by Lori Wick
Rusty smiled at them, thinking it was already too late, but she was wrong. They weren’t out the door two minutes when she fell right back to sleep.
“Good morning,” Jessie spoke to the children as soon as they shut Rusty’s door. She had just come from downstairs and was pleased to see them in the hallway.
“Good morning,” Thomas said, but Lizzy looked shy.
“Are you hungry?” Jessie asked, coming forward to bend down in front of them.
“I’m hungry,” Thomas informed her.
“Why don’t you come and eat?”
When the children hesitated, she asked, “Did you want to wait for Aunt Rusty?”
“She’s going to sleep some more,” Lizzy volunteered, having decided this was important.
“How nice for her. You children are so considerate.”
Lizzy was pleased with the compliment, even though she didn’t understand exactly what it meant.
“Do you like pancakes with berry syrup?”
Lizzy and Thomas looked at each other and then back at Jessie. Both nodded.
“Well, come on,” Mrs. Davidson urged and stood.
Still they hesitated. “Do we need to dress?” Lizzy finally managed.
“This morning there isn’t time. The cakes are hot and ready to eat.”
This time Lizzy couldn’t help herself. She beamed up at this woman who was like a dream come to life. Jessie turned to lead the way, and Thomas took her hand, but Lizzy’s feet didn’t touch the floor all the way to the kitchen.
Chase sat in his room, his Bible open to the book of Acts, but he wasn’t reading. His mind was still on the evening before when Doug and Jessie had tucked the children in and returned to the porch. When it looked as if the children would not be up again or need Rusty, they began to question the orphanage worker.
They had known some of the details of Lizzy and Thomas’ life, but not all. They hadn’t realized that this was their second placement; the first had been undertaken by a family member. After Betsy Parks died, her aunt had given the children, then one and three years old, to a family in Matheson. The family had adored the baby until he began to be an active two-year-old. By then Lizzy had turned five. When they weren’t forcing her to scrub the floor and do the dishes, she was locked in a room with her brother, having to listen to his hungry cries for food.
Not until the couple in the house got into a drunken brawl did the authorities become aware of the children and do something. They were delivered to the Fountain Creek Orphanage for Children. That had been two years ago. Chase could still hear Rusty’s quiet voice as she explained the situation. Jessie’s hand had been over her eyes, and Doug, a very tenderhearted man, had done nothing to stem the tears that poured down his face. With Doug and the children’s faces still in mind, Chase began to pray.
It’s no wonder Lizzy is afraid, Lord. She’s been so neglected and hurt. At the orphanage she was fed and cared for, but she has no guarantees of that here. Help her to see what a wonderful place this is. Help her young heart to trust You, as well as Miss Taggart, not to leave her anyplace where she would come to harm.
Chase felt his heart lighten. He had told Rusty that the Lord would work it out, but the more he got to know Lizzy and Thomas, the more he wanted this for them. It was easy to see how Rusty could be anxious. However, Chase had to take his own advice and trust.
He did read his Bible for a time and even left it open to the place where he stopped, but his stomach was growling, and he thought he’d heard the children in the hall. Already dressed and shaved for the day, he slipped into his jacket and ventured into the hallway and downstairs.
Rusty felt wonderfully rested and rather hungry and wondered what time it was as she left her room. She thought the children had been in to see her but wasn’t sure if she had dreamed that or not. Once downstairs she navigated her way toward the kitchen, but on the way she spotted the grandfather clock in the parlor. Rusty abruptly stopped. It said 9:20. That couldn’t be right. She heard footsteps behind her and turned. Chase was standing there as if he’d just come in from the front porch.
“That clock says it’s 9:20. That’s not right, is it?”
Chase brought a gold pocket watch out of his vest.
“I have 9:25, but mine might be a little fast.”
Rusty’s mouth opened. “I can’t believe I slept that long.”
“You worked hard yesterday.”
“Not that hard,” she argued with him. “What would Paddy say? I’m supposed to be working.”
“Well, I think if he could see how well the children are doing, he would highly approve of your actions.”
“Have you seen them this morning?” Rusty forgot all about herself.
“Indeed, I have. I watched them giggle their way through breakfast—Doug and Jessie saw to that—and then get dressed so they could ride the horses.”
“That’s where they are now?”
“Yes. Jessie told me to come for her when you wanted breakfast.”
“Oh, no,” Rusty protested. “I don’t want to disturb them. I’ll just fend for myself.”
Chase nodded. “I know she left coffee on.”
“Thank you,” Rusty said and turned toward the kitchen.
Chase followed her, and they found that Jessie had left more than coffee for the late riser. Staying warm on the stove was a plate of pancakes. The butter and syrup were still in the center of the table, and Chase, who’d been made to feel very much at ease with the Davidsons, even opened the oven and found some slices of ham. Just five minutes later Rusty felt as though she’d sat down to a feast.
Chase poured coffee for both of them and then joined her at the table.
“Have you decided what day you want us to leave?”
“I think we should head back first thing Monday. I didn’t look at the train schedule, but maybe Doug and Jessie know when the early train leaves.”
“I have a schedule,” he said quietly. He watched as she sat back and studied him.
“Your life is very planned, isn’t it, Mr. McCandles?”
“Yes.”
“Do you ever long for a break in routine?”
“No.”
He wanted to laugh at her expression, which told him she wondered if he came from another planet.
“Have you always been, shall we say, impetuous?” he wished to know in return.
Rusty nodded, her face still thoughtful. “There are times when it lands me in trouble.”
I can believe that, Chase thought. Aloud, he said only, “Have you learned from some of your mistakes?”
“Yes and no,” she shrugged a little. “You see, trouble is nothing I ever plan. It just sort of happens.”
It was so much a statement that an impetuous person would make, Chase couldn’t stop his smile. Seeing it, Rusty heard herself.
“I just realized what I said.”
Chase felt free to laugh now. It was all too true. She was capricious. He was certain she would call it fun, but Chase didn’t think he could handle that much fun in his life. His assets would dwindle to nothing, and his business dealings would crumble around his feet.
The conversation might have remained on that subject, but Lizzy chose that moment to rush into the room.
“You’re up, oh, Aunt Rusty, you’re up! You’ve got to see Thomas. He’s riding a horse!”
“I’ll come right now,” she told her with enthusiasm to match. “Did you ride too?” she asked as she rose.
“Not yet. I was scared.”
“Well, come on.” Rusty had her by the hand now. “I’ve got to see this wonderful thing.”
They rushed out, Chase forgotten yet again. This time he didn’t mind. This time he needed a few moments on his own. As Rusty rose, Chase had been on the verge of telling her to sit back down and eat. She’d barely touched her food. But he had stopped in time, reminding himself that she was not a child, and that he must not treat her as one.
He thought about the things he’d witness
ed on the trip so far and slowly shook his head. Letting her lead this operation was taking some tremendous willpower. With a prayer for help to remember all that he’d just resolved, he stood and followed Rusty and Lizzy to the paddock.
“I hope we’re not disturbing you, Miss Kay,” Doug offered as he led the way into the schoolhouse that afternoon at 4:00, very pleased to see the teacher still in attendance. “We wanted to visit the school after the children left.”
“I’m so pleased that you felt free to come, Mr. Davidson. Please come right in.” She watched the small band enter. “You have guests with you.” Miss Kay knew that the Davidsons were trying to adopt, but she didn’t want the children to know that. She smiled at all of them.
“Miss Kay,” Doug led the way halfway up the center aisle. “This is Miss Taggart and Mr. McCandles. And this is Lizzy Parks and her brother, Thomas Parks.”
“It’s good to meet all of you,” Miss Kay said warmly to the adults. She then turned to give the children her attention. “Was it Lizzy?”
That little girl nodded.
“Let me guess,” she said slowly. “You must be about eight years old.”
Lizzy bit her lip, but her smile came through.
“Was I right?”
Again she was answered with a nod.
“And you’re Thomas?”
“Thomas Parks.”
“Well, Thomas Parks, I think you must be five or six. Am I right?”
“I’m five. I don’t go to school yet. Lizzy goes for both of us.”
Miss Kay smiled in delight. “Lizzy must be very smart.”
Thomas nodded, his face very serious. “She can read.”
The teacher looked suitably impressed and turned back to Lizzy, who was trying not to look too pleased.
“Would you like to look around the room with me, Lizzy? I can show you where things are, and you can tell me the different things you have at your school.”
“I have a slate,” the little girl admitted. Miss Kay’s heart melted when she realized what it had cost her to say even that much.
“That’s wonderful. Did you bring it with you?”
“It’s at the ranch house.”
“That’s fine. Let’s begin up here by the blackboard.”
Miss Kay led Lizzy away, and Thomas followed in their wake. It gave Rusty a chance to speak with Jessie.
“How are you?” the younger woman asked.
“Nervous. I want them to like it so much.”
Rusty well understood; she had been reading that in the other woman’s eyes for the last 24 hours.
“We’re going to leave on Monday,” Rusty filled in. “If Lizzy doesn’t ask me about that by bedtime, I’ll go in to her room and tell her.”
“And if she wants to leave with you?”
Doug had come close to hear as well. Rusty could still hear the letter Paddy read to her, the one that broke her heart, but she had to be honest.
“Then I’ll take them both back with me,” she said softly, “and placement will be reviewed. I feel you’ll have these children, Jessie, and I know this is a hard way to go about it, but it might not work out right away. There have been cases where the new parents needed to come and live near the orphanage for a time, say a few days or a week. Yours might be just such a case.”
“That’s a good thing to remember, Jess,” her husband said gently, putting an arm around her. “Just because they leave doesn’t mean we can’t eventually have them.”
Jessie nodded, her face still hopeful. She thanked Rusty with a hand to her arm and then went to join the children and Miss Kay. Doug accompanied her. Rusty stayed in the background, Chase not far from her side, for the remainder of the visit. Not until they were leaving did she need to once again call to the children very softly. They spun swiftly and faced the teacher.
“Goodbye, Miss Kay. Thank you,” Lizzy said.
“Thank you,” Thomas managed just after her.
Silently watching the whole scene, Chase felt an odd swelling of pride in his chest. The children were wonderful, but Miss Taggart was the one who fascinated him. Etiquette and manners came so naturally to her, and her expectations from the children were met without complaint or hesitation. Someone, quite possibly Rusty, had spent hours training these children. He was very impressed, so impressed that he nearly forgot his own manners and started to leave the schoolhouse without thanking Miss Kay. He remembered just before he stepped out the door.
Miss Kay watched him leave, not knowing when she’d last met such man. Chase didn’t notice her admiration, however; he was still thinking about Rusty Taggart.
7
“I’m going to do the dishes tonight,” Rusty announced to the occupants of the table as soon as dinner was over.
“You’re our guest,” Doug protested, but Rusty held her hand up.
“Be that as it may, I want to help.”
Jessie was about to put in her own protest, but Doug saw what Rusty was doing and caught his wife’s eye.
“Maybe Lizzy and Thomas would like to go for a walk,” Doug offered. “We might see some calves if we head out through the pasture.”
“Can we?” the children asked of Rusty.
“May we,” she corrected, “and that is up to Doug and Jessie.”
The children looked to the adults, and Thomas even went to Jessie’s side.
“I’ve never seen cabs.”
“Calves,” Jessie corrected him gently. “Shall we go and see if we can find some?”
The children rose, Lizzy not holding back at all.
“Can we interest you, Chase?” Doug offered.
“Thank you, but I saw some calves on my walk today, so I think I’ll stay here and help Miss Taggart.”
The four took their leave, the children nearly jumping with excitement, and Rusty went to work stacking dishes, silver, and glasses on the counter. Chase took his jacket off, hung it on the back of a chair, and rolled up his sleeves. It was on the tip of Rusty’s tongue to ask him if he’d ever washed a dish in his life, but she refrained. She didn’t count on her expression giving her away.
“Yes, I’ve washed dishes before.”
“I didn’t ask that,” she swiftly pointed out, her purple eyes growing in mock innocence.
“But you wanted to,” he teased her.
Now she had to smile. “True.”
“Are you washing or drying?”
“It doesn’t make any difference.”
“Some of those pots are pretty big; I’d better wash.”
Rusty picked up the large dish towel, and said, “I’m stronger than I look.”
Chase put a hand around her forearm. His fingers overlapped by quite a bit. “I’ll believe that when I see it,” he commented.
“You have big hands.”
“That’s true, but there’s just not that much of you.”
She couldn’t argue with him on that point, so she gave him a pointed look and then shifted her eyes to the dishpan.
“I take it you think we’ve talked enough.”
“I didn’t say that,” she defended again, a smile in place, but this time they went to work in earnest. For a time there was little conversation. Chase was as good as his word and worked swiftly and proficiently. He had clearly done this type of work before. Rusty dried things, putting the dishes away when she could find the correct space and leaving the rest on the freshly washed table. At one point Chase turned to ask Rusty something and found her staring off into space.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes,” she answered immediately and took the plate he offered her, but in truth she didn’t know what she was. As they’d worked, there had been a few times when Rusty found herself distracted by Chase’s close proximity to her. Her reaction to this man surprised her. She hadn’t found him talkative, but now that he knew her better, he was quite verbal. He even teased her a little.
“Miss Taggart?”
Rusty started at the calling of her name. She jumped a little and l
ooked at Chase. He was studying her closely, his face concerned.
“Are you certain you’re all right?”
“I think so,” Rusty answered and tried not to be embarrassed. “Maybe I’m just a little tired.”
“I can finish these,” he told her. “Go and sit on the front porch. Rest awhile.”
“We’re almost finished,” she said and went back to drying, but Chase would not be put off.
“Have I said something?” he asked.
“No,” Rusty told him, and this time the earnest widening of her eyes convinced him. “I assure you, no.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t have suggested that we leave here Monday. We’ll stay if you think the children need more time. I didn’t mean to pressure you.”
“Mr. McCandles,” she said sincerely. “That was a wonderful suggestion. I’m very comfortable leaving here Monday, even if the children return with us. Thank you for being concerned, but I am fine.”
Chase continued to look at her, clearly hesitant to let the matter drop, but Rusty took a bowl from the wooden drying rack, rubbed it with her cloth, and went on as if all was well. She wasn’t trying to deceive Chase, but neither was she ready to talk about what she’d been feeling.
A moment later, Chase knew he would have to let it go as well. Her expression told him he would get nothing more. He began a conversation on general topics, and it was then that Rusty knew what was bothering her.
He always called her Miss Taggart. Rusty suddenly knew that she wanted to get to know this man better, but it seemed he preferred they remain on a more professional level. Rusty attended to the things Chase was saying to her but with only half of her heart. The other half was dealing with the fact that he didn’t appear to want their relationship to grow personal and why, when she’d only known the man for two days, that bothered her so much.
“She’s looking right at us,” Lizzy exclaimed, her hand taking hold of Jessie’s without forethought. “I think she likes us.”
“I think so too,” Jessie agreed with her, not feeling a need to point out to the little girl that the she was a he.
“I wish I could touch one,” Thomas admitted.
