He pushed the umbrella back toward her. “Use it to cover yourself. Otherwise we’ll both get wet.”
She turned to meet his gaze. “I’m sorry, Luke, but . . .”
“You don’t need to say any more.” He clamped his mouth shut as they stepped onto the porch.
Luke dropped into one of the damp chairs on the porch. He couldn’t go inside just yet. He needed time alone to pray. He needed time to adjust his thinking. He needed God to reveal exactly what he should do.
Maybe Nellie was right.
Hope trekked the distance between the railroad station and chapel car with her thoughts tossing about like leaves in a breeze. She’d spent the afternoon on the hill, helping the children with their reading while their mothers stringed, snapped, and canned green beans. She’d been thankful to gather them under a shade tree rather than bear the heat inside one of the cabins where wood stoves burned hot and jars of green beans immersed in boiling water produced enough steam to wilt spinach.
Hope had planned to spend some time with Luke, but when she stopped by the cabin, his uncle Frank said he was working at the mine the next couple of days. She’d been careful to watch the time and had departed before the men would leave the mine. Knowing the miners would pass by the railroad station, she’d waited outside on one of the wooden benches. When she finally caught sight of Luke, she stood and waved. Her spirits plummeted when instead of coming over to talk, he merely waved and continued walking. For the life of her, she couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him. If she didn’t firmly believe he cared for her, she’d think he was trying to avoid her.
She trudged up the steps of the railcar and stepped inside. Her father was inside washing up and turned when she entered. He smiled and nodded toward the basin of water. “I thought I’d be finished before you returned. I’ll be out of here in a minute and you can start supper.” He picked up a cotton towel and dried off his face and hands before raking a comb through his hair. “We accomplished quite a bit over at the church today. If some of the men continue to help, I think we can have it completed before the weather turns cold. What a blessing that will be.” When he turned to face her, his smile faded. “Why so sad? Are there problems up on the hill?”
She tucked a loose curl behind one ear. “No. The children are doing well with their reading, and their mothers, especially Mrs. Fisher, are thankful to have me helping them. Little Celia has truly blossomed and now loves to read. When school begins in a few more weeks, I think their teacher will discover the children can recollect most of what they were taught last year. At least that’s been my goal.” She forced a smile. “I’ve tried to make it fun so they don’t feel like it’s a classroom. I’ve been using lots of games to help them with their arithmetic, too. They beg to play the games. Probably because the winner gets a piece of candy.”
“There’s nothing better than sweets to inspire youngsters to listen and learn.” Her father chuckled. “So if all is going well with the children and their mothers, what’s the cause of your gloom?”
She picked at a nonexistent piece of lint on her sleeve. “Luke.”
“Luke? What could that fine young fella do to cause you such misery?”
A long sigh escaped her. Given different circumstances, Hope would have chosen to discuss matters of the heart with Nellie rather than her father, but that was impossible. Over the past months, the two of them had become dear friends, but Nellie was Luke’s sister. And Nellie had great difficulty keeping her lips sealed. She wasn’t a girl who repeated secrets out of spite or to hurt anyone. Instead it seemed words slipped out of her mouth before she could think to stop them, especially when the secret included a family member.
Hope had become acquainted with many of the young ladies in town and considered them friends, yet she and Nellie had formed a special bond that linked them together like sisters. Hope had never shared any of her innermost thoughts with any of those other girls, nor had they with her. They would think her daft if she suddenly appeared at their doorstep and divulged her worries that Luke’s attention had strayed. Besides, what if one of them secretly cared for him? Even worse, what if one of them was the reason he no longer cared for her? What if, unbeknownst to her, he’d begun courting one of the local girls? A lump formed in her throat. Could she bear to see another woman on his arm?
“Well? Are you going to tell me what Luke’s done that has caused your usual smile to disappear?”
Her father’s question interrupted her thoughts. “I think he cares for someone else.” She’d blurted out the remark without giving it great thought.
“Cares for someone else?” He cleared his throat. “Has Luke declared his love for you?”
She caught her lower lip between her teeth and nodded. “And I have done the same.”
Her father raked his fingers through his damp hair and mussed the careful combing he’d performed only minutes ago. “I realized the two of you were more than friends, but I didn’t know it had gone this far. And he’s asked you to marry him?”
Hope gasped. “Oh, no! I don’t think he would be so bold without first gaining your permission.” She turned away. “Given his recent behavior, I doubt either of us need concern ourselves about a marriage proposal.” Tears threatened, and she swallowed hard. “I simply don’t understand. I don’t think I’ve done or said anything that would cause such a change in him. If I have, I don’t know what it would be. I praised him for his visits to Jimmy Ray and even provided reading materials for Luke to give the boy. I’ve included his younger brothers and sisters in all the activities I’ve been conducting on the hill, and when I had some free time, I helped Nellie and his mother pick beans and shuck corn. I even worked alongside his uncle Frank when he was finishing up some painting inside the house.” She removed a potato from the small bin and picked up her paring knife. “I truly don’t know what has caused this change in him.”
Her father settled in one of the chairs and watched her peel the dense potato skin. “I think that instead of talking to me or one of your friends, you need to ask Luke. He may be struggling with something that has nothing to do with you.”
She peeled the last potato and began to cut them into thin slices. “I tried that before I came home today, but it didn’t work. He wouldn’t even cross the road to the railroad station and talk to me.”
“Hmm.” Her father stroked his jaw. “He’ll be preaching this evening. I wouldn’t try to talk to him before the meeting. He still gets a little nervous before he preaches. But afterward—that would be your best opportunity, I think.”
She slid the potato slices into the hot grease, leaned down and kissed her father’s cheek. She’d try to summon her courage and speak to Luke this evening.
But what if it confirmed her greatest fear?
CHAPTER
27
Hope’s heart ached so much, she feared it would burst. None of her attempts to speak with Luke had proved fruitful. Though he assured her she’d done nothing to offend him and that he wasn’t avoiding her, their relationship had changed. Instead of seeking her out after meetings, he was careful to have Nellie or some of the other children around him whenever she drew near. He’d canceled his morning Bible study with her father. Now, on days when he wasn’t working at the mine, Luke went directly to the site of the new church building to help with the construction. When the workers stopped to eat lunch, Luke and her father conducted their Bible study at the work site.
For the past few days when he returned to the railcar, Hope would meet her father, eager to know if Luke had mentioned her name. Each day, her father would merely shake his head and give her a pitying look.
This afternoon her father once again shook his head as he entered the railcar. After washing his hands, he sat down and gestured to her. “I know I advised you to speak to Luke, but since he hasn’t given you a satisfactory answer, I’m willing to ask him if there’s a problem.” He gathered her hand in his own. “But only if that’s what you want.”
She sat
down opposite him and briefly considered the idea, then shook her head. “No. I don’t want to draw you into this when it could cause problems between you and Luke. I do wish he’d at least give me an opportunity to talk to him alone. It seems there’s always someone else around when I approach him.”
Her father snapped his fingers together. “What about the box social? The fellows have been talking about it for days now, especially the unmarried young men. The day before the social I could mention to Luke that you were busy preparing your basket before I left and that you were pleased to find a pretty ribbon to tie on the handle.” He winked at her. “You tell me what color ribbon you’re going to use and then he can bid on your basket. What do you think? You’d have time to be alone with him while you eat your box lunch.”
The idea was sound, but would Luke bid on her basket? Her stomach twisted. The thought that he’d know which basket was hers and still not bid would force her to accept that he didn’t care for her anymore. At least not the way he’d professed in the past. Yet wasn’t knowing better than spending each day wondering? She weighed that thought for several minutes. Did she truly want to be certain?
Hope inhaled a long breath. “Yes. That’s a wonderful idea, Papa. You can tell him how I decorate my basket.”
Once her decision had been made, a chill rushed through her each time she considered the consequences of her choice. Tears pricked her eyes, and she tried to remember that God had a plan for her future and she should trust that His plan would be better than any she might have in mind. Sometimes that worked for perhaps as long as half an hour. Other times it didn’t work at all. She told herself that she should find pleasure in each day and not rush the future. That, too, worked sometimes, but usually not for long.
The day before the box social, Hope rummaged through the colorful buttons and pieces of ribbon in her sewing box. She removed only the ribbons that were long enough to make a bow, and wide enough to be seen at a distance. She stared at the two choices that lay before her. The larger was a long piece of black sateen that had been attached to a funeral wreath placed atop Aunt Mattie’s burial plot. The thought of using the funeral ribbon to decorate her basket for a social wouldn’t do. The other ribbon wasn’t as wide, but it was long enough to make a double bow. Years ago, Aunt Mattie had removed the cream-colored ribbon and an ostrich plume from one of her fancy hats before she’d declared it beyond repair. The older woman had cautioned Hope to keep ribbons, buttons, and any other decorative pieces attached to her hats or garments before discarding them. While Hope followed a portion of her rule, she thought it imprudent to cut buttons off a dress before donating it to charity. She doubted the recipient would have the means or supplies to replace buttons, so she’d rejected that idea.
She lifted the basket onto the table and set to work on her bow. After several attempts, she smiled at the results. The bow looked brand-new. It was perfect from every angle, yet the color was indistinct. What if someone else tied a white or tan ribbon to their basket? Would Luke be certain which one was hers? She stared at the basket awhile longer and then turned back to her sewing box. She threaded her needle, removed the ostrich plume from the depths of the box, and tucked it into the bow, careful to tack it to the bow in several places. She didn’t want it to come loose before the bidding began. Certain none of the other ladies would have such a decoration on their baskets, she tucked it away until her father returned home that evening.
When they’d finished supper, Hope removed the basket from the closet that held her clothes. She held it high in the air. “Well, what do you think?”
Her father gave a wide grin. “I doubt there will be another like it.”
She swiveled the basket around and narrowed her eyes. “Do you think the feather is too much?” She didn’t give him time to respond before continuing. “I wasn’t going to use it, but the bow is such a neutral color, I thought he might mistake cream-colored for white or tan, and I have no idea what the other ladies may have on hand. Cream is such a common color that I—”
Her father held up his hand to stay her. “No need to explain further, my dear. I merely said I didn’t think there would be another basket with an ostrich plume. It is lovely, and you’re right. The cream color is quite common and could lead to confusion. I’ll be sure to tell Luke about the ostrich feather.” He chuckled. “That ostrich feather may entice more bids than the food inside the basket.”
Her father had carefully selected the day they would hold the box social. He’d chosen a date when there would be an abundance of railroaders in town so that they would raise as much money as possible. Yesterday one of the men had told him one or two of the railroad managers might arrive in time for the box social. Great anticipation continued to surround the event as the churchgoing residents of Finch hoped to raise enough money for the purchase of a church bell. The preacher had been pleased by the folks’ enthusiasm, but he feared the bell would arrive long before there was a steeple to house it. He was certain the men would be pleased to bid and spend their hard-earned money on the box suppers, and he was pleased for their participation in any form. On the other hand, he continued to pray more of the men would attend services in the chapel car and also help with construction of the new church building.
While pondering the need for more workers last week, he’d come upon an idea. He’d offered an incentive to gain the time and energy of the men. At the end of meetings in the chapel car, he announced that the man who worked the most hours during the week would have first choice and could choose any basket at the social without placing a bid. He’d told the men in attendance to spread the word.
The following day, and each day thereafter, the preacher had been delighted by the number of men who had appeared at the work site. He’d received a few good-hearted objections from the men who were assigned to be at their regular jobs in the mine, yet they remained determined to win and would appear at the construction site carrying their empty lunch pails after long hours in a dark coal tunnel.
As they had each day that week, Hope and several other women met the miners at the church site with jugs of water and cold sandwiches, for which the men lavished their gratitude upon the young ladies.
Nellie stopped beside the preacher and her uncle Frank. “We have a few sandwiches left, if either of you would like one.” Both men nodded, and she lifted two paper-wrapped sandwiches from the basket. “Sorry, but the others chose the ham, so there’s only these left.”
Her uncle unwrapped the sandwich and lifted one edge of the bread. “The old men get jelly and the young’uns get ham. Somethin’ seems wrong about that.” He laughed before taking a bite of the offering.
She covered her mouth with her palm. “Oh, no. I’m sorry, Uncle Frank. I should have given you and the preacher ham. We’re handing out jelly sandwiches to the married fellas and ham to the single men.” She grinned at him and dug into the basket. “I’ve still got a couple with ham. I can give them to you and the preacher if you’d like.” She glanced back and forth between the two men. When they shook their heads, Nellie cradled the basket handle on her arm and skipped off.
Frank bent his head, unwrapped the sandwich, and murmured, “Best I keep this since I won’t be single for long.”
Hope’s father leaned in. “What was that? Did you say you won’t be single for long?”
Frank nodded. “I asked Myrna, Luke’s ma, to marry me. I don’t know why I waited so long. My brother’s been dead and buried nigh on four years now, and there’s no other woman I’d ever want. Me and Myrna love each other, and she and the young’uns need me. Truth is, I need her even more. The young’uns already think of me more like a pa than an uncle. And I don’t think Luke or Nellie will have any objection.”
“I think that’s wonderful news, Frank. I’m happy for both of you. When are you planning to marry?”
Frank took a bite of his jelly sandwich and grinned. “Soon. Very soon.”
Luke flinched when his sister nudged him in the side. “You need to qui
t talkin’ to Hope. She’s confused ’bout what’s goin’ on betwixt the two of you, and it ain’t fair to her.”
Luke picked up his hammer and pounded a nail into the lumber before looking at his sister. “Why? What did she say?”
“She says you been acting strange. One minute you’re smiling at her, and the next minute your lips are sealed tighter than a canning jar. The best and kindest thing to do is talk to her and move on and find a gal from up here on the hill. I care about Hope almost as much as you, but until you tell her it’s best for the two of you to move on, she’s gonna cling to hope. Maybe you could take up with Margaret McCray. She’d be pleased to have you court her.”
He shook his head and glared at his sister. “Margaret McCray? That’s the craziest thing I ever heard of. I’ve got no interest in Margaret. Or any other gal, for that matter.”
“Not now, you don’t, but Margaret has always liked you. A lot. She jest never knew how to show you. What you gotta do is bid on her basket at the social. You two can get to know each other better. Margaret would be a good match, Luke. She’s one of us. She’d understand movin’ in with the family and all after you get hitched.”
“Are you pulling my leg? You got us married already? What’s wrong with you, Nellie?” Using the end of the hammer, he pointed to the grassy knoll where the other women had gathered. “Go talk to the womenfolk and let me be. And don’t use your time thinking up any more foolishness.”
Undeterred, Nellie remained by his side for a moment longer. “I asked about her basket decorations. Margaret’s basket will have a red-and-white gingham bow attached.” She smiled down at him as though she’d presented him with a gift.
“Stay out of this, Nellie.”
She flipped her hair over her shoulder and strode off as if he hadn’t said a word. He stared after her, annoyed by her interference and lack of understanding. Did she truly believe he could so easily forget Hope? No doubt she did. Nellie had never been in love. How could she understand? He pounded until the head of the nail had disappeared into the splintered wood that surrounded it.
The Chapel Car Bride Page 27
