“What are your plans for tomorrow after you do your chores around the house, Sophie?” her mother asked.
“I’ll head to the general store in town to see if they have new copies of Harper’s Bazaar.”
“Rosemarie and I will work on our samplers. And boys? What will you do?”
Sophie’s brothers David and Bernard looked up from their plates. Bernard had gravy smeared across his chin. “Dusty’s gonna finish teaching me how to lasso, and then I’m going to show Bernard,” David answered.
A look passed on their father’s face. “You’ll take your sister to town first.”
Sophie recognized when he was displeased. David had better be careful. Dusty, too, since he was the one doing the instructing.
Supper ended, Dusty went to the bunkhouse, and Sophie passed the evening by reading a novel. The next afternoon after the chores were finished, she rode with David to the general store. The clerk was reading a newspaper behind the counter when they came in. Her brother scooted off to find rope for another lasso.
“Do you have the newest edition of Harper’s?” She caught part of the headline on the front page before the clerk set the paper on the counter. Something about Lubbett Brothers. A new rail company, in all likelihood. They changed names every day.
“There should be some on the stand beside the stationery.” The clerk pointed her in the right direction.
Sophie wandered past the chess players by the stove. The area smelled of stale coffee. She perused the stand until she found what she was looking for. Illustrations of well-dressed fashionable ladies smiled up at her from the brand-new copies. She had to crouch to get them from the lower shelf.
“How did I know you’d be here today?”
She raised her head to find Chad standing by a rack of periodicals. He was dressed in a suit as though he had momentarily left the bank. A bundle of eastern newspapers was tucked under one arm.
“Chad, how good to see you.” She rose, careful not to trip over her hem. It would be awful to fall in front of him. He was neat from head to polished toe. Not a hair out of place. She drew her hands in closer to her body, not wanting him to see how dry they were from wringing out laundry that morning. She should have worn gloves.
He put a newspaper back on the rack and came her way. “I feel the need to apologize for not calling upon you earlier in the week. We’ve had an increase of clients at the bank.”
“You didn’t take my advice about not letting work make you a stranger.” She kept her tone light. “That’s alright, though. I’ve been quite busy myself.”
Her added touch of intrigue produced the desired effect of making him curious. “What has kept you occupied?”
“Linda and I have been working on a particular task. I can’t tell you what it is.”
He played along. “Would it be related to women’s voting?”
“Not exactly, although I have given much thought to that cause too.”
“As have I.” Chad moved aside so that a customer could squeeze past the two of them. “I spoke to my father. He said that he would be able to meet with you Monday morning at nine o’clock to discuss your objectives. I know it leaves you with less than two days to prepare, but no doubt you have a list of things to discuss.”
Sophie thought to bring her little sister’s outdated primer as proof that school elections were needed to improve the town. “I’ll be ready on Monday. Thank you so much for doing this.”
“It’s nothing. Would you like to go to the lake with me today? We could walk the new promenade.”
“That sounds delightful.” Sophie remembered not to make her smile too broad. A lady must never appear too eager to have company with a gentleman. “I’ll tell my brother where I’m going.” She caught sight of David walking around the back corner of the store. She gave her brother a brief description of where she would be for the rest of the afternoon.
“Bye.” David never looked up from the four types of rope he was debating on purchasing.
Sophie paid for her magazine before meeting Chad at the door. “My brother can amuse himself here in town until we get back.”
“No need. David,” he called. “I will take your sister back to the farm before supper.”
David nodded, and Chad offered her his arm. She accepted and allowed him to lead her from the store and into the small black buggy outside.
Excitement curled in Sophie’s stomach at the idea of going on a promenade with the mayor’s son. Thank goodness Linda had been wrong about Chad’s reasons for not coming to call on her. It was all a simple matter of him being busy with his work. Her friendship with Dusty had nothing to do with it.
She reclined upon the cushioned bench as Chad drove the buggy beneath the shade trees toward the lake. Sparrows chirped in the branches above. Sunlight filtered through the pale green leaves that fluttered softly, still days from reaching their full bloom.
The lake area was populated with three wagons and picnickers taking up choice spots along the shore. A fishing boat glided out toward the center of the water where it was quiet, its two passengers getting ready to cast their lines. Chad offered Sophie his arm again as he walked her to the newly cleared promenade that circled around the water before returning to the main path. Residents of the town waved as they passed by.
Sophie made small talk. “I heard that the promenade might be getting paved soon. Wouldn’t that be nice, having a brick walkway around the lake?”
“If it can fit within the town budget this fall, you could be walking on it next summer.”
“I want to thank you again for offering to take me back to the farm. You’ve made David happy by giving him more time to practice his lasso.”
“Lasso? I thought your family did mostly crop harvesting.”
“We do, but Dusty’s teaching him how to rope. Why, I don’t know. We don’t have any herds.”
Chad’s brows drew downward. Sophie grasped her mistake at mentioning Dusty’s name, but it was too late. She bit her lip and attempted to regain control.
“The two of them are always sharing work on the farm. David doesn’t have a brother close to his age to talk to. I guess that’s why he’s always trailing after our farmhand.” “And your father doesn’t mind?”
Sophie saw the image of her father at the supper table the night before, wearing a frown. “He knows the workers he hires can be trusted.” She maintained a light grip on Chad’s arm as they approached the first bend in the walkway.
“Dusty was at the bank yesterday.”
“He usually goes once a month when he makes his wages.” Sophie grimaced at her runaway mouth. Why was it so hard to stop voicing all her knowledge of Dusty’s routine?
“You seem most familiar with his habits.”
She wished she could retract her words. “It’s just an observation. He’s worked with us for a long time.”
“He might be in the process of making a change.”
“I beg your pardon?”
Chad paused for another couple to walk by. “I’m not permitted to say in detail, but his business at the bank yesterday afternoon wasn’t entirely related to his work
on your family’s farm. I’d say he’s considering other ventures.”
Sophie was too struck by the news to keep walking. “Other ventures? You mean, new employment?”
Her promenade companion lowered his eyes. “I could be wrong, but I thought you should know.”
“But he’s been working on our farm since he came to Assurance. Surely he’s not considering other prospects.”
Chad squeezed her hand. “I didn’t intend to upset you. As I said, I could be mistaken.”
The sounds of people talking and children splashing their feet in the lake became muted in Sophie’s ears as she absorbed what Chad told her. No wonder Dusty was acting a bit strange. He hadn’t gone quiet because she hurt his feelings. He was making plans to leave the farm. That also explained why he ate with her family last night instead of having steak at McIntyre’s. He was saving his money in the event that he would be without a job while searching for new employment.
Sophie couldn’t help feeling betrayed. Why was Dusty being deceitful? “That’s unlike Dusty to not say anything. My father will have to keep an eye on him then.” She planned on doing the same when she got home.
“It’s the best thing to do until you know more, but that’s hardly a thing to discuss on a day like today. Shall we keep walking?”
Sophie resumed her promenade with Chad while her mind traversed back to the farm. Dusty told her very little about his previous jobs, but she just couldn’t see him not working with her family. Passing by him every day on the farm as she went about her chores had become second nature.
She and Chad had the lake circled within the hour. The excursion, though pleasant, left her a little overheated from the sun. She welcomed the shade of the buggy as she settled back in for the journey up the road home.
“It’s going to be a hot summer,” Chad remarked. “I can tell already, but I’m sure you’re used to this weather from living in the bayou.”
“I do believe New Orleans had a cypress tree or two more to lessen the sun’s sting. I thought this prairie land was a desert when I first arrived here, all scrubbed bare of tall foliage and hung out to dry.”
Her observation brought a flash of humor to Chad’s face. “You always did have a colorful way of seeing things. You’re not like other girls here in Assurance.”
“I hope you don’t mean I’m worse off.”
“No, livelier, and perhaps more outspoken.”
Sophie looked to her lap and played with the folds of her bustle front. “I like to talk. How else do you get to know someone? My mother tells me that a lady should observe more than she should speak, but I don’t see why she can’t do both. The Lord gave women voices as He did men.”
“To nurture and soothe.”
“To cajole and put things to right too, if need be.”
Chad made a sound of disapproval, but she was fairly sure that it was all in jest. “My father will have himself a challenge with you on Monday.”
“Not at all. I’m quite knowledgeable of how to conduct myself before a public official. I’m aghast that you’d think otherwise.”
He raised one hand in mock surrender. “I think nothing but the highest thoughts of you.”
“Please do good to continue.” She smiled, beginning to think that Chad could be a potentially enjoyable person to banter with. Not as quick as Dusty, but decent enough. But why was she comparing the two men? Chad was her gentleman caller, and soon to become her beau if she kept his interest. Not Dusty.
Chad slowed the buggy the closer they got to the farm. “Last summer you were a frequent guest at socials. I thought you’d be married by the time I finished college.”
So did her parents. Sophie remembered her father presenting her with the hope chest for her trousseau. “Why? You were only gone for eight months.”
He shrugged a shoulder. “So many men had an eye for you. I’m surprised you accepted my invitation to the Claywalk festival and not someone else’s.”
She shifted her position on the bench. The subject of the Claywalk festival last summer was not one of her favorites. “You give yourself very little credit, Chad. I enjoyed your company.”
“Well, you did make it clear at the time that you preferred Reverend Winford to be your escort instead of me.”
Sophie cleared her throat. Not a fond memory at all. The festival ended in humiliation when the Reverend declared to her that he had eyes only for another. “I’ve gotten past that. I hope you can too.”
The barest trace of a dark emotion crossed Chad’s face, making his countenance dim. Then, as a gloomy cloud would part for the sun to shine through, he returned to his normal state. “Forget what I said. This is a new day.”
“Yes, it is.” Sophie fought off the chill that abruptly settled at the base of her spine and snaked upward.
They arrived at her house. The door was left open and rugs and upholstery coverings were hanging from the rails of the porch. “My mother’s cleaning. I should assist. Will I see you in church tomorrow?”
Chad nodded. “It may just be my father and I. My mother’s been down with a headache since this morning.”
“Please tell her I hope she feels better. Thank you for taking me on the promenade.” The buggy was low enough for her to step down on her own. Chad held her hand as she did so, and continued even though her feet touched ground.
“Stop me if I’m being too forward, but would it be alright if I asked your father’s permission to court you?”
A tight knot formed in Sophie’s chest, and she didn’t know whether it came from happy anticipation or anxiety. Her palms grew moist. She hoped Chad couldn’t tell. “Y-you want to court me?”
“If you think it’s too soon—”
“No. I don’t. I think it grand that you want to do so.” Her words came out hollow, like another woman was uttering them. She didn’t understand why her body became so tense. This was supposed to be good news.
“I’ll speak to your father tomorrow after service.”
She managed a bobbing motion with her head. “See you tomorrow.”
“Sophie, you forgot your magazine.” Chad handed it to her.
As she started to go into the house, a tall and lanky figure moved near the barn. She knew it was Dusty. As much as she wanted to go over and talk with him, it had to wait until Chad went down the road.
But by the time he was out of sight, Dusty had disappeared as well.
CHAPTER 10
D USTY KNEW WHERE Sophie had been the moment that costly black carriage with the cushioned bench came up to the house. David told him that she decided to go walking by the lake with Chad. He wished he could read her mind, because the way she stood before Chad at that buggy was pitiful. Chin hanging down, shoulders drawn in to make her look more fragile than a newborn filly. If Hooper said or did anything to hurt her, the man was going to answer for it.
Dusty didn’t get his chance to inquire of her Saturday. Sophie stayed around her family all evening. He wondered if he was imagining things, or if she was speaking less and less to him. When he offered his opinion on a new field plow that Mr. Charlton brought up in discussion, Sophie just peered at him with those
blue eyes he enjoyed staring into. Only this time, they were as clear and cold as the lake in winter.
Early Sunday, he readied himself for church and left the bunkhouse to saddle his horse. Sophie was by the barn waiting for him in the cool of the morning. None of the other Charltons were yet outside the house. A peach shawl draped her delicate shoulders. Dew dampened the tops of her two-tone shoes as she stood in the grass.
“Mornin’,” he greeted. “A bit strange seeing you out here so early on a Sunday.”
“I have a bone to pick with you,” she replied, her airy, genteel voice calm and even, belying her words.
“Is that so? You didn’t seem too eager to say much to me yesterday at the supper table. Figured I had gone and done something to get you riled.”
Long eyelashes swept down and up. “You would tell me—my family, rather—if you were on the verge of a change, wouldn’t you?”
Either his mind was still asleep or Sophie had learned to speak Greek overnight. She wasn’t making sense.
She pulled the shawl closer about her. “It’s come to my attention that you may be leaving the farm.”
“That’s news to me. Who said anything about me leaving?”
“It’s just something I heard, is all.”
“From who?”
When she didn’t answer, Dusty tallied through a very short list of people who could have given her that wrong information. “Chad Hooper made up that lie, didn’t he?”
She lifted her eyes. They were not as frigid as they were yesterday. “You’re not looking for a different farm to work on?”
“No, but Chad ought to look for a job that doesn’t require him to keep his mouth shut. He’s in the wrong line of work.” Dusty bristled at his own lack of good sense for agreeing to have Chad as an advisor. He should have followed his first mind and waited to see a different banker, even take time to make the trip to Claywalk. “I was at the bank to ask about investing in the railroad. That’s it. I guess I don’t make enough money to afford discretion.”
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