A Groom for Claire
Page 10
Ethan picked her up and stood.
Tom, with the rifle still in hand, prodded Al toward the wagon. “I can help Alex take these two back to town and put them in jail. I’m not sure if the town has replaced Sheriff Applebee. We lost him in the second blizzard when he went to look for the others.”
Claire started to speak when Ethan interrupted her. “That would be fine, Tom. You proved yourself a man today. Just watch those two and don’t untie them for any reason.”
Tom looked at him and nodded with a slight grin on his lips. “I’ll do as Alex says.”
Alex clapped a hand on Tom’s shoulder. “You’re a good man to have along. I think I’ll have a couple cups of coffee, and then we’ll be on our way. It looks like the clouds are breaking up, and the moon is bright.”
Ethan nodded but suddenly felt weak. He set Leah down and leaned against the porch post. “Let’s go inside. I could use some water.”
Ben yelled. “What about us?”
Ethan nodded at Tom. “Tie them to the porch.”
“Yes, sir.” Tom grabbed the rope and looped it through their arms and then to the post.
Inside, Ethan collapsed into one of the chairs. Seeing Claire’s concern, he waved her off. “I’ll be all right.”
Alex pointed at him. “After that coffee, I’m going to help you to bed, and that’s where you need to stay for the next couple of days. That and eat some steak and stew. Get that blood back in your system.”
Claire brought out the coffee pot. “Are you all right to drive the wagon tonight, Alex?”
“I just got a little bump on my head. That’s nothing. Besides, I’ll have Tom with me.” Alex grinned at the young man.
Claire came back with a bowl of warm water and some cloths. “Now for you.” She took off the rough bandage Alex had wrapped around his arm. Gently, she stroked a wet cloth over the wound. “The bullet went straight through. It looks clean.”
Ethan gritted his teeth when she touched the wound, but at the same time, the feel of her soft touch soothed the ache. He watched her work. She had a different look on her face. As if she cared for him.
Finally, she wrapped a clean bandage around his arm and then stared into his eyes. “Feel better?”
He nodded.
“Alex, help me get him to bed. I’ll let him sleep and then fix him a good healthy broth in the morning while the stew is cooking.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Alex stood and grabbed Ethan’s good arm. “Let’s go. You need to get your strength back.”
Claire held him on the other side.
Alex started walking toward the guest room when Claire stopped him. “Take him to our room.”
She looked at Ethan and smiled.
He stared at her and then nodded.
Alex helped him in the bed. “Tom and I will be getting along now.” He started to leave out the door when he stopped. “You know, I could take Leah with me. I know she’d like to stay in town for a few days with her friends. That is if you’d like me to.”
Claire pulled off one of Ethan’s boots. She glanced at him and then to Alex. “I think that might be a good idea. I’ll wrap her in a blanket, and she can ride with you and Tom. I don’t want her in the wagon with those two vermin.”
“Yes, Ma’am. We can keep her warm and safe.”
Claire pulled off the other boot. She looked lovingly at Ethan. “I’ll be back after I get Leah tended to.”
Chapter 17
Even though it was January, the weather had warmed up, and Ethan and Claire sat on the front porch wrapped in blankets and drinking their coffee.
“I love mornings. They make me think of earth’s first day, and how beautiful it must have looked.” Claire sipped her coffee and looked out at the field cased in dew and low fog.
Ethan put his arm around her. “I know what you mean. New beginnings.” He looked at her. “For us. Our new life together.”
“Thank you for coming. I never dreamed I could be happy again. Much less be excited about the farm. But I am. Because of you, Ethan Freemont.”
He tucked one of her curls behind her ear and kissed her gently on the lips. “I waited all my life for a time such as this.”
“I didn’t want to be a farmer’s wife anymore. I chose your letter because I thought you might be a man who didn’t want to farm.”
Ethan laughed. “I’ve dreamed about being a pioneer farmer since I first heard stories of those who went out on their own to make a new life and a forge a new country on the plains. Now, I can hardly believe that it’s coming to pass.”
Claire snuggled beside him. “You’ve made me see that life is good again. The children should be back today.”
“Yes, I’m sure Alex has spoiled them.”
Ethan smiled at her. “That friend of yours, Jenna. I think Alex liked her.”
Claire sipped the last of her coffee. “Yes, I thought the same. Who knows, she might be the one to tame him.”
“It’s possible.” Ethan watched the sun break through the fog. “It’s a nice day.”
“The best.” Claire looked at him and kissed him. “You do know, Mr. Freemont, that I have had one of my knowings. Just sitting here, I saw something.”
Ethan stared at her. “Is that so?”
“Yes. It is. My mother said it was a gift. For the longest time, I thought it a curse. But this morning, as I looked out over the field, I saw you working. Out there. Toiling hard, really.”
“Well, that seems like it would be easy to figure out.”
“Yes, but it was who was toiling with you.”
Smiling, Ethan turned to her. “And who would that be.”
“Your son and daughter.” Claire grinned like a schoolgirl.
“I don’t find that surprising. Leah and Tom are already helpful.”
She put a finger to his lips. “It wasn’t Leah and Tom.”
“Then who—”
“Well, I don’t know what we’ll name them, but I saw them just as clear as day a few minutes ago.”
Ethan grinned and drew her to him. “Frankly, Mrs. Freemont, that doesn’t surprise me in the least.”
Epilogue
5 Years Later
Claire gathered the beans and sat on the porch to snap them. It was a fine summer day with billowing white clouds scudding across the blue sky. Yet it was when she looked out into the field that she really smiled.
Ethan was looking over the field of corn that he and Tom had planted. The stalks were already up to the mare’s belly. But what made her smile was the way Amelia held the reins and sat in front of her father.
Leah rode beside them and was becoming quite the lady and expert horsewoman. Tom, he had a girl in town. He worked hard and had plans to marry her as soon as he had his first good year.
Ethan had deeded a section of land and helped him get it started. After the workday, he and Tom worked to build the cabin that would be Tom’s home, and the one he’d bring Rebecca to.
The baby beside her grabbed a bean and, of course, stuffed it in his mouth.
Claire took it from him. “Jess, you’re not old enough for those yet.” She picked up the wooden horse that Uncle Alex had carved for the baby and gave it to the toddler.
The sun warmed them, and Claire had a distant memory of her and Thomas sitting on the porch with their young babies. Yes, she thought of Thomas some, but as the days went on, the nightmare of losing him was fading.
Ethan encouraged her to remember the good times she had with him and tell Leah and Tom about those days.
Claire looked at Ethan and the tender way he talked to the children. She was blessed. Once, she’d wanted to leave the farm and get away from the hardships. But now, she saw that she belonged to the earth just as Thomas had felt he had and as Ethan had come to love.
There had been a few trips to Chicago. Ethan had wanted her to see the city and decide for herself where she belonged. Ethan was a wise man. He knew. And sure, enough after a week of the city, Claire couldn’t wait to get back t
o the early morning peace and quiet.
Where the sun roused the morning mist and fog and sent them on their way, the birds called to one another, and the earth awoke to bring forth the blessing of food. Claire was at home on the farm where she belonged in the midst of life and with her family.
~~~
Author’s Note – I hope you enjoyed Claire and Ethan’s story. We owe a lot to our pioneer families who braved the elements to forge communities in the new land. And even today, our farmers work hard to bring us the food we all love so much.
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