by Danni Roan
“Everything is in order,” Hester replied calmly. She still didn’t know what she had done to turn the housekeeper against her, but she wasn’t going to argue. “The children are just finishing their breakfast now.”
“Thank you for breakfast Miss Polly,” Beverly said, placing her napkin on the table. “I’ll get my things Mrs. August.” The girl rose moving toward the hall then stopped. “I hope you’ll tell us another story sometime,” she smiled at the boarding house owner. “Maybe you know a few stories about mail-order brides that you could share.”
“I’d like that,” Polly admitted, “It doesn’t seem like I have nearly the opportunity for story telling as I used to.”
“Come along children,” Hester grinned watching Jonas stuff an enormous fork full of pancakes into his mouth. “It’s time to see your new home.”
Chapter 14
It took two wagons to transport the group and their belongings along an over grown trail leading toward the snow peaked mountains that surrounded the town. The vast reaches of the Rocky Mountain range was breathtaking and intimidating, but beautiful. A cool shiver raced down Hester’s spine at the expanse of them. There was nothing like this back home.
“Are you cold?” Mr. Payton asked from his seat beside her on the wagon bench. With so many people and so many luggages, he had volunteered to drive the wagon he had rented, letting Hyke and Mrs. August sit in the back while the children rode with Mr. Olson.
“No,” Hester blushed. “I was just thinking of how intimidating those mountains are. I can see why the man you told us about decided to stop and bide awhile here before attempting that climb.”
“I’m sure there are many towns like this along the trails leading to Oregon or California. I’ve been over these mountains and seen a few more. They are beautiful, but you need to respect them.”
“Why do you suppose Mr. Rally decided to build his house out here instead of in town?” Hester’s thoughts popped out without thought. “Miss Polly told us about him building the place for a mail-order bride who didn’t stay. Perhaps if he had built in town she wouldn’t have run.”
“I can’t answer that,” Cecil admitted. “All I can say is that I like the idea of being out of town. I’d like to see the children act like children. I want them to have space to grow, learn, and do new things. Don’t tell Jonas, but I’ve asked George to see if he can find a couple of ponies for Jonas and Bev. They should be able to ride to town, or go to school on their own in time.”
Hester only nodded. She had never ridden a horse in her life, and it worried her to think of the restless children having an animal to ferry them anywhere they wanted to go.
“I’d like a few horses, maybe some cows and chickens.” Cecil continued. “It will be nice to work the land again instead of sitting in stuffy meetings that I barely understand.”
Hester smiled, understanding the longing in the man’s heart. He had been a free spirit before his brother’s passing. Now he found himself saddled with two children and a company to manage. She prayed that this move would work out the way he wanted. If he wasn’t happy, how could he provide and care for those in his charge?
“Is that where we’re supposed to live?” Jonas’s voice drifted back to them as Mr. Olson pulled his horse to a stop. “It has to be haunted.” The boy’s voice zinged with excitement.
“No one has even lived in it,” Beverly grumbled. “Stop talking nonsense about ghosts.”
“Oh my,” Hester covered her mouth as she looked at the stately home with the peeling paint, and sagging shutters. Small trees had grown up around the two story frame, and the porches looked worn and faded.
“This is it,” George Olson grinned. “Finest house ever built in Biders Clump.”
“Why hasn’t anyone ever moved in?” Beverly asked. “Didn’t anyone like it?”
“It didn’t belong to no one,” George said. “Mr. Rally left and that was that. He didn’t hire anyone to look after it or nothin’.”
“It looks sturdy enough,” Hyke jumped from the back of the wagon like a man half his age and marched through the tall grass toward the place.
“It doesn’t have any windows,” Jonas groaned. “It’s all boards.”
“It has windows son,” George chuckled. “They’re just boarded over.” The older man turned to face his guests. “Ellery and I can come out and help if you like. Either way I brought a few tools you can use to get started.”
“Hyke Johnson,” Mrs. August snapped, twisting to try to see the house from where she sat. “I would like some assistance.” She looked down at her feet dangling from the back of the wagon.
“Yes, ma’am,” Hyke hurried back to the sharp faced woman offering her his hand as he helped her down.
“There is no point wasting time discussing the situation,” the housekeeper snapped. “We might as well get a good look and determine what needs done. We’re here, at least for the moment,” her hard eyes snapped at Hester, “so no point putting it off.”
Cecil looked at the woman next to him and grinned. “Who knew she had it in her,” he whispered forcing Hester to cover her giggle with a cough.
Jonas jumped from the wagon seat and raced out along the side of the house. “I’m gonna see what else is here,” the boy shouted.
“Be careful,” Hester called after him as Cecil helped her down. “It must have been a beautiful place when it was first built. Look at the wide two level porch, and the gingerbread decorations. A good coat of paint will go a long way to restoring it.”
“You are an optimist aren’t you?” Cecil tucked her hand into his arm absently as they walked over the tall grass.
“Do you have a key?” Mrs. August asked. She had reached the front porch, a wide portico with tall pillars supporting the open deck above.
“Oh, yes, I believe I do.” Cecil dug in his vest pocket pulling out an old skeleton key and handing it to his housekeeper. “Please proceed.”
The heavy click of the key in the rusty lock was the sound of a new life turning over. For better or worse they had made this move, and only time would tell what would come from it.
The smell of dust, and loneliness was overwhelming as the small troupe stepped into a wide foyer that faced a set of stairs descending from the floor above.
“There’s furniture,” Hester gasped looking into the room to her right.
“I heard he just locked the doors and left,” George Olson stepped in gazing about curiously.
“It’s very dirty,” Bev’s voice echoed in the old house along with her sneeze.
“We can clean it,” Hester said brightly. She didn’t want the children to lose the enthusiasm that had carried them so far from what they had always known. “Just think in a house this large you can surely have a kitten.”
“Can I?” Beverly turned looking between her uncle and Hester.
“You’ll probably need one,” George grinned. “There’s bound to be mice.”
“Mice!” Mrs. August cringed. “Good heavens. Mr. Olson please see to finding us a cat, preferably a hungry one. I’ll pay you myself.”
George Olson chuckled. “I’ll see what I can do. What do you want me to do with the luggage,” he added his curiosity as to the rest of the house almost overwhelming.
“There’s a big barn, and a spring house out back!” Jonas skidded into the house nearly crashing into Cecil. “There are other buildings too, but I don’t know what they’re for.” The boy’s dark eyes shone with excitement. “We’ll have plenty of room for horses and ponies.”
Cecil reached down ruffling the boy's brown hair. “Soon enough,” he said with a grin. “First we have to get this place fit to live in.”
“I’ll help!” Jonas enthused. “Then can I have a pony?”
“If you prove your can be responsible.” Cecil’s heart rose, already the children seemed to be looking toward the future, making him believe he had done the right thing. His eyes strayed to Hester who was busy examining the parlor. He was starting to believe that the day he pu
t the simple maid in charge of his two young relatives was the best decision of his life.
“Where’s Mrs. August?” Beverly spoke up. “Can we look around?”
“Be careful,” Cecil and Hester both spoke at the same time. Lifting their gaze from the children as their eyes collided on a smile.
“Watch out for any critters,” George added.
“Mr. Payton,” Mrs. August made her way back out of the room on their left. “I’ll need cleaning supplies. We need to get started if we plan to stay here tonight.”
Hester smiled, surprised by the woman’s tenacity. Perhaps they hadn’t started out on the right foot together, but she appreciated that Mrs. August was not intimidated by the job at hand.
***
The initial clean through of the old house took all day but by the time the small family traipsed back to Biders Clump for a hot meal at the Grist Mill, the house was at least livable.
“Perhaps we should stay at the boarding house one more night Cecil spoke as the children sprawled in the back of the wagon. “There is still so much to do at the house.”
“But we cleaned our rooms,” Jonas whined. “I want to sleep in my own room and see a ghost.”
“I can’t cook in that kitchen yet,” Mrs. August said. “Mr. Johnson has done an admirable job cleaning, but it isn’t ready. Besides we need supplies.”
“Jonas, I think we’ll stay in town tonight and get a fresh start in the morning.” Cecil looked back at his nephew who frowned.
“I wanted to see if there really was a ghost,” the boy grumbled.
“Do you think Mr. Olson has found me a cat yet?” Beverly yawned but her eyes sparkled.
“We’ll talk to him tonight. Maybe you’ll even see the Olson children tonight and have a chance to visit.”
“Why can’t we just eat at the boarding house?” Jonas asked. “I liked being with Mark and Georgie.” Despite the boy’s privileged lifestyle, he had few friends. It was obvious that he desperately wanted to get better acquainted with the Olson boys.
“We’ll go there first, and if Mrs. Olson has enough food and room, we’ll stay.” Cecil cut his eyes to Hester, hoping there would be room. What if another train load of people had arrived?
“I see you’re back,” George Olson grinned from his seat on the front porch of the boarding house. “Is the house unsuitable?”
Cecil pulled the wagon to a stop and looked down at the older man. “There’s just so much to be done. We need supplies and to finish putting the place back together. Do you still have room for us here tonight?”
George chuckled. “We kind of figured you might come back. I told Polly Esther about the place, and she said to count on you coming for dinner at the least. There aren’t as many travelers in today either, so you’ll be welcome.”
Cecil sighed with relief. He was tired after unaccustomed labor and was looking forward to a hot meal and a warm bed. So many thoughts were racing through his head even now that he wondered if he would sleep.
“Mark,” George called in through the open door of the house. “Come and take the wagon back to the livery for Byron, while I talk to your grandmother.”
“Yes, sir,” Mark dashed from the living area, leaving his school work behind. “Hi Jonas, want to ride along?”
“Sure,” Jonas’s eyes lit up with excitement as the rest of the group clambered down from the wagon.
“You want to come along too Beverly?” Mark asked, pushing brown hair from his eyes and looking at the pretty girl.
Beverly looked at Hester who nodded slightly. “Go on, you’ll be back soon enough.”
In a matter of moments the three children were trotting off toward the livery as the adults walked wearily into the boarding house, the smell of food and hot coffee the essence of dreams.
“Something smells good,” Mrs. August groaned, surprising everyone. The tired woman was covered in dust, her black dress nearly gray with the mess. “All I want is hot food and my bed.”
Hyke winked at his niece. “Seems like a hard day’s work as a char has an effect on one's disposition.”
Hester covered her grin, her heart echoing Mrs. August's feelings.
Chapter 15
“How long have you been driving a wagon?” Jonas asked as he watched every move Mark made. “I want to drive.”
“My pa taught me, and it isn’t as easy as it looks.”
“I can do it,” Jonas insisted, but before he had a chance, they had arrived at the livery.
“Maybe your uncle will teach you,” Mark said hopping down and offering his hand to Beverly.
Jonas huffed. “I don’t need him to teach me. I can see what you have to do.”
Mark shrugged walking toward the livery stable as he called out for Byron.
“What’s all this hollerin’ about?” the old man stepped out of his living quarters at the front of the barn. “Oh, it’s you. Did them city slickers give up already?”
“We didn’t give up,” Bev said, lifting her chin. “We are merely back in town for a meal and a place to sleep. We have been working all day, but the house isn’t fit to sleep in yet.”
“I see,” Byron’s bushy white brows rose at the girl’s tone. “I suppose you helped,” he said sounding anything but convinced.
“I did,” Beverly snipped. “Just look at my hands.”
Byron nodded looking closely as the girl turned dust cover hands before him.
“Well good for you then,” he grinned. “A body should be able to do for themselves.”
“What’s that?” Beverly’s eyes grew wide as a skinny cat trotted out of the barn.
“That old stray?” Byron asked. “She wandered in here the other day and had a passel of kittens in my best stall. I don’t have the heart to throw her out, but I already have two barn cats.”
“Can I have her?” Bev cried as she bounced on her toes. “Please?”
“Why sure ya can if she’ll go with you. Mama cats can be a bit fussy ya know.”
“I don’t care,” Bev said her heart racing as the cat rubbed against the side of the barn. “She can catch all the mice that are at the house and I’ll take good care of her and her kittens.”
Byron smiled, his craggy face wrinkling in on itself. “I’ll fetch you a crate and we’ll see if we can get her inside,” he said.
“Thank you,” Beverly enthused. “Wait until Mrs. August sees this!”
It took them nearly half an hour to get the cat and her kittens into the crate, and Byron was grumbling that he’d given half his dinner to the scraggly critter by the time she had settled down.
“I’ll carry the crate if you like,” Mark offered as the three children turned toward home.
“She’s kind of ugly,” Jonas said peering into the crate at the rail thin black and orange calico. “Are you sure she’ll be a good mouser?”
“Once she fattens up she’ll be beautiful,” Bev insisted. “I just know it.”
***
So many conversations were going on all at once when the children walked back into the boarding house that no one noticed them carry the crate up the stairs to the room where they had stayed the night before.
In the kitchen, over coffee and cookies, the adults were busy plotting a campaign of their own.
“Sheep,” George Olson said. “That’s what you need. A few head of sheep or goats to clean up that yard. Of course, if you go with sheep, you need to realize that they are the only animal on earth looking for the fastest way to die. Maybe goats are a better idea.”
“Where am I going to get goats or sheep for that matter?” Cecil asked.
“Bruno might be willing to bring his sheep out there for a while.” Polly grinned.
“You don’t think Janine will mind?” George grinned.
“She’s doing fine on her own and with her father and new step-mother close by, I’m sure she won’t mind. Bruno can always find a boy to watch the sheep at night anyway.”
“I’ll be happy to pay,” Cecil spoke
up, as Polly moved to the stove opening the door to check on the roasting chicken inside.
Mrs. August sat silently sipping her coffee at one end of the table. She looked completely exhausted.
“Polly,” the young woman from the night before stepped into the kitchen, smiling at the assembly.
“Becky, I’m glad you’re here. I thought perhaps you might be willing to help out at the Rally house tomorrow. I’ll manage here for a day if you can spare the time. Is Grady coming for dinner?”
Becky Gatlin nodded a greeting to the people around her. “Hello,” she smiled. “Yes, Grady is planning on joining us. Is everyone staying again tonight?”
