Chapter 7
The weeks after Aunt Harriet left, Nelle had one disaster after another in the kitchen and taking care of the house. Biscuits had burned, an oil lamp fell off a table and broke, she’d dropped half the eggs one morning after Elizabeth had brought them in, and she’d ruined one of Riley’s shirts because it got mixed in with something red in hot water.
Being around Riley caused her nerves to tie in knots, and her brain became so addled she couldn’t think. The only thing that hadn’t gone wrong was sweet Katie. She bent over her lessons on the table with her pencil and wrote out the answers to picture puzzles Nelle had created to help her with shapes and colors.
How had Aunt Harriet done everything and kept her sanity? With the weather now much colder, the house needed more wood to keep the stove in the kitchen warm and the fire in the hearth burning to keep them warm.
At least her soup was good and would satisfy their hunger at lunch. She’d warm the bread and set out butter and honey she’d bought in town. Supper would be another matter.
Elizabeth sat at the table with her arms crossed. Either she’d finished her assignment or she hadn’t done it at all.
Nelle dried the mixing bowl and set it on the counter. “Elizabeth, if you’re finished with your schoolwork, I’ll check it over for correct answers.”
“Here. Do what you want. It’s right.” She shoved the papers across the table.
Nelle sat down to look them over. Elizabeth was smart, so she most likely did get all the answers right. After a quick scan, Nelle wrote a ‘100’ at the top of the paper. “Excellent work, Elizabeth. You are a very smart young lady.”
She said nothing, but Nelle detected a bit of pride in Elizabeth’s eyes. “Would you like to bake a berry cobbler for dessert tonight? I saw some berries were left and your Pa loves cobbler.”
“Do you really want me to make a cobbler, or are you just seeing what I’ll do?”
“It would save me some time so I can help Katie with her work. Your crusts are better than mine anyway.”
This time Elizabeth almost smiled, but lost it before it really began. “Alright, I’ll make a cobbler.” She rose from the table and began assembling the ingredients she’d need.
Maybe they’d taken a step in the right direction. Nelle hoped so because if she didn’t win Elizabeth and Riley’s support, there was no sense in staying here.
Katie held up her paper. “Ma, will you check mine? I want a hun’red too.”
Nelle tugged on the child’s braid. “Well, let’s see what you have here.” She held back a grin as she checked the answers. Although somewhat messy, she’d missed only one on the exercise.
“Miss, Katie, you did very well. Let’s look at this one again. She pointed to a picture of a dog with a puppy, a cat with a kitten, a hen with a chick, and a horse with a baby cow. “Which one of these doesn’t belong?”
Katie studied the paper a moment then giggled. “That’s a baby cow with the horse. That’s silly.”
“Good, now you have them all right. One hundred is your new score.”
Katie clapped her hands. “I’m as smart as Lizzie.”
Nelle had to swallow to keep from laughing when Elizabeth breathed deeply and rolled her eyes, but she didn’t scold or correct Katie.
The rest of the afternoon passed with Davy napping and Elizabeth reading. Katie sat at the table again, this time drawing stick figures and humming to herself while Nelle folded the diapers she’d washed that morning. If only every day could pass like this one. Everything about the scene fulfilled every longing she’d had for a family except for one thing. She didn’t really have a husband yet.
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Riley rode in from the range with his men. The lamplight in the windows welcomed him home after a long hard day. The weather had turned much colder for October than it usually did and with the wind cutting through his clothes, he was chilled clear to the bone. Time to get out his heavier coats.
After cleaning up, he headed for the house. Delightful smells hung in the air and caused rumbles to rouse his hunger. Hard tack and biscuits didn’t make much of a lunch, but a few of Nelle’s meals had left something to be desired.
The girls ran to greet him when he opened the front door. Katie’s arms went around his thighs as usual and Lizzie reached up to hug his neck. “Now this is a greeting I like from my girls.” He glanced over to where Nelle dished out potatoes. Would he ever get a greeting like that from her?
“Katie, Elizabeth, if you’ll finish setting the table, we’ll have supper.” She smiled at Riley. “Elizabeth made a berry cobbler for dessert tonight. That’s the wonderful aroma in the kitchen.”
“I’m sure it’ll be good. Lizzie does love to cook.” He stopped by Davey’s chair and picked him up. “Hey there, little fella.” When Riley held him high in the air, Davey giggled and drool dripped from his chin to Riley’s shirt. It wasn’t the first time and it wouldn’t be the last. He snuggled the boy close, the sweet baby smell filling his heart with love.
After supper, Nelle prepared Davey for the night and Riley led the girls to the parlor and sat down with them. “Now, I want to hear all about your day.”
He leaned back to listen as Lizzie recounted her day as being full of chores. Then Katie rattled on and on about doing her schoolwork and making a hundred on her paper. From the look and sound of things, Nelle was doing good things with them, and Davey looked happy as well.
Concern for Lizzie and her cool response to anything Nelle said laced his thoughts. What would it take for his daughter to accept Nelle into the family? His aunt Harriet had said to be patient, but what little he possessed until now had begun to grow thinner.
Nelle joined them and sat near the hearth with sewing in her lap. Her light golden brown hair glowed like spun gold in the firelight. So beautiful. How he’d love to run his fingers through it.
“Davey is growing so fast, I have to keep letting down the hems. This is the last length. Do you think we can go into town next Saturday and buy fabric for new clothes for him?”
Riley shook away the thoughts beginning to form and settled for reality. “I think that can be arranged.” Saturday in town might be good for all of them. Then he remembered a message he was supposed to deliver to Nelle.
“Um, the preacher is coming back to town and Mrs. Johnston and Ed Gray are getting married. The other brides in town are giving her a party on Saturday and they want you to come.”
Nelle’s eyes lit up and her smile went straight to his heart. “Oh, how wonderful. I’ll make my special fudge to take. It was always a hit back in Merville.” Her gaze fell on Lizzie.
“Elizabeth, you’re old enough now to enjoy the party. Would you like to attend with me?”
Lizzie actually grinned. The first one Riley had seen in a while.
“I’d like that.” She dipped her head then looked over to her father. “Could we get material for a new dress while we’re in town?”
Riley would do just about anything for a grin or smile to light up his girl’s face. “Of course, and you could pick out some for Katie as well.”
The girls hugged each other then continued with their game of Jackstraws. Of course Lizzie was more skilled at picking up a stick without moving the others, but she made sure Katie had some success, too. Lizzie would be a wonderful mother someday.
Katie yawned and Nelle laid aside her sewing. “I think it’s time for bed for two girls.”
Lizzie started to protest, but a Riley’s furrowed brow put a stop to it before she uttered one word. Nelle climbed up to the loft with the girls and their voices drifted down. He didn’t hear words, but the sounds were of contentment not contention, and that satisfied him.
Later that evening, he snuffed out the fire in the hearth to make sure no stray sparks escaped. He picked up one of the bricks warming there and wrapped it in a piece of cloth. Then he repeated the action with a second brick. They wouldn’t last long, but perhaps long enough for one to fall asleep with warm feet.
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“Thank you for telling Elizabeth we could buy fabric for a new dress. I have an idea for a pattern, but I’ll get her approval first.” Nelle appeared at his side. Small as she was, she hadn’t made much sound coming down from the loft.
“That’s good of you. I’m sure she and Katie will be pleased with whatever you make.”
“I’m excited for Isabella and Edwin. She’s been anxious to get the marriage thing over with.”
“Ed has too, but it all depended on that foreman at the Bar L. Since he’s leaving, they’ll now have a house.”
“Yes, and that’s wonderful.” She stopped at the door to her room. “Goodnight, Riley. Thank you again for the trip to town Saturday.”
“You’re welcome.” The door closed and Riley gulped. He had a house and he’d married one of the angels, but he didn’t have a wife.
Chapter 8
The trip into town had been fun, especially seeing her friends and taking Elizabeth to the party. Of course, Davey had been the center of attention along with Amanda’s baby Frank. All the women had gathered around two little ones and oohed and aahed over them. Elizabeth had done a fine job of watching over him while the ladies chatted and exchanged news.
All of the other brides who married had seemed so happy, and little pangs of jealousy wound their way around Nelle’s heart. Riley was kind and thoughtful, but she may as well have been another of his daughters except he didn’t give her the hugs he gave the girls.
Elizabeth pushed open the door to the kitchen. “Ooh, it’s so much colder out there. Maybe we’ll have snow by Christmas this year.”
“That would be nice. I always loved the snow back in Maine, but it did get old after a while of staying indoors to keep from freezing.”
“But it’s fun to make snow angels and eat snow cream. Mama made it for us every winter with some clean snow, a little cream and a bit of vanilla bean. She’d stir it all up and then set the bowl back into the snow to freeze. It was so cold and good to eat.” She set the eggs she’d collected on the counter.
“That does sound good. Maybe we can try it again this winter.”
Elizabeth said nothing and left the room.
Another try to make friends had met a solid wall of rejection. Maybe sewing together would help.
This time the door opened to let in Riley. He set the pail of milk on the table and rubbed his hands together. “Feels good in here.”
He glanced around the room. “Are the girls up?”
“Yes, Elizabeth just left to go back up to help Katie.”
“Good. I want to tell you something, but I don’t want you to be afraid or anything. A bear, maybe two, have been roaming around the hills. The foreman from the Bar L spread said they’d seen signs. They think they may be up in the high country now near the falls.”
Nelle’s heart jumped in her chest. A bear, maybe two? “That’s way up there isn’t it?”
“Yes, but I don’t want you and the girls to ever ride anywhere alone. If I or one of my men can’t be with you, stay home.”
“Of course.” Her hands shook as she cracked eggs into a bowl. “You don’t think he’ll come down here do you?”
“You never can tell. They should be going into hibernation, but I think they’re looking for food before they do.”
Katie bounced into the room. “Good morning, Papa.” She gave him her usual leg hug and grinned up at him.
He lifted her, kissed her nose and set her back down. “You’re a happy little girl today.”
“Ma is going to teach me some more letters and words today so I can read.”
Nelle loved the little girl’s enthusiasm for learning. Katie enjoyed whatever lesson they had for the day.
After Riley had left for the range, Elizabeth and Nelle cleaned up the kitchen. Nelle checked on Davey, changed him into a clean diaper, and rocked him to sleep. He’d been up earlier than usual this morning so now with dry clothes and a full tummy, he was ready to nap.
Nelle joined the girls at the table. “Before we begin our lessons, I want to tell you a little more about my life back in Maine.”
Katie wiggled with a grin on her face, but Elizabeth looked toward the ceiling and sighed.
Nelle ignored the gesture and said, “When I was fifteen, my mother died. My pa was a sea captain and my two brothers sailed the seas with him. I was left alone with a housekeeper to take care of me. I made friends at church and school, but I missed having my mother to talk to about things.” She reached across the table for their hands. Elizabeth pulled away and clasped hers across her chest, but Katie grabbed hold.
“I am not going to take your mother’s place. She’ll always be your mother, but I am your Pa’s wife now, so it’s my job to look after you like I think your ma would want me to. I want you to know that you can come to me and ask me questions about anything. You’re growing up Elizabeth, and I’m sure there are things you may have questions about. I’d like to be Ma to both of you, but if that makes you uncomfortable, Elizabeth, I understand.”
Katie bounced from her chair and came around to climb in Nelle’s lap. “I love you, and I’m glad you’re our new Ma.”
“Thank you, Katie. I love you, too.”
Elizabeth said nothing, but the frown had disappeared. She appeared to be in deep thought. She pushed back from the table, a tear trickled from her eye, and then she disappeared into Aunt Harriet’s old room.
Nelle sat at the table holding Katie close. A cry from her room let her know Davey had awakened. She set Katie on the floor and held her hand. “Come, let’s see what your baby brother needs.”
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Riley spent part of the day hunting for the rogue bear or bears that had killed a few cattle on the other ranches. Ed Gray had been severely injured hunting for the grizzly and missed his own wedding. One of the cowboys from the Bar L rode beside him now.
“How’s Ed doing? That was an awful thing to happen on his wedding day.”
“He’ll make it, but that fall was bad and stove him up good. Miss Isabella and the doc took good care of him. I think that wedding in the doc’s office done him more good than any medicine.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
He searched the trail for signs of the bear. Mrs. Johnston and Ed Gray loved each other and that made a big difference in their marriage. They lived on a bigger ranch, and had more conveniences than Riley had to offer. Mrs. Leman was there too.
Might help if his own foreman was married, but he was an old bachelor who didn’t want to marry. He’d be retiring soon, but the man Riley picked to take his place was unmarried as well.
“Ya know what, me and some of the other boys have been thinkin’. Since things worked out well this time, maybe we oughtta up and get Jake to order some more of them angel brides. Gets mighty lonely out on the range and havin’ a missus at home twouldn’t be bad at all. No siree, not bad at all.”
Riley didn’t stop to remind the cowboy that Jake had his bride, so he might not be so anxious to go through the ordering again, but it wasn’t a bad idea. Angel Vale needed more women. Might be a way to have a married foreman and a companion for Nelle as well.
“That might be a good idea. We need more women. They sure brighten up the place.” And no one brightened up a home like Nelle. Only a little over a month before Christmas and he sure wanted to have things settled by then.
Chapter 9
On Saturday night, when Riley told her they’d bundle up and go to services on Sunday even in the colder weather, Nelle lifted a prayer of thanksgiving. They hadn’t been for several weeks and she missed seeing her friends and hearing Jake’s preaching.
She was also anxious to see if Becky was going to have a Christmas wedding. The last time they’d talked at Isabella’s party, she hadn’t sounded as certain about being a preacher’s wife.
Seemed every one of the other brides was getting her dream fulfilled. If Riley hadn’t come around by then and wanted her for a wife, she couldn’t stay in the same house with him. He�
�d moved back into the house, but still kept his distance. She’d thought about making the first gesture toward him, but if he rejected her, it would only add to her humiliation and force her to return to Maine.
He wrapped a quilt around her legs and handed her a smaller blanket to wrap around Davey. “Thank you, Riley. We’ll be snug now.” She glanced back at the two girls huddled together with a quilt about their shoulders.
“How are you two farin’ back there?”
“We’re a little cold, but we’ll be fine.” Elizabeth pulled the quilt tighter about their shoulders.
Riley climbed up beside her. His hip touched hers, and warmth shot down her leg and all through her body. She cast a sideways glance at this strong chin and chiseled features, still tan from the sun of the summer and fall. She’d seen so many different emotions in those coffee colored eyes, but never love like a man held for a woman.
She breathed in deeply and then let it out. Such a short time left to make a difference. Her cooking had improved and her housekeeping skills were better as well. The one thing she wanted to change besides her relationship with Riley was the one with Elizabeth.
After they had ridden a few miles, Riley asked, “Lizzie, Katie? Are you two okay?”
A muffled answer came from the back of the wagon assuring them they were fine. Nelle leaned toward Riley. “I do wish you’d call her Elizabeth. It suits her much better now that she’s growing, and she likes the name better. Even Katie has started calling her Elizabeth.”
Riley glanced down at Nelle, a thoughtful expression on his face. “She looks so much like her mother it takes my breath away sometimes. I guess I have to remember she’s not a baby any more, but she’s been Lizzie for so long.” He moved his mouth like her father had done when he was trying to decide something. “If it makes her happy then I’ll try.”
Nelle hugged Davey closer. “I’m sure she’ll like that. Thank you.”
Nothing more was said until they reached town and Riley hopped down to hitch the wagon. He strode to the back and let down the back piece. “C’mon girls, we’re here.”
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