by Jillian Hart
“I’ll keep her. Who taught you to sew? Your aunt?”
“No, my Aunt June didn’t have the time to spare.” She bit her bottom lip, remembering those hard times when her father had been injured. “I’m mostly self-taught. After Pa was well and we moved out of our uncle’s house, I had to figure out how to mend everyone’s clothes. I wasn’t that good, but when we moved here to Angel Falls, my new friends took pity on me.”
“Not pity.” His dark eyes grew darker with interest. “I’m sure they couldn’t help adoring you on that first day you came to school.”
“Me? No.” Shyness gripped her, and she bowed her head, breaking away from the power of his gaze. She didn’t want him to see too much or to know how sorely her feelings had been hurt on her first day of school. “I was the new girl and didn’t know anyone. I think they felt sorry for me.”
“I know I did.”
Mortified, time flashed backward, and in memory, she was at her desk in the back row. Sunshine warmed the classroom and open windows let in the fresh smells of growing grass and the Montana wind. Shouts and shoes drummed as kids rushed toward the door for lunch break, but Narcissa Bell’s voice rose above every sound. “Does it look as if I want to be friends with you? What is your name?”
“R-Ruby.” She bowed her head, miserable beyond description. Her first day of school. She’d come with hopes of making friends.
“I’m going to call you Rags. Look at that dress.”
Girls had laughed as they pranced by in their tailored frocks in the latest fabrics and styles, in their shining new shoes and hair ribbons and bows. She’d felt her face blaze tomato red as her dreams of making friends shattered.
She hadn’t realized Lorenzo had witnessed the whole thing. What had he thought at the time? He was friends with Narcissa. They were in the same circle of friends. Had he gazed at her that first day with pity, too?
“I remember you wound up eating lunch with Meredith and her group.” No sign of pity marked his chiseled, lean face. “You were hard not to notice, being the new girl and the prettiest.”
“Not the prettiest, not by far.” How could he say such a thing? She squirmed in her chair, uncomfortable but grateful, because his generous compliment took the sting out of the memory of Narcissa’s taunting. “But I could be the most blessed. I got a new circle of friends that day. The best friends anyone could have.”
“That is a great blessing,” he agreed, so sincere, she found herself leaning in a little closer, drawn to him in a way she could not control.
“God was watching over me.” She would never forget how it had felt when Fiona, Meredith, Lila, Kate, Scarlet and Earlee had approached her with friendly smiles and asked her to eat with them. “They asked me to join their sewing circle. We try to meet every week.”
“And so they have helped you with your sewing.”
“And my kitting and crocheting.” She gestured to the delicate circle of stitching cradled in the folds of her apron. “They are like family to me.”
“It had to be rough, thinking you might have to leave them.” Understanding arced between them, and aware of the women sipping their after-lunch tea at the nearby table, he lowered his voice further. “With this job, will you be able to stay in Angel Falls?”
“I don’t know, but right now I have a job, and I’m grateful for it. Thanks to you.”
“Me? I didn’t do a thing.”
“You said something to your mother, didn’t you? You were the reason she chose me.”
“She did the choosing all on her own. It was my father, actually, who influenced her.”
“Your father? I’ve never met him.” Bewilderment crinkled her porcelain forehead and adorably twisted the corners of her rosebud mouth. “Why would he do that for me?”
“He’s met your father and liked him.” Tenderness became like an ailment that afflicted him more every time his gaze found hers. He could not forget what he’d seen her in her eyes. Encouraged, he tried not to think of all the ways she could still reject him. “Tell me about your family. Surely now your father still isn’t planning to move?”
“It’s hard to say.” She bowed her head, and gossamer strands escaped from her braid to tumble over her china-doll face. She couldn’t hide her worry, not from him. He read it in her posture, in the tight line of her fine-boned jaw and the tiny sigh that escaped her.
Something was still wrong, something he hadn’t been able to fix. He wanted to. “Tell me,” he urged gently.
“My brother lost his job.” She shrugged one slim shoulder, as if it were nothing to worry about. “He will be home again, and that is the good news. Pa and I have missed Rupert terribly. There is always a silver lining.”
He realized she hadn’t answered his question. An answer of sorts. “You are an optimistic woman.”
“It’s new. I’ve made up my mind. No more visions of doom.”
“That’s a good philosophy. Are you able to follow it?” He reached out, uncertain if he should touch her, if she was ready for that.
“I don’t know, as today is the first day I’m using it.” Her eyes widened at his touch. She took a sharp intake of breath as if she was surprised, but she didn’t move away.
“How is it going so far?”
“B-better than expected.”
“That’s how my day has been, too.” Hope was a powerful thing, and the moment his fingertips grazed her cheek, wishes came to life within him. He wanted to be the man she turned to, the man who could right all the wrongs in her life, the one man she could count on forever.
If she didn’t move away with her family. If his parents accepted her. Tension knotted him up, and he willed it away. He wouldn’t worry about the future, just this moment.
Her cheek was as soft as ivory silk. Her hair felt as luxurious as liquid platinum and tickled the backs of his knuckles when he brushed away those flyaway tendrils. Five kinds of tenderness roared to life within him. Please, he silently pleaded, please feel for me what I do for you.
Her gaze searched his, and in that moment of connection, he felt a click in his heart, like a lock turning. He folded those gossamer locks behind her ear, but the sensation remained, as if another room had opened within him and there was more space to fill with love for Ruby.
What would she do if she knew?
“You cook, you sew, you crochet.” The words sounded strained, and there was no way to hide it. At least she couldn’t tell his pulse galloped like a startled jackrabbit. “Do you sing?”
“Very badly, at least that’s my fear. I hum at home while I’m doing housework, to spare my father the sound of my voice.”
“Surely he hears you humming?”
“I’m very quiet, and he’s been gracious enough not to complain. So far. Who knows what would happen if I were to break out in song.” She picked up her needle and thread so she would have something to do besides falling into his incredible eyes. “My singing might cause Pa to go deaf, break every glass on the kitchen shelves and draw rodents in from the fields. All very good reasons for me to stick to humming.”
“You’re funny, Ruby.” His chuckle rumbled richly, and he leaned in closer as if to consider this new side of her.
She had been serious, but if he wanted to think she was humorous she wouldn’t argue. She fit the crochet needle into a stitch. She concentrated on tightening the thread around it, not too tight to ruin the gage, but her hands were trembling. Breathless, she tried to forget the lingering tingle on her cheek where Lorenzo had brushed a strand of hair from her eyes. His manly presence made her forget where she was, who she was, why she could not let herself wish.
But if she could wish, it would be to have the chance to lose herself in his eyes. To sit basking in the manly assurance of his presence. To listen to his laughter ring one more time.
Lorenzo was a wonderful dream. But that’s all he could be. She thought of the look on her father’s face when he’d told her of Rupert’s letter.
“Are you joining the car
oling group at church?” His velvety baritone rang as private as a whisper. “The first practice is this evening.”
“Tempting, but I’m not sure if I will.” She thought of her father’s discouragement. The last thing she wanted was to leave him alone with his worries. “I thought maybe, but that was before Rupert’s news. I should stay home, although my friends are going.”
“Any chance they might persuade you?”
“Who knows? Maybe. I have to see how my father is first.” She wound her needle around the thread to make a single crochet stitch. “I suppose you will be there?”
“That’s my plan. It gets me out of the house.”
“Why? You’re obviously close to your family.” She stopped midstitch. “You must like spending time with them.”
“Sure, but this time of year? My mother is preoccupied with her Christmas ball planning. My sister and I barely hear about anything else.”
“Sounds truly tragic. How do you survive it?”
“Exactly. She wants to know who I’m escorting this year, so the farther away I can get, the better.” Humor polished his striking features. “I take refuge at the church. It’s a fun time. You should think about coming.”
“I should?” She nearly choked on her words. Why, it almost sounded as if he wanted her to be there, as if he had a personal interest in her. Shock rattled her, the crochet hook tumbled from her hand and clattered to the floor. Lorenzo Davis could not be interested in her. That was simply her fanciful nature carrying her away again.
“Reverend Hadly makes it enjoyable. Mostly it’s the old gang from school, so it’s good to see everyone and catch up. We head over to the diner during our break for dessert. It’s a good time.”
“Oh, I’m sure.” Was she imagining the glint of hope in his eyes as he waited for an answer to his question? Authentic, patient, solid, he was gilded by the light.
Did Lorenzo Davis like her, even a little? Yes, she realized, accepting it finally. The breath rushed out of her, her lungs seized up and one hiccup squeezed out of her too-tight throat. She watched, dizzy with the possibility as Lorenzo knelt to retrieve her crochet hook.
The thick, sandy brown fall of his hair glinted in the sunlight, the muscles in his shoulders bunched as he rose from the floor, and he held out the needle on his wide palm. Why was her heart beating double time?
As she snared her crochet hook, her fingertips unavoidably bumped his hand. The emotional charge that zinged through her scared her. She cared for him more than she’d realized. She fisted her hand around the crochet hook and bowed her head.
Why now, Lord? She’d lived in Angel Falls since April. For nine months, her life had been fine, uneventful and settled. Until now.
“I imagine you have a lot of chores waiting for you at home after your shift here.” Kindness was his best feature. It lit him softly, filling his soulful eyes with caring she could not deny.
“Yes. Pa is helpless in the kitchen. I’ll have supper to fix and dishes to do.” His caring settled within her, making her shaky, making her want to escape. “So it’s not likely I’ll be able to go tonight.”
“That’s too bad. I hope your friends can persuade you.”
He rose from the chair, towering over her, and it was his heart she saw. His regard she felt. He jammed his hands in his pockets, squared his mighty shoulders and disappointment resonated in his eyes, darkening the color to a sad, midnight blue. “You work hard, Ruby. You deserve to have a little fun.”
“I’m just trying to do what’s right for my family.”
“I know. I admire it.” The sunlight chose that moment to dim as he turned away, his boots plodding crisply on the wood floor. She squeezed her eyes shut, unable to breathe as sorrow set in.
If wishes were pennies, she would be rich. She bowed her head, wrapped the thread around her hook to double crochet but couldn’t keep her hand steady.
Don’t think what it would be like to be beaued by him, she told herself. Some things in life were not meant to be.
If anyone needs help, Lord, it’s Ruby. Lorenzo plucked his coat from the wall peg. Saddened by her situation, he jabbed one arm into the sleeve. He understood the meaning of the word responsibility. Family before self. Work before play. He admired Ruby’s values. He didn’t know if this would ever work out. His heart kept pulling him toward her. Nothing could stop it.
“Renzo?” Pa’s cane tapped in the hallway. “You got a moment? Come talk to me.”
“Sure thing.” With his coat unbuttoned, he left his muffler and hat on the pegs and bypassed the kitchen door. Could he help that his gaze slid into the room, searching for her? No. She sat hunched over her snowflake, carefully moving the steel needle in and out and through her crochet work, so dear his soul ached at the sight. Aware of his father watching, he tore his attention away, steeled his spine and stepped into the empty dining room. “What do you need, Pa?”
“I heard you were talking with the new kitchen maid.” Pa ambled over to the tea service set up on the breakfront and chose a cup. He sounded casual, but something deeper resonated in his tone. Disapproval. “Is that right?”
“Yes.” He wondered how Pa had known, and so quickly. Perhaps one of the other maids, or maybe Lucia, who had a sharp eye. “I know Ruby from school.”
“So you weren’t speaking to her about her work?”
“No, why would I? I didn’t know I was banished from the kitchen. What’s this about, Pa?”
“I know you’re friendly with the girl. I have sympathy for her situation, too. But you know the rules, Renzo.” Pa poured a cup of steaming tea and set down the silver pot with a clink and clatter. “No fraternizing with the hired help. It distracts them.”
“Yes, but Ruby isn’t just the hired help.” He straightened his spine, drawing up all the inner strength he possessed. “I saw her during her lunch break so I wouldn’t interfere with her work. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“You can’t have it both ways. She’s either a maid or a friend. House rules. That’s how it is.” Pa dropped a sugar cube into his cup and stirred. “I thought you wanted her to get the job.”
“I did. I appreciate that Ma chose her.”
“Then what’s the problem? It’s not like she’s part of your circle, anyhow. Are you heading back out to the fields?”
“I want to make sure we solve the water problem today. I don’t want to keep packing water when we could be pumping it.”
“Don’t blame you there.” Gerard cradled his cup, unable to hide the yearning in his eyes. “Truth is, I wish I could go with you.”
“I’d sure like that, but you know what Ma would say.”
“She would be after my hide, that’s for sure. That woman has forbidden me to lift a hand on my own land.”
“For good reason. You had best keep on Ma’s good side.” He back trailed out of the room.
“That’s the truth. I don’t want to stir up that woman’s ire.” Pa grinned easily. “Holler if you need any supplies from the hardware store. At least I could make myself useful driving to and from town.”
“Sorry, I already have what I need. If that changes, I’ll let you know.”
On his way to the back door, he passed by the kitchen again. Remembering Pa’s warning, he didn’t look into the room. No way would he cost Ruby her job. But did that stop his wish to see her?
No. Wrestling down his disappointment, he yanked on his hat and scarf and opened the door. Arctic air cocooned him as tromped down the steps. Something tugged him back, and he spun around. In the golden, lamp-lit window, Ruby was back at work pouring hot water into a wash basin. The steam rose like mist around her. It took all his strength to ignore the twist of affection in his chest. He kept on going until the cold and the storm claimed him.
Chapter Six
“Ruby, you’ve gotten terribly quiet.” Meredith commented from the front seat of her fashionable sleigh. She gave the reins an experienced tug to turn her mare, Miss Bradshaw, off Main Street.
“Is something wrong?” Scarlet brushed red tendrils out of her eyes as she squinted at Ruby. “I couldn’t believe how hard we had to argue to get you into the sleigh.”
“We practically had to drag you,” Lila chimed in, cuddled next to her on the backseat. “You must be tired after your first day at your new job.”
“There was a lot to learn.” And more she’d left undone at home, but her father had insisted. Ruby tried to bury her worry over that, glad three of her friends had driven out of their way to her home to coax her into going. And Lorenzo? Somehow she had to erase the image of him kneeling before her, holding out her crochet hook, looking so handsome her teeth ached. “Some of the other maids weren’t exactly friendly to me today, so it was a little more challenging than I’d anticipated.”
“How could they not love you?” Lila asked as she tucked in the cashmere robes more snugly. “We think you are a dear.”
“I am a disaster.” She couldn’t forget what she’d seen on Lorenzo’s face. He cared about her.
“A disaster?” Meredith guided Miss Bradshaw along the snowy lane. “Did something terrible happen at work?”
“Not one thing. Multiple things.” She rolled her eyes. “I burned my hand, broke a teacup and spilled beet juice down the front of my white apron. Lucia was very annoyed with me.”
“You were nervous, that’s all.” Scarlet lifted a hand to wave at Earlee on the other side of the street as the sleigh slowed to a stop. “Tomorrow will be better, you’ll see.”
“Much better. You won’t be nearly as nervous,” Lila agreed. “Just relax. The Davis family is lucky to have you.”
“Thanks. You guys are good to me.” Encouraged, she sat straighter on the seat. Her friends were some of her greatest treasures. Footsteps crunched in the snow, drawing nearer as Earlee broke away from the shadowy, newly built, two-story schoolhouse, where she taught the lower grades.
“I hope you all know what you’re doing, inviting me along.” Happiness drew pink in her cheeks and twinkles in her blue eyes. “I’m a horrible singer.”