by Diane Darcy
Melissa shook her head wondering what was going on. “No, that should do us for today, thank you. Can I offer you a glass of water or something? Are you hungry?”
Jed, still on his knees, looked over at the four pans of rising dough on the table. “Looks like you’re making bread.”
The desperation in his voice was disturbing. Was the poor man starving? “Would you like some? I still have half a loaf, or if you want to wait, these should be done soon,” she said, indicating the rising loaves.
Jed stood, wood shavings clinging to his chest and arms. He looked uncomfortable and visibly nervous, his eyes not meeting hers. He took a deep breath. “I thought that while I was out this way anyway, I might as well pay court to Miss Goodwin.” He whipped his hat off and showed thick, wiry hair, matted against his head. “I was hopin’ you could talk to her and maybe smooth my way.”
Oh.
Oh dear.
Melissa met Jessica’s gaze. Jed attempting to talk with Hannah was a very bad idea; there was no way Hannah would be receptive to him. Melissa could see the pity in Jessica’s eyes, and was sure the same look was in her own.
She took a breath and decided to opt for honesty; it was probably kindest. “Mr. Peterson, in all sincerity, I think your chances are slim to none that Hannah will be receptive to being courted. Besides, Hannah and I aren’t exactly the best of friends anymore, so I’m the last person you should be asking for help.” Melissa felt a pang of sadness and wished it weren’t true. She missed the friendship.
Jed stuck out his jaw, his bushy beard quivering, his eyes worried. “I’m not leaving without seeing Hannah.” He was determined, but obviously scared to death.
Melissa turned away and opened the stove’s clunky metal door and started loading in more wood. How could she talk him out of this? “I didn’t realize you were still interested in Hannah. I mean, I’m surprised you waited this long to come calling.”
Jed looked down at his hat, bending and shaping the brim. “I had things to do. I’ve been working on my cabin, getting ready for the winter months. There’s a lot to do this time of year.”
Had he been readying his home for a bride? Or simply been afraid to come? Probably both, poor man. Either way, he’d obviously had to work up the guts to come today. She doubted anything she said would change his mind. Anyway, it wasn’t her place to tell him any details. Let Hannah do her own dirty work. But poor Jed. Melissa knew his courting Hannah wouldn’t do any good since Hannah was unlikely to be interested, but Melissa decided to give him some advice. “Mr. Peterson, women usually look more favorably on a man who has shaved and cleaned himself up a bit.”
Jed stared at her, long seconds passed and his eyes bugged, then without a word he turned and walked out of the cabin.
Jessica’s brow furrowed. “Do you think his feelings are hurt?”
Melissa placed a hand on Jessica’s shoulder and they both watched through the window as he headed toward the bunkhouse. Had she offended him? She hadn’t meant to, but perhaps it was for the best. There was no way it could work between him and Hannah. Hannah had too much baggage. She squeezed Jessica’s shoulder. “Let’s check the temperature. Maybe we can bake the bread now.”
About thirty minutes later, Jed came back, bathed and clean- shaven. Obviously he’d used the men’s facilities. “How do I look?”
Well, he looked different, that was for sure. His hair, still damp, was less bushy and his hairless face was a bit more on the homely side than she’d realized. His nose seemed bigger and his face was red on the upper cheeks and white beneath where his beard and mustache used to be.
But without his facial hair he looked vulnerable, his brown eyes pure puppy-dog and Melissa wondered if Hannah would have a hard time turning him away after all.
“You look very nice.” As soon as she said the words, she felt her conscience twist. She really wasn’t trying to interfere.
Jed smiled and nodded eagerly. “I’ve decided I don’t want to put you in a bad position, so I’m just going by myself.” He quickly turned and headed off to the ranch house.
Melissa and Jessica exchanged a glance.
Jessica hurried to the door. “Good luck, Jed!”
About ten minutes later he was back, breathing hard, visibly sweating and shaking. “She sent me away.” Jed looked at her beseechingly, agony in his gaze. “She wouldn’t even talk to me. Please. You have to help me. Please.”
Melissa wondered how to be tactful about this. How could she explain that Hannah had some emotional problems that Jed probably wasn’t equipped to deal with? “Perhaps Hannah isn’t the girl for you?”
“What do you mean? Is someone else courting her? Have you seen someone coming around?” He started pacing, then stopped abruptly, his fists clenched. “I waited too long, didn’t I? I lost my chance with her. Who is he?”
Melissa suppressed a sympathetic smile. His show of jealousy was rather endearing. Poor guy. “No, there’s no one else. Hannah is just very shy. Perhaps she isn’t the type to marry? Some girls prefer the single life.”
Jed looked at her as if he didn’t understand the language she spoke. He shook his head. “Please, Mrs. Kendal. You’ve got to help me.”
Melissa sighed. She knew it wouldn’t do any good, but perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to agree to simply talk to Hannah. Just to set Jed’s mind at ease. Then he could feel he’d tried every avenue open to him.
She wiped her hands on her apron and shook her head. She couldn’t believe she was going to do this. No doubt she wouldn’t even get in the door. The widow would stop her and Melissa would end up feeling lousy again, but Jed probably wouldn’t leave until she helped. “All right, I’ll talk to her.”
Jed grabbed her right hand in both of his and pumped her arm up and down. “Thank you. Thank you, Mrs. Kendal. You’re a good Christian woman. Thank you.”
Melissa retrieved her hand from his big paws and untied her apron. “Yes, just call me Mother Theresa.”
“Who?”
Melissa shook her head. “Don’t expect too much. You wait here. Jessica, please watch the bread and as soon as it’s done why don’t you feed Mr. Peterson some bread and jam?”
“No, thank you, ma’am. I couldn’t eat a bite,” said Jed.
She could feel his hopeful gaze boring into her back as she walked away. Since when did she look like Cupid? This was not going to end well. Although Melissa and Hannah still worked together, they certainly weren’t close, and Melissa was nervous to broach this particular subject with Hannah. Too many bad memories for both of them.
Perhaps Melissa could just pretend to talk with Hannah, then go back and tell Jed it wasn’t going to happen? Then he could forget about Hannah and get on with his life.
Her mind made up, Melissa suppressed a pang of guilt. Non-interference was best for everyone at this point. Right?
* * *
As slowly as she walked, it still took only a few minutes until Melissa stood at the side door of the ranch house. Reluctantly, she knocked. She’d just ask Hannah if she could borrow a cake pan or something. Maybe they could talk about the benefits of round cakes versus square ones and then Melissa could be on her way.
If the widow answered, same conversation, only faster. If Melissa needed more time so Jed would believe she’d done her best to persuade Hannah, she could simply loiter behind Emma’s cabin before returning.
Poor Jed. But no doubt it was for the best.
The lace curtain beside the door fluttered briefly and the door wrenched open. Hannah, wild-eyed, surveyed the area, grabbed hold of Melissa’s arm, pulled her inside and quickly shut the door.
Startled, Melissa put a hand to her chest. “Wow. Well hello to you too!”
Terror blanched Hannah’s face, and she sucked in several harsh breaths. “Mr. Peterson was here!” Hannah pressed her fists to her cheeks. “What do I do? Help me!”
Melissa opened her mouth, shut it, and opened it again, not sure what to say. “First take a deep breath, and the
n tell me what you want to do.”
Hannah gulped in air. She wrung her hands together. “I don’t know! I just don’t know!”
Melissa paused and tried to gather her thoughts. This wasn’t exactly going the way she’d planned, but she could work with it. “Well then, let me tell you what I know and maybe it will help you make a decision. Jed is scared to death of you.”
Hannah froze in the process of wringing her hands together. She gaped. “He’s afraid of me?” Astonishment colored her voice. “But why? I couldn’t hurt him if I tried.”
Pity tightened Melissa’s chest. “He’s scared you won’t like him.” Melissa flapped a hand in the air and tried to find the right words. “Jed’s not the type of man to hurt a woman. I know you’re afraid of that. But with Jed, well, I promise you don’t need to worry.”
“How do you know?”
Melissa sighed, closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the door. She couldn’t believe she was doing this. Allowing her mind to turn to the ugliness she’d blocked out over the years. Her mother. Her mother’s problems. The way those problems had spilled onto Melissa.
She took a deep breath, opened her eyes and admitted something she’d rarely allowed herself to think about and certainly never told to another soul. “My mother had men move into our home during my childhood; different men all the time. Some of the men were abusive and knocked us around.”
Melissa’s lips tightened. “I can spot a man like that coming from miles away. Jed may get a little physical with his friends; that’s just boys blowing off steam, and believe it or not, that’s perfectly normal.”
She finally looked straight at Hannah. “But if he ever harmed a hair on your head, I’d die from shock. Like I said, the man is more afraid of you than you are of him.”
Hannah looked astounded by the concept.
Melissa wrestled with her conscience for a moment. It was like shooting fish in a barrel; too easy. But she’d already gone this far, so why not go all the way? Why not help Jed out? He seemed like a decent guy, and Melissa could at least give him a chance. And it would give Hannah a chance too.
Melissa sighed loudly. Melissa the manipulator, take one. “In fact, I feel sorry for the guy. Really sorry for him.”
Hannah’s brow creased. “Why?”
Melissa shook her head mournfully. “I don’t think he’s getting much to eat lately.”
Hannah put a hand to her heart. “He’s hungry?”
Melissa thought of his bulk and barely refrained from rolling her eyes. Talk about gullible. The guy had no extra fat, she’d be willing to bet, but that hard muscle certainly wasn’t shriveling up. But if Hannah would buy it, and it would help Jed? Why not?
“Yes,” she shook her head. “Poor, poor, Jed. Starving to death, and no one to feed him. He’s in my cabin right now, practically wasting away. He was staring at my fresh baked bread like a wolf looks at a lamb. Poor guy.”
Wide-eyed, Melissa met Hannah’s gaze. “Did I ever tell you about the time he tried to give me cooking lessons? No? Well, let’s just say that no normal person would eat anything he’s ever cooked.”
Melissa pushed away from the door and walked to the window. “But it’s not exactly my problem, is it? I mean, I need all the food in my house to feed my growing kids and my husband. I really can’t spare any. But it was kind of sad to see him eyeing my bread that way.”
Melissa leaned against the counter. “I wonder.” She tapped a finger to her lips. “Perhaps I could send him to go and scrounge in the garden? He could see if there’s any leftover tomatoes or cucumbers or anything that we missed. I think some of them were only half rotten.”
Concern drew lines on Hannah’s brow as she seemed to look inward as she shook her head.
Melissa managed to keep a straight face. Barely. “Yes, that’s a good idea. He can have all the rotten vegetables he can find.” Melissa nodded. “Like you said. He’s a big boy. He can take care of himself.”
Horror colored Hannah’s face. “I never said that!”
“You didn’t?”
“No!” Hannah glanced around the kitchen. “Perhaps I have something here he could eat.” Moving quickly, Hannah grabbed a big basket from the corner, layered a couple of towels in it and started to pile food inside: a pie, a loaf of bread, a crock of butter, some cooked meat. It looked like the only one going hungry tonight might be the widow.
Melissa bit back a grin. Somehow, the fact that Jed was as large as a bear seemed to be lost on Hannah. “Well, I have to say I really want him out of my cabin. You have to admit, his clothes don’t look all that clean. I guess he does the best he can do, not being married and all, but I mean really. I guess it’s too bad he has no one to do the wash for him. I wonder if people make fun of him when he goes to town? Probably. Poor guy.”
Hannah’s gaze was full of pity and tears actually sprang to her eyes. She held out the basket, now overflowing with food.
“Maybe you could give him this basket?”
Melissa shook her head and held up both hands. “No way! I’ve made up my mind. I feel the same way you do. I don’t want to see that man again. He’s probably like a stray dog; feed him and he’ll keep coming around. I can’t stand the way he looks at me with those sad little boy eyes. It makes me feel sorry for him.” Melissa shrugged. “But he probably does it on purpose just to get my sympathy. Anyway, it’s just not my problem.”
Hannah looked lost, unsure.
One more push ought to do it. Melissa indicated the basket.
“And really, Hannah, it’s not your problem either. Let’s both of us stay here in your kitchen until he leaves. If he comes over and knocks again we won’t answer the door. It might hurt his feelings, but surely he’ll get the hint after a while and realize that he’s not welcome by either one of us.”
Melissa shrugged again. “If he doesn’t, we can have Richard beat him up when he gets home tonight. Jed is so big and awkward he’ll get flattened to the dirt in no time. That’ll get rid of him for sure.”
Hannah looked agonized. “Melissa, how can you be so cruel?”
“Cruel?” Melissa widened her eyes. “You were the one who turned him away first. He was practically in tears when he came back to tell me about it. And he’d shaved and everything just so he could court you. I’m just following your example because I’m your friend. I thought you wanted to get rid of him?”
Miserably, Hannah looked at the ground. “He was crying? Perhaps I could have been kinder. I’ll just go see him and make sure he’s all right; that he has something to eat.”
Melissa pasted on her best dubious expression. “Well, okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. Feed him and you may never get rid of him; it’s your call.”
Melissa watched her go. She shook her head and a small chuckle escaped.
They’d be married by Christmas.
With a sigh she sank down onto a chair, placed her chin in her palm and watched Hannah through the window as she quickly turned out of sight.
Then she rubbed her temples and acknowledged that the door to all the thoughts she’d hidden away for so many years had opened just a crack, and now all those thoughts were coming out, pell-mell, and she couldn’t stop them.
Tears welled in her eyes. Her poor, misguided Mom. There had been a few men who’d treated her decently over the years, but very few, and not for very long.
Had her mom been like Hannah? There were a lot of similarities: their fear, their dependancy on others, the aura of fragility. If the widow hadn’t found Hannah and taken her in, would she have found another abusive relationship? Probably. Melissa’s mother had drifted that way for years. And then she’d died.
Eyes completely blurred with tears, Melissa stared out the window blankly. Hannah hadn’t deserved to be abused; neither had Melissa’s mother. A tear fell down Melissa’s cheek.
And neither had Melissa.
The widow walked over by the corral, Jessica in tow. Melissa’s eyes widened at the distraction an
d she wiped at her cheeks.
What on earth were they doing together?
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Melissa dried her eyes and allowed herself to be distracted. She didn’t want to think about her mother anymore. The problems Melissa had endured as a child didn’t belong in the here and now. They’d been buried for a long time and needed to stay that way.
Her brows drew together. What was the widow doing with Jessica anyway? No doubt the old biddy was forcing her to work. Elbow firmly on the table, chin resting on her palm, Melissa drummed her fingers against her cheek. She really ought to rescue her daughter.
She didn’t move, but watched as they turned the corner and headed toward the front of the house. Taking a deep breath, she finally pushed away from the table and went to meet them in the parlor. When they didn’t enter, she moved aside a handful of lace and looked out the window.
The two sat together on the bench under the big shade tree, heads bent close as they studied something in the widow’s palm. Jessica was grinning.
Against her will, one corner of Melissa’s mouth quirked up. Whatever they were doing, they made a charming picture. Jessica’s bright blonde locks lay against the widow’s faded light hair and the contrast of smooth against wrinkled skin had Melissa picturing an ad campaign for silk.
Both became animated as they conversed, and Melissa could see their aqua eyes, very similar in color, flashing. They looked like a portrait of a grandmother and granddaughter. Jessica no doubt missed her grandma and was enjoying herself, so Melissa reconsidered interrupting. She’d just leave the two of them together and go out through the kitchen.
Melissa turned, and as she did, her gaze slid to the photo of the young Jane Taggart resting on the bureau. Startled, Melissa realized that, in looks, the young woman could be Jessica’s older sister.
She lifted the curtain again and her gaze returned to Jessica and the widow, then slid back to the photo, and the hair on the back of Melissa’s neck stood up.