He smiled at her.
“I slept well,” she told him, assuming that he’d be wondering. “The bed is more comfortable than any I’ve ever been in.” Partly because it was all hers and no one else’s, but she wouldn’t tell him that. There was no reason for her to ever tell him about her past.
He nodded and motioned to his house.
“Breakfast?” she guessed.
He nodded.
“I can make eggs and fry up anything you got. I can eat just about anything too. I’m not picky.”
When he pointed back to her new home, she tried to decipher what he wanted, but his meaning eluded her. “I don’t understand.”
He stepped forward, causing her to take a step back.
The first thought that flashed through her mind as he entered the place was that she might have been wrong about him. Perhaps he did expect payment in the same form other men had. Stunned, she watched him. No. She wouldn’t do it again. She’d rather hightail it right back to town. She didn’t come all this way to return to a life of prostitution.
But instead of walking to her bed, he collected his saws and hammers and left the dwelling.
She immediately released her breath, grateful that she’d been wrong. He was clearing out the rest of his things. She waited to see what he did with them before she gathered a couple containers of paint and took them to the shed.
“Since I’m kicking you out of your workshop, I might as well help,” she explained when she saw his puzzled expression as he set the saws and hammers on some nails lining the walls.
He shook his head and motioned to his home.
“Oh. You want me to cook while you transfer your things over here?”
Smiling, he nodded.
“Why didn’t you just say so?” she joked. Handing him the paint, she added, “I’ll get right on it, boss.”
He raised an eyebrow at her.
“Yes. I called you ‘boss.’”
He shook his head.
“Well, that is what you are.”
To her surprise, he motioned to his ring finger.
Setting her hands on her hips, she sighed. “You’re not one to give up are you? I already said I’m not marrying you, and there’s nothing that’s going to change my mind on that. Now, you get yourself prepared for that bride of yours. She is happy to be coming out to meet you. I read her letter, so I know this to be true.”
Before he could make another motion to protest, she slipped out of the shed. The length to the house from her new little home and the shed was pretty much the same. It took her a total of a minute to get to the house. She opened the screen door and stepped into the kitchen. Curious, she decided to check out the entire place. There was a parlor and a bedroom. It wasn’t anything fancy. For a bachelor, she didn’t expect fancy, but she had to admit his large bed, dresser with a large mirror above it, the three rocking chairs in the parlor, and chairs around the small kitchen table were made with the same love and care he’d shown those table legs.
She thought lacy curtains and a nice tablecloth would pretty things up a bit. Flowers in a vase would brighten all the rooms. She peaked out the parlor window and noted the wildflowers that grew along the property. Good. She promptly returned to the kitchen and found some well-used containers that would serve nicely as vases. At least they would do until she could go to town and buy some. If she got paid. Maybe she wouldn’t get paid. Food and lodging might be her wages. She shrugged. No matter. She could spare a coin from her money.
She set to the task of making the meal, grateful that Preacher Peters’ wife had taken the time to instruct her in cooking. Otherwise, she would have been at a complete loss in the kitchen.
When John entered the kitchen, she showed him the plates full of pancakes and eggs. “Ta da! I did it all by myself.”
He seemed amused by her comment.
“If you knew how much trouble I went through to learn this, you’d be suitably impressed. Now sit down. This stuff gets cold fast.”
Like a little boy about to receive candy, he rushed to obey her.
She laughed. “I think we’ll get along just fine.”
He must have sensed her humor, for he playfully shrugged.
She placed food on the table and said grace before they began eating. “Do you make a lot of furniture for people in town?”
He glanced up from his fork full of eggs and nodded.
“Frank from the general store said that you also repair things.”
Chewing on his food, he motioned his agreement.
She cut into her pancake and asked, “Do you repair things more than you make furniture?”
He stopped eating for a moment and glanced at the ceiling, as if thinking over his answer. Finally, he nodded.
“You must be a lot of use to the people in town. You do excellent work. I saw those table legs and the furniture you have here. You also have a solid house and buildings. I bet you have people beating down your door just to talk to you.”
He grinned but shook his head.
She didn’t know if that meant he found her comment pleasing or if he was telling her that people weren’t banging down his door to talk to him.
Someone knocked on the door.
Her eyebrows rose. “Well, you must be popular after all.” That only confirmed her suspicions. After all, in the short time she’d been in town, two people had sung his praises. Well, there was that rude group of three men, but she was sure that they were the exception rather than the rule.
He scooted his chair back, but she stopped him with a wave of her hand.
“I’ll get it. I’d like to get to know some of the people who come to visit.” She smiled and opened the screen door. “Good morning.”
Four men who bore a strong resemblance to John stood by the door.
“Let me guess. Brothers or cousins?”
The tallest one laughed. “We’re John’s brothers.”
“All four of you?” She glanced back at John who slowly stood. He didn’t seem as happy as she thought he should be. She wondered about it but decided she’d ask about it later. “You got any sisters among you?”
“No, ma’am. We’re all there is.”
“Five boys. I bet you gave your poor mother a hard time. Do you want to come in?” She moved aside and waved them in.
As they came in, she mentally noted each one. Two seemed to be older than John and the other two seemed to be younger. But they all had brown hair and similar builds. The way they dressed and their facial hair helped to distinguish them from each other. John was the only one who was fully clean shaven, and she thought his eyes were more appealing than the others. That helped too.
They stood in the kitchen, and she suddenly realized how small the space really was. “Maybe we should go to the parlor. There’s more room in there.”
“Oh, we didn’t realize you two were eating,” one of them said.
She noted that John had finished his meal. He also stood by the table, lightly drumming his fingers on the table. She couldn’t tell what the expression on his face meant but figured he’d like to talk to his brothers. They were family after all.
She cleared her throat. “You five go on to the parlor, and I’ll be right along after I get done with this mess.”
“You will be joining us, won’t you?” another brother asked.
“Sure. I’d like to meet John’s kin. But you five should catch up on whatever it is brothers talk about when they get together first.” She shooed them to the parlor. “Don’t mind me. I won’t get in the way of men’s talk.”
“Don’t take too long,” one of John’s brothers said.
She wondered why they should care if she joined them or not, but she shrugged off the curiosity and turned her attention to finishing up her breakfast and cleaning up. Most of the talk seemed to revolve around the townsfolk. Since she didn’t know many names, most of it didn’t make much sense to her. But she did find it amusing that they found a way to gossip. In fact, they were just
as bad as some women she’d met. That proved that both men and women liked to engage in the activity.
When she completed her task, she entered the parlor.
They all stopped to look at her. Three men sat in the rocking chairs while John and another man stood. John hurried over to her so he could stand right next to her.
“I’m sure he wants to introduce me,” she said. “My name is Eliza. I arrived on the stagecoach yesterday, looking for work at Melissa Peters’.”
“Melissa Peters is pushing up daisies at the cemetery,” the one sitting in a chair with his arms crossed stated.
“I know that now. I didn’t know it then. Anyway, I had nowhere to go, so John offered me a job. I assure you that we are not behaving indecently. I’m staying out at that building over there.” She pointed in the direction of her new home.
“Oh, we have no doubt that this arrangement is platonic,” another replied.
She smiled, relieved. “That’s good. I don’t want anyone to misunderstand the situation. I know that John’s mail-order bride will be coming in any day now.”
“What will you do when she does?”
She glanced at John. His jaw was clenched and his body was stiff. Did she say something wrong? Maybe she shouldn’t have been so bold in jumping in and introducing herself like that. Directing her attention back to his brothers, she shrugged. “I guess we’ll see when she gets here. She may not like another woman hanging around on her property. If she and John wish me to leave at that time, I will.”
“We’re sure we can find employment for you if that happens,” the one who was standing across the room said.
The others indicated their agreement.
“That’s awfully nice of you,” she said, touched that they even cared about her fate. She looked at John. “You have some great brothers here. I bet you all are great friends.”
John didn’t look in her direction.
“We all look out for each other,” one of his brothers said, directing her attention back to him.
“Especially after Ma and Pa died,” another added.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” she replied. “I lost my parents when I was fourteen.” Not wishing to explain what she did after that, she continued, “I didn’t have any siblings, so it’s good that you have each other. You look close in age too. Who is who and how old is everyone?”
The one sitting back in his chair spoke up. “I’m Aaron. Thirty-one and the oldest.”
She nodded. The one with the mustache with the long handles is Aaron.
“He’s Guy.” Aaron pointed to the brother with a bushy beard. “He’s Twenty-nine.” Then he motioned to the one who was standing who had a neatly trimmed beard. “That there is Troy. He’s twenty-eight.”
“Your poor mother. She didn’t even get a break between you two,” she joked.
They chuckled. Well, everyone did but John who tensed even more—something she didn’t think possible.
“Then there’s John. He’s twenty-five. Actually, he just turned twenty-five a week ago.”
She jabbed him in the arm, hoping to ease his tension. “I should make you a cake.”
His eyes met hers and there was no denying that he wasn’t at all pleased with what was happening.
Aaron leaned forward and motioned to the youngest brother who had a trim mustache. “He’s Shawn. He’ll be eighteen in two months.”
“So you’re the one that decided to give your mother a break. Good for you,” she said.
“Yeah. Good for him.” Guy shot John an amused look.
Something wasn’t quite right. John was much too stiff, and his brothers were much too relaxed. One thing she learned long ago was that family dealings weren’t any of her business. As it was, she already put her nose in where it didn’t belong. Now it was time to leave the brothers to themselves.
“I thank you all for making me feel welcome,” she said, ready to bolt for the door. “I’ll see you again when you stop by.” Next time, she wouldn’t make a nuisance of herself.
“You don’t have to leave,” the one named Troy spoke up.
She shifted from one foot to the other. “I’d better. I have some personal business to attend to.” There. No man wanted to insist a woman stick around when she had personal business to do.
“It was nice meeting you, Eliza,” Aaron called out.
The others voiced their agreement.
She didn’t even bother looking in John’s direction as she thanked them and left. She breathed a sigh of relief as soon as the door swung shut behind her as she made her way across the grass to her new home. She’d wait until they left before she asked John what else he wanted her to do to earn her keep. For the moment, she wasn’t needed. And whatever was going on, she was glad to be out of it.
Chapter Four
John wished they hadn’t come out. This was exactly what he feared when he and Eliza stalled in town yesterday, and since she refused to marry him, his brothers were much too interested in her, especially Troy. At least Aaron and Guy were married. Shawn was too young. That meant he had to worry about Troy.
He turned his attention from the door Eliza just walked through so he could face his brothers.
“She sure is a fine looker,” Shawn commented. “How old do you think she is?”
“Too old for you,” Aaron remarked. “Most likely, she’s about twenty-five.” His gaze shifted from John to Troy. “Looks like you two have some competition.”
Troy snorted. “As if there’s a real choice to be had.”
John’s face flushed in anger. Naturally, Troy assumed she was going to end up with him. This was exactly what John feared. Just because he couldn’t talk, did it really make him undesirable to women?
“Of course, there’s no real choice,” Guy spoke up. “John’s expecting a mail-order bride. He’s as good as married.”
Shawn smirked at Troy. “Only she didn’t show, did she?” He glanced at John. “She didn’t come at all, or did she meet you and decide it wasn’t going to work?”
John shook his head. He didn’t want to discuss it with them.
“If she’d shown up, we would have heard about it,” Shawn said nonchalantly as he placed his hands behind his head. “The marshal’s mail-order bride came in with her aunt, and Eliza came too. There wasn’t a fourth woman.”
“That’s a tough break,” Aaron told John. “Maybe you should post another ad. The next one might come out. There must be one woman who wouldn’t mind marrying a man who can’t talk. Sometimes my wife wishes I’d shut up. A mute might be ideal.”
“I doubt it,” Troy stated. “The sooner John gets used to being single, the better.”
“That’s not true,” Aaron replied. “Daphne did say she’d come out, even after I wrote about his handicap.”
“But she decided against it,” Troy added.
“Maybe the next one won’t. Maybe we’re going about this all wrong. Maybe we should include he’s mute in the ad. Then whoever replies, we know she’s prepared.”
“You’re wasting John’s time and money. Leave it alone. Besides, he’s happy as things are.”
“He is not.”
“He is too. Why, it’s peaceful out here, and he makes a good living. In fact, I bet he makes more than us with his odd jobs.”
“He’s standing in the room,” Shawn intervened.
“We know,” Troy said.
“Then why are you talking about him as if he’s not here?”
“Because he can’t talk. We can’t have a real conversation with him.”
“He’s mute, not dumb,” Guy added.
“And how is he going to talk to us?” Troy looked at John. “How is your day so far, John?”
Leave. All of you need to go home. If John could talk, that’s exactly what he’d tell them. Instead, he glared at Troy.
“See,” Troy said. “He just stands there and watches people. He’s spooky.”
“He’s not spooky,” Guy argued.
“Are you
kidding? None of the kids will talk to him. They even have a rhyme they made up about him. It goes—”
“Enough!” Aaron snapped. “Our parents would be rolling over in their graves if they knew about this conversation.” He stood up. “We wanted to see Eliza for ourselves. We heard she was the prettiest little thing in town, and darned if that isn’t the most accurate statement I’ve ever heard. But Troy, if you expect her to consider you, you’d better shape up.”
“I’d do better if I didn’t have the lot of you chaperoning me,” Troy dryly replied. “I wanted to come alone, but you all had to stick your noses into my business.”
“You should thank us for coming out,” Guy said. “Otherwise, you would have made a fool of yourself.”
Troy narrowed his eyes at him.
John hastened to the kitchen and grabbed a broom. When he returned, he banged it on the floor, immediately stopping Guy and Troy from getting into another fight. When they grew silent, he pointed to the door.
“Let’s get out of here,” Aaron said, standing up.
Shawn followed suit and also stood. “Yeah, the last thing he needs to lose is another chair because you two couldn’t keep your tempers down,” he told Guy and Troy.
Relieved, John watched as they left. Now that they met Eliza, they could stay in town. He set the broom back in the kitchen and rubbed his eyes. He hated it when they came out. Getting them gathered into one room was like waiting for dynamite to explode. Thankfully, Troy never came out alone. He knew that Troy thought he had limited mental abilities. Just because he couldn’t talk, it didn’t mean he didn’t understand what was going on around him.
Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, he decided to see where Eliza went. He frowned when he reached the screen door. Eliza stood a few feet from the house. She had collected a handful of flowers but stopped when Troy approached her.
Before he had a chance to think about it, he strode out of the house, not bothering to look at his other brothers who stopped on their way to their horses to watch what he’d do. He didn’t care what they thought. A woman like Eliza didn’t come his way every day. In fact, she’d never come his way until the day before, and he wasn’t stupid enough to lie down and give her up to his brother.
Loving Eliza Page 3
