Her Heart's Desire NH2

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  When Sally returned to Ethel Mae’s house, she saw that her friend was waiting for her on the porch swing. As Sally hurried up the porch steps, Ethel Mae jumped off the swing and rushed over to her. “What happened? Is Rick smitten with you?”

  Sally shook her head. “No. We spent the whole time talking about you and how much he adores you.”

  Ethel Mae’s shoulders slumped. “No.”

  “I’m afraid he is one of your more devoted suitors.”

  “Oh no!”

  “Oh no, indeed.” Sally plopped down on the swing and sighed. “I can’t remember seeing a man so in love before. Well, except for my brother Richard after he married Amanda.”

  Ethel Mae sat next to her and groaned. “What am I going to do? I have no such interest in him. I’m fond of him, I suppose. He’s pleasant enough, but I have no desire to marry him.”

  Crossing her arms, Sally tried to resist the urge to pout. “And he has no desire to talk to me again, let alone court me.”

  “Well, one part of my plan worked. You like him. But then he likes me, so what good does any of it do?”

  Exactly. What good did it do? “He doesn’t know me well enough to want to be with me. I need to spend more time with him.”

  “I could invite him over when you’re here.”

  “I don’t know if that’ll do any good.” Sally tapped her index finger on her lips and gave careful consideration to her conversation with him. “I was foolish enough to think he’d pretend to be interested in me to make you jealous. How silly is that? Of course, he saw the folly in that idea. He’s smarter than my brother. Tom would have went right along with it.”

  Ethel Mae straightened up in the swing and turned to face her. “That’s not a bad idea!”

  “Of course, it is. He said if you were interested in him, you’d be interested even if he wasn’t hard to get.”

  “But what if I got Vivian to tell him I’m interested in a young man who fancies another lady?”

  Sally bit her lower lip. “You think your sister would do that?”

  “She would if I did her chores for a week.”

  A smile spread slowly across Sally’s face. “If Rick heard it from Vivian, he might start thinking my idea has some merit after all.”

  “Then he’d spend time with you in hopes of making me jealous.”

  “And he’d get to know me and fall in love!”

  “Yes!” Looking pleased, Ethel Mae sat back in the swing and added, “Just be your usual charming self, and he won’t be able to resist you.”

  Feeling much better, Sally contemplated what she might say the next time she saw him.

  Chapter Two

  After supper that night, Sally scrubbed one of the plates in the sink full of hot water. Cleaning dishes was one of those tasks where a person’s mind could wander, which was good because she kept thinking of Rick’s deep brown eyes and warm smile that lit up his face. He was incredibly handsome. She couldn’t recall a time when she’d been so attracted to anyone. But what could she possibly say to grab his attention?

  Her mother set more plates and utensils on the work table and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. “That’s the last of it.”

  “How Tom, David, and Joel eat so much, I’ll never understand,” Sally replied.

  “They’re growing boys.”

  “They’re like a bunch of dogs with the way they fight over who gets the last piece of food.”

  Her mother chuckled. “My mother was sure that my brothers would eat her out of house and home. If you have sons, you’ll think all your time is spent fixing something in the kitchen.”

  Sally groaned. “Thanks for giving me something to look forward to, Ma.”

  “All men go through it while they’re growing up. They can’t get enough food.”

  Sally grimaced as she thought of Tom whacking Joel on the head for the last biscuit. She was sure Rick would never do anything so crude. No. Rick, Sally was sure, maintained proper manners at all times.

  “Alright. Spill it,” her mother said, interrupting her thoughts.

  Realizing she was staring out the window with a goofy grin on her face, Sally turned her attention back to the dishes in the sink.

  “What’s going on with you?” her mother asked, looking amused. “You’re usually a chatterbox, but tonight Tom and Jenny did most of the talking.”

  Sally debated whether or not to say something to her mother. There wasn’t anything to tell her, really. Rick wasn’t going to court her, yet, so she feared it might be premature to gush on and on about the wonderful man she met that day. But, on the other hand, her mother succeeded in nabbing her father, so she knew something about courtship and marriage.

  Setting the clean dish on the dish rack, Sally took a deep breath and faced her mother. “Well, there is this young man I met while at Ethel Mae’s today.”

  “Oh!” Her mother straightened up in a manner that indicated she forgot she was tired. Picking up a clean cloth, she took the dish from the dish rack and dried it off. “How exciting! I remember when Richard first told me he was going to marry Amanda.” Chuckling, she added, “I was devastated because my oldest was growing up, but now they’re married and she just gave me twin grandsons.”

  “Uh…yes.” Sally wasn’t sure what her older brother had to do with Rick but shrugged. “Anyway, his name is Rick Johnson, and he’s a judge.”

  “A judge? What a great job! He’ll provide for you very well.”

  “That would be true if he was interested in me. He seems to be fond of Ethel Mae.”

  Her shoulders drooped. “No.”

  “I’m afraid so, but she isn’t interested in him. In fact, she introduced us with the hopes he might turn his attention to me.”

  “And?”

  “It didn’t work out the way we hoped.” Sally turned back to the dishes, mindful that she better finish them before the water went lukewarm. “But we’re trying to arrange it so that he and I can spend some time together. Then he can get to know me, and maybe he’ll like me more than Ethel Mae.” It was the oddest thing. Now that she was explaining it to her mother, the plan didn’t seem as solid as it’d seemed when she was talking to her friend.

  “Where will you be spending time with him?”

  “Well, Ethel Mae will arrange it so that I happen to be there when he comes by.”

  “Hmm…”

  “Hmm…what?”

  Her mother shrugged. “If he has his mind set on being with Ethel Mae, will he be able to focus on you if she’s around?”

  “I don’t know where else to meet him.”

  “Invite him out here. Young single men love a good home-cooked meal. It’s what convinces them to get married.”

  Sally cringed. “Even if he likes the food, one supper over here and Rick will be running back to Ethel Mae’s. She has a sweet sister. I have Tom and Joel.”

  “They can be good. Invite him over for supper.”

  “David and Jenny can be good, and Tom and Joel can be good if they aren’t in the same room together. But they’ll be in the same room—at the same table!”

  Her mother chuckled and patted her shoulder. “Oh Sally, you have to give those two more credit than that. They’ll behave if a stranger is here.”

  “Not when I have a visitor. Whenever Ethel Mae is here, they hide somewhere and listen to us. You know how we find out they’re listening? Tom gives himself away by chuckling. And do you know when he chuckles? Whenever Ethel Mae and I discuss which men might be worth courting us.”

  “They’re still doing that?”

  “They didn’t last time she was here, but I don’t know if David can keep them preoccupied all the time.” She sighed and handed her mother the plate. “I wish they were like David. I never have to worry about him.”

  “If he is so good, then why don’t you ever call him Dave like he prefers?”

  “Because I love the name David. It sounds more romantic. You can envision a David being a hero in a book, but
Dave? How many heroes do you know that are named Dave? Besides, I won the race, so it’s my right to call him whatever I want.”

  “I’ll never understand why he accepted that bet. You’re five years older than him. We all knew who was going to win, but he seemed so sure he could beat you.”

  “And that will show him he can’t assume that just because he’s a boy, he’ll win.” She grabbed the last plate and washed it. “If we have Rick over, will you make sure Tom and Joel behave?”

  “I’ll tell them if they don’t behave, they’ll be doing your chores for a week.”

  “Can you make it a month?”

  “Are you that sure they’ll act up?” her mother asked, her eyes twinkling.

  “No. I just want to make sure they’re scared enough to obey you.”

  Her mother took the plate from her and dried it. “Very well. I’ll warn them that they could end up with additional chores for a month.”

  Sally hugged her. “Thanks, Ma.”

  “You’re welcome. Now go help Jenny take down the clothes off the line. I’ll help you two put everything away.”

  Nodding, Sally hastened to do as she was instructed. If she could get Rick here and Ethel Mae wasn’t around, then maybe he’d notice her. Now she had to figure out what she could say to convince him to come over.

  ***

  Three days later, Rick studied his reflection in the mirror above the small dresser and sighed. No matter what he did, the irritating cowlick wouldn’t go down. He didn’t think he could go to Ethel Mae’s looking this silly, especially if he planned to stay and talk with her for any length of time.

  Frustrated, he sat on the bed in his room at the boarding house. He really wanted to see Ethel Mae. It took all of his willpower to hold off on seeing her for three days, and the reason he did that was so he wouldn’t seem too eager. Sally was right on that count. He shouldn’t act like a lovesick schoolboy. But there was no denying he’d been able to think of little else but Ethel Mae.

  He had to see her this evening! Even if he had to keep his hat on his head, he’d do it. If he talked her into going for a walk, he could very well keep his hat on. Then she wouldn’t see his unruly hair at all, and he’d be spared any embarrassment. Inspired, he stood up and grabbed his hat. Placing it on his head, he adjusted his tie and suit jacket. He straightened his shoulders and smiled. There. He didn’t look so bad now.

  Feeling much better, he left his room and headed down the hallway. After he went down the stairs, Mrs. Penquite called out to him from the parlor. “You wanted to see me, Mrs. Penquite?” he asked as he approached her.

  The middle-aged woman who owned the boarding house stood up from where she sat across from an older couple. “If you can spare a moment, my sister and her husband have a legal question. Since you’re a judge, I thought perhaps you might be willing to answer it?”

  He took a deep breath as he debated whether to oblige the woman. He learned early on that when people thought a question would require a simple answer, it often turned out to be more complicated than they imagined. He glanced at the clock above the fireplace and decided he could spare at least thirty minutes.

  “I’ll be happy be assist, Mrs. Penquite,” he finally said and sat in the chair which had its back to the window. “What may I help you with?” he asked the couple.

  As predicted, the legal question turned out to be more complicated than they suspected, and forty-two minutes later, it was answered to their satisfaction. Hiding his disappointment that his time with Ethel Mae had been drastically cut, he smiled and wished them luck with the lawyer he recommended they see the following day.

  He left the boarding house, noting that the sun would set in an hour, and sighed. No, he wouldn’t get to see Ethel Mae much at all. It did occur to him he could delay seeing her until tomorrow. He quickly dismissed that notion. Today was Thursday and she hadn’t sent him a note to let him know if he could see her on Saturday as she promised. If he wanted to find out if he could visit with her on Saturday, he needed to talk to her this evening.

  When he reached Ethel Mae’s house, his heartbeat picked up. It was silly that he was so nervous around her. She was just a woman. Well, no. That wasn’t true. She wasn’t just a woman. She was the woman he hoped to marry. So she was really the most important woman he’d ever met. He bounded up the steps of the porch and knocked on the door.

  A man opened the door and smiled. “Hello, Rick. Did you come to see my daughter?”

  Rick nodded and returned his smile. “Yes, sir. Forgive me if I don’t take my hat off. My hair is a bit disheveled, and I don’t wish to embarrass myself in front of Ethel Mae.”

  Chuckling, he waved him into the entryway. “I understand that one, son. I remember when I was courting her mother. It’s funny how you notice everything that doesn’t look right when you’re mindful of a woman’s eye. You’re the banker, right?”

  Banker? Rick forced the smile to remain on his face as he stepped into the entryway. “No, sir. I’m a judge.”

  “Oh. I’m sorry. I heard Ethel Mae talking about a banker who’s supposed to pay her a visit and thought it was you.”

  “Is he due here this evening?” Rick asked, thinking that if he saw who else was interested in her, then he might be able to figure out what his chances were with her.

  “I don’t know. She just said he was coming by sometime this week.”

  “Oh.”

  “Well, don’t you worry yourself, son. It’s good to see what else is out there before we settle down. I’m sure my daughter isn’t the only one you’re thinking of courting. Before I asked to court Ethel Mae’s mother, I talked to three other young ladies to determine which would be the best choice.”

  Unsure of why he was telling him all of this, Rick nodded, hoping his discomfort didn’t show.

  “Come on into the parlor,” her father said, motioning to the doorway.

  “Considering I don’t want to take my hat off, I thought perhaps I’d talk to Ethel Mae on the porch. Maybe sit on the swing and enjoy the sunset?”

  “Oh, alright. I’ll get her.”

  Thanking him, Rick checked out his reflection in the hallway mirror. He took his hat off, and sure enough, the stubborn cowlick stuck straight up. Gritting his teeth, he put the hat back on and figured that this banker probably had perfect hair.

  Ethel Mae emerged from the parlor, so he straightened up and offered what he hoped to be an attractive smile. “Good evening, Ethel Mae.”

  “Good evening, Rick. What brings you here?”

  “Uh…well…” He cleared his throat and motioned to the porch. “I wondered if you’d do me the honor of watching the sunset while we talk.”

  She didn’t respond immediately, and that bothered him. If she was as excited to see him as he was to see her, she’d say yes right away, wouldn’t she? He knew if she asked him to watch the sunset and talk, he’d already be out the door and sitting on the swing.

  Finally, she nodded. “Let me get my shawl. Why don’t you wait for me on the swing?”

  Before he could respond, she hurried down the hall and slipped into a room. With nothing else to do, he shrugged and stepped onto the porch. Seeing the swing, he went over to it, sat down and placed his hands on his knees.

  A few seconds later, Ethel Mae’s ten-year-old sister bounded up the steps to the porch and stopped in front of him. “Are you here to see my sister?” she asked, her hands behind her back as she rocked back and forth on her heels.

  “Yes,” he replied.

  “Which suitor are you?”

  Shifting uncomfortably on the swing, he asked, “How many suitors does she have?”

  With a shrug, she said, “I think there’s three.”

  “Three?”

  “Yes, I’m sure it’s three. There’s Larry, Samuel, and…and…” She pressed the tip of her finger to her lips and glanced at the sky. “I’m not sure who the other one is.”

  “Rick?” he squeaked. He cleared his throat and repeated, “Ric
k?”

  “Rick! That’s it. You know how I remember it? Because Rick rhymes with sick.” She giggled as if that was the funniest observation a person could make. “So, which one are you? Or are you a fourth?”

  “I’m Rick.”

  “Oh. Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you!”

  He nodded, though he kept wondering why he hadn’t heard of Larry or Samuel before. “These other suitors, Larry and Samuel… Do they come by often?”

  “I’ve only met Larry, but she talks about Samuel an awful lot.”

  “She does?”

  “Yep. But he likes someone else. Maybe that’s why he hasn’t been by. He must be spending time with Miss Keating. Do you know who she is?”

  “No.”

  “I do. My sister does, too. In fact, she went over to visit last week and Samuel was there. My sister came home, and she said she didn’t realize how addictive Samuel is.”

  “You mean, attractive?”

  “Something like that. All I know is she’s been sweet on him ever since. She says she wants him to court her or kiss her. Really yucky things like that. I don’t understand it. Do you?”

  Unsure of what else to say, he replied with a bland, “No.”

  With another shrug, she said, “Maybe when I get older I will. But if a boy tries to kiss me right now, I’ll slap him silly. Thank goodness I’m still a kid. Good luck with my sister!”

  She ran into the house. He didn’t know if he should run after her to find out more about Samuel or not. Samuel’s appeal couldn’t be the fact that he was interested in Miss Keating. There had to be something more to it than that. Maybe there was something about the way he acted or looked or…

  “I’m sorry I kept you waiting,” Ethel Mae said as she stepped onto the porch, shutting the door behind her.

  He stood up and almost took his hat off before he remembered his cowlick. Tipping his hat, he replied, “I didn’t mind.”