“Hey, room Seven,” Joshua said in a happy voice, “the only room that doesn't have squeaky floors.”
Jon scolded Joshua with his eyes. Joshua cleared his throat, grabbed my luggage, and hurried over to the staircase.
“Dinner will be served in two hours,” Jon told me and then picked up a newspaper and resumed reading.
“Si,” I said and walked over to the staircase and waited beside Joshua as two old women who were obviously very wealthy journeyed down the stairs at a slow pace. Joshua smiled at the two old women and climbed up the stairs. The women, both wearing fancy white and pink dresses, cast suspicious eyes at me, said something I didn't understand, and wandered off into the dining room.
Joshua walked me to my room but didn't enter. He sat down my luggage and shoved his hands into the front pockets of his pants. “I'll back into town tomorrow to check on you,” he said and tossed a thumb over his shoulder. “I have a hurt horse back on the ranch I'm tending to. Pa wants to put her down but I think there's a chance.”
I touched my lips again and shrugged my shoulders. Joshua nodded his head, smiled, and then left me standing in the doorway of my room. I sighed, unlocked my door, picked up my luggage, and walked into a room that was almost a duplicate of the lobby. “Si,” I said in a grateful voice. I dropped my luggage, ran to a large, soft bed surrounded by a thick green bed curtain, and jumped in, thanking God for His mercies.
Later, before dinner, Jon brought me a message that Joshua had left for me at the front counter. “Young Mr. Garner wishes me to inform you that he will return tomorrow before noon to inquire about your well-being. He regrets that he could not attend dinner with you, but there is a wounded horse that he has been nursing that needs his attention tonight,” Jon told me and peeked over my shoulder into the room. “The room is very nice.”
“Si, it is very nice,” I said and thanked Jon for the message. “I will be down for dinner soon.”
To my shock, Jon reached out and patted my shoulder. Some of the icy frost in his eyes melted. “You remind of my own daughter who...is not with us right now,” he said and actually offered a smile; a smile filled with pain rather than joy. “Dinner will be ready soon,” he finished and walked away.
After changing into a soft yellow dress that I had purchased in St. Louis, I walked downstairs into the dining room with my stomach rumbling. I was disappointed to see the dining room crammed full of men and women who appeared to very wealthy and influential. Jon appeared beside me and escorted me to a table sitting in the far back corner next to a round window. He didn't smile at me but his eyes weren't cold, either. “Mrs. Finner will bring out your dinner along with some water,” he informed me and walked away to a table occupied by the two old women I had seen earlier on the stairs. The two old women pointed their eyes at me. Jon said something to them I didn't understand and walked out of the dining room.
I lowered my eyes and studied the lovely water glass and silverware sitting on a dark blue table cloth that complimented the white walls. I could feel curious eyes staring at me, but I didn't dare look up. I felt like running out of the dining room, back to my room, and sticking my head underneath a pillow. Endless minutes seemed to pass. I began wondering how I was going to eat my dinner with all the patrons in the dining room watching me and talking about me in a strange tongue I didn't understand. But then, to my relief, Joshua appeared. “Hey,” he said and smiled down at me.
I raised my eyes and saw Joshua standing next to my table. Relief flooded my heart. It was nice to see a friendly face. I smiled. I wanted to tell Joshua that I was happy to see him and ask about his sick horse, but Jon appeared.
“Young Mr. Garner wishes to join you for dinner. It appears that his wounded horse is doing much better.”
“Si,” I said and pointed at an empty chair sitting across from me. “Si, si.”
Jon sighed and pulled the chair out for Joshua. “Young Mr. Garner, be mindful of your surroundings,” he told Joshua and left the dining room.
Joshua sat down without a care in the world even though everyone was looking at him. He turned in his seat and waved at a large man wearing an expensive blue suit. “Hey Mr. Cartwright, how are things at the bank?”
The large man shifted in his seat and looked at a woman who looked as though she’d eaten a lemon before looking back at Joshua. “Fine, Joshua. Give your Pa my best,” he said and scrambled to his feet, gathered up the woman, and left.
Joshua grinned at me. “The woman leaving with Mr. Cartwright is Linda Jenkins, or as we call her: Widow Jenkins. Mr. Cartwright is trying to get her hand in marriage because the lady is loaded.”
I couldn't help but smile at Joshua. He talked to me as if I could understand his every word. I tapped my lips again and then let out a slight giggle. Joshua blushed.
“Oh, yeah,” he said and clasped his hands together. “Well,” he said even though I couldn't understand him, “let me tell you about my horse.” And with that, Joshua dived into a one-sided conversation filled with wonderful expressions and lively tones. I listened as if I were understanding his every word.
The way his voice rose and fell and his eyes lit up, had me mesmerized. I tried to remind myself of what Jon had said, Joshua was promised to another. Inside though, I couldn’t help but feel my heart flutter under his gaze.
<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>
The following morning after breakfast, Joshua arrived back at the hotel and drove me out to his parents’ ranch in a cozy brown horse buggy. The morning was bright, warm, and beautiful. The sounds of birds singing floated across golden, rolling hills that seemed to go on forever. Joshua, in his silly way, talked and talked, pointing at a stream of water, a certain hill, a large tree, a boulder, and even an old shack, telling me things that were obviously important to him. “Over there is Cold Rock stream,” he told me. “We call it Cold Rock because no matter how hot it is the water is always freezing. I was baptized in that stream, too. Boy, what a morning. Ma thought I was going to catch pneumonia for sure but Pa laughed and told her it was natural for a boy’s face to turn blue after being dipped into the stream.”
I followed Joshua's finger and spotted the stream flowing under a mountain of tall, healthy, trees. What in the world was Joshua saying, I wondered? Why was he even talking? Surely, he knew I didn't understand a single word he was speaking. Yet, I thought, it was nice hearing his voice. Even though I didn't understand the words being spoken, the warmth in Joshua's voice was comforting.
“Si,” I said as if in answer.
Joshua beamed. “Yeah, si,” he said and laughed. “I never did get sick, but I also promised to never baptize my own kids -whenever I have any that is- in the middle of winter.”
Eventually, we topped a hill. Joshua stopped the horse buggy and pointed down to a large patch of open land filled with cattle and horses and men running here and there on horseback. “Say hello to the 'Green Horn Ranch',” Joshua told me in a proud voice. He pointed to a large two story wooden home sitting beside a brown barn filled with hay, horses, milk cows, chickens, and other items that my mind couldn't imagine. “We call her the 'Green Horn' because my Pa began this ranch when he was just a 'Green Horn' himself,” Joshua laughed and told the brown horse pulling the buggy to get moving with a loud whistle. The horse slowly began to walk forward, bored and unamused.
As Joshua drove the buggy down to the large house, an old man appeared riding on a gorgeous light brown stallion. The old mans' face was tight and held bad news. He stopped his horse on Joshua's side of the buggy, removed a brown hat from his head, revealing thin gray hair, and lowered his eyes. “I did all that I could, Josh.”
Joshua's easy smile faded and his face fell. “No,” he said in a strained voice. “When I left earlier she was doing just fine.”
The old man slapped at his right pant leg with his hat. “Josh, the horse was mighty sick. I know you did your best to save her, but I reckon the Good Lord just decided it was best to let her go home.”
I looked a
t Joshua's face and noticed that tears were cascading down his cheeks. I wasn't sure what the old man was telling Joshua, but my heart had an inclination. I tapped Joshua on his shoulder and pointed to the horse pulling the buggy and made a sad face. Joshua nodded his head and wiped at his tears. At that moment, I knew the man sitting next to me had a very special heart—a heart I had never seen in a man before; a heart I admired. “Okay, Ralph,” Joshua said, “I guess I'll go bury her.”
“I had two of the boys do that for you,” the old man told Joshua and put his hat back on. “Out in the far-right field next to the stream where you found her.”
Joshua nodded his head. “I appreciate that,” he said. He wiped at his tears again and then drew in a deep breath. “Ralph, this is Maria. She's going to be moving to the ranch as soon as Ma and Pa get back from Carson City.”
The old man tipped his hat at me. “Ma’am.”
I quickly touched my lips and shook my head.
“She can't understand you,” Joshua told the old man in a sad voice. “I'm going to take her on to the house. Ride ahead of me and ask Mrs. Hernandez to make us some tea and snacks. I'm sure Maria is a bit hungry by now.”
“Sure thing,” Ralph said and rode away to the large house.
As I watched Joshua mourn his lost animal, I thought back to the last time I had cried myself. I had been only a young girl, standing at my Papa’s grave. I patted Joshua’s shoulder in an effort to comfort him and gave him a sympathetic smile. I knew what it felt like to lose something you loved very much.
Joshua wiped at his tears. He began moving the horse buggy toward the house when a rough looking man wearing a black hat work clothes galloped up on a horse that appeared as mean as its rider. “Where you been? We have a ranch to run, Josh.”
Joshua bit down hard on his lower lip and stopped the horse buggy. “This is my brother Jack,” he told me and then nodded his head. “You can't understand me,” he said and looked back at Jack. “Pa left me in charge. I gave the men their chores before I left.”
“Pa is getting old,” Jack told Joshua in a sour voice. He spat on the ground and looked at me. “She's mighty pretty, now, isn't she?”
“Maria is a guest and you'll treat her with respect,” Joshua warned Jack in a tone that alarmed me.
I wasn't sure what Jack was saying to his brother but I knew by the way his cruel eyes were investigating my face that his words were not pleasant or meant for a proper woman’s ears.
“Sure,” Jack said and pointed at the barn. “Your horse died. William and Ben are off burying her. They're supposed to be out running fences.”
“William and Ben are experienced men,” Joshua told Jack in a steady tone, “they'll get to the fences. You need to worry about repairing the corral like Pa told you to before he left. When I left for town this morning I saw the corral still in mighty poor shape.”
Jack nearly hissed at Joshua, cast an ugly eye at me, and then rode off.
“My brother has bad blood in him,” Joshua told me in a voice scarred with regret. He got the buggy moving and said no more until we reached the house. To my delight, a little old Spanish woman walked out onto a beautiful front porch decorated with flowers and rocking chairs. The woman smiled at me and wiped her hands on a white apron wrapped around a simple but lovely blue dress and then checked her long gray hair that shined in the sun like silver.
“That's Mrs. Hernandez,” Joshua told me and jumped down from the buggy. He hurried around to me and helped me down. As soon as my feet touched the ground a strong gust of wind that smelled like sweet roses wrapped itself around my body and began playing with the pink dress I was wearing. Mrs. Hernandez lifted her eyes up to the bright blue sky, smiled, and then looked back down at me.
“Maria?” she asked in speaking in Spanish.
“Si,” I replied and smiled happily, speaking to Mrs. Hernandez. “His horse died, yes?”
Mrs. Hernandez nodded her head. “Si. Very sad.”
“I saw a man wearing black clothes,” I told Mrs. Hernandez.
Mrs. Hernandez lowered her eyes and a shadow crossed her face. “Si that is Jack, Joshua's brother. He is no good.”
I turned my head and focused on Joshua who was listening to me talk to Mrs. Hernandez with eyes that were filled with sadness. It was clear to me that his mind was on the dead horse. The horse, I guessed, meant a lot to Joshua. “He does not have bad blood,” I said and pointed at Joshua.
Mrs. Hernandez lifted her eyes, looked at Joshua, and smiled. “Si, this one is a gift from God. He has a special heart that is very wonderful and filled with light.”
I began to reply when a beautiful young woman with bright, long, blond hair stepped out onto the front porch. She walked up to Mrs. Hernandez, paused, checked the expensive blue dress she was wearing, and then locked her eyes on Joshua. “Where have you been?” she snapped in a pouty voice. “I've been waiting for you a very long time.”
“Veronica?” Joshua asked in a shocked voice.
“Veronica Cooper,” Mrs. Hernandez told me in a quick voice, “a snake that is trying to sink her teeth into Joshua. She is also no good.”
“What are you saying?” Veronica demanded of Mrs. Hernandez. “Are you talking about me again old lady?”
Mrs. Hernandez smiled at Veronica. “Si, tea,” she said pretending to be ignorant and hurried back into the house.
Veronica folded her arms together and tossed an angry glance at me. “Who is she?” she asked Joshua.
“Maria,” Joshua replied and stepped closer to me. “This is Maria, the woman that my folks have invited to stay with us. She's from Spain,” Joshua explained and rubbed the back of his neck. “Maria can't speak a lick of our language, though.”
Like a rattlesnake examining its prey before attacking, Veronica walked her venomous eyes all over my face. “I thought we could go on a picnic, Joshua,” she whined.
“I thought you were in Sacramento,” Joshua replied in a confused voice.
“I missed you,” Veronica said and managed a false, flirty, smile. “I couldn't stay away another day.”
“Snake,” Mrs. Hernandez yelled from inside the house in Spanish.
I felt a giggle leave my lips.
“What did that old woman say?” Veronica snapped at me.
“Listen,” Joshua said and held up his hands, “Veronica, I'm mighty busy today. If you want, I can let Jack loose and he can take you on a picnic. I doubt he's out working on the corral anyway.”
Veronica's face went from flirty to devastated. I watched her eyes narrow and her lips turn pouty. “But Joshua, I want you to take me on a picnic. I was so looking forward to going down to the stream together and sitting under the old tree the way we used to when we were children.”
Joshua scratched the back of his neck. “I'm sorry, Veronica,” he said in a hesitant voice as if he were expecting Veronica to rush forward and slap him across the face, “but my folks asked me to watch out for Maria until they got back.”
Veronica squeezed her hands into two tight fists. “Fine,” she snarled and marched off the front porch. “My Pa isn't going to like this one little bit, Joshua Garner. What are people going to think? Here we are practically engaged and you're babysitting a strange woman.”
I read Veronica's eyes and tone of voice the way I would read a book. I wasn't happy with the way she regarded me. Mrs. Hernandez was right: the woman was a snake and she wanted to sink her fangs into the heart of a good man and destroy him. But what could I do? I couldn't even understand anything Joshua said. So, I did the only thing a woman in my position could do; I began speaking my mind in my native tongue. “You're an ugly snake,” I said in a voice that appeared pleasant. “You are not fit to marry a skunk,” I added and then smiled sweetly at Veronica. Veronica stared at me and then focused back on Joshua. “And you're breath smells like rotten eggs.”
Joshua gently touched my shoulder and pointed at the house. “Please go inside,” he said and nodded his head toward the front porc
h. “Inside...go...” he added and made walking motions with his fingers.
“Si,” I said and walked up onto the front porch. Before walking inside, I turned and looked at Veronica. “May you choke on your fake smile” I smiled and hurried inside.
Mrs. Fernandez was waiting for me. She was standing in a large living room that dazzled my eyes. The living room was designed with furnishings that would make the richest king in the world envious. But it was the fireplace that captured my heart. A stone fireplace large enough to fit an elephant in sat at the front of the living room with two wonderful carved walnut and soft brown chairs sitting in front of it. “It's beautiful,” I told Mrs. Fernandez and slowly walked across the room to the fireplace, breathing in the smell of heavy pine wood mingled with fresh roses.
“Si,” Mrs. Fernandez smiled. “Mr. Garner built this house with his own hands many, many years ago. I was here when the first nail was hammered. Oh, those were the good days.”
I walked past the chairs and let my fingers caress the walnut wood. “I see many years filled with love and laughter.”
Mrs. Fernandez sighed. “Joshua...yes...Jack...no,” she said. “Mr. Garner was wrong to adopt that boy. I knew he was bad blood.”
“Adopted?” I asked. I turned away from the fireplace and focused on Mrs. Hernandez.
“I've said enough. I'll go make tea, yes?”
“Yes,” I said and smiled at Mrs. Hernandez. “Only if you promise to please be my voice and tell Joshua what I say and tell me what he is saying back.”
“Si,” Mrs. Hernandez promised and hurried away through a door leading into a brilliantly designed dining room.
The table covered with a soft white table cloth holding blue and white dinner dishes, crystal drinking glasses, and silver eating utensils.
“She's a good woman.”
The Thanksgiving Day Bride: Mail Order Bride Novels Page 40
