“Lots of horsies, Papa!” Beth skipped around Amy’s skirt until Micah took her by the hand. He knelt beside his daughter and gently held her shoulders until the girl settled and looked him in the face.
“Horses can be dangerous, sweetie. You know to stay away from them and to stay near Amy and me while we’re in town.”
Beth nodded. “So can I have a pickle, please?”
Micah smiled and brushed his hand down one side of Beth’s head. “We’ll see.” The big man’s gentleness stirred something inside Amy. She turned away and stared in the mercantile window. I can’t allow myself to have feelings for Micah. He’s Kathryn’s husband.
She regained her composure, and her shoes tapped against the boardwalk as she followed Micah and Beth into the store. She inhaled the fragrant scents of spices mixed with dried meats, coffee, and pickles.
“Got your list?” he called over his shoulder.
Amy nodded and pulled it from her reticule. Besides cloth, thread, and a new needle, they needed coffee, sugar, and other staples.
“Mornin’.” A plump woman dressed in blue gingham and an apron smiled and waved her hand in the air at Micah. “I do declare, we haven’t seen you for a long spell.”
“Good morning, Mrs. Maples. Everything fine with you and yours?” Micah tipped his hat and was rewarded with another wide smile from the store owner.
“Just fine as a new barrel of crackers.”
Amy bit back a chuckle at the kind woman’s odd comment.
“This is Amy Rogers, Kathryn’s cousin. She’ll be doing some shopping for me, so put whatever she gets on my account. I’ve got some more furs, and I’ll settle up with Horace after I tend to some business at the livery.”
Mrs. Maples’s cheery grin disappeared, and her gaze darted everywhere but at Micah. “I was very sorry to hear about your wife, Mr. Walsh. Seems to me Kathryn had finally settled into life here.”
Amy glanced at Micah to see how he’d respond. She knew the woman was just being polite.
“Thank you, ma’am. We all miss her.”
As Micah turned to Amy, she noticed a muscle tic in his jaw. He never talked to her about Kathryn, so she had no idea if he was beginning to get over his wife’s death or not. At least he’d become the father Missy needed, and now rocked her to sleep nearly every evening after Sookie nursed her.
“I need to go to the livery and get the horses reshod. Might take awhile if there are others already waiting.”
“That’s fine. It will take Beth and me a bit to pick out fabric and select supplies.”
“If you get done and I’m not back, feel free to walk over to the livery. Beth loves to see the horses.” An ornery grin twisted Micah’s lips. “You want me to tell Hank Foster that you’re in town and would like to see him?”
Amy’s mouth opened, but no words came out. Surely he was teasing. Could he know how much she worried about running into Hank? The man wouldn’t take no for an answer. Hank seemed to think if he asked her to marry him every time he saw her that she might finally give in. Well, she wouldn’t. She had no desire to marry any man.
He laughed out loud, reached his hand forward, and nudged her chin upward, closing her mouth. “I’ll take that as a no.” Amy tried to ignore the fireflies tickling her stomach at his touch.
Stooping down, he looked at Beth. “You stay with Amy and mind her. When I get back, we’ll talk about that pickle.”
“Yes, Papa. I’ll be good.”
Micah stood, tipped his hat at Mrs. Maples and Amy, and then walked off with a satisfied grin on his handsome face. She ought to be upset at him for teasing her, but inside, she knew she’d enjoyed it. This was a side of Micah she hadn’t seen before—a side she very much liked.
Amy glanced around for Beth, and her heart ricocheted in her chest when she didn’t see the girl. She hurried to the door to see if Beth had followed Micah. He was halfway down the street, driving the wagon toward the livery, and Beth was nowhere to be seen. She turned back into the store, squinting to see in the dim lighting.
To her left, over on the next aisle, she heard some giggles and hastened in that direction. Beth sat on the floor next to the cracker barrel, hugging her dolly and playing with a cute little girl with bright red hair and light blue eyes. The child’s pale skin looked stark white next to Beth’s lightly tanned arms.
A woman with auburn hair and fair skin walked down the aisle toward her. “ ’ Tis a good time our girls are having. Your daughter sure resembles you.”
Amy blinked, startled at the woman’s comment. Beth looked like her? She studied Kathryn’s daughter and realized it was true. Both she and Beth had brown hair and brown eyes, though Beth’s hair was darker, like her father’s.
The girls pushed their dollies together in a hug, and the store filled with childish giggles. The woman smiled at Amy. “Looks like they’ve become friends. I’m Tierney Chambers, and that’s my daughter, Sophie. She’s four.”
“Amy Rogers. This is Beth, my cousin’s daughter.”
“Oh, ’tis sorry I am.” Tierney pressed her hand over her mouth. “You two favor each other so, I was sure you were her mother.”
“Beth is as dear to me as if she were mine.” Amy stepped past the girls and motioned Tierney to follow her down the aisle. “Her mother died last month giving birth to Beth’s sister.”
“Oh my. Forgive me for being so callous. My husband always tells me my quick mouth will get me into trouble.”
Amy waved her hand in the air. “Think nothing of it. It was an honest mistake. I suppose Beth and I do look a bit similar.”
Tierney nodded. “Aye, you do, for sure.” She looked to her right and fingered a ready-made denim shirt, starched and folded.
“It would be so nice for Beth to have a child her age to play with. Do you live in town?”
“No, not so close. We just moved here from Pennsylvania about a month ago. My Sean wanted to try his hand at farming. We live a couple hours’ ride south of town.”
Amy gasped. “Truly? We live out that way, too.”
“Aye?” Tierney’s eyes sparked with excitement, and she touched Amy’s arm. “Oh, ’twould be wonderful if we lived close enough to visit each other once in a while. We’ll just have to make sure my Sean and your husband meet.”
Husband. Amy doubted she would ever marry and certainly wouldn’t have the good fortune of wedding someone like Micah. She looked away, so Tierney wouldn’t see her embarrassment, then glanced down at the two youngsters prancing down the aisle and making horse sounds. A smile tugged at her lips as she watched Beth enjoying her new friend. “Yes, it would be nice for Beth to have a playmate, and I would enjoy talking with another woman, but this is my first trip to town from our farm. I’m afraid you’d have to ask Micah for directions.”
“Micah? That fine looking man who walked you into the store is your husband, I’m guessin’.” Tierney’s pine green eyes held no guile.
Amy’s face warmed to think of Micah as her husband. That would never happen, even if she had dreamed it a time or two. She was sure her cheeks were rose red. “No, um. . .Micah is—was—my cousin’s husband. He’s Beth’s father.”
Tierney blanched. “Oh no, I’ve done it again.”
Amy couldn’t help but laugh at Tierney’s devastated expression. A soft smile tugged at the other woman’s cheeks, and soon they were both laughing. Both girls stopped their horseplaying and looked at them with wide, curious eyes, making the women laugh even harder.
Tierney pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve and dabbed it in front of her mouth. “Oh my, I fear Sean is right. I do have a big mouth.”
Amy grinned. She liked this woman. She hadn’t had a close friend since she was eight years old and played with Velma Wheaten, her next door neighbor. In her heart, she hoped that Tierney and she could become good friends, even though they’d just met.
“Well, I should let you finish your shopping.” Tierney dabbed at her eyes then tucked away her handkerchief.
&n
bsp; “It was a pleasure meeting you, Tierney. Please, let’s try to get together. I would enjoy it as much as Beth.”
“Me, too. Perhaps if you finish gathering your supplies before Sophie’s father returns, we could sit out front in the rockers and let the girls play.”
“That would be delightful. I’ll get busy then.” Amy looked down at her crumpled list. It shouldn’t take too long. Picking out fabric was the only thing that would take much time.
Half an hour later, Amy and Beth left Mrs. Maples to cut out the cloth Amy had selected and met Tierney and Sophie on the mercantile’s porch. Amy leaned against the porch railing with her back to the street, while the girls sat on the edge of the boardwalk, eating pickles and swinging their shorts legs back and forth.
“Heard you was in town.”
The blood began to pound in Amy’s temples, and she stiffened. She’d recognize Hank Foster’s voice anywhere. Had Micah been serious about telling Mr. Foster she was in Stewart’s Gap? Tierney lifted her brows and gazed at Amy. Her eyes held the question she didn’t voice. Amy swallowed and turned.
“You’re lookin’ mighty fine today, darlin’. You ready fer me to come courtin’ yet?”
Mortified, Amy gripped the railing and forced herself to look down at Mr. Foster. How could she make the man understand she wasn’t interested in him without being too harsh?
Before she could respond, a rider raced into town and passed them at full speed. Both women and Hank turned to watch him. The man yanked his mount to a quick stop, jumped off, and ran up to a group of men gathered outside the saloon. Seconds later, the crowd erupted into cheers. Amy watched as the men quickly splintered off in different directions. Cheers and whoops could be heard all over the town.
Amy’s gaze darted to Tierney’s. What could be happening?
Eight
Amy sighed with relief as Hank drifted off toward a nearby group of men, probably to find out what all the ruckus was about.
Micah drove the wagon up near the boardwalk and called out, “Whoa.” As he jumped down, his gaze captured hers, his blue-green eyes twinkling. He darted up the steps, grabbed her around the waist, and swung her around in a full circle.
Amy’s heart ricocheted in her chest at being pressed up against his sturdy body. His coffee-scented breath warmed her forehead. What was going on?
He set her down and stepped back, looking both excited and a tad bit embarrassed. He scratched an ear that was turning a bright shade of red. “Didn’t you hear the news?”
Amy glanced at Tierney, who stared back with a crooked grin, eyebrows uplifted, and arms crossed over her chest. Forcing her heart to stop its stampeding, she looked back at Micah and shook her head. “No. What news?”
Micah’s charming grin made cornmeal mush of her insides. “The United States signed a treaty with France buying all of Louisiana—from the Mississippi River all the way to the Rocky Mountains. It more than doubles the size of the nation.”
Excitement coursed through Amy. “That’s wonderful!” She peeked at Tierney and saw a thin man with blond hair and a big smile hurrying toward her friend. He murmured something and engulfed Tierney in an embrace. Amy surmised he was her husband, Sean. Glancing back at Micah, she almost wished he’d hug her again. She never knew being in Micah’s arms would be so breathtaking and make her feel so protected.
“Yes, it’s fantastic news.” Micah’s eyes danced, and he looked the most unfettered Amy had ever seen. “I feel like celebrating. Let’s get a bite to eat before we go home.”
❧
At dusk, hours later, Micah handed Beth’s limp, sleeping form to Sookie, who carried her inside the cabin. He returned to the wagon and helped Amy down, trying to ignore the way his fingers tingled when he touched her. All the way home, as the sunset painted the sky a brilliant wash of pink, purple, and orange, he’d berated himself for his impulsive hug, even though he’d like to sweep Amy into his arms right now.
But it was wrong, wasn’t it?
His wife had not been dead that long. How could he even look at another woman? He realized he still had his hands on Amy’s waist and released her. He stepped back.
“Thank you for dinner, Micah. I’ve not eaten in a café in a long time. It was very good.” Amy seemed to be studying the ground. Her shyness stirred a protectiveness in him that he didn’t want stirred.
He cleared his suddenly husky throat. “Um. . .you’re welcome. I’ll go find Ben, and we’ll get the supplies unloaded so you women can get to sleep. I’d leave it all out here in the wagon overnight, but the wild animals would get into some of the things.”
“All right.” Amy glided up the steps and into the cabin. Was that disappointment he heard in her voice?
He shook his head. She’d been happy—grateful—moments before, so why was she downhearted now? Womenfolk sure were hard to understand. He hollered for Ben then grabbed a box near the back of the wagon.
Why had he enjoyed hugging Amy so much? Simply because it felt nice being close to a woman again?
He leaned against the side of the wagon and stared up at the darkening sky. No, it was more than that.
He was grateful for all she’d done for him and his family. That’s all. She could have found work elsewhere, but she’d stayed and cooked, cleaned, and cared for his daughters and the rest of them. Yes, Amy Rogers was a woman deserving of hugs, but he wasn’t the man to be giving them.
❧
“It was mighty nice of your Sean to offer to help Micah and Ben with the farming.” Amy smiled at Tierney, ever so glad her new friend had come to visit. Though it was only their second meeting, she felt a strong bond with Tierney, unlike anything she’d ever experienced. Sitting on the porch, sewing squares of a quilt Kathryn had cut out, they could watch Beth and Sophie, who sat under a tree, piling their laps full of yellow dandelion flowers and clover blossoms.
The comfortable breeze cooled Amy with its gentle fingers as birds chirped high up in the trees. May was a wonderful time of the year. Everything seemed new and fresh.
“Think nothing of it. My Sean is as happy to be with other menfolk as I am to spend time with you. ’Tis a rare day to sit and talk with a friend.”
Amy giggled, and Tierney peeked up from her stitching. “Do you suppose the men actually talk to one another? I mean, Micah is so quiet.”
“Aye, Sean is quite the talker. Some men are just more quiet than others.”
“I suppose. Ben is more talkative than his brother.”
“How is it you came to be caring for two such fine men?”
Amy darted a gaze at Tierney, not sure if she was teasing or serious. Her friend’s brow dipped down in concentration as she tied a knot and then started sewing together two more sections. Amy blew out a sigh then told her the story of her mother’s death, her father’s mistreatment and leaving her destitute, and coming to the Walsh’s to find Kathryn in childbirth.
Tierney stopped sewing and had tears in her eyes by the time Amy was finished. “Aye, I do remember hearing something about that now, but I didn’t know who folks were talking about then since we were new to the area. ’Twas sad circumstances that brought you here, to be sure, but God works in mysterious ways. I saw how Micah hugged you back in town.”
Amy’s heart skittered, and she poked her finger with her needle. Sucking at the blood, she stared at Tierney, stunned at her comment. “That was nothing. He was just excited over the new Louisiana treaty.”
Tierney grinned. “ ’Twas more than that, and I’m sure you noticed.”
“No.” Amy shook her head. “Micah still mourns his wife.”
“How long has it been since she died?”
“Three months, yesterday.” Amy watched Beth and Sophie chasing each other around a tree. Oh, to be an innocent child again. But then, she would have had to live her life over and learn anew that life wasn’t always good—rarely good. Her father taught her that.
“Aye, it hasn’t been all that long at that. But a man needs a woman by his side.
These days are often hard, and a man must do what’s best for his family—especially a man with young children. He doesn’t always have time to mourn properly. Maybe God brought you here to take Kathryn’s place.”
This time her friend shocked her so much that she couldn’t look anywhere but her hands. Why would God want her—a waif from a poor family—to replace Kathryn? Wouldn’t God want the children to be with their real mother?
“I see that mind of yours contemplating.” Amy looked up and saw Tierney wagging a finger at her. “Don’t try to figure it all out. You just need to understand that God is a God of love. He sees what we cannot, and His plans are far greater for us than we could ever imagine. Don’t be afraid of marriage. Perhaps Micah isn’t the man for you, but there are other good men in this world.”
Amy licked her fingers and smoothed out the crease she’d scrunched into her fabric. She’d seen few good men in the world. But could it actually be true that God had a plan for her life? And could it perhaps include Micah?
Her breathing trembled at the possibilities. She’d already gone from despising the man to admiring him. Could love be in the future? It was too much to hope for.
“Why do you suppose Kathryn wanted a quilt with a house design on it?” Tierney asked. “There’s even smoke coming from the chimney on that section I just pieced together.”
Amy shook her head. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen one quite like it before, but Ben told me it’s the sign of a safe house.”
Tierney set her stitching in her lap and looked up. “What’s that?”
“A place where runaway slaves can find refuge. The agents who run a safe house clothe and feed the runaways, then help them to get farther north. A quilt with a cabin and smoking chimney design that’s hanging in a window or outside on a rope is a sign of a safe house. In fact, there are other quilt designs that also have hidden meanings. In some places, a bear claw quilt means to follow the bear tracks over the mountain.”
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