by Joyce Alec
“You’ll have to find some kind of work then, won’t you?”
Nora spoke aloud, trying to reassure herself that she’d do just fine where she was. She couldn’t go back home to Laura and Matthew, knowing that they needed to live their own life together without her presence as a constant shadow over them. She had some money from the sale of their father’s house, which she’d insisted she and Laura split evenly between them, but that wouldn’t last all that long unless she found some kind of work.
Letting out a long breath, Nora closed her eyes and dragged in more air, forcing her breathing to remain calm and steady. She’d done more than enough fretting about her new life here, and she didn’t need to start doing more just because Peter hadn’t shown up yet. He was a busy man, from what he’d said to her, busy overseeing the general store and making sure orders were sent out and brought in on time. Maybe something had happened to stop him from coming to the train station on time. All she had to do was wait.
One hour later and Nora was on the verge of tears. The station had been empty for a long while, making it all the more obvious that she was alone. From where she sat, she could see horses and wagons driving through the town, and she could hear the conversations and occasional laughter of the townsfolk as they got on with their daily lives. Still, no one came in her direction. Closing her eyes, Nora swallowed the lump in her throat and rose to her feet, lifting her chin and forcing herself not to cry. She would have to be stronger than this. Whether or not Peter had come for her, she was going to start a new life in this town—even if it meant having to sleep in someone’s stable for a few nights.
Picking up her carpet bag, Nora glanced down uneasily at her two other bags, knowing that she couldn’t exactly carry them with her, but neither could she really leave them. She was just about to attempt to try and pick them up when someone practically ran into the station towards her.
“Ah, finally,” she said, wondering if this was the station master. “Might you be able to tell me if there is a boarding house in this here town? It seems like I ain’t got nowhere to go, which means I’m gonna have to find somewhere else to stay.”
She waited patiently for the man to speak, taking in his tall stature, his sharp blue eyes that were a little narrow, and the neatly styled blonde hair that kept attempting to fall over his eyes. His jaw was rather square, although his broad shoulders and long back told her that he was a man well used to hard work. He looked rather young to be a station master in her opinion, and neither did he seem to be in any way friendly, which made her nerves grow all the more.
Swallowing hard, she tried to smile, waiting for him to speak and finding the seconds spinning out painfully.
“Are you Miss Nora?”
She blinked, her smile fading at once. “I am,” she said slowly, her brows furrowing in confusion. “Are you…you’re not Peter, are you?” For a moment, hope flared in her chest, only for it to be washed away when he shook his head. His lips remained in a thin line, as he passed a calculating eye over her, his jaw clenched.
“Then who might you be, sir?” she asked, now a little frustrated with his lack of response. “As you can see, I have been waiting here for some time and no one came to fetch me as was promised.”
He glared at her then, as though she’d said something truly awful, his hands clenched by his sides.
“My father is dead,” he said shortly, as though this was meant to mean something to her. “I meant to get you back on that train and back to wherever it is you’ve come from, but I lost track of time.”
Nora blinked, not quite certain what he meant and certainly having no idea who his father was.
“You can’t stay here,” he said harshly. “I’ll put you up in the boarding house until the next train comes.”
He reached for her bag. Instinctively, Nora stepped back out of reach. She had no idea who this strange man was, and she certainly wasn’t about to let him guide her towards the boarding house. Was this all some sort of cruel trick? A way to get innocent young women into the saloon to become soiled doves? Her heart hammered in her chest, her fright growing with every second as the blonde-haired young man glowered at her.
“I’m just trying to help you,” he said angrily. “Just give me your bag.”
She shook her head. “Stay away from me,” she said shrilly, her hands clasping the carpet bag to her chest. “I don’t know who you are or what you’re intending, but I won’t be going anywhere with you.”
Letting out a long sigh, the man hung his head for a moment before looking at her again a little more calmly.
“I didn’t explain that very well,” he muttered, pushing back his hair from his eyes. “I’m sorry, Miss Nora.”
Her breath came out shakily, and she swallowed hard, lowering her bag slowly from in front of her chest.
“I’m Joseph Shaw,” he continued, inclining his head. “My father is…was Peter Shaw.”
Weakness filled her, as Nora stumbled just a little, only for Joseph to grasp her arm, guiding her back to the bench where she sat down gratefully.
“He died as you were coming here,” Joseph explained gruffly. “I didn’t even know you were coming, else I would have tried to find a way to tell you.”
Nora swallowed, her future crashing down all around her.
“I didn’t even know he had a son,” she whispered, feeling as though she might faint such was the shock of it all. “He never said.”
Joseph’s lips pulled tight, and—for a moment—he seemed to be battling his emotions. Nora watched him struggle, unable to feel anything but confusion and bewilderment, as she tried to take in what she’d been told.
“I can put you up in the boarding house for a bit, but you’ll have to head on back to where you came from,” he said eventually, looking down at her with a mixture of frustration and anger on his face. “I ain’t angry with you, Miss Nora, but more frustrated that he didn’t tell me he was planning to get hitched. I had to find out from Billy, who works in the general store.” Shrugging, he turned around to look at the railway line. “But we’ll get you back home soon enough,” he finished grandly. “You’ll be out of Crestview by the week’s end.”
She swallowed hard.
“No.”
He looked over at her sharply, his eyes a little narrowed. “What do you mean?”
Shaking her head, Nora tried to make him understand. “I ain’t going back. I can’t. There’s nothing there for me.”
Joseph arched his brow. “No family?”
Hesitating, Nora chose to tell him the truth. “I have a sister, but she’s recently married, and she doesn’t need a spinster sister around. The house we shared with our father is sold. I mean it when I say I ain’t got nothing to go back to.”
“Then what do you plan on doing?” he asked harshly, jamming his hands on his hips. “You can’t just hang about these parts with nothing to do.”
She fixed him with her gaze, even though she was trembling inside. “I’ll get some kind of work here. It’s a big town, ain’t it? Bigger than the town I’ve come from. I’m sure I’ll be able to find something soon enough.”
Joseph shook his head, as though she was being ridiculous. “I can’t be responsible for you.”
“I ain’t asking you to be,” she retorted angrily. “I can do just fine on my own.”
There was a moment of silence as they looked back at one another, clearly equally frustrated. Nora didn’t really know what it was she would do, but for her own sake, she had to remain strong. She wasn’t about to let him tell her what she would and wouldn’t do, not when he had no right to tell her anything of the sort. She might have been engaged to his father, but that didn’t mean that Joseph had anything to do with what the rest of her life looked like now that Peter was gone.
To her surprise, Joseph began to pace up and down the station, his eyes fixed to the ground at his feet as he muttered to himself. Still quite unsure about him, Nora chose to remain quiet, watching him carefully. Aware that she
was rather vulnerable, she tugged the carpet bag onto her lap, as if it might give her some protection from him.
“Listen,” Joseph said eventually, coming to a sudden stop and turning towards her. “I’ll be honest with you, Miss Nora, I—”
“Just ‘Nora’ will do,” she interrupted, hating the formality.
He hesitated, then shrugged. “Nora, I’ve been struggling. Ever since my father died, I’ve been left with everything to do. Normally, he did most of his work from home in his own study, going over the accounts, writing letters and orders, that sort of thing.”
Nora frowned, seeing the pain flash across Joseph’s face.
“We had someone who came in to make our meals and do the laundry,” he continued, rubbing his forehead with the back of his hand, “but on the day my father died, she disappeared.” Seeing her look of confusion, he shrugged again, waving her unspoken question away. “I don’t know where she went and neither does the sheriff. My point is, now I’m meant to be doing all this myself and I--I’m not quite managing it.”
To her surprise, Nora felt a wave of sympathy crash over her. It would have taken a lot for him to admit that to her she realized; she was aware that Joseph was, for whatever reason, being entirely open and honest.
“There’s a relative coming to stay with me next week now, on top of everything else,” he continued, now appearing quite miserable. “And the truth is, Miss Nora – I mean, Nora – I ain’t sure how I’ m meant to put up a guest, as well as keep on with the general store. Might you think of coming to help me?”
Her stomach tightened, and she tugged the bag a little closer to her chest. What was it he was asking her? Would she be cooking and cleaning for him, or would she be expected to warm his bed as well?
Joseph must have seen her worry, for he spread his hands out in front of him, as if to show her he didn’t mean her any harm.
“There’s a set of two rooms next to the kitchen where Mrs. Allan – that was our old housekeeper – used to live. It might need a bit of fixing up, but you’ll have that space for yourself. It has a key for the door, so you’ll be safe, I promise.”
“And what would I be expected to do?” Nora asked a little suspiciously. “The cooking, the cleaning, the laundry...what else?”
There was a short pause as Joseph wrinkled his brow, looking at her. “Nothing else I can think of,” he said slowly, as though trying to understand what it was he’d missed. “I’ll be out of the house most of the day since I’ve got to work at the general store alongside Billy, so you’d have the place to yourself. Oh – of course, I’d expect you to go buy the foodstuffs and things you’ll need to cook with. Is that what you meant?”
Nora hesitated, not sure whether or not to believe him. After all, she’d only just met him, and now, after telling her that he wanted her to head back home on the train, he’d changed his mind and decided she’d be a pretty good help to him around the house.
“You do not want anything more from me?” she asked carefully, her eyes a little narrowed as she watched his expression. “I would be treated with respect?”
She saw that he understood. His eyes flared, and two spots of color appeared on his cheeks.
“Of course,” he replied at once, his voice gruff. “I ain’t that kind of man, I’m pleased to say. My father left me a well-respected business, and I’ve gotta do all I can to keep it running smoothly.” Sighing, he looked away from her for a moment, his jaw working. “It’s not something I’m particularly comfortable with, asking for help, but I recognize that I need it.”
“A few minutes ago, you were set on sending me right back where I came from,” Nora stated firmly. “Now you’re thinking of hiring me?”
He nodded, his head dropping a little. “I guess once I saw that you were determined to stay here, I realized that the situation might be a good one for the both of us. That is, so long as you know how to cook?”
Fire burst in her belly. “Of course I do.”
A small smile tugged at his lips, making embarrassment crawl up Nora’s spine at her strong reaction.
“Good,” he replied, reaching for her bags. “Then come on this way. I’ll make sure to introduce you to the sheriff, just so you can be sure I’m a man who can be trusted.”
She swallowed hard, seeing him walk away from her out of the station, leaving her frozen in place. Looking down at the carpet bag, Nora drew in all her strength and rose unsteadily to her feet, the bag heavy in her hands. This wasn’t what she’d expected, and it certainly wasn’t what she’d planned, but perhaps this was for the best. After all, the thought of being married to a man who’d be old enough to be her father hadn’t exactly been pleasant, even though she’d accepted his proposal anyway. Perhaps this would turn out well. She’d not have to hitch herself to anyone, and she’d have enough of an income to keep her established for a few years.
Until Joseph marries, and then you’ll have to find a new place to live.
Throwing that thought away at once, Nora forced her feet to follow after Joseph, telling herself that she didn’t need to start fretting about the future already. This was more than enough to take in.
“This way,” Joseph called, his face now back to the stern, unsmiling expression that he seemed to wear almost constantly. “I only brought my horse, you see, but he’ll be able to carry your bags for you.” He glanced back at her, a frown settling over his brow. “You aren’t too weary to walk, are you? The house ain’t all that far from here.”
Nora tried to smile as she handed him her carpet bag. “No, of course not,” she said, trying to force some kind of strength into her voice. “I’ll be glad to walk.”
He took her bag from her and, within a few minutes, began to walk away from the train station, leaving her to follow behind.
“Come on,” he called, as she stumbled after him. “Let me introduce you to your new town.”
3
Nora rose early the following morning, having barely slept a wink even though her mind and body were completely exhausted. She’d had a difficult night, spending most of it watching the door, afraid that Joseph might appear with a second key to unlock it and approach her bed. Even though she’d put her own key in the lock, safe in the knowledge that it would rattle and fall to the floor if someone tried to open the door from the other side, she’d not been able to close her eyes for more than few minutes. She didn’t know Joseph very well, and she sure didn’t trust him just yet.
She’d stayed awake for nothing. Joseph hadn’t turned up. He’d not so much as moved from his bed, as far as she could tell, for the house had remained almost entirely silent as the hours of the night had passed.
Looking around the small bedroom, Nora let out a long breath and tried not to let her tears fall. There was so much to take in, so much to accept that she was struggling to let her mind think things through clearly. This morning was the start of her new life here in Crestview, a life where she would have to cook and clean for Joseph Shaw, instead of marrying Peter Shaw as she’d expected. Whilst she was grateful for the work and for the money that she’d receive at the end of each month, as well as for her board and food, it certainly wasn’t going to be as secure a living as it could have been, had she been Peter Shaw’s wife.
“You’re not to complain now,” she told herself, looking at her reflection in the dusty mirror that hung on the wall. “You’ve got a place to sleep and food to eat and, for that, you ought to be grateful.”
She picked up the washcloth by the basin filled with cold water, wiping her face with the cloth in an attempt to appear a little fresher and a good deal less weary, but it had no effect on the dark smudges under her eyes. Perhaps, when her work for the day was done, she might be able to find an hour or two to rest. Perhaps her mind would let her sleep if Joseph was gone from the house.
Changing quickly, Nora let her gaze travel around the dusty, dirty room. Joseph had apologized for the state of it, but she’d tried her best to thank him, knowing that she’d be able to set
it to rights soon enough. Thankfully, he’d given her clean sheets so that she’d not had to sleep in old, musty bedlinens, and the rest of the room she could take care of on her own. There was another room that adjoined this one, but she’d not had a chance to look inside as yet. Joseph had said it was the larger of the two, as though that was a good thing, but to her, it just meant that she’d have to spend more time cleaning and dusting whilst trying to make sure that she fulfilled all of Joseph’s expectations as his housekeeper.
Sighing, Nora brushed her long red hair before tying it up into a neat bun. Looking at herself in the mirror, she took in her appearance one last time, seeing the dullness of her blue eyes, the paleness of her cheeks. Laura, her sister, was always the beauty of the family, with her flaming red locks and dark green eyes, but Nora had never quite matched up. Even though they both shared the same oval face, the same slender nose, there was something about Laura that just seemed to glow with beauty. Nora knew her smile wasn’t as brilliant, her eyes not as wide and sparkling as her sister’s. She’d accepted long ago that she’d never have men lining up to court her in the same way Laura had done. Not that it mattered, she told herself, turning away from the mirror. She’d do just fine here, making sure she saved as much money as she could so that, in her later years, she’d have enough to live on. There wasn’t a pressing need for her to marry, even though she had to admit that the desire for a husband and family of her own were still there, deep down inside. However, she couldn’t afford to be lost in dreams. Practical living was what was required. Her looks—or lack of them—weren’t something any employer would consider. She would have to prove to Joseph that she could work hard and do exactly what was expected.
Smoothing her hair back so that nothing fell around her face, Nora added a few more pins before she was satisfied. Her dress was neat and clean, even though the hem was gathering dust with every step she took and, taking in a deep breath, she unlocked the door and stepped out into the kitchen.
