Ruby’s Rhapsody

by Budge, Vicki Hunt

  Ruby’s Rhapsody

  Vicki Hunt Budge

  Eastwood Press

  Copyright © 2019 by Vicki Hunt Budge

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  For my Hunt family and the memories

  of sitting around in the twilight

  hour after picnics, listening

  to Uncle Marvin play the guitar,

  and singing old country songs.

  Introduction

  Ruby Gardner plays the organ with gusto, but only in the privacy of her own home with family around. When the handsome schoolteacher and fiddler moved to town, Ruby fell in love with him, and his music. Now, nearly two years later, the aloof fiddler still doesn’t know she exists.

  There’s only one thing that Nathan Banks loves more than teaching children, and that’s playing fiddle at the Saturday night dances, accompanied by Mr. Jones, the town organist. But some tragedy or heartache in Nathan’s past torments him when he fiddles, and he’s gained a reputation as the stone-faced fiddler.

  One Saturday night, when the organist doesn’t show, Ruby volunteers to accompany Nathan at the dance. Will Ruby and her fast-paced music entice that stone-faced fiddler to smile and help him to love and laugh again?

  Ruby’s Rhapsody is a story of music, friendship, and the possibility of something far greater.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Author’s Note

  The Next Book

  Also by Vicki Hunt Budge

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  1

  Ruby Gardner tapped her foot on the wooden floor to the sound of the fiddler tuning his fiddle. She and two of her sisters were practically dancing in place, waiting for the dance to start. Ruby, Belle, and Cora stood inside the schoolhouse entrance, waving at some people, hugging others, and helping the older folks find seats near the music or the food. The Saturday night dance was the biggest event of the week in Clover Creek, Idaho.

  Ruby’s mother and her four youngest sisters helped with the dance by setting out platters of cake and cookies. Ruby’s brother Charlie helped bring in jugs of fresh apple cider. Everyone laughed and chatted happily, the fiddle music seeming to wash away everyday cares and responsibilities.

  After a while, the fiddler brought his warmup music to a close and conferred with Ruby’s father and Mr. Jepson who were standing close by. Mr. Jepson, the owner of the mercantile and post office, called the dances. He shook his head now, as though perplexed about something. Ruby’s father walked over to where Charlie helped at the food table, and spoke to him. Charlie took off out the front door in a sprint.

  “Mr. Banks makes that fiddle sing,” Ruby said, sighing. Her toes tapped out part of the last tune he’d whipped through in his warm up. Her blue eyes sparkled. “And he’s so cute.”

  “He’d be cuter if he smiled,” Belle said. “He’s the only stone-faced fiddler I’ve ever heard of.”

  Ruby shrugged and tucked an errant blond curl behind her ear. “He’s serious about his music.”

  “You’re serious about your music,” Cora argued, “but you glow when you play the organ. You’re never gloomy like Mr. Banks.”

  “His fiddling isn’t gloomy,” Belle said. “Only his face. His fiddling is wild and fun. Makes me want to dance all night. You’d think he’d be grinning all over the place when he picks up the bow and fiddle.”

  “His music takes my breath away.” Ruby crossed her arms over her chest and stretched up on the tips of her toes. The townsfolk who had crowded into the schoolhouse were blocking her view of the fiddler. “Mr. Banks is simply divine, and I adore his fiddling.”

  Belle waved to one of her friends who had entered the building, motioning for her to come and join them. “I wish Mr. Banks would hurry and start,” she said. “I’m ready for the dance to begin!”

  It was then that Ruby noticed the reed organ player hadn’t taken his place at the organ. Where is that man? The fiddler wasn’t the only one who created lively music that made people want to dance, clap, and stomp their feet. Mr. Jones, the older gentleman who played the reed organ like it was an extension of himself, was missing. Ruby adored Mr. Jones. He was the one responsible for her love of playing the organ with gusto, as he had coached her for the past ten years.

  Charlie reentered the schoolhouse, a somber look on his face. He walked straight to Ruby and placed his hands on her shoulders. “It’s your turn, little sis,” he said. “Mr. Jones isn’t feeling well. He said that if there’s going to be organ accompaniment tonight, it’s up to you.”

  “Me?” Ruby squeaked. She took note of the only exit where more townsfolk streamed in. Ruby loved to play the organ, more than anyone in her family, but not for the dance.

  Sometimes her mother and father excused Ruby from family chores to play fast-paced music while they and the others worked. Everyone said they worked twice as fast when Ruby played the organ, and the chores were done in no time.

  Charlie winked at Ruby, and then walked across the floor to where their father, Mr. Jepson, and the fiddler stood waiting for him. Ruby could see them conversing and looking her way. She loved playing the organ at home, but she had never played in front of so many people. And besides, Nathan Banks intimidated her. It wasn’t just his superb fiddling or his dour expression. It was his kindhearted manner in school with her younger siblings, his dignified presence in the community, and his dangerous-looking dark eyes. For the past year and a half, since the schoolteacher had first come to Clover Creek, Ruby had wondered why a man who had to be nearly ten years older than her wasn’t married. She had secretly thought he would make a splendid husband for someone who loved music.

  Someone like her.

  The problem was, the schoolteacher had never encouraged her. Never looked at her, never smiled at her. Even the times her parents had had him come for dinner, he visited politely with her parents and the younger girls, ate his dinner, and left.

  After taking an enormous breath of air and forcing her shoulders back, Ruby strode across the schoolroom floor and approached the fiddler. “I’m Ruby Gardner,” she said. “I understand Mr. Jones is ill tonight. Would you like me to fill in for him?”

  Nathan Banks looked at her, mouth agape. “You play the organ?”

  Ruby stifled the urge to say she wouldn’t be volunteering to accompany him for the dance if she didn’t play the organ. “I do,” she said coyly, just wanting the dance and his fiddle music to begin.

  Nathan Banks still didn’t smile. Most people in town generally accepted that the schoolteacher seldom smiled when he was out of his classroom setting. He lived a quiet life, keeping to himself when he wasn’t teaching or fiddling. His mouth opened as if he was skeptical, but his eyes widened as if he was considering Ruby’s offer.

  A nervous, tingling feeling ran through Ruby. She was going to accompany the fiddler in front of the whole town, and she hoped to change his dour countenance this very night. This was her chance. The stone-faced fiddler would acknowledge her existence after tonight, and he was going to smile while he fiddled.

  “Do you even know the tunes?” Mr. Banks asked.

  “I should. I’ve been listening to you play every Saturday night for months.”

  His brow furrowed and his piercing eyes questioned her an
swer. “Do you think you can keep up?”

  Ruby smiled. “We won’t know until we try.”

  “I only know how to play one way,” the schoolteacher said, his voice snappish. “Breakneck speed.”

  “That’s why the whole town flocks down here on Saturday night, Mr. Banks. Just to hear you play.”

  The schoolteacher’s face reddened. His gaze bounced from Ruby’s father to Mr. Jepson, to Charlie, and finally back to Ruby. “Well, then, Miss Gardner, let’s see what you can do. We’ll start with, Dance All Night with a Bottle in Your Hand.”

  Ruby positioned herself at the organ and nodded when she was ready. Mr. Banks brought the fiddle to his chin, gave her a sharp look, and started in. Couples quickly filled the center of the room, their stomping, shuffling feet shook the wood floor and competed with the fiddle and organ music. The dancers spun and twirled, and those individuals standing or sitting around the perimeter of the room joined in by clapping or slapping their legs to the rhythm. An old-timer took up one corner of the floor with his rambunctious flat-foot dancing.

  The schoolteacher and Ruby played one dance tune after another with Mr. Jepson’s booming voice calling the dances. Ruby’s organ accompaniment kept up for nearly every beat. After several circle dances, mixers, and line dances, the fiddler took out a handkerchief and wiped sweat from his brow. He motioned to Ruby and Mr. Jepson to take a break.

  “Can I get you a glass of cider?” Mr. Banks asked, leaning close to the organ.

  “Yes, please.” Ruby fanned the warm air in front of her face. “And can we please get some fresh air while we drink it?” Accompanying the schoolteacher in front of the whole town and keeping up with him was the most exciting thing Ruby had ever done. Now her curious nature took over, and she determined to find out more about this reclusive man. What made a man scowl when fiddling music that he obviously loved?

  Nathan and Ruby went outside to breathe in the fresh air while they drank cider. Half the dancers had the same idea. So, after fielding many favorable comments and congratulations on their playing, Ruby suggested to the schoolteacher that they sit on one of her father’s wagon seats for a little bit of tranquility. The wagon was parked not too far away.

  “I’m impressed with your organ playing, Miss Gardner,” Mr. Banks said, after helping Ruby onto the wagon.

  “Thank you. Please call me Ruby, Mr. Banks.” She straightened her skirt and took another sip of her cider. When two people’s music intertwines like ours does, we shouldn’t need formal names.

  “All right, Ruby,” he said. “And I’m Nathan, not Mr. Banks. May I ask where you learned to play the organ so spontaneously?”

  Laughter and spirited conversation carried over to the wagon from those milling about in front of the schoolhouse. The evening air smelled like fresh-cut hay and ripe apples from two large apple trees nearby. “Mostly self-taught,” Ruby said. “But my entire family loves music. Pa taught us to sing when we work, and everyone in our family plays the organ or some instrument. I just happen to love the organ and spend more time playing it than any of my siblings.”

  “Interesting,” Nathan said, looking at her intently. “Quite interesting.”

  Chills flowed through every part of Ruby’s body. It seemed to Ruby that the fiddler saw her for the first time in that moment. “Mr. Jones mentored me over the years,” she added.

  “Ah, that explains everything. Mr. Jones is a marvelous organist. I surely hope he’ll be well by tomorrow.”

  “I do too,” Ruby said, and then added, “where did you learn to fiddle? You are a natural entertainer.”

  Nathan smiled for the first time that evening. “My granddad. I spent a lot of evenings on his front porch listening to him fiddle and trying to keep up. All his tunes were memorized and had been passed down to him from his pa and a couple of uncles. He was the greatest mountain music man I’ve ever known.”

  Nathan’s smile lingered, and Ruby thought it was the first time she had ever seen him really happy. “Tell me more about your granddad,” she said softly.

  “Well, he was a nearly blind fiddler from Tennessee,” Nathan’s eyes took on a soft glow and a faraway look. “Raised a family of ten with his farm and fiddle playing. He and Grams both fiddled. Their music was hard scrabbling, real people music, pure and sincere.”

  Ruby took another sip of her cider. “Do you ever fiddle with your granddad anymore?” she asked.

  “He and Grams both passed the year I turned twenty-seven.”

  “I’m so sorry to hear that,” Ruby said. “But I think it’s wonderful that you keep his memory alive with your fiddling.”

  “My fiddling is all I have. I lost more than my grandparents that year.” Nathan’s voice lowered as he spoke and he glanced away from her.

  Ruby drew in a breath, realizing the conversation had suddenly become painful for the schoolteacher. “What brought you out to Idaho?” she asked, hoping a change of topic would keep their conversation going.

  “You know what?” Nathan said pointedly. “The dancers are waiting. We need to return to the dance.”

  While Nathan helped her down from the wagon, Ruby’s oldest sister, Nellie, and her family pulled up in their wagon. Ruby immediately ran to be the first Gardner to hold Nellie’s six-month-old daughter, Zillah. Nellie and her husband, Evan Howell lived in a small valley near the Gardner homestead. The surveying for their farm had all been done by Evan and Mr. Gardner. Aspen Valley was close enough to Clover Creek that the Gardners saw Nellie’s baby every Saturday and Sunday, and more often some weeks. But, because there were so many Gardners, eight daughters plus one son, and because the baby was the first grandchild, there was always a competition as to who got to hold her first, or the longest.

  “Oh, she’s so precious,” Ruby said, burying her face in the side of Zillah’s neck to take in her sweet baby smell. She held the sleeping baby close to Nathan so he could get a glimpse. He surprised her by taking Zillah in his arms and cradling her to his chest.

  “You are as bad as my siblings!” Ruby said, placing her hands on her hips. “Snatching Zillah away from me like that.”

  A look of horror filled Nathan’s face. His dark eyes lit up, and he offered the baby back to Ruby. “I thought you wanted me to take her,” he said apologetically. “I love babies.”

  Ruby leaned over and kissed Zillah. When she did so, she had to place one hand on Nathan’s arm to keep from falling into him. The nearness and touch of him caused her to hold her breath. “I was just teasing,” she said, stepping back and leaving the baby with him. “Enjoy her while you can. As soon as my family sees that Nellie and Evan are here, they’ll wrest her away from you.”

  “Do you think she’ll enjoy our music?” Nathan whispered, cuddling Zillah once again. “She’s a little young for dancing.”

  Ruby like the way he said, our music. Did he feel like they made great music together, as she did? She hoped they would have the opportunity to play together again and again after this evening. “Here comes Belle and Cora,” Ruby said, looking at the schoolhouse door. “Let me hold Zillah for another moment. I told you they’d come and snatch her away from us.”

  “Take your time,” Nathan said, handing the baby to her. “I’ll go start tuning up again, so the folks will know we’re ready to start.”

  Ruby snuggled Zillah for a few more seconds before handing her off to Belle. Belle and Cora took off for the entrance to the schoolhouse, arguing over who got to dance with their niece first.

  “That was interesting,” Nellie said, watching her younger sisters abscond with her baby. She placed her arm through Ruby’s and her other arm through her husband’s. They started walking toward the schoolhouse entrance together. “What am I missing here? I knew the schoolteacher liked children, but I didn’t realize he was also fond of babies. And he seems quite fond of you too. Did I hear him say ‘our music?’ Are you accompanying him tonight?”

  Ruby nodded, her eyes fairly dancing. She couldn’t keep anything from Nellie. Sh
e and her older sister had been close for years until Nellie married Evan and started her own home. The two sisters were probably closer than Nellie and Charlie, even though Charlie was Nellie’s twin.

  “Mr. Jones is ill tonight,” Ruby said. “Somehow, I became the accompanist for Nathan. And we play really well together, if I do say so myself.”

  “Hmm,” Nellie said, smiling at Ruby and then at her husband. “So, it’s Nathan already instead of Mr. Banks. This could prove to be a promising evening.”

  Ruby grinned and pulled away from her sister. “I’d better hurry and take my place at the organ. I’m taking too long of a break.”

  “I’d say, you and the fiddler took too short of a break,” Evan said, raising his brows at his sister-in-law.

  Nellie nodded her agreement. “This could be the beginning of something spectacular. You accompanying the schoolteacher. I can’t wait to hear you play.”

  Ruby took off to where Nathan waited for her. “I can’t wait, either,” she said to herself, shivers running through her. She hoped the evening truly was the beginning of something wonderful between Mr. Nathan Banks and her.

  Ruby positioned herself at the organ and nodded when she was ready. Nathan brought the fiddle to his chin, gave her another piercing look and started in. Was there something more in his look than the one he had given her at the beginning of the evening? Ruby didn’t know, but there was definitely something more than just the music between them. She could feel it. Could he?

  The dancers whirled, pivoted, and stomped to the music, but no one’s heart beat faster than Ruby’s. Was Nathan’s fiddle playing more intense than at the beginning of the dance? Ruby didn’t know, but no matter how fast he fiddled, her fingers flew across the organ keys as she belted out the tunes along with him. She reveled in the fact that no matter how fast he played, she kept up with him.