Rocky Mountain Dreams. Danica Favorite

the first stone. I am certain that none of us can lay claim to leading such a blameless life.”

      Mrs. Jessup couldn’t have exploded any more brilliantly than the time the old cookstove’s pipe had been blocked by a nesting raccoon.

      “You...get...out...” she thundered, pointing at the door.

      Annabelle smiled sweetly. “With pleasure. I’ll be talking to my father about taking our business to Taylor’s. Come along, Nugget.”

      She grabbed Nugget’s hand and ushered her out the door. Once they arrived on the sidewalk, Annabelle tried taking a deep breath, but Maddie had laced her too tight. What a bad day to be fashionable.

      Nugget tugged at her hand. “I told you I weren’t allowed to go in there.”

      Annabelle straightened. “That’s right. You’re not allowed to go in there. You’re too good for the likes of Mrs. Jessup.”

      She scanned the street and looked toward Taylor’s Mercantile. Her boast in leaving Mrs. Jessup’s had been just that—a boast. Her father was very strict about which stores she shopped in, with all the riffraff that came to Leadville. She wasn’t supposed to go anyplace else alone.

      But even her father wouldn’t be able to fault her disobedience in light of Mrs. Jessup’s meanness.

      “Come on, Nugget. You might not like peppermints, but I could use a sweet right now.”

      She grasped Nugget’s hand and strode across the street to Taylor’s.

      * * *

      Joseph had just stepped through the back storeroom into the main store with Frank and Mr. Jessup when he heard Annabelle’s raised voice.

      “And now she’s a guest in my home!”

      Joseph stepped forward to come to Annabelle’s aid, but Frank held his arm out. “Let her fight her own battles.”

      “But that’s my sister they’re arguing about.”

      “Annabelle is doing fine. Listen to her.”

      The pride in Frank’s voice was obvious. Joseph had to admit that he hadn’t seen this side of Annabelle. She might not think much of him, but she’d protect his sister with everything she had.

      Mr. Jessup shifted nervously. “I should probably go out there and...”

      “You should,” Frank told him quietly. “But first, you need to know that while I respect you as a friend, I’m going to stand by my daughter’s decision unless your wife apologizes to her.”

      “Apologizes?” Mr. Jessup’s face turned redder than a hot coal. “After your daughter insulted her and practically accused her of not being a Christian?”

      Joseph couldn’t help but grin. Annabelle had done just that, and beautifully so.

      “No hard feelings, Bill.” Frank held out his hand for Mr. Jessup to shake, but he didn’t take it.

      “Joseph, I know we’ve spent a lot of time picking out the gear you’ll need for your father’s cabin, but I believe we’ll be taking our purchases elsewhere. Go ahead and set the things down. We need to go make sure the girls are all right.”

      Joseph did as he was bade and followed Frank toward the door. Mrs. Jessup stopped them.

      “Did you hear what that daughter of yours said to me? Without a mother, she’s going positively wild.”

      Frank nodded. “And I couldn’t be more proud. Good day, Mrs. Jessup.”

      As they strode out the door, much to the shocked faces staring after them, Joseph was proud to know her, as well. Annabelle Lassiter was one of the finest women he knew.

      He watched as Annabelle crossed the street, firmly clutching his sister’s hand in hers.

      “Annabelle!” Frank called his daughter’s name, and she paused to stop and wave.

      The two men rushed over to Annabelle and Nugget.

      “Good,” Annabelle said with forced cheer. “I’m glad you’re here. I’ve decided that we need to start shopping at Taylor’s. My friends assure me that Taylor’s is perfectly respectable, but I’m sure you’ll want to see for yourself.”

      Frank laughed. “Annabelle, my dear, Joseph and I were in the back during your argument with Mrs. Jessup. We heard the whole thing.”

      Annabelle’s face fell, and for a moment, without the false cheer or guarded expression Joseph was used to, she looked almost pretty. “Oh,” she finally said. She looked down at Nugget, then back up at her father.

      “Well, if you think I’m going to apologize, then—”

      Her father held a hand up. “I’d be disappointed if you did. I told Bill that unless Mrs. Jessup apologizes to you, we won’t be patronizing their store anymore.”

      Annabelle’s cheeks tinged pink, and a smile lit her eyes, the blue even more striking in the sunlight.

      All right, Joseph would admit it. Annabelle Lassiter was downright pretty. But that momentary admiration was all it could be.

      “But that does leave me in a bind.” Frank put his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “I now need to make arrangements with another store to get supplies for our ministry. As members of our church, the Jessups gave us a good discount.”

      “Oh.” This time, when her face fell, Joseph immediately felt guilty. He hadn’t meant to bring grief to them or their ministry.

      The false cheer Joseph was used to seeing on Annabelle’s face filled Frank’s. “It’s all right. The Lord will provide. And since I haven’t had the pleasure of getting to know Mr. Taylor, perhaps it’s about time I did so. He belongs to the new church across town, but God’s children are all God’s children, right?”

      Annabelle nodded slowly.

      Frank turned to Joseph. “While I’m conducting business with Mr. Taylor, I hope I can trust you to stay close to Annabelle and Nugget. Though I’ve also heard good things about Taylor’s, I’d feel better knowing they had some protection until we’ve experienced it for ourselves.”

      Annabelle gave a small but ladylike grunt, and Frank shot her a look. Joseph couldn’t help but grin as he watched the tiny rebellion cross her face. The independent woman didn’t like it one bit, but she’d obey.

      Joseph held up an arm. “Ladies?”

      Though Annabelle took it, he could feel the glower come all the way from her face down through her gloved hand to his arm. Some might call it unladylike, but he appreciated the feisty woman who very clearly knew her own mind.

      They walked into the store, and Joseph noticed how Nugget still clung to Annabelle’s skirts.

      “Are you all right?” He ruffled his sister’s hair with his free hand.

      She looked up at him, wide-eyed. “Uh-huh. That lady was mean, but Annabelle showed her.” Then she looked at Annabelle, like she believed more in Annabelle than she did in him.

      “What if they’re mean to us here?”

      The already proper woman straightened even more. “Then we’ll find another store. And we’ll keep trying until we find someone who will treat us with respect.”

      Annabelle’s conviction shamed Joseph. With all the places that had turned them away, he’d taken Nugget and slinked away with his tail between his legs. If they had refused Annabelle, she probably would have given them the what-for.

      “Thank you.” He turned and looked at Annabelle.

      She looked confused. “For what?”

      Joseph nodded his head toward his sister. “You treat her with dignity.”

      Her face colored,