A Baby Between Them

by Winnie Griggs

  “I can see why you like these so much.”

  He grinned. “I knew you’d enjoy them. So what do you say? Want to gather some up?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “All right then. The best way to make sure you harvest only the best is to hold the pail under the clusters and brush your hand across them. Those that are ripe will let go of the branch easy enough. Make sure you don’t pick any that still have red coloring on them, and you don’t want any that aren’t firm.” He picked another berry and popped it in his mouth, as if unable to resist. “If we work at it for an hour or so we ought to be able to fill most of this pail for you.”

  “Oh, but surely you plan to take half of whatever we pick for yourself?”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll be eating as we go. And I expect to see a blueberry pie on our table one day this week.”

  “That sounds fair. After all, since I’ve never cooked with these before, I’ll need to experiment a bit.”

  He straightened with a mock indignant look. “So that’s how it’s going to be, is it? You plan to save your best for your paying customers, and leave the castoffs to us?”

  She lifted her chin and matched his tone. “Of course. I’m a businesswoman now.”

  He chuckled and they worked in companionable silence for a while. The time passed quickly and before Nora knew it the pail was nearly full and it was time to go.

  Cam carried the pail as they strolled back to the wagon, swinging it slightly with one hand while he took her elbow with the other. After only a few steps, though, she stumbled over a piece of uneven ground and he quickly tightened his hold to steady her.

  “Are you okay?”

  Feeling foolish at her own clumsiness, she quickly nodded. “Yes, thank you.”

  “Good.” Rather than simply loosening his hold, Cam linked her arm through his and drew it close to his side. “The ground’s a bit rocky here—we’ll take it slower.”

  He was merely being gentlemanly, of course. Still, Nora remained acutely conscious of his hold for the rest of the trek back to the road and waiting vehicle.

  When they reached the wagon, Cam set the berries under the seat, then handed her up. But he didn’t immediately go around to the other side. Instead he leaned against the wagon frame and looked up at her thoughtfully. “I didn’t think to ask this earlier, but how much do you know about driving a horse and wagon like this one?”

  Nora straightened and tried to appear confident. “I’ve never actually driven one myself, but I’ve observed others do it many a time. It doesn’t look very difficult.”

  Cam rolled his eyes. “Slide over. I’m going to teach you how it’s done and then you’re going to drive this wagon back to the livery.”

  Not having much choice, Nora did as she was told. The idea of learning how to drive excited her, made her feel as if she were taking another step to gain control of her life.

  Once Cam had settled in beside her, he instructed her to take the reins. “Hold them in your left hand, so you can guide with your right. You want to thread them through your fingers so that the left rein is between your thumb and middle finger and the right is two fingers below that.”

  As she attempted to follow his instructions, Cam leaned forward. “Here, let me show you.” He adjusted her hold, threading the reins through her suddenly tingly fingers.

  She was glad his focus was on her hands and not her face, because she wasn’t certain her expression was as neutral as she’d like it to be.

  When he seemed satisfied that she had the reins held properly, he glanced back up at her. “The trick is to get the tension just right. Hold the reins so that there’s no slack, but don’t pull them tight or tug on them unnecessarily. You want the horse to know you’re here, but not to be made nervous by it.”

  To Nora, that sounded completely contradictory. Or was it just that her mind was unaccountably addled?

  When she hesitated, he leaned forward again. “Here, let me show you.”

  His hand closed firmly over hers and it was all she could do not to jump.

  * * *

  As soon as Cam grasped her hand he felt his pulse jump. The warmth and fragility of her smaller hand under his made him feel both powerful and fiercely protective.

  He pushed those thoughts away as best he could and focused his attention on teaching her to hold the reins properly. “Can you feel that?” he asked without looking up. “The horse is there, solid and ready for your direction.”

  All he could feel at the moment was her hand beneath his, small, warm, fragile. Was that racing pulse under his palm his or hers?

  Clearing his throat, he again tried to focus only on giving her instruction. “Amber here is a good horse, gentle for the most part, so she shouldn’t give you any trouble. But gentle doesn’t mean meek. She’s got some spirit in her, as well, so make sure she knows you’re in control.”

  “You seem to know this horse pretty well.”

  He ought to. He’d spent quite a bit of time looking for just the right horse for her. But she didn’t need to know that. “You wouldn’t expect me to let Oscar sell you a horse I hadn’t checked out first, would you?”

  He didn’t wait for her answer. “Now, there are a few simple procedures you need to learn. When you’re ready to start, release the brake by pulling that lever back. Then give the reins a little flick and say ‘get up.’ When you want to go left, tighten the left rein and when you want to go right, tighten the right. To stop, pull gently back on both and say ‘whoa.’”

  He leaned back. “Do you have any questions?”

  “No slack, but don’t pull too tight. She’s gentle, but I should make sure she knows I’m in charge. Simple enough.”

  He smiled at her dry attempt at humor. “It’ll probably take a little practice for you to get the feel of it, but you strike me as a fast learner.”

  “A lot depends on the teacher,” she said with a half smile.

  Was she doing that deliberately? “Well, then, start whenever you’re ready.”

  She seemed nervous, but she gamely lifted her chin and reached down to release the brake. Sitting up ramrod straight, she took a deep breath, flicked the reins and gave the command to go. She seemed almost startled when Amber obediently moved forward. A moment later her lips curved in a triumphant grin.

  Cam’s chest swelled with an almost paternal pride, feeling her victory was a shared one.

  They made the trip back to the livery without incident. Nora cautiously stopped the wagon well away from the building, but set the brake as if she’d been doing it for years.

  Cam showed her how to tie off the reins then hopped down and helped her down.

  Oscar was at the horse’s head before she had her feet on the ground. “Well, what did you think?” His pleased-with-himself tone said he expected them to be won over. “The horse handles beautifully, doesn’t she? And the wagon is sturdy and well sprung.”

  Cam decided to let Nora do most of the talking.

  “It’s just as you say.” Nora crossed her arms. “And I’ve decided that if we can come to an agreement on the terms, we have a bargain.”

  Uh-oh. He recognized that stubborn tilt to her chin. Nora was going to try to wrestle control and do this her way. But at least she had decided to forget about the pony and cart idea.

  “The terms?” Oscar looked confused again.

  Cam almost felt sorry for the man. He hadn’t intended for things to get so complicated when he’d involved Oscar in this negotiation. He just figured Nora would accept the deal better if it came from someone other than him.

  “Yes.” She drew herself to her full height and faced Oscar without blinking. But Cam noticed a blush of pink staining her cheeks, as well. “Unfortunately, I don’t have the funds to make this purchase outright,” she continued. “But, as you are aware, I am earning a regular wage. I’m hoping you will agree to let me pay you in installments. I would pay you an amount from my wages every week, with the understanding that the full amount will be
paid within six months.”

  “But I thought—” Oscar rubbed the back of his neck and shot a quick look Cam’s way.

  Predictably, Nora would not allow herself to be ignored.

  “While Sheriff Long did kindly offer to loan me the money,” she said firmly, “I would prefer to take care of this myself. If my terms are unacceptable to you, then I will have to, regretfully, decline your generous offer.”

  Again Oscar turned to Cam.

  Keeping to his plan to stay out of the discussion as much as possible, Cam shrugged. “You heard the lady. It’s her you need to deal with.”

  “Well, I—” Oscar rubbed his chin, and once more cast a pleading look Cam’s way.

  Relenting, Cam gave a quick nod to the hapless livery owner, then turned to Nora. “Perhaps Oscar here would look more kindly on your offer if you gave him an added incentive.”

  Her brow furrowed. “Incentive?”

  He grinned. “Say, throwing in one of your pies along with his weekly payment?” With that, he casually moved back to the horse, leaving the two of them to carry on without him. He’d done all he could to bring this negotiation to a happy conclusion. They were on their own now.

  Happily, Nora jumped on his suggestion with alacrity. “That sounds fair to me. One fresh-baked pie with each weekly payment. Your choice of filling.”

  Oscar rubbed his chin. “I’ve always been partial to apple.”

  Cam hid a smile at the livery owner’s befuddled tone.

  “Does that mean we have a deal?”

  “I suppose it does.”

  Cam turned in time to see Oscar wipe his hand on his pants and then offer it to Nora to shake, sealing their bargain.

  Her expression was flush with victory as she walked toward him a moment later.

  “It seems you now own a horse and wagon,” he said dryly.

  She gave him a diffident smile. “I hope you understand why I had to do it on my own.”

  Oh, he understood all right. The woman had too much pride for her own good. “Of course. You don’t want to be beholden to me.”

  “Yes. No. I mean—” She took a deep breath. “I don’t want to be beholden to anyone.”

  “You know, it’s not shameful to accept help occasionally.”

  “But it’s better to make your own way when you can.” She brushed at her skirt. “Now, I’ll go back to the jailhouse and finish up my work. It shouldn’t take me more than another hour or so.”

  “How about you go home early today?”

  He saw the flash of eagerness cross her face, followed immediately by a responsible frown. “But, I didn’t finish—”

  “As I said earlier, whatever it was you didn’t finish will still be there waiting for you tomorrow. We should get this horse and buggy out to your place so James can get Amber settled in before dark. Besides, something tells me you’re itching to see how Grace is faring with the Coulters.”

  Her expression turned sheepish. “Was it that obvious?”

  He raised a brow. “In case it has escaped your notice, I’m a very perceptive person.”

  “Well, then, if you’re sure you don’t mind, I am a bit anxious to get back to her.”

  “I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t want you to take me up on it.”

  She moved closer to the wagon. “I suppose you’ll be relieved not to have to drive me home today.”

  Did she really think that was how this was going to happen? He hadn’t worked this all out just to rob himself of the chance to drive her to and from her home. “Not so fast. You did well with that first lesson, but I don’t think you’re ready to go it alone just yet.”

  “But—”

  “No arguing. As the sheriff, I’m responsible for making sure you don’t put yourself or anyone else around here in danger. You can take the reins but I’m riding along with you.”

  “But how will you get back to town?”

  “I’ve got two legs and your place is less than a mile away.”

  She tilted her head to one side, considering the matter. “I suppose I could have James drive you.”

  This was beginning to turn into a farce. “If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll saddle Fletch and tie him to the back of the wagon. Then I can ride him home.”

  She nodded. “Yes. That will make me feel better.”

  In a very short time his horse was saddled and tied to the back of her new wagon. He held his tongue but watched carefully as she took the reins once again. He was pleased to see she didn’t falter. As he’d guessed, she had a natural aptitude for driving.

  “One thing I didn’t think about was the extra work this will mean for James,” she said. “I hope it’s not too big a burden for him.”

  “Don’t worry about James. He used to be a groom, remember? He worked for the same prominent family in Boston as Agnes, that’s how they met. Anyway, James managed an entire stable. He really likes working with horses. In fact I think he misses it quite a bit. So, in a way, you’ll be doing him a favor by putting this horse and rig into his keeping.”

  The worry lines disappeared from her brow and she focused on her driving for the rest of the short trip to the cottage.

  Cam relaxed, satisfied that Nora had finally accepted the situation. He’d never had so much trouble helping someone as he did this strong-willed woman at his side.

  And if truth be told, he’d never gained such satisfaction from it before, either. Part of it had to do with the challenge she presented—he did love a good challenge.

  The other part…well, he wasn’t ready to dwell on that just yet.

  Chapter Nine

  As soon as Nora pulled the wagon to a stop, James was out the door and headed their way. “Well, well, what have we here?”

  She set the brake, proud that she hadn’t needed reminders or instruction. “It’s my new horse and wagon. What do you think?”

  James barely glanced at her and Cam—his attention was all for the horse. He ran his hands expertly over the animal, making noises in his throat that Nora couldn’t quite decipher. Finally he looked up. “It appears you have yourself a fine animal here.” He folded his arms. “I guess you’ll be wanting me to care for her along with the other livestock.”

  Nora was relieved to see the eager anticipation behind his gruff question. “I’m sorry if this is going to cause you extra work. I promise to help as much as I can.”

  He waved a hand dismissively. “Ach, you have enough on your plate already, what with your job in town and the babe to look out for. You just leave the care of this fine animal and rig to me.”

  “I’ll admit that would be very helpful. But only if you’re certain… .”

  His chest puffed out slightly. “Certain as can be. Now get along in the house with you. I know you’re itching to see Grace after being separated all day.”

  Cam moved to the back of the wagon and untethered his horse. “Need any help unhitching the wagon?”

  James glowered at him. “Cameron boy, I was hitching and unhitching wagons when your pa was still a lad. Even with this bum leg of mine I can handle a simple rig like this one. You go back to your sheriffing and leave this to me.”

  Nora noticed Cam’s smile wobble just the tiniest bit. Was it the reference to his father?

  Cam led his horse over to where Nora stood and together they watched James lead the horse toward the barnyard.

  “He really does seem to like working with horses,” Nora mused. “I haven’t seen such a spring in his step since I moved in here.”

  “Everyone likes to feel useful.”

  “And speaking of that, I suppose we should save you the trouble of coming out here every morning and evening. I’ll just let James transport me and Grace to and from town.” Though she would miss their morning and evening drives, and the accompanying talks.

  Cam frowned. “I thought we already discussed this.”

  She tamped down her urge to agree with him. This was a matter of doing what was sensible, not what was more enjoyabl
e. “You discussed it. And in your usual high-handed fashion, I might add. Surely you can admit that it’s much more efficient for James to handle this now that transport is readily available.”

  “Nonsense. As I’ve already informed you, I have to make my rounds every day so this isn’t the least bit out of the way.”

  In the end, they compromised. James would provide transportation in the mornings and Cam would take her home in the evening.

  A few minutes later, Nora watched Cam ride off, reflecting on what a stubborn man he was. Still, she wasn’t nearly as miffed that he hadn’t given in to her as she ought to have been. Perhaps she was just tired.

  The sound of a baby’s cry caught her attention, and she bustled inside.

  * * *

  Tuesday morning dawned clear and warm. James had the carriage ready early and Nora smiled to see how proudly he sat there holding the reins. If for no other reason than that, she was pleased she’d agreed to this purchase. Conscious of the difficulty James had climbing, she insisted he not get down to help her up. Instead, Agnes held Grace while Nora climbed aboard, then handed up both the baby and Nora’s basket of baked goods.

  Nora said a silent prayer of thanksgiving as they made the short trip to town. Her life was good. She had Grace. She had a job that put food on the table for all of her household. And she now had the added measure of independence the horse and wagon afforded her.

  Though part of her missed her morning chat with Cam, it felt quite satisfying to ride into town in her own wagon. She was one step closer to proving she could make it without having to depend on her sisters’—or anyone else’s—charity.

  Later, as she was finishing her after-breakfast cleanup chores, the door to the sheriff’s office opened and Bridget breezed in.

  “Good morning, gentlemen,” she greeted the lawmen.

  All three men scrambled to their feet.

  “Good morning, Mrs. Black.” Cam was the first to speak. “Welcome back.”

  Nora stepped into the galley doorway, smiling at the emphasis Cam placed on Bridget’s new title. “I’ll second that.”

  “Hello.” Bridget gave her sister a quick smile, then moved toward the basket at Ben’s feet. “Ah, and there you are.” She dropped into a graceful stoop to pick up Grace. “Oh my, you seem to have grown so much in just the few days I’ve been away.”