by Sondra Grey
“How many?” the young girl asked quietly and Elizabeth clutched the sides of the cooktop harder than necessary. She did not answer right away. Instead, she filled the cups and brought them around to the table. She placed one in front of Caroline then went to cut her a large piece of cherry pie from among three large ones that sat cooling on the counter. She put some cream on the side and put the plate in front of the girl. Caroline was still looking at her as if waiting for her answer. Elizabeth sat across from her and let out a shaky breath.
“Three hundred and seven,” Elizabeth said with a sad smile that nearly threatened to tumble into a hysterical laugh.
Caroline grabbed her hand over the top of the table and leaned forward shocked.
“Why Lizzie? Why did you not get that degree?”
“Because I topped my class.”
“You know you are not making sense, right?”
“My teachers were all men, so were all my fellow students. They did not appreciate that a girl should be at the top of the class. They refused on the grounds that I was a woman and women did not have the right temperament for being doctors.” she said giving Caroline the official reason that had been given to her. The real reason was much darker, and she did not wish to dwell on it.
“So, do you think I am…underweight or something…Do you think something is wrong with the baby.” she looked outright alarmed now.
“Caroline, don’t fret. I believe we can wait and watch for another couple of weeks. But I will draw you a chart for your meals. You must follow that strictly.”
“But I cannot eat. Nothing stays inside.” Caroline complained.
“I will prepare some gruel for you. It will make you feel better.” Elizabeth said, doing exactly what her husband had forbidden her from doing. Playing doctor around his ranch. Well, she had not gone around looking for patients. This was just Caroline, and it was clear that if she did not intervene the girl would become anemic. She might even deliver prematurely and lose the baby. Elizabeth shook herself out of the reverie just in time to hear Caroline say.
“Lizzie, you will be with me when the time comes, won’t you?” there was fear of the unknown lurking in the girl’s eyes and Elizabeth only knew it too well.
“Of course, sweetie. You called me Lizzie. My father used to call me that. And so, does my best friend in Cleveland, Elinore. I already consider you special.”
“That reminds me, you have a letter. It is from your best friend, Elinore Rutherford. I didn’t mean to pry, but she has written the return address and her name right below yours, see?” Caroline said handing the letter to Elizabeth. She remembered Nic having mentioned it in one of his letters that since the nearest post office was several miles away, the mail for the people around the ranch was mostly delivered at the Mercantile shop from where they picked it up.
“Oh, and here is one for Nic. It’s from the Association. And here is one for Greg. And this one for Jim.”
“Jim’s packet is the largest.”
“Oh, it’s going to be some law journals or case files or some other kind of manual. Our Jim has big dreams. He wants to hit it big someday.” Caroline said fondly making fun of Jim’s aspirations. And Elizabeth pondered over the men and women from this corner of the world. They were so self-satisfied in their little eggshell that anyone even thinking of leaving this world was, in their eyes, not to be taken seriously.
Elizabeth thanked Caroline, and at the wistful expression that came into her eyes, Caroline got up to leave saying she would leave her to read her letter. Elizabeth assured her she was in no hurry to read, though she couldn’t wait to read the news from back home.
“Umm…Caroline…there is something I wanted to ask you.” Caroline suddenly stopped in her tracks. A look of fear crossed her eyes. Then she quickly replaced it with good-natured curiosity.
“Of course, ask away.”
“Caroline, will you teach me how to make coffee?”
Chapter Twelve
A fter dinner that night, Elizabeth made coffee the way Caroline had taught her. She had just finished cleaning the kitchen while Lydia had done the dishes and put them away. The girl had looked dog-tired, and she had dismissed her to her room behind the pantry.
Lydia had taken up her place and her responsibilities in her new home seriously, genuinely grateful to Elizabeth and Nicholas for having offered her a safe home. She would be up hours before dawn and would have the fire going by the time Elizabeth came down to make breakfast.
The men would come in just before dawn for their food, and before the sun was completely up, they would all be gone off for their work. Lydia would help make breakfast, serve the men and clean afterward. What was more, she did her duties quietly and always kept a pleasant disposition.
“What is that smell?” Nic asked coming down from the bedroom where he had gone right after dinner leaving his men behind to finish their meal. They had later told Elizabeth that the boss had had a rough day with the people from the association who were pestering him to sell his land to them.
“Elizabeth, what are you doing?” he asked and his voice was laced with slight irritation.
“I was making coffee,” she said pouring him a cup as he came towards her. Though the moon had not yet waxed fully, the night was cloudy. The only light came from the mild fire in the hearth. In that light, Nicholas Rhymer looked forbidding and intimidating. As he approached her Elizabeth’s heart beat faster, and her knees went weak.
His features were hard and handsome, a broad forehead, a long sharp nose, high cheekbones and blue, blue eyes. The day’s stubble had grown over his face and made him look scruffy and somehow more attractive. Elizabeth could not believe for a moment that this tall, powerful man with a strapping figure, was her husband.
As protection, she held the coffee mug out to him before he could come any closer. “I wanted you to have the first cup I made.” Now, where had that come from? Elizabeth berated herself for her brazen remark and stood to wait for his reaction. He did not move to take the offered mug, and she felt like a fool standing there her hands outstretched.
Then he held his sides and let out a loud guffaw. His laugh made her feel more uncomfortable, and she glared back at him.
“I am happy that I amuse you.” she said tersely.
Still shaking with laughter, Nicholas took the offered mug then shaking his head vigorously he said.
“You never cease to surprise me, Liz Rhymer.” Hearing her name like that filled her with a vain delight, and coming from him it sounded all the more gratifying. It filled her with a sense of belonging.
“Liz, people don’t drink coffee before they go to bed. It’s actually supposed to wake you up.” She scowled at that.
“Well, back in Cleveland, we drank tea at any hour of the day. Even before going to bed. It would sooth the body and act as a mild soporific. Coffee essentially has the same composition. It should also…” she stopped suddenly as the jovial expression had left his face and he looked at her sharply.
“A soporific is a …” She began, but his expression made her stop as she gulped down the fear that was now rising in her chest. She had displeased him.
“I know what a soporific is Liz…point is why do you know about it…oh yes, your medical training…did we not say we were going to put that behind us?” he glowered, holding the coffee mug in one hand and holding her upper arm with the other. The grip was a bit too tight and making her squirm. But he did not relent and finally, Elizabeth stood there quietly, bearing the pain that was now searing through her arm and looking up at him pleadingly.
When Nicholas saw the tears swim into her eyes, he let go quickly. God, what was he doing? The girl had had formal training in medicine. Asking her to forget it was like asking a horse not to gallop. Why was he being so unreasonable?
And why did he have this primitive urge to hurt and to possess her? But he knew the answer to that one. When he had selected an orphan from Cleveland he had imagined her to be ugly, neglected and a dimwitte
d woman. One who would save him from the marriage trap, do all the household work and expect nothing in return.
Instead, he had gotten a pretty little vixen who also had a sharp intellect. She attracted him and threatened his resolve of lifelong celibacy.
“Don’t worry sweetheart. I was actually going out to the barn to get some work done before turning in. This cup of coffee is exactly what I needed.”
He saw the disappointment on her face and groaned inside. He did not want to be so accommodating towards her feelings. He was going down a path he had already traveled once before and knew would find only deceit and pain there.
“Actually, I had just a few minutes of work out there. Would you like to walk down with me Liz?” A man could have killed for the smile of delight that spread across her face. As they walked out and into the yard Nicholas said.
“The dinner was delicious. You cook really well.”
“My bible group back home did a lot of work for the orphans. I was terrible at knitting and sewing. And I absolutely cannot sing. I had no knowledge of either grammar or literature. And though I was good at math I had no patience to teach. So, the responsibility of cooking fell to me. I would make delicious Sunday lunches for the children, and they loved it.”
“The coffee is good too.” He said taking his first sip and looking at her with surprise. “You learn fast.”
“Thank you. I had a good teacher. Caroline taught me. She came visiting this afternoon.”
“And how do you find her?” he asked, and Lizzie knew that he was fond of the girl.
“She is such a sweet girl. We had a nice talk.”
“What did you talk about?” he asked trying to sound casual, but she did not miss the note of slight concern in his voice. It terrified and excited Elizabeth that she was so finely tuned to his mood changes.
What are you worried of that she would have told me? She wanted to ask, remembering the look of concern that had come into Caroline’s eyes earlier. She also remembered him talking in his sleep and thought that there was something he was not telling her. But she let it pass.
“We spoke of girl things, her…er…condition you know. Look here Nic I know you disapprove of me playing doctor. But I observed she is very weak. So, I made up a meal chart for her.” She had expected a reprimand, but he suddenly stopped in his tracks and put the coffee mug on the ledge near the barn door
“Do you think she is in serious trouble?” the concern in his voice told her she really mattered to him.
“She might be. Why do you ask?”
“Because Caroline’s mother had become very weak during her first pregnancy. She never recovered enough after Vincent was born. Then after she had Caroline, she died in just a couple of weeks’ time. Vincent loves his sister, and she is his only family. I love her like a little sister too. We grew up together. Besides Vincent is my best buddy. Do you think these things can be in the blood?”
“It is possible. I will wait for a few weeks and see her progress after the meal chart. If she does not improve, I will do a checkup.” She looked at him waiting for his reaction. A fight of emotions raged in his eyes, his opposition to her profession against his love for his dear ones. Then he nodded in agreement.
They had come to the barn now, and Nic took her to a stall. A handsome mare stood behind the booth.
“Elizabeth meet Star. Star Elizabeth.” He said introducing Elizabeth to the horse. The horse moved her snout as if in acknowledgment and Elizabeth giggled. She found it endearing that Nic should treat a horse as if she was a person. Nic scratched Star’s mane then picked up a brush and gave her rump a thorough brush.
“You came all the way here to give this dumb beast a brush?”
“She is not a dumb beast. She is my Star.” Nic said with pride. It made Elizabeth all the more aware of his kind nature.
For a moment, they both stood looking at each other. Then suddenly he pulled her closer and crushed his lips over hers. The sensations that coursed through Elizabeth’s body were exhilarating. She bunched her fists into his shirt front, as his hands splayed over her back.
Her softness, her curves, her scent were all driving him crazy. One of his hands slid slowly down her back and clutched at the base of her hips drawing her nearer. His hard-swollen erection pushed into her soft belly through the fabric of her dress. And Elizabeth was thrilled to know that she had had that effect on him.
She whimpered as he withdrew his lips momentarily. He shoved his fingers roughly through her mob cap and holding on to a fist full of hair pulled her head back. Then put his lips to the exposed arc of her neck. At first, he went torturously slow then he could not get enough of her neck, her shoulders and her lips and kissed her with a feverish passion.
He had pulled up her skirts with his other hand and was drawing his palm from her knee upward when suddenly the barn door opened and Vincent walked out.
“Goodness boss.” He stopped in his tracks for a second not knowing what to do then recovering quickly he walked away from the barn muttering.
“You have a perfectly good room inside a perfectly good house. Why do you have to roll in the hay?”
Though he had walked away the magic of the moment was lost, and the two pulled apart. Nicholas held on to her for a few more seconds when he realized she was shaking.
“God Liz, you drive me crazy. I married you because my father’s will stated that I had to marry before I turned thirty, to own his ranch. I chose you in particular because I expected an orphan from the east to be a plain daft woman who would cook and clean and leave me alone. Instead, I get a fiery witch like you. Stay away from me, Liz. I will destroy you. I have nothing inside me to give you. I am like a black hole. I will suck out your happiness. Stay away from me. Do you understand me?” The last of his words were said harshly while he shook her hard and Elizabeth was terrified by the change in his countenance.
She took one last look at him then fled back into the direction of the house.
Chapter Thirteen
W eeks passed, and Elizabeth settled into a comfortable routine at the ranch. She cooked three meals a day for Nic and his men, and they all loved her cooking. Lydia was always at her side helping and working like a soldier ant.
After Nic’s initial warning none of the men ever tried to seduce Lydia or vice versa. But they all made fun of her and teased her. She had become everybody’s little sister. They brought her little trinkets, flowers, wild fruits stones from the river, and she took care of their laundry, mending, and other trivial chores.
Molly stayed in a small cottage on the northern border of the ranch. She worked with the men all day out on the ranch. Sometimes she came in for a meal. And though she was always perfectly friendly with all her son’s men she was always sarcastic towards Nic and at best, cold towards Elizabeth.
On Sundays, they would hold a little service in a large empty room behind the barn. Gregory would don his cassock and wear his cross and his collar. Apart from the people of the Rhymer ranch, a few others would show up for service regularly. Among them were Joe and Caroline, Molly and Martha.
After their little encounter near the barn, Nicholas kept his distance from his wife. The only time he held and kissed her was at mealtimes in front of his men for show. They even slept in the same bed in the same room. Nic said it was important so as not to fuel gossip and Elizabeth agreed. However, they laid there night after night on two sides of the same bed, never so much as touching one another.
Nic talked in his sleep twice more. The first time, Elizabeth let him be. She was sure he would not appreciate if she pried into his personal space. But she did listen to him carefully this time and understood what it was that he was saying. It was not Yessss. What he actually said was Jessss.
The second time it happened was early one morning. Elizabeth had already gone down to the kitchen to put the kettle on. Xavier and Vincent were in early and were sitting at the table discussing how they had spotted Franco, Juan Alvarez’s lackey lurking around the fence n
ear the north border. They suspected that he had been cutting their fences and were discussing what they could do when Lydia put in quickly.
“I was down by the brook and saw him there too. I asked him what he was doing near our fences, and he said his Ma’s buried under that cherry tree near the brook and he came there often to visit her.”
The two men stopped talking and looked at her in astonishment.
“What have you been doing near the brook Lydia?” Xavier scolded. Xavier and Martha had nearly accepted Lydia as their daughter, and she respected them greatly.
“I was just looking for some herbs.” She said looking furtively around.
“Haven't I told you enough times that it's not safe to roam around the ranch till you are familiar with the terrain? The brook goes down to the river, and the river changes course often.” Xavier admonished.
“Besides there are snakes and all sorts of other creatures in the prairies.” Vincent put in, but less severely.
Lydia was shocked by the reprimand, and her shoulders shook. She suddenly let out a sob and ran out of the kitchen door into the yard. Elizabeth started after her when Xavier got up from his place.
“I’ll look after her Mrs. Rhymer. Don’t worry, I will be more kind. It's just that we worry about her.” He said, going after her.
Elizabeth turned to a smiling Vincent, placed a mug of coffee in front of him and turned to the stove.
That was when they heard it. It was a low, anguished moan. At first, Elizabeth thought it must be some animal outside. There were cats and coyotes around, and they did keenly in the wee hours of the morning. When the noise came again, she turned to look at Vincent.
But he was already out of his chair and halfway up the stairs. Elizabeth took one look at the kitchen door from where Lydia and Xavier had gone out, the hurriedly followed Vincent up.
In the dim light of the candle that Vincent had carried up with him and placed on the sideboard, she saw Nicholas thrashing among the sheets. He was wheezing and moaning and saying the same she had heard him say before Jesssss.