Chase (Prairie Grooms, Book Four)

by Kit Morgan

  So the better question to ask, was of course, was whether or not Chase Adams was an idiot? She sighed at the thought, got up from the table, and went to join her sisters in the task of learning to do laundry.

  * * *

  Lena stopped up short and stared at the scene before her. Sadie was busy hanging laundry on a rope stretched between two posts. She hummed a merry tune and ignored the two prone bodies behind her. A wash tub and scrub board sat on the ground between Fina and Apple, who looked as if they'd passed out from their labors. “Good heavens!” Lena began. “What happened to the two of you?”

  Apple opened her eyes and ever so slightly raised her head at the sound of her sister’s voice. “I say,” she said. “But this particular chore was much harder than we thought.” Her head hit the ground with a small thud.

  Lena put her hands on her hips. “Oh come now, how hard could it have been?”

  Fina, with no small amount of effort, propped herself up on her elbows and glared at her sister. “You weren't here to do it with us, so until you've done the task, don't ask how hard it is. You can see the results for yourself, can't you?”

  I see Sadie hanging the laundry, not you two.”

  Sadie looked over her shoulder and grinned. “They did do a fine job,” she said. “But I'm afraid they're not used to this type of work yet.” She bent to grab a sheet from the laundry basket and started to pin it to the line. “But don't worry, as with everything else, you'll get better at it.”

  Apple moaned from where she lay, her eyes closed. Lena shook her head, hands still on hips, and leaned forward to study her. Fina watched. “What ever are you staring at?” she asked Lena.

  “Oh my,” said Lena. “Apple, do me a favor will you?”

  Apple moaned in response.

  “Lie there and don't move a muscle,” instructed Lena as she slowly approached her sister’s prone form.

  “I don't think I could move if I wanted to,” said Apple. Her eyes suddenly popped open. “However, I must ask, why you don't want me to move?”

  “Oh, it's nothing really,” said Lena as she slowed her approach and peered at Apple's legs. Sadie turned and gasped. Apple's breath hitched. “Don't move! instructed Lena.

  Fina pushed herself up to a sitting position and immediately put both hands over her mouth. “Look at the size of it!” she mumbled through her fingers.

  Apple sat up, alarmed. “Lena!”

  Lena picked up a small stick near her feet, and began to prod the huge spider that had perched itself atop her sister’s skirt covered leg. “Don’t move, just let me take care of him.” She prodded the insect very gently, but without the result she hoped for. It gathered its legs beneath it as if to jump.

  “Just flick it off of her!” called Sadie from the clothes line.

  “I don't want to hurt it. What if he lands wrong?”

  “What if he bites me?” squeaked Apple. “Get it off!”

  “Oh hush you big baby, he's not going to bite you.” scolded Lena. She bent at the waist, and blew on the little monster. But several legs tightened closer to its body. Now Apple brought her own hands to her mouth, and looked and chewed on her knuckles.

  “For heaven sakes, Lena!” Fina barked. “Get it off!”

  “Don't rush me, I don't want to hurt the little creature.”

  Sadie searched the ground, found a bigger stick than Lenas, and began to head towards them. “I'll take care of this.”

  “No!” cried Lena. “Let me! I've done this dozens of times.”

  “I didn't realize spiders got that big in England,” said Sadie.

  “They don't,” said Fina. But Lena can’t stand to kill anything. It's not poisonous, is it?”

  “No,” said Sadie. “But it might give poor Apple a nasty bite. At least none of you have fainted.

  “Faint?” asked Fina.

  At that, Lena got the stick under the little beast, and flicked it about a foot from Apple, who immediately rolled as far away from it as she could, and almost tripped Lena in the process. “Watch what you're doing!” Lena scolded. She then went to the spider and blew on its back. “That's it, get along now, go on back to your little house wherever it is.”

  “Look at that thing!” exclaimed Sadie. “He's huge!”

  Fina and Apple were on their feet at this point and stood a safe distance away, as Lena continued to urge the spider from the yard. Sadie watched the three and began to laugh. “If Harrison or Collin were here, they'd kill it! And yes, all three of your cousins had a run in with a similar, if not the same, spider, and each one fainted!”

  Lena straightened and gasped. “They never did appreciate nature the way we do. And you tell Colin and Harrison that they'll do no such thing! That poor, innocent little creature has done nothing wrong!”

  “It would have been wrong of him to bite me!” Apple pointed out. “I dare say sister, it's one thing to coax a little beatle off of one of us, but that! She shuddered and pointed at the retreating bug. “That is something else, indeed.”

  Lena again put her hands on her hips. “I got him off of you, didn't I? And without injury I might add, to either you, or him!”

  “How do you know it’s a him?” asked Fina. “What if it's a girl and she has babies? Lots of babies?”

  “Oh stop it, all three of you,” scolded Sadie. “We have work to do remember? Fina and Apple, might I suggest you not lie on the ground while you're working? You’ll avoid any further contact with that thing or any of its relatives.”

  Fina and Apple looked at each other and shrugged. They then nodded their agreement and went back to work.

  Lena let out a heavy sigh as she watched the little beast crawl off. “He has his purpose, just as everything does in nature. Killing him might have upset the natural order of things.”

  “Killing it might keep him from crawling onto one of us again in the future,” said Sadie. “What are you going to do if a coyote wanders into your barnyard?”

  Lena could only stare at her. What would she do if such a beast wandered into her midst? Especially if she were alone? “Are… Are they dangerous?”

  “They can be,” said Sadie. “It depends on what they’re after and how hungry they are.”

  Lena swallowed hard. At Collin’s suggestion form the day before, she decided to allow herself the freedom to be true to her heart. Part of that was her love of nature and all living things, which meant killing the spider would have made her feel guilty for days, even if it was an ugly little beast.

  “Is something burning?” asked Apple.

  Lena's shoulders slumped. ‘That would be my bread,” she told her.

  “Oh dear,” said Fina. “Dare I asked how it turned out?”

  “You need not ask,” Lena informed her. “It's quite obvious by the smell, isn't it?”

  “You mean we did better at laundry, than you did it bread baking?” asked Apple.

  “Quite,” was all Lena offered.

  Apple giggled. “Perhaps your little eight legged friend could have helped you in the kitchen.”

  “Apple,” said Fina. “That's not being fair.”

  “I'm only teasing,” she said. “Lena is learning just as we are. We can't help it if we’re better at scrubbing laundry than she is it baking bread.”

  “Tomorrow I’ll do laundry and you can burn something,” said Lena with a huff.

  “Ladies, stop it!” demanded Sadie. “You are all learning and you will all make mistakes.”

  “But Lena is getting married within a week.” pointed out Apple. “How is she going to learn everything she needs to know before then?”

  “All I'm able to do is teach you a few basics,” said Sadie. “The rest you’re just going to have to learn after you're married.”

  Lena gasped. ‘Oh my goodness, I hadn't thought of that. What if I can't even master the basics before then?”

  “Then you'll just have to muddle through,” Sadie told her.

  “What if Mr. Adams doesn't have everything she needs
to do the basics?” asked Apple. “How does he do his laundry?”

  “And does he have a decent cook stove?” asked Lena.

  “Constance told us that Ryder didn't even have a decent bed!” added Apple.

  “Ladies, please!” Sadie said, exasperated.

  “Lena stared at her with a look of horror. “Cousin Imogene is right…”

  “Right about what?” asked Apple.

  Lena's eyes wandered to the ground in search of the spider, but saw no sign of him. “I'm not equipped to be a wife.”

  Sadie's sighed, tossed the clothes pins she held in one hand into the laundry basket, then threw the stick she held in the other, over her shoulder. “There are lots of brides that are unskilled when they first marry,” she explained.

  Lena looked at her. “Not skilled is one thing. Totally inept, another.”

  “Too bad Lena couldn't practice at Mr. Adams house,” said Apple. “Then she'd at least know what she had to work with.”

  Fina's eyes lit up. “That's an excellent idea, sister!”

  “What are you talking about?” asked Sadie.

  “Why can't Lena practice her baking, cooking, and sewing at Mr. Adams house?” asked Fina. “She is going to live there, after all.”

  Lena looked at her two sisters, and then to Sadie. “Would doing so give me an upper hand?”

  Sadie threw her face into her hands, and moaned. “You three are impossible!” She then looked at them. “I see no need for it.”

  “Please,” said Lena.” If it would make me learn any faster, then I’ll do it.”

  Jefferson came out the kitchen’s back door, carrying the two bread pans. “What in tarnation happened to these?” he bellowed.

  Lena spun back to Sadie. “Please?”

  Sadie closed her eyes and shook her head. “If Mr. Adams agrees, and if it will make you feel better about getting married, then fine. I personally don't see the logic in it, but then, I'm not in your position.”

  “Then it settled!” said Fina. “You can ask Mr. Adams tonight at dinner.”

  “Dinner!” Lena blurted. “I forgot all about dinner! What am I going to wear?”

  “Quick!” said Fina. “Let's go upstairs and help you choose an outfit!”

  “Oh, would you?” asked Lena in relief.

  “Of course!” added Apple. “It will be fun!” With that, the three sisters ran for the house and disappeared through the kitchen’s back door to leave Jefferson and Sadie staring after them.

  Jefferson held both pans upside down and tried to shake the loaves free. They wouldn't budge. “Them gals are sure gonna have a hard time of it once they get married. I don't envy their husbands one bit.”

  “Neither do I,” said Sadie. “But let's not tell them that.”

  Jefferson banged the pans together a few times and tried again to dislodge the contents. No luck. They stuck in the pans like glue. “My lips are sealed if yours are,” he said.

  Sadie smiled, and then began to laugh. Jefferson soon followed, and together, they laughed themselves silly.

  Ten

  Chase checked the time of his pocket watch. She was late. No… He was early. Early, because he was nervous, of all things. He'd quit work just as he said he would, went home, got cleaned up, and then galloped back to town so he could speak with Mrs. Upton about the supper she planned for them. He wanted everything to be perfect for Lena, including the food. But the food, in all probability, was the thing he should least worry about. This was Mrs. Upton after all, and the hotel and its kitchen were her domain. She was just as good a cook as Mrs. Dunnigan, better in some aspects. Why he was worried at all, he had no idea. Come to think of it, why he was nervous he had no idea.

  He couldn't wait to see her again.

  He couldn't wait to find an excuse to touch her hand, even better kiss it.

  He couldn't wait to touch even more of her, and then take her in his arms.

  He couldn't wait to steal a kiss.

  On second thought, he supposed he did have one thing to worry about. He didn't want to appear desperate to get married.

  What if he came across as lusting after the pretty, English miss? How likely would she want to marry him then? She was English born and a lady after all. Not some trollop from a saloon. But the thought of such a woman warming his bed, even if she was a high-bred lady, did have its appeal. He was a healthy man after all, and that particular aspect of marriage was a normal one, so naturally he would want to exercise his rights in that area. Besides, she would enjoy it too. At least he hoped she would.

  Chase thought a moment. He'd always heard that the English were stuffy and stiff, not the sort of people one could have fun with. But the first set of cousins to arrive in Clear Creek seemed amiable enough. Why not the second set? Yet, these were not the same, he knew it, as did others in town. They carried themselves differently than Penelope, Constance, and Eloise.

  Chase began to wonder why that was, when Mrs. Upton entered the hotel's dining room, and approached his table. “Any sign of her yet?” she asked.

  “No, ma'am. But she'll be along.”

  “Don't you look handsome,” she told him with a smile. “I bet after that little gal sees you tonight, she'll just be itching to get married!”

  “I'm not counting on that, ma'am.”

  “Why not? It's what she came here for isn't it?”

  “Yes, but she's the type that wants to get to know her intended first. I can respect that.”

  “Oh come now, if you had your way you’d have married her the moment she got off that stage,” said Mrs. Upton with a wave of her hand.

  “No doubt about it, but she seems the skittish type, and I’d really hate to frighten her away.”

  Mrs. Upton studied him a moment then nodded. “I never thought about that. If it were me, I'd want to get married immediately!”

  Chase had to laugh at that. “Any man would be a fool not to marry you right away, Mrs. Upton,” he told her with a wink.

  “Well I wish he'd hurry up!” she added. “I ain’t gettin’ any younger!”

  “Why haven't you gotten married yet?” he asked.

  She shrugged. “Because I haven't found him yet.”

  He cocked his head. “How are you supposed to know? You're in a town full of men wanting to get married,” he pointed out. “What are you waiting for?”

  “Like I said, I haven't found the one I'm supposed to marry.”

  He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “So you're telling me, there's just one man out there for ya?”

  “Yep, that's what I'm saying,” she said with a curt nod of her head. “He's out there somewhere. I just haven't run across him yet.”

  “How ya gonna know it’s him?”

  “Through patience and perseverance,” she said with a smile.

  “I'm afraid I don't understand,” he said.

  “Well, you see,” she began. “The man I’m interested in has got to have patience, but he also needs to be persistent and persevere. He ain’t gonna be lusting after me,” she said as she waved her hand to indicate her plump physique. “But even if I was a younger woman, he’d be patient, just like you’re trying to be patient with your intended. He'd be persistent in pursuing me, and he’d persevere, because what if it took a long time for me to make up my mind?”

  “Make up your mind?”

  “If I wanted to marry him, of course.”

  “I can understand that,” he said. “But that's not the way it works with mail-order brides.”

  “Son, these English ladies ain’t like true mail-order brides. They’re more like arranged marriages.”

  “But that's what a mail order bride is, isn't it? Besides, in a lot of those arranged marriages, the bridegroom don't get to see his bride until they get hitched. I don't see the difference.”

  “Take my word for it, Chase Adams. Don't rush this gal, give her some space, get to know her, fall in love,” she said with a smile.

  “I was kind o
f worried I’d look desperate,” he admitted. “So I've been trying to go at her pace.”

  “Yes,” she agreed as she raised one eyebrow at him. “For a whole week!”

  “Some time is better than nothing,” he said with a shrug.

  “Of course it is, just try to balance it with a little romance. I think that's what these English women want. In fact, I'll let you in a little secret,” she told him.

  “All women want to be romanced, even mail-order brides. Of course, a lot of that romancing comes after their married, cause they get married so quick like. But mark my words, she’ll want some romance.”

  “Well, this here dinner is romantic, ain’t it?” he asked.

  “Not yet, let me fix something first,” she said and hurried off.

  Chase sat and watched her flit about the room and lower the lanterns. Daylight still shone through the windows, but without that lanterns turned up, the room grew dim. She returned to his table and turned the lantern nearest to him, down a notch. “There,” she said happily. “That ought to do it.”

  “Sure is gonna get dark in here, Mrs. Upton. How are we supposed to see to eat?”

  Mrs. Upton giggled in delight. “You just take advantage of the low lights,” she said with a wink. “And if you're lucky, you might get to do a little sparkin’.”

  “She's bringing her older cousin with her, to chaperone,” he said flatly.