.

  The mercantile was being torn down after being damaged in the fire. Soon, the Cutlers would be moving across the street from the Stewarts as they were purchasing the house Charlotte Daniels was selling.

  Geneva came in and sat on the bed, studying Belle. “So, what are you going to do now?”

  Belle knew what she was being asked. “Denver and I will be married. It’s the only thing to do. We both knew that.” She chuckled. “Here we were, sitting in a damp, dirt-walled room. The only light from an old lantern. I’d been crying about how worried you all would be. Denver was comforting me and then he proposed all prim and proper.”

  “What did you do?”

  “I burst out laughing.”

  “No, really?”

  “Yes, I was thinking about where we were and how we must look. It struck me as so funny. It had to be the least romantic proposal there ever was.” Belle could feel a blush coming. “Then I had to suddenly go so badly I struggled to get off his lap.”

  “You were on his lap? You didn’t mention that before.”

  “We were conserving body heat. We only had his jacket to keep us warm. Anyway, he thought I was trying to escape him, which I was, but not for the reason he thought.”

  “What happened then?”

  “When I got back, Denver asked if I’d agreed to marry him, and I told him yes. Then I fell asleep.”

  Geneva stood. “And that’s what you are going to do now. I won’t have you getting sick from your night in the basement.”

  Belle yawned. “I am tired. Denver is coming sometime today. Wake me if I’m not up when he gets here.”

  Geneva pursed her lips, indicating she wouldn’t be doing so. Belle was tired enough that she truly didn’t care. Denver c
ould wait or come back after she woke up. At the moment, all she wanted to do was snuggle under the covers and sleep.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  “Thanks for meeting with me, Marshal.” Denver shook the man’s hand and indicated he should take a seat. They were in Luther’s office waiting for Joel Richards, president of Silverpines State Bank. Denver had bathed and eaten breakfast and was ready to discuss what he and Belle had found in the tunnel.

  Joel entered. “Sorry I’m late. There seemed to suddenly be a lot of people coming into the bank. I didn’t want to leave Tilde to handle them all.”

  “Not a problem, the marshal just arrived,” Luther said. “Now, Denver, what did you find in the basement?”

  Denver looked at each man. “There’s a tunnel heading toward the river from the basement. We explored part way down it. We found a lantern so we were able to see. There’s a room dug off to the side. In it were a few barrels of whiskey, a crate of brandy bottles, a box of lamp oil, and a crate with a burlap bag filled with gold nuggets.”

  Intakes of breath told him that all the men were shocked.

  “That’s why I asked that guards be posted and no one allowed down there. The whiskey and brandy, I’m pretty sure, never saw an excise man, as there were no tax stamps on them.”

  “Very well could have been put there by smugglers,” Alex said. “Any idea as to when?”

  “We only looked at one whiskey barrel. It was dated 1884 and the brandy was bottled in 1889, after the post office was built.”

  “When was that?” Joel asked, rubbing his short beard.

  “Belle said it was in 1885.”

  “Mr. Wallace was the post master until his death last year. Mrs. Wallace has been since. Do you suppose he knew about the basement and the tunnel?” Luther leaned back in his chair.

  “Maybe, but Belle thought he liked to drink and said it might not be there if he did know.”

  The men all chuckled.

  “Seems funny that no one knew about the basement or tunnel. There had been some sort of stairs or ladder, but they were collapsed. That’s why we couldn’t get out.”