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you’re going to be around for a while.”
    The warmth in his tone emboldened Melanie to speak with more confidence than she felt. “Thank you, Mr. Blake. I hope to be here for quite some time.”
    Caleb Nelson’s frown deepened. He opened his mouth as if to speak when the rancher turned to leave, but he was interrupted by the door swinging inward again, this time to admit a short woman of about fifty, nearly as wide as she was tall. Strands of graying hair had escaped her bun, and the loose tendrils danced around her head.
    The storekeeper stepped around the counter. “How may I help you, Mrs. Fetterman?”
    Melanie cleared her throat. “Mr. Nelson, ignoring me will not make me go away. I need to discuss this matter with your—”
    The irritating man brushed past her as if he hadn’t heard a word.
    The woman smiled. “I’ll be fine, Caleb. You go ahead and tend to this young lady. She was here before me, after all. I’ll just browse along the shelves while I’m waiting.”
    Mr. Nelson rounded on Melanie with a harried expression.
    “Thank you.” Melanie nodded her appreciation for the other woman’s courtesy. When her reluctant host seemed inclined to go tend to his customer anyway, Melanie stepped directly into his path, blocking the way so he couldn’t continue forward without walking right over her. “As I was saying—”
    The bell jangled again. Melanie twisted around to glare at the infernal instrument as a young man and woman entered the store. While her attention was thus diverted, Mr. Nelson managed to elude the blockade she’d created and dodged around her to greet the newcomers. “Mr. and Mrs. Henderson! What can I do for you?”
    The couple motioned him over to the side. “We need to order a few things,” the man said. He gave a quick glance at Melanie and lowered his voice. “Baby things.”
    His wife looked down at the floor and blushed.
    Caleb clapped the father-to-be on the shoulder. “My congratulations on the happy news. Let me pull out a couple of catalogs. I’d be glad to go over them with you.”
    Melanie let her breath out in an exasperated huff. At this rate, it would take all afternoon for her to get more than twosentences spoken at once. No telling how long it would be before she’d have another opportunity to send Mr. Nelson for his uncle. And as busy as the store was, why wasn’t the uncle there taking care of things?
    On the other hand, if this afternoon was any indication of their usual level of business, it shouldn’t be hard to persuade Alvin Nelson that her help was needed in the store. With all her heart, she hoped his demeanor in person would reflect the kindly tone of his letter, and that he wouldn’t take an unwarranted dislike to her as his nephew seemed to have done. He had to let her stay, he simply had to. The thought of being set adrift on her own was unbearable.
    She glanced over at the heavyset woman, who was now sorting through an array of small bottles. Perhaps this was a heaven-sent chance to prove her worth.
    Stowing her carpetbag behind the counter, she crossed the smooth wooden planks to the far end of the store. “Is there anything I can do to help you?”
    Merry blue eyes squinted at Melanie through thick spectacles. “Would you be a dear and read this label for me? My eyes aren’t what they used to be, and I can’t always read this tiny print.” She held up a bottle, indicating the large red letters at the top of the label.
    Melanie looked at the bold print and swallowed. Tiny?
    The gray-haired woman tapped the bottle with her forefinger. “Is this Dr. Bell’s anti-pain remedy?”
    Melanie looked at the bottle, then back at her myopic customer. “Oh no, ma’am. What you’re holding is Dr. LeGear’s—” she glanced at the rest of the label and lowered her voice—“flatulence remedy for horses.”
    Instead of showing the slightest trace of embarrassment,the woman exploded into gales of laughter. “My, oh my. I could have sworn this is