Carter ran in with Conner, followed by their sister. “Jack let us feed Shep and bust the ice for the cattle.”
Alice picked up the napkin and grimaced at the shoeprints on the floor. Wiping their feet on rainy days would be a habit they’d need to learn by spring. “I suppose your adventures outside are why there’s a mess inside?”
“Maybe,” Conner replied as all three eased back toward the door and kicked off their shoes.
She laughed at the guilty expressions. “I was saving the mopping for last and you all can help.” Ignoring the boys’ groans, Alice continued, “Conner can sweep one bedroom, Charlotte the main area, and Carter the last bedroom as soon as I’m finished dusting.”
Jack walked in on her last few words. His eyebrows rose at seeing the wet floor and pile of shoes. Giving Alice a sheepish grin, he kicked off his boots. “You all know you’re my guests and not my hired help, don’t you?”
“We do. However, if you’re kind enough to give us a place to stay while you and I work out the adoption, we’re kind enough to help.”
He walked into the kitchen part of the main room. “I can tell a difference already.” After he set the bucket of water by the stove, he went to the window. “Yes, much better.” Jack grinned at her. “What’s next?”
“Washing dishes and dusting your bedroom, maybe?” She twisted the cloth in her hands. “I wanted to ask before barging in.”
“You’re always welcome in my—” he paused before chuckling. “I mean to say, you’re always welcome to clean anything in here. Bedrooms included.”
“If you’re sure I won’t be invading your privacy…”
“You won’t be.” He walked into his bedroom. “Come on. No need to be shy. We have chaperones.”
Her cheeks seemed to stay flushed around this man, Alice thought as she followed him into the bedroom. The walls were as freshly built as in Charlotte’s and her room. She looked through the windows. They needed cleaning, of course, but gave a good view of the front and back of the house from the bed. “You built both rooms at the same time, didn’t you?”
“I did. I knew Ellie and I would want,” he paused, chuckling before saying, “our privacy after the children arrived.”
“Uh-huh,” she said, giving him a wry grin. Not knowing what else to say, Alice dusted the northern window first while Jack straightened the bedcovers a little better. “I suppose, now, privacy is a moot point.”
“Exactly.” He retrieved a sock from the dresser and began wiping dust from the south window. “Thank you for helping me in here. I never thought about cleaning the windows.”
She turned to the center of the room and watched as Jack wiped side to side. “The outside will need vinegar. It helps with water spots.”
“That might be something saved for spring cleaning. I’m ready to warm up for a bit.”
“I can imagine.” She began dusting his dresser, smiling when spotting the letter she’d sent him sitting on top of a small stack of correspondence. Her cursive could use some practice.
He went over to her. “You can dust under them, or I can. They’re just letters I need to take care of.” He picked them up and held hers apart from the rest. “Especially this one. It’s my highest priority.”
Looking at the others, she tilted her head. “I don’t know. One of them seems to be typewritten and I think the last is a telegram.”
The merriment faded from his expression. “They’re something I can’t fix or change.” He held up one, placing her letter on the dresser. “This is a divorce decree and it needs my signature to make it final.” He lay it on top of her letter.
“Divorce? You have the actual document? I don’t know if I’ve ever met someone who’d do such a thing.”
He frowned at the letter with its heavy type and wrinkles. “I never thought she’d leave for good. I should have known after the first couple of years. She tried to be happy, but after I’d finished building new rooms on to the house she saw we weren’t going back east.”
Alice stared at him for a moment, not sure how to comfort him. If she said the new wood smell and hard work would appeal to nearly any other woman, would he think she was patronizing him? Or would he only care what Ellie thought? She didn’t know for sure and offered, “So, she’s made up her mind and you truly can’t charm her back home? There’s been so much work done on the homestead. Maybe if you explained to her how you’re building a life for you and your children, she’d reconsider.”
Jack shook his head, a slight smile hanging around his lips as he took a folded piece of paper from his pocket. He straightened it out before placing it and the Western Union receipt on top of the legal document. “And this is the reply I received when asking Ellie to forget the divorce.”
Alice read the single word “No” typed on the wrinkled paper. “Oh, goodness, Jack,” she whispered. Ellie had responded over a week ago, judging by the stamped date. “I’m sorry.”
“So am I, except, if she was unhappy enough to walk out without looking back, maybe we’re both better off she’s gone.” Their gazes met in the dresser’s mirror. “I still want to adopt the Hays children and give them a good life away from the city. Only, they’ll have to make do with a father until I find a woman desperate enough to marry me.”
She broke their connection first, walking over to the other side of the bed to put distance between them. The words lingered in her mind and she had to argue, “I don’t think a woman would have to be desperate.”
He put his hands in his pockets and shrugged. “I suppose you’re right. Maybe some small-town gal would want to live out here with me, us. Some little ol’ woman who’d consider this home a palace.”
Between what he was saying and the twinkle in his eye, Alice frowned. “So, you have a new wife already picked out?” She walked up to him, arms crossed and tapping her foot. “No moss growing on your heart, is there? Have you signed the divorce yet?”
“Not yet on both counts.” His grin grew wider. “Give me some time before marrying me off to the first woman you find.”
“I find?” She shook her head. “I’ve found you your children.” Alice couldn’t find anything else to dust and went to the front-facing window. Looking out, she added, “I’m not a matchmaker.”
He walked up behind her and nudged her with his shoulder. “Too bad, because I already love them and would probably love any woman you picked for me.”
Jack was standing far too close to her and his teasing was too charming. She stepped to the side, putting her hands on her hips. She floundered for what to argue back. “I, well, I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to pick your wife. Some things are beyond my abilities.”
Jack laughed. “Somehow, I doubt that.” He held up a hand before she could add another rebuttal. “Fine, I’ll choose my own wife and I’ll get started after I see what everyone’s doing. Quiet children and loud chickens always mean trouble.”
She watched as he left the room. Alice waited, but didn’t hear any voices. Curious, she stepped out into the main area to find Jack exiting her bedroom. “Are they all right?”
“They’re asleep.”
“What? Those lazybones.” She tossed the dust rag onto the table. “They can’t sleep all day.”
Just as she walked past Jack, he grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. Her forward momentum carried her up against his chest and she let out a squeak. He grinned and steadied her, holding on to her shoulders. “Wait a minute, little lady. You’re doing no such thing.”
“I am, too,” she mumbled. His closeness unnerved her. She stared at his lips, aware how if she lifted her chin a couple of inches, they’d be able to kiss.
“No, you’re letting them sleep.” His grip on her relaxed and his hands fell to his sides. “In fact, the sky is darkening again, and my bet is we’ll get round two of sleet this afternoon. You might as well follow the children’s example and get some rest yourself.”
“I’m not tired right now.” As soon as the words left her, Alic
e yawned. “I’m not. You talking about sleep is making me sleepy, that’s all.”
He put his arm around her, turning Alice toward his bedroom. “Come on. Lie down for a little while and rest your eyes.”
“Where will you be?”
“In the main room, doing dishes and working on a project or two.”
“I suppose a nap couldn’t hurt.” She yawned again. “I am rather tired from the trip.” Alice took a few steps back before asking, “You’ll wake me when I need to do something around here? Fix lunch, or dinner if you don’t have a midday meal?”
“Sure. I’ll do that.”
She gave him one last smile before going to his bedroom. Alice stared at the bed for a moment, wondering which side to sleep on. When cleaning earlier, she’d not taken the time to notice where he’d slept and where the boys had been. The sleet began falling again and she decided to stop dithering. Jack wouldn’t care and had said as much already.
Alice slid in under the covers, the cotton sheets cold. The heavy quilt left her feeling cocooned and she snuggled in. The pillow smelled like him: sun, leather, and lavender. Alice sighed, knowing she’d picked the wrong and very appealing side, but not caring. Alone, no distractions, and resting where he slept every night would keep her awake and longing for him.
Chapter Nine
Jack glanced up from the leather strap. Someone was snoring, but he wasn’t sure which person it was. He stood slowly, so the chair’s legs didn’t scrape loudly against the wooden floor. Avoiding the squeaky board, he went to the children’s room first and checked in on them. He’d expected all three to be lying neatly head to headboard, but no. They’d been playing with a doll and wooden farm animals, nodding off where they were on the bed.
He grinned when figuring Alice must be the one making all the racket. Checking in on her found the young woman on his side of the bed, face up, with her forearm over her eyes. Truth be told, he’d heard louder gargles from his brother and pa, but not from such a lovely and refined woman like her.
Shaking his head and trying not to chuckle, Jack went back to the table and the strip of leather. He sat, resuming his work on the new bridle. He’d planned on this one being for Ellie’s horse. He paused, his hands faltering for a moment. Alice and the children had kept his mind occupied almost too well today. He brushed off the pause and continued working the leather.
Telling Alice about the divorce papers and Ellie’s response hadn’t hurt as much as he’d expected. He’d had fun egging her on a little but not too much to find a wife for him. He tested the inside smoothness between a ring and the leather loop to make sure nothing would irritate Shep’s face.
When he finished his project, Jack planned to break out his financial ledger. He’d like to make sure each child had their own horse, and Charlotte would need a sidesaddle. Imagining her being his real daughter brought a smile to his face. He stared out the window at the clearing sky. A lot had happened in less than a day. And tomorrow? His smile faded. Everything depended on what Donovan said and Alice accepted for the adoption.
Refocusing on his work, he finished up what he could on the bridle and set it aside on his work shelf. His stomach growled while he retrieved his ledger and ink set. If he were hungry the others would be, too.
He grabbed his coat and threw it on while on his way to the root cellar. Jack pulled open the door, leaving it open to let in the light. Seed and eating potatoes were in small barrels to the back and all his preserves sat on shelves built into the front walls. The warm earth smelled good, leaving him more than ready for spring plowing.
His hand paused on its way to grabbing a jar of beans and carrots. Did Charlotte know how to can vegetables already? He’d taught Ellie during their first year here. Jack didn’t mind teaching another person. He put a few potatoes in his pocket, ready for tomorrow evening to be here already. By then, he’d know if he had a family or a lonely homestead.
Jack straightened his back. If Alice and Donovan needed convincing about his parenting skills, he was up to the challenge. He’d taken care of his father and brother after his mother died. He’d come out here and built a respectable homestead, and he’d been a decent husband to Ellie.
He stopped halfway to the house and stared at the jar of vegetables in his hand. All right, so his former wife might not agree with his assessment, but still. He loved, or rather had loved her, had been faithful, rarely drank liquor, and helped her become a good farmer’s wife. And now? Jack sighed and stared up at the gloomy sky. Now, he still had his home and what he wanted for a family. He just needed to keep both for good.
The front door opened with a creak and he eased inside. Before too long, Jack had the vegetables simmering in the cookpot. He heard the squeaky board and turned to see Conner approach. Giving the soup a stir, he said to the boy, “Good morning, sleepyhead. How was your nap?”
Conner rubbed his eyes as he went to the stove. “Good. I was only going to close my eyes for a minute.”
“That tends to happen sometimes.”
He peeked into the pot. “Smells good.”
“Vegetable stew.”
The boy didn’t budge. “Mm-hm. Looks like a lot of ‘em.” He looked up at Jack. “Are you sure we need that many?”
“You don’t have to eat them all yourself. I’m sure the others will want some, too.”
Carter walked in, a copy of his brother, and went to Jack’s other side, asking, “Hey, are we going to town today?” He stood on tiptoes to peer at the food. “After supper?”
“After supper what?” Charlotte asked from the doorway. “Mmm, smells good. Where’s Miss Wedgwood?”
“She’s resting,” Jack replied. “We’ll probably go to town tomorrow after breakfast.”
“Will we wear our clothes or yours?” Conner asked.
He laughed. “Probably your own. How about we go check on the animals for the evening and bring your pants in to thaw?” Jack stood and smiled at Charlotte. “Want to help?”
The girl nodded while going to where her shoes were by the back door. “Do you want me to wake Miss Wedgwood?”
“Not yet. After we’re done, if she’s not up we can wake her.” He waited until everyone wore their coats before leading them outside. The gray sky banked in and stilled the air as he picked their way to the henhouse.
Carter came up beside him. “How do you keep the chickens warm?”
“We never noticed a stove,” Charlotte added.
Jack opened the door and ushered them all in. “As much hay as I keep in here, I like the hens not having a fire going.” He went over to the water pan. Despite tacking up the wired openings with oilcloth, a solid film of ice had formed on top of the chicken’s water since the morning. “Most of the time, I just have to break the thin ice during evening chores.” He used a small hammer to punch a hole for the birds to drink from before placing the tool back on a couple of nails to keep it off the floor.
Wanting to teach them skills and help them feel like a part of the farm’s success, Jack said, “Carter, why don’t you give them a scoop of corn and Conner can bring in a couple handfuls of hay for the floor.” He smiled while Charlotte reached out to pet a hen. “And you, young lady, can gather eggs for us.”
She nodded, reaching in under the chicken. “We can have biscuits and gravy for breakfast tomorrow.”
Jack’s stomach growled as he nodded. “I’ll be sure to bring in some ham from the smoke shed.” He stepped out, the air noticeably cooler in the dimming light. “Let’s check on the bigger animals before dinner.” A soft lantern glow shone through his home’s windows. Alice was awake and hopefully stirring the soup he’d started.
Charlotte hugged the eggs close to her. “I’ll take these inside.”
“Good, and check on dinner?”
“Yes.” She gave him a shy smile and headed toward the house. “Miss Alice and I will set the table, too.”
Before Jack could reply to her, Conner asked him, “Will you teach us how to ride Shep someday?”
>
Carter pulled the barn door back, adding, “When we’re old enough we can saddle him for ya.”
He let the boys lead the way to his horse. How everything concerning their adoption hovered in doubt kept him silent for a moment, thinking. No one could plan or count on anything until they’d talked to Donovan and convinced Alice they needed to stay. “I expect you can.” He nodded at Shep’s stall, grinning when both boys reached in to pet the animal. “What do you think we do first?”
“Check his water,” Carter said.
Conner added, “And give him oats and apples.”
“Good answers.” He unlatched the door. “How about Carter checks the water and Conner can get a can of oats for him.” Jack patted Shep’s neck as the horse nudged him. “I’ll show you were the apples are in the cellar and you can give him slices tomorrow morning.” The animal left him once the oats began hitting the trough. Jack eased out of the stall. “When you’re done here, come over and help me check the cows."
They answered him with mumbles, too focused on Shep to be polite. Jack shook his head, amused and happy they liked his horse. He went to his cows, using a shovel to tap through the thin skin of ice as the boys came over to see what he was doing. Stepping back so his cows could get a drink, he said, “Hello, ladies. You’re looking lovely today.” One of the boys snickered next to him and he grinned at Carter. “These here are my best mothers so far. We’ll have three new calves in the spring.”
“So, you’ll have six cows? That’s all?” the boy asked.
Conner came up to Jack’s other side. “We saw farms with too many cows to count.”
“Back east, I’ll bet, and fewer as you were closer to Liberty?” he asked, and they nodded. “The country is still recovering from locusts in ’74 and ’75.” He scooped up a large can of feed mix and dumped it in their food trough. “We’d been here almost a year when it hit and were almost wiped out. Mrs. Dryden wanted to go back home then and there, but I convinced her to stay and the homestead did get better.”
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