Читать книгу Snowflake Bride - Jillian Hart - Страница 11

Chapter Three

“And he went into the barn with your father?” Kate peered through dark lashes, astonished as she sorted through her embroidery floss.

“And he re-shod Solomon for you?” Newlywed Lila looked up from stitching on a new shirt for her husband. “Out of the blue, just like that?”

“Without being asked.” The tea kettle rumbled, so Ruby set aside her crocheting. The wooden chair scraped against the wood floor as she rose. It was a tight squeeze to have all seven of them in the front room, but it was warm and cozy, and she loved having the chance to host their sewing circle. “You could have knocked me down with a feather, I was so shocked. I guess this proves the rumors true. Young Mr. Davis is as nice as a man can be.”

“That’s what we have been trying to tell you.” Red-headed Scarlet set down her tatting to get up to help with the tea. “He’s amazing. That’s why we have all been in love with him at one time or another.”

“Not all of us,” Fiona corrected as she stitched on baby clothes. Her wedding ring winked in the lamplight as her needle slipped into a seam. The pleats of her dress hid the small bowl of her pregnant stomach. “I’ve always thought Lorenzo was nice, but I was never smitten.”

“Not even a little?” Ruby set the tea to steeping in the old ironware pot. “Lorenzo is terribly handsome. Are you sure you didn’t like him at all?”

“I’m positive.” Fiona’s smile came so easily.

“He adored you from afar. We all saw it,” Scarlet added, taking a knife to the johnnycake cooling on the nearby table.

“You broke his heart when you married Ian. Don’t deny it.” Earlee gave her golden curls a toss as she looked up from basting an apron ruffle. When she smiled, the whole world smiled, too. “If I were penning a story about him, I would have him fall in love with one of you three. A sweet, gentle love with lots of longing and a perfect happily-ever-after.”

A perfect happily-ever-after. Didn’t that sound romantic? She tamped down her sigh right along with the memory of riding alongside Lorenzo in the sleigh. Her hands shook as she carried the pot and the stack of battered, mismatched tin cups to the circle of chairs in the sitting area.

“It sounds like a story I would read,” Lila quipped, the voracious reader of the group. “So, Earlee, who would you match up with Lorenzo?”

“Me!” Kate spoke up before Earlee could as she separated a thin strand of embroidery floss from a green skein. “I would be perfect for him.”

“True,” Meredith agreed, head bent over her latest patchwork quilt block. “Except doesn’t he spend a lot of time with Narcissa Bell?”

“Oh,” they all sighed together. Narcissa had been their arch nemesis for as long as anyone could remember.

“I suppose it’s only a matter of time before we hear of their engagement.” Kate licked the end of the floss and threaded it through the eye of her needle. “It’s inevitable.”

“It’s expected,” Lila agreed. “To hear my stepmother talk, their engagement party will be any day now.”

“They are both from wealthy families.” Ruby couldn’t explain why pain hitched through her ribs.

“And their mothers are close friends,” Earlee chimed in.

“But so are Scarlet and his mother.” She lowered the pot to rest on the short end table Pa had made, which now sat in the center of their circle, a coffee table of sorts. Her hands shook inexplicably. She wasn’t disappointed, so no way could that be disappointment weighing like a lead brick on her heart.

“Yes, but Lorenzo and I don’t keep the same friends.” Scarlet bent over her work, knife in hand. “Did you see Narcissa and Lorenzo at church on Sunday?”

“Sitting side by side.” Kate gave a long-suffering sigh. “Right there in the middle of their families.”

Ruby hadn’t noticed because she didn’t have a crush on the man. She couldn’t afford to have one. Romance was not in her plans. She didn’t have time for it. She wasn’t free to pursue her own life. Her father and brother needed her to help save the farm. And besides, if their efforts failed, she would have to leave town.

She wasn’t exactly the best candidate for romance. Not for any man. As for Lorenzo, he was a dream she didn’t dare have. So why did she ache down to the marrow of her bones as she crossed the room? She couldn’t focus on the conversation surging around her, the laughter and friendly banter ringing like merry bells. She lifted down a stack of mismatched plates.

“How did the interview go?” Scarlet lowered her voice, so the others wouldn’t hear. She cut the final slice of johnnycake.

“Good, but I’m not right for the position. Mrs. Davis is awful fancy. Nice, but fancy.” She set the butter dish next to the plates on the table. She tried to tell herself it didn’t matter that she wouldn’t get the job. “I would be totally uncomfortable in that house. I’d worry about everything—leaving dirt from my shoes on the floor, turning around and knocking some expensive doodad to the ground, spilling something on those beautiful carpets. What a relief I’m not suitable.”

“That’s too bad. I thought you would be perfect. My mother said so right to Mrs. Davis. I heard her.”

“Thanks, Scarlet. I appreciate it more than you know.”

“So, does this mean your family will have to move?”

“I think so, since I won’t be getting that job.”

“I’m so sorry, Ruby.”

“Me, too.” She wished she felt comfortable saying more, but she wasn’t good at expressing her feelings. They made her feel awkward and exposed, but she knew Scarlet understood. Best friends had that ability.

The cornmeal’s sweet, warm scent and aroma of melting butter had her mouth watering. She’d been too nervous to eat all of her breakfast, fearing the interview and too unsettled to eat lunch afterwards. Leftover nerves from meeting Mrs. Davis and not because of her encounter with Lorenzo.

At least, that’s what she told herself.

“So, what happened after he fixed Solomon’s shoe?” Earlee asked, setting down her work to come help distribute the cake. “Did you offer him a nice, hot cup of tea?”

“And then lunch?” Lila inquired.

“And afterwards, a nice, long chat around the table?” Kate knotted the end of her thread.

“You did invite him in, didn’t you?” Scarlet asked, two plates of cake in hand.

“Well, no. It wasn’t like that. He and Pa were visiting in the barn.”

“Did you even go out there?” Fiona set her sewing aside to accept a plate of cake.

All eyes turned on her.

“No. Why would I? I’m not as brazen as the bunch of you.”

Laughter flourished, echoing off the walls cheerfully. She couldn’t very well admit that she’d kept an eye on the window, glancing out from time to time, straining to see a glimpse of Lorenzo through the snow. She hadn’t. She’d only spotted her father stomping the wet off his boots on the lean-to steps. He’d been alone.

“Next time, go out with a nice hot cup of tea for him,” Meredith advised.

“And some of this cake,” Earlee added. “If he takes one bite of this, he just might propose.”

“Oh, I doubt that.” She retrieved the last plate from the table, but her stomach had bunched in knots. She was no longer hungry. “He drove off without a word to me, but Pa was mighty pleased with the shoeing job. I’m surprised Pa accepted his charity.”

“Maybe he did it for you, Ruby.” Scarlet sounded thoughtful as she brought the last plates of cake into the sitting area.

“For me? No. Don’t even start thinking that.” She had best forget the snap of connection when Lorenzo had taken her hand. Wishful thinking on her part, that was all it could be. “I have Pa to care for. He’s the only man in my life. Besides, Lorenzo has Narcissa. Who can compete with that?”

“I wouldn’t mind trying,” Scarlet spoke up, making everyone laugh.

Ruby settled into a chair, laughing with her friends. How much time would they have together? She didn’t know. That question haunted her as talk turned to other handsome bachelors in town. If one particular bachelor lingered in her thoughts, she didn’t have to admit it.

Lorenzo leaned back against the chair cushion, grateful to be sitting in front of a warm fire at the end of a tough afternoon. Half frozen, he soaked in the fire’s blazing heat, hoping to thaw. After returning from Ruby’s home, he’d saddled up and resumed his afternoon shift in the fields, checking cattle, hauling feed and taking a pickax to the animals’ water supply, which had frozen up solid.

Ruby. Thoughts of her could chase away the cold. He stretched his feet toward the fire. He still didn’t know what his chances were, but she’d been easy to talk to. He would like to talk with her some more. But what were the chances of that if she didn’t get the maid’s position? She kept to herself, she lived on the other side of town, and their paths rarely crossed. He didn’t want to go back to sneaking gazes at her in church because his mother or one of her friends were going to catch him at it, and then his secret love for Ruby would no longer be private.

“Hot tea for you.” The upstairs maid was doubling her duties and slid a tray onto the table at his elbow with a bobbing curtsy. “Cook added some of those scones you like.”

“Thank you.” He didn’t wait for her footsteps tapping on the polished oak floor to fade before he wrapped his hand around the scalding hot cup. He was so cold, he could barely feel the warmth. He blew on the steaming brew before he sipped it. Hot liquid slid down his throat, warming him from the inside. The first step to thawing out.

Ruby. His thoughts boomeranged right back to her. Why her? Her big, blue eyes, her rosebud smile, her sweetness had snared him the instant he’d laid eyes on her. He didn’t want to feel this way, he wasn’t ready to feel this way. He had a lot to learn about ranching, he had a lot to prove as his father’s foreman. And responsibility? That was a huge burden on his shoulders these days. He was in charge of providing for the family and preserving the Davis legacy. No, this wasn’t the time to be smitten with anyone.

But his heart kept falling in love with Ruby a little more day by day, taking him with it. He couldn’t stop it. He wouldn’t if he could. He wanted Ruby to be his fate, the destiny God had in store for him.

“Lorenzo.” His mother swept into the room. “Look at you. You were out in that weather too long.”

“I’m tough.” He’d learned from his father not to let excuses stand in the way. “Work needed to be done, so I did it.”

“Yes, but you’ve gotten frostbite.” She hauled a footstool close and tried to look at his hands.

“Nothing serious.” He refused to surrender his teacup. “No fussing, Ma. I’m not twelve anymore.”

“You are my only son.” She smiled, attempting to hide her weariness.

“How did the interviewing go?”

“So many women showed up for one opening. My heart goes out to them all. Every one of them was in sincere need of employment.” She swept a strand of black hair from her eyes, troubled and worried as she always was for other people. “I can only choose one. I feel bad for all the others. What will they do?”

He thought of Ruby, of her very humble home, her unreliable shoes and her situation. Her family clearly needed the income her employment would bring. He suspected many of the others who had come during a brisk, winter storm were in as much need. “I don’t have an answer. I’ve had the same worries ever since I took over the hiring for the ranch. Have you decided on anyone yet?”

“I’ve narrowed it down to a short list, but how to decide from there? I do not know.” She stole a corner off one of his scones and popped it into her mouth. “One of them was a young lady about your age. You went to school with her.”

“Ruby.” His mother didn’t miss much. He tried to hide his reaction by taking a quick swallow of tea. The scalding liquid rolled over his tongue, nearly blistering him. He coughed, sputtering.

“Oh, I see.” His mother paused thoughtfully. “She seemed like a nice girl.”

“Nice? I suppose.” As if he was going to tell his mother what he really thought. Fortunately, he had a burning tongue to distract him. “She would be a reliable worker.”

“Yes. I thought she was very earnest, but she has no experience.”

“She could learn.” He hoped he sounded casual, not like a man hoping. He wanted Mother to hire her and make a difference in her life. “She takes care of her family. She does the cooking and cleaning. That’s experience, right?”

“I suppose.” His mother rose. “I have some pondering to do. So, have you thought about who you want to invite to our pre-Christmas ball? It’s getting closer, and I have yet to get out the last of my invitations.”

“And you’re mentioning this to me why, exactly?” He sipped more tea, taking refuge behind the cup. Had he made a strong enough case for Ruby’s sake? He couldn’t tell by the look on his mother’s face.

“Because I’ll want to know so I can send the young lady an invitation. It’s time you started thinking about a wife. I’m looking forward to the next Davis generation.”

“You mean grandchildren?”

“Of course.” His mother laughed, delighted. “I see that blush. It’s as I thought. You have your eye on someone, and I know who.”

“You do?” Tea sloshed over the rim. His heart slammed to a stop. Fine, so he’d been a little obvious. “I admit, I do have someone in mind.”

“Excellent. You know the Bells are on my guest list anyway, but I wanted to send a special one to Narcissa.” Poor, misguided Ma. She’d leaped to the wrong conclusion.

“I’m not escorting Narcissa.” Not again. “Normally I let you do what you want, but not this time, Ma.”

“Why?” Confused, his mother slipped onto the chair across from him. “I thought all that time you two spend together meant something.”

“Mostly arranged by you or her mother. It’s very hard to say no to either one of you.”

“Yes, but she sits beside you in church every Sunday.”

“Coincidence on my part. I’m thinking intentionally on hers and her mother’s.”

“I’m terribly disappointed.”

“Of course you want me to marry your best friend’s daughter, Ma, but that’s not going to happen. We’re just friends.”

“I see. Well then, who? There’s plenty of suitable young women in town. Surely her family is on my list?”

“I’ll take care of inviting her myself.” Just as he’d suspected. This was going to be a disappointment to his mother. He was sorry for it. He hated letting her down. He thought of Ruby. How would his parents handle it if they knew the truth?

“I think I hear your father coming. Oh, Jerry, it’s you.”

“Selma, there you are.” Pa’s cane tapped on the hardwood, and although he winced in pain with every step, he transformed when he saw his wife. “I see you are keeping our boy company. You did great work today, Renzo.”

“I did my best.”

“Can’t ask for anything more than that. You’re doing a fine job. Better than your old man can do.” His father’s chest puffed out, full of pride, as he slowly limped across the room. “I’m obsolete.”

“Never you, Pa. I can’t wait to hand you back the reins.” Even as he said the words, they all knew they were only a wish. Gerard Davis had been injured far too badly to ever return to the rigors of ranching work. In deference to his father’s hopes, he shrugged lightly. “I miss being bossed around by you.”

“I miss doing the bossing. But I get my fill on a daily basis. What’s this I overheard about your escorting a young gal to our ball? Selma, I thought we agreed you wouldn’t push the boy.”

“I wasn’t pushing, merely suggesting.” His mother sounded confused as she held out her arms and wrapped them around her husband. The pair cuddled, glad to see each other after being separated for much of the day. “I want to see Lorenzo settled.”

“Yes, dear, but he has enough new responsibility to manage. This ranch is the largest in the county. Renzo ought to be concentrating on learning all there is to know about our land, crops and animals.”

“He’s doing a fine job. Goodness.” Ma’s gentle amusement rang in her chuckle as she gave her husband one final hug. She swept backward, love lighting her eyes. “Gerard, I don’t see why Lorenzo needs to hold off. You managed to run a ranch and court me at the same time.”

“Yes, but I wasn’t barely twenty years old. Renzo’s mature for his age, but I don’t want him distracted. I know how distracting a pretty lady can be.” Pa winked, always the charmer, and Ma blushed prettily.

Ruby was definitely distracting. She was all he could see—snowflakes sifting over her to catch in her hair, big, blueberry eyes shyly looking away, the blush on her heart-shaped face when he’d taken her hand in his to help her from the sleigh.

This wasn’t the right time in his life, and his parents wouldn’t like it, but his heart was set. Nothing could stop it.

“Renzo? Where did you take off to this morning?” Pa leaned heavily on his cane, tapping closer. “Was there a problem I didn’t know about?”

“My trip wasn’t ranch related.” His pulse skipped a beat. What else had his father seen?

“He drove past the window and picked up one of the applicants. He must have taken her home.” Pa’s tone gentled. “She looked like a dear. That Ballard girl, I think. I know her father from church. He’s a good man.”

“The poor girl.” Ma settled onto the sofa, compassionate as always. “My heart aches for her. Being both daughter and woman of the house. They must be as poor as church mice. I’ve seen her getting clothes out of the church’s donation barrel. It was all I could do not to rush up and give her a big hug when she was here.”

Please, he thought. Please give her a chance. A job would mean she could stay in town. That he would have a hope of winning her.

“Selma, I know that look.” Pa chuckled as he eased painfully onto the cushion beside his wife. “Son, something tells me your mother has just made up her mind about the new maid.”

“Those friends of yours are sure nice girls.” Pa knocked snow off his boots on the doorstep. “You all seemed to have a good time.”

“We did.” She doused the last tin cup in the rinse water, glad to see her father back safely from town. Since Solomon’s shoe was fixed, there had been errands needing to be done. “We always have great fun together, and I got a lot of help with my crocheting.”

“That’s nice, Ruby-bug.” He shouldered the door closed against the whirling flakes, and the cold followed him in as he unloaded the groceries he’d bought on the far end of the table. It wasn’t much—a bag of beans, a package of tea, small sacks of cornmeal and oatmeal—but she was grateful for it. When Pa swept off his hat, he looked more tired than usual. “I’m glad you made friends here.”

“Me, too.” She rubbed the dishtowel over the mug, drying it carefully. With each swipe, she felt her stomach fall a notch. Had her father stopped by the post office? Was there a letter from Rupert? Her brother had been hoping to send news of a job.

Sorrow crept into Pa’s eyes, and he sat down heavily on a kitchen chair. “I didn’t want to say anything to you earlier, but I had chance for work in town, unloading cargo at the depot. It went to someone else. A younger man.”

“Oh, Papa.” She set down the towel and the cup and circled around to his side. He was a proud man, a strong man, but hardship wore on him. He fought so hard to provide for them, and had struggled for so long. Just when it looked as if life was going to get easier, the storm had hit. Without a crop, there had been no income, and they were back to desperation again.

How little of their meager savings remained? She placed a hand on his brawny shoulder. He was such a good man, and love for him filled her up. They did not have much, but they had what they needed. They had what mattered most.

“I got a letter from Rupert.” Her father rubbed his face, where worry dug deep lines. “He sent money.”

That explained the groceries. She hated seeing Pa like this. He’d always been invincible, always a fighter, even when he’d been injured. Every memory she had of him was one of strength and determination. He’d always been a rock, the foundation of their family, who never wavered.

Not tonight. He looked heart-worn and hopeless. Like a man who was too weary to fight. The shadows crept visibly over him as the daylight dimmed. Sunset came early this time of year, and she needed to light a candle, to save on precious kerosene, but she could not leave her father’s side, not when he bowed his head, looking beaten.

Was their situation far worse than he’d told her? She bit her bottom lip, knotted up with worry. Pa did have a habit of protecting her. If only she could have gotten the job. She winced at the dismal interview she’d had, the squeaky shoes, the rattling teacup, her lack of experience and polish. “I will scour the town tomorrow, Pa. There has to be something I can do. Sweep floors, do laundry at the hotel, muck stalls at Foster’s Dairy.”

She would beg if she had to. Her father and brother had been carrying too much burden for way too long. She ached for them, struggling so hard against odds that turned out to be impossible. The dream of owning their own land and being farmers again was fading. At this point in Pa’s life, it would likely be gone forever. She knelt before him and laid her hand on his. “I can be persuasive. I will talk someone into hiring me. Please don’t worry so much.”

“Oh, my Ruby.” Pa cupped her face with both of his big, callused hands, making her feel safe. “You are a good girl. I’m afraid the news in Roop’s letter wasn’t good.”

“He found you a job, and we have to leave after all.” She squeezed her eyes shut for just one brief moment to hide the stab of pain ripping through her. It was selfish to want to stay when it was a burden for her family, so she firmed her chin. “This will be better for you. A job. Think what this will mean.”

“No, honey, there isn’t a job. Roop lost his. The mill closed down. It’s gone out of business. He’s coming home without his last two paychecks. The company promised but in the end couldn’t pay him.” Pa looked far too old for his years as he squared his shoulders, fighting to find enough internal strength to keep going. “It’s a blow, but I don’t want you worrying, Ruby. You must stay in school.”

“I won’t do it.” She brushed a kiss on her father’s stubbled cheek. “You know me. When I set my mind to something, nothing but God can stop me.”

“And even He would give pause before trying,” Pa quipped, the love in his eyes unmistakable. “We have to trust Him to see us through this. He’s watching over us.”

“I know, Pa.” She whirled away to light a candle or two, thankful for the bountiful summer garden she’d been able to grow. Selling extra vegetables to the stores in town had given her enough pocket money to make plenty of candles and soap to see them through the winter. It was a small thing to have contributed, but she’d been proud to do it. The warmth of her friends’ laughter lingered in the home, making it less bleak as she struck a match.

Encouraged, she watched the wick flare, and the light chased back the shadows. She shook out the match, shivering as the wind blew cold through the walls. Faith was like a candle dispelling the darkness, and she lit another, determined to believe they could make their upcoming mortgage payment, that they would not be homeless by Christmas.