“Oh, that would be lovely. I have to admit I’ve never prepared Italian food. Do you make your own pasta?”
“Now I do. When I came here I brought some in my trunks. At first my Nonna mailed more to me. Now I have drying racks and can make my own. For my friends’ benefit, I persuaded Mrs. Cobb to carry three pastas in the store. The secret is getting the cheeses right. I have recipes for those also.”
They ate their meal at leisure, yet the time passed quickly. During the visit, Lina’s happy chatter kept conversation going. After dinner, the men sat on the porch and the children played nearby. Addie helped clean up the dishes and the kitchen.
“That was a fine meal, Lina. The waffle cookies—I think you called them pizzelle—were delicious but I especially loved the lasagne. You’re as good a cook as I’d heard.”
Lina’s face shone with happiness. “Oh, I’m glad you think so. I love to cook more than anything except spend time with Jonah and Adam.”
“Daisy was excited to come here so she could play with your son. He’s a well-behaved boy and quite handsome.”
“Thank you. His mother died giving him birth. I’m glad our coloring is close enough people don’t realize he isn’t mine. She was Sioux and some people would hold that against him.”
The story surprised Addie. She hated to think of anyone holding his birth against him, but she had learned the hard way how petty people could be. “Then I’m also glad your coloring matches. He’s a sweet boy and I’d hate for anyone to treat him badly.”
Lina sighed. “We don’t know what will happen when he starts school. If there’s trouble, I’ll have to teach him at home. That would be easier with us being so far from town but he needs other children. Perhaps by then we’ll have other babies to keep him company.”
Addie wondered how soon she and Forrest would have a baby. “I’m giving Noah and Frannie their lessons. Daisy is learning some things even though I’m not insisting. She’s only four and children grow so fast.”
Forrest peeked around the doorframe. “We’d better go soon or we won’t make it home by dark.”
Lina insisted on sending jars of marinara, minestrone, and jam and the rest of the dinner with them.
Addie carried the jars while Forrest handled the large pan of lasagne. Biscuits carried baked ziti and Noah carried a container of pizzelle. The other dishes had been eaten. She set the box of jars in the wagon and then hugged her hostess. “You’re generous to send so much food home with us. I enjoyed dinner too much to turn it down.”
When they were on their way, Addie laid her head against Forest’s shoulder. “Didn’t I tell you people would be glad to see you?”
He kissed her forehead. “They were glad to see you and tolerated me. I admit this afternoon was nice. The most socializing I’ve done since the fire.”
“I had a lovely time. I met so many people today I won’t be able to remember everyone’s name. I’ll learn them, though.”
“From the way people were talking to you, I think we’ll have a round of invitations for quite a while.”
“We’ll have to have people over, too, Forrest. That’s exciting. I’ve helped my mother with parties, but I’ve never given one on my own.”
“You won’t be on your own, you’ll have me helping.”
“Thank you. I know today was hard for you, but you’ve made me very happy.”
“Then facing up to people was worthwhile.”
“I didn’t see Ethan in church.”
“Pfft, you won’t. Our wedding was the first time he’s been in church since Evie and I married. He might have gone to her memorial service, but I was bedridden and couldn’t attend.”
“That’s awful. You needed that closure, hard as it would have been.”
“I’ve made peace with her loss now. I wasn’t sure I ever could. I admit there’s still a hole in my heart. That’s why I said I can never offer love, Addie. I promise to be good to you and our children. That’s the most I can give.”
Addie’s heart almost broke. What a terrible ending to her wonderful day. “I’ll take the best you can provide, Forrest. Perhaps someday, you’ll become fond of me.”
“I’m fond of you now, Addie, but don’t think there’ll ever be more.” He shook his head. “I can never love again.”
Could fondness be enough? She supposed it would have to be—unless she could teach him to love once more. Certainly, she was going to make the effort.
Chapter Nine
Late the following afternoon, Forrest heard horses. “Sounds like company for supper. Do we have enough?”
Addie smiled. “Yes, there’s plenty. Lina’s food will stretch the ham I baked.”
He went out onto the porch and was pleased when he saw Ethan riding into the yard. His two hands rode with him. Forrest didn’t care for Mort Jensen, and Ethan knew he didn’t want the man around. The other man, Joe Warren, was a good enough sort.
Forrest gestured to the door. “Come in. You’re in time for supper.”
When they were inside, he walked to put his arm around Addie. “The blond is Joe Warren and the other man is Mort Jensen. They work for Ethan.”
“I’m pleased you’ve come. Supper will be ready in a few minutes.”
Ethan pretended to box Noah. “How’s my favorite nephew?”
“Fine, Uncle Ethan.” Instead of the rest of their usual routine, Noah pulled at his uncle’s sleeve. “Guess what? Addie made me a new shirt and the girls’ new dresses for church yesterday. Then we went to visit the Barretts.”
Over dinner, he and Ethan discussed the string of incidents they’d both been having. Ethan said he hadn’t had any luck tracking the cattle or finding out who cut his fences. He hadn’t had trouble with his canal, though.
At a lull, Addie asked, “Ethan, do you have a photo of Forrest and Evie? His were all destroyed, of course. I’d like borrow yours—but only long enough to have the photographer in town make a copy for each of the children.”
Ethan appeared dumbfounded. “I have their wedding photo somewhere. I’ll look for it and bring it next time I come over.”
Forrest explained, “We’d appreciate it. Addie has this idea of putting a copy in each child’s bedroom so they won’t forget what their mother looked like.”
Ethan stared at her. “That’s generous of you considering she’s your competition.”
Addie’s eyes sparked with anger. Her answer was sharp. “There’s no competition, Ethan. Through no fault of her own, Evie passed away and I’m here now. Forrest can love us both if he chooses.”
She met his gaze then looked at Ethan again. “It’s important the children remember their mother. As years go by, her face will fade from their memory without a reminder.”
Ethan shrugged. “Yeah, I guess. I’ll bring it the next time I visit.” He appeared to concentrate on his food.
After dinner, Forrest led the men outside.
Ethan nudged him. “That was a fine meal. Not fair you get two great women who are also good cooks.”
Noah had tagged along and hung on his uncle’s every word.
Forrest was annoyed by the tone of Ethan’s remark. Nothing wrong with the words exactly but his voice sounded disrespectful. What was going on tonight with his brother?
“There’s nothing to keep you from sending for a mail-order bride same as I did. I got the matchmaker’s address from Preston Kincaid.”
Ethan whistled through his teeth. “Man, he got a beauty too. Might take you up on that sometime. Right now, we’d better get going.”
“Nice to see you.” But something had soured Forrest on his brother’s visit. Probably it was only because he’d brought Mort Jensen, even knowing Forrest didn’t like the man.
When he went inside, Addie was humming as she finished the dishes.
“Thank you for being so nice to Ethan and his hands.”
She hung the cup towel over the pump handle to dry. “He’s your brother so naturally I’d be as nice as possible. I hope I didn’t sn
ap when he said Evie and I were in competition.”
“No, but he was out of line. I don’t like when he brings Mort with him. The man is a bully and having him around always colors Ethan’s attitude. I wish he’d fire Mort and send him on his way.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh, Forrest, that’s not like you. Mort must be awful to make you feel that way.”
“He wanted to court Paulette Norris, the girl Rowdy is seeing. Gave Rowdy a black eye and told him to stay away from her. Rowdy held his own. Sheriff Mather threw them both in jail. Rowdy paid his fine but Mort had spent his on whiskey and was broke. Had to spend a few days locked up.”
Addie untied her apron and hung it on a peg. “That’s terrible. Paulette is the one who decides which man she wishes to see.”
“Right, and she told Mort to keep away from her and her sister. Her mother threatened to have him arrested if he bothered either of her girls. At the same time, Mrs. Norris told Rowdy he was welcome to call on Paulette whenever he was in town.”
“Good for Paulette and her mother. I didn’t like the way Mort watched me. To tell the truth, he made me uncomfortable. The other man was nice, though.”
Noah tugged at his sleeve. “Papa, are you mad at Uncle Ethan?”
“No, Noah, why would you ask?”
“Your face looked like it does when I don’t do what you tell me.”
Rats, he had to watch himself around his kids. “Guess I was thinking about something else.” He tickled Noah’s ribs. “Time you and your sisters went to bed.”
***
When they were in bed, they made love and then Forrest rolled over and went to sleep while Addie applied ointment to his scars. He’d done the same thing every night. Feeling sorry for herself, she wanted time when she and her husband could talk privately. Having the children and Biscuits and Rowdy around was nice, but she and Forrest were never alone.
She decided she’d say something to him. After finishing with the ointment and crawling between the cover, she gently poked his shoulder. He mumbled something unintelligible but didn’t wake. She shook his shoulder.
His eyes opened wide. “What? What’s wrong?” Scrubbing a hand across his face, he sat up and swung his feet to the floor.
She pulled him back. “I just wanted to talk to you. We usually have others around, which is fine, but I’d like for us to sort of cuddle and talk at night.”
He exhaled and settled on the pillow. “Addie, I understand, truly I do, but I’m so tired I can hardly focus much less converse. Let me sleep, please.”
She punched her pillow and lay down with her back toward him. “All right. Goodnight.”
His arm came around her. “Addie, be reasonable. You know how hard we’ve been working to try and stay ahead of whoever’s causing these destructive incidents. We’re putting in twice the work and I barely make it through the day.”
She knew she sounded snippy but she didn’t care. “I know. Sleep well.”
“Oh for Pete’s sake.” He rolled over and pulled up the sheet.
The next morning she was cool but polite. When the men had left and the children started their lessons, she gathered the linens and dirty clothes and started the fire outside under the laundry cauldron. Beside it, she set another cauldron for rinsing.
She’d never actually done her own laundry, but she’d seen Bessie, the family’s laundress, and thought she could mimic Bessie’s actions. The dirty clothes and linens made a huge pile. She sorted them then shaved soap into the hot water.
Addie wished she could remember exactly how Bessie had used the washboard and the end of an old broom handle. And the bluing. She knew that was added to the white things, so they had to be rinsed separately, but how much bluing?
She scrubbed and rinsed and scrubbed and rinsed until she thought her arms would fall off. Her back and shoulders were killing her and she had clothes hung to dry everywhere she could find. Rubbing her lower back, she surveyed her progress.
Obviously, she’d used too much bluing. The linens and the unmentionables were pale blue. What would the men think when they had to wear blue underwear and sleep on blue sheets?
When everything was dry, she folded and put away the linens in the house or bunkhouse. But she had to put fresh sheets on all the beds. Afterward, she left neat piles of clothes on each person’s bed—except for the things to be ironed. Thank heavens, Forrest had told her not to iron their work clothes or the children’s play clothes.
By the time she finished, there was little time to prepare a meal. She made hash and cornbread with a pudding for dessert. That would have to do for she was too tired to prepare more.
How did ranch wives manage this every week? Sunday, she vowed to talk to other women and learn a better way to survive laundry day. She’d bet Lina, Darcy, Trudy, and the other women she’d met would have suggestions. Right now, she wasn’t certain she’d live until then.
Somehow, Addie survived through supper and cleaning up the kitchen. She sent the children up to get ready for bed. As soon as she could, she excused herself and went to tuck them in and hear their prayers while the three men sat on the porch.
Daisy asked, “How come our sheets and my bloomers are blue?”
Frannie gave her a puzzled look.
“I made a mistake. Next time they’ll be back white.”
Daisy held up her bloomers. “I like blue. Can we leave blue?”
“No, dear, white will be better so you’d better enjoy blue while you can.”
Frannie smiled and crawled into bed with her doll.
She listened to their prayers, but only Daisy spoke.
“Dear God, thank you for Addie’s mistake with the washing. Bless Papa and Biscuits and Rowdy and Noah and Frannie and Addie and the chickens and even that mean rooster and the milk cows Blue and Bossie and Papa’s cattle and the pigs and the horses and Noah’s pony and our house and the barns and the wagon. And Adam and his family. And ever’body else at church. Amen.”
“Good night, girls. Sweet dreams.” She tucked the cover under their arms and gave each one a kiss on the forehead.
In Noah’s room, he stood staring at his bed. “I didn’t know we had blue sheets. They’re nice.”
Not again. “Thank you, but they’re supposed to be bright white. I made a mistake with the bluing.” She turned back the cover.
He crawled into bed and ran his hand over the sheet she folded back. “Maybe we could leave ’em like that.”
She shook her head. “I hope they’ll be back white next week.”
He sent her an accusing glance. “Did you do laundry at your mama and papa’s house?”
She sighed. Might as well be honest. “No, we had a lady who did our laundry and ironing. I watched, but I hadn’t actually done the work before.”
“I’m sure glad you cook like you do. That’s lots more important than white laundry.”
“Thank you, Noah. You’re kind to tell me that. Now, are you ready to say your prayers?”
“First, I have a question. What if whoever set the house on fire and killed my mama comes back here while Papa’s away? What’ll we do?”
She pulled the little revolver from her pocket. “I always keep this with me. Your papa keeps his rifle over the fireplace loaded and I know how to shoot. I’m a very good shot, too. I hope no one mean comes, but if they do, we’ll be ready for them.”
He took a deep breath and his shoulders relaxed. “I been wonderin’. We have to take care of Frannie and Daisy.”
Inwardly, she smiled at the precious boy’s protective attitude. “We will, Noah. Now it’s time for you to sleep so you’ll be strong tomorrow.”
Poor kid. All the time he worried instead of living the carefree life a child should. She’d be glad when Forrest caught whoever was responsible and the matter was closed.
Afterward his prayers, she kissed his head. “Goodnight and sweet dreams.”
By the time Forrest came upstairs, Addie was already in bed. She supposed he would want to make love,
but she didn’t feel responsive.
He slipped off his boots. “You look tired. Have a rough day?”
She managed to mumble, “Laundry. A mountain of laundry.”
He curled around her and she drifted off to sleep. She came awake to someone poking her shoulder.
“Don’t you want to talk? We’re all nestled here so I thought you’d like to chat for a while. Were the children good? Anything interesting happen?”
She groaned. “You’ve made your point, Forrest Clanahan. I’m warning you, my revolver’s within reach and I will shoot you if you don’t let me go to sleep now.”
He laughed against her hair and cuddled her close as she drifted into dreams.
Chapter Ten
When she woke, he was getting dressed. “Oh, no. I’m sorry I forgot to use the ointment last night.”
“Sit up so I can reach your shoulders.” He rubbed the aching muscles.
She thought she might melt. “My stars, that is wonderful.”
“Lots of knots in there. You should use liniment on those muscles.”
“You have some?”
He stepped aside and she immediately missed his touch. “I’ll fetch you a bottle after breakfast. Frannie will help you spread the liniment on your back. It’s pretty greasy so wear something you won’t mind having stained.”
She dressed and they went downstairs together. In the kitchen, Biscuits had coffee on the boil.
“I ain’t a makin’ biscuits when you’re such a hand at it.”
“Thank you for stoking the fire and getting coffee going. I’ll have biscuits in the oven right away.”
She quickly mixed the dough and cut it into rounds before sliding the pan into the oven. She’d soon learned why the man had acquired his nickname. He could put away more biscuits than anyone she’d ever met.
By the time the bread was done, she had sausage, bacon, and eggs ready. They sat down to eat. When they’d cleaned their plates the men stood and grabbed their hats.
Forrest held her shoulders. “You don’t have to right the world every day. An occasional nap wouldn’t hurt, you know?” He kissed her forehead then clapped his hat on his head. “Noah, come with me and let me give you something for Addie.”
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