Twice Promised (The Blue Willow Brides Book #2): A Novel

by Brendan, Maggie

  “Mmm . . . you’ll have to ask her yourself,” Greta responded, quickly changing the subject. “If you’re happy with this, we can go tally up your order now.” Agnes nodded, and they moved to where Cora stood waiting next to the cash register.

  Agnes reached out her hand to stop Cora from wrapping the material and sewing notions. “No need for that. If you and Greta are willing to try your hand at sewing this frock for me, I’ll let you keep it here. Then I’ll come for fittings,” she said, sliding her leather gloves on.

  “Uh . . . as I told you, I don’t know how to sew. It’s best that you try to find someone else in town, unless Greta would like to try her hand at it.” Cora glanced over to Greta.

  “You ladies found everything Agnes needed?” Jess asked. He directed his gaze to Greta, then glanced down at her locket. Or was he looking at something else? Either way, she pretended that his frank gaze didn’t affect her.

  “I believe we did.” Greta tallied the items and set them aside in one pile. She wasn’t sure what she should do concerning sewing for Agnes. It wasn’t that she couldn’t, but she was worried that Agnes might be hard to please. Should she agree to do it? It could help pass the time . . .

  “How long before you need the dress, Agnes?” Greta knew that Jess feigned busyness at the other end of the counter, looking at the tags on some shirts that he and Zach had marked earlier. He kept one eye on the women as he counted the pile of shirts. Did he just want to be near the pretty Agnes, or didn’t he trust her and Cora to add up the correct charges? He shouldn’t be eyeing her while agreeing to court Cora. She bit her tongue to keep from blurting something out.

  Agnes clapped her gloved hands together in excitement. “Oh, does that mean you’ll do it? Wonderful!” she exclaimed, without waiting for Greta’s answer. “The barbecue is in two weeks. Will that be enough time?”

  Greta thought for a second. “I suppose so, but let me remind you that I’ve never sewed for anyone else before.”

  “You’ll do fine, I’m sure. Besides, my pickings are slim to none at the moment.”

  “Well . . . if you’re sure . . .”

  Cora smiled softly at Greta. “Maybe I can learn a thing or two as you make the dress.”

  “Who made your dress, Cora, if you don’t mind me asking?” Agnes slipped her arm through her purse.

  “Er . . . it was ordered from either New York or London, I believe.”

  Agnes’s eyes narrowed. “You mean you don’t know? How odd.”

  Greta felt uncomfortable for her friend and stepped in. “No, it’s not odd at all. I’m sure Cora had better things to do than wonder when and where her dress was made.” Before Agnes could inquire as to what those things were, Greta walked around to her side. “I’ll walk you to the door, and we can set a date and time for you to pop back in for your fitting,” she said, giving Agnes a level stare.

  Cora shot Greta a grateful look as she ushered the chatty Agnes to the door, nearly nudging her down the steps to her waiting surrey. Greta wanted to have a word with Jess and Zach before another customer walked in. She thought it was only fair to ask how they’d decided about courting since she and Cora were both here because of Jess . . . or at least they thought so.

  10

  Zach was sweeping up a trail of flour on the floor, so Jess greeted the customers as they came in to do their shopping. A couple of them commented on how different and better the place looked. Jess hadn’t been expecting anyone to notice. Had it really looked that awful before? But he just smiled and asked if there was anything in particular that he could help them with. He always enjoyed chewing the fat, so he leaned against the counter, arms folded, talking with Ed Potts and Joshua Barnes.

  “Looks like we’re in for some nice Indian summer weather this weekend, according to the almanac,” Ed said.

  “I wouldn’t know, Ed,” Jess said. “I never look at the almanac, so I’ll have to take your word for it.”

  Like a father explaining to his son, Ed declared, “The almanac is usually right on target. Makes it easy to plan when to plant your garden.”

  Jess chuckled. “Well, I’ll be sure to do that if I ever have a notion to plant one.”

  “Oh, you will someday when you take a missus,” Joshua teased. “From the looks of it, that won’t be too long now.” He rolled his large, droopy eyes in the direction of Greta.

  The front door slammed, nearly rattling its hinges. Greta marched up to Jess with a look of fury, and the two older men stopped jawing. Unease swept over him, and he stood erect. “Is something wrong, Greta?”

  “Why didn’t you tell me and Cora that you and Zach had made your choices?” Her eyes snapped with annoyance. She stopped in front of him and crossed her arms over her chest, then stood tapping her toe against the hardwood floor. The flush across her cheekbones gave color to her normally creamy complexion, and her blue eyes flashed with fire.

  “We were going to tell you, but Agnes came in about that time.”

  “So you announce it without consulting me and Cora first? And how, pray tell, did you decide, since neither of you have so much as sat down to talk in order to get to know us!”

  “We planned to get around to it in time. If you haven’t noticed, we’ve been a little busy today.” Now he was glad his brother was going to be stuck with Greta and her hot-tamale temper! “We’ll make it up to you, won’t we, Zach?” he said as Zach strode over to investigate what all the fuss was about. Jess could see that Ed and Joshua had moved a step or two away, showing interest in a farming implement catalog but close enough that they could hear the conversation.

  “As a matter of fact, I was just thinking that I could escort you to Silas and Annabelle’s for supper tomorrow,” Zach answered, setting the broom and dustpan aside. “We can talk along the way.”

  “But you still haven’t answered my question. And where’s Cora?”

  Zach sidled up next to her, taking her hand in his. “She took the tray of dirty dishes upstairs. Why?”

  Greta pulled her hand away. “Because she deserves to know,” she said, her mouth forming a tight line. “In the first place, you wrote letters for your brother, deceiving us when we thought we would be Jess’s bride. We never considered there would be competition, and Cora deserves to know.”

  Cora came back downstairs. “I deserve to know what?” She paused, wiping her hands on her apron.

  Greta whirled around. “How they picked which one of us they will court, that’s what!”

  “It’s really all the same to me. It’s as you said, we haven’t decided if we will stay or not,” Cora said firmly. “So how did you decide?”

  Jess shifted from one boot to the other. “Why don’t we talk about this after hours?” He noted that off to the side, Ed and Joshua continued to browse the catalog just as their wives, Rose and Hilda, hurried over. Both had their hands full of various items but were obviously more interested in the rising voices.

  “Oh no you don’t. You’re not getting off that easy.” Greta turned to face Zach and asked, “Had you two decided this the day we arrived?”

  Zach lifted his apron and wiped the dirt from his hands. “No . . . we didn’t until Granny came and suggested a way to handle this.”

  “What did she propose?” Cora’s brow furrowed.

  “May as well go ahead and tell ’em.” Jess knew it was the fair thing to do, but he hoped they wouldn’t be angry. “Granny suggested that we make tea. Whoever picked the rose pattern would be the one I would court, and whoever picked the Blue Willow pattern would be the one Zach would court.” There, he’d said it, and if they didn’t like the idea, then they could leave like they’d threatened earlier. But then he remembered the way Greta had picked the Blue Willow pattern, almost caressing the cup between her slender fingers.

  For a moment or two, thick silence hung in the room before Greta laughed. “Ach! So Granny more or less decided for you?”

  “No. It was you who made the decision when you chose which teacup to drink fro
m. It was just our way of solving the situation rather quickly. If you aren’t happy with it, then you can get back on the train that brought you here!” Jess sounded harsher than he’d meant to, and a stricken look crossed Cora’s pretty face. He didn’t want to cause her to worry. He would fulfill his part of the bargain, for all the trouble Zach had put the ladies through.

  “Jess!” Zach glared. “You’re not gonna leave . . . are you?” Zach asked directly, meeting Greta’s gaze.

  She shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not certain that we’re welcome.”

  The bell over the door jangled, bringing them back to the present as more customers entered the store, and Cora scurried over to them. Greta whirled away to help Ed and Joshua, who stood glued to the spot, joined now by their twittering wives. The men smiled and shuffled their feet, giving her a sidelong glance that lingered a little too long, Jess thought. However, he couldn’t blame them for taking a second look. Greta was striking with her blonde hair and blue eyes, and charmed everyone with her Dutch accent.

  Zach poked his brother on the arm. “You didn’t have to sound so mean. You’re gonna run ’em off with that kind of talk.”

  “I didn’t intend to—it just came out that way. Greta’s so . . . so . . . I don’t know. I’m just glad you’ll be the one sparkin’ her, not me.”

  “Let’s take them to dinner tonight and walk them back to the cabin. Get to know them a little better,” Zach suggested.

  Jess expelled air from his lungs. “All right . . . whatever you think.”

  “Good. I’ll go tell them now.” Zach grinned good-naturedly.

  Jess watched his brother lumber away, his boot heels clomping loudly against the hardwood floor. His heart softened when he thought about the trouble Zach had gone to in order to make life easier for him in general. His intentions were in the right place. From now on he decided he was going to sit back and relax and see where the good Lord would lead. He strolled to the front of the store to help a miner flipping through a stack of heavy overalls, but his mind was on Greta’s flashing blue eyes.

  Zach was glad that Jess had calmed down. He thought Granny’s plan had worked out well, even though all three of them had been worried for a few moments when Agnes had reached for a teacup. He hadn’t planned on courting either of the two brides, but now he was beginning to like the idea. He’d wanted to wait until he had a few head of cattle and a small cabin before he considered taking on a wife. But he was getting tired of sleeping upstairs, sharing living quarters with Jess. He wanted to be outside under the stars when the evenings were warm enough, listening to the lowing of the cattle. It was a dream he was working and saving for. He felt cooped up in the store all day and couldn’t imagine why Jess enjoyed it. It wasn’t enough for him. He wanted to ride, feel the wind against his face, and have the freedom that owning a ranch could afford.

  Would Greta make a good wife? He wasn’t sure, but she was pleasing to the eye and liked to laugh, and Zach liked that about her. Most of all, he liked her take-charge attitude.

  He watched Greta now as she talked with Ed and Joshua, and she came across as articulate, bright, and yes, maybe a little aggressive—or was that spunky? She wrapped Rose’s and Hilda’s items, then turned to give him a rather lopsided smile when he approached.

  “Gentlemen, is Greta helping you order some new farming supplies?”

  “For a fact she is, and I must say that this little lady here is quite knowledgeable,” Ed said. “She knows the difference between a plow and a harrow.”

  “Yes, I agree. I must compliment you on hiring some help. Miss Greta, how do you know so much about farming?” Joshua asked, gazing at Greta.

  “My brother-in-law is a wheat farmer in Wyoming, and I lived with him and my sister when we first came to America from Holland. One can learn all kinds of things on a farm.”

  “Then you’ll definitely be an asset to some of our customers,” Zach said. He watched her rosy lips tilt upward in a sweet smile.

  “How interesting that you came to live in America. You’ll have to tell us all about Holland,” Hilda said, her eyes alight with genuine interest.

  “So nice to meet you, Greta. I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot of you from time to time,” Rose said cheerily.

  Hilda nodded in agreement. “Are you responsible for the store’s new organized look?”

  Greta blushed. “Well . . . yes, some of it. Cora helped out too. I hope I can be of service to both of you the next time you’re in the store.” Greta folded her hands and rested them on her apron.

  Zach was proud that the customers were already taking a liking to her. “She did a good job, didn’t she, Hilda? We are appreciative of her efforts to give a bit of order to our chaos.”

  “We’d better be on our way now. Greta has taken our order and we’ll stop by in a few weeks to pick it up.” Ed clapped Zach on the back, then he and Joshua left, their wives chatting and following demurely behind.

  Greta and Cora spent the rest of the day filling orders, cleaning the other side of the store, and assisting customers. Greta was grateful to be busy since it made the day pass quickly. She couldn’t help but feel the watchful eyes of Zach and Jess on her and Cora’s every move, as if they were expecting them to do something odd with the store’s merchandise. It almost made her laugh, but when no complaints were forthcoming, she relaxed and went about doing the things that needed to be done. Ideas were already forming in her head of possible suggestions to Jess on how he could improve the display of items for customers. But she wouldn’t tell him today. Enough had happened in two days to fluster him.

  “I believe we’re about to be escorted to dinner, and I’m looking forward to having a good, hot meal,” Cora said. “We’ve nothing much in the cabin, and since I can’t cook, well . . .”

  “Cora, maybe I can help you learn some basics. We’ll stock a few supplies tomorrow and figure something out to cook,” Greta said cheerfully. She removed her apron and looped it across the hook behind the counter.

  Cora giggled. “You may find that I’m a hopeless case, but I’d be much obliged.”

  “Not to worry. Experience is the key to cooking, nothing more.”

  Zach removed the money from the cash register to take upstairs as Jess flipped the CLOSED sign over the door.

  “You can leave that box until tomorrow to be opened,” Jess said, walking toward them. “You ladies ready for supper? You’ve hardly taken a break all day.”

  “I believe we are. I’ll just get our purses and coats.” Cora moved to the curtain beyond the counter that separated the store from the supply room.

  When Greta and Jess were alone, Jess opened his mouth to say something to her as he stood rocking back on his boot heels.

  “Is there anything else you need me to do?” Greta asked. She could hear the puppy yapping from his crate. For the time being, it was decided that the pup would stay at the store.

  “No, it’s not that. I . . . uh . . .” He gave a small cough, clearing his throat. “I want to apologize for sounding so harsh earlier. I shouldn’t have said that. Truce?” His brown eyes reflected a seriousness that surprised her.

  “Well . . . okay, apology accepted. Truce.” Greta dropped her eyes under his gaze, but she sensed the tension in him. He took a step to close the distance between them and gave her a peck on the cheek, his lips soft and warm to her skin. She stumbled backward in surprise. He caught her arm to steady her as she touched her fingers to her face. “What—”

  “Greta,” he said, “it’s only a friendly kiss—to seal a truce.”

  “Oh. Is that how it’s done in America?” Her heart was thumping hard against her ribs as she looked up at him. His mouth twitched to thwart a smile, but before he could reply, they were interrupted by Zach’s and Cora’s chattering about where to dine. Zach doffed his hat, then gallantly took Greta’s arm, guiding her to the door, leaving Cora to follow with Jess. As they moved to the door, they heard a loud voice, and a young man brandishing a gun quickly slipped
through the unlocked door.

  “Stop right where you are and hand over that bag of money lying on the counter over there!” he ordered, waving his gun around.

  ———

  Cora screamed and clung to Jess’s arm, and Greta’s eyes flew open in fear. Zach dropped Greta’s arm and stretched out his hand. “Whoa there, young man. Just take it easy.” Zach took a step toward him, and the young man waved his gun again.

  “Step back or I’ll shoot that pretty blonde you’re with.” The young man’s dirty black hair fell over his eyes, and his face was set in determination, leaving no doubt in Jess’s mind that he was serious.

  Jess glanced over at the muslin bag on the counter. Zach must have gotten distracted and forgotten to take it to the safe upstairs. He didn’t want anyone to get hurt, so he’d have to hand it over to the young lad carefully. He could go off half-cocked, as foolish young men sometimes did. Jess took a few steps backward toward the counter, keeping his eye on the gun. Cora clung to Greta’s arm, shaking.

  The puppy yapped louder and scratched against the sides of his crate.

  “Shut that dog up or he’s gonna git a bullet right between the eyes! And hand me that money. NOW!”

  “Please don’t hurt the puppy, mister. He’s harmless,” Greta pleaded.

  “Shut yer face, pretty girl!” His eyes slid up and down Greta’s body.

  Greta shrank back against Cora, turning to flash an anxious look at Zach.

  Zach moved sideways to the crate to try to shush the puppy, still watching the robber. He patted the dog, which gave him a friendly lick on his fingers. Jess was hoping that Zach wouldn’t do anything impulsive. He saw the fear in the lad’s eyes, making him think this could be his first robbery attempt. The boy’s mouth might be more dangerous than his actions. Reaching behind himself, Jess slid the muslin bag off the counter and cautiously crept forward, holding the bag within reach of the robber.

  “Here, take it!” Jess thrust the bag into the man’s hand as Zach yelled then lunged toward the robber, who fired a wide shot. Both women squealed and Cora covered her eyes.