The Holiday Courtship

by Winnie Griggs

  When they had made their exit, Janell sat, while Hank remained standing there, with his hands shoved in his pockets, facing the direction the children had exited from, unsure of how to proceed with her. It suddenly felt awkward between them.

  “I think our first lesson went well, don’t you?” There was a gentle nudging tone to her voice.

  He turned to face her and nodded. “They both seem willing to work at it.”

  “I think they both have the skill and the desire to make this work.”

  “Thank you again for all you’re doing to help them.”

  “It truly is my pleasure.” She sat up straighter. “Now I suppose it is this finding-you-a-wife business that you wish to discuss with me?”

  Her direct approach to the subject put him at ease and he took a seat across from her. “It is.”

  “You mentioned a list. Shall we start with those ladies?”

  “The first is Ada Sanders.”

  Miss Whitman shook her head. “Ada has a heart for children and would be a good choice. But I’m afraid you’re too late. She’s been walking out with John Horton lately.”

  He grimaced. “I suppose that happened while I was in Colorado. Well then, there’s Hildie Dalton.”

  “Hildie is very sweet and kindhearted,” she said diplomatically, “but maybe just a little too much so. I would worry about whether she could handle the discipline that’s involved in raising children.”

  Refusing to get discouraged, Hank moved on to the next name. “What about Betty June Latham? She was raised on a farm and her father is a no-nonsense kind of man. I reckon she knows how to be both kind and firm.”

  Miss Whitman frowned. “I don’t really know Betty June well enough to say one way or the other.”

  He perked up. “She’s a possibility, then?”

  “Of course.”

  He rubbed the back of his neck. Might as well mention the fourth name as well. “The other candidate I’d thought about is Alice O’Donnell.”

  She seemed surprised. “Alice is a fine woman with a heart for taking care of others.” She paused a moment, but he could tell there was more.

  “But?”

  Her expression turned diffident. “It’s only that her mother has grown more and more frail the past few months, and Alice is Mrs. O’Donnell’s only kin. Her time is likely to be too focused on caring for her mother for her to give Chloe and Alex the attention they will need.”

  He nodded. “See, this is why I knew you’d be the best person for this job.” He leaned forward. “So what’s the next step?”

  * * *

  Janell shifted in her seat, still not entirely comfortable with the role he’d foisted upon her. “If you like, I can pay Betty June a visit in the next day or so and then give you my initial impression.”

  He crossed his arms. “The sooner, the better. In fact, I’d like to have this settled by Christmas.”

  She studied him a moment. Something seemed a little off, but she couldn’t put her finger on just what. “I know the qualities I’ll want to look for in a mother to the children. But to do my job properly, I’ll need to know what qualifications you’d like this woman to have. Other than the obvious, of course.”

  “And what do you consider the obvious?”

  She tapped her chin. “That she is single, loves children but also knows how to administer discipline when needed, that she has strong Christian values and that she be at least an adequate cook and housekeeper.”

  He nodded, seeming impressed. “That’s a solid list. The other items I’d add to it are that she be of an appropriate age and she not be a ninny or chatterbox.”

  A smile twitched at her lips. “And just what do you consider an appropriate age?”

  He spread his hands. “Old enough to understand what she’s getting into and young enough to have the energy to keep up with kids and run a household.”

  She nodded. “Very well. I’ll add those items to my list of qualifications.”

  * * *

  As Hank thought over that list of qualifications they’d just come up with, he wondered how in the world they would find anyone who fit them all.

  Then it occurred to him that Miss Whitman herself fit that list quite nicely. It was a shame she’d turned his offer down. Was there some way he could make her change her mind?

  Before he could think further on that, she stood and brushed at her skirt. “I think we’ve covered everything we can for the moment. If you’ll excuse me, it’s time I headed home.”

  He got to his feet as well. “Of course. Let me fetch the kids and we’ll walk you home.”

  “There’s no need.” She waved toward the window. “It’s a lovely fall day, the sun is still up and it’s an easy walk.”

  The woman would debate with a fence post. “You’re right about it being a nice day. And we’ve been cooped up inside for most of it. I think it would do the kids good to get outside and go for a walk.”

  “As you wish,” Miss Whitman said.

  As Hank headed for Chloe’s room, he felt his frustration over her refusal yesterday rise a notch. She’d certainly said no quickly and emphatically enough.

  Did the woman have a problem with marriage in general? Surely someone who seemed as practical and forthright as the schoolteacher wasn’t holding out for a love match?

  Or was it just marriage to him that she found so distasteful?

  And whatever the reason, could he possibly change her mind before it was too late?

  Chapter Ten

  The next morning, Miss Whitman showed up at his door with a basket of groceries in hand. Hank smiled, feeling more than a little smug. This time she’d made the wrong assumption about his ability to handle things on his own.

  “Good morning.” He nodded toward the back of the stove. “There’s a fresh pot of coffee if you’re in the mood for a cup. I’ve got eggs for the kids here in the skillet. I’ll fix some for you when these are done.”

  “It sounds like you’ve been busy.”

  Her voice lacked that satisfactory note of surprise or admiration for his work here in the kitchen that he’d been looking for.

  She set her basket on the counter and plucked an apron from it. “How did things go last night?”

  “Better than the night before.”

  She nodded as she donned the apron. “Then they’re beginning to settle in.”

  “I think it was more that they had something to focus on.” He gave the eggs a final stir then reached for the platter he’d set nearby. “I found them both looking through that sign-language book and even practicing a few of the movements together.”

  “Very encouraging.” She glanced toward the hallway. “Are they up yet?”

  “I haven’t checked but I think I heard them stirring a few minutes ago.”

  “Why don’t you let me take over here at the stove and you can go check on them?”

  He’d much rather cook. But she was standing next to him with a hand held out for the spoon, so with a nod he headed down the hall.

  A knock on Alex’s door went unanswered. He stuck his head in, and sure enough, the bed looked as if it hadn’t been slept in. Raking his hand through his hair, he moved down to Chloe’s room. At least this solved the problem of how to handle gaining entrance to his niece’s bedchamber. If Alex was in there, he would hear the knocking.

  To his relief, the knock was greeted by his nephew’s voice. “Come in.” What was he going to do about this when Alex moved into his own room?

  By the time Hank returned to the kitchen, the very efficient Miss Whitman had some diced potatoes cooking in the skillet. From the aroma it smelled as if she had also added some onions and bacon drippings to the pan.

  She looked up when he entered and gave him a smile. “So are they aw
ake?”

  He nodded. “They’ll be at the table shortly.”

  “Have you heard anything from your aunt yet?”

  “No, but that doesn’t mean she won’t show up today or tomorrow. The telegram I got from her was rather vague on when she would arrive.”

  She nodded and returned her focus to her cooking.

  He grabbed plates from the cabinet and set the table. They worked without speaking for a few minutes, but he found himself acutely aware of her presence. Did she realize she was humming or was it an unconscious habit? And her movements as she stirred the potatoes—efficient, confident, graceful. There was something rather soothing about watching her—

  “Do the children know her?”

  The question, casually tossed over her shoulder, brought him abruptly back to himself. Good thing she hadn’t glanced back and caught him watching her.

  He cleared his throat. “They didn’t even know me very well before this happened.”

  This time she did look his way. “Tell me a little about her.”

  “Aunt Rowena?” At her nod, he leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms. “There’s not a lot to tell. She’s my mother’s older sister. She’s a widow and has been since I was a babe. Never had any children, so she spent many of her holidays with us when I was a child, but not as much since Mother passed six years ago.”

  “So she lives alone?”

  “Yes.” He waved a hand. “But she’s not a recluse. Aunt Rowena likes to keep busy and is very sociable. She owns a hat shop in Clampton and directs the choir in her church. I think she also belongs to a quilting circle.” He rubbed his chin. “She leads a busy life with a lot of community obligations. That’s the reason I can’t ask her to stay for more than a few weeks.”

  “Oh. When you told me she wasn’t a permanent solution, I didn’t realize her stay would be quite so short.”

  “She’s just coming to help me until the kids are settled in and I’ve had a chance to find a wife. I’m grateful for her doing that much.”

  “Of course. I didn’t mean to imply it wasn’t generous of her.”

  He saw her mulling that thought over as she pushed the potatoes around in the skillet. What was going on in that mind of hers?

  “I see now why you want this done so quickly.”

  “Is that a problem?”

  “It makes it more difficult, but it’s still possible.”

  The woman was nothing if not determined. “Good. Now, back to Aunt Rowena. Before we can talk about her departure, she has to arrive.”

  “True. But don’t let that worry you. I’m available all day today to watch the children and tomorrow, too, if need be, so spend as much time as you need at the sawmill.”

  “I appreciate that, but I don’t want to take advantage of your generosity any more than necessary.”

  She waved a hand as if to dismiss his concerns, then changed the subject. “But I do have a request.”

  “Yes?”

  “Could you come home at noon and take lunch with the children? I have some business to take care of. It shouldn’t take me more than forty-five minutes or so.”

  “Of course. I’ll make a point to be here a little before noon.” What sort of errand? he wondered. But she didn’t offer further explanation and he didn’t feel it was his place to ask.

  She smiled at him over her shoulder. “I’ll have a nice hot lunch ready for you when you get here.” Before she could say anything more, the kids arrived and she turned to greet them with a smile. “Good morning. I trust you slept well.”

  There was no denying the children reacted positively to her. They had yet to offer him the same smiles they gave her so freely.

  Granted, Chloe was still guarded with everyone, but he could sense a certain amount of softening from her when she was in the schoolteacher’s presence.

  Perhaps he should add that to his list of qualifications for a wife—she must be able to coax smiles from his niece and nephew.

  Or better yet, he needed to find a way to make the standoffish Miss Whitman change her mind.

  * * *

  Janell watched Mr. Chandler leave. She found herself looking forward to seeing him again when he returned at noon, even if just for a few minutes.

  When she realized the direction her thoughts had taken, she pulled herself up short. That was dangerous ground. He’d asked her to marry him and she’d said no—that was the end of it.

  No matter how pleasant the alternative might be.

  Much better to focus on preparing herself for her noon “errand.”

  Mrs. Ortolon’s arch comments yesterday had reminded her that as a schoolteacher she had to hold herself to the highest standards. So she’d asked Mayor Saunders to set up a meeting with the town council at noon today for her to speak to them about her intentions. She found it was always best to be completely aboveboard when there were matters that could be misconstrued. Then she grimaced. With one very glaring exception—she’d deliberately held back the information about her divorce when the town had hired her. What would happen if they ever found out?

  She turned to see the children watching her curiously. She gave her head a mental shake, clearing away all thoughts of Mr. Chandler as she focused on the children.

  “All right, I think we’ll take care of a few chores before we tackle those sign-language lessons. Now that this is your home, too, you’ll need to help your uncle take care of it.”

  “What kind of chores?” Alex asked.

  “We can start by taking care of the dishes. Then we can straighten your rooms. After that, we’ll see what else around here could use a little tender loving care.”

  She did her best to make a game of cleaning the kitchen and succeeded to a certain extent.

  Chloe washed, Alex dried and Janell put the dishes away.

  Then they tackled the bedchambers.

  Stepping into Chloe’s room, she waved toward the second bed. “You know, your aunt Rowena will be here soon and this will be her bed.”

  Alex drew a little closer to Chloe at that. Was he worried about his sister or himself?

  “Why don’t we try to make the room as welcoming as possible for her?” she said. “Perhaps, when we’re done in here, we can take a walk and try to find some wildflowers to put on the dresser.”

  That drew a bit more interest than her other suggestions. Like all children, they needed some outdoor playtime. She doubted they’d had much occasion for that since their parents died.

  So she cut short the indoor chores and took them on the promised walk. She directed them toward the open countryside to lessen the chances of Chloe being startled by someone or something coming up behind her.

  Janell brought a pail with her and they gathered up some pecans and even managed to find some persimmons.

  By the time they returned to the house, the children had color in their cheeks and looked less drawn and frail than they had earlier. She made a mental note to let Mr. Chandler know he should make certain the children had outdoor time every day.

  As soon as Mr. Chandler arrived for lunch, Janell slipped off her apron and headed out the door. Not only was she in a hurry to get this over with, but she also figured it would do Hank and the children good to have their meal without her.

  * * *

  “Well, Miss Whitman, you have our attention. What did you wish to speak to us about?”

  Janell sat up straighter. “As you have no doubt noticed, I’ve been helping Mr. Chandler get his niece and nephew settled into their new life here in Turnabout.”

  “Yes, and that’s quite commendable of you.”

  She brushed away the praise. “It’s more than me helping a family who has lost loved ones. Chloe needs some very specialized help. And as it happens, I have experience dealing with the deaf
. A member of my own family was similarly afflicted.”

  “Then that little girl will be lucky to have you for a schoolteacher. Are you here to ask us to provide some special materials for your classroom?”

  “No. At least not just yet.” She hadn’t really given that much thought, but perhaps she should have. “Chloe will need lots of special instruction outside of the classroom. In fact, so will her uncle and brother, if they are going to learn how to communicate with each other. And to that end, I plan to spend a lot of time in their home, working with them.”

  “I see.”

  “As Mr. Chandler is a bachelor and I am a schoolteacher, I wanted to make you aware of my plans and to assure you that the utmost propriety will be maintained.”

  “And how long do you think this arrangement will last?”

  “I should think, if everyone works as hard at it as I think they will, that by the end of the year I should be able to reduce my visits to his home to a few hours a week.” And if Mr. Chandler’s plans proceeded as he’d like, he should also have a wife by then.

  “Miss Whitman, it speaks well of you that you brought this to our attention in such a forthright manner. And your conduct has always been above reproach.”

  She mentally winced at that statement. If he knew her past he might not be quite so quick to offer such praise.

  The mayor leaned back in his chair. “I think the presence of children in the house will be sufficient chaperone for this short period of time under these special circumstances.”

  He glanced around at the other men in the room. “There will always be those who enjoy a bit of gossip. But I believe I speak for the entire council when I say, in this matter, you have our support.” He gave her a steady, warning look. “Unless you should give us reason to withdraw it.”

  Janell lifted her chin. “I assure you that I’ll be as discreet and proper as you could wish.” She stood. “Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I must get back. It is time for their sign-language lessons.”

  As Janell strolled down the sidewalk she congratulated herself on how well the meeting had gone. It was well worth a few minutes of bearing under their scrutiny to make certain her good name did not suffer and, by association, her job.