by Kit Morgan
“Oh for Heaven’s sake, why?”
“Because we don’t come to Sweetwater Springs very often. If there’s anything you want, now’s the time to get it.”
Luella blanched. “Oh dear, I hadn’t thought of that. But then, you let me look forward to my hot bath for the last five minutes, then decided to tell me we’re going shopping. Brute.”
Jess grinned. “It’s good to have you here, Lulubell.”
“Don’t call me that!”
He just laughed.
Luella punched him in the arm. Hard.
“Ow! What was that for?”
“For being my big brother. Now let’s go.”
With a reluctant smile, Jess gave the horses another slap of leather. “Some things never change,” he muttered.
“You love me,” she said triumphantly, and hit him again.
After Jess got them rooms (and paid for two baths, one for each of them), he dropped off her trunks and they headed to the mercantile. Luella browsed the various shelves and displays for anything she might need for the next couple of months at the ranch. The plan was to stay and help out with the babes until late October, at which time she’d return to Clear Creek. Should she have to stay longer, she couldn’t go home until the following spring, after the winter thaws.
That could easily happen, given that Viola’s child would be coming along soon. Three newborns and two small children – what a handful. How old were Caleb’s stepchildren – eight and six now? She wasn’t sure.
What she was sure of was that she’d need something to read. She made a beeline for a shelf of books and thumbed through a few novels as Jess spoke with the shopkeeper about a plow. She picked out several, went to the counter and set them down, then headed over to a display of yarn.
The shopkeeper watched her create a pile of goods as he spoke with Jess. Finally, he stopped their conversation. “Is that your wife? No, wait … it doesn’t look like …”
“Lillie? No, it’s not. That’s Lulubell,” he said, louder than he needed to. “My sister.”
Luella stopped poking through the knitting needles, found the most lethal-looking pair and picked them up. “Yes, his sister. Which means if I murder him, poor Lillie will be left a widow. Do you really want that on your conscience, big brother?”
The shopkeeper’s eyes widened. “Is she always this … outspoken?”
“Always,” Jess said with a sigh. “Is that all you want, Luella?
She smiled in triumph. “No, I’m not done. And don’t worry, I have my own money.”
Jess shoved the pile closer to the shopkeeper. “Add it to my list.”
“Jess!” Luella cried. “I said …”
The shopkeeper laughed. “You have a spitfire for a sister, Mr. Jones.”
“Don’t I know it.” He glanced at her. “But I wouldn’t have her any other way.”
Luella couldn’t help but smile back. “Nor I you.”
Jess winked, and together they finished getting their supplies.
* * *
“Luella!” Anson exclaimed as his cousin walked into the parlor. “My gosh, it’s good to see you!” He pulled her into a fierce hug, stepped away and motioned to his wife. “Lu, I want you to meet Zadie.”
Luella smiled at the pretty blonde sitting in a chair with a bundle in her arms. “I’m so happy to meet you at last. My folks, not to mention Uncle Seth and Aunt Eloise, are still talking about the visit they had with you all last Christmas.”
Anson stood behind his wife’s chair. “Too bad they couldn’t come with you. Because this,” he said, indicating the bundle in Zadie’s arms, “is our son Trent Alexander Jones.”
“You say that with no small amount of pride, cousin.”
“Proud isn’t the word for it,” Zadie said. “He’s been positively ecstatic since Trent was born. I am too, for that matter. I’m just too tired to show it.”
Luella laughed. “I’m glad I’m here to congratulate you in person. Where’s Lillie? I’m so looking forward to meeting her.”
“Upstairs with little Bella,” Zadie said. “She’s in much worse shape than I am. I’m just tired, but Lillie hasn’t recuperated as quickly as I have.”
“None of us have,” Anson remarked with a wry smile. “These little ones don’t know night from day and are all turned around.”
“Up all night, eh?” Luella said with a chuckle.
Anson gave her a knowing look. “You just wait, cousin. Just wait.”
“You forget I’m made of stronger stuff, Anson.”
“Is she’s always this feisty?” Zadie teased.
“Yes,” Anson said. “We’re still trying to figure out where she gets it from.”
“From my mother’s side,” Luella said.
“The English side of the family?” Zadie said in surprise.
“I hate to admit it, but I think she’s right,” Anson replied.
Zadie laughed. She looked at Luella and raised Trent. “Would you like to hold him?”
“Of course,” Luella said, taking off her gloves. She bent down and took the baby in her arms. “Why, hello there, little man,” she cooed.
Baby Trent passed wind.
“That’s telling her, boy,” Anson said with a laugh. “I’ll bring in your other trunk. Jess must be talking to Lillie or he’d have come down by now.”
“He may or may not be,” Zadie pointed out. She looked at Luella “It all depends on if he’s facing her or not.”
Luella looked at them and nodded knowingly, recalling Lillie’s near-deafness. Thankfully the woman read lips well, or so she was told. She certainly hoped so – she didn’t want to have to shout through every conversation with the woman.
Anson came back in with Luella’s other trunk and hauled it upstairs. Zadie watched him from the parlor with a weary sigh. “I can’t tell you how grateful we are you’ve come to help us. I’m doing better than I was – it’s just that they sleep all day and are up all night.”
Luella watched Trent yawn, close his eyes and pass more gas. “Did you just get through feeding him?” she asked with a smile.
“Yes. He’s ready for a nap. But I warn you, he won’t sleep long.”
“His cradle is upstairs?”
“Yes, in our room, and little Bella is in Jess and Lillie’s. We had the babies in the third bedroom, but Lillie and I thought you should have your own room while you’re here. We don’t want you sleeping on the sofa.”
“That’s very kind, thank you. I…”
Luella never got to finish. A man came through the front door and into the parlor, his hat in his hands. He had long dark hair and a bushy beard to match. His clothes were careworn and his eyes, a bright blue, were in sharp contrast to his tanned face. “Begging your pardon, Mrs. Jones. But your husband wanted me to inform him when Marigold was ready to foal.”
“Oh my!” Zadie struggled out of the chair. “He’s upstairs, Jonas. Go ahead and let him know.”
The man nodded, then looked at Luella as if he’d just noticed she was in the room. Maybe he had. “Ma’am,” he said before he left the parlor and headed upstairs.
“That’s Mr. Cummings, our hired hand,” Zadie explained after he left. “He’s wonderful with the horses. I hope you don’t mind his scruffy appearance – he only started working for us a month ago. We don’t have a bunkhouse yet, so the poor man has to sleep in the barn.”
“Oh, that’s too bad,” Luella said as she looked at the now-empty staircase. “Well, I’ll add that to my list of things to do.”
“Things to do?” Zadie said as her eyebrows rose in curiosity.
“Well, since I came all this way to help, I made a list of things that I thought would be useful.”
“Trust me, Luella, just having you here to change some diapers and keep Katie and Wylie occupied so we can catch up on our rest is plenty.”
Luella shrugged. “I’m not one to stay idle. I don’t know if Jess or Anson told you that yet.”
“No, they hadn’t ment
ioned it. But it’s good to know. If you like, I can go over the chore list and add what you want to it.”
Luella smiled. “All right. I think I’ll start by taking this little one upstairs and putting him to bed.”
“Be my guest,” Zadie said. “And I’ll show you where everything is kept.”
Luella let Zadie lead the way upstairs. Mr. Cummings stood on the landing outside a closed bedroom door, clearly waiting for Jess and Anson, whose voices could be heard from the other side. He gave the women a nod as they passed.
They went down the hall into another bedroom, where Luella’s trunks and satchel had been deposited. “I’m sure you’ll be quite comfortable in here,” Zadie said. “Now let me show you where we keep Trent and Bella’s things.” She went to a small dresser and proceeded to explain what was what.
All the while Luella felt Mr. Cummings’ presence at the other end of the hall and would occasionally glance his way. When she did, he was looking right at her. A couple of times she looked away, but on the third she stared boldly back. He once again nodded and looked away himself. Finally Anson and Jess emerged from Lillie’s room, spoke to him a moment and the three men went downstairs. “I wonder…,” Luella muttered.
Zadie straightened and closed the top drawer of the dresser. “About what?”
“What your Mr. Cummings would look like with a shave and a haircut.”
Zadie shrugged. “I have no idea. I can’t force the man to shave and cut his hair, and Anson and Jess don’t require it.”
Luella nodded in understanding and silently added those two items to her list of things to do.
Three
“Will you look at that!” Miss Jones cried as she saw the newborn filly. “What a beauty!”
“That she is,” said Jess.
Jonas studied the siblings for similarities. Jess’s hair was brown, his sister’s a light auburn. His eyes were dark, while hers were grey. They bantered back and forth in a playful manner, and Jonas could tell they had a good relationship. Unlike he and his brothers, which had begun to go sour long before they ever coerced him into robbing that stage.
He looked around the barn, then glanced out the doors at the main house, expanded cabin and the construction of yet another home. He fought against a pinch of envy. He should be grateful he was here in any capacity. So what if he was sleeping in the barn? It was a bed and a roof over his head and he was fed besides. He couldn’t ask for much more – except maybe that the nightmares stop. A man didn’t leave prison unscathed. He was alive, yes, but no one could go through what he had and not be unharmed.
“What do you think, Jonas?” his employer asked.
Jonas scratched his beard. “Should bring a good price when the time comes. That is, if you decide to sell her.”
“I don’t know yet. We’ll see how she turns out.” Jess turned to his sister. “Why aren’t you up at the house resting? I figured between your long train ride from Clear Creek and our drive from Sweetwater Springs, you’d have everything jostled out of you.”
“That wagon ride? I’ve had worse.”
Jess laughed. “Liar.” He looked at Jonas. “Everything’s a competition with my sister. Watch yourself.”
He couldn’t help but smile. He liked watching Jess Jones and his sister interact. He’d never seen such camaraderie before. She’d displayed it up at the house with Anson as well, making the men fresh biscuits with butter and jam as a snack while they waited for Marigold to give birth. She conveniently did, right after they’d eaten.
“I’d best get back to the house and see about supper,” Luella said. “I’m sorry if it’s late, but a new filly is far more exciting than frying up chicken and peeling potatoes.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to rest today?” Jess asked. “Trust me, you’ll have plenty of work from here on out.”
“Zadie said she would help. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.” She smiled at them, turned and headed back to the house.
“Your sister is …,” Jonas started.
“… a real spitfire, I know. She’s more than that. She speaks her mind and doesn’t care who’s around when she does it.”
Jonas broke into a full smile. It felt good. “She’ll stir things up around here.”
“True, but Anson and I are used to it. It’s the rest of you that will have to get broken in.”
Jonas’s shoulders shook with silent laughter.
“You think I’m kidding?” Jess asked in all seriousness. “I’m not. You just wait. She has a list.”
Jonah stopped laughing. “A list?”
“Oh yes. She starts at the top and works her way down. She was working on it earlier while we were eating those biscuits of hers. I think I saw your name on it.”
“What, me?” Jonas said nervously. “Why would I be on it?”
“I have no idea, but you’d better watch yourself.”
Jonas caught the teasing tone in his employer’s voice and smiled again. “I’ve got eyes in the back of my head. She won’t get the drop on me.”
Jess laughed. “Don’t be so sure, Jonas. You don’t know my sister. Lulubell’s a pistol.”
“Lulubell?”
“That’s what my brother and I call her. Makes her mad as a rattler. The rest of the family, including Anson, usually just call her Lu.”
“I think I’d best stick with Miss Jones for safety’s sake. Aside from it being proper.”
“Good thinking.” Jess glanced around the barn. “We might as well feed the stock. Then why don’t you eat up at the house with us tonight?”
“No, I couldn’t do that.”
“Why not? Caleb does it often enough and he works for us. Granted, he and his family don’t eat with us all the time, but they do sometimes. Besides, until we get a bunkhouse built and hire more men, there isn’t any place for you to eat. You don’t have to keep eating your supper alone in the barn. Or breakfast or lunch, for that matter.”
Jonas nodded. He was a stranger here and didn’t want to impose or make a habit of dining with his employers. Business was business, and it was best to keep it that way.
“So you’ll join us?” Jess asked.
“Mr. Jones …”
“I’ll tell my sister to set another place. Now let’s feed the stock.”
Jonas watched him grab a pitchfork and head for one of the stalls. After a moment he sighed and followed. He’d do it this once and just this once, then go back to eating in the barn, where he belonged.
* * *
“Pass the fried chicken, will you, Lu?” Anson asked.
Luella picked up the platter and handed it to him. It was heavy, but she didn’t mind. If there was one thing she liked to do, it was cook. In fact, she prided herself on it.
And why not? She’d learned from the best of the best: Irene Dunnigan and Sally Upton. Mrs. Dunnigan owned the mercantile in town and her pot roast was legendary in eastern Oregon, while Mrs. Upton had been the town hotel’s chef for years and could bake anything. Both women were now very old, but could still cook when the fancy struck them. And luckily for the men of Clear Creek, they’d passed on their culinary expertise to anyone willing to learn, which meant most of the young women in town.
Luella watched everyone enjoy the fruits of her labor – except the hired hand, Mr. Cummings. He ate slowly, bite by bite, not wolfing down his food like the other men. He didn’t even seem to be enjoying it, just eating mechanically and looking around with hooded eyes. Odd.
She’d caught up with everyone except the untalkative Jonas and Caleb White. She’d been introduced to his wife Viola and her children Katie and Wylie, but that’s as far as they’d gotten. Viola’s baby was due in a month, and Luella had been quick to add the woman’s normal chores to her growing list. She didn’t want Viola to overtax herself before the baby came, not when she could do the work for her. Luella was young, strong and determined to do a good job for her family.
Not only that, but she didn’t want to get bored – something she managed
to do most days on the ranch in Clear Creek despite being surrounded by family, horses and the hustle and bustle of ranch life. But she needed a change, a big one. Especially since there were no eligible men in town. Marriage, it seemed, had passed her by – at twenty, she was practically an old maid! With any luck she’d meet some eligible bachelor in Morgan’s Crossing.
But once the eating slowed and the conversation started up again, that prospect began to look bleak. “Did you hear one of the miners got himself a mail-order bride, then up and quit on Mr. Morgan?” Caleb said.
Anson and Jess exchanged a quick look. “When did this happen?” Jess asked.
“Just a few days ago,” Caleb said. “Heard it from Clyde Rossmore himself, then from Mrs. Tisdale when I ran into her at the mercantile. Then Bertha told me at the boarding house.”
The men’s eyes gravitated to Mr. Cummings, who was about to take a bite of mashed potatoes. “Don’t go thinking we’re going to let Mr. Morgan or that foreman of his coerce you into working for him again.” Jess told him. “You’re ours.”
Mr. Cummings chewed and nodded. As soon as he swallowed he said, “It’s nice to know I’m appreciated.”
“Of course you’re appreciated,” Caleb said. “I appreciate you more than anyone. Especially now.” He patted his wife’s swollen belly and smiled.
“And people around here thought you just bred horses,” Luella quipped.
Zadie gasped.
Jess rolled his eyes. “You’ll have to excuse Lulubell. She’s always been one to speak out of turn.”
Luella frowned at him. “It was a harmless joke.”
“Now, now, children,” Anson said in his best parental tone. “No fighting at the table.”
Luella stiffened. Then again, she was getting too old for such nonsense. And she wasn’t at home, around people used to her blurting out things that at times were inappropriate. She’d have to watch herself – she didn’t know Zadie, Lillie or Viola well enough yet. She didn’t want them to think she wasn’t a lady.
