Fool's Gold

Chapter 1 – A Rose is a Rose

It had been a miserable trip from St. Joe to Carson City. Normally he would have made it by horseback but he had no desire to spend that much time alone on a horse. At least not right now. So he endured a cross country stagecoach ride with a never ending stream of salesmen and church ladies. One was out to sell him something, the other to change his 'wicked, wicked ways.' He wasn't buying and he wasn't converting.

On the last day of the journey he was finally alone. Blessed peace. At least until he got to Virginia City and the coach made a mail stop. That's when the prettiest young lady he'd seen in quite a while got on. She reminded him of his 'sister' just by her stature; she was almost a foot shorter than him. Beautiful porcelain skin, eyes that seemed to change from green to gray, long, chocolate hair that fell in waves down her back. And a face and figure to die for. He tipped his hat immediately and introduced himself. "Hello, my name is Bart Maverick. Are you going to Carson City?"

"Yes, sir, I am." The voice was perfect, soft and low, with a patrician air to it. When no further information was offered he looked for a wedding ring. There was none. Things were looking up. She had a book in her hand and he saw the title – 'Roughing It', by Mark Twain. Interesting reading for an obviously cultured young woman. "Gotten very far in your book?"

"No, sir, I just started it." She set the book down on the seat next to her and extended her hand, which was covered in a very proper glove. "I'm Rose Garrett. I'm going to meet my father. He's waiting for me in Carson City."

He kissed the back of her hand. "You're Anderson Garrett's daughter?"

"Yes, sir," she answered. "Do you know my father?"

Know Anderson? He was the very person who'd sent Bart a telegram, begging him to come to Nevada. Something to do with a problem child. Was Rose the problem? She certainly wasn't a child. "Yes, I do. Miss Garrett. Quite well, as a matter of fact."

"Oh my. Have I misspoken? Are you the gentleman my father told me was coming to visit?"

Bart almost laughed but decided it wouldn't be polite. He was sure that Anderson had talked about him, but he doubted if the term 'gentleman' arose in the conversation. Of course, Anderson had his own ideas about things and most likely did consider him a gentleman. Especially if this was the 'problem child' that his friend was concerned about. Rose was certainly a beautiful problem to have. 'No, you haven't misspoken, and I am the person coming to visit." Bart deliberately left the term 'gentleman' out of his answer. Rose could make that decision for herself.

She blushed quite prettily. "I am embarrassed. I intended to be at home before you arrived. I was unexpectedly delayed and had to take a later coach. Thus my late appearance."

"I find no fault with your appearance, Miss Garrett." Either her late arrival or the way she looked. "As a matter of fact, I'm quite pleased that you're my traveling companion. You're much more pleasant company than the people I was riding with before." He thought back to some of the church ladies and suppressed a small chuckle. Of course, Rose might not feel any differently than they did when she learned that he was another of 'those awful gamblers,' just like her father.

"Why, what was wrong with them?"

How to explain trying to convince someone hell-bent on showing you the error of your ways that you'd already seen the error of your ways and preferred them? Better not try until he knew and understood Miss Garrett much better. "Let's just say my opinions were at odds with theirs."

"In other words, they wanted to turn you into something you are not."

Very astute. "Yes, Miss Garrett, that's exactly what they wanted."

"I've found that does not always work out for the best in life, Mr. Maverick."

"Please, call me Bart."

"I've no doubt, Bart, that's exactly what my father wants you to do to me."

"I beg your pardon?"

Rose smiled a little sly smile and her eyes twinkled. "Didn't my father beg you to come visit us?"

Ah, now they were playing verbal poker. "I wouldn't use the term 'beg.'"

"Nevertheless, he asked you to come visit so that he could solve a very acute problem – namely, me."

He didn't owe her an explanation but he thought best to give her one anyway. "I was spending time with your father in New Orleans over a year ago when I was called away on urgent family business. He wanted me to finish my visit. That's all."

"Urgent business in St. Joe?"

"No, Montana."

"But you just came from St. Joe."

"Yes, that's where I was when I got his telegram."

"Pardon my inquisitiveness, but how did you get from Montana to St. Joe?"

"By way of New Mexico. It's a long story that I won't bore you with."

"Please, by all means, bore me. We've a long ride."

'Okay, Bart, you got yourself into this. Now get yourself out.' He seemed to be having more and more conversations with himself these days. "I was injured in Montana. I went to recuperate with a friend. She needed to travel to St. Joe on business, so I went along." It was a little more complicated than that; when Samantha was involved it always was.

She laughed at his explanation. "I noticed you said the magic word. 'She.' Thus ends my curiosity."

"Oh, no, it's not what you think. I've known Samantha for a long time." The look she gave him told him she still didn't understand. "She is my wife's cousin."

Rose got very quiet, wondering if she'd hit a sore spot. "You're married?"

"I was. She's . . . . . gone."

"I'm so sorry. Was it recent?"

No, it just feels like yesterday. "A while back."

"And you're still traveling?"

"What else would I do?"

"Oh, I don't know, find a spot and stay there."

Was this part of Anderson's problem? His daughter wanted him to settle down? "Nope, not a good idea. Us Mavericks are noted for our wanderlust. None of us can stay in one place too long."

She looked at him expectantly. "There are more of you? How many?"

"My Pappy, my Uncle Ben, my brother Bret, my cousin Beau, and my sister, Jody. Well, Jody is sort of an adopted sister."

"My. And none of you is settled?"

"Well, Pappy and Ben live in Texas. They still travel around, but not as much. Jody and Beau are in Montana, I don't know for how long. And Brother Bret is . . . . let's see, where was he the last time I checked? In San Francisco, I believe."

She shook her head in disbelief. "They're scattered all over!"

"Yes, ma'am, they are. But we always seem to find each other if we're needed."

"I hate traveling. I can't imagine picking up and going all the time."

"And I can't imagine staying in one place."

"Have you ever given it any thought?"

Always present, Caroline crossed his mind. "Once."

"With your wife?" she asked.

"Yes." That 'let's change the topic of discussion' tone was in his voice. "So tell me, Miss Garrett, how is your father?"

"Rose, please. Father is the same as always. Happy, healthy, busy. No time for anything unless its name is poker. Or supper." She laughed at her little joke. Anderson Garrett did enjoy fine food. And fine wine. And fine cigars. And fine women. Bart wondered how much Rose knew about her father's vices.

"Does he still own the ranch in Carson City?"

"Oh yes, although I don't know why. He's hardly ever around anymore. Of course, with you coming to visit he's been there quite a bit."

"And he didn't go with you to Virginia City?" He was surprised that Anderson would let any daughter of his, much less one this beautiful, out of his sight.

"No, I was only gone a day. I had to visit the bank that holds my mother's estate." Anderson's wife had died some years back; she was rather wealthy and left everything to their daughter. That was fine with Anderson. It freed him to live life by his own rules and not have to worry about 'providing.'

Bart smiled at her and she was surprised by the warmth and sincerity in his smile. And for the first time since climbing into the coach she looked at him. Really looked at him. Dark hair and dark eyes, tall and thin, graceful and vulnerable at the same time. The whole coach lit up when he smiled.

But there was pain in his eyes, too, and it fascinated her. How had he been injured? How had he lost his wife? She foresaw a long talk with her father in her future. She wanted to know more about this Bart Maverick.