After dressing, Wilhelmina made her way to the dining room. Every face surrounding the table turned to her.
Prompted by the clearing of Eleanor’s throat, the men stood awkwardly, as if not used to the actions of polite society.
“Good morning,” Wilhelmina said, her voice shaky. “I’m sorry to be late. What time do you breakfast? I will ensure to be on time after today.”
Everyone looked to one another. Finally, Eleanor spoke. “We don’t have a set time. We eat when the food is ready. If you’d like to help, I am usually in the kitchen by sun up.” She noticed the matriarch of the family was missing from the meal, but decided not to ask about her just yet.
“Help?” Wilhelmina looked toward the kitchen. There was no one about. Were there no servants? “Yes…of course.”
Unsure what to do, she followed Eleanor to the kitchen. “Is there hot water for tea?”
“Yes.” Her new sister-in-law smiled broadly. “Like you, I prefer it over the bitterness of coffee. Especially in the morning.”
“I don’t think I could ever get used to coffee. I like the smell of it, however.” She poured tea and waited to see what Eleanor would do next.
With expert precision, her new sister-in-law broke two eggs into a frying pan. She slid bread onto the heated flat surface of the stove turning it once it browned. After sliding the eggs next to several slices of bacon, she placed the bread onto the plate. “I’ll carry it for you so you don’t spill your tea.”
Once seated, the conversation mostly centered on what the men planned to do that day. It seemed they were moving a herd of cattle from one pasture to another and separating some calves from their mothers. The action seemed inhumane to Wilhelmina, but she didn’t comment.
Marcus remained attentive, ensuring she had butter nearby for her bread, and even poured cream into her tea. He seemed distracted at the prospect of getting someone to help him with making furniture that afternoon.
After a brisk knock, the door opened and another man entered. Tall like the Hamiltons, he was, however, lighter of skin, bearded and spoke in short gruff sentences. “The ranch hands are here.” His light brown eyes flicked to Wilhelmina, but then he promptly ignored her.
No introductions were made and she could barely restrain from doing so. She looked to Eleanor whose warm gaze fell upon the man. “Wilhelmina, this is my husband, James. He’s a bit on the rough side.”
The man looked to her and nodded. Moments later, Marcus and Tobias left with James. The patriarch of the family headed to where she presumed was the bedroom he shared with his wife.
“Why didn’t your husband join us for breakfast?”
“He ate earlier. Had to go meet the new ranch hands. There is much to get done before winter hits. Once the snow begins to fall, we will be homebound.”
Wilhelmina considered what her sister-in-law said. “Do you think I will be in my own home by then?”
“Oh yes. In a couple days. Which reminds me. We have to get your larder fully stocked. Once we knew of your upcoming arrival, Mother and I made a list for Marcus. He went to town and got everything. It’s at the house.”
“Where is your mother this morning?”
Eleanor’s face softened. “Mother is unwell most days. I take her breakfast to the bedroom.”
“You do all this by yourself?” Wilhelmina couldn’t believe there wasn’t at least one servant to assist.
“Mostly, yes.” Eleanor sipped from her tea. “A few days a week, a local woman comes in the afternoons to help. She also cleans the boys’ bedrooms and does laundry. Mildred is a godsend. She lives nearby with her husband and son.”
The news made Wilhelmina feel a bit better. “I will hire someone as well. Is it hard to find live-in help?”
There was an awkward silence that stretched until, finally, Eleanor let out a long breath. “For a household of two, it is rare that anyone hires help. There are precious few women able to get away from their own duties to work. Mildred does so only because they need the money. Her husband is ill and can only manage light work and her son is much too young to work.”
Eleanor considered her next words carefully. “All you have to do is cook, clean and laundry for two people. In the spring keep a garden.”
“It’s just that…” she was interrupted when, once again, the door open. Marcus returned. On his heels was a black dog. It rushed to Wilhelmina, who let out a yelp at the exuberant dog’s advance.
Her husband smiled and lowered down to wrap an arm around the dog. His hazel eyes were bright upon meeting hers and, once again, the fluttering in her stomach commenced. “This is Buck. My dog. He’ll be living with us.” There was pride in his voice and he hugged the dog closer. “Buck, say hello.”
The dog lifted a paw and placed it on Wilhelmina’s leg then gave a short bark. She chuckled at the antics. “Nice to meet you as well, Buck.”
“I’ve got a couple men helping with the furniture. Tables and chairs will be done today. I’ll need you to come and tell me where you want shelves and such.”
Before she could reply, Eleanor interjected. “The mattress cover is done. Wilhelmina and I will stuff it this afternoon.” She looked to Wilhelmina. “We may as well get this all cleaned up. Much to get done today.” She piled the plates into a tall stack and carried them toward the kitchen. “Be a dear and get the rest, please.”
Wilhelmina looked to Marcus, wondering if Eleanor spoke to him or her. When he didn’t move to do anything, she stood. “I will see you this afternoon then.”
His lips curved. “Yes.” Her husband leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. Caught off guard, her eyes widened.
Whistling, he left the house, Buck at his side. Both seeming excited at the prospect of going out into the bitter cold.
Wilhelmina followed Eleanor’s instructions as to what to do. Once the dishes were done, which included several trips to a water pump and emptying out of dirty water by the bucketful, they cleaned both the kitchen surfaces and the table.
Eleanor swept the kitchen floor after instructing Wilhelmina to lay a fresh tablecloth and vase of flowers on the dining table.
Interestingly, the work made the morning go by quickly. Where she’d dawdled about the house sometimes reading, other times absently stitching, the act of moving about taking care of chores was quite satisfying.
“I am going to make the bed and check on Mother. You can tidy up yours, as well.”
“Is your mother very ill?” Wilhelmina finally asked.
“She is,” Eleanor replied and let out a long sigh. “She really isn’t well at all. The doctor has tried many things, but none have worked. On good days, she can get out of bed. But most days she remains in her bedroom. I am not sure how much longer she can withstand living in so much pain. Mostly stomach pains that make her cry out.”
“My friend’s mother suffered from stomach ailments. But after taking a new treatment, she has done remarkably well. I will write her right away and find out what she was prescribed.”
Eleanor’s face brightened. “That would be wonderful. However, it’s hard to get mail once winter hits.”
All the talk of winter worried Wilhelmina. It sounded as if the winters were going to be harsh. She’d always had a warm house. And although it snowed in Pennsylvania, at times quite a bit, it was rare to be stranded for days.
Back in the bedroom, she arranged the bed linens. Since she’d only be there for a couple of days, Wilhelmina unpacked one more dress, a serviceable travel ensemble in muted tones. She’d brought plenty of housedresses, but after seeing what Eleanor wore, they seemed too frilly for Montana.
As soon as possible, she’d visit a seamstress in town and order a new wardrobe more suitable to her new lifestyle. She stood by the door and scanned the tidy room and smiled. Perhaps life here would be good for her. For some strange reason, the steady work gave her a sense of accomplishment and pride.
A giggle escaped at her thoughts. Her life had certainly changed and, after a very odd
set of circumstances, she found it hard not to smile. She was married to a handsome stranger, performing domestic duties and about to go see about a new home and make a mattress.
Wilhelmina decided to speak to Eleanor and ask for cooking and cleaning lessons. Not only had Wilhelmina never cooked, but she’d not washed clothes, swept, nor had she ever in her life expected to do so. Her gardening experience was limited to flowers and, even that, she only did rarely during spring days when boredom took over.
The ride to her new home was short. It only took, perhaps, ten minutes to get there as Eleanor kept the horse that pulled the wagon they’d climbed onto at a leisurely pace. Her sister-in-law expertly handled the reins while pointing to certain areas and explaining what type of berries, herbs and such could be harvested.
Wilhelmina felt as if she should be holding a pen and paper to take notes and make graphs. Her head swam with all the information she’d memorized since rising that morning.
It was all she could do to remember how eggs were cooked besides how to clean up and sweep. Then there was the daunting task of water pumping and disposal.
It would be an understatement to say she was overwhelmed at the prospect of running a household entirely on her own.
“I’m afraid I must tell you, this is so much more than I expected. The ad stated a man of means, which I understood to imply money and a comfortable lifestyle. All of these duties, as much as I have not minded doing them, may prove too much for me.”
Eleanor nodded. “I suspected as much. It is my fault. Marcus is financially comfortable. He has money in the bank and owns a large amount of land and part of the herd. And believe me, he can afford for the both of you to have hired help. It’s just that it will be hard to find someone in these parts. Also, once winter comes, traveling is almost impossible.”
“What will I do? I don’t know the first thing about churning butter or killing a chicken. I heard you mention you’d be making chicken for supper and asked the men to bring two chickens.”
When Eleanor laughed, her joy was infectious and Wilhelmina smiled in return. “They will bring the chickens already beheaded and without feathers. The ranch hands do that for me, which I appreciate. Let’s convince Marcus to extend your stay for a few days. I will teach you the basics. The rest I can help you with.”
Feeling better, Wilhelmina looked to the surrounding area noting the beauty of the landscape.
One thing was for sure. Her new home was quite beautiful.
The beauty of it, however, did little to ease her sense of trepidation.
Chapter Nine
What was to be her new home was a smaller replica of Marcus’ parents’ house. Wilhelmina was pleasantly surprised, having expected something akin to the more primitive homes they’d passed the day before when traveling from town. Especially since Marcus had explained he’d built it with help of local men.
In the distance, there were a couple of smaller homes. Eleanor explained that they belonged to local ranch workers who had family. Those without family to support preferred to live in bunkhouses and work for their room, board and meals.
“How many ranch hands does Marcus have?” she asked, pondering how to climb down from the high bench once they stopped.
“Pa and he share ten men. My husband and I own land just over that ridge. But since Mother’s been ill, we’ve lived at my parents’ house so I can take care of her.”
“Who will be with her today?”
“She assured me she felt well enough. I imagine Pa will stop in every so often. We won’t be longer than a few hours. Once we unload and set up the pantry and such, we’ll only work on the mattress for a couple hours. Should be back in plenty of time to start supper.” She gave Wilhelmina a bright smile. “Your first cooking lesson.”
“Thank you so much. I am so grateful you are here. Otherwise, I’d be lost and probably returned home by Marcus.”
“I doubt that very much,” Eleanor said, pulling the wagon to a stop. She pulled on a wooden brake and swiftly climbed down.
Wilhelmina was a bit slower, gingerly avoiding falling on her bottom.
Eleanor handed her an armful of fabric. “It will take us a couple trips to get all this inside.”
It took four trips. After putting things away and setting up to stuff the mattress, Wilhelmina’s arms and lower back ached as she watched Eleanor open the windows and rush to the back of the home.
There was one chair and, not caring if Eleanor balked, Wilhelmina collapsed upon it. It was late morning and there was still so much to be done. How would she endure?
“Marcus did a wonderful job. This is only my second visit to the house. It’s larger than I expected.” Eleanor went to the kitchen and began jamming wood into the stove. “Need to warm it up a bit, don’t you think?”
“How do you do it?” Wilhelmina fought the urge to cry. “I am already drained of energy.”
Eleanor looked to her and let out a breath. “I suppose you’ll get used to it. I was born here, so I’ve spent all my life doing these things and constantly working. Don’t worry, you’ll be fine.”
Fine, indeed. Somehow, Wilhelmina doubted she’d ever be able to keep up with her sister-in-law.
Unable to keep curiosity at bay and despite weariness, Wilhelmina explored her new home.
As Eleanor stated, the house was quite nice, although very different from her family home. Thick tree trunks formed sturdy walls. There was a large front room, which she assumed would be partly a dining area. The kitchen was spacious and open. There were two bedrooms, both the same size, and a small privy between them. Next to the kitchen there was an impressive larder, which was almost fully stocked and a tiny room, which she figured could be made into a sewing room or perhaps a library. She looked around wondering if people had libraries there in the west.
When she walked back to the front, Eleanor stood in the kitchen with both hands on her hips looking up at a wall. “You’ll need shelves put up here. There, as well.” She pointed to the opposite all. “The larder is well enough completed, don’t you think?”
“I agree,” Wilhelmina said, already imagining herself cooking in there
“Why don’t we make tea and begin the task of storing the items we brought?”
They spent the next few hours stuffing the mattress from large bales of cotton. Wilhelmina’s arms burned from the work but, thankfully, Eleanor kept her distracted by telling her stories of growing up in Laurel and answering all her questions regarding housekeeping.
Finally, the task completed, Eleanor announced it was time to return to the large house to rest for a bit before starting supper.
Mind awhirl, Wilhelmina wearily climbed into the wagon seat allowing Eleanor to see about the horse. She watched to ensure to get familiar with the process, but was much too exhausted to assist.
Eleanor climbed up onto the seat and let out a breath. “Let’s go to the house. I’ll check on Mother and make sure she eats a bit. You can take a rest. I’ll wake you up in time to fix dinner.”
“I can’t believe how well you seem to read my mind. I will certainly require rest before being of any help.”
With a side-glance at her, Eleanor giggled. “I don’t want you to be too overly tired for your first true night of marriage. It will be understandable if you are not up early tomorrow morning.”
Heat rose to her cheeks and she let out a sigh. “I’m not sure I’ll be prepared for that either.” She’d not thought about what the night would bring. Marcus would expect the marriage to be consummated.
Wilhelmina closed her eyes. “Oh goodness.”
Eleanor hugged her and let out a sigh. “I’m so happy to see Marcus married to such a pretty and nice lady.” It seemed her sister-in-law didn’t worry overmuch about what the night would bring. “I expect to see you glowing in the morning.”
When Wilhelmina covered her face, Eleanor laughed and urged the horses towards home.
By the time supper was over and Wilhelmina was able to retire to the
bedroom to prepare for bed, she could barely stand. The thought of what was to come, however, kept her very much alert. It would not do at all to be too tired to remember her wedding night. The first night she became a real woman was something she wanted to commit to memory.
While brushing out her hair, Marcus entered the room. She felt silly at the now familiar fluttering in her stomach. He came up to where she sat and stood behind her. “You have beautiful hair.”
“Thank you.” Her breath caught when he swept her hair aside and pressed a kiss to the juncture of her neck and shoulder. Shivers traveled down her spine at the warm lips touching her skin. He smelled clean, freshly bathed. It was then she noticed the damp curls that touched his collar.
In the mirror, she watched him dispense of his clothing, not seeming at all abashed that she could see him. He went to the bed and pulled back the sheets. When he turned and met her gaze in the mirror, the normally light hazel eyes were dark with promise.
“Come to bed, Wife.” He stood by the bed, waiting for her to come to him. He was not hurrying her but, at the same time, the idea of what would occur shook her until Wilhelmina wasn’t sure standing was possible.
Of course, she’d been told what transpired between a man and a woman in the marriage bed. She and Aurora had many a talk on the subject between giggles and wrinkling of noses. The entire business seemed so brash and, frankly, rudimentary. Yet seeing him unclothed except for underwear, she actually wanted to touch him and be touched by the handsome man.
It was a wonder the brush in her hand didn’t break in half by the strength of her grasp on its handle. Wilhelmina took in a shaky breath and placed it down on the dresser top, then stood to remove her robe.
Before he could touch her, she hurriedly rushed to slide between the sheets and pulled them up to cover her chest. She watched wide-eyed as Marcus pulled his bottoms off. His manhood was so different than what she expected. Unable to look away, she studied his nudity with interest. She was shocked by how fast her breathing became.
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