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“Good morning, Mrs. DuMont.”
“Good morning, Mr. DuMont,” she replied in return while scooting up in the bed.
“I was hoping you’d wake up soon.” He hoisted a tray off the table. “I had breakfast delivered, and it’s getting cold.”
“You and your three meals a day.” Pointing to the tray, she said, “You can leave that on the table, but you can join me.”
It was an hour before they ate a very cold breakfast, and after reading the newspaper, Maddie had to hurry through a bath in order to make her way downstairs to inform the manager that Homer—bird or not—would be celebrating Christmas in the hotel. She also ordered a rather lavish meal to be delivered to their suite at four o’clock and then told the man there would be several visitors coming that day and that he was to see them escorted up directly upon their arrival.
Trig, Robbie and the minister arrived first, and upon listening to her story, all three were set to hear her entire proposal to assist the girls that had been rescued from Mad Dog—and men like him.
Their involvement solidified her plan. When Ilene arrived and Maddie explained why she’d asked her to the hotel, Ilene cried. And again when Maddie assured Trig would speak with Mrs. Smother and that she would speak to the mayor if Ilene was uncomfortable turning in her resignation in order to start looking for her siblings immediately.
Ilene and the minister were invited to stay for the afternoon, and when Marshal Wyman arrived, he, too, agreed to assist, and pledged to inform the judge of how Maddie’s reward money was to be spent. The holiday celebration turned into the most joyous affair Maddie had ever attended. Then again, Homer had a knack for making affairs festive and entertained everyone by the mess he made of opening his Christmas gift—a bag of raisins.
It was late when everyone left, and Maddie sat down on one of the sofas.
“Tired?” Lucky asked.
“Happy,” she said, smiling up at him.
He sat down next to her and placed an arm around her shoulders. “So what are our plans after we travel to Colorado to buy headstones for Smitty and your father?”
She glanced his way, not quite believing he was leaving their plans up to her. “We’ll go to New Orleans, to see your family.”
“What then?” he asked.
“You won’t want to stay there?”
“Will you?”
Maddie frowned. “What about your grandmother, the rebuilding of DuMont Shipping?”
“My grandmother is a very independent woman.” Lucky withdrew a piece of paper from his pocket. “This arrived earlier. It’s a telegram from her, thanking me for the money, and telling us to visit when we can, but to never stop living our own lives.” He unfolded the note and read, “‘Because of you, DuMont Shipping will rise to its glory again and always be here, I’ll see to that. You keep seeking your adventures. It’s what you were born to do.’”
“I think I’m going to like your grandmother,” Maddie said.
“I know she’ll like you.” Lucky set the note aside. “So where do you want to go? Where do you want to build that big house?”
Nibbling on her bottom lip, Maddie lifted her hand and gazed at the solid gold band on her finger. Twirling the ring with her thumb and middle finger of the opposite hand, she said, “I do believe this is the final piece of gold I’ll ever need.” She glanced up to see if Lucky was watching her. He was, and a familiar zing rippled her insides. “And I’m not so sure I want to build a house just yet, but how do you feel about diamonds?”
“Diamonds?” He shrugged and kissed the end of her nose. “If you want diamonds, I’ll buy you diamonds.”
She shook her head. “I don’t want you to buy them.”
“How else does one obtain diamonds?”
Stretching, she lifted the newspaper off the table. With her other hand she pointed to an article she’d read that morning. “Mine them. A man in Arkansas discovered diamonds on his property last month.”
“Really?”
A definite thrill shot up her spine at the excitement in his tone. “Yes, really.”
Cole leaned his head against the back of the sofa and let out a roar of a laugh. A happier man couldn’t possibly exist. He caught Maddie’s chin and gazed into her eyes. He couldn’t believe he was this lucky. This profoundly lucky. But he was.
“Diamonds?” he asked. “In Arkansas?”
With her black hair glistening in the lamplight and her ocean-blue eyes sparking, his adorable wife nodded her head.
