Daniel didn’t like the way she took the blame for his brother. Her soft blue eyes met his. “No harm done.”
“Glad that’s settled. I’m starving. What about you, Daniel? Is that why you returned to the house?” Levi asked. He started walking toward the ranch house, not bothering to stay and hear Daniel’s answer.
“As a matter of fact, it was.” Daniel offered Hannah what he hoped was an inviting smile. “Come have lunch with us, Hannah. Ma and Opal always fix way too much.” He held out his hand, wondering if she’d take it.
She hesitated. “I’m not sure your mother will be happy to see me at her dinner table, Daniel.”
“Ma has never turned anyone away from her table. Come on.” He wiggled his fingers.
Hannah rewarded him with a slow grin. Her hand slid into his. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.” He wasn’t, but they’d find out soon enough what kind of mood Bonnie Westland was in today.
He led Hannah around back to where the wash supplies were sitting just outside the kitchen door. The smell of baked bread filled his nostrils.
Hannah washed first. He could see her hands trembling in the water basin. Bonnie Westland could be intimidating, he supposed, but she was his mother and sooner or later she’d have to come to an understanding about Hannah.
Opal opened the door. “About time you all came in. Bonnie has decided to have lunch in the formal dining room.”
Levi patted the housekeeper’s cheek. “Thanks for waiting for us,” he teased, and continued into the house.
* * *
“Hello, Opal,” Hannah said warmly, and then followed Levi, unsure what to expect. Bonnie Westland had made it clear she was not to sleep there. Did that include eating, too?
Her gaze took in the spacious kitchen. A small table with four chairs sat under the only window in the room. The rest of the area reminded her of a horseshoe. The sink and counter rested against the back wall. A large stove filled the next wall, along with a wood bin. Then the door that led to the formal dining room loomed before her.
Levi walked through it, but Hannah stopped. Would Mrs. Westland send her packing, as she had the day she’d arrived? Hannah swallowed the lump in her throat, suddenly wishing she’d declined Daniel’s invitation to lunch.
She felt his warm hand on her back. His breath fanned her ear as he whispered, “It will be all right.” Then he gave her a gentle shove through the door.
Hannah glared over her shoulder at him. Didn’t he understand how nervous she was? His mother hadn’t been very welcoming, and surprising her by arriving for lunch was a bit unsettling.
Bonnie Westland’s voice demanded, “Are you two going to stand there all day? Or have some lunch with the rest of us?”
Hannah took a deep breath and slowly turned to face Daniel’s mother, who sat at the head of the table. Steaming plates of food filled the table and created a hearty aroma in the dining area. Bonnie nodded toward a chair and Hannah moved to sit down.
Daniel followed her and took the seat at the other end of the table, so he and his mother faced each other. Hannah couldn’t help but wonder if this was their normal seating arrangement. Levi sat across from her and winked.
Bonnie cleared her throat. Hannah looked in her direction and saw that she had her arms resting on the table, her hands palm up. Levi laid one hand in hers and then extended his other hand for Daniel to take. Hannah immediately followed suit, realizing the Westlands held hands during prayer time.
“Daniel, you give the blessings,” Bonnie ordered.
Hannah’s mind wandered as Daniel blessed the food. She wondered if Bonnie had always been this firm with her boys. They seemed to jump whenever she barked. Her own mother had been a soft-spoken woman who seldom raised her voice. She ran her home with a sweet disposition, unlike Bonnie, who seemed to run hers with an iron fist.
When Hannah felt both Daniel and his mother release her hands, she picked up her napkin and laid it in her lap. Her gaze fell to the ham, cheeses, fresh vegetables and bowls of potatoes, green beans and other food choices. The Westlands ate like kings and queens, she thought. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she had skipped breakfast. “Everything looks lovely, Mrs. Westland,” she stated.
“It’s not there to look at. Dig in.” Bonnie picked up the platter of ham and dished herself two thick slices, then handed the plate to Levi.
Dishes were passed around the table and plates were filled. Hannah listened as Daniel told his mother and brother that the west fence line had been cut and that several head of cattle had to be gathered up.
“Levi, you and Sam will be mending the rest of the fence while Cole and I corral the new spring calves. Tomorrow we’ll start branding.” Daniel stuffed a slice of ham into his mouth and looked at Hannah.
A frown marred Levi’s face. “Seems I get the fence-mending job again. How many times does that make this month, Daniel?” he asked.
His brother swallowed. “They have to be fixed, Levi. It’s a part of ranching. You know that.”
“Yes, but it’s also your favorite job to give to me,” Levi retorted.
“Would you rather muck out stalls? I’m sure Adam would trade you jobs this afternoon,” Daniel answered around a piece of buttered bread.
Bonnie spoke up. “Boys, we don’t argue at the table and we don’t argue in front of our guest.” She used her eyes to indicate she meant Hannah.
“Hannah’s not a guest, Ma. She’s my fiancée,” Daniel retorted.
Bonnie placed her fork and knife on her plate. She looked Daniel squarely in the eye and said, “Until the ring is on her finger or I dos are said, Daniel Westland, she’s a guest.”
Hannah wanted to melt into the floor. She hated being the center of attention, and right now all eyes had turned to her. What did one say at a time like this? She searched her mind for any etiquette she might have read or been taught in school that would apply to a situation such as this. None came to her rescue.
What she wouldn’t give to be in her room at the schoolhouse, munching on an apple, a hunk of cheese and a slice of bread right now.
Desperation filled her as she silently prayed. Lord, please help me to get through this meal.
Chapter Twelve
Hannah was thrilled when Daniel pushed his chair back and thanked his mother for a hearty meal. She laid her napkin down and started to rise.
“Not so fast, Miss Young. Around here, everyone helps with chores, and since you ate at our table, you can help with the cleanup.”
Her heart sank.
Daniel growled, “Ma.”
“Don’t you sass me, young man,” Bonnie warned. “You’re the one who pointed out she isn’t a guest here.”
Hannah turned to face him. “It’s all right, Daniel. Your mother is right.”
She could tell by the look on his face that he was still ready to argue with his mother. Hannah tried to reassure him. “Really, I will be perfectly fine cleaning the kitchen. It’s the least I can do after such a fine meal.”
Daniel took her by the hand and pulled her through the kitchen and to the back porch, away from the rest of them. “You do not have to clean the kitchen, Hannah.”
“Look, if it will help your mother come to terms with us eventually getting married, I’ll wash every dish in this house.” Hannah offered him what she hoped was a silly grin and prayed that he couldn’t read on her face the panic she was feeling.
He swept his hand over her cheek and tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. “You really want this to work, don’t you?”
The feel of his rough palm on her face and the deepness of his voice had her heart fluttering. “Of course. All I’m asking for is unconditional love.”
Her words hung between them. Was it really too much to ask? Was she being unreasonable? He nodde
d, turned and walked away.
Hannah steadied her heart and thoughts. She had a mother to face, and wasn’t sure how she’d fare during the encounter. But true to her word, she would try to help Bonnie Westland come to terms with the idea that her eldest son would someday marry her.
An inner voice taunted, Then why not marry him now? It was obvious that they would eventually marry. Hannah pulled her head up. No. She would wait until she felt sure Daniel loved her above all else, even the ranch.
She entered the kitchen to find Opal already at the sink.
“Would you mind getting the other plates for me, Hannah?” she asked, swishing the tea glasses in the soapy water.
Hannah smiled even though she dreaded entering the dining area, where she felt sure Bonnie Westland waited. “Not at all. I’m happy to help.” She walked through the door with her head held high.
The room was empty. It looked as if Bonnie Westland had decided not to help out in the kitchen. Hannah released a sigh of relief and began collecting dirty dishes.
She reentered the kitchen and said, “Here you go, Opal.”
The housekeeper was sitting the cups on the counter to air dry. “Just put them down here.” She indicated the counter to her left.
Hannah did so and then turned to go collect the remainder of the food. “I’ll be right back to start drying,” she said.
“Thank you, Hannah.” Opal dumped the plates into the water. “This job seems to get bigger and bigger.”
Hannah laughed “Well, you do have an extra cup, plate and silverware today.”
The woman joined her in laughter “I do, don’t I?” She waited until Hannah returned, juggling food bowls and platters. “I’m glad you stayed for lunch. I’m sure Bonnie wasn’t expecting that.”
Did Opal enjoy seeing her employer upset over an extra lunch guest?
“You have spunk. Bonnie likes folks with spunk. She’ll warm up to you real fast once she gets the notion out of her head that Daniel isn’t going to marry that Crawford girl.”
Hannah set the food on the sideboard, not sure what to do with it. She picked up a dish towel and began drying glasses and plates. “I hope you are right.”
“I know I’m right,” Opal declared. “Can’t say I blame Daniel for looking outside town for a bride. The girls around here are too immature for grown men. They giggle and try to catch those boys’ eyes every time they go to town. Not that I’m accusing anyone, but I’d say those young ladies are looking for rich husbands. Yep, can’t blame Daniel for placing that ad.” She tsked and handed Hannah another wet plate.
Hannah looked about the spacious kitchen while she dried. It had every modern appliance money could buy. The Westlands probably had more money than the whole town of Granite. Was that why all the local girls wanted to marry the Westland men? And if so, was Opal right about the reason Daniel and Levi had gone outside of their town looking for wives?
She pulled her thoughts from the two men. “Where is Mrs. Westland?” Hannah asked the question that had been silently plaguing her since she’d realized Bonnie wouldn’t be helping with the dishes.
Opal grinned. “She’s headed to her quilting bee this afternoon.”
For a brief moment, Hannah wished she’d been invited to the bee. It would have been fun to meet with other women and sew.
But then again, it was probably for the best that Bonnie hadn’t asked her. The women would have been curious not only about her being a mail-order bride but about her limp. At times like this, Hannah missed her friends. Eliza and Rebecca never asked a lot of questions about her limp, and had accepted her for who she was, not what she looked like or how she walked.
“There. Done!” Opal tossed the dishwater out the back door.
Hannah put the last plate away and then scooped up the broom. “I’ll sweep and then head on back to the school. I really should be working on lesson plans.”
Opal rested a hip on the counter. “When are you starting classes?”
“Monday morning.” She moved about the room, swinging her broom.
Opal’s words took her by surprise. “Then I suppose Bonnie will want to call the monthly ranch meeting before supper.”
That old familiar feeling of dread crept up into Hannah’s stomach. She stopped sweeping and asked, “What is a monthly ranch meeting?”
Opal looked at her as if she’d grown two horns. “A meeting where we all get together and discuss important things that impact everyone living on the ranch.” She said it as if she were explaining to a child why he or she shouldn’t touch a hot stove.
“Oh.” Hannah swept the dirt out the back door and replaced the broom.
“I take it Daniel hasn’t told you about this Sunday?” Opal asked, pulling out a chair at the small table.
“No.” Even as she said it, Hannah knew whatever the housekeeper had to reveal about Sunday wasn’t going to be pleasant for her.
Opal indicated she should sit down. Once Hannah had done so, the older woman settled in also, then began. “Sunday morning we all load up and go to town for worship service. Usually it’s me, my daughter’s family, Bonnie, Daniel and Levi. Now you will be riding with us.” She paused, waiting for a reaction from Hannah.
“That’s lovely. I’m looking forward to attending church on Sunday.” Hannah listened carefully as Opal continued.
“This is the first Sunday of the month, the day we always have the ranch meeting. Bonnie and I will pack a light picnic and we’ll eat it on the way home. Once here, the work begins. We usually have a big barbecue dinner, where we supply the meat. At the end of the meal Bonnie gives out any information that might be important for the families to know.”
“That’s very nice,” Hannah murmured, when Opal paused again.
“Yes, and this Sunday she plans to announce your and Daniel’s engagement, and that you’re the new ranch schoolteacher. She’ll want to know what time the children should arrive and when the parents can expect them to be home.”
Hannah felt her face lose all its color. “She’s going to announce our engagement?”
“I thought that part might bother you a mite.” Opal moved to the stove and pulled a teakettle from the back.
Dizziness enveloped Hannah. She’d agreed to the engagement but hadn’t expected it to be announced officially. What if she changed her mind? What if Daniel did? Would he have to officially break it to the ranch hands on a Sunday evening, as well?
Opal thrust a mug at her. “Here, drink this.”
Hannah’s hands shook. She took a sip of the hot beverage, a delicious mixture of honey, lemon and tea. The warmth from the hot drink helped soothe her shattered nerves. “Thank you.”
“It’s really not that bad. You were planning on marrying the boy, weren’t you?” Opal sipped from her own mug.
How did she answer that? It was one thing to make an arrangement with Daniel that they’d only marry if they fell in love, but explaining it to Opal made her feel childish. “I...”
“You know, I overheard Daniel explaining to his mother how he sent off for you as a mail-order bride. He said there’d been a misunderstanding and that the wedding wasn’t going to happen immediately. Why do you suppose that is?” Her brown eyes bored into Hannah’s.
Hannah straightened in her chair. “I think you already know.”
Opal lowered the cup. “Nope, he wouldn’t tell his mother. But he did say to get JoAnna Crawford out of her mind as future daughter-in-law material.”
Hannah studied the design on her mug. So Daniel had spoken to his mother about her, but not given a reason as to why they weren’t married yet.
She sighed. “This may sound foolish to you, Opal, but the reason I didn’t marry him the moment I stepped off the stage is because I want a man who will love me unconditionally.”
“That is wise.” The
older woman stared out the window.
“Do you really think so?”
“Yes, but you should have told the boy before you arrived.”
Hannah heard the disapproval in Opal’s voice. “I did. Only Daniel says he didn’t get my letter, so when I got here he was a little taken by surprise.”
The housekeeper laughed. “I’m sure he was. Like his mother, Daniel likes things done the way he’s planned, and he hates when the plans have been changed. Always has.” She sipped from her cup and then smiled at Hannah. “I think you are just what that boy needs.”
She didn’t want to tell Opal she wasn’t so sure. Daniel sometimes acted warm and caring, but then seemed to pull away. As he’d done outside on the porch. One moment he’d seemed concerned for her, but then when she’d mentioned falling in love, he’d pulled back.
Why couldn’t Daniel love her? Was it because of her limp? Or had he been expecting a stronger woman? One who could get on a horse without using a porch?
Chapter Thirteen
Daniel paced the barn like a caged lion. Why did his mother have to be so stubborn and demanding? Why couldn’t she just for once accept things the way they were?
“If you keep that up, I’ll have to spread more hay in here just to cover the poor floor.” Jeb sat a few feet away, chewing on the end of a hay straw.
“Jeb, you’ve known Ma a number of years. Why is she acting so rude to Hannah? Doesn’t she realize that the meaner she is to her the harder it will be for me to get Hannah to marry me?”
The old man chuckled. “Have you ever thought that might be her plan?” He pushed himself off the bale of hay and put his floppy hat on his gray head.
Daniel stopped pacing. “Why? What does she have against Hannah? They’ve just met.”
Jeb shook his head. “Think about it, son. If you don’t marry Hannah and you marry JoAnna Crawford, what do you have to gain?” He picked up a pitchfork and began tossing hay into the stall.
Daniel frowned. “More land?”
“Adding the Crawford spread to yours would be very profitable to both your mother and Mr. Crawford.” Jeb paused to lean on the fork handle.
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