by Sarah Banks
Anna was unsure of what to say to all of that.
“Jenny you’re scaring the bejesus out of her,” her husband said, rolling his eyes.
“No I’m not,” Jenny insisted, hands on hips. “Shoo, shoo. I’ll help Anna with her order. I’ll call you when we’re ready to load the wagon.”
Mr. Martin shook his head and winked at Anna before he disappeared into the storage room behind the counter. Jenny turned back to Anna, her eyes twinkling, “Now, what can I help you with dear.”
An hour later, they had gone through Anna’s long list of items that she would need to restock the cellar and Mr. Martin had begun to load the wagon out front.
During that time Jenny had told her a condensed version of what she knew about nearly everyone in town. Anna’s head was packed with information about people she had never even met.
“Mama,” a voice called from the top of the stairs.
“I’m coming Laura dear,” Jenny responded before turning back to Anna. “That’s my daughter, Laura. She’s expecting my first grandchild any day now. I’m so excited I think I might just burst.”
“How wonderful,” Anna said, feeling a pang of envy.
“I’m sorry I have to go. Nathan is almost done loading the wagon. He can help you with anything else you might need. Please don’t hesitate to ask,” Jenny said, squeezing Anna’s hand. “Before I go, promise me we can meet for lunch sometime soon.”
“I would love that,” Anna responded sincerely.
Anna was left alone in the shop by herself for a few minutes while Mr. Martin finished loading the wagon. It gave her an opportunity to look at the fabric and ready-made clothing. She never bought ready-made clothes if she could avoid it. She preferred to sew the items herself and save the money but she always enjoyed looking at them for ideas of the latest styles, designs and fabrics.
Anna had not yet gotten the total for the items she had purchased so far but she knew it must be extensive. The cellar was nearly empty so she had to spend a great deal of money restocking items that they would be able to supply themselves in the coming year like canned goods, jam and honey. It cost so much more to purchase these items from the mercantile. Anna felt bad about considering adding fabric for a dress, bonnet and apron to the order. Jack had told her to use her good judgment but maybe she should have asked him about clothing specifically.
She surveyed the stacks of fabric, drawn to a dark brown fabric on top. The color looked so rich. Anna fingered the fabric, it was sturdy but soft.
Mr. Martin stood behind the counter once again having finished loading the wagon. “We just got that roll of fabric in this week. I can cut some for you,” he offered.
“Yes please,” she said. Anna grabbed a second roll of fabric as well for an apron. She especially needed an apron and already had a design in mind with deep pockets. She brought them to the counter and rattled off the yards that she would need.
He quickly and efficiently cut the lengths of fabric she requested, folding them neatly and wrapping them individually in paper while she chose a packet of buttons and a spool of brown thread. She had everything else she needed in her small sewing kit at home.
Anna looked forward to sewing in the evenings near the fire in the company of her husband and his daughter. She wanted to make clothes for them as well but she wouldn’t know until laundry day what they might need. She wondered if Harriet would ever wear a dress if she made one for her. Anna’s lips twitched in a smile. She feared she already knew the answer.
Anna couldn’t help but flinch when Mr. Martin gently made her aware of the total after she insisted. She knew it would go on Jack’s tab, but she wanted the information for her own records, so that she could carefully budget the household finances.
Mr. Martin handed her a copy of the detailed receipt she had requested.
“Thank you so much Mr. Martin.”
“Of course my dear.”
They exchanged goodbyes and Anna emerged onto the boardwalk in front of the mercantile where the wagon sat, now heavily loaded with supplies.
Jack and Harriet still hadn’t returned. Anna carefully climbed into the wagon and sat down, awaiting their return.
There was little activity this late in the afternoon. The sun had already started to set, sending a beautiful pink and orange glow across the sky. It would probably be dark by the time they made it home. It would take a while to unload the wagon and put away everything in its proper place and then she would immediately have to start supper. It would be quite late by the time they all made it into bed, but at least Anna knew that she would sleep well after a long and busy day.
The ad placed by the mail order bride agency hadn’t been exaggerating. There really were ten men for every woman. Besides Jenny, Anna had only seen one other woman in the distance compared to a couple dozen men. How many of these men were single and wanted wives? Anna wondered how many more mail order brides would arrive in Sweet Creek in the coming months.
Anna heard boots approaching on the boardwalk behind her. She turned and smiled when she saw her husband. Jack didn’t return her smile but his eyes held hers for a moment and she felt breathless by the time he looked away. He was a man of few words or visible emotions, but he had the most arresting stare. Anna wasn’t at all sure of the feelings he stirred within her.
Jack glanced down at the wagon, his eyes running over the contents. His expression remained blank as he took inventory. Harriet came up behind him, her expression one of wonder and delight. Jack added his purchases from the blacksmith to the back of the wagon. His eyes returned to hers.
“I need to settle the bill and then we’ll be on our way,” he said, disappearing into the store.
Anna watched as Harriet crawled into the wagon, carefully making her way through and around the pile of goods, exclaiming over each item as if it were Christmas morning. Harriet’s happiness was infectious and Anna couldn’t help but smile.
It wasn’t long before Jack returned and they were on their way out of town. It was a pleasant drive home especially watching the colors of the sky change as the sun slowly sank past the distant mountains. It wasn’t even fully dark yet and Anna could already see a handful of stars appearing.
“Did you find everything you need?” Jack asked.
“Oh yes. I met the owners, Nathan and Jenny Martin. They were very helpful.”
“Nate is a good man,” Jack acknowledged. “He owned the mercantile when I first arrived in Sweet Creek although it was about half the size back then. I didn’t have much money then but he still supplied me with enough credit that year so I could get the farm underway. I was able to pay him back with interest the following year.”
It was the most intimate details Jack had shared of his life before her so far. Maybe they would grow closer yet, she just needed to be patient and keep faith.
“They both seem like lovely people,” she said.
He grimaced.
“What?”
“That Jenny is a gossip and a meddler.”
Anna laughed. “She’s harmless. Besides I thought she was very nice.”
Jack grunted.
“She told me about you,” Anna said teasingly, fingering the fabric of her worn skirt, peering at him from the side of her bonnet.
“Is that so?”
She nodded. “That she tried to fix you up after,” Anna paused, looking over her shoulder. Harriet wasn’t paying them any mind but Anna lowered her voice anyway. “After your first wife passed,” she finished quietly.
Jack looked at her incredulously.
“What?” She asked, afraid she had said something wrong.
“She told you that already! You were only in there a half hour!”
“Closer to an hour,” Anna corrected and decided that she would not tell him it had been one of the first things Jenny had said.
He shook his head and laughed.
Her laughter joined his.
“I hope it’s okay, but I bought some fabric, thread and buttons to
make a dress, bonnet and apron. I know I should have asked first, but I forgot. It’s just that I don’t have very much clothing and I could really use a new dress and well, the fabric was so very beautiful.” She could hear herself rambling on.
“That sounds fine. And you don’t have to ask permission. I know we don’t know each other all that well yet, but I’ve seen your lists. You seem to have a sensible head on your shoulders. I trust your judgment and will continue to unless someday you give me a reason not to,” he said.
Anna nodded. She wondered when he had seen her lists. She had left her notebook on the table last night so perhaps after she had gone to bed or this morning before she awoke.
When the wagon hit a dip in the road Anna hadn’t been expecting, she reached for Jack, grabbing his hard thigh, steadying herself. He grabbed her arm.
“Are you okay?” He asked. He slowed the horses and looked at her.
“Yes, thank you,” she murmured, releasing him. He was longer to let go.
Unloading the supplies took less time than she anticipated. Jack made quick work of unloading the wagon and Harriet helped as well. Jack was very thoughtful in asking her where she wanted everything so she wouldn’t have to move things around later.
When they finished, Jack took the horses and wagon to the barn. Harriet was to milk the cow again. It would give Anna just enough time to put supper on the table. It would need to be something quick and easy again. She looked forward to the day when the pace wasn’t quite so hectic of always trying to catch up. Anna knew if she worked hard every single day, eventually that day would come.
∞∞∞
Jack caught himself watching his wife for the umpteenth time over the past couple of days. Anna had made another delicious meal and was now washing the supper dishes.
He sat in his chair in front of the hearth with a book in his hands. Harry lay patiently on the rug, her head pillowed against her dog’s furry stomach, waiting for Jack to begin reading. Reading aloud was a nightly ritual for them. Jack loved to read but only allowed himself the luxury after the sun had set, the farm work was done and he had fixed Harry and himself something to eat. It was a precious hour or two at best.
He would read aloud until Harry fell asleep. Most nights he was so exhausted he would fall asleep reading but if he didn’t, he usually had to force himself to go to bed, knowing that he had to get up early and put in another long day. Jack enjoyed working the farm, he really did, but it was nice to have a helper. Anna had only been here a couple of days and Jack already felt less of a burden on his shoulders.
He watched as Anna disappeared into her room. She looked tired and he wondered if she was getting ready to go to bed. Instead, she returned with the fabric she had purchased this afternoon. She carefully laid it out on the table and spent the next thirty minutes measuring, pinning and cutting before coming over to the sofa. She smiled shyly at him as she sat down, bent her head over the fabric and began to sew.
Jack adjusted the lantern brighter so she would be able to see better. Anna looked up briefly from her work and smiled her thanks at him.
In addition to being beautiful, his mail order bride was turning out to be very industrious, smart and kind, not to mention good with his daughter which he considered the most important thing of all. Jack knew he had been very lucky in choosing Anna for his wife.
Jack happened to come across her many lists early this morning as he was getting ready to go outside to start his day. He was impressed with her planning for the coming months. She knew exactly what needed to be done to maintain a home and had jumped in headfirst. Anna got up early, went to bed late and worked hard throughout the day. The house was already looking better and it had only been two days. She would have this place working like a well-oiled machine in no time at all.
Chapter Six
Anna awoke to the sounds of cows and chickens. She rolled onto her side and saw the barest hint of light peeping through the freshly-washed window. She smiled and stretched. She had slept wonderfully for being in a place so strange and new.
Last night she had nearly finished her apron. She was so excited to have something new. Soon she would be able to start on her dress. She found her husband to be generous, even if he didn’t seem to want a wife for much more than cooking, cleaning and taking care of his daughter.
Anna sighed. She really should count herself lucky. She had a roof over her head, a warm, soft bed, hot meals, money for clothes if she needed them and her freedom. She knew there were far worse predicaments than hers. In fact, her situation had improved by miles in just the past few weeks. While she missed her cousin terribly, she was safe from Thomas and she finally had a family of her own, as untraditional as it may be.
She heard Harriet’s boots on the front porch as she kicked them off before coming into the house. Anna smiled. She had only been here three days and already routines were being established. She found comfort in that. She listened as Harriet set the milk and eggs on the table before heading back upstairs for a couple more hours of sleep.
Anna thought briefly about staying in bed just a few minutes more. She considered herself an early riser but the sun was usually a bit further above the horizon. Yesterday had been a long day but she had slept so well she was reenergized and looking forward to starting a new day.
Anna brushed her teeth, dressed to her shoes and pinned the watch on her dress. She made her bed and entered the main room. The house was dark and quiet. It was cooler this morning than the last. She put on her jacket, realizing that she would need a heavier coat before next winter.
She walked quickly to the outhouse, her head down against the wind, her hands buried deep in her pockets. The walk back to the house wasn’t quite so bad since the wind was now at her back. She needed the start breakfast soon.
She sat in the porch swing for the first time. The swing slowly creaked back and forth as she watched the beautiful sunrise and Anna realized, at that moment, she was the happiest she had been in a long time. She hugged herself and laughed softly, tears pricking her eyes.
She turned her head to see Jack watching her from some distance away. He was working closer to the house today. She smiled and waved. He lifted his hand in return.
Anna wondered if they would ever be completely at ease around each other. Even if they didn’t have exactly the relationship she wanted, he was a good father. She saw that as an indication of his good character. It was clear his daughter meant the world to him. Jack often smiled, laughed, teased and was affectionate with Harriet, ruffling her hair and pulling her close. Anna realized that it had been just the two of them for a long time now but it was difficult to be on the outside. Especially since she was starting to feel something for him and he made it abundantly clear on their wedding day that he would never feel the same.
Anna’s smile faded. She dropped her hand and went into the house. There was no point in dwelling on the negative. Instead she should focus on what she could control and she certainly had her plate full today. She had another long list of things planned including finally getting Harriet into the bath. Anna had a feeling that she wouldn’t go peacefully.
Anna started a pot of coffee and the first pot of bathwater to boil before she went upstairs for the first time. The second level was one big room with sloping ceilings where the roof was. There were only two windows up here, one at each end and they were both shuttered. She returned downstairs to grab the lantern before heading back upstairs on her first mission of the day.
Harriet was sleeping deeply again after her morning chores. Jack the dog briefly lifted his head to identify the intruder before tucking his head back behind Harriet’s knees. Anna loved animals and would normally be disappointed if a dog didn’t take to her but she realized the dog ignored Jack as much as Anna. He was completely and utterly devoted to Harriet.
Anna began the task of gathering every single piece of laundry she could find, both clean and dirty, except for the bedding, that would have to wait for another day. She had to
make several trips downstairs. She needed to take inventory of Jack and Harriet’s clothing, figure out their measurements, mend any rips, tears or holes, and see what items they needed in their wardrobes for both summer and winter. It was a task she enjoyed.
She made several piles downstairs. She measured shirts and pants and made notes while drinking her first cup of coffee. She was not at all surprised when she didn’t find a single dress in Harriet’s pile of clothing. She returned a small stack of each of their clothing upstairs, neatly folded. Everything else needed to be either washed or mended.
Anna filled a large canteen of coffee for Jack and went to find him in the fields. He wasn’t far from where she first saw him.
He stopped plowing when he spotted her and leaned on the plow, waiting as she walked over to him.
“Good morning,” she said.
“Morning.”
She handed him the canteen of coffee. She realized she didn’t know all that much about him, not really. She didn’t even know how he took his coffee. She hoped he liked it black because she didn’t bring any sugar or milk with her.
“Thank you,” he said softly.
Anna tucked her hands in the pockets of her jacket and watched as he opened the canteen, allowing the steam to escape into the cool morning air.
“Where’s the wash tub?” She asked. “Harriet needs a bath. And I’ll be doing laundry for the next couple of days.”
He took a deep swallow, grimacing slightly. “In the barn. Give me a few minutes and I’ll bring it into the house.”
She thanked him and rushed back to the house. Maybe she could have breakfast ready by the time he arrived. She was tired of eating alone two out of the three daily meals and silent company was better than no company at all.