Patience_Bride of Washington

by Caroline Clemmons

  They approached the large curved staircase and Andrew said, “There are six bedrooms upstairs. Alice and I hoped we’d have lots of children and grandchildren. She lost three babies. Stone’s the only one of ours who lived.”

  “I’m so sorry, Andrew. How painful that must have been for you both. My mother lost two children between my sister and our younger brothers and one of my brothers died of diphtheria when he was four.”

  Would she and he have children? A shiver skittered up her spine at the idea of relations with this man she didn’t love, yet she wanted children. Many other women managed to live a happy life with a man based on friendship, and she was sure she could do the same.

  A middle-aged woman showed up wearing an apron over a plain gray dress and shod with practical black shoes. She eyed Patience curiously. “Your dinner’s ready and served in the dining room.”

  “Thank you, Emily.” He didn’t make an introduction. Instead, he turned to Patience. “You can see the upstairs another time. It’s early for dinner but we have a lot to cover today. Shall we have our meal?”

  The dining room table was large but they were seated at one end, her at Andrew’s right. “Does Stone come home for dinner?”

  Emily served them each course. Sitting at a table that would easily seat twelve seemed a waste to Patience. She would have preferred dining family style in the kitchen. Obviously, she had a lot to learn about being a wife in such a fancy setting.

  “He used to eat here every meal, but now he mostly works straight through noon. Emily sends something with him or he’d do without.” He smiled at the housekeeper. “She’s been with us over twenty years and mothers him as much as he’ll allow.”

  Emily straightened from serving potatoes. “That I do, which isn’t much now that he’s a grown man.”

  Patience sent her a sympathetic glance. “I can imagine. Even my twelve-year-old brother, Jason, thinks he’s too old for mothering.” She turned to Andrew. “How long ago did Alice pass?”

  “Five years now.” Andrew rubbed his jaw as if surprised. “Doesn’t seem that long in a way, but in other ways I feel it’s been much longer. We had twenty-six years together and I’m grateful for them.”

  Emily left them to eat their meal and they chatted amiably. Patience tried to remember all her other questions, but they’d fled. After dessert, Andrew suggested they tour the business.

  As she stood on the house’s wide porch, she spotted the office. “Shall we walk?”

  He appeared pleased at her request. “I was hoping you wouldn’t mind strolling that far.”

  The vista of flowering trees and the perfume on the breeze thrilled her. “What a picturesque place to live. I can smell the trees from here. The fragrance is wonderful.” She took his arm. “By the way, I’m eager to learn everything about your operation. I hope there’s something I can do to contribute. I’m not used to being idle. Although I worked in a garment factory most of the time, I have secretarial and bookkeeping skills.”

  He sent her a speculative perusal. “If you’re serious, I’d enjoy having you in the office. Perhaps you could help Stone with the accounts and he wouldn’t have to work such long hours.”

  “I’d enjoy doing so. In that way, I could come to understand the workings of your orchard without hefting boxes of apples.” She sent him a wide grin.

  He chuckled. “Clever woman but I’d hardly ask you to pick apples or carry boxes.”

  At the office, he opened the door and let her precede him. She walked into a room about twelve by fourteen feet with two offices opening off the main area. From outside, she heard the rumble of men’s voices but couldn’t understand their words. In one corner, a stack of papers tilted untidily atop a file cabinet. An empty desk sat forefront, on which set only a half-dead houseplant and a small stack of papers.

  She walked over to the desk and picked up a brochure touting Kincaid Orchards. “Is there no clerk to greet customers or do no customers arrive in person? Aren’t you afraid this plant casts your growing skills in a bad light?”

  Andrew acted embarrassed. “We need a clerk or secretary, don’t we? Last one, a Miss Youngblood, quit at Valentine’s to get married and we never got around to replacing her. Good to have fresh eyes, Patience. Guess I’ve grown complacent over the years.”

  He strode to a door. “Stone, come out, son, and meet Patience Eaton.”

  “Your mail-order bride?” His voice was a pleasing baritone. Or, it would have been without the heavy sarcasm.

  Patience braced herself to meet the owner of that taunting tone. With a smile pasted on her face, she waited with one hand at her waist and the other balancing her parasol tip against the floor.

  The most attractive man she’d ever seen emerged, finger combing his dark hair from his forehead over startling blue eyes. Well over six feet with broad shoulders, he was a younger, more appealing version of his father, but a frown marred his handsome face.

  Andrew put a hand at her elbow and guided her forward. “Patience Eaton, my son, Stone.”

  She extended her hand. “Pleased to meet you.”

  With a slight hesitation, he took her fingers. A zing of tingles raced up her arm and to her middle. His eyes widened slightly and he quickly released her hand.

  “The pleasure is mine, Miss Eaton.” His face and tone of voice belied his words.

  “Good news, son. Patience wants to help in the office so she can learn about the business. Perhaps she can take some of the load from your shoulders.”

  He gestured toward her with a nod. “Teaching her will only add to my work.”

  His father waved away his remark. “Only temporarily. Look around the office, son. Place needs organizing. Once she masters the books, you’ll be able to work normal hours.”

  Stone glared at his father. “And do what with my free time?”

  Andrew shrugged. “Whatever you wish. Read, fish, nap, collect stamps.” His voice grew terse. “For heaven’s sake, you must have an interest you’d like to pursue. You’re always grumbling about having to spend so much time on paperwork.”

  Patience grew even more uncomfortable with the tension between the two men. “Gentlemen, I didn’t realize my working here would present a problem. Although I’d like very much to help in the office, I certainly had no intention of causing friction between you.”

  Stone glared at her. “Little late for that, Miss Eaton. To avoid problems you’d have had to turn down my father’s preposterous proposal.”

  Andrew’s face reddened and he huffed, “Now see here, Stone. That’s uncalled for. You apologize to Patience at once.”

  Patience put her hand on Andrew’s arm. “Thank you, Andrew, but I can fight my own battles.” She needed to start as she meant to go on. If she cowered before this bully, she was lost forever.

  She strode toward Stone and stopped a mere eighteen inches from him and met his angry gaze with ire in her own. “Meeting a prospective stepmother who’s younger than you must be awkward. Nevertheless, your father has every right to happiness. You owe him your respect as your father and as the man who started this business. If you don’t approve of me, that’s too bad. If you don’t want me in this office, that’s also too bad.”

  She poked his chest, tempted to hit him with her parasol. “You are not the center of the universe, Stone Kincaid. Like it or not, I will start work here tomorrow morning.”

  Stone appeared about to explode but she didn’t back down.

  “Thank you for clarifying your intentions, Miss Eaton.” He looked at his father. “Dad, could I have a word with you in private?”

  Andrew hesitated then exhaled and followed Stone into the office and closed the door.

  Patience walked around the room examining photos and paintings on the walls. Heavens, she’d let her temper get the best of her again. Papa would be so disappointed.

  She peered out windows where she could see a barn-like structure and the beautiful mountains in the distance. Men came and went, sometimes calling to one ano
ther, apparently each bent on a particular job. No matter how much she tried and even though she couldn’t see them through the door’s frosted glass top, she couldn’t avoid overhearing the argument between them.

  Inside the office, Stone faced his father. “Are you out of your mind? I thought the idea was absurd when you mentioned you’d sent for her, but I expected someone near your own age. A widow or spinster to keep you company.”

  He pointed toward the next room. “Dad, that woman is less than half your age. Why would you send for a mail-order child bride when there are women in Destiny lining up to become the next Mrs. Andrew Kincaid?”

  Setting his jaw, Andrew answered, “Because that’s what I wanted to do. Any man enjoys having a pretty woman on his arm. And she’s not a child, she’s twenty-three and knows her own mind. Patience is right, son. You owe me the respect due your father and major owner of this business.”

  “Why couldn’t she find a husband in that fancy eastern town she’d from. Although, with her sharp tongue, she probably scared them all off.”

  Andrew smiled, but his eyes glinted steel. “She’s delightful when treated properly. You can’t expect her to be congenial when you were openly rude to her.”

  Stone waved his arms wildly. “You know nothing about her. She could be a black widow or on the run from a heinous crime? Pinkertons could be hunting her right now.”

  “The matchmaker I employed checked her out thoroughly. For your information, Patience is a nice woman from Massachusetts. Her father’s a teacher, which is why she’s well-educated. The place where she worked burned and put too many people out of work for her to find a good job there.”

  Stone flopped onto his chair. “So, she came completely across the country instead of trying a town near her parents?” He shook his head. “That doesn’t make sense, Dad. There’s more to this than meets the eye.”

  “No, there isn’t. Her father wrote to the matchmaker and arranged the marriage. She went along with his wishes. I understand her sister is marrying a rancher in Idaho.”

  Stone slapped his palms on the desk. “You’re being taken advantage of and I intend to protect you and this business. I will be watching every move she makes.”

  “That’s fine with me as long as you teach her to help with the accounts. You will give her the respect and courtesy she deserves. Son, you should be glad she doesn’t want to lounge around and shop all over town on my credit. Appreciate the fact that she wants to do an honest day’s work.”

  Stone leaned back and crossed his arms. “We’ll see how honest a day’s work she does. We’ll just see.”

  Dad tapped a finger on the desk. “I’m taking her to view the packing shed. When I come back, you’d better have her set up with a place to work and the supplies she needs for tomorrow.” His father stomped out of the office.

  Chapter Four

  Patience whirled when the office door opened.

  Still looking flustered, Andrew strode out of his son’s domain and smiled, but this time his eyes didn’t reflect his greeting. “Sorry to abandon you, my dear Patience. Shall we tour some of the other buildings?”

  She walked toward him and took his arm. What an awkward position to be in but she has no idea how to escape. “Whatever you wish, Andrew.”

  “When we return, Stone should have your work space arranged and the materials you’ll need. I’ll let him explain what he needs you to do. I’ve pretty much handed over the office work to him. To be frank, Stone could run the place nicely if I stayed home as long as he had someone to help with the books.”

  “I’m sure you’re being modest.”

  He patted her hand where it rested on his arm. “Nice of you to say. We’re going toward the packing shed. Although it’s empty of everything but boxes now, during picking time the place is a hive of activity. Beyond that is the barn where our equipment is stored.”

  She ducked as a bee buzzed around her. “So this is a year-around business?”

  “Oh, yes. Picking is the busiest time, of course. Especially this year as we’ll have a new section of trees come into bearing age. We just completed pruning, which is another busy time.”

  “And I see you keep bees. Do you sell the honey?”

  He shook his head. “The bees are necessary for pollination. We haven’t marketed the honey, but I suppose we could. You see why we need new eyes here?”

  She picked up a loose label and studied the apple blossoms, apple, and bee against sky blue with Kincaid Orchards overlaid in white swirling letters. “I like the design of your label. That’s really eye-catching and the colors are so attractive.”

  “Stone worked that out three years ago. Before that, we’d used a plain blue background with our name in white type. Buyers reacted well to the new label.”

  Complimenting her rude soon-to-be stepson cost her but she wanted to soothe Andrew. “He must be multi-talented to design as well as keep the business records.”

  “Yes, he’s had a rough past couple of years but he’s a blessing to me.”

  She seized the opportunity to satisfy her curiosity. “What’s been difficult about that time?”

  “I’d best let him tell you other than to say he was unjustly maligned.”

  “That’s too bad.” What more could she say? Was Andrew’s defense that of a hopeful father or the truth?

  “I hope you won’t pay any regard to gossip you may hear in town.”

  “Of course not.” She hadn’t, but she didn’t let him know she’d already been accosted by women spreading rumors.

  He gave a jerk of his head. “If you need to refresh yourself, that privy is the one for the office.”

  Embarrassed to discuss such things with him, she affected a matter-of-fact tone. “Thank you. Please excuse me for a few moments.”

  When she rejoined him, they walked around the outbuildings. “I’m so grateful the trees are still in bloom. The fragrance is nicer than any perfume.”

  “Actually, many perfumes include apple blossom oils. You’ll enjoy being here when the apples are ready to harvest. They create a different but quite pleasant aroma.”

  Gesturing to his right, she asked, “Is that a canal over there?”

  “Yes, a new one. Just over a year ago, we were able to construct canals in this area to make irrigation possible. More water makes the fruit sweeter and larger.”

  She couldn’t imagine all that was needed to dig a trench that wide and long. “That must have been an extensive undertaking.”

  “Massive but we combined forces. No one orchard owner could have managed alone. By banding together, we were able to build canals. We had the help of some of the folks who travel from area to area and state to state harvesting crops. A large crew will show up at harvest time to work for any of the orchards who need help.”

  She scanned the orchard for living quarters. “Where do the additional workers live when they’re here?”

  “Most camp out. Stone and I designated an area where they can set up their tents near the canal and river so they have water. We had two privies built. Not deluxe accommodations, by any means.”

  He fell silent so she thought about what he’d said. Life for traveling workers must be terribly hard and she wondered where the people went in winter.

  They strolled for another half hour then made their way back to the office. She dreaded facing Stone’s disapproval and feared another dispute between him and Andrew. When they entered, she saw ledgers and supplies littered the formerly vacant desk.

  Andrew rubbed his hands together. “Ah, wonderful. I see you’ve set Patience’s desk up with the materials she’ll need.”

  “As you ordered. Miss Eaton, if you’d like to take a seat, I’ll discuss what you need to do to be useful.” He emphasized the last word in a way that made plain he doubted she could assist him in any way.

  She smiled sweetly and took the chair he indicated. “Pleased to be an apt pupil, Stone. And you simply must call me Patience. After all, I won’t be Miss Eaton for long.”
His scowl pleased her more than she’d imagined.

  He clenched his jaw so hard she expected to hear teeth crumble. She blinked her eyes innocently and waited for him to speak.

  “We line up distributors, companies who buy our fruit and then ship around the world. The train has been a great help. We have workers wages to figure year-round, although we hire extra crews for busy times like harvest and pruning. And we have to keep in touch with our clients throughout the year to insure we keep their loyalty.”

  “I see. Other orchards compete for their goodwill?”

  He appeared surprised. “Yes. Like most businesses, selling fruit is competitive. Dad is wonderful at getting cooperation. My forte is the bookwork.”

  Andrew said, “We’ll both be going to a meeting in Tacoma in a couple of weeks where we hope to gain new exporters for our additional crop this year. We plan to court a particular exporter who has contacts by rail and by ship.”

  Stone shook his head. “He’s tough to impress. Very conservative and opinionated. Dad will have his hands full, I’m afraid.”

  Patience asked. “Have you sought to win his business before?”

  Andrew pounded his left palm with his right fist. “For the past three years but the Vermillions beat us out every time. This year, we’re going all out. We’ll have a good deal more products to sell and we plan to sweet-talk him until he can’t resist taking our apples.”

  She smiled at Andrew. “I wish you both good luck.”

  Stone stepped back and looked from her to his father. “I believe that’s enough for today. I’ll explain our systems in detail tomorrow.” He spun on his heel and went back into his office.

  Patience rubbed her hands across the desktop. “I’ll bring polish and a cleaning rag tomorrow unless you have them here.”