Capturing the Cook Read online

  “There’s plenty of work to go around Creede, assuming you accept the risks that go along with it,” Ned said.

  “Risks?” Philip asked.

  Ashleigh felt the same sense of uneasiness she’d felt in the woods come over her. She decided it was time to go to bed. “Good night,” Ashleigh called to Becky, Ned, and her cousins.

  “Please let me know if you need anything at all,” Becky said. Ashleigh smiled gratefully.

  At the top of the stairs, Ashleigh was surprised to see an older gentleman. Becky had said that all of the other guests were asleep at this hour. “Excuse me,” Ashleigh said as he stepped aside to let her pass.

  “Well, I’m glad you made it, even if you are much later than expected!” The old man frowned at her. Ashleigh was reminded of a time when she and Gilbert had been reprimanded for sneaking a cake out of her aunt’s kitchen. Uncle William had said he was disappointed in them and expected better from his family. Ashleigh had never stolen anything again. But who was this mysterious man, and why was he acting like he knew who she was?

  “Excuse me?” Ashleigh asked. Perhaps this gentleman was confused. He did seem to be elderly.

  “It should all work out fine as long as you go to Graham’s Grub tomorrow, first thing in the morning. Do you understand, Ashleigh?” the man asked, looking very intense.

  Ashleigh felt like she might be sick. How did this man know her name? She looked around for one of her cousins, but they were all downstairs by the fire. “How do you know my name? Who are you?”

  The old man sighed wearily. “We don’t have time for that, Ashleigh! Just do as I say.”

  Now the old man reminded her of William, her bossiest cousin. William always thought he knew what was best for everyone.

  “With all due respect, sir, I don’t know who you are or how you know my name.” Ashleigh had always been taught to be polite and respectful of her elders, but this seemed highly unusual.

  “Bit drafty in here, isn’t it?” the old man complained, crossing his arms. “Not that it bothers me at all, but I should think the owners would want to make their guests comfortable!” He clucked his tongue in dismay.

  “Excuse me, sir, I’d like to retire to my room now.” All Ashleigh wanted to do was fall onto the bed, close her eyes, and rest. Every inch of her was aching, and she found her patience was running low.

  “Be there tomorrow at nine o’clock. Graham’s Grub,” the man commanded, giving her orders as a boss would an employee.

  “I’m afraid I don’t understand—” Ashleigh wondered if she was so tired that she was dreaming the entire odd conversation.

  “You don’t have to understand! You need to be there because that’s when he’ll be there. Good night!” With that outburst, the man spun around and disappeared into the hallway. Ashleigh didn’t hear or see any of the doors open, but he must have opened one and gone into his room. That was the only explanation. Men didn’t disappear into thin air.

  Ashleigh shook her head. She would have to tell Gilbert about this in the morning. Maybe William had the right idea in wanting to get out of Creede as soon as possible. She found the room at the end of the hallway that Becky had showed her earlier and opened the door. Everything was just as she had left it—her small valise on the chair, her hairbrush on the dresser, and her sweater hanging up on the coatrack. Ashleigh quickly prepared for bed and blew out the candle she had carried upstairs. She slid underneath the covers and prepared for what she hoped was a good night’s rest.

  When Ashleigh awoke, sunlight streamed through the windows of the small, tidy room. She climbed out of bed and stretched. For some reason, the words of the strange old man from the night before played over and over again in her head. He had seemed so insistent that she go to a place called Graham’s Grub. Even stranger, he had known her name. Then again, Ashleigh reasoned, perhaps he had overheard her give her name to Becky as they made arrangements to stay for the evening.

  Ashleigh tried to clear her mind of the mysterious old man and quickly dressed for the day. She anticipated that William would want to get an early start. To her surprise, when she walked down into the boardinghouse’s dining area, William was nowhere to be found. He was an early riser. Ashleigh frowned. She hoped William hadn’t fallen ill. She didn’t know if she could handle that on top of everything else.

  Ashleigh spotted Gilbert and rushed over to him. “Good morning, Gil.”

  “Morning, Ashleigh!” Gilbert flashed his normal big, silly smile, and Ashleigh felt reassured.

  “Where are your brothers?” Ashleigh looked around the dining room. She didn’t see Philip either.

  “Ned told us last night that there’s ample work in the Creede mines. The work is grueling, but the pay is more than double our wages when we worked for Father,” Gilbert told his cousin. “William and Philip went to see if they can work in the mines. I’m going to join them, but I wanted to stay here until you woke up so you wouldn’t think that we had abandoned you!”

  Ashleigh was taken aback by this turn of events. She hadn’t expected any of her cousins to want to stay in this town for any longer than an evening. She wasn’t sure what she wanted either. While she was excited to finally arrive in California and begin her new life there, she also had been struck by Colorado’s wild beauty as they traveled. Maybe staying in Creede for a few weeks wouldn’t be so bad. “What do you think about all this?”

  Gilbert shrugged. “I’m looking forward to California, but we don’t have much money. If we can get well-paying jobs here, I like the idea of staying until we have enough to buy some land out in California.”

  Ashleigh nodded. “That makes sense.” But what will I do? Ashleigh wondered. Her cousins would be busy for hours with work. How would she fill her days in a town where she knew not a single soul?

  Gilbert smiled again. “I’m so glad to hear that. I know you’ve been through a lot the past few weeks. Thanks for understanding.” Gilbert squeezed Ashleigh’s shoulder as he wolfed down the last few bites of fried eggs. When he’d finished, he hopped to his feet and hurried out the door.

  Ashleigh could tell he was thrilled about the prospect of making a wage again. Without her father and uncle working, she knew they had struggled to pay the bills on time and fulfill their obligations. When they’d finally sold the ranch, most of the money went toward paying the men who had worked on the ranch or the debtors her father and uncle owed money to. Ashleigh had even had to part with her mother’s jewelry collection.

  Becky Bowen walked up to Ashleigh, her baby on her hip. “Are you feeling all right, honey?”

  Ashleigh nodded. “I think I’m just having a hard time adjusting to my life now that I don’t have a home.”

  Becky bit her lip. “Your cousins shared with me that your parents recently passed. I’m very sorry for your loss.”

  “Thank you,” Ashleigh replied.

  “Now, what can I get you to eat? You’re probably starving after the journey you’ve had.” Becky gestured around her at the other boardinghouse guests. “I like to take care of the people who stay here. I’m only working here until Mrs. Franklin returns from caring for her son, but it’s good to be back. I helped her after my fiancé died.”

  “Oh no, I wouldn’t want to trouble you. Why don’t I help you in the kitchen?” Ashleigh suggested.

  Becky looked around. “No, I couldn’t ask you to do that!”

  “It would be no trouble. It would make me feel better to contribute,” Ashleigh explained.

  “I don’t know . . .” Becky seemed unsure.

  Ashleigh laughed. “I promise you, you’re doing me a favor if you let me help.” Sitting idle was not something Ashleigh had ever been able to do.

  Becky smiled. “All right then, if you insist.” Becky took Ashleigh to the small kitchen near the back of the boardinghouse. “We usually make eggs for the late risers. Most of the men in town work in the mines, so they get up early. But for those who don’t, we keep things simple—eggs and a little bacon. To
ast with yesterday’s fresh bread.”

  Ashleigh nodded. “I can handle that.”

  Becky showed her where the pots and pans were, and Ashleigh greased one of the pans, preparing to cook eggs.

  Ashleigh couldn’t stop thinking about the strange man who had known her name. “Is one of the late risers an older gentleman with white hair, and he’s a bit . . .I’m not sure how to say this . . .cranky?” Ashleigh asked.

  Becky furrowed her brow. “Hm. Let me think about that.”

  Just then, an older woman rushed into the kitchen, wringing her hands. “I’ve spilled my tea everywhere! Can you get me a rag?” the woman asked frantically.

  Becky handed her a rag, and she disappeared again. “Oh, poor Mrs. Culpepper. She’s not the same after her husband passed,” Becky confided. “I really should go and help clean up. Are you okay in here?”

  “Yes, I am.” Despite the chaos, Ashleigh smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. Frying eggs in a kitchen felt relaxing and normal. If she didn’t think too hard, she could forget about all the troubles of the past few months and the fact that she was basically alone in a strange new town. She didn’t have to worry about money, her cousins, or her future. She could just focus on the eggs.

  By the time Becky came back into the kitchen, the baby still on her hip, Ashleigh had finished frying the eggs. Becky slid them onto a plate and handed them to Ashleigh. “Would you like to serve them? You did all the work!”

  “Sure,” Ashleigh said. She took the eggs out into the dining area. Two other older women had joined Mrs. Culpepper and reassured the woman as she sipped the new mug of tea Becky had prepared. Ashleigh offered the women eggs, and each of them thanked her as she scooped some onto their plates.

  Ashleigh looked around for the man she had seen the night before, but he was nowhere to be found. She thought he must still be sleeping. She went back into the kitchen. “What else can I help with?”

  Becky dried her hands off on a towel. “That’s about it for breakfast. You’re a good worker. I wish we had more business so we could offer you a job!”

  Ashleigh’s eyes lit up. “Do you think there’s anywhere around here that I could work? I feel so useless, not doing anything all day while my cousins are working in the mine.”

  Becky said, “You should try Graham’s. One of their workers was recently married and stopped working in the kitchen.”

  Ashleigh thought that sounded familiar, but she wasn’t sure why.

  “Graham’s Grub,” Becky added. “It’s not too far from here.”

  Ashleigh realized why the name sounded familiar. Graham’s Grub was the exact place that the grumpy old man had told her to go! She looked at the clock on the wall. It was approaching eight forty-five. While she’d had no intention of following the man’s instructions—she had assumed he was just losing his mind—now she was torn. What was the harm in going to Graham’s Grub and seeing if they would offer her a job?

  “Thank you,” Ashleigh told Becky. “I think I’ll do that.”

  After getting directions to Graham’s Grub, Ashleigh put her sweater on before venturing outside. The morning air was cool and crisp. Ashleigh inhaled the scent of the pine trees that lined the streets of Creede. She noticed there weren’t many people outside, and when she did see others, they were almost always men. She made a note to ask Becky about that.

  True to Becky’s word, Graham’s Grub was only a few blocks away from the boardinghouse. It was a large building with a pretty exterior, and Ashleigh immediately felt at home once she stepped inside.

  “How can I help you?” A pretty young woman smiled at her.

  “I’m here to apply for a job,” Ashleigh said shyly.

  The young woman grinned. “Are you Ashleigh Steepleton?”

  Ashleigh’s jaw dropped open. How did everyone in this town know her name? She was starting to think there were spies hidden behind every tree!

  The woman saw Ashleigh’s discomfort and smiled, touching her arm reassuringly. “I’m sorry if I surprised you! My name is Patience Jackson. I believe you met my husband, John, last evening. He told me that the men he met had a cousin who was about my age. When I saw you—I knew it had to be you!”

  Ashleigh sighed. That made perfect sense. “Oh, I see.”

  Patience chuckled. “We don’t get many new women in town, so I’m glad you’re here. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I hope we become good friends.”

  “You as well,” Ashleigh said, remembering her manners.

  Patience gestured toward doors at the back of the room. “Follow me right this way. I’ll talk to my parents about a job for you.”

  “Your parents?” Ashleigh’s mind was reeling from all the new information. Her life had changed so dramatically within a matter of weeks. She was having a hard time keeping up. I wonder what Patience would say if I asked for a pen and paper, so I could take notes.

  “Oh, yes. My maiden name is Graham, as in, Graham’s Grub. My parents are the owners,” Patience said easily. She pushed through the doors, and Ashleigh followed her into a bright sunlit kitchen. Men and women worked in long, narrow rows, preparing food and cooking it on a large stove. A tall, older man sat in a desk, going over a ledger of numbers, while a woman, about the same age, stood over his shoulder. Just beyond the woman’s shoulder, Ashleigh saw the most handsome man she’d ever seen in her life. Her heart skipped a beat as she watched him.

  Wearing a white chef’s coat, he carried a bag of lemons and was taking each one out of the bag and inspecting it for what seemed like a very long time. Ashleigh’s breath caught in her throat as she took in his dark features, strong jawline, and white teeth. She wondered who he was and what had brought him to this town in the middle of Colorado. She hoped she would find a chance to ask him.

  “Mother, Father, this is Ashleigh Steepleton. She’s traveling with her cousins, and they’ve stopped in Creede on their way to California,” Patience said by way of introduction.

  Ashleigh nodded respectfully to Patience’s parents. “Pleased to meet you.”

  Mr. Graham stood up from his desk and walked over to clasp her hand. “The pleasure is all mine.” Mrs. Graham followed and embraced Ashleigh warmly.

  Ashleigh gathered up her courage. “I was told that you might have a job for me here. I cooked on my family’s ranch growing up—my cousins could vouch for me. I’d love to do any job you have for me here.”

  Mr. Graham’s eyes danced with amusement. “I appreciate a young woman who doesn’t mind a hard day’s work! We do have a position available, helping out in our kitchen every day before lunch and dinner. You could start as early as today, if you wanted.”

  “Thank you, sir. I won’t let you down!” Ashleigh exclaimed. “I would like to start today, if that’s possible.”

  “Wonderful. I’ll show you around the kitchen.” Mrs. Graham smiled.

  Mr. Graham and Patience went back to work as Mrs. Graham showed Ashleigh around the kitchen. She introduced her to almost all of the staff, but the handsome man she’d seen before had disappeared. She was disappointed not to get to meet him immediately.

  Finally, as Mrs. Graham was showing Ashleigh around the back of the restaurant, they ran into him. “Alexander!” Mrs. Graham called out. “Meet Ashleigh Steepleton. She’ll be helping out in your kitchen. Ashleigh, this is Alexander Pierce, our head chef.”

  Ashleigh felt like she was going to melt into the ground as she looked up at Alexander. He simply nodded at her and continued on his way to the kitchen. Ashleigh felt disappointment seep throughout her body.

  Mrs. Graham simply shook her head, laughing. “Alexander’s a man of few words. He’s an excellent cook, however.”

  “I look forward to working with him and with all of you,” Ashleigh said, feeling indebted to the Grahams for giving her a chance. They didn’t even know her, yet they’d immediately offered her the chance to work for them. She was appreciative of such a generous and welcoming family. Ashleigh felt a pang as she thought of her own pare
nts. She knew she needed to move on, but it was hard, especially at times like these, when she saw people like Patience who had such a strong relationship with her parents. It made her miss her parents, as well as her aunt and uncle, even more than she had.

  Ashleigh sighed. She needed to pull it together.

  “Is everything all right?” Mrs. Graham asked, concerned.

  “Yes, I’m fine!” Ashleigh assured her. The last thing she wanted to do was make a poor impression on her first day. “What can I do to help?”

  Mrs. Graham asked Ashleigh to peel potatoes for one of the dishes for that evening’s supper. Ashleigh sat on a stool in one of the corners of the kitchen and peeled for what seemed like hours. Around lunchtime, Patience brought her a bowl of hot soup. “Don’t forget to eat!”

  “Thank you,” Ashleigh replied gratefully. Patience had a bowl of soup for herself as well. They took their lunch outside and sat at a small picnic table outside the restaurant. “Your town is very lovely.”

  “Thanks,” Patience said quickly, but her expression was clouded.

  “What’s wrong? Have I said something to upset you?” Ashleigh asked.

  “I shouldn’t be telling you this,” Patience said. “But Creede has had some problems in the past. Recently, several women were kidnapped. Fortunately, they were returned to their homes alive, but there have been other scary incidents and attacks.”

  “Attacks?” Suddenly, Ashleigh wasn’t so sure about her cousins’ decision to stay in Creede. It sounded dangerous.

  “I don’t mean to worry you!” Patience exclaimed. “I hope everything’s done now. I hope the criminals are far away. But . . .”

  “But what?” Ashleigh had to know what Patience meant.

  “There are rumors that some of the town officials are friendly with some of the criminals,” Patience told Ashleigh.

  Ashleigh took in a deep breath as she considered this. “Did they ever catch the men who took the women?”