by Danni Roan
“No need,” Hyke grinned. “We old folks are pretty quick.”
Hester shook her head. “Thank you,” she said meeting her uncle’s eyes.
“We’d best turn in,” Mrs. August lifted he chin above the high collar of her dress. “We’ll have another long day ahead of us tomorrow.”
“Where’s Mr. Payton?” Hester asked without thinking.
“He’s gone to check on the animals.” Mrs. August cut a glance to the crate with the squirming kittens in it. “I hope he’s back soon. Good night.”
Hester watched the older woman walk stiffly from the room and sagged visibly as her uncle walked toward her.
“How about a cup of tea,” Hyke asked. “It’ll get us through the night.”
Hester grinned hurrying to the stove and stoking the fire while Hyke poured water from a jar.
“This place is kind of a surprise,” the old man declared. “I can’t say I hate it though.”
In a matter of minutes the two of them were seated at the table again, a cup in hand, like old times.
“I can’t say I hate it either,” Hester’s smile was bright though her eyes were weary. “So far so good.”
“Seems to be,” Hyke smiled over the rim of his cup. “Mr. Payton knows his way around a hammer and nails,” he said. “I think this life suits him better than the one back east. I know it does me. All those fancy clothes and nice manners back at that narrow little house. Bah, who needs it.”
Hester laughed softly. “Who would have ever believed that taking a job as a maid at that house would have led to this?”
“Life’s like that honey,” Hyke winked. “You never know what’s coming next. Good or bad, it’s always a surprise.”
“I thought everyone would be in bed,” Cecil walked into the kitchen placing a small miner’s lamp on the table.
“We’re just having a cup of tea before bed,” Hyke said.
“Would you like a cup?” Hester half rose only to be waved down again by Cecil.
“I can get it. I didn’t get that soft living in my brother’s fancy house.” His smile softened his words, but it was obvious by the rawness of his hands that he had all but forgotten hard work.
“How are the animals?” Hester filled the sudden silence with a question. She was, after all, working for the man.
“They’re fine. I checked the horses in the corral, and they have plenty of grass to keep them busy. I just hope they don’t decide to lean on a fence rail, or I’ll be walking back to town.”
Hyke’s bright bark of laughter made them all smile and soon they were sipping tea and chatting like old friends. Apparently the old adage was true, working toward a shared goal brought friendship.
“Uncle Hyke, why don’t you go to bed,” Hester said a few minutes later as her uncle yawned again. “I’ll clean this up. There are only three cups after all.”
“All right,” Hyke agreed but don’t you stay up too late. Morning will come faster than you realize.”
“You could just leave this till morning,” Cecil said looking at the cups, as Hyke headed for the stairs. “There’s no need to bother with them tonight.”
Hester shook her head. “And suffer the wrath of Mrs. August? No thank you.”
“Then pour me another cup,” Cecil said. “I have a few things to figure out before bedtime.”
Hester poured the tea then set a pot of water on the stove.
“I think the first order of business tomorrow is to get the old pump outside working and see if the water is fit to drink. We can’t count on bringing water from town. Then we’ll tackle the one here in the kitchen.”
Hester twisted in her seat to look at the black pump attached to the stone sink. “I was surprised to see a pump in the house,” she admitted. “I would say that no expense was spared on this place.”
“No, it is a fine house, if rather neglected. From what your uncle and I have been able to see, it will shape up just fine. Quality work lasts.”
“So you’re happy you came?”
“I am,” Cecil met Hester’s dark eyes with his own. “I’m glad I met you as well. You made me think outside the box about the care of the children and what comes next. To be honest, I feel that Abel must be as relieved to see me go as I was to leave.”
“I’m sure he wasn’t,” Hester shook her head.
“Well, he’s by far the better man for dealing with the business. I’m much happier working with my hands.”
“What will you tackle tomorrow?” Hester was curious as to what more needed done around the place.
“I started a list,” Cecil said pulling a slip of paper and a pencil from the pocket of his shirt. “What do you think?”
Hester stood moving around the table to look over the man’s shoulders. He smelled like hay, sawdust and hard work.
“You have the pump on there, and investigate the barn. That’s a good plan. What about the basement here? I know the cat is using it, but we have no idea what is down there, and frankly, I think that door is where Mrs. August draws the line.”
“I can’t say I blame her,” Cecil admitted with a shudder. “There’s no telling what has moved in down there.”
“Well we know there are mice,” Hester laughed as the cat marched into the room with a rotund rodent in her teeth.
“I’ll add it to the list.”
Hester placed her hand on the back of Cecil’s chair leaning in to read the list by the lamp light.
The man seemed to have things in order.
Cecil turned his head, breathing in the essence of Hester. She was standing so close. Her breath tickling his ear and he realized he liked it. Sitting here, discussing the events of the day and the chores ahead made him feel grounded in a way he never had. Like he held a place on this earth where he belonged.
Chapter 19
Hester peered over Cecil’s shoulder scanning the list of jobs that needed to be done. As a whole, the list was fairly comprehensive, but she had to question the priorities.
“I think you should consider checking the roof sooner rather than later.” Hester pointed at the word roof, bracing one hand on the back of Mr. Payton’s chair. “We’ve had fine weather so far, but I don’t like to think what might happen if it rains.”
Weariness pressed behind her eyes, but Hester felt that she should speak her mind. A soft warmth seemed to emanate from the man next to her, wrapping her like a comfortable blanket, and Hester sighed, soaking it in.
“Hm?” Cecil’s word made the young woman turn to look at him.
“I said the roof needs checked,” she paused meeting his eyes that glowed with an intense light.
As she watched, the man lifted his face, his lips brushing hers in a sweet kiss.
The room grew warm as Hester closed her eyes soaking in the essence of Cecil Payton.
“I’m so sorry,” Cecil shoved to his feet, all but knocking his chair over. “I didn’t mean to, I mean I didn’t expect.” Snatching the list from the table, he spun on his heel, fleeing from the room.
Hester stood, shocked at the feelings coursing through her. That tiny kiss, that brief brushing of the lips had felt like the sun breaking through the clouds. Taking a calming breath, she smoothed her skirts. They were both overly tired, that was all. Mr. Payton never would have kissed her if they weren’t exhausted.
Brushing the kiss away Hester headed for the stairs on wobbly knees. All she needed was a good night’s sleep and all would be right again. She would simply pretend the kiss had never occurred.
***
Cecil lay in his new bed in the largest room of the house. The place smelled of a strange mixture of polish, soap, and dust. The rooms had been hastily cleaned, but nooks, crannies, and hidden spaces all needed to be properly tended.
The bare windows of his room, looked out onto the yard like empty eyes, and he felt the same emptiness in his heart. He hadn’t meant to kiss Hester. Surely exhaustion and the closeness of the situation had prompted it. He would put it out of his mind.
If he pretended that it had never happened, perhaps Miss Johnson would as well. There was too much to be done for him to lose her assistance now. He couldn’t manage the children, the new house, the correspondence with his cousin and setting up a working farm without her to care for the children. He didn’t dare frighten her away with unwanted advances.
Rolling over Cecil pressed his face into his pillow and sneezed. Mrs. August was right the feathers all needed to be washed. Perhaps tomorrow, once he and Hyke checked the roof and explored the basement, he would ride into town and order new ticking. It wasn’t going to be a pleasant job, wet feathers stunk like nothing else, but it had to be done. This was his home and he would see it restored to order.
Rolling over again, Cecil placed a hand beneath his head and studied the plastered roof above him by the light of the moon. Mr. Rally had gone all out in creating a beautiful home for the bride that never was.
Sleep slipped silently upon him and Cecil’s eyes grew heavy. He welcomed the respite of rest and drifted off with Hester’s beautiful eyes dancing in his mind’s eye.
A slow shiver ran through Cecil as he let his mind go and doubts of his ability to pull this whole thing off rushed through him. So many were depending on him. So much weighed upon his shoulders. He was nothing but a wanderer, a vagabond, but now he was the glue that held this little part of the world together. He hoped he was strong enough.
***
“Uncle Cecil! Uncle Cecil! Where are you?” Jonas’s voice snapped Cecil from a sound sleep.
“Jonas, what’s wrong?” Cecil sprang from his bed rushing to the door. “What’s going on?”
“I didn’t know where you were,” Jonas said innocently as he examined his uncle in nothing but his britches. “Everyone’s almost finished with breakfast.”
“Oh,” Cecil sighed with relief running his hands through his dark hair. “I’ll be right down.”
“Are you okay?” Jonas asked tipping his head to one side.
“I’m fine.” Cecil smiled at the boy to prove his point. “I guess I was just tired.”
“What are we going to do today?” Jonas asked following his uncle into the large room while he dressed.
“Hyke and I are going to check out the roof and the cellar,” Cecil said without thinking.
“Can I help?” The boy’s voice bubbled with excitement.
“No.” Cecil turned pinning the boy with his eyes. “It isn’t safe for you. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Uncle.” Jonas smiled, nodding his understood. “See you at breakfast,” the boy spun and raced back into the hall, filling his uncle with dread. “This place is boring,” the boy muttered as he left the room. “I didn’t even see a ghost last night.”
Cecil chuckled. He would have to keep an eye on the boy.
“Are you feeling well, Mr. Payton?” Mrs. August skipped any greeting and went right to the point, her dark eyes taking in the man’s unkempt appearance.
“I’m fine,” Cecil all but snapped. “I just over slept. I guess I’ve gotten soft living in the city all these months.”
“Perhaps a good breakfast will help.” The housekeeper turned back to the stove cracking eggs into a pan and toast into the rack.
“At least that’s one thing we have plenty of,” Hyke said. “Food. It would be nice to have our own chickens though and maybe some milk.”
Cecil shook his head. He should have been up early and milked a goat. He would have to do better.
“Good morning,” Hester walked back into the kitchen through the back door. “It’s a beautiful day,” she added, her voice far too cheerful.
“Good thing too,” Mrs. August quipped. “We have a lot of work to get through.”
Cecil grinned, but didn’t say anything. He didn’t want to distract Hester or draw attention to himself. The kiss from the night before still burned on his lips and he needed to finish his breakfast and get to work before thoughts of the young woman managed to pull him down.
“How’re the goats?” Hyke asked his niece making Cecil look at the young woman in surprise.
“Fine, I moved them to fresh grass and they seem happy. Watching the kids is so funny. They are always leaping and jumping about. One was standing on its mother’s back.”
“Really!” Beverly asked dropping her fork and running for the door. “I want to see!”
“Finish your breakfast first,” Hester urged. “I have a feeling the goats will be around a while for you to enjoy.”
Beverly returned to her seat and picked up her fork finishing her meal. “Where’s the cat?” she asked looking toward the stove.
“She was here this morning,” Mrs. August replied. “She’s probably hunting again.”
Beverly nodded, her eyes flicking toward the cellar door. She wanted the cat to be a pet as well as a mouser. When would she get to do what she wanted. So far all they had done since arriving here was work.
“Will we see Alyssa soon?” The girl turned to her uncle. “I’m tired of cleaning and working here. I want to go see Alyssa.”
“Alyssa is in school,” Cecil reminded the girl. “I’m sure we’ll see her later.”
“Perhaps this week at church,” Hester suggested. “I’m sure she’ll be there. We can take a picnic and make a day of it.”
“Really!” Beverly’s eyes glowed. “What day is it now?”
“Tuesday,” Hester replied. “If we get everything done here, we’ll have a whole day to just rest and get to know the new neighbors.”
Cecil glanced up his eyes colliding with Hester’s and he swallowed hard before forcing a smile. “Sure, that sounds like a good plan.” Shoveling the rest of his food into his mouth and swallowing down his coffee, the man stood heading for the door. “I have work to do.” He felt that prickly feeling up his spine again and had to remind himself that today was like any other. The fact that he had kissed Hester Johnson the night before meant nothing.
Chapter 20
“Hester have you seen Jonas?” Beverly walked around the edge of the porch where Hester had started washing windows. “He was supposed to be helping me sweep the back porch.”
“I’ll see if I can find him,” Hester said. “He’s probably in his room.”
“I already checked there, he isn’t there either.”
A cold shiver raised goose bumps on Hester’s arms, and she hurried around the side of the house where her uncle had placed a ladder to reach the first porch roof. “Hyke, have you seen Jonas?” Hester’s heart was racing with worry, but she kept her voice calm.
“No, but I’ve been up here checking the roof.”
“Where’s Mr. Payton?”
“Up there.” Hyke pointed toward the next level at the top of the house. “Cecil,” the old man yelled. “Have you seen Jonas?”
Cecil walked to the edge of the roof peering over carefully. “No, I thought he was helping on the porch.”
“I can’t find him,” Beverly cupped her mouth to be heard. “Maybe he ran away.”
“I’ll be right down,” Cecil called back. “We’ll find him.” He was half way down the ladder to the porch when he stopped, twisting to look over his shoulder. “Have you checked the cellar yet?”
Hester shook her head slowly. No one had braved the dark dankness below the house yet. She knew that Mr. Payton and her uncle had it on the list, but if Jonas had gone down there without them, there was no telling what sort of trouble he could be in. Before another word had been spoken she sprinted back inside the house heading for the stairs leading down into the earth.
“Jonas!” Hester yelled pulling the partially open door wide and running down the stairs. “Jonas!”
***
Jonas Payton sat on the dusty floor tracing patterns on the hard wood with one finger as shards of sunlight trickled through the small window at the top of the house.
It was so quiet up here among old trunks, carpets, and a few pieces of furniture. A soft scuttling noise indicated a mouse was scurrying in the dark. The boy had gro
wn bored with sweeping the porch. He wanted his pony. He wanted to go riding in the hills, and he wanted to see Mark and Georgie again.
He had thought that moving to this new house would be an adventure, but it was just as boring as his old life back in the city, only now the grownups were too busy cleaning and organizing to bother with him. Jonas wanted to do something fun.
The soft chirp of a bird far up in the rafters over his head told him that more living things had found their way into the house, and he pulled Hebbie out of his pocket letting him wriggled into the sunlight on the floor. Hebbie was too small to catch a mouse, but he might find a cricket or a spider to eat way up here away from everyone else.