Moving from Maryland

by Christine Sterling

  “How about we stop by tomorrow and pick them up?” Louisa suggested. “That way Barrett and I can go and see this restaurant you are raving about.”

  Barrett looked at the stack on the counter. “All of these are yours?”

  “I just needed to get a few things. I put them on your account. I hope you don’t mind.”

  He minded. He minded very much. He wasn’t going to say that in front of Mrs. Handley though. He didn’t know how much Louisa may have mentioned to her about his purpose for inviting her from South Carolina.

  “Of course,” he said. “Can we leave?” He didn’t want Louisa to add anything else to her growing pile.

  Louisa took his arm. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Olivia,” she said with a little wave.

  Barrett led her out to the street. “Louisa…”

  “Barrett, I really hope you aren’t upset with me for purchasing those few things. But a girl needs to get new things time and again.”

  “That wasn’t a few items, Louisa. That was nearly a wagon load.” He took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. “How am I supposed to pay that bill? Mrs. Handley knows I pay the first of every month. I wasn’t expecting all those extra things.”

  Louisa looked at him. Tears were beginning to well up in her eyes. Barrett couldn’t handle when a woman cried. Eliza never cried. It was one of the reasons she was so compatible with him. She didn’t need constant attention.

  “I just thought…” she started.

  Barrett held up his hand. “It’s done. Let’s go eat dinner and then head home.”

  Gracie was enjoying herself immensely. To say Jasper was pleasant company would be an understatement. He had her laughing with tales of trying to catch mommas and their wayward babies.

  “And then I finally went down to the creek and there she was standing in the middle of the water.”

  Gracie laughed. “So, what did you do?”

  “I stripped down to my undergarments and went right into the water to get that calf. Glad I did too, because as soon as I put that rope on the little one, she took off and I went face first into the creek.”

  Gracie picked up a napkin and wiped her eyes. “Oh my, you surely can spin a tale, Jasper Williams.”

  He gave her a quick wink. Dinner arrived and Jasper tucked into his steak with relish.

  Gracie took tiny bites of the marbled beef and let the flavors explode in her mouth. “This is absolutely delicious. I don’t think I’ve ever had a tastier steak in my life.”

  “Glad you like it. We deliver the beef fresh to Miz May every Friday. She sits them on the counter overnight and Matthew cooks them like this every Saturday.”

  Gracie looked around. The dining room was packed. She estimated that there were about a dozen tables in all, with 2 to 4 people at each. She and Jasper sat next to each other instead of across as most folks were doing.

  “Why would you come out here to eat, if you can eat this at home? I imagine that this is available to you at the ranch.”

  “It is. But there is nothing better than not having to cook and when you are escorting a pretty lady, it is all the better.”

  Gracie lowered her head. She didn’t take to praise easily. Between her brothers and having to fight for everything, including respect in her chosen field, accepting praise wasn’t one of the virtues she learned.

  “Hey look,” Jasper said. Gracie looked and saw the couple by the door. “I’m surprised they came here. Barrett never eats in town.” Jasper raised his hand, signaling Barrett. “Should we invite them to sit with us?”

  “I suppose. There aren’t any empty tables.” Gracie’s appetite vanished. She didn’t want to have to sit with Barrett or that Louisa at all. However, she wasn’t going to deny them a place to sit. It could be quite a while before they were able to find a vacant table.

  Jasper made the offer and Barrett pulled the chair out for Louisa to take a seat. She wrinkled her nose and looked around the restaurant.

  “I didn’t think it would be in someone’s home,” Louisa said, placing her bag on the table. Gracie gave it a little push with her finger, so it was out of the way of her dinner.

  “What did you expect the boarding house to be?” Barrett looked around. He remembered when Miz May expanded the dining room.

  “I was thinking like an actual restaurant.”

  Jasper laughed. “If you want one of those, you can go to the saloon.”

  Louisa gasped. “I would never…”

  Gracie didn’t want to see Louisa make a scene. “It is lovely that you can join us tonight. The steak is so delicious.” She looked at Barrett. “Jasper told me the beef came from your ranch.”

  “Yes, we provide it every week. Saturday night is Miz May’s busiest night. She not only feeds most of the town, she also provides breakfast, lunch and dinner to her regular guests.”

  “That is a lot of work,” Gracie said.

  “I think she needed the extra income after the town dried up.”

  “I think it is terrible that a woman needs to work to support herself,” Louisa chimed in, ignoring the looks from the table.

  “I think it is marvelous that she opens it up to everyone in town. Just think of all those extra mouths to feed.”

  “Are you daft?” Louisa asked. “People are paying her for her services.” Gracie felt her face go warm and she looked at the surrounding tables. People were starting to look their way. Louisa seemed oblivious to the attention as she continued. “I guess it is the same with you, Gracie. People pay you for your services as well.” She gave a little awkward laugh.

  “Louisa,” Barrett warned her.

  “It’s fine, Barrett,” Gracie said. “I will have you know, Miss Abernathy, that my name is Dr. Pickett. I would prefer that you address me as such, since only my close personal friends call me by my Christian name.” She placed her napkin on the table. “As much as I would have enjoyed having you dine with us, I have lost my appetite.” She turned to Jasper who hadn’t said anything. “If you will excuse me. It started as a lovely evening, but I think it is over now.”

  “Wait, Gracie,” Barrett said. “We can go.”

  “Not necessary. If you would like to have dinner wrapped up, Jasper, we can eat back at the clinic.” Gracie pushed herself away from the table, leaving her half-eaten meal and the stares of the other diners behind her.

  “Gracie, wait.” Jasper was running up behind her.

  She stopped in the middle of the road heading back to the clinic. “I apologize for my behavior. I just abhor rudeness.” Jasper lifted his eyebrow at her. Gracie gave a little laugh. “I know… I was just as rude.”

  He held up a basket. “Miz May gave me a basket and wrapped up the rest of our dinner. However, I’ll need utensils. Got anything to cut with, Doc?”

  “I do,” Gracie grinned. “I have scalpels a-plenty.”

  Jasper grimaced. “That wasn’t quite what I was thinking, but I guess they’ll do.” He offered his arm to Gracie and she wrapped hers through his. “Don’t pay too much attention to Louisa. I think she is husband hunting.”

  “Husband hunting?”

  “Yes. I’m not sure why she came out, but I think she is hoping to take her deceased sister’s place.”

  “The boys said something about them getting married.”

  Jasper led her up the stairs to the kitchen of her apartment. Gracie unlocked the door, and they entered, setting the basket down on the table. “I don’t think Wright is too set on marrying.”

  “Why not? Anyone would be lucky to marry him and be mother to those three boys.”

  Jasper pulled out the plates with the leftover meals and placed them on the table. “I think he truly loved Eliza so much that no one else can take her place in his heart.”

  “Your scalpel, sir,” Gracie said, handing him a knife and fork. “Would you like milk?”

  “That sounds good.”

  Gracie poured two glasses and sat down at the table. “How did Eliza die, if it isn’t to
o rude of me to ask?”

  “Wright doesn’t talk about it much. But everyone in town knows. She died giving birth to a daughter. John was about two. Don’t quite know what happened, but the baby passed, and she was losing a lot of blood. She hung on for two days.”

  Gracie lifted her fingers to her lips. “Oh my, how terrible.”

  “Wright took to drinking for a bit, but then he realized he needed to look after those boys. There isn’t anything that he wouldn’t do for those boys.”

  “I can definitely see that.”

  “Since there aren’t many female types in town, it makes sense that Wright sent a letter to Eliza. He had been thinking that the boys deserved to have a mother-figure.”

  Gracie reached her hand out to Jasper’s arm and gave it a quick squeeze. “Thank you for letting me know. I guess that explains some of his behavior.”

  “Not really,” Jasper said between bites of steak. “I’ve never seen him react to a woman the way he does to you. It’s almost like he is fighting himself instead of you.”

  “Really?” Gracie’s voice squeaked a bit. The thought that he reacted to her was both exciting and scary at the same time. He had a lot of pull with the Town Council. Gracie didn’t want to do anything that might jeopardize her job.

  Jasper looked at her, his dark eyes studying her for a moment before he turned away and dug back into his steak. “You better eat that,” he said, pointing to her plate with his knife. “It isn’t as good cold.”

  Gracie smiled and cut a piece of her steak. It was still as good as it was in the restaurant. “I really do understand why Doc Wicks ate all of his meals at the boarding house. Miz May is an excellent cook.”

  They finished the rest of their meal in silence and then Gracie quickly washed the dishes, placing the plates back into the basket. “I can take this over to Miz May’s tomorrow.”

  “It isn’t any problem for me to take it on my way home.”

  “Nonsense. I have to make a house call over there. And it is the least I can do for spoiling your dinner tonight.”

  Jasper placed his hand over his heart. “I’m sure I will survive. I better head back to the ranch. The boys are going to ask me many questions.” He took Gracie’s hands in his own. “Thank you for sharing dinner with me. I would enjoy your company again if you would let me.”

  “I would like that. Next time, let’s not ask any one to sit at the table with us.”

  Jasper laughed. He leaned in to kiss Gracie, but she turned her face, so his lips landed on her cheek. He looked at her, turning a light shade of red. “I apologize for that, Gracie. I wouldn’t disrespect you in any way.”

  Gracie gave his hand a squeeze and then released it. “I know. I just made this silly promise to myself when I was a young girl, and I aim to keep it.”

  “What kind of promise?”

  “Promise you won’t laugh?”

  “I would never laugh at you.”

  “I promised that I would never kiss a man until I found the man I am going to marry. I want my first and last kiss to be with that man.”

  “That isn’t silly, Gracie. I think it is a wonderful thought. Old fashioned, but wonderful. The man that steals your heart will have something to cherish indeed.”

  “I hope you understand that as much as I find you charming and delightful, I am not ready for anything other than friendship right now.”

  “Of course.” He broke into a huge grin. “And of course, I have the opportunity to change your mind.” He headed to the door and turned back to look at her before exiting. “I would be honored to be your friend.”

  Chapter 8

  Jasper kept his promise and was in fact, a very good friend to Gracie. He even attended church the very next Sunday, just so he could drive her to the picnic.

  They sat towards the front of the church, and just before services started, the three Wright boys slipped in the pew next to her. Gracie put her arm around John, squeezing him in a side hug. She did the same to Sam and George’s shoulders.

  “Where are your father and aunt?” Gracie asked them. Sam pointed over his shoulder towards the back of the church. Gracie turned around and saw Barrett and Louisa in the last pew. He was sitting at the end, looking straight at her and the boys.

  Grace looked at him and gave a little sigh. She wished that they got along enough so there wasn’t this wall in between them. Maybe she should start being nicer, instead of so prickly where Barrett was concerned. She adored his sons, and truthfully, she was beginning to adore him too. He was a good father, very kind towards the boys. In fact, he was kind to everyone in town but her. She sighed again and turned around in her seat.

  Gracie tried to concentrate on the service, but it was difficult with the man beside her. She really did enjoy Jasper’s company but knew in her heart she shouldn’t even encourage him with the thought of something more.

  She told him she wasn’t interested in romance right now, but what that really meant is she wasn’t interested in a romance with him.

  She had never felt so confused before.

  Her entire life she knew exactly what she wanted to do, who she wanted to be and now none of it made sense. Was she so devoted to being a doctor, that she closed herself off from even the possibility of love?

  Suddenly everyone was standing, and Gracie realized she hadn’t heard a word of the sermon. She quickly stood and flipped to the page in the hymnal. The words to “O God, Our Help” floated on the page. She hadn’t heard this one before but tried her best to struggle through.

  She noticed that Jasper wasn’t singing at all. Instead, he just looked ahead. Gracie gave him a little nudge and held half of the hymnal out, signifying she would share with him.

  Jasper looked at her and nodded, holding the corner of the hymnal. He still didn’t sing, so Gracie pointed to where they were in the song. He stared at the words for a few moments longer and then shook his head.

  When the hymn ended, Reverend Brown made the announcement about the picnic at the Wright ranch. He closed with a prayer and the congregation started to file out of the church.

  The boys walked ahead and joined their father and aunt by the wagons. Gracie heard Louisa scolding one of the children about not sitting with them. She was about to go over and give the woman a piece of her mind, when Jasper grabbed her arm.

  “Leave it, Gracie. Let Barrett handle it.”

  Gracie looked at him and then back to the children. John was already in the wagon. Gracie could see his shoulders slumped and she wanted to comfort him. Sam and George hopped in the wagon with their brother.

  She saw Barrett escort Louisa to the front of the buckboard, but Gracie turned away before she could see him assist her. It hurt her heart that such an evil woman was around the three boys, and Barrett did nothing about it.

  Jasper led her to his wagon and assisted her up. The picnic basket was already in the bed, along with blankets and, of course, Gracie’s medical kit. Jasper climbed in behind her and gave the horses a flick of the reins. They moved out to the main street and followed the line of wagons out towards the ranch area.

  “It isn’t worth getting upset over Louisa,” Jasper finally said.

  “I wasn’t,” she lied. “I’m more upset about seeing John upset. He seems very subdued when she is around.”

  “John certainly is a pistol.”

  “Smart as a whip, too.”

  “Did you know he announced at dinner that he was going to be a doctor when he grows up?”

  Gracie smiled. “He did? That is wonderful.”

  “I think he received inspiration from a pretty lady doc I know.”

  Gracie laughed. “Want to tell me why you don’t know how to read?”

  Jasper shrugged his shoulders. “You noticed?”

  “I saw you staring at the words. It wasn’t until I pointed to the book that I realized you couldn’t read.”

  “I guess I never found the need to. Blue knows how to read, write and do arithmetic.”

  �
��What happens if he isn’t around? Don’t you think you need that being part owner of a cattle ranch?”

  “Isn’t no big thing. I guess I’ve always had someone around me that could read.”

  “But you enunciate very well.”

  “I don’t know what that means, Gracie.”

  “It means that you speak clearly and as if you are educated. You don’t use words like ain’t.”

  Jasper shrugged again. “I guess it was just being surrounded by the right people.”

  “It tells me you are very smart.”

  He looked directly at her. “Not about everything.”

  “Jasper, you are such a good friend.”

  Jasper laughed. “I don’t mean you, Gracie.”

  Gracie’s mouth went into a circle and then she bit her bottom lip before laughing. “That is wonderful! I’m thrilled for you.”

  “Don’t be. It isn’t a good thing.”

  “Why ever not?”

  “She doesn’t know I exist. And besides, why would she like some dumb country boy like me?”

  Gracie gave his arm a light swat. “Now I take back everything I said about you sounding smart.”

  Jasper laughed. “What a pair we make.”

  Gracie looked at him with one eyebrow raised. “Care to explain that?”

  “Both of us caring for someone we can’t have.”

  Gracie shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  Jasper gave her arm a light swat. “Don’t deny it, Gracie. Every time you look at Barrett and the boys your face gives it away.”

  “It does?”

  “Well that just confirmed it for me,” he laughed.

  “You sneak,” she said. “I need to hide my emotions better.”

  “Never hide who you are, Gracie.”

  Barrett hadn’t seen her since church that morning. He had been all over the front yard, mingling with the people, but no sign of the one he was looking for.

  He had to deal with Louisa’s tirade on the ride home. She wanted to present the picture of a perfect family and she wanted the children to behave the same.