Lizzie

by Linda Ford

  Lizzie looked out the window a few days later, wondering where Caleb had gone. It was a nice sunny day, the trees swaying gently in the warm breeze. Already the crops stood several inches tall, thick and green. Even her garden reluctantly yielded erratic rows of plants, those hardy enough to break through the soddy ground.

  She longed to see Caleb and went outside to locate him. No sound of hammering led her to him. In fact, he’d abandoned the fence since Frankie’s funeral. She tramped past the big house, past the barn, and saw him sitting cross-legged beside the crop, staring at the tender plants with an intensity that made Lizzie slow her steps. He had made such an effort to fight himself and his memories these past few days; but knowing how much it required of him, seeing him visibly struggle, she feared something would strike too quickly, too hard and unexpected, and it would all come undone.

  She approached quietly, trying to see what it was he saw, trying to guess by the set of his shoulders what he thought.

  He heard her and turned with a smile.

  Her breath came out in a gust at the welcome in his eyes.

  “Sit by me.” He patted the ground beside him and, when she lowered herself to the grassy spot, pulled her close. She snuggled into his arms, hungering for his touch. Like a greedy child offered candy for the first time in ages, she couldn’t get enough. She could have been content to sit cuddled at his side without letting any questions intrude; but when he leaned his other elbow on his knee and resumed staring at the plants, she couldn’t ignore it. Call it curiosity. Or trickling nervousness. But she had to know what it meant.

  “What are you doing?”

  He jerked around to look at her. “Wasn’t aware I was doing anything. Just sitting here.”

  “You were staring at the crop as if you expected it to speak.”

  His eyes crinkled. “Oh, that. Why, I was watching it grow. See for yourself.” He turned back to squint at the plants.

  She twisted her mouth, doubting he was serious; but he never blinked from his concentration.

  “Try it,” he said, not turning his head.

  She stared at the plants. Green, tender, waving in the wind, rippling like gentle waves. Like a dance of a thousand green soldiers.

  He snorted.

  She jerked around to look at him. His eyes brimmed with laughter.

  “You’re joshing me, aren’t you?” she said in annoyance.

  He rubbed his knuckles against her head and laughed. “If only you could see yourself.”

  She grunted, pushing him to the ground to tickle him. “That’s what I get for believing you. Remind me not to do it again.” She tickled him until he grabbed her wrists and pinned them to his chest. She lay against him, feeling the thud of his heart, listening to his chuckle rumbling in her ear. “I could lie like this forever,” she murmured. “I love listening to the sound of your voice inside your chest.”

  “You like this, do you?” He deepened his voice so it rumbled even more.

  “I love it.” She lifted her face to study him. “I love you.”

  He freed her hands so he could pull her close and kiss her nose, her forehead, her chin, and finally her mouth.

  She leaned against his chest, a palm on either side of his head. “I will never get tired of kissing you.”

  He sucked his lips in and leered. “Not even when I’m a gummy old man?”

  She giggled, covering his mouth so she didn’t have to look at him. “Maybe I’ll be blind by then.”

  “Ow. Your elbows are sharp.” He eased her off his chest and sat up, pulling her under his arm. “I was thinking.”

  She kissed his neck. “Of me, of course.”

  He paused to kiss her before he answered. “I’m always thinking of you, but I mean besides that.” He shifted to a more comfortable position. “I thought I’d go talk to Pearl and offer to buy out half the freighting business.”

  She pulled herself up so she could see his face better.

  “It’s a good business. I’m sure I could make it support both families. I’d need to get both wagons working full time again, and I thought I’d buy a truck.”

  She stared. “Caleb, I don’t know what to say. What about drivers?”

  “Drivers are no problem. Carson would come at the mention of work. And I’d keep Audie on if he pulled his weight.” His eyes blazed. “Frankie talked about his dreams for the business. He hoped Robbie would be able to take over someday. In the meantime, he could go back to school regular. Just think—this way I could make sure it would happen, and Pearl would be looked after.” The words practically burst from him. “We could live in the Murdock house. That way we’d be close by.”

  “It seems you’ve thought of everything.”

  “You aren’t in agreement?”

  “It’s not that.” She struggled to sort out the sudden whirl of thoughts. “But it’s so unexpected. You’re talking about moving. Leaving the farm. What about your parents? What will they say? Don’t they need you here?”

  He looked at the horizon. “I can’t stand the thought of farming anymore. I like to see the green plants.” He nodded toward the crop. “Like this. But I can’t stand working in the soil.” A shudder snaked down his spine. “Father must surely see that by now. He’s put in the crop without my help again this year. I suppose he will continue to do so. Or he can hire help. Plenty of men would give their right arm for a chance to work here.”

  “You’re right, of course. But I’m sure they’ll be disappointed.” Mother Hughes still came every day with eggs and often stopped for a cup of tea. Since Frankie’s funeral, they had struck an amiable truce, avoiding subjects that made them uneasy with each other. Lizzie doubted she and her mother-in-law would ever be wonderful friends; yet there was a certain bond she cherished, if for no other reason than she was Caleb’s mother.

  “I’ll talk to Pearl first; then if she’s agreeable, I’ll speak to Mother and Father. They’ll just have to understand.”

  Pearl readily agreed to Caleb’s plan, but Lizzie wasn’t sure Caleb’s parents understood. Mother Hughes sat at Lizzie’s table the day after Caleb made his announcement, for several minutes toying with her cup before she said, “He’s never been the same since the war.”

  “It’s been hard for him.”

  Mother Hughes nodded. “I hoped everything would go back to the way it was, but I can see that will never happen now.” She sighed heavily. “I suppose I can’t blame him.”

  Lizzie wondered if the slight emphasis on the final word was intentional. “Perhaps he would have changed even without the war. People seem to do that.”

  “Humph. It certainly leaves Father and me in the lurch.”

  “But you managed while Caleb was away.”

  “That was different. We didn’t have a choice.”

  Lizzie refrained from pointing out they didn’t have a choice now if Caleb did as he planned. Mother Hughes pushed heavily to her feet. “I better go see if Father needs my help.”

  Lizzie stared after her mother-in-law. Father Hughes had done the spring work, as far as Lizzie could tell, without Mother Hughes doing anything more helpful than washing the windows and keeping the meals ready. She shook her head. Was this sudden burden to assist nothing more than an attempt to make Lizzie, and probably Caleb, feel guilty?

  But Lizzie didn’t have time for pointless guilt. Things happened too quickly. Caleb arranged to rent the Murdock house from the town. Carson Buttes arrived back in town, swinging a bag in each hand.

  “Let’s get to work,” he said after greeting Lizzie and Caleb. “Where am I going to sleep? When do I take my first load?”

  “Pearl will put you up at her house.” Caleb led the way. As soon as Carson had his things stowed safely in the tiny room in the back of the Duncan house, he showed Carson the barn while Lizzie stayed to visit Pearl.

  “I’ll be right glad to have you for a neighbor,” Pearl said, pouring tea for them.

  Lizzie had a good look at Pearl. Her features had grown fine w
ith lost weight, but her expression was serene. “Are you eating properly?”

  Pearl laughed. “I’m all right if that’s what you’re asking. I admit I miss Frankie, but then I expected I would. But when I get to feeling sorry for myself, I remember all the wonderful times we had while he was here. After the children went to bed, he talked about the future, telling me how I would have to hang on to God and trust even when I could see nothing but fog. Like a ship out on the ocean, he said. ‘Never could figure out how they knew where to go when the fog rolled in, but they followed the charts and their little instruments and always got where they were supposed to.’ He told me I had to be like that. I remember that when I’m feeling down, and I read my Bible, looking for help and guidance—like a ship in a thick fog.”

  She stared into her cup. “And I remember the other things, too.” Her voice grew low. ‘Like the way he’d hold my hand and tell me how beautiful I was. I knew it wasn’t true, but it sure made me feel good. I’m grateful for those extra times we had together.”

  Lizzie dashed away a tear. “You shared a wonderful love.”

  Pearl’s smile was gentle. “One to last a lifetime. Now tell me what you have to do before you can move.”

  11

  The Murdock house—her new home, Lizzie reminded herself—stood as it had the last day the Murdocks lived in it, right down to the quilts on the beds, the flour and sugar in barrels in the pantry.

  “And dust enough to build a small farm,” Molly said, swiping her hand over the table. She wrinkled her nose. “Phew. Didn’t anyone think to empty the slop pail?” Holding her nose with one hand, she grabbed the offending bucket and dashed outside.

  Lizzie opened the windows, breathing in the clean air.

  “It looks like a lot of work.” Caleb stood in the middle of the room, appearing for the first time as if he regretted the whole idea.

  Lizzie pulled her head inside. “A little hard work is all it needs.”

  “And many hands make light work,” Carson added.

  Molly hurried in. “So enough jawing. Let’s get to work. Caleb, take that silly look off your face and take down the curtains so we can wash them.” She eyed Lizzie.

  Lizzie jumped before Molly ordered her about. “I’m going to clean out all the cupboards and see what can be salvaged.”

  Molly turned to Carson. “You fetch wood and get the fire going so we can heat water.”

  He grinned at her without moving. “You sure are bossy for someone no bigger than a whistle.”

  Molly drew herself up tall, planted her hands on her hips, and scowled at him. “You’d think you’d be used to taking orders, having been a soldier and all.”

  “Never took orders from no woman.” His lazy smile lingered as he glanced down her length. “Though I can’t say you look much like a woman dressed in trousers and a man’s shirt.”

  Lizzie hid a smile, expecting Molly to give Carson the sharp edge of her tongue. Molly didn’t take kindly to people making personal comments. More than once, Lizzie had seen her strike out when someone said something about the way she was brought up.

  Molly snorted. “I can work as hard as any man. Better than some, I daresay.” She swaggered closer. “Want to rassle and see who comes up on top?”

  Carson’s grin widened. “Another time, maybe.” He flicked a strand of her hair.

  Molly jerked back, sending the coppery waves over her shoulder. Her scowl deepened.

  Carson’s expression grew hard. “Don’t try to order me about again.”

  Molly spun on her heel, an angry sound burring through her teeth. “Who needs your help? I’ll do it myself.” She flung out the door, letting it slap behind her.

  Lizzie kept her head downward; but out of the corner of her eyes, she watched keenly the play of emotions on Carson’s face.

  “Whew.” He wiped his forehead. “A little spitfire, isn’t she? I better help her before she gets it in her mind to set fire to my britches.” He hurried out.

  Caleb stared after them, his arms full of dusty curtains. “That Molly. She’s nothing but a little hooligan.”

  Lizzie laughed. “Have you looked at her recently? She’s beautiful and kind.”

  Caleb snorted. “I’ve seen her every day since she was old enough for her father to toss into a saddle. Or at least every week at church. She’s always been wild and rude. She needs breaking as much as any of her horses.”

  Lizzie nodded. “I think that’s what scares her.”

  “Huh? Molly scared? Sure could have fooled me.”

  “She’s trying to hide it; but if I don’t miss my guess, she’s fallen head over heels for your friend, Carson.”

  “Carson? No. I better warn him.”

  She glared at him. “Don’t you dare. Besides it’s probably too late.”

  “Are you saying he’s in love with Molly?” Caleb dropped the pile of curtains and moved closer to stare into Lizzie’s face. “What makes you so sure of yourself? They act more like cat and dog than”—he swallowed hard as if it hurt even to think of it—“girlfriend and boyfriend. I hope the best for Carson.”

  “My sympathies are more with Molly. Carson sees she needs taming, and I’m thinking it might be a hard lesson for Molly to learn. Poor girl.”

  Caleb shook his head. “I think it’s all in your imagination.”

  Molly flung the door open and stomped in, her arms filled with split wood. Lizzie and Caleb stared at her, then looked at each other before they scurried back to their tasks. There was no disguising the angry tempest raging inside Molly.

  She slammed the pile of wood down, rattled the stove lids with unnecessary force, and mumbled, “Too big for his britches, he is. If he thinks I’m going to bow the knee to him, he’s in for a big surprise.”

  Lizzie grinned at Caleb with an I-told-you-so nod, then pretended to be very busy pulling items from the top shelf.

  Carson returned, his arms also full, a pleased grin on his face.

  Lizzie saw the speculative glance he shot at Molly’s back. She would have given anything to know what happened outside.

  The four of them worked diligently throughout the morning, Lizzie and Caleb covertly watching the other two while Carson and Molly pointedly ignored each other.

  The sun hung directly overhead, pouring added warmth to heat from the stove, when Robbie wandered in.

  “Boy, you got a lot done.”

  Lizzie wiped her brow on the rag she held. “Almost finished the main floor except to put everything back.”

  Carson had rolled up the rug in the front room and taken it outside to beat, then helped Caleb haul out the furniture so he could wash the wooden chairs and, after that, beat a cloud of dust from the upholstered sofa and chair. Molly had washed all the curtains and hung them on the line. After Lizzie finished the cupboards, she had washed windows. Caleb scrubbed the floors until the bare boards gleamed, then found a ladder and washed the outside of the windows.

  “Mom says to come for dinner,” Robbie told her. “It’s ready and waiting.”

  “I didn’t expect her to feed us.”

  “She don’t mind. She’s so glad you’re going to be close and Caleb is going to run Dad’s business that I think she’d like to order a holiday.”

  Lizzie laughed. “I think by the time we get this place cleaned up and our stuff moved, I’m going to order one.” She took her bucket of dirty water outside and threw it in the alley, calling to the others, “Pearl’s got dinner ready for us.”

  They trooped past the barn to where Pearl had a long table set up in the yard.

  Caleb sniffed. “I smell fried chicken.”

  Carson sighed. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was.”

  Pearl and the children joined them, and they all ate the food with a zeal born of hard work.

  The next day the four of them finished cleaning the house from top to bottom and stood side by side in the front yard admiring their work.

  “It’s a nice house,” Lizzie said. “I’m excite
d about moving in.”

  Caleb draped an arm around her shoulders. “We had a few days together in England. We’ve had a couple of months on the farm, but it seems like we’ll really begin our lives together when we move here.”

  She nodded. “I know what you mean.” Their first few months together in Canada had been less than idyllic. “I’m looking forward to beginning again.”

  Molly tilted her head and studied the house. “Cleans up real nice all right. Makes me wish—” She sighed without finishing.

  The rest turned to look at her, but it was Carson who asked, “What do you wish for, Molly?”

  She shook her head, refusing to answer.

  He persisted. “A house like this, perhaps?”

  She waved her hands as if to dismiss the topic. “I’m content where I am. No need to be wishing for anything more.”

  Lizzie watched her friend, recognizing the confusion and longing in her expression. Poor Molly. It seemed the idea of leaving her childhood home and contemplating starting her own frightened her. No doubt without a mother to train and prepare her, Molly felt out of her element. Lizzie hugged her. “When the time is right, you’ll find it easier than you think.”

  Molly’s expression hardened. “I’ll not be foolish enough to leave my pa and give up my freedom.” Her gaze darted toward Carson, then back to studying the house as if even looking at the man put her whole life in jeopardy.

  Carson leaned back, his arms across his chest. He watched Molly, his expression guarded. “It looks mighty nice.”

  Lizzie was certain he didn’t mean the house.

  “You need help packing up your stuff?” Molly asked.

  “No, there’s hardly anything, but thanks anyway. We should be moved in by tomorrow night, so come over for tea—both of you.”

  Carson nodded. “We’ll leave you to settle in and enjoy your new home on your own.” He turned to Caleb. “I’ll take that order out first thing in the morning.”

  Next morning, Caleb brought some cases from the wood shed. “Will this be enough?”