Read Online I do, I do, I do by Maggie Osborne - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Maggie Osborne
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straw hat trimmed with cloth daisies held Zoe's abundant black hair in place. She wore a snowy summer shirtwaist with a black ribbon at the throat and a dark skirt that appeared freshly brushed and ironed. Her snapping blue eyes were not as soulful or melting as Juliette's nor was her skin as glowing and fine as Clara's, but many heads turned to follow her progress.
Before a waiter could rush to assist her, Zoe pulled out a chair at Juliette's table. "Clara, come over here."
"If you want to speak to me, the two of you can come to my table."
Zoe's eyes narrowed, and she muttered something about being childish, then she motioned Juliette to her feet and they moved to Clara's table.
Juliette detested Clara's triumphant smile. She caught the waiter's eye and ordered fresh coffee for the three of them and then fixed a look on Clara. "Since we're at
your
table,
you'll
be charged for the coffee," she mentioned in a steely sweet voice. "I'm sure you won't mind since sitting here is
your
demand."
Clara ignored her, turning to Zoe. "This is certainly a surprise. I believe you said you couldn't stand us and never wanted to see us again. Correct me if I'm mistaken, but didn't you shout this as you were ordering us out of your rooms?"
"And I meant every word. I think we can agree that we hate each other and with good reason," Zoe stated in a businesslike tone. "But hating each other needn't prevent us from doing the smart thing." She nodded to the waiter as he placed a cup and saucer before her, then watched Juliette take a sip. She, too, extended her little finger, then made a sound of disgust and set her cup back in the saucer with a hard rattle.
Juliette watched with interest. Zoe Wilder was not a lady and never would be, nor was Clara. Jean Jacques had made only one marriage worthy of him. "And what do you consider the smart thing?" she inquired.
"Most outfits run between eight hundred and a thousand pounds," Zoe explained, leaning forward and looking back and forth between them. "If we travel as a common party, we can eliminate duplications. That will bring down the poundage and make moving our goods more manageable. But we can't omit anything essential because we could get stuck up there. That's possible, even likely, since we're leaving very late in the year."
Juliette stared, feeling the start of a headache behind her eyes. "What in the name of heaven are you talking about?" She knew as sure as she was sitting here that she was going to despise the answer.
Clara frowned as understanding dawned. "I take it you're suggesting that we all go to Alaska?"
Surprise lifted Zoe's eyebrows. "Isn't that what you intended to do? You said you were going to find Jean Jacques."
Clara stared into space for a moment, then slowly nodded. "
Ja
. That's exactly what I intend to do."
"It is not," Juliette objected. "You were going to wait here for my—for our—" She threw up her hands. "For Jean Jacques to return to Seattle."
"This is a better plan." Clara stared at her.
The air rushed out of Juliette's chest, and she thought her heart would pound right through her rib cage. "Me? Us? Travel to the Yukon?" She gasped. She couldn't believe they were serious. "Do decent women go to the gold fields?"
"More do than you might suppose," Zoe answered. "It's not common for women to join the stampeders, but it isn't rare, either." Her gaze traveled over Juliette in critical appraisal. "Frankly, I don't think you should go. Clara looks strong enough to withstand the rigors of the journey, and I've worked hard all my life. But you don't appear fit or strong enough to undertake a difficult and demanding trek."
Juliette reared back in her chair, a burst of anger sending hot streaks across her cheeks. "If the two of you can go to the Yukon, then so can I!" They were not going to find her husband without her. "I'm going!" She could not believe what she was saying. Hearing the words made her feel sick to her stomach.
"We'll camp in a tent after
Before a waiter could rush to assist her, Zoe pulled out a chair at Juliette's table. "Clara, come over here."
"If you want to speak to me, the two of you can come to my table."
Zoe's eyes narrowed, and she muttered something about being childish, then she motioned Juliette to her feet and they moved to Clara's table.
Juliette detested Clara's triumphant smile. She caught the waiter's eye and ordered fresh coffee for the three of them and then fixed a look on Clara. "Since we're at
your
table,
you'll
be charged for the coffee," she mentioned in a steely sweet voice. "I'm sure you won't mind since sitting here is
your
demand."
Clara ignored her, turning to Zoe. "This is certainly a surprise. I believe you said you couldn't stand us and never wanted to see us again. Correct me if I'm mistaken, but didn't you shout this as you were ordering us out of your rooms?"
"And I meant every word. I think we can agree that we hate each other and with good reason," Zoe stated in a businesslike tone. "But hating each other needn't prevent us from doing the smart thing." She nodded to the waiter as he placed a cup and saucer before her, then watched Juliette take a sip. She, too, extended her little finger, then made a sound of disgust and set her cup back in the saucer with a hard rattle.
Juliette watched with interest. Zoe Wilder was not a lady and never would be, nor was Clara. Jean Jacques had made only one marriage worthy of him. "And what do you consider the smart thing?" she inquired.
"Most outfits run between eight hundred and a thousand pounds," Zoe explained, leaning forward and looking back and forth between them. "If we travel as a common party, we can eliminate duplications. That will bring down the poundage and make moving our goods more manageable. But we can't omit anything essential because we could get stuck up there. That's possible, even likely, since we're leaving very late in the year."
Juliette stared, feeling the start of a headache behind her eyes. "What in the name of heaven are you talking about?" She knew as sure as she was sitting here that she was going to despise the answer.
Clara frowned as understanding dawned. "I take it you're suggesting that we all go to Alaska?"
Surprise lifted Zoe's eyebrows. "Isn't that what you intended to do? You said you were going to find Jean Jacques."
Clara stared into space for a moment, then slowly nodded. "
Ja
. That's exactly what I intend to do."
"It is not," Juliette objected. "You were going to wait here for my—for our—" She threw up her hands. "For Jean Jacques to return to Seattle."
"This is a better plan." Clara stared at her.
The air rushed out of Juliette's chest, and she thought her heart would pound right through her rib cage. "Me? Us? Travel to the Yukon?" She gasped. She couldn't believe they were serious. "Do decent women go to the gold fields?"
"More do than you might suppose," Zoe answered. "It's not common for women to join the stampeders, but it isn't rare, either." Her gaze traveled over Juliette in critical appraisal. "Frankly, I don't think you should go. Clara looks strong enough to withstand the rigors of the journey, and I've worked hard all my life. But you don't appear fit or strong enough to undertake a difficult and demanding trek."
Juliette reared back in her chair, a burst of anger sending hot streaks across her cheeks. "If the two of you can go to the Yukon, then so can I!" They were not going to find her husband without her. "I'm going!" She could not believe what she was saying. Hearing the words made her feel sick to her stomach.
"We'll camp in a tent after
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