“Depends on the time of year, but yes, it has become lonely. At first, it was nice to have my own space—after eight of us crammed in the parsonage for years. Now I’m thinking I’d like a wife and family.”
You already have a wife. How about keeping her?
“I’ll get the kitchen stove going to help heat the house, and then carry in the groceries. When we’re ready to eat supper, we can add something to the bread and cheese Ma sent home with us.”
Lilly studied the stove, kitchen table and sideboards on either side of the sink. There was a hand pump and drain in the sink, so it must draw from the cistern somewhere near or under the house. The water would drain outside to be collected to be used again, for outside uses. Open shelves on one wall displayed china dinnerware, and mixing bowls. Lilly opened the door of the pie safe and found linens stored in there. The best part of the room was the window above the sink, facing toward the barn and pasture behind it. I’d love to look out this window several times a day.
“Want to come out to the barn to explore it while I unhitch the buggy and brush down the horse?”
“Of course!”
“How about I show you to your bedroom and you can change into your men’s trousers and coat? I’m guessing you’ll be climbing up to the hayloft and crawling over fences to meet the horses before we are out of the barn,” Seth grinned at her, knowing that’s exactly what Lilly would love to do.
The stair door was closed, so it was cold climbing the narrow stairs to the top landing.
“It’ll take a while for the upstairs to heat up, I’m afraid. You can use either room up here. Both have a bed, dresser and wash stand. Guess it depends on which view you want out the windows. Um, sorry for putting you upstairs, but I’d rather stay in the downstairs bedroom so I’m close if I hear something’s wrong outside.”
“No, this will work fine. I’ll take the view of the barn and horses.”
“I figured that was the one you’d pick,” Seth’s slow smile warmed Lilly’s insides, even if it was cold upstairs. “You get ready to meet the herd and I’ll meet you in the barn.”
Lilly changed quickly into her other outfit. She’d eventually like a split skirt for riding astride like she’d seen several women riders in Clear Creek wearing. She was glad to see not all women rode sidesaddle.
Seth was taking the harness off his father’s horse when Lilly entered the wooden barn.
“It’s not a fancy structure, but it is functional. Go ahead and explore every nook and cranny. I’m guessing you’ll find more cats in the hayloft. Look over the saddles in the tack room to see which saddle on the west wall you want to use on your new horse—not that you have more than four choices since me and the occasional ranch hand are the only ones to use the saddles.”
The barn had six single stalls on one side of the barn, with an area at the end to milk the cow. The other side had three box stalls and the tack room.
“Can I milk Daisy this evening?”
“Please. The milk bucket is in the kitchen, washed and ready to use anytime you want to coax her in the barn stanchion. We’ll drink some with tonight’s supper and put the rest in our cellar to keep cool. I can’t use it all myself, so I give part of the milk to Gerald and Betty Squires, my young neighbors down the road. In return, Betty keeps me supplied in butter, cheese and an occasional pie with a pint of sweet cream to enjoy with it.”
Our cellar? Lilly’s mind stopped on these words and didn’t hear what else Seth said. The more Lilly saw of the ranch, the more she was ready to stay.
“Don’t you milk the cow outside, wherever she’s standing? That’s how we did it in Sweden.”
“Ha! Not with this cow. When I—or Gerald when I’m gone—milk Daisy, we have to put her head in the stanchion and hobble her back legs to get close to her. You’re welcome to try any method you want, but remember she throws a mean kick with her right leg.”
Lilly laughed, thinking of the cows she’d milked in her youth. Every cow had a distinct personality and quirk you had to be ready for. She was going to love getting to know Daisy.
She felt a wet nose in the palm of her hand and looked down into big brown eyes. The all–black dog backed up when Lilly tried to lean over to pet him, so she stood again as she had been, and waited for him to make the next move.
“That’s Wally. He’s shy, but loyal if he likes you. He’s a good protector of the stock, be it foals or chickens. He has the opposite personality of Barney, who jumped up on you when you got out of the buggy. Wally’s a big, friendly lug until he senses danger, then he’s baring every tooth in his mouth and all his short hair stands on end. Barney constantly patrols the perimeter of the ranch yard while Wally watches the world from the barn door.”
“I’m sure I’ll make friends with both of them…if I stay here,” Lilly said, watching to see what Seth’s reaction would be. He looked over the horse’s back at her for a second, before going back to his brushing.
The minutes ticked by as he finished the brushing, tied the horse into one of the stalls and spread some oats on top of the prairie hay in the stall manger.
“Ready to meet some of the horses in the small pasture behind the barn?” Seth asked while extending his hand. Lilly took his hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze. She was more than ready to meet every horse on this ranch.
***
Seth wasn’t too surprised when he realized there was a quilt–covered lump in his bed this morning. He must have been in a deep sleep last night because he didn’t know when she’d cuddled in beside him. After they had supper last night and talked for another two hours, they were both ready to get some sleep, dead tired from their trip, and the emotions of the week.
After Lilly’s hesitation at the foot of the stairs, Seth asked if he could brush and braid her hair before she went to sleep. The minx had her handkerchief, brush and ribbon stashed on the second step of the stairs—just in case he’d mentioned it.
Seth had also told her, before she climbed the steps with a lit lamp, if she was too cold or frightened upstairs by herself, she could come downstairs. He’d meant she could sleep in the parlor on the settee, but apparently she felt safest beside him. And Seth admitted he liked Lilly beside him, day and night.
Manurva woke from her spot curled at the foot of the bed, stretched her back in a big arch and started her morning routine of purring loudly while kneading her paws in Seth’s back. Only this morning, the cat kneaded the lumpy quilt beside him. Seth watched as Lilly moved a little, then jumped and screeched, trying to kick the quilt and the cat off the bed at the same time. He couldn’t help breaking out in a belly laugh seeing Lilly’s surprised face as she looked around the early morning–shadowed room.
“Good morning, Lilly. Manurva wakes me up every morning by kneading my back with her paws. You were the lucky person to get her special treatment this morning.”
“What! Where am I? What cat?”
“Lilly,” Seth wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her down to lay beside him. “You crawled in bed with me and Manurva last night. Were you cold, or frightened to be by yourself?”
He felt her relax against his shoulder, finally awake and knowing where she was.
“I hate to say it but…both?”
“That’s fine. I suggested you come downstairs if you wanted to. I’m kind of getting used to having you beside me anyway.” Silence filled the room, and Seth would bet Lilly was blushing, even though he couldn’t see it.
“Um…does the cat sleep with you all the time?”
“Just during the winter months. She’s a great foot warmer. She’s always had plenty of room in the bed, but apparently she didn’t mind sharing the space with you last night…or she would have woken you up sooner than her normal time.”
“I meant to sneak back upstairs before morning, but…”
“You were tired and toasty warm wrapped up in your quilt so you slept hard. You had the quilt wrapped over the top of your head, too.”
“I’m s
orry, I’m sure the upstairs room will be warmer tomorrow night, no, tonight I guess it will be, and I won’t bother you again.”
“Me and Manurva didn’t mind and we are married…even if we don’t…you know. But I’d like a kiss for keeping you warm last night. Think that’s an appropriate thank you?”
***
Lilly cornered the cow again this morning and had Daisy milked before he’d finished forking hay down the hayloft chutes to the stall mangers below, and gathering the eggs. Lilly didn’t have to use the stanchion and hobbles on the cow. Lilly softly sang, mostly in Swedish, the whole time she milked the cow. Daisy was entranced with her voice, as was Seth. Lilly was caring and confident handling all the animals she’d encountered so far on the ranch.
Seth had hitched the buggy to his father’s horse, then had a saddled mare tied to the back for their trip to town. Lilly opted to ride into town astride another one of his horses, and Seth could tell she enjoyed every minute in the saddle. After bringing the horse and buggy back to his parents’ barn, they’d roped the new horses together and were now leading them to the ranch.
The group was a little frisky due to the cool weather and having been confined for a week or more. The new stock, from Iowa, Ohio, Illinois and Michigan had traveled several days to get to Chicago before the sale, and again traveling to Kansas. They’d have to keep the horses separated from the home herd—and each other—for a while to be sure they stayed healthy after their long trip, and acclimated to the ranch.
Lilly rode his horse on their return to the ranch, but her mare was first in line behind her. Lilly sang or talked to the horse when Seth wasn’t conversing with her.
“What are we naming these horses, Lilly?” There I go again, saying “we”.
“I’d say something close to their registered names, because I’d bet they already know a nickname close to it. It’s how we did it at the horse farm.”
“What about your horse, since you don’t have papers for her?”
“I’m not positive yet. I’ve said different names to her, just to see if she perks up to one of them. So far, she seems to like ‘Britta’ the best,” Lilly confidently replied.
“You okay with meeting my family and neighbors tomorrow? It’ll be a big bunch of people, but they’ll all welcome you. Especially the Hamners.”
“If your brothers and their families are as nice your parents, I’ll be fine. I miss talking Swedish to Isabella, my old roommate, so I look forward to visiting with your Swedish friends.”
“Dagmar’s wife, Cora is from Boston, so I’m sure she’ll have lots of questions to ask you.”
“How did she end up marrying a Swedish man in Kansas?”
“Cora’s family owned the Bar E Ranch where Dagmar was the manager. Cora came for a visit, and asked Dagmar to marry her. They are quite a pair, as are their passel of children.”
“Where are we meeting everyone? In town? They aren’t all coming to the Arrow are they?!” Lilly’s panicked question, caused the two horses behind her to pull back on their lead ropes before settling back in line again.
“No, we’re meeting at the Cross C, because it’s the biggest house and can hold everyone in this kind of weather; otherwise, we’d have a picnic somewhere.”
Lilly hesitated before asking, “Do I need to make something to add to the meal?”
“We’ve talked about your ability to work with horses, but we’ve never talked your ability in the kitchen,” Seth smiled and winked at Lilly so she knew it wasn’t a requirement to be a fancy cook for him. “You’re the guest of honor, so I think you’d be safe not to contribute to the meal.”
“That’s good because…um…I don’t know your stove and oven yet…and I didn’t bring any recipes with me,” Lilly said without meeting his eyes.
It dawned on Seth that Lilly probably didn’t know a lot about preparing food. She left her mother’s kitchen at age ten, ate scraps at her employer’s table, and lived in a boarding house since arriving in America.
“You can get basic recipes—and my favorites—from my mother. Be sure you ask how to make a burnt sugar cake because it’s my favorite dessert. She’d love to have you spend time with her in her kitchen, or here in the ranch kitchen to help you with this oven.” Lilly’s shoulders relaxed after hearing his mother could help her learn how to cook.
“And the Wilerson brothers’ wives, Swedish twins Hilda and Rania, could give you recipes from your old country. I’ve enjoyed their cardamom buns and kringler on occasion, so be sure you ask them tomorrow how to make those Swedish specialties.”
Lilly stared at Seth a moment then laughed—before saying something in Swedish to her horse. Did she catch on that he knew she didn’t know how to cook? Seth needed to talk to Dagmar about learning some basic Swedish words so he would know what his wife was saying.
He thought “his wife” again…
Seth watched Lilly, easily handling the horses, adjusting to Kansas and ranch life as if she had been born to it. Lilly must have had a hard life in the past, but she consciously decided to be happy with what she had. Would she be happy staying on the ranch with him, or did she still want to move to the Swedish settlement?
What do I want? Seth closed his eyes for a moment, listening to her singing. He liked the quiet prairie, but now he wanted this woman beside him forever—filling the air around them with her musical voice. Could she love him as the quiet man he was, or only accept his invitation to stay married so she would have a roof over her head and plenty of horses to work?
Better to give themselves time to learn to know each other better, and for her to meet everyone in the community first. Lilly might flee the county after tomorrow’s potluck dinner.
Chapter 11
Lilly couldn’t help fidgeting on the way over to the Cross C Ranch. Seth pointed out things of interest along the way, like the caves of limestone carved in the side of the hill, the history of the people who started the ranches in the 1860s. So far, she’d counted a total of a dozen trees on the buggy ride between the two ranches, but then there were several trees around the huge two–story ranch house they’d pulled up to.
A teenage boy walked up to hold the horse’s bridle while Seth helped Lilly out of the buggy.
“Hello, Micah, are you boys in charge of the horses today?”
“Yes, sir,” the boy nodded before leading the horse and buggy away. Lilly looked over to where the boy was going to see the lineup of buggies and wagons by the barn.
“Oh my! How many people are here?”
“Enough to fill a small village. Don’t worry, Lilly, everyone is friendly and will welcome you with open arms—literally in some cases.”
They walked across the porch and Seth opened the door into a large foyer. The house was full of noise and people. Couples were standing around visiting, some young with babies in their arms, and some Lilly would consider grandparents. As Seth took off Lilly’s coat and added it to one of three coat racks by the door, a menagerie of different aged children ran past them.
“Welcome to a family get–together of the Wilerson and Hamner families,” Seth said close to her ear so she could hear him.
“How do the Reagans fit in with this bunch?”
“Besides being family friends, we brothers have all worked on the Cross C Ranch at some point in our youth.”
“The woman walking toward us has on men’s trousers!” Lilly whispered to Seth.
“Yes, she wears them about all the time. Brace yourself, Hilda Wilerson is about to greet you,” Seth stepped away from her, leaving Lilly to face the woman alone.
“Välkommen till Kansas prärien, Lillya! Jag är Hilda.” Lilly loved hearing the Swedish welcome as Mrs. Wilerson embraced her in a long, tight hug.
“Tack så mycket. Thank you so much for welcoming me,” Lilly tried to keep the trembling out of her voice, but tears were threatening to run down her cheeks.
“We’re happy Seth brought home a bride, even better—you’re Swedish!” Hilda laughed and r
eleased her.
Lilly spent the next half hour meeting the adults in the house, going back and forth between speaking English and Swedish.
She panicked when Seth introduced her to his employer, Isaac Connely, but the older man gave her a hug as warm and welcome as the rest of the bunch.
“I hear you’re quite a horsewoman, Lilly. Where did you work in Sweden?” Obviously, Mr. Connely didn’t know why she worked at a Swedish farm, but she wasn’t about to tell him the story of how she came to work there.
“A horse farm near where I grew up, around Jönköping.”
“The Haas Farm by chance? Their stock is famous in Europe. Cate and I visited the farm about six or seven years ago when we toured through Scandinavia.”
Now it was Lilly’s turn to be shocked. This man visited the same farm she had lived on for a dozen years?
“Did you work with their famous stud, I don’t remember his name exactly, but I think his nickname was the Swedish word for King?”
“You’re right, his name is Kung. I was at his birth and took care of him as a colt,” Lilly replied, while stealing at glance at Seth.
Seth looked at Lily like he didn’t know her. “You didn’t tell me you lived on a famous horse farm. You know more about horses than I do then,” Seth’s remark made Lilly uncomfortable. Was he mad at her for not revealing the fact to him?
Mr. Connely turned to Seth, “Will she be working with our horses, too?”
“I…I guess so,” Seth answered Mr. Connely. Lilly was sure her face was turning red now.
“Then I’ll put her on the payroll,” Mr. Connely said. “I hope she advised you which stallions to buy at the Chicago sale, Seth.”
Seth, looked down at the floor rather than meet her or Mr. Connely’s eyes. “Um, yes she did pick out most of the horses we brought home. You’ll have to come over and see them soon.”
“I’ll do that. I won’t take more of your time today, as you have more family members to meet. Again welcome to our community, Lilly. We’re glad Seth found you.”
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