Gertrude

by Kirsten Osbourne

  The children began laughing. A little boy named Peter tugged at Gertrude’s hand. “Please, please, Miss Sanders!”

  “Absolutely not. We have reading hour on Friday mornings, and today is Tuesday. That’s not on the schedule. And we’re outside. We’re not in the library!” Gertrude couldn’t believe what was happening. All of her rules and structure were now in chaos. “Again, Mr. Thorn, I demand you move your wagon. You promised me.”

  “I did promise you, Miss Sanders. And my word is good. Yesterday I pulled up my wagon over there.” Jed pointed to the spot the wagon had inhabited the day before. “Today, I drove the wagon to this place. So I did move the wagon.”

  The children erupted in a huge peal of laughter. No one had ever had the gall to speak to Miss Sanders this way. They’d never seen her so upset.

  Gertrude took a deep breath. She refused to allow Jed Thorn to make a mockery of her library and her rules. “I hope you’ll move your wagon, Mr. Thorn. But if you don’t, you will hear from the authorities.” Gertrude strode back into the library, her head held high.

  When she got back to her desk, she felt like crying. Who did that man think he was? She’d run the library in a very specific way since she had taken it over a few years back. Everyone was happy with it. There was nothing wrong with it. So why did Jed Thorn think he had a right to interfere with everything she’d built?

  Gertrude took a deep breath and checked her face in the mirror hanging on the wall next to her desk. She tried to relax and focus on her daily tasks. There were lists to be made, references to check, and books to be shelved. She didn’t need to think about Jed Thorn or his silly banjo and colorful wagon.

  The morning was a quiet one; most of the children who had been outside disappeared to go to the Nowhere school house. A few of the regular patrons came in and checked out books. Gertrude couldn’t help but notice that many of them stopped by the book wagon on their way into or out of the library. It made her angry, but she knew there was not much she could do about it.

  At noon, the library was completely empty. Gertrude stared out the window and saw that a huge group of people were circled around Jed. He strummed his banjo and sang a ballad about a man who had lost his way and the woman who loved him. Gertrude found herself being moved by the music—regardless of what type of man he was, there was no denying he had an incredible voice.

  Frustrated, Gertrude decided to eat her lunch in the small broom closet at the back of the library. It was cramped and dark, but when she shut the door, she could no longer hear the strains of banjo music or the laughter that floated through the air.

  Gertrude thought long and hard about how to get Jed Thorn out of her hair. There had to be a solution. The people of Nowhere relied on the library for a quiet place to read and study. There was no way they would be able to do that with Jed carrying on so noisily just outside the window.

  Throughout the afternoon, a few people passed in and out of the library. Gertrude helped them check out books or use the card catalog to find what they were looking for. Many of them went back outside after a short while, and Gertrude could see them talking and laughing with Jed. Gertrude could feel herself growing angrier and angrier as the minutes passed.

  When the school day ended around three o’clock, Gertrude saw a flock of children swarm all around Jed. They climbed in and out of his wagon as if it were a tree, sat on his knee, and played with his hat and banjo. Jed seemed to take it all in stride, strumming along and starting to sing again.

  Gertrude tried to focus on her work in the library. There was a small chalkboard near the back of the room, so she decided to clean the erasers. She walked out the door and stood toward the side of the library building so no one would notice her. She clapped the erasers together and a cloud of dust filled the air. She could hear Jed’s banjo and frowned.

  “Sing it again, Uncle Jed!”

  “I want to play the banjo!”

  Jed caught sight of Gertrude’s hair glistening in the sun. “Wait for me a moment, children.” He handed his banjo to a little boy standing next to him and hurried over to where Gertrude stood clapping erasers.

  “Need a hand?” Jed strode toward Gertrude and gestured at the erasers.

  Gertrude shook her head. “No.”

  “Please. It’s the least I can do.” Jed looked deep into Gertrude’s eyes, and she could feel her determination melting. She shrugged her shoulders and handed over the erasers.

  Jed walked a few feet away from Gertrude and gave the erasers a few hearty claps, then walked back to her. He pressed the erasers back into her hands and held on for a few moments longer than was necessary.

  Gertrude felt as if her hands were on fire the moment Jed touched her. She took a step back.

  A look of concern flashed across Jed’s face. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine.” Gertrude swallowed.

  “I want you to know it’s not my intent to disrupt you. I think I can help you.” Jed’s expression was earnest.

  Gertrude wasn’t sure what to feel. “I don’t need your help. I can manage just fine without your wagon and horses and banjo.”

  Jed smiled. “I admire your forthright nature. Have you always been this way?”

  “For as long as I can remember. Have you always been this irritating?” As much as it made people crazy, she wasn’t one to not speak her mind. Honesty was the only policy as far as Gertrude was concerned.

  Jed let out a big rumble of laughter. “You’re one of a kind, Gertrude Sanders. Has anyone ever told you that?”

  Gertrude composed herself, looking away from Jed and toward the children, who were still shouting and playing outside the wagon. “That’s not relevant to our conversation. The children need to do their homework. You’re disrupting them.”

  “Hmm.” Jed stepped back and looked at Gertrude thoughtfully.

  “What are you staring at?”

  “Just wondering something.” Jed’s eyes danced playfully.

  “What?”

  “I’m wondering if you’re always this pretty, or if it’s only when you’re mad.”

  “I’m afraid you aren’t likely to find out, because I seem to always be mad when you’re around. And I don’t see that changing.” Gertrude knew she was being harsh with Jed, but the man needed to understand that she was a woman of principle. She was not someone who was going to simply set aside all of her rules and processes just because a man with a banjo had come to town.

  “That’s quite all right with me. I’m content just to be near you.” Jed’s words were sweet and his eyes were kind. All Gertrude could think about was the way his hands had felt around hers. They were warm and strong, and she wanted to feel them there again.

  “I should get back inside to my tasks.” Gertrude looked back toward the library.

  “You seem like a woman who likes to be busy.” Jed’s tone grew bolder.

  Gertrude was taken aback. “Yes, that’s right. It’s a lot of work, but I enjoy it.”

  “Let me help you get these back inside.” Jed walked to the library entrance and held the door open for Gertrude. Before she even realized what was happening, she’d followed him into the library and put the erasers back at the chalkboard. She dusted her hands off on the skirt of her dress. Fortunately, it was a deep brown color that hid the dust well.

  Gertrude and Jed stared at each other uncomfortably. Gertrude bit her lip and found a stack of books that one of the patrons had returned that morning. She began to put each book where it belonged on the shelves. She strained to put a book back on the top shelf.

  “Let me give you a hand with that.” Jed stepped behind her and reached his long, lean arms over hers and guided her hand to the top. Gertrude’s heart began racing. The feeling of Jed’s body behind her was new and exciting—and terrifying. Gertrude swiveled around.

  “Excuse me. I think you should leave now. I have a lot of work to do.”

  “I’ll go. But before I do answer me one question. Do you feel anything fo
r me? Anything at all? Because Gertrude Sanders, I feel a whole lot of things for you.” Jed grabbed her hands as he gave his impassioned speech.

  Gertrude wanted to tell him how she was feeling, but she knew it wouldn’t be appropriate. She felt she was going to burst with all of the longing and excitement that was swirling through her entire body. She fought to keep her face neutral. “I don’t think that’s relevant.”

  A huge grin spread across Jed’s face. “That’s all I needed to hear. I’ll be outside if you need anything.”

  Gertrude was baffled. “What do you have to smile about?”

  “You didn’t answer my question. That means you have something to hide. And that gives me hope. Not much, but some. And that’s enough for now.” Jed was practically dancing out the door. He would probably start to sing about it soon.

  Gertrude sighed. She couldn’t think up a clever response before he walked out the door. The man was going to be the death of her.

  That evening, Gertrude was unusually quiet. After dinner, she and Katie went upstairs to her bedroom and Gertrude began to braid the younger girl’s hair. Katie talked on and on about her new job helping out their sister Ruby at the mercantile.

  When Cletus and Edna Petunia had taken in the girls, they had explained that they all either needed to do volunteer work, go to school, or earn a wage. Although they had plenty of money to spare—even after taking in fifteen orphans—they refused to let the girls grow idle.

  Gertrude tried to pay attention to Katie’s stories, but had trouble focusing. She kept thinking about the slight wave in Jed’s hair and the spark she’d felt when he’d leaned over her to help her reach the highest shelf.

  “Gertie! Are you even listening to me?” Katie turned around and Gertrude let go of the braid she was working on.

  Gertrude snapped back to attention. “Katie, you moved your head! Now I have to start all over.”

  Katie pouted. Before Gertrude could think of anything else to say, Edna Petunia burst into the room. Gertrude thought about remarking upon the fact that Edna Petunia never knocked on the doors, even to bedrooms, but decided against it. Edna Petunia was who she was, and she wasn’t likely to change, especially at her age.

  “I came up here to find out what is going on with you, Gertrude.” Edna Petunia put her hands on her hip. Gertrude recognized the look on her face. She knew her adoptive mother would not leave the room until she got the whole story. “You were too quiet at dinner. I can tell whenever something is upsetting one of my bastards.”

  It used to bother Gertrude that Edna Petunia referred to the orphans as bastards, but she’d learned that it was all a part of the woman’s quirky personality. Now, she barely batted an eye when Edna Petunia used the term. She knew it was said affectionately.

  “I’m fine. It’s nothing.” Gertrude concentrated on Katie’s hair. She didn’t feel like explaining herself to Edna Petunia. She was an adult…she wasn’t quite sure why she was expected to constantly explain herself, anyway.

  “Gertrude Sanders, you know lying to me won’t do you any good. Come right out with it.” Edna Petunia plopped herself down onto the bed next to Katie. The younger girl giggled.

  “I really don’t want to talk about it.” Gertrude didn’t want to explain all of her confusing feelings to Edna Petunia. Although the woman had always been accepting of her and her sisters, surely the older woman wouldn’t approve of all the thoughts Gertrude was having about Jed.

  “Peppermint stick?” Edna Petunia leaned over and pulled a peppermint stick from her bosom. Gertrude wrinkled her nose and shook her head. She knew where that peppermint stick had been!

  “I may be a crazy old woman, but you can tell me what’s troubling you.” Edna Petunia stared at Gertrude until the young woman finally began talking.

  Gertrude didn’t know how to explain her situation. “It’s just…that man with the book wagon?”

  “Yes, you mentioned him the other night at dinner.”

  “He’s driving me up a wall. He’s constantly there at the library. I want him to go away, but he won’t. And he also—well, he also…” Gertrude could feel her face flushing with embarrassment. Katie snickered, then coughed to hide it.

  “He also what? If he hurt one of my bastards…why, I’ll go down to that wagon of his and—” Now Edna Petunia’s face was turning red. She and Cletus did not do well when anyone or anything bothered one of their girls.

  Gertrude thought fast about what she wanted to say. “No, nothing like that. It’s just that he made it seem like he fancied me. That’s all.” She looked down, a bit embarrassed. No man had fancied her. She’d watched all her sisters marry, but not one man had ever approached her.

  “Hmm.” Edna Petunia snorted. “I know you’ve got more sense on you than to gallivant with a man in a traveling book wagon.”

  Gertrude thought about this for a moment and laughed. “You’re right. Plus, I’m pretty sure he lives in that book wagon.”

  Katie’s eyes grew wide. “He lives in a wagon? How can that be?”

  “I don’t know for sure.” Gertrude thought a man had to be truly mad if he lived in his wagon.

  “When I first met Cletus, he lived in the woods.” Edna Petunia sighed as she reminisced.

  That settles it, Gertrude thought to herself. Jed is definitely insane.

  Chapter 3

  The morning sun was bright and clear as Jed climbed out of his wagon and stretched his arms. It looked like it would be a beautiful day in Nowhere. He opened one of the tin cans of beans he kept in his wagon for breakfast. He sat outside of the wagon and watched the clouds float by as he ate his food.

  He couldn’t wait to see Gertrude again. He could not stop thinking about the woman. She was bold and brash, and he loved that about her. He never knew exactly what she was going to say or do.

  To his surprise, instead of Gertrude, an elderly couple pulled up next to him in a wagon of their own. They hopped out of their wagon and marched up to his.

  “You must be the man giving our Gertie a hard time,” Cletus accused.

  “You’ll leave our daughter alone, if you have any sense at all,” Edna Petunia added, glancing at the stranger in the wagon. She had to admit, he was quite handsome.

  Jed’s wary expression brightened. “You’re Edna Petunia and Cletus Sanders? I’ve heard about you.”

  Edna Petunia only glared at him. “Don’t believe everything you hear in this town.” Jed watched as she reached a hand into her bosom and brought it out again, carrying a peppermint stick. She crunched on it noisily as they continued talking.

  “Thing is, son, you’re trespassing. This is county-owned land.” Cletus puffed out his chest and gazed at Jed sternly.

  “With all due respect, sir, I don’t believe I am.”

  Cletus frowned. As Nowhere’s town judge and an overprotective father of fifteen girls, he wasn’t used to his authority being challenged. “What do you mean by that?”

  “I checked the map of county property. From here until the farm next door is all public land. The plot of land where the library sits is county land. But this here is public. Therefore, I believe I’m entitled to park my wagon here if need be.”

  Cletus looked taken aback, but didn’t say anything. Edna Petunia sprung into action. “If need be? Why exactly does a man of your age need to sleep in a wagon?”

  Jed grinned. “It’s less that I need to sleep in a wagon and more that I choose to do it. I enjoy being outside and having the freedom to go where I so choose.”

  Despite himself, Cletus was nodding his head. “Before I settled down, I lived in the woods. That’s where I first met this woman, and then she made me the happiest man in the world.” Cletus leaned over to kiss Edna Petunia right on the mouth, and Jed looked away politely.

  Once they had finished, he stood up straight and looked each of them in the eye. “I’m glad you came to call on me, because I have been wanting to meet you. You’ve raised a mighty fine young woman—”

  Edn
a Petunia let out a little whoop. “Of course we did! And they’re all like that!”

  “—and I intend to marry her.” As soon as Jed said the words, he felt a pit of fear in his stomach. What if Gertrude’s parents disapproved? It was too soon. They didn’t even know him yet.

  But fortunately for him, Cletus laughed and patted him on the back. “I appreciate your honesty, son.”

  “Our daughters, all of them, will marry for love and nothing less. Gertie has a fine head on her shoulders…and as you know, she does not tolerate foolishness. What makes you think you could provide for her?” Edna Petunia asked sharply.

  “I’m glad you asked me that. I’ve been lucky over the years, building a small income from my business. I’ve never married, and I don’t drink or spend money on frivolous things. I bought this wagon outright, so I’m not in any debt. The only expenses I have are for feeding my horses and donating a small amount to my church.” Jed looked at Cletus and Edna Petunia nervously. He hoped that would be enough to convince them he was worthy of their daughter. He knew he had a long way to go—he still needed to convince Gertrude—but this would be a major step.

  Cletus nodded, satisfied. Edna Petunia was impressed, but wasn’t about to let Jed off the hook so easily. “How would you feel about an engagement that lasted a year or longer?”

  Jed swallowed. “I think that would be up to Gertrude. I don’t see a problem with it.”

  “I was once a young man myself, son. Are you sure your manly urges won’t take over and make you do something you’ll regret?” Cletus stared at the young man, as if he could read his intentions.

  Jed was a very open person, but he wasn’t sure how to answer this question. He felt almost any answer he could give would get him in trouble.

  Fortunately, Edna Petunia chimed in. “You see, Jed, all I want to do is be able to give one of my bastards a perfect wedding.”

  Jed coughed suddenly. “Excuse me, ma’am…did you just say ‘bastards’?”

  Edna Petunia was on a roll. “Yes, I did. All I want to do is arrange the flowers and the dress and the food and make everything nice for my girls, but every single one of them who has gotten married so far has betrayed me. They’ve all had very short engagements, getting married with barely any notice or time to plan a thing! So you’ll understand, Mr. Thorn, when I say a very long engagement. Understood?”