by Morgan, Kit
“Pancakes,” he said with a smile. “I hope you like them.”
“I’m sure I will. They’re bound to be better than mine.”
“You've made pancakes?”
“No, and that's my point.”
He laughed and added the last pancake to the stack next to him. He turned and set the plate of cakes on the table with a grimace. “I'll go blind unless I cover this with something.” He perused the surface. “You know, this wouldn't look bad with a white lace tablecloth, with the red showing through.”
Fina thought about it. He was right. It would look nice. “Do you have one?”
“As a matter of fact, I do. I'll get it right after breakfast.”
Fina looked around the kitchen. “We could put it on now. Is it in the sideboard?”
Levi looked at the small sideboard on the other side of the room. “No, it's upstairs in my trunk.”
Fina felt herself pale at the mention of the trunk. “Oh, I see. Very well, we’ll put it on after breakfast.” She looked at him and noticed him study her with an intense look.
“Yes, we will.”
Her palms began to sweat. Should she follow him upstairs when he fetched the tablecloth? Would he be suspicious if she did? She buttered her pancakes and tried not to think about it.
“Would you like some syrup?” he asked.
Fina jumped in her chair. “Oh, good heavens! You startled me…”
“Rather hard to do when you're sitting right next to me, don't you think?” he asked and eyed her suspiciously.
“Not at all… I was just… thinking.”
“And what sorts of thoughts, may I ask, have you so enthralled?”
She tried not to gulp out of nervousness, but did it anyway. “Nothing really,” she spoke with a calm she didn’t feel. “I was just wondering how Lena and Chase are getting along.” This was true; she’d been thinking about her sister as she came down the stairs and then spied Levi at the stove.
“We can go over there today, if you want. Besides, I’d like to see what color your sister painted Chase’s kitchen table,” he said with a wry smile.
Fina gave him a sheepish look. At least they weren’t talking about the trunk anymore. “My sister's artistic sensibilities lean more towards the stage rather than painting.”
“Oh?” he asked with a raised brow. “Is Apple as artistically inclined as you and Lena?”
“In her own special way, yes.”
“Dare I ask what that is?”
“In case you haven't noticed, Apple likes to, how should I say, exercise her vocal cords on a consistent basis.”
“If you mean she talks a lot, then yes, I'll have to agree with you,” he said with a grin. “I’ll remember to have plenty of chores to do when she comes visiting again.”
“Oh, come now, she's not that bad.”
“Isn't she? Whose idea was it to paint the table?”
Fina rolled her eyes at him. “Mine, if you must know. Apple had nothing to do with it.”
Levi chuckled and left it at that. Good. She already felt guilty and didn't want to have her guilt compounded by his talk of the table, tablecloth, or the subsequent trip upstairs to the trunk.
“Aside from a visit to your sister, what do you plan to do today?” he asked her between mouthfuls.
Fina poured herself a cup of coffee, picked up a spoon, and stirred her coffee. “Something domestic, I suppose, like…” she glanced around the room. “Wash the windows?”
Levi watched her stir her coffee. “Would you like some sugar?”
She stopped and stared at her cup, her mouth tight. “Oh yes, quite right; I knew I'd forgotten something.”
“If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were nervous, Mrs. Stone,” he drawled as he rested both arms on the table. “Is there something you’d like to tell me?”
Fina shook her head. “Of course not. Whatever gave you that idea?”
He shrugged. “Nothing; it's just that you're still stirring your coffee and you haven't put anything in it.”
Fina looked at her cup. Good Lord! She was stirring it again! She’d better think up something fast to tell him, or he'd be suspicious of her all day. “Well… what do you expect after what you did to me last night?”
“Did to you? We kissed.”
“A lot!”
“Yes, wasn't it grand?”
“Don't be so arrogant,” she shot back.
“Who's being arrogant? I'm simply stating the facts.”
“Facts? You kissed me… more than once… that doesn't make you king!”
“What? What are you talking about? Though, there is the saying that a man’s home is his castle.”
Oh great, now she'd done it.
“And this,” he said with an exaggerated wave of his arms to indicate the room, “is my castle. But tell me, Mrs. Stone,” he said and lowered his arms. “Are you my queen, or a misbehaving chambermaid?”
Fina blanched. “Whatever do you mean by that?”
He winked at her. “Perhaps we'll find out tonight, hmmm?”
“Oh, please don't start; it's far too early.”
Levi laughed, took the last few bites of his pancake, and got up from the table. “You straighten up in here, I'll see to a few chores, and then we’ll go visit your sister. How does that sound?”
“Really?”
He leaned down to her. “You want to see her, don't you?” he asked, his voice gentle.
She melted when he used that tone. Fina nodded as she gazed into his eyes. He was a complex man, and she was just starting to learn his mannerisms and the way he thought. However, she also knew she could spend a lifetime doing so. She then realized that, despite even the situation with the trunk, she wouldn't mind at all.
* * *
By the time Levi returned to the house, Fina had the breakfast dishes done and put away. “Are you ready to go?” he asked brightly.
“Let me get my shawl,” she told him.
“You won't need it; it's warm outside already.”
She smiled and smoothed the skirt of her dress. “Do I look presentable?”
He went to her and took her in his arms. “Beautiful as always,” he whispered.
Fina felt her spine relax and leaned into him. He tightened his arms, and kissed the top of her head. They stood like that for some time before he let out a heavy sigh. “We'd best get going, beautiful, if you want to be able to visit your sister. I've got chores to attend to this afternoon.”
Fina opened her eyes, just realizing she'd closed them. Levi's arms were comfortable, warm, and safe. She wondered what it would be like to be wrapped in them all night. It was one thing to be held by him while sitting on the sofa in front of the fire; quite another, she imagined, with the two of them in bed. How could she think he was guilty of anything?
She looked up at him. “Let's go, then. I'm sure Lena will be delighted to see us.”
“I'm sure she will. She might be lonesome being by herself. It's a good thing we don't live very far away.”
“Are we walking, then?”
“Of course; Chase and Lena live only a quarter mile away. I told you, remember?”
She shook her head and glanced at the ceiling, feeling foolish. “You're quite right; how could I've forgotten such a thing?”
“Easily enough when your mind is preoccupied with… other things,” he said with a sly smile.
If he was referring to the trunk, she wasn't about to go there, so she said nothing. Instead, she took his hand and headed for the door. “Off we go, then.”
He laughed and let her pull him along. Once outside, however, she had to let him take the lead, as she had no idea which direction to go. Levi headed straight for the barn.
“We go this way?” she asked as they walked side-by-side.
“Yes,” he said and gazed at the sky. “What a beautiful day! A day like this makes a man want to kiss his wife silly.”
“Stop!”
Levi laughed and walked around to the
back of the barn where, low and behold, there was a trail. “If you take this by yourself, stay on it. It will take you right to Chase and Lena’s property.”
Fina smiled, nodded, and wondered if he’d continue his teasing. To her surprise, he quieted instead, and seemed to be taking in their surroundings as they strolled along. “It's beautiful here,” she said.
He looked at her. “Not as beautiful as you.”
Rather than blush or feel like she was going to melt at his feet, she felt guilty. While she'd been cleaning up the breakfast dishes, she’d had time to think about what she’d discovered in his trunk, and wondered how he came into possession of such a large sum of money.
“Hey,” he said as he stopped. “Is something wrong?”
Fina closed her eyes. She needed to ask about the trunk. Ask him now. She opened her mouth to speak, when she heard a high-pitched yelp come from down the trail. They both turned to see Lena coming towards them. “Oh, my goodness!” Lena cried when she reached them. “I was just heading to your place!”
Fina forced a smile. She would have to address the matter of the trunk later. “Lena!” She ran into her sister's waiting arms and hugged her. “It’s wonderful to see you!”
“Yes, it is! It’s been a whole two days since the wedding!”
“Levi laughed. “It’s amazing the two of you survived the separation. Chase is in town, I presume?”
“Yes, he's at the livery, working.”
Levi rubbed his chin in thought, and looked at both women. “We could do with a cup of coffee then, and I'd love to see what you've done with the place, Mrs. Adams.”
Lena blushed and smiled. “I'm afraid I'm not used to being called that. But, I must admit, I do like it.”
“Of course you do; you married a good man,” said Levi. “Chase and I have been friends for a long time.”
Fina's head snapped up at the remark. If Levi and Chase were close, wouldn't Chase know where the money had come from?
“Come along; I just happen to have a pot on the stove. I was hoping I could tempt my sister away from your home and over to mine for an hour or two.”
“Looks like we were all thinking the same thing,” said Levi with a smile. “All right, Mrs. Adams, lead the way.”
It didn't take long to reach Chase’s property, and soon the house came into view.
“My, but your barn is much bigger than ours,” commented Fina.
“That's because Chase wants to get more into farming once he gets tired of shoeing horses,” explained Levi.
“What about you?” Fina asked. “Are you going to farm, too?”
“Not the way Chase wants to. I’ll stick to keeping books and just having a few critters around the place.”
“Are you saying I won't have to milk any cows?” asked Fina.
“I didn't say that.”
Lena laughed. “It's not as bad as you think, once you get the hang of it.”
“How long did it take you?” Fina asked in shock.
Lena stopped and gave her sheepish look. “Actually, I just mastered it yesterday.”
Levi chuckled. “You see, Fella? Even your sister can do it! So what if it took her more than a couple of weeks to learn?”
Fina rolled her eyes and shook her head at him. “Let's go,” she said to Lena.
Lena also laughed and continued on toward the house. Once inside, Fina gasped at the lovely interior. “Oh, Lena,” she breathed. “I didn't know it would look like this.”
“It didn't. I've been working on it ever since we got married. Edith and Jefferson helped a lot. Edith sewed the curtains, and Jefferson helped Chase make some shelves so I could store things.”
The cabin was simple, warm and cozy, with a touch of Lena everywhere. “It's lovely,” Fina told her.
Lena blushed with pride. “I can't wait to see where you live. Chase told me about it, but it's never the same as seeing it for yourself.”
“Quite right,” Fina agreed.
“I have to agree,” said Levi. “Wait until you see our kitchen table!”
Fina shook her head. “Don't listen to him; he doesn't know what he's talking about.”
“A shiny, bright, no, wait… make that very bright, red table.” He looked Lena in the eye. “The only one like it in the territory, I'd wager.”
“You mean she’s only painted the table so far? That's it?” Lena asked, surprised.
Levi paled. “Only?”
Lena exchanged a conspiratorial wink with her sister. “My dear sir, you haven't seen anything yet.”
Levi’s face twisted up at her. “I certainly hope you make strong coffee, Mrs. Adams,” he remarked flatly. “Because, if you’re saying what I think you’re saying, I'm going to need it, and perhaps something stronger in it.”
Fina smiled at him. “You have no idea, Mr. Stone.” She then winked, looked at her sister, and laughed.
* * *
The two women giggled and chatted for over an hour. Levi listened and watched them closely. They were a lot alike in many ways yet, at the same time, very different from each other. Believe it or not, Lena had the more dramatic personality, and used her hands a lot when she talked. She told them that Edith had informed her of the annual Christmas play, which Levi confirmed was true. Chase’s new bride would make a fine addition to any production Preacher Jo had in mind this year. She obviously had a great love for the stage.
He'd sipped his coffee and sat with them awhile at the kitchen table (one not painted bright red), and listened to their chatter. He then moved himself to the small living area, where he took a seat on the settee and became an observer. The women talked about everything and nothing, and he sensed they both had a great need to be anchored, rooted, into their new lives on the prairie. He had to remind himself that Clear Creek was a far cry from England and all they had known before. He would have to get to know Fella better, in order to make her feel comfortable in her new surroundings, and with him.
But something was bothering her; he knew it, but he wasn't quite sure what it was. Yes, she'd opened his trunk, but had she had time to dig through it? Or did she simply peruse the contents, realize there was no room for her own things, and close it? She was sure skittish thing afterwards, but he figured she'd calm down once he had her full trust. Right now, however, there was still a sliver of distrust hanging between them, and it raked on his nerves.
But then, what could he expect? They were newly-married and had only known each other a few days before they’d tied the knot. Were all mail-order brides as unsettled as she was? Probably so, and he was sure he wasn't the first husband to have to wait to bed his new bride. Of course, he was also sure that a more aggressive man, one with his own interests at the forefront, wouldn't care a whit about what his wife thought. He'd bed her anyway, and often. Levi wanted that trust between them for, with it, he'd have the same thing, but with no arguments from her. He smiled at the thought.
“What's so funny over there?” Lena asked with a giggle.
Levi turned and looked at them. “Oh, nothing; just doing a little… wool-gathering. What are you two talking about now?”
“I'm going to paint the barn bright yellow!” stated Fina with a grin.
Levi stood. “Over my dead body, woman!”
Fina and her sister burst into a fit of giggles. “I dare say,” snorted Lena. “But that got him!”
Levi glared to them. “We don't have any yellow paint,” he ground out.
“I bet Mr. Dunnigan could order me some,” laughed Fina.
“Are all English ladies this way? Plotting together every time they’re in the same room?”
“It's a certainty,” Lena informed him with the laugh. “I’m afraid we’ve been in this country long enough to … how should I put it … relax into your culture.”
“In that case, I'm going to warn Chase about you two,” Levi said as he got up and strolled into the kitchen. He looked down at Fina. “He and I will have to make sure the two of you are never left alone, otherw
ise who knows what dastardly plans you'll come up with?”
“We'll do our best whether you’re with us or not,” Fina told him.
“That sounds like a threat,” Levi said as he raised an eyebrow at her.
“A promise,” she breathed.
He folded his arms across his chest. “If you two don't behave yourselves, I'm not letting you visit each other anymore.”
Lena stood. “Levi Stone, don't even think about such a thing. If we have our way, Fina and I will see each other every day!”
“That's what I'm afraid of!” he exclaimed and unfolded his arms. He turned to his wife. “Are you ready to go home now, beautiful?”
Fina blushed at the use of the endearment in front of her sister. She stood. “If we have to; I know you have chores to do.” She hugged Lena and kissed her on the cheek. “If you have time, come to our house tomorrow.”
“I will.”
“If you like, I can come get you,” offered Levi.
Both women looked at him. “I'm perfectly capable of walking over by myself, Mr. Stone,” Lena told him.
Levi kicked at the floor with his foot. “I think your husband would feel better if I escorted you. I also think you'd best tell him you took off by yourself to come to our place.”
“What?” asked Fina. “Why?”
“Yes; whatever for?” Lena added.
“It’s one thing to be tucked away in a fine cabin such as this, Mrs. Adams, with a revolver or a rifle at your side. It's another to be walking alone across the prairie and through what woods there are to get to our place.”
“Levi,” Fina said and noticed for the first time he was wearing a gun belt. “Do you think the outlaws who burned down our cousin’s barn are still in the area?”
“One can't be too careful: it happened not too long ago.”
Fina stared at him. “Is that why you came with me to see my sister?”
“Aside from enjoying her lovely company? Yes. I’ll not see any harm come to either one of you. Chase would shoot me.”
“We understand,” said Lena. “I'll let Chase know I want to come visit you tomorrow. Maybe he can escort me in the morning and then you could escort me home later.”
“I’d be comfortable with that,” said Levi.