“I’m sorry.” He looked out over the valley below. “Unfortunately, I’ve had my guard up for so long it may take me a while to get out of the habit of snapping. I promise to work on that.”
“Apology accepted.” She gave him a smile, placed her hand in his, and then she leaned into his side. “Thank you for bringing me here. This is most certainly one of the prettiest places I’ve seen. If it’s all right with you, could we head back to the house, now? I’d like to get out of these clothes and perhaps have some tea?”
“It’s probably been long enough,” he said, more to himself than to her.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you?”
“Um, yes, of course,” he spoke louder this time. “I don’t know about tea, but there should be coffee.”
She made a mental note to make sure the cook put that item on the list for the next trip into town. She much preferred tea over coffee. There were other things, she was sure needed to be made note of and she’d start on them the first thing in the morning. Her excitement began to build as they headed back to the house. By the time they reached the corral, she was practically humming.
CHAPTER FIVE
Laurel followed Griffin to the front entrance of the house. From the outside, it didn’t appear to be anything fancy, but it did look sturdy. Substantial. A porch stretched along the entire front and two large windows bracketed either side of the massive front door. She guessed from the height and pitch of the roof there were two stories within. The view was lovely and, after a good sweeping, she could envision a swing in one corner of the porch where they might sit together and catch the breeze on a summer night.
“Such a lovely home, Griffin. I can hardly wait to see the inside.”
“I just hope you aren’t disappointed.”
“I can’t imagine I would be.” She jumped as a loud crash sounded beyond the door.
Griffin stepped in front of her and swung the door open wide. “Clem! Otto! What’s going on in here?”
Laurel followed carefully behind him, looking around the large room. She was taking in the disarray, when the two boys she’d met earlier rolled across the floor in front of her. They stopped only when their feet got tangled in her skirts.
Griffin steadied her and then hauled Otto from atop Clem and held him by the shirt collar. “What’s the meaning of this?”
“Clem told me I didn’t stand a chance of getting me a pretty girl like your missus, so I clocked him.” He struggled to pull out of Griffin’s grasp. “It ain’t true.”
“Dang sure is,” Clem taunted. “You’re ugly as a mud fence.”
“Gentlemen,” Laurel interrupted. “I hate to be the one to point out the obvious, but you are identical twins.” The two boys stared at each other causing her to smile to herself. Had they really not noticed before? “If one of you is ugly then the other is, also. I happen to find you both very handsome.”
“You do?” The boys asked in unison.
“Yes, I find you—”
“Boys, the day’s getting away from you. If you’re going to get your chores done, you need to get to them.” He let go of Otto, and then reached down to right an over-turned chair. He handed Clem a red plaid shirt and said, “Get things picked up so dinner can be put on the table.”
“Yessir.”
“Laurel, I hate to leave you, but I need to check around and be sure the stock is put up for the night. I’ll be back in as soon as I can.”
“I’ll follow up and be sure dinner is ready for you when you come in. Will it just be you and the boys?”
“As far as I know.”
As far as he knows, my great-aunt Ida.
“This is no way to run a household,” she whispered at his back as he abandoned her. “I will not keep a house this way.”
The large room, which obviously served as the parlor and dining room, was stifling, so she left the door open behind her. Glancing about at the disorder, she found another chair laying on its side, an over-sized oblong table, probably from the dining room, covered with sundry items, and the fireplace, which over flowed with half-burned logs and ashes. If the rest of the house looked like this, and there was no reason for her to expect it didn’t, she had a lot of work ahead of her.
She made her way to a short hallway and found the kitchen on her right. What she discovered was just as dismal. Dirty dishes, pots, and pans were stacked everywhere, some held rotting food, some she was certain could never be used again. A fairly nice stove sat along one wall, but it would take a lot of elbow grease to make it shine again. The sink and the floor could do with a good scrubbing, too.
As she turned to leave the kitchen, she parted the curtains hanging below the counter beneath the sink and squealed as a feathered creature flew at her. She waved her hands wildly above her head as its claws snagged her hair, and when she hazarded a peek, the tail feathers of a chicken fluttered out the open window.
After her heart settled back into her chest, she gathered her wits and realized there probably wasn’t any house staff, and if there wasn’t, how did she proceed? It suddenly dawned on her she was here under false pretenses, and they were both at fault. He hadn’t plainly stated his situation and she had presumed certain things due to her upbringing. He obviously couldn’t afford to hire anyone to cook and clean, for who would choose to live like this if they could?
She couldn’t take a chance on him finding out she’d misled him as to her abilities and she wouldn’t go back to Philadelphia and live under her father’s thumb. No, she could do this. She was smart, and a fast learner. Why, after the tornado had hit Lawrence, hadn’t she gone back to her job at the mill to continue living on her own with no one’s help just her own know-how? Confident she could learn what she needed to get this house in order, she headed outside to see Mr. Griffin Benning. He had a little explaining to do concerning his own part in the deception.
***
As Griffin suspected, after seeing the inside of the house, Clem and Otto had laid on their collective duffs for the day and a half he’d been gone to Flat Rock Point. The outside wasn’t in any better shape. He’d promised them each a dollar to get things ready for Laurel. He’d wanted to make a good impression on his new bride.
For some reason he couldn’t figure out, she thought he had servants. He’d tried two times to tell her she had the wrong idea, but both times he’d been interrupted. Had he made a mistake marrying a city girl from the east coast? Should he have tried harder to find a local girl who knew his situation? The Widow Jenkins popped into his mind and he shuddered. No, as far as local went, he’d done right placing an ad for a wife from anywhere but here.
He looked up from the stall he was repairing as the barn door swung open. In marched his wife of twenty-four hours. Her look was determined and seemingly agitated. He thought it better to head her off.
“Laurel, I apologize for the shape the house is in. I had asked the boys to clean before we came home.”
“I’m not so much worried about the state of the house, as I am concerned you’re being taken advantage of by your staff.”
He stared at her, wondering which tack to take. He could make up several stories to tell her but, in the end, honesty had always served him best. “I’m sure you’ve realized by now, there is no staff. I haven’t had a housekeeper since Ora Lee passed away.” He gave her time to digest the information and to give him a piece of her mind. When she didn’t, he continued, “I just didn’t see the need to spend the money for someone with only me and a few of the other men here.”
“I see.”
He couldn’t tell what she was thinking, but so far her personality seemed very different from his former wife’s. Ora Lee would’ve turned on her heel and boarded the first train to Little Rock. He took it as a good sign that Laurel hadn’t budged from her original spot.
“Now, if I’ve misunderstood your reply that you could run a house, and I need to—”
“No!” She looked about her and tucked in a few stray locks of her hair. “No, let’s see ho
w it goes, give me time to get used to the place and where you keep things.”
“That’s fair.” He slid a piece of wood under the outer edge of the stall door to hold it level. Before he turned his attention back to the broken hinge, he said, “The boys and I will bring your trunks and cases in after dinner, if that’s all right with you?”
“Yes, thank you. How soon do you want to eat and is there anything, in particular, you want me to cook?”
“Doesn’t have to be fancy, just filling. Me and the boys aren’t particular. You’ll find meat in the smokehouse, vegetables that aren’t canned are in the springhouse, and you can go from there.”
He went back to work on the stall and wondered what she would fix them to eat. He hoped she was a decent cook, but in all reality he’d eat anything put before him as long as it wasn’t prepared by him or the boys. He was tired of eating his own sorrowful cooking. He looked forward to her first meal with great anticipation. Almost as much as he looked forward to their first night together. He hadn’t pushed her last night at the hotel, but now that they were home, he planned on getting to know the new Mrs. Benning on a very personal level.
***
Now what did she do? Laurel stood in the kitchen with her hands on her hips surveying the damage. So much had to be done to get a meal on the table, but that wasn’t her main problem. She had never put a whole meal together in her life and she hadn’t been able to admit the truth to the man she married. Even though she’d never actually said she could cook, she’d left him with that impression, and now she had to produce.
All right, enough standing around. Let’s get to it.
She removed her gloves and stuffed them inside her reticule, removed her jacket, and then placed them on the counter in the corner. She pushed her sleeves past her elbows and set about putting things to rights in the room.
First, she took the dirty, rancid smelling pots and set them outside on the back porch to be dealt with at another time. Once she had cleared off the burners of the stove, she actually discovered a couple of relatively clean pots and a pan and she started some water to boil. She found some cleaning solution under the sink and as the water warmed, she began soaking plates, cups and silverware for washing.
While those soaked, since it would take a little time for them to be useable, she began scrubbing down the countertops and the dining table. She placed the items from the table, that she couldn’t put away, in stacks beside the stairs for Griffin and the boys to sort later and returned the others to their proper home.
A buffet sat on the wall that backed up to the kitchen on the right side of the main room. She believed this was the area meant for dining, so she dragged the table over to that side and rounded up four chairs and placed them around the table with the armchair at one end. Along the opposite side of the room, she arranged small tables, chairs and a settee in front of the fireplace to make a cozy spot for visiting and reading. Satisfied with her accomplishments for the time being, she went back to wash the dishes.
Finished with that chore, Laurel visited the smoke house. She found what was probably venison and a smoked ham. There wasn’t much that could be prepared quickly, so she decided on slicing the ham. From the pantry, she found a tin of crackers, a jar of canned peaches and a jar of tomatoes. Their dinner would be sparse, but would have to do until she had more time.
Men’s voices and their heavy work boots clomping on the back porch drew her attention away from the food and spurred her to set the table. When Griffin, Clem and Otto came inside after washing up, she was ready for them.
“Hi, come on in and sit.” She swept her hand in the direction of the table. “Dinner’s ready.”
“This looks right good,” Clem said, while filling his plate.
Otto, already chowing down, mumbled his agreement, “Sure enough.”
Griffin, who’d put ham, crackers, and a peach on his plate, sat at the head of the table staring at her.
“I know it isn’t much,” she apologized. “But I didn’t have much time. I can do better.”
He still didn’t say anything and the longer he sat there in silence, the madder she became. Finally, she said, “Look, this is the best I can do on short notice with little to work with. If it doesn’t suit you, then I’ll need better communication from you.”
“I’m sitting here in amazement at what you’ve accomplished in an hour.” He smiled. “I’m impressed.”
“Oh, well,” she sighed, as some of the starch fell out of her temper. “Hold onto this, for the next few days may not go as well as this evening.”
He grew silent again as he ate his dinner, and when the three of them were finished, they went out to the wagon to bring in her things.
She finished her own supper, and then cleaned up again, her thoughts already turning to tomorrow. Tomorrow, she could better explore the food supplies and staples, and unpack the book she’d brought, Aunt Jennie’s Household Bible. She’d bought it because Roberta had recommended it and also because on the very first page, Aunt Jennie had promised to demystify the kitchen and household, and make any new bride a seasoned housewife. God bless Aunt Jennie for she had her work cut out for her.
CHAPTER SIX
The next morning Laurel woke before daybreak. It seemed yesterday’s sleeping late had been a fluke, and her usual routine of waking early to work at the Brown Textile Mill had returned. She usually liked starting early to get ahead of the day, but this morning she hesitated to open her eyes not knowing what she’d find.
After cleaning the dinner dishes and leaving them to dry on the drain board, she had come upstairs by herself and found her things quickly. Her trunks, cases and hat boxes were sitting in the larger of the three bedrooms, which she assumed was where Griffin slept, and now where she would as well.
Too tired to go exploring, she’d gotten out of the clothes she’d worn for nearly forty-eight hours and slipped on her nightdress. She’d intended to stay awake until Griffin came upstairs, but obviously she’d fallen right to sleep. Fairly certain she was alone in the bed, she slowly opened one eye and looked around the room. Had he slept on the floor again? No, he wasn’t there either. She was by herself and the room was quiet.
Eventually, she got out of the bed and lit the lamp so she could find one of her work dresses to put on and an older pair of shoes. She brushed and braided her waist-length hair and pinned it atop her head to keep it out of the way while she worked. With her hand on the door knob, she picked up Aunt Jennie, drew in a deep breath and said a short prayer for strength and gumption. She had a feeling she’d need both as she tackled the day ahead of her.
***
Griffin stretched and silently cursed his height and the hardness of the settee he’d slept on last night. He’d had other plans, but when he went into the room to join her in their bed, she’d been slumped over, sound asleep, with an open book in her lap. He’d moved the book, slid her down onto the pillow, and covered her with the coverlet. He’d then put out the lamps and come downstairs for a couple of shots of bourbon and fallen asleep right where he sat. With his neck bent at an unnatural angle and his right leg hung over the back, he knew his body was going to hurt worse when he tried to move. As he contemplated the pros and cons of getting up or staying where he was, he heard feminine footsteps on the stairs.
Not knowing if she’d seen him lying there, he decided it better to pretend sleep until she went into the kitchen, and then he’d make some noise so he didn’t scare her to death. Funny thing about plans, though. He very seldom had them work in his favor and this was no exception. Suddenly, his right calf muscle knotted into a crippling cramp.
He opened his eyes, grabbed his leg, and yelped in pain. Unfortunately, Laurel had tip-toed over to his side at that precise moment. He heard her squeal and saw her hands go up as she fell onto her backside, all while he struggled to stand and stretch his leg. He hopped around the room for several minutes until finally, the pain began to subside.
“Are you all right?” She’
d gotten back onto her feet and come to his side. Sliding her arm around his waist, she asked, “How can I help?”
“I don’t know if you can,” he said, admittedly enjoying her touch. His mind, though, headed down a dangerous path and his body threatened to betray him. Before he embarrassed them both, he moved away from her. “I’m just going to have to walk out the cramp. Did you hurt yourself when you fell?”
She had the grace to grin back at him. “No, but I can’t remember when I’ve been that startled.”
“What were you doing anyway?”
“I was checking to see if you were breathing. You were so still and quiet, I wondered . . .”
He laughed out loud at that.
She pushed him away from her and crossed her arms at her waist. “You think it’s funny I wondered if you were dead?”
“No, I don’t.” He saw the hurt in her eyes in the lightening shadows and immediately wished he hadn’t laughed. “I’m sorry, Laurel. It’s just that it’s been quite a while since anyone actually gave a damn. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”
“Don’t think so highly of yourself,” she scoffed. “I was trying to figure out how I was going to get your dead body out of the house all by myself.”
He stifled another laugh. “Practical and beautiful. I count myself a lucky man.”
“Well, you don’t know me well enough to make that declaration.” She reached down to pick up a book she’d been carrying and something else that she had in her skirt pocket. “I’ll go put on a pot of coffee and fix something for breakfast. I’m assuming Clem and Otto are eating, too?”
“Yes. After breakfast, we’ll go out and work until later in the day. That will give you time to get settled in.” He had an idea she wasn’t as experienced as he’d first thought and followed her to the kitchen to give her some direction. Even though his calf had loosened up somewhat, he still walked with a limp. The muscles would likely be sore, but work and liniment would help a great deal. “There should be some eggs from yesterday, but if you need more you’ll have to go out to the henhouse to get them. You’ll have to gather them sometime today, regardless, and milk the cow sooner than later.
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