by Angela Lain
The whole situation was complicated and delicate, and Harley’s ‘bull at the gate’ outlook did not help.
As she watched, Cody took several steps while Melody helped him. He would soon walk.
“Clever boy,” Melody cooed. “Won’t Daddy be proud when he sees you?” She smiled widely at April, eyes sparkling with happiness.
April could only pray this happiness would not be shattered.
The rest of the day passed uneventfully. At supper April suggested they should all attend church the next day. Jasper and Melody agreed readily, Harley was less enthusiastic, but accepted that church attendance would help their cause.
He took her back to Ada’s under the light of the moon. It was a magical journey.
***
Sunday morning dawned, and April and Ada dressed up in their Sunday best and awaited Harley’s arrival.
“He’s a good boy, my Harley. Always takes his old Ada to church on a Sunday if he can.”
April digested these words without comment. Obviously she had been wrong. To hear Ada singing his praises, there was more to the man than she had seen. Maybe she was too hard on him? Or maybe he really didn’t like her?
Church was strange. All preachers had their own way, their own style. April knew perfectly well that in her home town, the preacher had not been as ‘holier than thou’ as he had preached in church. She had seen him the worse for wear for drink, along with her father. Maybe the man had been influenced by his companion, but he could never have claimed to abstain from the demon drink!
April watched this preacher, he seemed a quieter man than the one in Parson’s Creek. Maybe he would be less disparaging about the way things had turned out for her in Feather Hill.
The sermon was focused on the arrival of Jesus, of Christmas, which was little more than a week away.
Christmas.
For the last several years Christmas had not figured strongly in April’s life. Of course, she attended church to celebrate the birth of Christ, but parties and Christmas meals and festive celebrations had not occurred for her. She had been isolated, alone with a father who had no idea of the day of the week, leave alone the season of goodwill.
Would this year be any different for her?
Please God that she could actually stay here for Christmas. She couldn’t see that Melody would be happy to see her pushed out, but if things went awry, they may both find themselves out in the cold, literally.
***
Harley glanced around the church, trying to decide who was staring at them. He was sensitive to that sort of thing, and he knew there were eyes fixed upon them. He had deliberately seated himself with Ada between him and April, but that would cut no ice with some of these folks.
He knew he should be Christian and forgiving, but he couldn’t help the way some of the townsfolk irked him. There were a number here who believed attending church and claiming to be god-fearing, good folk on a Sunday, gave them the leeway to disparage and be nasty towards others on a weekday. Mrs. Frost from the mercantile was an obvious example, along with her thick-as-thieves friend Mrs. Stimpson.
He tried to smooth the scowl from his face as his eyes landed on Mrs. Frost. She was, indeed, staring at them. She dropped her gaze as soon as she realized he had noticed.
As they rose and began to sing the next hymn, Ada leaned to whisper to him.
“When are you going to stand up for your young lady?”
“She’s not my young lady,” Harley hissed in annoyance.
“If you say so, but that’s not what Mrs. Frost, at the mercantile, believes.”
“There are too many gossips about this town,” Harley muttered sourly.
“Open your eyes Harley, where will you find another like her?” Ada Smith scolded softly. “Do you really want, or need some wet-behind-the-ears child barely out of the school room? You need a wife; it’s time. Think on it lad. Don’t make a foolish mistake.” She turned to face the altar and raised her voice in song.
***
After church Ada returned to her home, and April accompanied the others back to the ranch.
They set about preparing the meal while Jasper and Harley did the chores. The men came in to have coffee.
Cody heard his father mounting the steps and he pulled himself to his feet. Jasper walked through the door just in time to see his son tottering in his direction. He caught him in his arms and swept him from the floor.
“That’s my boy! How long has he been doing that?” He aimed the rather accusing question at both women, as if they had been keeping it from him.
“You saw him standing at the chair yesterday, but that is the first time he has actually walked on his own,” Melody returned.
“Good boy,” Jasper cuddled him close, before setting his feet onto the floor and holding his hand to help him to walk again.
April watched as he moved to the stove, where Melody was working. He shifted Cody into his arms, away from the hot stove, and murmured something to Melody.
She looked up at him, wide-eyed, and nodded.
Jasper asked her something else, and she murmured a reply. April wished she was a fly on the wall!
Later, as they completed meal preparation, Melody told her what Jasper had said.
“Jasper has asked me to marry him. I think he has decided I am good for Cody.”
“And for him?”
“Maybe so.”
“Have you accepted?”
“I told him I would tell him tomorrow. I thought, everything considered, that maybe he should see what it is like to wait.”
“But you will say yes?”
“I believe so. Unless something drastic happens between now and tomorrow, I will be his wife.”
CHAPTER TEN
On Monday morning April went into town to get a few things for Ada. Since she was staying, the food stocks were under more pressure. The first place she visited was the bakery, where her reception was guarded. It wasn’t many moments before she was questioned about Jasper and Melody, who had only been seen in church since she got off the stage.
“So who is the woman staying with Mr. Kendrick?”
April stretched the truth slightly. If they didn’t marry, Melody would leave, and then it wouldn’t matter. “She is Mr. Kendrick’s intended.”
“So why have they not been before the preacher?” Mr. Lavell, the baker, enquired nosily.
April had always though nosiness to be a female trait, but this man had it down to a fine art.
“Now, Mr. Lavell, you shouldn’t talk that way,” his wife scolded. “Don’t mind him, dear. I expect they will settle things soon?”
Less direct, but still wanting an answer!
“They will. The snow, the baby and Christmas have all got in the way.”
“Is the baby ill?”
“He has had a bit of a sniffle,” April lied smoothly, if it made things easier, so be it, a small fib couldn’t hurt, surely?
“And what of Mr. Harley? Has he decided to wed also?”
“I cannot answer for Mr. Harley Kendrick. He makes his own decisions and informs people as he wishes,” April replied firmly. “Thank you, for your help. Good day to you.”
She called at the mercantile, where the atmosphere was as frosty as she had expected. She made her purchases and politely took her leave.
Harley had brought the sleigh in to the forge, and once he had completed his work, he transported April back to the ranch for lunch.
***
After lunch April sat watching Melody playing with Cody. Soon he would be her son, soon they would be a family and April would have no place here. She was sure they would still be friends, but she was beginning to feel out of place as Melody and Jasper moved closer to becoming man and wife.
She rose, feeling unaccountably restless.
“I think I will take a walk.”
“It’s cold out there!”
“I know; I won’t be long, just a breath of air.”
“You didn’t get enough o
n the sleigh?”
April smiled at her friend, unable to explain how strange she felt. Had it been the gossip in town this morning which had made her so unsettled? “I won’t be long, just a leg stretch.”
She pulled on her coat and scarf and stepped out of the door to head towards the barn. Maybe she would go and talk to the horses? She loved horses, she missed having her own.
When she stepped inside the barn she discovered Harley was there, brushing his big bay.
“Afternoon, what can I do for you?”
April considered for a moment and decided she should tell him of the town gossip. “I went into town this morning. I have been hearing things. People are speculating that you are going to marry as well as Jasper.”
“I have no need of a wife,” Harley growled. “I am happy as I am.”
“But there is gossip, you must have heard it, people in the town believe you should marry.”
“What you mean is they believe I have compromised you, ruined you. Therefore I should take you to wife, the same way Jasper is marrying Melody!”
April gave a small apologetic shrug. “Well…”
“If I have compromised you, there is no-one to blame but yourself. You came here under false pretenses, as Melody’s friend. No-one asked you to come.”
“You asked Melody to come here when you knew Jasper wasn’t ready to consider another wife. You were guilty of deception.”
Harley gave grunt of disagreement. “He was being stubborn. I knew he would see sense when she arrived. They will sort it out, and she will be a good wife and a good mother for Cody.”
“But that’s not fair, Harley. She came here expecting to find a man who was ready to take on, and appreciate, and possibly love, a new wife. She was looking for a man to love; she thought from the letter you sent her, that she was wanted, for herself, not just as a housekeeper. I know Jasper has offered for her, but I still feel it is grudgingly. I don’t know if she should go through with it. He sees her as a mother for Cody, nothing more. I wouldn’t blame her if she packed up and headed back home.”
“She has nowhere to go,” he jeered.
“Exactly! You invited her here on false pretenses, and now you think it is reasonable that she should be pushed into something which wasn’t of her choosing.” April hadn’t raised her voice yet, but she knew there was an edge to it. She wasn’t feeling forgiving, Harley had committed a horrible deception, and she felt keenly for her new friend. Melody had corresponded with him, believing she was talking to the man she might marry, who knew what promises he had made in those letters? Melody had not told her what had been said, merely that he sounded ‘nice’. What he had done was not nice at all!
It was true, she was also guilty of not playing to the rules. She had arrived here hoping she might find a man to marry, or at least a place she might settle for a while until she had sorted out her problems. The only one who knew was Melody, maybe she should admit she had come here to answer the advertisement? But she had made no promises, only to Melody, and all she had promised there was not to steal the man her friend was here to meet.
“Surely that is a chance a woman takes when becoming a mail-order bride,” Harley scoffed. Obviously his opinion of anyone who answered such an advertisement was pretty damned low.
“You thought to use the service for your advantage. You want Jasper and his family out of your hair!” she accused.
“Of course I don’t,” he retorted. “Anyhow, they will work it out now Jasper has asked her.”
April’s temper, hanging by a thread for many minutes now, finally snapped.
“Maybe so,” she yelled at him, “but it doesn’t make you right. Even if they do come to some arrangement, you are still guilty. You deserve to be pilloried.”
He stared at her in amazement.
“You vindictive little cat,” he hissed viciously.
“At least I accept I might deserve that title. You think you are Mr. Wonderful, that you have sorted out everyone’s life and that you should be thanked. You think everyone worships the ground you walk on. Think again, mister. Just because the cat house gals flutter their eyelashes and think you are handsome doesn’t mean you are anything special at all!”
“Well… you are… a dried up old spinster!” he spat back at her.
April felt the tears spring into her eyes. Maybe she had asked for that, she was yelling at him, she could hardly expect him to be nice to her, but those words really hurt.
She lifted her chin and stared into those dark brown eyes. She had to acknowledge that her words were not true. He was something a bit special, rather fine to behold, all those strong muscles and the dark curls, but he was also vain and inconsiderate. Unfortunately he still made her heart beat faster; all she could do was bury that feeling and show him she didn’t care.
“You do not need to insult me so. I know what I am, and what I am not. No-one has looked twice at me since my intended married another. I can keep house, help run a farm, or a ranch, or even a business, but no-one has ever cared enough to find out. I am not beautiful, or elegant, therefore I am worth nothing.” She turned away. “I will help Melody to settle, assuming you will allow me to stay on the ranch to be able to do this. I realize you want nothing to do with me, but I will remain here for Melody. If it damages your precious reputation, that is your problem, not mine. As soon as Melody is happy, I will leave, with or without her.”
She turned and walked from the barn, she didn’t want to talk to anyone at this moment, what she really wanted to do was find a quiet corner and have a good cry.
“Miss Cousins.” His voice followed her.
April ignored him.
“April.”
She heard his footsteps behind her, but she kept moving.
He caught her arm and she shook him off. “Leave me be.”
“Where will you go?”
“I’m going to the river.”
“No, I meant when you leave here?”
“I haven’t decided yet. What is it to you?” She continued to walk, not turning her head to look at him.
“April.”
“Go away.”
“Please, I didn’t mean…”
“Yes, you did. Now leave me be.”
***
Harley watched her marching doggedly through the snow towards the river. He hadn’t meant to upset her like that, and he knew she was upset, not just angry.
He should never have called her a dried-up spinster. It was very far from the truth. So she was no longer a fresh faced girl, but so many of those were pretty and fluffy, and silly. She was far from that, she had a smooth sort of beauty that would last. Sleek hair, beautiful skin, clear grey eyes and a proper figure which would look wonderful if she ever bothered to dress up. She was the sort of woman he would choose, if he was to ever marry. Not that he would, but if he did… well… she was the right sort.
Ada’s words echoed in his brain. Was he being foolish to dismiss her just because she had arrived unexpectedly?
She was brave and bold and forthright, she was a woman to walk beside her man.
She was… possibly the only woman he had ever looked at and thought he might marry.
Should he?
Would she even consider him?
Maybe this would bear thinking over.
***
April arrived at the river bank, the snow of last week still lay deep between the trees, but it had melted slightly. She walked in the direction of the small waterfalls Harley had shown her the other day. Finally she sat on a rock and watched the water trickling through the ice, splashing and bubbling over the small ledges. The constant movement seemed to soothe her frazzled nerves, and her damaged heart.
Her tears had dried as she had walked, now she didn’t want to cry, she wanted to think.
She knew she was foolish to allow Harley Kendrick any access to her true feelings. On the outside he was attractive, inside he was cold, set in his ways and happy to take advantage of anyone.
S
he considered what he had said to Jasper about the family that first day they had been here. He had sent for a mail-order bride to make family life easier, but April was now certain it hadn’t been for Jasper’s sake, it had been for his own convenience. If Melody and Jasper decided to make a go of it, Harley would leave them to it, and go back to bachelor ways. He had no intentions of settling, hadn’t he just told her he didn’t want a wife!
So what next?
Harley had shouted after her that he hadn’t meant it, no doubt when she returned he would apologize again. He wouldn’t mean it any more than he had the first time, he just didn’t want her to up-sticks and leave until the family was settled.
She would have to accept the apology, because she too wanted to see this settled. Melody and Jasper needed a fair chance, if she was at daggers drawn with Harley it would make life difficult for everyone.
April had learned long ago that compromise was often the only way. She would accept the apology, she would seem to forgive, but she would not forget. No, she would never forget how he had insulted her. The man was a callous ass, she would never be silly enough to forget that ever again.
She shivered in the growing cold, she was pretty certain it was about to snow again. Maybe she should ask Harley to take her back to town, or even both of them back to town, right now? It was wholly inappropriate for two unmarried women to be staying here, no matter what Jasper and Melody’s intentions might be. It was no wonder there had been talk. She sighed resignedly, whatever the town was like, there would be no place here for her, not after the way things had happened. She would be lucky not to be drummed out of the city limits as a scarlet woman. No-one would give her the time of day.
She made her way back to the ranch house, she had been gone for quite a while and she didn’t want to worry Melody. She rather doubted that Harley had been and confessed he had driven her away from the house. She walked back into the yard. The sleigh was nowhere to be seen, gone back to the forge most likely. At least she didn’t have to face him for an hour or two.
