by Annie Boone
Taking a deep breath, Mrs. Jessup came over and set the carpet bag back down on a chair. She did so carefully, patting it before turning to study Rowena thoughtfully. “My advert wasn’t as honest as I thought it would be, and I should have done better. I can admit to that. So I understand the confusion.”
Rowena raised an eyebrow and nodded.
“My boarding house is, as I said, to help women get on their feet as they transition homes and livelihoods. Whether you have come for a husband or not, you are most welcome here. We would love your company, and we could always use your help until you decide where to go next.”
After a deep breath, Rowena tried to set aside the rising anger. Besides, it was hard to ignore the hopeful smile that Susannah Jessup was giving her. It was better than having nowhere else to go, she reminded herself. And this was a very generous apology. She’d received few apologies in her life and it felt nice to be cared for enough to receive on. Less than a minute later, she melted and nodded shyly. “I suppose that’s all right.”
“Oh good!” Susannah chuckled and clapped her hands together. “Then I don’t need to eat all of this by myself. Now sit yourself back down, and eat up. We have a busy day ahead of ourselves.”
Obediently Rowena did just that, but not as happily as Susannah would have hoped. Her grip on her mug was so tight that she had to hold it with both hands. The more she thought about it, the more infuriated she was by such deception. How could Susannah have treated her so kindly with all these lies? Life really wasn’t that different outside the gambling house, she realized, with people lying and still conning each other.
After eating, she put her bag back in her room and returned to clean up the table. Her musings kept her mind occupied as she tried to figure out what her next move should be. From the sound of it, she could stay until she was married. Marriage! The idea was horrendous and laughable all in one, for tying herself to a man was a terrifying thought. Trusting a man with her safety and happiness was madness. Men could be abusive, loud, and greedy. Why would she want such a thing?
She shook her head, unable to believe it even after considering it for a few hours. There was nothing she could do just then, she admitted, so she would stay for a short while. Rowena stared at the plants around her in the lovely garden. She had no money and no place to go. Rowena leaned down and grabbed a particularly nasty weed, pulling it free.
The idea of leaving stayed with Rowena, and she knew she had to start on a plan, and soon. Susannah and Rowena worked quietly, both lost in their thoughts. Yet they both considered the same thing, of whether men should have a place of importance in Rowena’s life.
Chapter Ten
Susannah forced herself to consider the flaws in her plan, and ran through the steps in case she had missed something. Walking around the kitchen stirring the batter gave her the time she needed to think about it, but it appeared the same. It had become apparent that Rowena had not come here to meet a particular man, as they had discussed. But this didn’t mean that she didn’t want to be married, she reasoned to herself. The girl was still so young and surely had a desire to find a man to settle down with.
On top of that, the young woman needed someone to care for her. She needed the security marriage offered. And whether she knew it or not, Susannah knew Rowena needed the sheer joy of being in love.
Besides, the invitation had already been given and there wasn’t time to retract it. Nor would she do such a thing, turn down a dear friend like that. Susannah wrinkled her nose and glanced towards the windows, watching the sun beginning to set. They should be arriving any moment, and dessert still wasn’t prepared.
Shaking her head slightly, Susannah set the cake batter into the pan, and took it to her stove. Once it was safely inside, she hastened over to Rowena who was carefully mashing the chopped potatoes.
“How do they look? Just about ready?” She glanced over Rowena’s shoulder to see her progress.
Rowena took a deep breath and offered a lopsided grin. She was a lovely young lady with dark hair, darker eyes, and the cutest little chin. “Lumpy but delicious?”
Susannah gave her a look, reminding her that they were working on her answering questions with real answers, not another question. It made Rowena chuckle and shrugging, she added a little more pepper. “There. I think that will do. We won’t go hungry, and that’s the important thing.” Something flashed in the woman’s eye before she left to put them in the pot over the fire.
“I suppose,” Susannah mused to herself, not knowing how else to answer such a comment. They finished up supper then, stirring the carrots and parsnips, and setting the table.
That’s when she heard a knock and hurried over to find Matthew and Eleanor there. Susannah beamed, letting her friends in. Rowena stood back like a shadow before being introduced, and everyone stepped into the kitchen. They were hardly in before Susannah heard a creak and a thump of boots. Her heart pattered and she turned around.
“Something smells delightful,” Lucas called, announcing his presence with Jeb Harbin beside him.
Susannah waved. “Come in, then. Supper is ready and waiting.”
Jeb followed behind her husband. After carefully setting his hat down as well, she watched him put a hand on his vest as though he were wondering about taking that off, too. Holding back a chuckle, she patted Jeb on his arm. “There’s no need to stress, dear. It’s just supper with friends. It’s really just another supper at the Jessup home and you’ve done that more than once. And those always go well, don’t they?”
He smiled. “Yes, ma’am, they certainly do.”
“Rowena,” she caught the girl’s attention. “I’d like you to meet Rocky Ridge’s deputy, Mr. Jeb Harbin. He’s been in town for nearly three years, and is building a home right now. Mr. Harbin, this is Miss Rowena Oakton from New York City, she’s a guest in our house and is fastidiously becoming a better gardener than me.”
As hoped, the young girl blushed and she shook her head. “You’re much too kind.”
“And Jeb, you already know Matthew and Eleanor. Let’s be seated, shall we?” Everyone went to the loaded table right away. Lucas pulled out her seat, and she beamed at the party. “Jeb, how would you like to say Grace?”
“I’d be honored, Miss Susannah.” He bowed his head and waited a moment for the others to do the same. “Dear Lord, we thank You for the bounty on this table. All things come from You and for Your love and care, we’re truly grateful. I thank You for the friends, old and new, around this table. May we never forget that You have a plan. Amen.”
Susannah smiled at Jeb’s prayer. Apparently, he was thankful to have met Rowena. As the mashed potatoes made it to her, she heaped a spoonful on her plate. She hoped Jeb enjoyed them. She studied their guests carefully, watching and waiting. All she wanted was a sign, something that told her they were interested in one another. Rowena was hard to read, but she hoped she was right that Jeb’s prayer meant what she thought it did.
“Matthew, how are the horses?” Lucas brought up conversation to fill in the silence.
The man nodded. “Doing just dandy. It’s a lot of work which isn’t a bad thing, but since we’re also trying to prepare for the arrival of our next babe, well, it’s easy to get distracted.” He chuckled and winked at his wife.
“I keep telling him that I can still do the work,” she turned to Rowena. “But men don’t tend to listen very well.”
There was light laughter as Matthew objected. Then Jeb spoke, offering a hesitant smile. “If you really need some help, I’d be glad to offer an extra set of hands. Might be nice to have a change of pace, and all.” He trailed off, and Susannah saw his gaze turn back to Rowena. Again. Her heart pounded hopefully.
Jeb’s gaze turned to Rowena’s often, and she seemed to be blushing more often than not. Susannah could hardly keep the smile off her face.
“So you’re from New York, then?” Eleanor asked the young lady kindly, making sure she had a chance to talk to Rowena that evening. “I
haven’t been there often, but I remember there was much to do there.”
Taking a deep breath, Rowena offered what Susannah thought was a rather tight smile. “It was busy,” the young woman explained, “but I must say, I’m quite glad to be away from it. There’s nothing like an open sky and not needing to elbow your way through a crowd.” She smiled sincerely, finally.
Susannah finally relaxed and grinned. “There’s something special about the west. Do you think you’ll be staying out here, then?” Her eyes drifted over to Jeb who listened carefully, his gaze focused on Rowena.
She didn’t notice the strange look Rowena gave her. “I suppose it’s much too soon to say for sure. Have you been here long, Eleanor?” The topic was diverted then, off of Rowena for most of the evening.
Conversation came and went. Once most of the food was gone and no one was reaching for anything more, Susannah stood to clean up, but Lucas wrapped a hand around her waist. “Leave it,” he suggested. “Why don’t we take a walk? Matthew, you can see the posts I’ve been working on.” He went to get their jackets.
“What a wonderful idea,” Eleanor exclaimed. It was a good one, Susannah had to admit, and she wondered how she hadn’t thought of it. Brushing it from her mind, she beamed as Jeb returned with a shawl for Rowena. Lucas must have helped him with that.
She shared a look with him then, trying to confirm with him that this was indeed a good choice to be making, that matchmaking was something she could do. But Lucas’s expression was an impassive one and she had to let it go as the two of them led the way outside.
It was a good night, she reminded herself, one filled with friends and happiness. Glancing back, she watched Rowena close the gate, and Jeb was lingering nearby. For a moment it made Susannah want to turn back and help them come together.
But that’s not how it worked, and she knew that. Like it had been for Eleanor and Matthew, she needed to step back and give them some time to consider one another. Jeb was her first client, and she wanted to do well and right by him. Rowena had become the wildcard, however, since she hadn’t sounded thrilled about finding a husband.
A strange notion, Susannah decided, though one she had to understand for herself. She hadn’t expected to get married, and especially to a stranger. But because of her enormous luck and God’s help, of course, she had found the perfect match in Lucas. She wanted to provide as much as she could for other young women. Even if they didn’t think they wanted it.
Her thoughts wandered as Lucas left her to talk with Matthew about the posts off the path. As they went, Eleanor reached Susannah and the two girls linked arms. “Your Mr. Jessup has it much too good, with this lovely house and a pretty woman to come home to every day.” She grinned teasingly and Susannah rolled her eyes.
“Enough about me. Your baby is due quite soon. How are you doing, really?”
“Good,” Eleanor told her emphatically. “I assure you, I am. It’s nearly unreal, after little Susie and being sick constantly. But I have energy, and I can still eat everything. There are occasions where I feel queasy, but for the most part, I’m happy. Besides, I didn’t come here tonight to discuss me. What do you think of Jeb and Rowena?”
Susannah couldn’t help but glance back at Rowena and Jeb who were walking slower than the rest of their party. They stood a good distance apart, and it was hard to tell whether or not they were even talking. But she did notice Jeb kept looking over at her.
She smiled, biting her lip. “I’ve already looked through a few other options for Jeb. And once I knew for sure Rowena didn’t have anyone waiting on her, well… I wanted to try. They look very nice together, don’t you think?
“There’s always a chance,” Eleanor nodded.
“I hope so,” Susannah sighed.
Chapter Eleven
It was obvious what was going on the moment Mr. Jeb Harbin arrived. Rowena’s heart had beat anxiously since she had set eyes on him, knowing why he was there. Though the Jessups had mentioned they were having guests over for supper, which had happened a few times since she had arrived there, she had expected nothing more than a gathering of friends.
To invite an unmarried young man was much too obvious, especially since Susannah had confessed the true purpose of her boarding house. She shook her head in near disbelief. She was, however, becoming quite aware of the bold streak in Mrs. Susannah Jessup.
Where did such ideas stem from? Rowena didn’t understand and had difficulty paying attention during supper because of this. But not wanting to be a rude guest, she had participated in conversation, and even spoken to Jeb a few times.
The man was handsome, that couldn’t be denied by any woman who had eyes. As a young woman, she couldn’t ignore that. His brown hair shone in the light and though it sat longer than most men’s trims, it defined his strong jawline and his sharp cheekbones. He was clean shaven tonight with soft eyes. She couldn’t see their color since they were too far away. Overall, the man appeared kind.
By the time they finished eating, she supposed everything was well and done so they would be leaving. Her heart dropped at the mention of a walk, and somehow Rowena found herself outside with Mr. Jeb Harbin. Lucas and Matthew had wandered off, and the other two women had linked arms like the close friends they were to whisper.
Rowena had been thinking to herself how nice it might have been to have had someone like that growing up, a close friend who knew her and her heart inside out. Looking back, there had been few friends. There had been an orange cat that belonged to her neighbors when she lived with her aunt and uncle. When she had first arrived at the gambling house, the other women had been gentle and kind to her, but that had vanished when she joined them out on the gambling house floors.
“It’s a nice night,” a soft voice interrupted her thoughts.
Forcing herself not to jump, she tugged on her shawl and glanced over to find Jeb not too far away. Something inside her slumped. Of course, this wasn’t over yet. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Rowena tried to think kinder thoughts. He wasn’t mean after all, not yet. “Indeed,” she agreed finally, throwing away her fear. “The stars are bright.”
His smile widened as though he achieved something just by hearing her talk. “Almost as bright as your eyes.” The statement was bold, and he hurriedly dropped his gaze as she looked at him in surprise. “I, um, hope that wasn’t too forward. I apologize if…” He trailed off, stumbling over his words.
“It’s fine,” she interrupted, using a gentler voice than she expected. “That’s kind of you.”
Their steps fell together and they walked slowly beside one another. Jeb had stepped a little closer, but he gave her enough space that they didn’t touch. Rowena’s heartbeat slowed, and her dread faded into curiosity. After they had reached and passed the barn, she found herself stealing glances in his direction, wondering what he was thinking.
The man had talked enough during supper about the house he was building and how he wanted to build his farm. It was an interesting concept, she had considered, and had listened to his decisions. From what the other couples mentioned, Jeb had a sound idea for his future.
She could hear his breathing, she realized. Rowena glanced at him, wondering what he was looking at. His gaze had been turned down, but he started to turn towards her, and hurriedly she jerked her head away, to look at the sky. Biting her lip, she hoped he hadn’t noticed.
He didn’t say anything. Ahead of them, Eleanor and Susannah burst out into giggles, leaning onto one another. It was as though being together gave those two women more energy, and she shook her head. With all the extra work they had done, Rowena was more than exhausted. When another yawn came her way, she could no longer hide them.
“Oh, you’re tired,” Jeb stated the obvious, and stopped. She found herself doing the same as he put out a hand to her. “There’s no need to tire yourself out. Hold on a moment.” He gave her a nod before hastening off. Confused, she watched him catch up to Susannah, tell her something, and then he came back to
her.
Rowena was just scolding herself for obeying him without even thinking about it. Jeb reached her, and put out an arm. “May I escort you, that is, back to the house? There’s no need to exhaust yourself this evening.” His other hand motioned back the way they had come.
She wanted to say yes, but her voice got stuck in her throat at the sight of his extended arm. Immediately unease filled her gut, and she instinctively took a step away from him. What was it with men wanting to have women with them all the time?
With a tight smile, she clutched her shawl tighter and nodded. But Rowena didn’t take his arm. Taking a deep breath and looking at the path they had taken, she started forward. She didn’t watch Jeb as he scrambled to catch himself and followed after her. After he stumbled twice, Rowena grudgingly slowed down so he could catch up.
Then she made space for him to walk on the path beside her. Not close enough to touch, of course, but close enough. Eventually she chanced a shy glance at him, hoping he wasn’t mad at her. The man had seemed nice enough, and she didn’t want to upset him. She just didn’t want to be that close to him, or any man.
His brow was furrowed as he stared at the ground, a studious expression on his face as though he were studying the ground. The man appeared so serious, that suddenly everything seemed silly. So silly that a small giggle escaped her lips.
As he turned to her, she looked away. Tightening her grasp on the shawl, she made a face at herself. What was going on with her? Shaking her head, Rowena cleared her thoughts. He was a nice man, possibly the sort of gentleman that she had heard about. Smart and quiet, he knew when not to talk and was still kind. He was even a good walking partner, she decided as they reached the big house again.
It would be inappropriate if he came inside with her since they didn’t have anyone else with them, so Rowena knew he wouldn’t follow after once she went through the door. But she wanted to say something to express her gratitude. As she turned to thank him, she stumbled on the steps. Her heart skipped a beat and she gasped. When she reached out to catch herself, he was already there.