“I’ll be right back, Everett,” Ruby said over her shoulder, and she followed him out the door.
They were about halfway to the barn when he stopped and turned to look at her. “You don’t really need anything from the barn, do you?”
She shook her head. Her mouth was pressed into a thin line, and her fingers were curled into fists at her side. She looked at him for a moment, then started pacing back and forth in front of him. Cullen watched her, unsure what he should do or say. He finally decided to watch and wait. It seemed like the safest decision based on the ferocity of her expression.
She stopped and looked up at him. “How can a child not know what Christmas is?”
Cullen wasn’t sure how to answer, so he said nothing. He watched with interest as she started pacing again. He’d never seen a woman so angry before, it was like she was so mad she didn’t know what to do with herself. She stopped again and he tensed. While he knew she wasn’t mad at him, he still wasn’t sure what she was going to do. Bursting into tears was the last thing he expected.
“He d-didn’t even know he had a birthday, Cullen,” she cried. “Can you imagine? It’s like he was invisible to them. What kind of people would do that to a child?”
Cullen opened his mouth, but words failed him. He didn’t know what to say because he didn’t understand it either.
“How could I,” her breath hitched, “live so close and not know what was happening?”
He couldn’t stand seeing the pain in her eyes, and put his hand on Ruby’s shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. She flinched and he pulled his hand back like it had touched a hot coal.
“I’m sorry,” he said, taking a step back. “I wasn’t going to hurt you.”
The night air was cold and still. Cullen watched wisps of air come out of Ruby’s mouth as she struggled to get control of her breathing. The nearly full moon was just creeping over the barn. In any other situation, him being out here alone with a pretty woman might be considered romantic. But as he watched that pretty woman break down in front of him, he knew exactly why he’d been led here. To fix what was broken.
Cullen took a tentative step toward her. Her eyes met his and in them he saw embarrassment and shame. Her shoulders slumped and she lowered her head. He slowly lifted his hand until his fingers touched her chin. He gently lifted it up until their eyes met.
“Ruby, I don’t know what Cyrus did to you, but I’m guessing it wasn’t good.”
Ruby blinked as fresh tears poured out of her eyes. He could almost feel her pain. She tried to turn away, but he gently guided her head back until she was looking at him again.
“I’m not going to hurt you, Ruby,” he said. “I’ve done a lot of things in my life that I’m not proud of, but I’ve never laid hands on a woman, or a child. Not all men are like Cyrus.”
Her face crumpled and she started to cry. He pulled her into his arms, careful to keep the lantern a safe distance from her coat, and held her close. She buried her head in his shoulder and sobbed. He tried not to notice the way she fit perfectly in his arms, or the soft floral scent of her hair, but he couldn’t help himself. Stay. The word ran through his mind again, followed by an image of the sawmill. This time he didn’t push it aside.
Chapter Nine
Pastor Collins didn’t show up mid-week, like he said he would. Even a week later, every time Ruby heard a strange noise outside, she’d pull open the door and peer down the road, expecting to see his buggy. She’d allowed her egg basket to nearly overfill, but she’d avoided taking them to town for fear of running into him. She wasn’t sure what delayed his visit, but she knew it was only a matter of time before he came calling. Only a matter of time before Cullen would be on his way. Oh, Ruby knew he would leave eventually, but somewhere in the deepest, most private part of her soul, she hoped he would stay.
Cullen had kept himself busy working outside and in the barn. He’d been back and forth from Henzel’s several times. Ruby suspected he’d been using the sawmill to cut some of the boards he repaired the paddock fence with, as well as the hole she’d blown in the side of the barn the day he’d arrived. She’d thanked God several times since then for her poor aim. There was an easiness about Cullen that Ruby admired. It was like he accepted the day, no matter what fell in his path. They hadn’t talked about that night she’d broken down, but she felt like things between them had changed, if only just a little. She felt more comfortable around him.
Everett was starting to open up more too. After supper was cleaned up, Ruby would read him stories from the Bible. Cullen usually stayed to listen too, and seemed to enjoy hearing them. Everett particularly liked the story about Noah and the animals. He’d also started following Cullen around when he came home from school. Cullen didn’t seem to mind, but Ruby wondered if it was a good idea to let the child become too attached to him. She was mulling that over she heard the distinct sound of an approaching buggy. Her fingers went numb and her heart pounded in her chest. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and pulled the door open.
When she opened her eyes, Ruby was surprised to see that it wasn’t Pastor Collins’s buggy after all. She squinted her eyes and released a breath she hadn’t even been aware she was holding. It was Lotty Gruby, Isaac and Eliza’s mother. She couldn’t imagine why Mrs. Gruby would come to see her. Her stomach clenched. What if something had happened to Everett?
Cullen came out of the barn and also looked to see who was coming. He strode toward the house and stood next to Ruby. She wasn’t sure if he was being protective or curious, but either way, she didn’t mind.
“You expecting company?” he asked.
“No, that’s Isaac and Eliza’s ma, I don’t know why she’s here,” she glanced up at him, trying to gauge his expression. “You don’t think something happened to Everett, do you?”
Their eyes met for a moment before he turned back to the approaching buggy. “I don’t think so, she doesn’t look upset.”
Ruby looked at Mrs. Gruby more closely. Now that she was nearer, Ruby saw that Cullen was right. The woman was smiling, and she gave a little wave as she brought the buggy to a stop in front of the small house. Cullen went to give her a hand climbing down.
“Thank you,” Mrs. Gruby said, smiling broadly at Cullen. “Would you mind reaching behind the seat and handing me that basket?”
Cullen did as she asked and turned his attention to Ruby. “I’ll be getting back to work now, enjoy your visit,” he smiled warmly, holding her gaze for a bit longer than necessary before he turned and walked toward the barn. Ruby watched him until he disappeared inside, then turned to Mrs. Gruby. Her face grew hot as she realized she hadn’t even greeted the woman yet. She ran a hand across her hair, smoothing it back in place.
“I’m sorry,” she said, giving Mrs. Gruby a hesitant smile. “Would you like to come in? I can put a fresh pot of coffee on.”
Mrs. Gruby raised her eyebrows and grinned. “I’d like that very much.”
Ruby held the door open and let her in. Aside from when Altar brought the quilt when she’d first arrived in Last Chance, she couldn’t remember ever having a visitor at the farm. Cyrus didn’t want people in the house, and Ruby didn’t really have any friends. Did she? She thought about her visit with Faith and Altar. Were they friends? Could Lotty Gruby be a friend? The concept was as foreign to her as true love. It was something she’d read about, but never really experienced.
She put a fresh pot of coffee on the stove and sat at the table across from Mrs. Gruby. She looked to be only a few years older than Ruby, and nearly the same height, although Mrs. Gruby was considerably thicker around the middle. She had hair so dark it was nearly black, and bright blue eyes that twinkled in the light from the lantern. They sat in silence for a moment, and Ruby shifted uncomfortably in her chair. She didn’t know what to say, and could feel her cheeks turning red.
“I meant to come sooner,” Mrs. Gruby finally said.
Ruby’s gaze shifted and it looked as though Mrs. Gruby was
trying to decide if she should continue or not. “You did?”
The woman across from her nodded. “We’d heard about Mr. Fulton’s...well, demise, and I wanted to offer my condolences,” she paused and a pained expression crossed her face, “but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.”
Ruby’s eyes widened in surprise and she wasn’t sure how to interpret what she’d just heard.
“Ruby...may I call you Ruby?
Ruby nodded. “Yes, of course.”
Mrs. Gruby smiled. “Good. I’m Lotty, but you probably already knew that. I wanted to come, be a proper neighbor, but I just couldn’t offer sympathy when I had none.”
Ruby felt her jaw go slack.
“I’m sorry if I shocked you,” Lotty continued. “Amos always tells me I’m too blunt, but I say life is too short to beat around the bush. What I really should be saying is that I’m sorry you were married to that man.”
Ruby blinked, but remained silent. She’d never met anyone before that spoke as freely as Lotty.
“I can’t tell how many times I wanted to come and visit, to get to know you. A woman can’t have too many friends, you know? I’d seen you in church, and you looked like you could use one or two, if you don’t mind my saying so.”
The coffee was done and Ruby stood and poured them each a cup. Lotty took a bundle out of the basket she’d brought and unwrapped it. It looked to be a small bread-like cake. Ruby pulled two plates and forks out of the cabinet, along with a knife.
“I brought some of my famous gingerbread,” Lotty grinned proudly. “Got me a blue ribbon at the fair with it.”
Ruby had never heard of gingerbread, but the spicy, molasses-like smell was enticing. She wasn’t sure what to do with it, so she handed Lotty the knife and allowed her to cut it and put it on the plates. Lotty took a sip of coffee and groaned.
“Why Ruby Fulton, this is the best cup of coffee I’ve had. What do you do to it?”
Ruby blushed. “I put eggshells in with the grounds.”
Lotty’s eyebrows shot up. “Whatever made you think to do that?”
Ruby shrugged. When she was at the orphanage, she often worked in the kitchen. One of the cooks showed her the trick, but she was reluctant to share that part of her past. “I just picked it up somewhere,” she said vaguely.
Lotty looked at her for a moment, then nodded. “Well, before I leave, you must show me how you do that.”
Ruby blushed, no one had ever asked her to show them anything. She sat a little straighter in the chair and took a tentative bite of the gingerbread. She closed her eyes and nearly groaned, it was so good. The cake was moist, not dry like most cakes were, and had a delicate balance of spices, along with a warm sweetness. She tasted cinnamon, but couldn’t recognize the other flavors.
“You like it?”
Ruby opened her eyes, and nodded. “I’ve never tasted anything like it,” she took another forkful and before she knew it, her plate was empty.
“Have another piece,” Lotty said, pushing the gingerbread toward her.
Ruby gazed longingly at it, but shook her head. “I shouldn’t.”
Lotty chuckled. “You should. But if you won’t have it now, I’ll leave it here. Then you can have some later.”
Ruby raised her eyebrows. “Thank you, that’s very generous.”
“Pish posh,” she waved her hand in the air. “I should have brought you some a long time ago. Perhaps you can share some with your hired man,” she raised her eyebrows. “He’s quite handsome.”
Ruby’s face and ears turned hot, and she shifted her gaze to her empty plate. It was true, Cullen was a very handsome man. She tried her best to remember he was only there because she hired him. A man like that would never be interested in the likes of her.
“Does Pastor Collins know he’s staying here?”
Ruby shook her head, then shrugged. “I’m not sure, actually,” she finally said. “Mrs. Purcell was talking to Mrs. Talley about it in the mercantile and he was there. I don’t know if he heard them or not. He...he told me to expect him a few days ago, but he didn’t come.” The words poured out of her mouth in a rush.
Lotty pressed her lips together. “That man has nothing better to do than put his nose where it doesn’t belong. If he wasn’t a man of the cloth, I’d be tempted to give him a piece of my mind.”
“I...I was there when he went to see Altar. After the twins were born.” Ruby wasn’t sure why she was telling Lotty this, but it felt so good to have someone to talk to about it. “He told her that having Wolfe there was sinful. He was going to make him leave, but Wolfe married her instead.” Ruby chewed her lip for a moment. “He’ll make Cullen leave,” she said quietly.
Lotty reached across the table and put her hand on Ruby’s. “Maybe Cullen will stay.”
Ruby looked at the other woman for a moment, then shook her head. She had nothing to offer a man like Cullen.
“God works in mysterious ways, Ruby Fulton,” Lotty said. They were silent for a moment, then Lotty pulled her hand away. “Isaac and Eliza say that little Everett is doing well.”
Ruby smiled and let out a sigh, grateful for the change of subject. “Yes, he seems to be doing better.”
“That poor child, what he’s been through,” she made a tsking sound and pressed her lips together. “Shame that fine house is sitting empty and the sawmill is quiet. Amos had to go all the way to Grand Platte to get some boards last month. I told him to wait, but you know how men are when they have a mind to get something done.”
“Lotty, do you know when Everett was born, by chance?”
Lotty frowned. “I’m not sure, I think it was sometime in the summer, but you know, the Henzel’s were a quiet sort. If Gideon hadn’t been running that sawmill, I don’t know that anyone would have known them at all. Why do you ask?”
“He asked me when his birthday was,” Ruby said. “But I don’t know either.”
Lotty shook her head in disgust. “How there could be people like that in the world, let alone in Last Chance, is beyond me. That little boy is lucky you took him in.”
That was the second time this week she’d heard that, and for the second time that week she answered, “I think I’m the lucky one.” She suddenly remembered Everett’s wish about having a puppy of his own. “Lotty, do you know where I might find a puppy?”
The woman grinned. “As a matter of fact, I do.”
They visited for a few more minutes, then Lotty stood and pulled on her coat. “I’m so glad I decided to come visit today. You are just a delight,” she smiled warmly. “I’ll be in touch about that puppy.”
Ruby smiled and felt an unfamiliar lightness spread through her. “Thank you, Lotty. I’m glad you came to visit too. Please come again, soon.”
She walked Lotty out to her buggy and waved as she drove away. Once back inside, she pulled out the piece of parchment and stub of a pencil. She pictured Alpha and Omega’s sweet little faces and the tender way Altar looked at them, and began to draw.
Chapter Ten
Cullen watched Lotty Gruby drive away and smiled to himself. He wasn’t sure how many friends Ruby had, but Mrs. Gruby was the first visitor she’d had since he’d been there. It made him wonder if that was something else Cyrus controlled. Cullen couldn’t remember ever having such a dislike for someone he’d never met. Ruby hadn’t said much about him, but it was pretty obvious to him that Cyrus had abused her. It made him angry just thinking about it.
He slipped back into the barn and finished mucking out the stalls. Cullen didn't mind the work, in fact, he enjoyed it. He found there was a certain peace that came at the end of an honest day's work. His attention kept wandering to the woman in the house, and he wondered what she was doing. She seemed to be on his mind an awful lot lately, and he found himself noticing little things about her. Like the way she'd smile when he told her he liked her cooking, or the way she'd look at Everett when he was telling her about his day at school, or the way she'd blush when she’d catch him lookin
g at her. He'd never been affected by a woman this way before and wasn't sure what to make of it.
His rumbling stomach told Cullen it was past dinner time. He was surprised Ruby hadn't called him to the house yet, and began to wonder if her visit with Mrs. Gruby hadn't been a pleasant one after all. He walked up to the house and tentatively knocked on the door. A few seconds later, it opened and she stood looking back at him in surprise.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
She furrowed her brow. “Yes of course, why…” Her eyes grew wide. “Oh no, I lost all track of time. It's past dinner, isn't it?” She wiped her hands on her skirt. “I’ll get something ready, it will just take me a minute.”
Cullen held his hands up in a calming gesture. “It's all right, Ruby. I just wanted to make sure you were all right and that Mrs. Gruby’s visit hadn't upset you.” Something on the table behind her caught his eye, and he stepped inside to get a better look. It was a piece of paper and a tiny stub of a pencil. Ruby followed his gaze and a look of panic crossed her face.
“Cullen, wait,” she placed a hand on his arm.
He reached the table and picked up the piece of parchment. It was a drawing of two infants laying side-by-side in a basket. It wasn't finished, but it had the same intricate details as the drawings he'd seen in the trunk. She had drawn all of them.
She snatched the paper out of his hands and slipped it into the cupboard. When she turned around, her cheeks were red and anger flashed in her eyes. “You weren’t supposed to see that,” she folded her arms across her chest and glared at him.
“It's a beautiful drawing,” he said. “Why wouldn't you want me to see it? You’re clearly very talented, you should be proud of it.”
Ruby blinked rapidly and then shook her head. “I just didn't...it's not even done yet.”
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