by Stella Clark
“That’s …” Watt cleared his throat after a minute and then pulled his hand back. “Thank you, that was … Here, you should sit down. I’m bothering you, aren’t I? I should get back to work. There’s mining to be done. And you can get situated here.” Moving around, he gestured to a few things. “There’s plenty of grain and some eggs in the lard. Or you can rest. The bed is in there, and … Tomorrow, there’s church. Do you want … would you like to join me there?”
She nodded when he turned back to her. “Yes. That would be nice,” Sarah volunteered.
Then he nodded as well. “Good. Right. Well, I should go. To the mines.” Watt cleared his throat, pausing as though he wanted to say something more. But he didn’t. Instead, he tipped his hat in her direction and left.
They didn’t say farewell, but she trailed after him to the door and watched from the window as he headed down the street. Watt was a narrow man with strong shoulders and firm hands. While he wasn’t the most handsome man she’d ever seen, he was fairly good-looking.
Watt was kind and appeared to be a good man. Her stomach flip-flopped as he disappeared around the bend, so she clutched her belly.
Curtis had been like that. He had been tender and sweet and attractive. He had made her laugh and smile and sigh. Even now that they were married, Sarah’s heart beat nervously at the idea of sharing a life with Watt.
How could she trust him? Anyone could play nice. He might fancy the idea of a child now, but what about later? Where the child cried through the night? A man could always change his mind. Especially since the babe wasn’t his. Fear clutched at her throat as she hurriedly shut the window, trying not to think about abandonment again.
This was her last chance. If this didn’t work out, she would end up on the streets. But there weren’t streets to live on out here in the middle of nowhere. She’d have no way to support herself and her child.
Sarah turned back to the house, her new home, and began to tidy up. Her hands needed to be busy. Perhaps doing something would help her to think.
She went to work. There was dusting to do, sweeping, and supper to cook. He didn’t have much, as he had told her, but he was working on it. As she worked, Sarah thought of his letters Karen had given her where he had talked about how much they had to survive on their own out in the wild.
It was a hard life, but a good one. That’s what he had promised her.
***
The afternoon passed by in a blur. She walked around the yard and found the yarn and needles he had promised her, along with corn to prepare for supper. It kept her busy until the evening when he returned.
He even knocked on the door before stepping through. Alert, Sarah slowed by the table upon which she had set the two plates he owned. She forced a smile as he nodded to her and glanced around the kitchen.
“It smells good,” he volunteered. “I didn’t know you could cook. I mean, your letters … you don’t mention much about … the kitchen.”
She thought quickly, glancing at the table. “It’s only corn. And some bread. I didn’t see any meat. I can’t make much, of course. Just a little.” Sarah bit her lip and turned away, realizing she still needed to put napkins out. “I’m almost ready. I—I didn’t know when to expect you …”
“Here.” He seemed to know what she was looking for as she ransacked the various cupboards. Stepping forward, he reached for a taller shelf and handed some cloths to her. The man smiled at her before glancing back at the shelf. “Huh. I suppose I should probably move things a little lower.”
That made Sarah flush. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “I can—I can find a stool or …”
His eyes widened at her. “Oh no, I didn’t mean it like that. Only that, you know, I don’t want you to have to …” The man offered a sheepish smile. “It’s fine, really. I don’t mind. It’s your home now, too.”
***
It took her a few days to adjust. During the day, she had time to herself to take care of the house. There was cleaning, cooking, washing, and knitting that needed to be done. The quiet was strange, but she began to enjoy it. Then Watt would return in the evenings and they would sup together, sometimes sharing a story from the day they’d had.
After a week, things were beginning to fall into a routine. Until the tenth night.
Sarah took a seat at the table, putting up her swollen feet on a stool Watt had built, and glanced outside the window. The sun was setting. She rubbed her belly and glanced towards the door, wondering if he was almost there. Supper was ready and waiting. After trying her hand at a meat pie, she was eager to see what he thought of the meal.
Except Watt didn’t come home.
Worry didn’t set in until the sun was nearly gone. She lit a lantern and glanced out the front door before closing it against the darkness. He had never been out so late.
A shiver ran down her spine. The man hadn’t said anything about not coming back in time. Surely he would be there any minute. But the minutes continued to pass, and he never arrived. For a while, she worried that he had been hurt. It was a dangerous job that he had explained to her, working in the dark beneath the mountains.
Sarah began to pace. Dread fell upon her shoulders as she realized it had to be something worse. That he had left her deliberately and didn’t really want her.
Holding back tears, she tugged at her hair and tried to think about what she would do now. There wasn’t enough of a garden to grow anything yet to keep her through the winter and she didn’t have any money to go anywhere. Besides, the baby was due soon. Her hands began to shake as she felt the world collapsing around her. Then there were the wolves and the bears that Watt had mentioned lived in the wild. What if they came for her?
“Sarah?”
Gasping, she whirled around to find Watt in the doorway, covered in dirt. Her heart lunged as she tried to breathe. She stared in disbelief, wondering if she was imagining him.
He took a step forward, reaching out to her. “You didn’t hear me. What’s wrong?”
Scrambling to wipe away the tears, Sarah blinked hard. “You came back?”
He nodded slowly, his brow softening. “Of course I did. Come here.” He took her hand in both of his. “I’m sorry, there was an accident, and I couldn’t … We can talk about that later. You look exhausted. You’re shaking.”
“I didn’t think …” she stammered, “I thought you were gone.”
Watt led her to the bedroom, helping her to sit down. Then he took a step back, studying her carefully as he thought through something. But he still held her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. It made her jump in surprise. “I told you, I’m not going anywhere. How long were you pacing?”
She shrugged and inhaled a shaky breath. When she let it out, her shoulders began to relax. He was back which meant he hadn’t left her. Watt let go of her hand when she surprised herself with a yawn. Though she was exhausted, she didn’t know how she could sleep. He had been missing just a minute ago, hadn’t he? What if he left again?
“All right,” he murmured softly, drawing close again. “Into bed you go. I’ll go clean up and I’ll come back later. Just get some rest, all right? You need it.” That was the last thing she heard before Sarah found herself slipping under the covers and falling asleep.
Chapter Six
“I’ll only be a moment,” Watt assured her as his eyes drifted across the room.
“All right,” Sarah said.
When he glanced back, she smiled and let go of his hand. It surprised him and he wasn’t sure how he felt about that. While he liked having her hand to hold during church, and he wanted her to trust him more, he still wanted to be able to hold her hand.
But he moved away all the same, crossing the aisle to say hello to Daniel Leary. Leary was recovering from the last mining accident; after everything they’d been through, Watt thought the least he could do was greet the injured man.
“How are you faring?” Watt asked, glancing at the man’s splint.
Leary shrugg
ed with a sigh, glancing at his two children and wife. “I could be better. Putting me out of work hasn’t helped the family. But our garden and our goats should hold us over for a short while.”
“He won’t take his medicine,” Mrs. Leary told Watt with a stern look. “He’d be faring even better then. But you men are all so stubborn.”
Watt managed a grudging smile. “Sorry, ma’am. That we are.”
The woman hesitantly offered a small smile as well, especially as her husband took her hand. She looked back up at Watt. “And how are you and your missus doing, Watt? We should have the two of you to supper. Perhaps when Daniel is back on his feet.”
“I’m walking just fine,” Leary argued.
“Thank you,” Watt broke in. “I’m sure we will. It might be a while, what with her expecting, and all …” he trailed off as strange expressions crossed over the couple’s faces.
But then they vanished into smiles. “Of course,” Mrs. Leary nodded in a hurry. “When is your little one due?”
“In a few weeks.” His heart warmed at the thought, sending tingles all down his body. They were married, so that made the child his. And he could hardly wait. His eyes flitted back to his wife, a concept that still surprised him some mornings, and was pleasantly surprised to find her talking to the pastor and his wife.
Watt talked to the Learys for a few more minutes before making his way back to Sarah. She was making friendly conversation and it warmed his heart to see her making friends. For the first two weeks, she had been glued to his side and had hardly talked to anyone, as though worried he might wander off to never come back.
He didn’t mind. It was only that he wanted her to make friends, as well as learn to trust that he would always come back. Just the other night, he’d stayed out late to see the Richards family. Sarah had been fast asleep in their bed when he returned, no longer pacing frantically around the house like she had the first couple occasions it had happened.
It was taking time, but they were getting there.
She smiled now as he arrived by her side with a nod to the pastor and his wife. “That was a mighty good sermon,” Watt offered. “Thank you, sir.”
The older man nodded kindly. “And thank you for your kindness. You’re setting a good example in our community, Mr. Flynn. I was just talking to Mrs. Richards; she and her children are very grateful for all you’ve done to help them.”
Watt’s smile faded as he shrugged. “Someone needs to help her out. I know she wants to take the family back east since …” he trailed off, still uncomfortable about the town’s most recent loss. Mitchell Richards had been a good man and hadn’t deserved the accident that had taken his life.
“And they’ll fare much better with your good deeds,” Mrs. Timmons, the pastor’s wife, continued through the silence. She offered them a smile and a nod before turning down the aisle with her husband to other churchgoers.
Sarah touched Watt’s arm, a curious look on her face. When he met her gaze, a soft expression passed over her eyes before fading away. “I’m ready to go,” she volunteered. “If you are.”
Nodding, he took her hand in his and led the way out. “All right. Do you mind if we stop by the Wilsons before home? I said I’d check on them before they headed out of town.”
“They’re leaving as well?” Her brow furrowed.
He explained quietly as they headed down the lane. It was a hard life, and it was still a small town. There wasn’t much that a family could do unless they managed a business or worked in the mines. For a young mother with three children, after the father lost two limbs in the mines, this wasn’t any longer the place for them to be.
As he went to visit the family, helping them to pack a few final things up, Sarah sat quietly in the corner and played with the daughter. Whenever he glanced over, she managed a smiled.
“Thank you for that,” Watt offered as they headed back to their house at last. “I know you must be tired. I didn’t mean to stay so long, but …”
She shook her head, leaning on him as they walked. Her belly was large now, larger than he’d thought possible. Just catching sight of it warmed his heart. “It’s all right,” Sarah murmured. “It’s kind of you to take care of these people. They need the help. I only …”
But she didn’t finish her statement. “What is it?” Watt asked her.
He heard her swallow, her eyes drifting down the trail. Their home was close enough to the church and mines in town that he had no need for a horse or cart. But with her so near her due date, he wondered.
“The mines are dangerous, aren’t they?” Sarah’s voice was shaky as she asked the question. “Every day, I don’t know if you’ll return.”
Watt hesitated. He didn’t know how to answer that without scaring her more than she apparently already was. Thinking of the widows he was trying to help, he realized he could do the same to her, leaving her bereft.
Not knowing what else to do, he squeezed her hand reassuringly. “I’m not going anywhere.”
His eyes flitted ahead to their house that was now in sight. There was something sitting on their porch. Two more steps, and he realized what it was. Terrence had finally finished their project.
Grinning, Watt faced Sarah to block her view of the porch, having to walk backwards as he took her hands in his. He grinned, enjoying the wonder that stretched across her face. “I have a surprise for you.” It would get her mind off her worries. “Come on.”
“But I don’t need … oh.” They reached the house and she stopped when she saw it.
He moved out of the way to let her study it. Then he tugged her over so she could see the cradle better. Sarah gingerly touched the frame, her eyes wandering over the structure as a smile spread across her face.
“This is beautiful,” she murmured, touching the leaf pattern carved into the side. “I’ve never … where did …”
Watt’s face hurt from smiling so hard. “You really like it?”
She nodded eagerly. “Yes! Oh, it’s lovely.”
He went on to explain the changes it could make for a growing child and she only grew more amazed, clapping in delight before throwing her arms around him in a hug. Watt automatically returned the hug, though he was hardly able to believe it. Her large belly was in between them, but this was the closest they had been since her arrival. Even at night, in the same bed, she kept her distance. But now he had his face buried in her hair.
“Thank you,” Sarah whispered. “Thank you, Watt.”
The spirited young woman finally let go and eagerly tugged the cradle inside. Watt grinned at her determination to find the best spot for the cradle. He pulled out an apple as she delightedly moved around the house, or rather she waddled, until she placed it at the edge of the kitchen.
“There,” she decided. “I can have a chair by the fire here, and still work in the kitchen. Then at night, we can keep the door open and—and watch him. Or her. The baby.” She rubbed her belly and took a step back.
When Sarah turned to him, her eyes were shining. Watt felt his heart soften, wondering how he’d found such a remarkable woman. His heart skipped a beat and he felt his mouth turn dry as he nodded. Right then, she could ask for anything in the world and he’d do whatever it took to give it to her.
Everything about the woman amazed him. From her ability to find little weed flowers and call them beautiful, to finding ways to use little cups of flour to make a delicious supper, she was a work of art. Now, he eagerly hurried home at the end of his workday just to be near her. She brightened his day just by being there.
“I think that’s perfect,” he assured her.
A soft blush graced her cheeks before she took a step back. The moment ended as she dropped her gaze. Wiping her hands on her apron, she turned to the kitchen and away from him.
It was so close. She would hug him and talk to him and be there for him, but she was still wary. Watt straightened up and stared at his apple. They just needed time, that was all. But he had already decided he woul
d do whatever it took to earn her heart the way she held his.
Chapter Seven
Inhaling deeply, Sarah ran a hand over her swelling stomach as she watched the sun drop over the horizon. It made for such a beautiful sight. That alone had been worth leaving Philadelphia for. Her lips curved into a soft smile as she studied it, wondering if God had painted each stroke.
She enjoyed it for as long as she could. But inevitably, the darkness came and settled in. Sarah forced herself to return to the kitchen and clean up supper. She left Watt’s plate covered on the table as she washed the dishes.
Soon the house was clean, and he still wasn’t home. Her ankles ached, so there would be no pacing for the night. Still not ready for bed, Sarah took a seat and put up her feet. Taking a deep breath, she tried to tell herself all over again that Watt would come home when he could. He was probably seeing to the Richards family again.
Two months had passed since she first arrived. Her thoughts wandered to that first week where Watt had put her up in the boarding house in town. He’d stopped by during his breaks each day to eat and talk to her. The man was always kind, always a gentleman. She had stopped being afraid of him, but she worried about trusting him too much.
Especially now that she was learning what a dangerous job he worked.
He might not abandon her, she finally believed, but that didn’t mean she might not end up alone. Death could separate them instead. What if he was injured? She didn’t know what she would do. What if he died? Her heart seized and her stomach cramped at the thought.
Sarah hissed at the sudden pain and rubbed her stomach to comfort both herself and the baby.
“I’m sure he’s just fine.” She spoke aloud in the silence. Taking a deep breath, she nodded and stood up. Maybe there was something she could do to keep her hands and her mind busy.
