by Morgan, Kit
“Yes, I hope this doesn’t keep you from your duties here.”
“Not at all, I can handle both.”
“Glad to hear it. I … I guess I should be going then.”
“Yes, I guess you should.” She let her eyes roam over his face, memorizing the fine lines and strong, stubble-covered jaw. “Will you be seeing Eva today?”
“Yes, we’re meeting in just a little while.”
Winnie nodded. “Give her my best.”
He stared at her a moment, and stood. “I will. I’m sure she’ll be by at some point to see how Mrs. Smythe is doing. I’ll let her know she’s well enough for visitors now.”
Winnie also stood. “I’m sure Maude would like that.”
“I’ll run up and say good-bye. I’ll ah … see you at the end of the week, then.”
Winnie stiffened. “The end of the week?”
He shrugged. “I’m sure it will take you at least that long to get your half of the list done.”
She could only stare. He really didn’t want to work with her anymore. She’d be working alone, and not able to check in with him any time soon. Now she did shiver. He’d chosen Eva over her, and this was his way of letting her know. She swallowed hard and nodded, her smile forced. “Very well, then. I’ll do my best to get everything done.”
He stared at her again, nodded, and left the kitchen.
Winnie sat down hard upon her chair, not bothering to follow him. She heard him ascend the stairs, say his goodbyes to Maude, and leave the house. He didn’t even poke his head back in the kitchen to …
Winnie threw her face in her hands. “Why did I ever come out here?” she mumbled into her fingers. She rubbed her face; her tears still unshed, but she refused to let them escape. She wasn’t angry about Luke’s sudden turnaround; just disappointed. After all, Eva was nothing but kind, and what man wouldn’t want her? She was beautiful, ravishing, in fact, and would make Luke Adams a wonderful wife. So how could she be angry?
She rubbed her arms as the cold sting of rejection ripped through her. But there was nothing to be done about it. She got up from the table, fixed herself another cup of tea, and sat. Taking a sip, Winnie stared at the wall for the next half-hour, purging her mind and heart of any fanciful thoughts she might have had of marrying Luke Adams. So what if she’d traveled across the country thousands of miles to do so? The venture was doomed from the start, as none of it was legitimate to begin with. Neither was she, for that matter, and she again shook her head at the absurdity of the situation. As soon as Maude was well, she’d leave. There was nothing here for her now. And, besides, how could she stay, knowing that the man she was supposed to marry was no longer hers?
Winnie laughed. “He never was …” she said, reminding herself. Sighing, she took another sip, and stared at the wall for another half-hour.
Twelve
Over the next several days, Winnie took care of Maude, helped Mr. Smythe out with their business (thankfully, no one in town needed it), and saw to the items on her half of Luke’s chore list. She’d spoken with several women about gathering flowers for the parade, and remembered there was a large field out at the Edmonson farm that should be chock-full of them by now. So, after making sure Maude was comfortable and able to see to herself for a few hours, Winnie set out to the farm to ask for Mrs. Edmonson’s permission to pick flowers from their field.
The day was warm, and Winnie took her time as she strolled down the road. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the air was sweet. She turned several times as she went, and stared at the tiny town behind her. Independence was a peaceful place, serene and unspoiled; a far cry from the bustling cities of the east coast and the south. She briefly wondered how Aunt Eugina was doing with her search for the missing Mr. Slade, when she heard laughter up ahead.
Luke and Eva were walking up the road.
Winnie froze, fighting the sudden urge to bolt. If she could have, she would have dived into some nearby bushes and hidden. But no such luck; for one, there weren’t any bushes to dive into.
Luke saw her first, and came to a stop. Eva on the other hand, took one look at her, lifted her skirts, and hurried to where she stood. “Winnie! It’s so good to see you!”
Winnie felt her jaw tighten at the sight of Luke, but forced herself to relax. “Hello, Eva.”
“What are you doing out here all by yourself?”
“I’m going to see Mrs. Edmonson.”
“We were just there!”
Winnie watched as Luke got his feet to work, and approached them. “Hello,” he said. Eva glanced at him, and then gave her attention back to Winnie. “Mrs. Edmonson is doing better, I’m happy to say.”
“How are the children?” Winnie asked, her eyes locked with Luke’s.
“Oh, they’re all over the place as usual. The twins are so adorable, and Elizabeth lost a tooth.”
Winnie couldn’t help but smile at the news, despite the fact that her heart felt like it had just dropped into her stomach. “That’s wonderful; did she save it?”
“Of course,” Eva said with a smile.
Winnie smiled back. Eva would make a good pastor’s wife. Steeling herself, she straightened. “I’d best be going then; I don’t have much time.”
Eva looked disappointed, glanced at Luke, and stepped aside to let her pass. Luke remained silent, and it grated at Winnie’s nerves. She continued on her way without another word, turning once to wave goodbye to Eva. When she did, she saw Luke standing alone, Eva walking ahead of him. He stared at her, a blank look on his face, before he gave her a single nod and turned to go.
What was that about? Couldn’t he just tell her he wasn’t interested? That the kiss they’d shared was nothing more than a… well, whatever it was! But no, actions spoke louder than words, and his actions said he was only interested in Eva Brock, not her.
Winnie reached the Edmonsons’ and did her best to calm her nerves. Maybe playing with the children would help; she could always read to them and do whatever she could around the house to help their mother.
“Howdy, ma’am.”
Winnie had almost reached the front door. She turned on her heel and smiled at Gabe. “Hello, there. I’ve come to see your mother. Is she resting?”
“She’s in the kitchen. You just missed Pastor Luke.”
“I met him on the road.”
“Ain’t that gal he’s with somethin’? She sure is pretty.”
Winnie sighed. “Yes, she is. Now about your mother?”
“Go on in; Ma don’t care. She’d like the company. Pastor Luke didn’t spend much time here.”
Winnie smiled at the boy, and went inside. It was no business of hers what Luke and Eva did while they were there, though she had a good guess. He’d gone on his rounds and taken Eva with him. “Mrs. Edmonson?” she called out as she entered.
“Who’s there?” a voice called back. A tired-looking Mrs. Edmonson came out of the kitchen, the baby in her arms. “Oh, it’s you. Did Pastor Luke forget somethin’?”
“No, ma’am; I’m here alone. I came to ask you about your field.”
She stood in the hall and stared at Winnie. “You’re here alone?”
Winnie approached her. “Yes, Pastor Luke was just here with Miss Brock, but I came by myself.”
Mrs. Edmonson looked confused. “I can’t keep track of anything anymore. Too tired; just too tired.”
Winnie saw the despair in her eyes, put her arm around her, and guided her back to the kitchen. “Why don’t you sit down, and let me take care of things for awhile?”
Mrs. Edmonson looked at her, and nodded. “There’s fresh coffee. I made it for Pastor Luke.”
Winnie nodded, then turned to go search for some cups.
“He’ll be gettin’ married ya know.”
Winnie froze, one hand in mid-air as she reached toward a shelf. “What?”
“Oh, I don’t mean right away, but he plans on courtin’. I remember when I was courtin’. Best time of my life…” her voice
faded, and Winnie shook as she pushed all thoughts of Luke aside. If he wanted to court Eva, then that was fine with her. Besides, it was also obvious. She turned to Mrs. Edmonson, who sat, a faraway look in her eyes. “Ma’am? Are you okay?”
She didn’t answer. Winnie grabbed the cup she’d been reaching for, filled it with coffee, and placed it on the table. She then took the baby from its mother’s arms, and sat in the chair next to her. “Drink some coffee; it’ll make you feel better,” she urged.
Mrs. Edmonson looked down at the cup, and broke into tears.
“Oh, no …” Winnie whispered as she re-adjusted the baby in her arms. Thankfully, the child was sleeping, and didn’t make a fuss. “Mrs. Edmonson, what’s wrong?”
“He’s left. Left all of us …”
“What?”
“My husband; he done up and left. Ain’t seen him for three days.”
Winnie gasped. “Did you tell Pastor Luke?”
She shook her head. “He was so happy when he was here talkin’ about the little gal that’s caught his eye.” She looked at Winnie, tears streaming down her face. “I didn’t have the heart or stomach … to tell him. I didn’t want it to ruin … his happiness.”
Winnie almost choked. Not at what the woman had said about Luke, but the situation. The poor thing was left with seven young children to feed, one a newborn, and if the empty root cellar she’d seen days ago said anything, it was that Mr. Edmonson had left them destitute. “I’m so sorry. But don’t worry; I’ll see you get some help. So will Pastor Luke.”
Mrs. Edmonson sniffed back her tears, and nodded. “I’m so sorry; I’m not as strong as I used … to be.”
Winnie closed her eyes. Here she’d been lamenting over Luke and Eva, when Mrs. Edmonson’s situation far outweighed her own. What were her problems compared to this? Nothing! “Would you like to go up to your room to rest? I’ll take care of the children.”
“That’s mighty kind of you. I … I think I’ll do that.” She got up slowly, and left the kitchen, leaving the baby in Winnie’s arms.
Winnie watched her go, and fought the lump in her throat. What was this poor woman going to do? How would she survive? She let out a weary sigh, then gazed at the sleeping baby and let her own tears fall.
* * *
It was after dark when Winnie left the farm. She’d made a broth out of whatever she could find, fed the children, read to them, and put them to bed. Not once did Mrs. Edmonson come downstairs or speak to her, and Winnie had grown more than a little worried. She put the baby in the bedroom with its mother, instructed Gabe to keep an eye on things, and hurried back to town. She had to let Maude and Mr. Smythe know she’d be spending the night at the Edmonson farm, and would come back into town as soon as she could in the morning.
When she got to the Smythes’, Maude was sick with worry. “Where have you been? I thought I’d have to send the sheriff out looking for you!”
“It’s Mrs. Edmonson; she’s in a bad way. I don’t think she’s capable of looking after the children tonight.”
“Oh, I see. Well, I can take care of myself now; you go help the poor thing.”
“They … they haven’t any food in the house.”
“What? Why not? Wait a minute, where’s Mr. Edmonson?”
Winnie wasn’t sure how to put it, other than to just blurt it out. “He left them.”
Maude gasped. “No! And her with all those little ones!” She gave Winnie a determined look. “You go to the kitchen and take what you need. Tomorrow, Martha, Mercy, and I will bring out a few supplies and assess the situation.”
Winnie kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you; I knew you’d be a big help!”
“What’s the world, coming to?” Maude muttered. “Now scoot! And tell Mr. Smythe so he can drive you out there!”
Winnie nodded, kissed her again, and hurried from the room to gather a change of clothes and enough food to see the children through breakfast. She had a feeling that she’d be out at the Edmonson farm for a few days, which would make short work of the dress she had on. Besides that, who knew how long she’d have to stay there. What if Mr. Edmonson never came back? No matter how she looked at it, it was a terrible situation. The only good thing was that she was too busy to worry about Luke courting Eva. At least she’d be busy enough not have to think about it, and counted it as a blessing in disguise.
Mr. Smythe drove her out, dropped her off, and took a look around the farm to make sure nothing was amiss. He assured her he’d be back in the morning with Maude, Mercy and Martha, and not to worry; the people of Independence took care of their own. Winnie thanked him, and went inside.
The children, including Gabe, were asleep. Winnie checked on Mrs. Edmonson and found her sitting up in bed, just as she was when Winnie left. Her eyes were closed but Winnie wasn’t sure if she was asleep or not. She covered her with a blanket, made sure the baby was okay, and then went downstairs to bed herself down for the night. The settee in the parlor would have to suffice, and she prayed she wouldn’t be too stiff in the morning. There was, no doubt, going to be a lot of work to do.
* * *
Luke sat in the church sanctuary and listened as Mrs. Brock droned on and on. Didn’t the woman ever take a breath?
“You know, we’ll need the sheriff and his deputy there to make sure no one makes a fool of themselves. Last year, several did a good job of it,” she complained. “I’ll not stand by and watch the same disregard for decency this year, I can tell you that!”
Luke stifled a yawn, and looked at his list of tasks yet to be completed. He wondered how far Winnie had gotten on her own list when Eva entered the church. He looked up, and smiled. Maybe now her mother would stop talking. “Hello,” he greeted in relief.
“Good morning,” Eva said.
Mrs. Brock looked between the two and gave them both a wide grin. “Well, it’s about time you got here. Now, I’ll leave the two of you alone so you can get to work.”
“Alone?” Luke drawled, just to see what she would do. “You mean you’re going to leave us all alone?”
Mrs. Brock smiled. “That’s right,” she said in a syrupy tone. “Eva, take good care of the man.” She stood, patting her daughter on the back like she’s just won a huge prize, and left.
Eva sighed in relief. “How long was she here before I came in?”
“Almost an hour; she got here early to make sure she had my full attention. Where are the others?”
“I don’t know. Mrs. Peatman is coming, and so are Mrs. Gelsinger and Mrs. Caulder, but I don’t know what’s happened to Mrs. Tindle or Mrs. Vander. I haven’t seen either one all morning.”
“Hmmm,” he mused. “I’m sure they’ll be along at some point in the day. We’re running out of time. We’re down to less than a week to get things done.”
“What about Winnie? Has she checked in yet?”
“No, we … we didn’t really … set a time.”
Eva shook her head. “You need to tell her.”
Luke stood and began to pace. “I know, I … I just haven’t had time to talk to her.”
“You can’t keep this from her any longer; it’s not fair to her and it’s not fair to you.”
He stopped his pacing and closed his eyes. “I know.” He looked right at her. “But what if I upset her more than I already have? What if she starts to cry or something?”
“We’ve talked about this; you have to do it.”
He groaned. “You’re right; I need to get it over and done with. I can’t put it off any longer.”
“Yes, and I’ll have to tell my mother.”
Rather than groan, Luke moaned as if someone had stabbed him. “Of the two of us, you win. I’ve got it a lot easier than you.”
Eva laughed, went to him, and grabbed his hand. “Then wish me luck. I’m going to need it when she finds out there’s to be a wedding soon.”
“With any luck,” he added.
“Don’t worry, there will be.”
They looked at each
other, smiled, and went to work.
* * *
Exhausted, Winnie plopped into the nearest chair. She’d been cooking and scrubbing all morning, and was finally putting a dent in things. But the going was slow, as the children kept interrupting her progress. Yet, how could she shoo them away? It was obvious they needed attention, and so she stopped her work to give them some, and then sent them off to play. Lily and Elizabeth had helped her with breakfast and the dishes, and then she’d taught them how to make biscuits, which were even now in the oven. After she rested, she’d get started on lunch.
“Hello? Winnie, are you in there?”
“Oh, thank heavens!” she sighed as she got up from the chair.
Martha came into kitchen, a box of supplies in her arms, with Mercy right behind her. “We came as soon as we heard.”
Mercy glanced around the room. “Things look all right.” She turned to Winnie. “Oh, except maybe you. What’s the matter, dear?”
Winnie put her hands to her back and stretched. “I’ve been working since before sun-up. It’s been a long day already.”
Elizabeth and the twins came into the kitchen at that point, dragging a tree branch.
“Children!” Winnie said. “What are you doing with that?”
“We building a hideout,” said Elizabeth.
“Not in the house, you’re not,” countered Winnie. She took the branch and, ignoring three whines of protest, took it out the back door and set it outside. “Build your hideout by the tree stump, not in the house, please. Besides, you can build a bigger one out here.”
Elizabeth looked at the twins, and then bowed her head. “Okay.”
Martha and Mercy laughed as Winnie came back inside. “You’re a natural, dear. After this, you’ll have had lots of practice for when you have your own.”
Winnie grimaced. “I don’t think that’s going to happen any time soon.”
“Nonsense, dear,” said Mercy. “You’ll be married before you know it.”
Winnie shook her head. They didn’t know about Luke and Eva, and she wasn’t sure this was the time to tell them. They had more important matters to attend to; such as seven children and an emotionally-incapacitated mother. As if to clarify the point, the baby began to wail upstairs, sending Winnie into action.