Always and Forever

by Wendy Lindstrom

  “What a pleasure to see you, Mr. Grayson,” she said, but somehow the greeting seemed laced with a tad of sarcasm.

  “I’m sure,” Hal said with a laugh. “Mrs. Edwards, I’ve brought your recipe box so you can stop chastising me each time I stop in. I’ve also brought along my bride whom I’d like to introduce. Mrs. Edwards, this is my wife, Nancy.” He turned to Nancy and winked. “This lovely lady is Desmona Edwards, who is quite put out with me for delivering her recipe box two weeks late.”

  “That I am, young man,” Mrs. Edwards said, but her tone was forgiving. She greeted Nancy with a warm smile. “I must confess I’ve been most eager to meet the young lady who has captured this young pup. I’d thought to pair him with my daughter, but he would have none of it.”

  Nancy nodded, a bit taken aback at the unconventional greeting, but Mrs. Edwards’ warm smile eased her concern. “I’m pleased to make your acquaintance,” Nancy said.

  Mrs. Edwards arched a black eyebrow at Hal. “I’d hoped you’d come to tell me you’re tired of running that sawmill.”

  “Sorry to disappoint you, Mrs. Edwards.”

  “Foolish boy.” She flapped a hand at him. “You’re as hardheaded as Addison. If you were my son I’d order you back to our shop and I’d work that fool notion of running a sawmill right out of your head.” She looked at Nancy, a spark in her eyes. “I don’t know why all men insist on ignoring facts that are right beneath their nose. This young man is too talented to waste his time sawing timber. Just look around and you’ll see all the reasons I keep pestering him to return.”

  Nancy smiled at Mrs. Edwards obvious teasing. She could clearly see that the lady genuinely cared for Hal as if he were her own son.

  Hal merely laughed. “When I lived above the shop, Mrs. Edwards, you called me a rascal and claimed you could hardly tolerate my bad behavior. I should think you would be glad I’m no longer around to pester you all day.”

  “Stuff and nonsense, young man. You brought a much-needed dose of playful repartee to my days and I find I miss that.” A tender expression crossed her face. “But despite all my protesting and badgering, I’m truly glad to see you well and married to such a lovely young lady. I wish you both only the best, of course.” With that, Mrs. Edwards took up a bell from the store counter and gave it a sharp ring. “Run along now, Mr. Grayson. I’ve let Addison know you’re here. Your wife and I will use your absence to get to know one another better.”

  Hal turned to Nancy. “I should warn you that Mrs. Edwards will launch a full assault for you to persuade me to shut down the mill and return to her woodshop full time.”

  “It sounds like a reasonable idea to me,” Nancy said, casting a sideways glance at Mrs. Edwards.

  “Oh ho!” Hal said with a laugh. “Already the women are set against me. Well, then, I know when to beat a hasty exit. I’ll return shortly.” He tipped his head toward Nancy and Mrs. Edwards and then disappeared down a hallway.

  Nancy listened to his boot heels thump down the wooden floored corridor. The instant he was out of earshot she and Mrs. Edwards exchanged a wide smile, establishing their friendship.

  Mrs. Edwards tilted her head, gave Nancy a thorough looking over and ended with a decisive nod. “I’ll admit I was disappointed that Hal showed no interest in my daughter, but I’m entirely convinced that you are exactly what that young man needs.”

  Nancy felt her cheeks color at the bold statement by the older woman.

  “The look on your faces assures me you’re both pleased with the arrangement. Hal is like a son to me and Addison, and we are honored to have the opportunity to work with such a talented craftsman.”

  “He speaks very highly of you and Mr. Edwards as well. Which of these pieces did Hal make?” Nancy asked gesturing to the room full of beautifully carved furniture.

  “He made this headboard,” Desmona said, laying her hand on one of the more ornate pieces leaning against the wall. “It’s made of white pine, and just look at how beautiful these birch posts are carved with such intricate designs and yet they’re strong and sturdy. I imagine Mr. Grayson will be filling your home with exquisite pieces such as this soon.”

  Nancy smiled at the thought of having some of Hal’s pieces decorating their home. She could envision sitting on the bench seat of a beautifully carved coat tree to put on her boots and then peer in the tall mirror to tie her bonnet before heading out in the snow. She could just picture the decorate iron hooks of coat rack and how the piece would look in the foyer near the front door. She couldn’t wait until they were both settled in and could talk about some of those additions to their home.

  And so went the duration of Nancy’s visit with Mrs. Edwards. The lady was forthright but friendly and kind. It was only Hal that Mrs. Edwards seemed to taunt, and when he returned, Hal responded to her needling as if she were his well-meaning mother.

  Nancy watched their byplay with interest. Gone for the moment was the haunted look and ragged exhaustion in Hal’s face, replaced by a playfulness that she’d only recently glimpsed. He was clearly comfortable here among his masterpieces and with these people. Were they substitute parents of a sort while he was living away from home? The idea intrigued Nancy.

  While she was occupied by her observations about her husband, another man with wild brown hair and intense blue eyes entered the room from the back hall. He was quite handsome and approximately the age of Mrs. Edwards.

  “I hear you’ve been harassing my apprentice and bending his wife’s ear,” he said to Desmona as if exasperated with her, but his eyes were sparkling with what appeared to be humor.

  Desmona simply lifted her chin defiantly. “I have indeed, Mr. Edwards, and I shall continue to do so until that boy regains his good sense. Now mind yourself and let me introduce you to Hal’s lovely wife Nancy.”

  “I see that Hal’s artistic eye is not only for selecting wood and creating art. I must say he also has most excellent taste in selecting a bride.”

  Nancy’s face flamed, but Hal wrapped his arm loosely around her waist and drew her to his side. “Thank you for a memorable morning, Mr. and Mrs. Edwards, but we must be off now.”

  Desmona glanced up at her husband. “I suspect he’s in a hurry to get back to his sawmill.”

  Addison made a face as if in great pain. “Yes, I’m afraid you’re right, Desmona, but sometimes you just have to let the young’uns go out in the world and learn their own hard lessons.” They both gave him a mock scowl as if he’d been roundly chastised.

  Hal’s laughter filled the room, so rich and hearty it thoroughly captivated Nancy. She’d never heard him laugh with that abandon. He tipped his hat to the Edwards who were beaming benevolent smiles at Hal as he guided Nancy out of the store.

  Tucking Nancy’s hand in the crook of his arm, he escorted her up Main Street. “Are you in need of anything while we’re in the village?” he asked.

  “Yes, an explanation for what I just witnessed. I’ve never seen you like that. I want to know where you’ve been keeping that happy, lighthearted man I saw talking with Mr. and Mrs. Edwards. I like him.”

  Hal’s smile faltered and he shrugged. “The Edwards seem to view me as their prodigal son, and I supposed I can’t help acting the part when they’re badgering me.”

  “Well, I’d like to take their prodigal son home with me then. It’s a very pleasant side of you, Hal.”

  “I’m pleased that you were finally able to meet Desmona and Addison. They’re good friends and I’m sorry I haven’t been able to bring you by sooner. Desmona reminds me of my mother, actually. Although it’s highly unusual for a woman to help run a business, Desmona spends a good bit of her time at the store assisting folks needing pieces to furnish their home.”

  “I enjoyed meeting them and seeing this side of you,” Nancy said as she accompanied her husband out Liberty Street toward their home. She promised herself she’d find a way to bring out that side of her husband each day. If they could just find a few moments to be that happy and pla
yful each day, they could build a joyful and loving marriage.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The next morning brought a dark sky with angry clouds and hard rain. It was the first day since arriving in Fredonia that Nancy was confined to the house. She stared out the window, hoping that the violent storm wasn’t affecting Hal’s work at the mill. It was certainly complicating her day. She’d hoped to visit Mary and see if she might borrow a couple of eggs for their evening meal, but the rain was coming down in sheets and Nancy couldn’t even see the orchard on the other side of her driveway.

  So she scoured the pantry trying to figure out how to make a meal with a cup of flour, one egg, and a small tin of bacon grease.

  Her last trip to town had emptied Hal’s purse and she’d only been able to bring home a small sack of flour, six eggs, a slab of bacon and a small chicken. She had made chicken and flour dumplings and had stretched the leftovers for two days. She’d reserved half a jar of leftovers and stored it in the well to keep it from spoiling. So that’s what she had to work with.

  And this meal, however paltry, would empty the pantry.

  Dread filled her stomach like a deluge of icy water. She’d never experienced such lack. The idea of not having a meal on the table had never entered her mind. The knowledge that many people struggled to put food on their tables made her heart ache. Hal worked nearly all his waking hours and still hadn’t the means to buy even the most necessary items. Until this moment, she had taken her good fortune for granted. She hadn’t known any better.

  But now she knew firsthand what that struggle was like — and it was terrifying.

  Her father could help financially, but even if she could contact him, she knew that Hal Grayson would never accept the assistance. And so that left Nancy in a dire quandary.

  Gathering her sparse provisions, she carried them to the stove. She scooped the bacon fat into a pot, cracked the egg on top and then poured in the flour. She fetched the jar of leftovers from the well and added the contents and two cups of water. Surely she could make something that would pass as stew. While it cooked, she straightened the kitchen and began making a shopping list in her head.

  She was standing at the stove stirring the thick liquid in the pot when a clap of thunder nearly startled her out of her boots. Her heart raced and she peered out the window, frightened by the violence of the storm. The branches of the maple and oak trees in the back yard were being whipped by a hard gust and rain. The grass in the field was swept sideways as if combed by the wind. Nancy had always feared storms and had often sought the comforting arms of her father during those events. But she couldn’t run to him now. Not for money, not for comfort. She was a grown woman and a wife, and she needed to act like it. So she returned to the stove and stirred the pot of mush.

  A huge flash of lightning followed by another startling clap of thunder rattled the windows and shook the house. She yelped in alarm and dropped the ladle in the pot just as a huge snap sounded outside. Heart thundering, she peered out the window and was aghast at what she saw. That loud sound hadn’t been a clap of thunder but rather the splintering of a large branch breaking off of what appeared to be the oldest tree in their yard — and it had fallen directly on the barn roof.

  Captain was in the barn!

  And Hal’s woodshop and all his beautiful carvings were right beneath the part of the roof the branch was lying on.

  Panicked, Nancy grabbed her cloak and hustled out the kitchen door. Holding her cloak over her head, she rushed towards the barn.

  Wind whipped around her, the strong gusts nudging her this way and that as she leapt over puddles and darted around clumps of mud in the yard. Finally, she reached the barn and wedged open the large door far enough to slip inside and out of the out of the storm.

  “Captain!” she called, trying desperately to peer through the darkened interior. “Where are you, little one?”

  No yowling met her ears, but perhaps Captain’s greeting was drowned out by the storm.

  Afraid for his safety, she called out again, “Come on out, honey. I’ll take you inside.”

  No movement. No sound. No Captain.

  Tears welled in her eyes as she stood for several long moments, no cat in sight. What if he was outside with no shelter?

  She lit a lantern and searched, calling his name again and again with no answer. Finally, she crouched down on her knees and peered under the lower shelf of Hal’s workbench. The glow of two eyes peering back at her filled her with relief. “Oh, thank goodness. Come on out, sweetheart.”

  Setting the lantern aside, she gently drew Captain from beneath the bench. The poor little tiger was trembling and immediately sought refuge in her arms.

  She held him close and rocked him, cooing and rubbing her chin against the top of his head until his trembling subsided and was replaced with a low rumbling purr.

  “I know, sweetie. It sounds terrifying outside. I’ll bet that branch breaking through the roof scared you sideways. Poor baby. You’re all right now. I’ll take care of you.”

  As she held Captain close to her breast, Nancy looked around, seeking any damage to the barn. The branch had broken clear through the roof and was poking inside a foot or more. The damage appeared to be far enough from Hal’s woodworking that nothing had suffered water damage. Not yet anyhow.

  She placed Captain out of the way and then hurried to move a few pieces that might become damaged with the continued rain. Deciding there was nothing else she could do to protect Hal’s work, she retrieved Captain, tucked her cloak around him, and headed to the door.

  Sheltering Captain, she forced open the door enough to slip outside and then rushed back across the mud-soaked yard and into the house.

  Nancy dumped her cloak at the door and settled Captain in the kitchen in a crate of scrap fabric she’d found in the attic the previous evening. She dried off, plucked a piece of chicken from the stew and set it on the stove to cool. She gave Captain a dish of water and the piece of chicken. She would gladly give him her share. While Captain devoured his meal, Nancy went about finishing her chores, hoping Hal would return home soon. The barn roof needed his attention — and she needed his comforting arms.

  Hal trudged up the muddy street, exhausted and frustrated. The storm had made soup of the mill yard and slowed his work to a crawl all day, and so he’d shut down the mill in the late afternoon. The pressure to finish up an order that was already a week late was mounting and tying his gut in knots. He walked with his head down and the collar of his coat turned up against the rain. Thankfully the raging storm that had pounded the mill all day had abated to a fine mist as he walked up the drive to his home. Still, when Hal lifted his head, he came to a dead stop, shocked to see a large branch from their maple tree lying on the barn roof.

  He rushed down the drive, afraid of the damage the branch had caused to the roof and possibly to his woodshop and the many projects staged there. He couldn’t afford to lose even one of his pieces, nor could he afford any further delays with the projects he was working on. Addison had been extremely understanding of Hal’s circumstances, but Addison was a businessman and would be forced to find himself another apprentice if Hal couldn’t deliver pieces on time.

  Miraculously, the barn door had remained closed against the storm. A hard gust would often wrench the door open while he was working. Fixing the door was another job he’d been neglecting.

  Hal ducked inside and quickly surveyed the barn. The branch was indeed lodged in the roof, but upon examination, Hal realized he could saw the branch into pieces and pull the remaining piece back through the hole it had created. The roof, however, would need to be patched straightaway.

  As he looked around the woodshop for something with which to patch the roof, he was relieved to see that none of the pieces were damaged. Some pieces, however, had been relocated.

  Was it possible that Nancy come out and moved some of the pieces out of the path of the rain?

  As he looked around he decided that she must have
seen the branch on the roof and had come out at the height of the storm to rescue his work. Gads! Even he had taken refuge beneath the mill lean-to during that wild twenty-minute frenzy of whipping wind and slashing rain. Hal shook his head, filled with admiration and affection for his daring and beautiful wife.

  After climbing onto the roof and seeing that very little of the rain had dripped inside, Hal decided to wait for the drizzle to abate before removing the limb. The sky was clearing and a hint of late day sun was trying to peek through the gray sky.

  He slogged into the house, determined to eat some supper before he tackled the barn. Yet another unexpected delay that would prevent him from finishing his current project this evening. He opened the door, wiped his boots, and crossed the parlor to the kitchen. Nancy was at the stove, peering skeptically into a pot of what appeared to be stew. The look on her face suggested she didn’t like what she saw, but Hal knew better than to ask if anything was amiss.

  The instant she caught sight of him her head came up and her eyes filled with pleasure. “You’re home!” She rushed to him and circled his waist with her arms, pressing her head against his chest. “I was terribly worried about you.”

  Stunned, Hal stood stock still for a minute. “I… ah, I was worried about you, too. The storm did more damage here than at the mill.” He clasped her shoulders and eased her away enough to see her face. “Are you all right?”

  She nodded, but he could see the stress the storm had caused her. She’d been alone during the howling and thundering storm and had likely heard the branch crash onto the barn. Of course she was shaken. A feeling of intense tenderness washed through him and he pulled her back to his chest, cradling her in his arms as he thanked her for rescuing his work in the barn.

  “How bad is it?” she asked, seeming in no hurry to remove herself from his embrace.

  Truth was he was in no hurry either. Holding her in his arms was surprisingly fulfilling. He lowered his head and inhaled the floral scent of her hair. He wanted to press his lips to the silken strands and bury his face in her hair. For one wild moment he considered doing so, but Nancy was seeking his comfort, not romance. And so he eased her away and said, “Actually, it’s not too bad. I’ll need to saw the branch in pieces to get it off the roof and I’ll have to patch the hole where it broke through, but that can wait until after supper. What’s in the pot that smells so good?” he asked, hoping to turn her thoughts away from the storm that had upset her enough to throw herself into his arms.