“Morning, Hank,” they said.
Hank touched a couple of fingers to his hat. “Morning, ladies.”
“Hank, here, he’s havin’ a meetin’ with the committeemen about courtin’.”
“I never said that.” Hank shot a glance at Almeda, who just grinned.
“Didn’t have to. Havin’ them men gettin’ together only means one thing.”
Chloe laughed. “That’s right, Hank.”
Blanche looked him up and down. “I’ve only got one thing to say to you, Hank. It’s about time.”
With three ladies laughing, Hank hustled out of the bakery and back to the safe haven of his men’s barbershop.
Not long after, the four men arrived. Hank poured coffee, and each man grabbed a doughnut before settling in the chairs lining the walls of the shop. They sipped the hot, fragrant brew and each ate several doughnuts, chatting amiably.
“As nice as it is to begin the day with some man talk and doughnuts,” Ben Cutler began, “I’ve got a store to open. So hows about you give us a clue as to why we’ve been called here.”
Hank felt his face heat. He’d thought over what he was going to say, but, now that the time had come to actually let the words flow, he was nervous and embarrassed.
He cleared his throat, lifted a silent prayer to Heaven, and opened his mouth. “I’m, um, I’m fixing to ask Laura Duffle to marry me, and I’m wanting your consent to my doing so.” Relief that he’d gotten the words out poured over him.
“Hank,” Noah said. “That’s not how this is supposed to go. Nugget Nate has us approve the men to begin courting. You can’t just ask to marry the lady.”
Hank’s previous elation plummeted at Pastor Preston’s comment.
~~~~~
Laura opened the front door to Sanctuary House, answering the knock. Hank stood there with his Stetson in his hands. He was circling it, rubbing the brim between his fingers.
“Afternoon, Hank. Why’d you come to the front? You usually come in the back door.” She stood back to allow him to enter.
“Well, ma’am, Laura. I’ve come to ask…” Hank’s voice broke over the next word. He cleared his throat and started again. “I’ve come to ask if you’d come and help me over at the general store? I’ve got something I need a woman’s help in choosing.”
“Of course, I’ll help you. Let me get my cloak.” Laura went up to her room, wondering what Hank could possibly need her help in picking out. He wasn’t an inexperienced youth away from his mother for the first time.
She looked in the mirror on her wall as she pinned on her hat and studied her face for a moment. She’d lost some weight, which wasn’t a bad thing, but she still looked rather pale. Oh well, nothing could be done about that. Laura thought about applying some rose water but didn’t reach for the bottle. A little fragrance wasn’t going to attract Hank after all these months.
When Laura returned, Hank came from the parlor he’d wandered into while she was upstairs. “Ready?” he asked.
“Yes.” Laura led the way outside and was surprised when Hank laid a hand on her lower back and took her elbow as they descended the steps. “So, what is it you need my help with?”
“I’ll show you when we get there. I want to know how you are feeling? Are you all recovered from the measles?”
Laura glanced up at him, noticing his intense gaze as he studied her face. “Yes, I’m well. I plan to start back working next week. I’m sure the cowboys will be glad to get their clean laundry back. It’s been three weeks. I won’t charge them extra for the next batch being far too dirty.”
“They’ll appreciate that. Though I must say, they were all very understanding and told me to give their regards when I saw you next. They were all worried about you.”
“That’s sweet. Though it may be that they don’t want to have to do their own laundry again.”
Hank chuckled. “Maybe.”
He held open the door to Cutler’s General Store and allowed her to enter before him. “Let’s head over here.”
Again, Hank surprised Laura as he took her hand and held it as they wove their way between the shelves. He led her to the locked display of jewelry. Then he turned to face her.
“Laura, you’ve come to mean a great deal to me. Will you marry me?”
For the third time in less than an hour, Hank surprised her. No, this time it was shock. “But, but, but,” she stammered. “You haven’t courted me?”
Hank gently took her by the elbows. “Laura, honey, what is courting? It’s getting to know one another. It’s seeing if we’d suit. It’s spending time learning who the other person is and liking, no loving, what they see. We’ve been doing that since you first came stammering up to me, asking for my help in starting your business.
“I know. I was pretty slow on the uptake. I let fear of change, of taking on the responsibility of you and the boys, hold me back from declaring myself months ago. Then I nearly lost my chance, not once but twice.
“First, Red asked to court you and then you planned to marry him. After you gave him the mitten, you were so mad at me I thought I’d lost you for good.
“Then came the epidemic. You came to me for help. You could have gone to any of the other men in town to move those cribs, and they would have gladly helped. But you came to me. I knew then God was giving me one last chance to endear myself to you.
“Don’t get me wrong. I would have helped out like I did even if I couldn’t stand the sight of you.”
Laura giggled as Hank moved his hands down her arms to embrace her hands.
“During those stressful days, we worked together and, in my view, moved passed attraction and desire to love and commitment.”
Tears gathered in Laura’s eyes. She’d had no clue, or maybe she had just guarded her heart from seeing so she wouldn’t be disappointed when they went back to simply being friends.
“Oh, Hank. I’ve wanted you for so long. Even when I said yes to Red, I really wanted you.”
“Laura, I love you. Will you marry me? You can pick out your ring as soon as you say yes.”
Throwing her arms around his neck, Laura said, “I love you, too. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
Hank melded his lips to Laura’s, and she thought she’d never tasted anything so good. It took them both a moment to realize applause was sounding behind them. They turned their heads in that direction. Ben Cutler, his wife, Sara, Noah and Vernie Preston, Doc Eli and Leah Steele, Newt and Myra Riverby and Blanche Basking were standing there with grins on their faces, clapping.
Abbie, the Cutler’s eight-year-old daughter, squeezed between the adult’s legs to the front of the group. She looked up and studied Hank and Laura for a moment. “My papa said it was about time you two quit just making eyes at each other and tied the knot. You were kissing, so you’ll have to get married now.”
Everyone burst out laughing and came forward to congratulate the newly betrothed couple.
The laundry lady had found her love in the town barber, even if she’d had to climb a mountain of dirty clothes to reach him. All thanks to God, and with a little help from a crotchety old mountain man named Nugget Nate.
The End
Epidemics in the Past
In our time, we don’t understand the impact an epidemic had on a family or community. Measles, Mumps, Whooping Cough, Smallpox, Scarlet Fever, Influenza, Diphtheria, Typhoid, and more were all feared because of the death that came in their wake.
It wasn’t that long ago that quarantine was used to help combat the spread of epidemics. When I was a child, my sister and I both had the measles at the same time. I can remember the red ‘This House is Under Quarantine’ sign in our window. That was in the 1960’s. Vaccines have done much to eliminate these dreaded diseases.
The ladies’ fear for their children and other adults was real. Any or most of the children could have died. I probably defied actual occurrence by not having any of them do so.
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A Note from Sophie
I hope you enjoyed Laundry Lady’s Love. Please take a moment to leave a review on Amazon. For independently publishing authors like myself, the reviews are extremely valuable in getting our work noticed. If you take just a few minutes, you could help someone else find their next favorite book.
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Sophie
Sorry. No sneak preview since I haven’t written the next book in the Ladies of Sanctuary House Series. But, Red finally gets his girl.
Books by Sophie Dawson
Cottonwood Series
Healing Love
Lord’s Love
Giving Love
Redeeming Love (With George McVey)
Stones Creek Series
Leah’s Peace
Chasing Norie
Chloe’s Choice (Short Story)
Chloe’s Sanctuary
Love’s Infestation
Mold and Marriage
Spots Before Marriage
Java Cupid Multi-Author series
Java Priority #4
Single Books
Seeing The Life
Rescued By Love
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Laundry Lady's Love (Ladies of Sanctuary House Book 1) Page 15