Jemma forced herself to smile. “The proper title is Lady Jemma, but please, Mrs. Jordan or Jemma will suffice. You must be Sam. Thane said you’d be around the barn today and we’re to dine with you.”
“It’s nice to meet you ma’am.” Sam doffed his hat and managed an awkward bow. “Would you like some breakfast? I can whip up some griddlecakes or offer you biscuits and bacon.”
“You eat biscuits for breakfast?” Jemma recalled Cook telling her something about American biscuits being different than those to which she was accustomed and that Thane liked them made with buttermilk.
“Sure do. We eat biscuits any time of the day — smothered in gravy, topped with jam, sweetened with honey.” Sam walked beside her, holding open the bunkhouse door for her to enter. As she stepped inside, Jemma noted a large kitchen and long table with benches on either side at the front of the big space. A partial wall separated it from two rows of beds with a few dressers in the back.
“May I see a biscuit?” Jemma asked.
Sam gave her an odd look, but walked over to the table and lifted a round, fluffy circle and set it in her hand.
“This is an American biscuit?”
Sam nodded.
Fascinated, Jemma studied the quick bread she held in her hand, sniffed it then glanced at Sam again. “What do you call something sweet that you’d eat for a treat, perhaps dessert?”
“Cake? Pie?”
“No, something small, you can hold in your hand. It might have jam-filling or coconut, or even chocolate.”
“A cookie?” Sam stepped over to the counter and removed the lid from a big jar. He took out a molasses cookie, handing it to Jemma.
“This is a cookie, not a biscuit?”
“Correct.” Sam thought Thane’s wife seemed slightly daft from her questions.
“I see.” Jemma sank down on a bench and stared at the two baked goods in her hands. “I believe I have much to learn about American cooking, Sam. Would you mind sharing your knowledge?”
“I’d be happy to, ma’am. You just let me know when you’re ready for a lesson.”
“Thank you, sir. I appreciate your willingness to provide assistance.” Jemma offered him a charming smile. “Do you perchance have a cup of coffee to spare to go along with my biscuit and cookie?”
Jemma visited with Sam while she ate, then returned to the house and started cleaning.
After the children awoke and ate breakfast, Jemma let Jack stay with Sam at the barn where he cleaned and repaired bridles and harnesses.
She tied a dishtowel over Lily’s curls and gave the little girl a rag, asking her to help dust. While Lily flitted from room to room waving her rag in the air, Jemma began scrubbing the kitchen. She cleaned the stove, scoured the sink, and got down on her knees with a brush to clean the floor.
When she unearthed a nest of mice in the back of a cupboard, she screamed so loudly, Sam barreled into the house with his gun cocked, ready to kill whatever intruder threatened her life.
While Jemma gasped and pointed to the mice from her spot atop the table with Lily at her side, Sam nearly chewed a hole in his lip trying not to laugh.
He holstered the pistol and explained to Jack how to get rid of mice as the two of them took the nest outside.
Relieved and glad to be rid of the rodents, Jemma climbed down from atop the table and lifted Lily to the floor.
“Auntie Jemma?” Lily asked in a singsong voice while swinging back and forth as she stood with her arms wrapped around the table leg.
“Yes, poppet?” Jemma looked up from where she knelt, scrubbing out the cupboard, now devoid of its furry occupants.
“Can we go home?”
“Oh, lovey.” Jemma rinsed her hands at the sink then picked up Lily and sank down on one of the two kitchen chairs.
Rocking the little girl in her arms, Jemma kissed her button nose and sighed. “This is our home, now. I know it’s not like your wonderful, beautiful room at the cottage, but we’ll make your new room special.”
“Can we do it today?”
“No, Lily. Not today, but very soon. I promise.”
“Okay.” Lily hugged Jemma with one of her enthusiastically tight squeezes then jumped down and ran to her room with her dust rag.
Unable to hold back a sigh, Jemma attacked her cleaning with renewed enthusiasm.
Chapter Fourteen
Atop the crest of a hill on the back of Shadow, Thane breathed in the scents of sagebrush, dust, and the sweet fragrance of his wife. He held one of her lacy handkerchiefs to his nose, breathing deeply of her perfume.
During the last several weeks of staying at the cottage then traveling home to the ranch, he’d spent so much time in her presence, he missed her scent constantly around him. For a tough, take-no-mercy rancher, that woman was succeeding, albeit unknowingly, in grinding away his hard edges.
He stuffed the scented handkerchief he’d pilfered from her trunk back into his pocket then let his eyes rove over his land and the hundreds of cattle grazing contentedly below him.
Satisfied with his ranch, his hands, and the unexpected turns in his life, he bowed his head and sent up a prayer of thanks.
As he counted each of his blessings, he saved his wife for last.
Lifting his gaze to the snow-capped mountains in the distance, he recalled the way he’d tangled with Jemma before they fell asleep last night. He didn’t know what it was about the woman, but it brought him an indescribable amount of enjoyment to do things that irked or unsettled her.
She’d lived in such an ordered world all her life, he thought it was good for her to have things out of balance once in a while, especially if he was the one to get her bloomers in a twist.
Thoughts of her bloomers and the feel of the light cotton beneath his hand when he’d been teasing her left him uncertain if he should have been grateful or mad the children barged into the room, interrupting whatever might have happened next.
In his current state, the only way he knew to keep his hands off his wife and fulfill his promise to her was to work so long and hard he had no energy left for anything else. After being gone for two months, he had plenty of work to do to keep him busy, at least until the snow started to fly.
He turned the horse around and urged him further down the fence line they rode to check for breaks.
When he arrived back at the barn a few minutes before six, Thane brushed down Shadow and led him into a small corral. After throwing in a forkful of hay and filling a bucket of water for the horse, Thane hurried to wash up with the rest of the hands.
Purposefully opening the bunkhouse door, he stepped inside and walked over to where Sam pulled a pan of cornbread from the oven.
The hint of spicy beans greeted Thane and he smiled as he watched the cook cut the cornbread into pieces. “How did things go today?”
“Other than a strange conversation about biscuits and cookies then having to rescue your wife from a nest of mice, it’s been a quiet day.” Sam grinned at Thane as he placed slices of cornbread on a platter. “Jack’s a good boy. He helped me mend bridles this morning and I had him clean a few stalls this afternoon. The missus kept Lily with her in the house.”
Thane nodded his head and thumped Sam on the back. “Thanks for keeping an eye on them for me.”
“My pleasure.” Sam set the cornbread on the table and took a seat.
Thane settled into a chair at one end of the table and looked up as the kidding and teasing conversations came to a halt and quiet descended across the room. The feminine figure in the doorway, flanked by Jack and Lily, drew the attention of all the men.
“I do hope we are not unforgivably tardy,” Jemma said, offering the cowboys her brightest, most charming smile.
“No, ma’am.” Sam rose to his feet with the rest of the hands following suit.
Appreciative of their efforts at upholding good manners, Jemma kept her tone friendly as she smiled at them. “Good evening, gentlemen.”
If the ranch hands hadn’t
been half enamored with her from the brief moments they’d seen her earlier, they were in awe of the poised, elegant woman who stepped inside the bunkhouse.
The light floral fragrance floating around Jemma made every one of the cowboys take a deep whiff. Her melodic voice, with its proper British accent, washed over them like a soothing song.
Thane frowned at Jemma, noticing more than a few of his hands appeared smitten with his wife. Unfamiliar pangs of jealousy speared through him, making him irritable and out of sorts.
Enchanted by her beauty, he hurried over to her, taking in her perfectly coifed hair, expensive peach and gray silk gown, and the sparks dancing in her bright copper eyes.
Annoyed she looked so lovely, although he couldn’t say why, he picked up Lily then took Jemma’s elbow in his hand and walked her to the opposite end of the table from where he sat. He settled Lily on the end of the bench on a stack of books Sam left there after she ate her breakfast then turned to his men, keeping his face impassive.
“Gentlemen, I’d like to introduce my wife, Lady Jemma Bryan Jordan. Please address her as Mrs. Jordan. Jemma, these are the best ranch hands a man could have.”
In a clockwise motion, Thane went around the table introducing each of his employees. Jemma caught a few of the names and would have to learn the rest. She remembered Ben, the teasing young man from that morning, along with Charlie, Ed, and Walt.
She tipped her head graciously to each one then settled into the seat Thane held for her at the end of the table. Before he moved from her side, he bent down and pressed his mouth close to her ear. “You don’t need to dress for dinner. I’m sure whatever you had on would have been fine.”
Her cheeks pinked at his comment and she felt the eyes of all the cowboys on her as they grinned, wondering what their boss said to make his wife blush.
Thane asked a blessing on their meal then a lively conversation ensued as the men began passing food around the table.
Jemma listened to them talk about ranch work and picked out several unfamiliar phrases. Ben seemed particularly excited in relaying a bit of news about someone the rest of the men apparently knew.
“You betcha, ol’ Joe Lambery done loosened his hinges right there on Main Street in front of George’s waterin’ hole. He was on that crockhead bronc you told him wasn’t worth beans, boss. That ol’ cayuse set in to crowhoppin’ to beat the band. Joe got him a face full of meadow muffins right in front of Pastor Eagan and commenced into a string of blasphemy that woulda peeled the hide off a lizard. Last I heard, he’s barkin’ at a knot over on some cocklebur outfit near Haines.”
With no idea what the man had just said, other than relaying a tale about someone committing blasphemy in front of the pastor, she assumed Joe had done something humorous by the laughter of the men around her.
Thane furrowed his brow in thought. “Joe worked here for what, Sam? Two days?” Sam nodded his head. “He told us the working conditions weren’t up to his standards.”
Ben grinned. “I think what he meant was that the boss expected him to earn his keep and Joe doesn’t like to work.”
“I see,” Jemma said, smiling politely and returning her attention to her meal. She’d never had cornbread and tried to decide if she liked the taste of it. After taking another dainty bite, she focused her attention on the aromatic bowl of beans called chili that Sam set before her. Spices tickled her nose as she lifted a spoon and took a bite.
Much to her dismay, it quickly became apparent the men didn’t want a female on the ranch and had decided to hasten her demise. Flames of heat incinerated her tongue and she set the spoon down with a clatter.
The beans, seasoned with spices blended by Lucifer himself, set her mouth on fire and burned a trail down her throat all the way to her stomach. Afraid to swallow them, she certainly couldn’t spit them out, and sat bug-eyed with the beans turning her tastebuds and tongue to ash.
“Get her some milk, Sam!” Thane barked as he jumped up and rushed down the length of the table to her side. Sweat beaded on Jemma’s forehead and she whimpered in pain as he squatted beside her.
“Swallow, Jem. Just swallow it,” Thane coaxed, taking the milk from Sam and holding it to her lips.
She shook her head, unwilling to trust any of the men, including her husband.
“Come on, Jemma. Open your mouth and take a sip. It’ll make the burning go away.”
Reluctantly, Jemma swallowed the bite of beans then took the glass from Thane, glugging it down in a few unrefined swallows.
Fire continued to burn in her stomach. She grabbed for her glass of water, but Thane moved it out of her reach.
“Pour her some more milk.” Thane held the glass while Sam refilled it then tipped it to her lips. She drank half of it before pushing it away and leaning back in her chair, embarrassed but feeling slightly nauseous.
As her vision cleared, she glanced over in horror as Lily lifted a spoon of the beans to her little lips.
“No, Lily! Stop!” Jemma croaked, her voice not yet recovered from its introduction to Sam’s chili.
Thane grabbed the spoon before Lily took a bite, making the little girl glare at him.
“Uncle Thane! I want my dinner! I do it myself!”
“Eat your cornbread, honey.” Thane lifted Lily’s bowl of chili away and pushed her cornbread toward her. “You can put jam on it. Sam has good jam.”
“Don’t want it. Want my dinner!” Tears pooled in Lily’s eyes and she stuck out her bottom lip.
Thane set her bowl back down and Jemma grabbed his arm in dismay. He ignored her spluttering and picked up Lily’s spoon. Scooping a tiny bite from the bowl, he gave it to Lily while Sam made sure her glass of milk was full. “Okay, honey. Try a bite and see if you like it.”
Lily opened her mouth and took the bite, chewing and swallowing then wiping her mouth with her napkin, just like Jemma taught her.
Curls bounced as she cocked her head and smiled sweetly, holding out her hand for her spoon. “More, please.”
Thane chuckled and gave Lily her spoon. “She must take after her father. He could eat anything.” Thane glanced at Jack. “How about you, son? Do you like the chili?”
“Yes, sir!” Jack said, already halfway through his bowl.
“A couple of thoroughbreds,” Thane teased, ruffling Lily’s hair before returning to his seat.
Jemma rolled her eyes in disgust and nibbled at her cornbread between sips of milk. Between the chili and Thane referring to the children as thoroughbreds, she no longer had any appetite.
Evidently, she failed to meet whatever standard he’d set for the title of thoroughbred. No doubt, he’d classify her as a nag or a mule.
As soon as Jack and Lily finished their dinner, she stood, causing the men to scramble to their feet, some with spoons still in their hands.
“Sam, thank you for another fine meal.” Jemma smiled at the cook. “If you gentlemen will please excuse me, the children and I shall return to the house.”
Although Jack started to protest, Jemma quelled him with a stern look and grabbed Lily’s hand, herding them both out the bunkhouse door.
“I don’t think she liked your Texas chili, Sam.” The laughter of the men floated out the open door, taunting her as she marched back to the house.
She settled the children at the table with their lessons, neglected during the busy day. They studied until Jemma declared it time for Lily to go to bed.
The little girl fussed and whined, refusing to let Jemma tuck her in without Thane there, as had become their routine during the last few weeks.
Exhausted, she sent Jack out to find Thane. The boy finally returned with his uncle.
Bareheaded and shirtless as he stepped inside, Jemma wondered what Thane had been doing when Jack found him. His chest glistened with perspiration as he walked into the room. He swiped his forearm across his forehead, catching drips of sweat.
“What are you doing?” she glared at him as he wiped his hands on his thighs and knelt nex
t to Lily’s bed.
“Tucking Lily into bed,” Thane muttered, turning to smile at the little girl. “Are you ready for sweet dreams, honey?”
“No.”
“Why not? Would a story make you go to sleep?”
“Yes. Tell me a story! Please!” Lily wiggled around until she sat up in bed and gazed with adoration at her uncle. Primly folding her hands in her lap, she pursed her lips as she’d seen her aunt do many times and gave Thane a regal look. “You may begin.”
Thane swallowed back a chuckle and nodded his head. He told her a story about a calf named Whitey and a barn cat named Blackie, creating an adventure of them chasing a bird. Most of what he said seemed like pure nonsense to him. He’d crawl in a hole and die if one of his hands caught him uttering such silliness, but Lily enjoyed it. She eventually leaned back against her pillows and her eyes slowly drifted shut.
Quietly rising to his feet, Thane kissed her cheek, careful not to drip any sweat on her, then moved out of the way so Jemma could pull up her covers and give her a kiss.
Jack, who lingered in the doorway, asked if he could play outside and Thane agreed, warning him to stay within sight of the cabin.
Returning to the kitchen, Thane used a dishtowel to mop the sweat away from his face then pumped a glass of water and chugged it down. Still thirsty, he worked the pump handle and refilled the glass.
Footsteps tapped behind him and he turned around, leaning against the sink. Jemma stopped a few feet away, hands fisted on her hips as she glared at him.
Uncertain what he’d done to incur her wrath, he slowly finished his water, wiped his mouth on the back of his hand, and set the glass in the sink.
“You find some lemons to suck, Jem?” he asked, knowing it would infuriate her.
“Of course not. Don’t be impudent.” Nearly overcome with the urge to slap him, she clenched her hands at her sides. “Who gave you leave to call me Jem?”
Crumpets & Cowpies: (Sweet Historical Western Romance) (Baker City Brides Book 1) Page 18