“Let’s just get this over with.” She worked at the buttons on the back of her dress and cursed every one of them. “Could you give me a hand with these buttons again?”
“No button hook. Tell you what, how about I cut your dress off?”
She hid her face in her hands. “This is so embarrassing.”
“I’m your husband—we can’t explain to Grandpa that you’re embarrassed.”
“Just get the thing off and go fetch Evie so I can clean her up, too.” She sounded a mite cross.
Ford took out his knife and sliced the buttons off carefully so as not to harm the material, and he even managed to retrieve most of the buttons and stash them in his pocket. As he finished the last one and pushed the dress off her shoulders, he heard a rumble.
He glanced down the road and saw a big cloud of dust. “Must be a sandstorm coming.” He grabbed a bucket, dipped it in the trough, and doused her. “We best get you in the house. We can clean up Evie in the mud room.”
But it wasn’t a sandstorm—before he could pick up her dress, they were surrounded by black Angus. Big, snorting, stomping cows.
Polly screamed.
* * *
Polly couldn’t move on account of the fear that seized her. Nor could she utter a peep, for her throat tightened and memories of nearly being stomped to death in a stampede on the Birds’ farm overtook any good sense she had left. Hooves kicking her back, clods in her teeth and eyes. Her brothers had saved her but took a thrashing for not staying with the herd.
“I thought you were a farm girl.” Ford waved his arms to shoo the Angus away from Polly.
She sidled closer to him. But her legs weren’t working any better than her throat and all she could do was hang onto his arm. His strength was her only comfort and she couldn’t let go.
“Run to the house, sugar, not to me. I’ll herd them into the corral.”
All she could do was shake her head and cling to him.
“All right, I’ll take you there.” Ford tossed her over his shoulder and headed for the porch. He climbed the two stairs and deposited her in his grandpa’s rocking chair. “Stay up here. The cattle won’t come up the steps unless they’re spooked, which they won’t be if you don’t scream again.”
He bent and gazed into her eyes. “You’ve got to calm down, sugar. Take a couple deep breaths for me.”
She did so then worked up all her strength to give him half a nod. But when he left, all she could focus on was the milling black cows in the cloud of dust.
Noah busted out the door and stood between her and the cows, waving his arms just like Ford had done. A calf bounded up beside his mother and it looked like he was going to join them on the porch, but Noah yelled, “Heeyah!” The calf scampered back to his mama.
Noah’s yell snapped Polly back into reality. He’d talked! Well, almost. Yelled, anyway. She stood and wrapped her son in a big bear hug. “Oh, Noah, you yelled at that calf! I’m so happy.” She hugged him again.
“You’re squeezing the stuffin’ outta me,” he croaked.
“Could you all along?”
He nodded as he gasped for air.
“I’m so happy for you.” She hugged him tighter. “I hate to think what caused you to have to use the no-talking tactic, but I’m so happy you don’t need it now.”
Evie bounded onto the porch and piled into the hug. “You can talk, Noah. You can talk! I knew you could.”
Polly choked back a sob. Even though the cows were still way too near for her comfort, Noah’s words meant he had a brighter future ahead, and no parent could ask for any more than that.
“Mama Polly,” Evie said, “Noah’s face is turning blue. Maybe you should give him some air.”
Polly did ease up but she didn’t let go. Noah and Evie had wormed their way into her heart, and while she hadn’t birthed them, she loved them just the same.
“Well, Noah,” Grandpa Moses said as he walked onto the porch. “You done let the cat out of the bag.” He chuckled. “Daughter, you look like a drowned rat.”
That was when Polly realized she’d displayed herself in front of everyone in only her chemise. She huddled down and crossed her arms over her breasts. “Oh, dear!”
Margaret hurried to her with a dressing robe. “This was Ford’s mama’s robe. You can have it.” She crooked her finger at Evie. “You come with me, young lady. We’ll get you bathed and changed.”
Polly wrapped herself in the robe then peered through the dust to see if she could find Ford. He seemed to know exactly what to do so she wasn’t worried, but she sure felt relieved when she spotted him. He had the gate open and one batch of cattle bunched, but he couldn’t bunch them and drive them in at the same time.
Grandpa Moses patted Noah on the shoulder. “I brung you a glass of water. Drink it then we’ll help your pa gather those cows.” While Noah downed the water in about three gulps, Grandpa said to Polly, “You best get on in the house. Looks as if you could use a nap. We men...” he tousled Noah’s hair “...will take care of things out here.”
Noah looked so proud—he puffed up his chest and pursed his lips. “Let’s get to it, Grandpa.”
Then he fainted.
Chapter Twelve
By the time Ford got the cattle settled, it was time for supper. He looked forward to sitting down to one of Margaret’s fine meals, and she’d outdone herself with freshly baked bread, beef stew, and pecan pie.
“No one can make pecan pie like Margaret,” he said as he sat beside Polly. “Don’t fill up, for you’ll surely want a second piece of pie.”
“Oh, you.” Margaret gave him a full bowl of stew. “Always wanting dessert first. But mind you, eat all your stew.”
“I could eat a whole tub of it right about now. Pickin’s were slim on the trail.” He scanned the room. “Where’re Noah and Evie?”
“Both tucked safely in bed,” Polly said. “I think we should call a doctor.”
“I’ll check on them—animal doctor, sure, but people have blood and skin and bones, too.”
“I’d appreciate it greatly.”
“Mostly likely, Noah’s dehydrated both from lack of water and his sunburn. We’ll have to keep him inside for a few days and pour the water to him, both inside and out. Then, when we let him go out, we need to make sure he wears long sleeves and a wide-brimmed hat.”
“I’m going into town tomorrow,” Grandpa said. “I’ll buy him one.”
“Thanks,” Polly said.
“By the way,” Ford said, “I sent a message with the drover to take to Dailyville. Everett—that’s the telegrapher—will have wired your sister by now, so she knows where you and the children are.”
“That was very kind of you.”
“Eat your supper.” Margaret passed the bread. “If you can’t talk and eat, don’t talk.”
Ford laughed, but he ate a spoonful of stew and then took a slice of bread. “You don’t know how much I missed hearing that.” He used his fork to point at the butter beside her. “Are you hoarding the butter these days?”
She laughed and passed it to him.
When time came for dessert, Ford waited for Polly to sample the pie.
“Mmm, you’re right, Ford. This is the best pecan pie I’ve ever tasted.” She turned to Margaret. “Would you mind sharing your recipe?”
“I don’t have one, but I’ll be glad to show you how I make it and you can take notes.”
“Oh, but we’ll be needing to leave soon. My sister can’t possibly run the boardinghouse by herself.”
Ford finished off his pie than sat back and rubbed his belly. “Those children aren’t going anywhere for a while. They need to regain their strength.”
He never thought he’d be grateful for sick youngsters, but they’d buy him a few days to convince Polly to stay with him. He’d have to work fast, though, and it took time to earn a skittish filly’s trust.
“You’re right, but I hate to impose.”
Grandpa Moses leaned forward in his ch
air. “Young lady, there’s no such thing as imposing on your family. We take care of our own.”
“I dusted your parents’ room,” Margaret said to Ford. “It’s a bigger room than yours and has a full bed, so it makes sense for you to sleep there. I put Noah in your old room, and Evie wanted to stay in my room. When she gets more comfortable, she can move to the room by Noah’s.”
* * *
After dawdling as long as she could, Polly finally followed Ford upstairs to the bedroom. She wanted nothing more than to be alone with him, yet nothing scared her more, for she was in jeopardy of falling in love with this man—and his family, too.
He opened the door and she entered ahead of him.
“I love the wallpaper.” It was off-white with small blue flowers in columns with narrow blue scrollwork lines in between.
“Ma liked it.” Ford took off his vest and hung it on a hook beside the armoire that matched the bedframe and the nightstands. “Pa put up with it. He painted everything white, but if Ma wanted something, he’d make sure she had it.”
Polly chattered on a bit, knowing she used small talk to delay what need to be discussed. But finally, she said, “I’ll make a bed on the floor for the night.”
“Not a good idea,” Ford said. “There’s not much Margaret doesn’t notice, and she’d figure out right off that we hadn’t slept together. Besides, we slept together last night.”
They had, and Polly loved lying by his side, sharing his warmth. She’d felt so safe. But it wasn’t right to let him think they could engage in normal marital duties when they planned on getting an annulment.
“All right, if you sleep on top of the covers and keep your longjohns on.”
“That’ll be a might hot, but you have a deal.” He toed off his boots and then took off his shirt. “Need me to help you with your corset?”
“No...” Her voice trailed off because she didn’t want to admit that she hadn’t even brought one. “But I sure wouldn’t mind a bath.”
“We have a washroom downstairs and hot water in the stove reservoir. I’ll draw you a bath, and when you’re done, I’ll hop in.” He opened the armoire where a few ladies’ garments were hanging. “You can have any of Ma’s clothes that you want to tide you over until we can buy you some from town. Margaret said there are underthings in the drawer.”
After their baths and they were back in the room, the time came to blow out the lantern and get to bed. She looked forward to sleeping with him but she also knew she was in dangerous territory. She could very well end up back in Mockingbird Flats with a broken heart, while he lived happily ever after with his wonderful family and a lucky woman for a wife.
She crawled under the covers and yawned. “It’s been a long day.” And it would be a longer night.
Ford lay beside her. “You can use my shoulder for a pillow. Don’t worry, I won’t take liberties.”
Polly was tempted to entice him, for then she had a chance to keep him as her husband, but she could never do such a thing. First and foremost, she wanted a husband who loved her. She’d give anything if that were Ford.
* * *
The children flourished at the Rocking MAD the following week and Polly loved seeing them so happy. Merry had wired back that there was no need to hurry home, so Polly let Noah and Evie have their fun.
Ford had given them ponies, and while Evie enjoyed riding, Noah loved his pony and was turning into quite the rider.
“Look, Ma, I can do a trick!” Noah kicked his pony to a trot, then looped the reins around the pommel and held up both hands. He stayed rock solid in the saddle.
“That’s wonderful, Noah. You sit an excellent seat—good balance.”
“Pa says I’ll make a good cowhand in no time. He’s showing me how to rope.”
Since when did they start thinking of Ford as their father? Since the day they got here, that’s when.
Ford came up behind her and put both hands around her waist. “He’s doing good for a city boy. In another month, you won’t be able to tell he wasn’t born in Texas.”
“We won’t be here another month.”
“I hope you reconsider. I think we make a fine family.”
“You want me to stay?”
“More than anything.”
She wanted to stay, and even more than that, she wanted him to love her, for she’d lost her heart to him. “Merry can’t run the boardinghouse by herself. Elvira helps with the cooking, but then we have to change the sheets once a week and there’s a lot of cleaning to do, not to mention yardwork, plus I do all the bookkeeping. We can barely keep up as it is with the two of us.”
“Do the children want to go back?”
“You know the answer to that.”
Evie flitted around the springhouse like a happy little sparrow as she romped with the dog. She wore a wide smile and she was actually gaining weight. Ford had put her on a diet of all meat and vegetables. His thinking was that since she didn’t get sick when they’d run away, and she’d only eaten a little rabbit then, that they ought to try eliminating grains for a while. It was a successful experiment and while Evie looked longingly at the cakes and cookies, neither did she want to get sick, so she’d kept to the diet without Polly fussing at her.
Polly turned to Ford, his hands still on her waist. “I hate to go. I don’t want to leave the ranch any more than the children do, and I’ve grown very fond of Grandpa Moses and Margaret, too, but...”
“But what?”
“The longer I stay, the harder it will be to leave.”
“Then don’t go. Be my wife for real. I want you to stay with me, and I want to be a real father to Noah and Evie.” He pulled her close. “And a real husband to you.” He kissed her, at first sweet and tender, then deeper with passion.
The whole world melted away—all her troubles and concerns. Just his kiss. She knew it for sure—she wanted a lot more than a kiss. She held him dear.
“Ahem.” Grandpa came up behind them and chuckled. “I know Noah’s gonna need some help with the ranch in ten years, but you can work on getting a little brother for him after supper.”
Polly blushed as she stepped away from Ford. “We were, uh, discussing my return to Mockingbird Flats.”
“I see that. This old goat knows a mite more than you think I do.” He handed the signed deed to Ford. “Evie said she’d never seen Ford until you two came to the ranch, and earlier, Noah said he heard a man tell you that if you didn’t get married, he’d take Noah and Evie back and put them on the orphan train again. And Ford knew dang well it was past time for him to start a family. I had to push the matter a mite.”
She didn’t say a word and Ford ran his hand down the side of the envelope without looking at it.
“Yep, I’m right.” Grandpa ran his hand through his beard. “I never seen two people try to act like they was in love in front of others, then acting like they wasn’t in love to each other, when the only ones who didn’t know they was in love was them. But you’ll figure it out.” He clapped Ford on the shoulder. “Go ahead and take her back if she wants to go. You might ask the young’uns whether they want to stay or go first, though. You’re their father in the eyes of the law and in their eyes, too.”
Polly gasped. “I couldn’t possibly leave my children!”
“Now in that matter, you have to do what you think is best for them, and that’s all I’m gonna say. Proceed with your good-bye kiss.”
Chapter Thirteen
After supper, Grandpa Moses got up. “Who wants to listen to a little music?”
“I do,” the children chorused.
“You up to playing a few tunes?” he asked Margaret. “I’ll help with the dishes.”
“She’s not washing them,” Polly said. “I am. She’s put in a long day.”
Ford stood and started stacking plates. “Then I’ll help. We’ll make quick work of it.”
“I’ll dry,” Evie said. “And Noah can feed the dog.”
Within twenty minutes, they’d
completed all the nightly chores and were seated in the parlor, each with a tall glass of sarsaparilla. Margaret took her place at the piano and struck up a sentimental favorite, My Old Kentucky Home.
“Are you originally from Kentucky?” Polly asked Margaret.
“Nope. Born and raised in Fort Worth. Came to the Rocking MAD with my husband, and been here ever since.” She flipped the pages in her songbook and said, “How about When Dear Friends Are Gone?” then struck up the chords before anyone could answer.
“Let’s have a little dance music,” Grandpa suggested. He stood and offered his hand to Evie. “Miss Evie, may I have the next dance?”
Polly followed his lead and asked Noah to partner with her. What a joy it was to be part of a family that enjoyed each other’s company. She’d dreamed of this.
“I don’t know how to dance.” Noah stayed in his chair so Polly pulled him to his feet.
“There’s only one way to learn.”
Midway through the song, Ford cut in on his grandpa and danced with Evie who’d caught on to the steps by standing on Grandpa’s boots. Noah watched and soon he’d caught on, too.
After the song ended, Grandpa motioned for the children to come with him. “Margaret will keep playing so you’ll have music to sleep by.” He turned to Polly. “Don’t you worry yourself—I’ve put young’uns to bed before and none of them kicked the bucket.”
Margaret smiled softly and began playing Annie My Own Love.
Ford pulled Polly into his arms and whispered, “I think of this song as Polly My Own Love.”
They swayed to the music and Polly’s heart was filled with love. She smiled at him and he brushed a kiss across her lips. “Stay with me always, Mrs. Daily.”
“But Merry—”
“We’ll visit every couple of weeks if you want. I’ll hire a maid and a bookkeeper. If your sister is half as resourceful as you are, she’ll be fine.”
Polly wanted to believe him.
“Be my wife, Polly. I truly do love you and my heart’s desire is that we’ll be together for the rest of our days. I’ll be a good husband and a good father to our children. Will you stay?”
Orphan Train Brides Page 17
