Chapter 39
Jared stared at his half-finished pile of pancakes, fork poised mid-air. Cloves? Pea shoots? No one uses pea shoots with pancakes. No one, that is, except …
He looked at Fairy and Eric. Had the dogs been trying to tell him something … could it be? There was only one way to find out. He looked toward the bar to locate Bill.
Bill had been watching Jared closely from his position at the bar, polishing glasses repeatedly as he watched.
“Bill! Come over here a minute.”
Bill practically zoomed over to Jared and stood expectantly in front of him.
“What can I do you for, Jared? Everything all right?”
“More than all right, Bill. Pancakes are out of this world. So good, in fact, that I need to congratulate the cook personally. Would you mind?”
Bill formed an “O” with his mouth and fell back slightly, before jumping forward with an eager little leap.
“Yes, yes! I mean, certainly, right this minute. Wait there.” Bill paused for a second. He held out his hands palms down and pulsed them downward once as if to fix Jared onto his seat. “Back in a moment.” Bill skittered off to the kitchen.
Jared leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. This would be fun if it really was her. But it couldn’t be. Could it? What kind of miracle would that be, what are the chances?
In the corner of the large saloon room, Jared could see the kitchen door where Bill had disappeared. He watched it intently. Soon enough, the door moved hesitatingly with a little push from the inside before it swung open fully. A woman appeared. She wore a neat blue dress with a fresh white apron tied around her waist. She had a frilled white bonnet on her head, obscuring her face as she looked down. Then she looked up.
It was Ellie. His Ellie.
Bill came out of the kitchen behind her and pointed over to Jared’s table, and it was then that she saw him.
Jared could see a flash of joy on her face before she wobbled and almost fell over. Then she appeared to try and steady herself. She dropped her head and began to walk to his table.
Jared kept his eyes fixed on her, following her every inch of the way, drinking in the sight of his Ellie.
Her cheeks were pink. Once she got all the way over to his table she stood there, unable to speak, still looking down. Slowly, with difficulty, she raised her eyes to his face. There was silence as her eyes, big and dark in this light, melted into his.
“Ellie.” Jared’s voice cracked slightly and he tried to look stern.
“Jared.”
“Oh Ellie.” Jared couldn’t cross his arms any longer. He uncrossed them and leaned forward as his face softened into a gentle smile. “It’s good to see you. Been looking for you.”
Ellie gulped. “You’re … you’re here, how did you …? I mean, how did you know I was here?”
Jared grinned. “Dogs sniffed your ridiculous food out. Out of this world delicious, but still ridiculous.”
Ellie smiled in disbelief. Her voice trembled as her thoughts started to tumble out.
“I should explain myself, I … I am here to save a little for my ticket to Boston, I … am terribly sorry I left your house like that. Please forgive me, I … “
Jared decided he would not place her in a difficult position by pushing for the reason she had left. He only wanted her back.
“I am here to get you Ellie. If you need to visit Boston, you have money as you are still owed salary from your work at our house. But I will not leave here without you. I will stay the rest of the afternoon waiting for you if I have to, all evening too. They’ll have to turf me out.”
Ellie’s brow contracted slightly. “Me? You are here to get me? I mean I thought you were busy. Excuse me for mentioning it, but are you not to be married to Anne, this very afternoon? Michael said …”
Jared burst out laughing and slapped his thigh.
“Ha, that tickles! Michael, you say? I swear I will strangle that man one day.”
Jared wiped away a tear of mirth and composed himself as he addressed Ellie more seriously. “Listen to me and consider this. If I were to marry Anne, then I would lose my housekeeper. That’s you. And I need you.”
Ellie stood there, speechless.
“I can’t not have you. So there is no way I would marry Anne. Simple choice, easy decision.”
Ellie’s countenance was frozen into a state of shock. Her head turned, slightly shaking as she looked at Bill. Bill was standing a little way off to the side, pretending not to listen. He looked back at Ellie and nodded encouragingly.
Jared had never taken his eyes off Ellie, his face full of affection. “Quite apart from the fact, I can’t stand the sight of that woman.”
Ellie gave a tiny snort and raised her hand in front of her mouth as she started to giggle.
She spoke through her fingers. “But Michael said you were buying a ring …”
Some of the cowboys were casually watching the pair of them now, eavesdropping on this mildly interesting diversion from an afternoon drink.
Jared glanced to the side at their audience. “Not for Anne. You wanna know who it’s for?”
Ellie looked dizzy again and swayed slightly. “No, no, that is fine, that is your private business. I admit this is a shock for me Jared, I’m a simple girl as you know, and this is all a bit much ….”
“Well then, for now - if you are able to delay your trip to Boston, it would please me greatly. I’m afraid I cannot stand by and let you cook those fine pancakes here when you could be cooking them for me at home. And Grammy misses you. So would you - for now - consent to return to my home in the role of housekeeper?”
Ellie’s head dropped in a little nod as she whispered, “Yes. I will.”
Jared rose. “Let’s get your things then.” Bill let out a relieved gasp and put his hand to his heart. He resumed his polishing as he shook his head in wonder. Eric and Fairy woofed, and a couple of the men clapped once or twice and laughed to each other.
Jared and Ellie left the saloon in the late afternoon sun. Jared walked slightly ahead of Ellie as if to guide and protect her. He had insisted on carrying her trunk. It looked tiny in his big hands. The dogs hung around Ellie grinning from ear to ear, bumping her with their shoulders and begging for pats.
A warm golden glow of contentment hung between the pair as they walked along. Nothing needed to be said. It was perfect just to walk together. All that mattered was Jared had found her.
They arrived at Jared’s black horse Jessie, who was waiting patiently outside the station for him.
Jared turned to Ellie. “You all right to ride a horse? Part of your employment duties, forgot to tell you.” Jared’s eyes sparkled flashes of green at her as his mouth curved in a half smile. He turned his back as he saddled up the horse.
Then before Ellie could speak, he had turned back around, encircled her waist easily in his broad hands, and lifted her lightly to rest on the front of the saddle. Her skirt was full enough to hitch in the middle to cover her legs.
“You are to ride up the front there. It’s not safe to ride sidesaddle, and I won’t have you clinging on behind me in case you fall off.”
Ellie looked tiny up there, clinging onto the horse’s neck and looking down at him. “What about Eric and Fairy? Will they be all right coming all the way back?”
Jared gave them each a pat. “They should be all right. It was a long way here, and it will be a long way back for them. I’ll be keeping an eye out to check they are doing fine. Worst case, you can balance them both in front of you.”
Ellie giggled, and Jared placed a foot in the stirrup. He swung up behind and enveloped her in one motion.
“Now hold on tight, stay close, and don’t fall off. Lean back into me.”
Ellie hesitated a little before leaning back. Jared placed one warm hand on hers for a second.
“You ready?" Jared made a clicking noise as he flicked the reins and they rode out of town. They each treasured this moment w
ithin their hearts as they rode back home along the track. The dogs trotted alongside, well satisfied with their day’s work.
Chapter 40
Ellie felt the saddle slowly rock her as they made their way home. They were going at a moderate pace compared to the urgency of Jared’s quest to find her.
They were back together again. As employer and employee at least.
Not much had been established between them except that Ellie was to return as a housekeeper. Ellie knew that she had shied away from letting Jared say anything more than that. If he had shown any interest in her, she thought she would have either fainted from happiness or made a fool of herself by rushing around the saloon screaming.
Elle could feel Jared’s warmth through his shirt and coat as he reached around her. It felt like a long, long hug.
They had no other option but to ride together. They had to get back to the house and they only had one horse and no buggy. Ellie reckoned that Jared must have rushed to get to town as fast as he could. That must have been why he had sprinted on Jessie alone.
She could sense Jared was tired, and the horse was tired too. The smell of dust and sweat came from the warmth rising from his body, mixed with a slight scent of verbena. Ellie felt light-headed with the awareness of how close he was. She swayed a little, and his arm moved down and tightened against her waist.
“You all right?” He spoke in a low voice close to her ear.
Ellie regulated herself and breathed. “I am fine, thank you.”
The sun was starting to set over the prairie as they made their way back home. The coral globe of the sun fell slowly, inexorably down to the left. It cast a tangerine glow over the sides of their faces, over the black horse and the two gray dogs.
As the trail climbed in elevation Ellie could see the rolling hills stretching away beneath them. The light of the setting sun cast dark shadows behind the hills and the scraggy outlines of western juniper trees lit up as if they were on fire.
Ellie sighed softly in contentment, breathing in the clean fragrant air of the prairie. This felt like home. The silhouette of a black-tailed jackrabbit was still against the crest of a hill for a moment as it watched them. Its wide tall ears had picked up the sound of their approach. Then, in a leap, it was gone.
As they approached the track leading to the house, they could see Grammy standing outside waiting for them. Her kitchen towel was in her hands and she was twisting it.
Then she stopped twisting. She raised the towel and began to wave it jubilantly in the air, thrusting the towel from one side to the other like a flag of victory. Her beaming smile was visible a long way off.
They rode up the track to the house and stopped in front of Grammy. She regarded Ellie with a look of parental caring, as if Ellie were a child who had run away but she loved her too much to scold her.
“You are back, my dear. You are never to leave again without asking me first, do you hear?” Grammy was trying to be stern, but she could not hold back her happiness.
“I found our housekeeper, Grammy.” Jared’s dusty face broke into a smile.
“You did it, my boy. Now come inside the pair of you, I have a stew on the stove and hot cornbread and butter.”
As the three of them ate they did not speak of how things were going to work out. Jared had not even explained to Grammy that he had asked Ellie to be their housekeeper. There was no talk yet of how long the contract would be. After the drama of the day, it felt good to forget things and relax for a while.
Then Grammy piped up with her usual directness. “So, Jared, would you have married that blonde woman if Ellie hadn’t come along?”
Somehow, Grammy managed to get away with saying things that no one else would dare to. It was a good question if a little embarrassing for Ellie. Jared had come to get Ellie, but he hadn’t said much about how he felt. Ellie didn’t even know if Jared was interested in her romantically.
Jared smiled at Grammy benevolently through his satisfied munching. He paused and placed a forefinger to his cheek as he put on an air of deep thought. “Let’s see, ahm … yes, definitely, no, Grams.”
“Even though she’s such a frilly concoction of blonde curls and ruffles?”
Jared snorted. “Even then. Definitely. No. My dear Grammy.”
“Good, good. You know she sped out of here faster than a badger in heat after you left. And that Harriet, too.”
Grammy helped herself to another square of cornbread. “Of course, that was rubbish what you told me Harriet said about your Ma, Jared. Your Ma didn’t care about position and money in a wife. She only ever wanted you to have a woman to love your heart.”
“Is that what Ma said, Grammy?” Jared’s voice was serene as he carried on eating.
“It was my dear, and your Ma hardly ever spoke to Harriet’s Ma in any case. They didn’t get on too well. Your Ma was only cordial because of her brother having married Harriet’s Ma.”
Grammy served out second helpings of steaming hot stew for them all. “But I knew you needed to work things out for yourself in your own good time. And you did. Took you a while, but you did.”
Ellie quietly ate her evening meal. She was relieved to be back, but she wondered what her role was now. Unless anyone said anything different, she would throw herself back into the household tasks just as before.
She knew how she felt about Jared. Maybe he was feeling things too, but she could not ask him to lay out the contents of his heart for her. Perhaps he didn’t even know himself what he felt. Ellie trusted he would tell her where she stood when the time was right.
Grammy continued to talk, warming to her theme. “Of course, I always had faith it would all work out. You must remember I had a hand in this from the start. From the moment a bird swooped in the sky and my eye alighted on our Ellie’s advert. Isn’t that right, Ellie?”
Ellie looked up from her meal and smiled at Grammy. “Yes, I will be forever grateful for your poor eyes and lack of hesitation.”
All three of them roared with laughter as they finished up their meal. Grammy and Ellie started to clear up. Jared brought his dishes to Grammy at the sink and turned to Ellie.
“Ellie, would you mind going out to the porch? I have something I would like to say.” It was evidently a little uncomfortable for Jared to speak his feelings like this, but he stood calmly and spoke clearly to her.
Grammy clattered in the sink with the dishes. “Go, go, my loves! I am nearly finished here then I will be making my way upstairs.”
Chapter 41
Ellie stepped out onto the wide wooden porch with its view over the darkening prairies. She lifted the rug from one of the two rocking chairs that sat on the porch. She wrapped herself up snugly and sat back in the chair, rocking as she soaked up the atmosphere.
It was early evening, with the sun recently set and the stars just starting to come out. A bright star glittered low down in the sky. She could see the undulating low hills of the prairies in the distance, smoothing out as they neared the house like waves coming in to shore. A gentle warm wind blew and she could hear the sound of crickets and the occasional hoot of an owl.
Swallows flitted through the sky, swooping in toward the house to build their nests under the eaves. The beautiful evening view relaxed her a little, but butterflies were still fluttering in her stomach.
After about five minutes she heard the sound of Jared opening the door to come and join her and the padding of four paws of a dog coming with him. Eric flopped at her feet and looked up at her adoringly. Jared relaxed back into the rocker next to her.
“He’s glad you are back, you know. Worried him sick when you left.”
Ellie stretched down her hand and scuffed Eric’s neck. She wondered if Jared was expressing his own feelings as well as the dog’s. “I missed him.”
Jared was silent at first, looking like he wanted to speak but didn’t know how. He shifted in his seat, weighing up the words within him. After a while, he spoke.
“Ellie, I have some
thing I need to say. I am a simple man so excuse my plain speech, I am not one for flowery phrases.” He looked to Ellie for encouragement and she nodded.
“Truth is, I never wanted a mail order bride. I didn’t then, when you came four weeks ago, and I still don’t now.”
Jared rubbed his chin, trying to map his thoughts out into words.
“I’m not after some kind of servant-wife to look after my house and bring up my children. I’m just doing what I can around the ranch. I know I spoke of a fancy blonde woman, but I was imping around. I mean, that wasn’t what I wanted in my heart.
“I didn’t even know what I wanted, Ellie, until you came along.”
Ellie’s heart leapt into her throat and hammered away.
“All I know is I want you around, and I don’t want no other woman. So I’ll say it plain. I know we don’t know each other yet. I don’t wish to impose anything sudden on you, so I’d like to request to start courting you. Would you be willing, Ellie, to let me do that? ”
Ellie couldn’t speak for a moment.
“I don’t want you to accept because you are worried of losing your job. You can still be housekeeper here, whatever you decide. I’ll promise to forget thoughts of you if you want. Or even if you want to go to a different job, I’ll help you, or if you need to go back to Boston, I’ll help you.”
Jared shifted in his seat again. “I just can’t continue on living with you unless I tell you my honest feelings, Ellie. It wouldn’t be right. Now I’ve told you how I feel. So tell me - will you accept to let me court you? Or do you need time to think? I should give you time -”
Ellie broke into his speech. “Goodness no! I don’t need time, Jared. I mean, yes. The answer is yes.” She looked into his deep green eyes through the darkening night air and flushed.
Jared had been holding his breath, and he let it out in one big puff. “That makes me mighty happy Ellie, it sure does.”
He reached down and patted Eric. “I roped in Fairy to help me with this. I was hoping you’d agree, so I set something up before I came out to see you. Fairy!” Jared yelled for the other dog. As if he’d been waiting for the cue, Fairy burst through the door.
Mail Order Love (Sweet Mail Order Bride Historical Romance Novel) (Oregon Mail Order Brides) Page 15
