“I’ve been thinking about Sheriff Bartlett’s proposal.” The rich tones of his voice carried over the crowd straight into Gerda’s heart. “I really want to settle down here, and I’ve been a lawman all my life, so I’ve decided to take him up on his offer, if you good folks would have me as your sheriff.”
The cheers drowned out anything else he might have been planning on saying. All Gerda could hear were the shouts and the loud drumbeat of her heart. But there was still a problem standing between them. Although Frank had been attending church, there was no indication that he had become a believer. Gerda couldn’t see any future with the man unless he did, and it wouldn’t be sincere if he only became a Christian because she wanted him to. It had to be for himself.
With turmoil churning inside her, Gerda slipped away from the crowd and headed back across the street toward the Dress Emporium. After what she had felt again today, she knew that the future sheriff of Litchfield tempted her. To protect her heart, she would just have to keep her distance. Gerda was glad that Frank was going to stay in town, and she was grateful to him for recovering her money, but she couldn’t risk getting hurt. She had lived long enough to see how devastating a lost love could be for a woman. Olina had experienced it. So had Anna. And Gerda had been their friend through all the heartaches. She knew it wasn’t something she wanted to endure. Especially not because of Frank Daggett.
When she arrived at the store, Gerda realized that she hadn’t gotten the reticule with the money in it. With everyone still in the street gathered around Frank, she would just have to wait awhile. Once the crowd dispersed, she’d go over to the sheriff’s office to retrieve it and then make her deposit. She headed into the back room to start working on the orders that needed to be completed this week.
❧
Frank saw Gerda slip away. What had gone wrong? He had felt such a connection with her—just like that first day in the hotel. Now she didn’t seem to be interested in what was happening to him. Maybe she didn’t want him to become sheriff. He needed to find out right away. It wasn’t too late to change his mind. He might not look good in the eyes of the people around him if he withdrew his declaration, but it wasn’t them he was trying to please.
He waved to the crowd and stepped off the boardwalk, heading toward the dress shop. When he went through the door, the bell tinkled. He glanced up at the brass clanger above the doorway before perusing every corner of the store. No one was in the shop. Gerda must have gone to the back room. Today, he was going to follow her. He took off his hat and held it in one hand, gently tapping it against his leg as he walked. When he parted the curtains, he had to duck his head a little to go between them. Gerda must have heard him enter, because she turned her startled gaze toward him.
“Mr. Daggett, what do you want?” Frank liked the breathless sound of her voice and the way her hand fluttered toward her throat. “Or should I say, Sheriff Daggett?”
Frank studied her for a moment before answering. A blush stole its way across her cheeks, giving them the look of fresh rose petals. Frank didn’t know why he was thinking about flowers. It wasn’t usual for him, but his feelings for Gerda caused everything in his life to turn upside down.
“Would you rather I didn’t take the job as sheriff?”
Gerda took a quick breath before answering. “I think you’ll make a wonderful sheriff. And I want to thank you for getting my money back.”
Frank remembered the woman’s handbag he was still carrying. He gave it to her, then pulled his hat in front of him and started turning it around with both hands. “I was just doing my job.”
Gerda’s gaze dropped to the star on his chest. “You’re already wearing the badge.”
Frank tapped the metal with one finger. “The sheriff deputized me before I took the posse out. I forgot to give it back.”
“I suppose you’ll just exchange it for the sheriff’s star, won’t you?”
“If you think it’s all right.” It was important for Frank to hear her say that she wanted him to be sheriff.
“I, for one, would be glad to have you as our lawman. When would you start?” Gerda turned her attention to the reticule in her hands. Her fingers nervously plucked at it.
“I’m not sure. When I get back across the street, I’ll ask Sheriff Bartlett when he wants me to start.” He wanted to say something else, but he couldn’t think of anything. “Good day, Gerda.” Frank made his way through the curtains before he put his hat on his head. He was almost out the door before he heard Gerda’s answer.
“Good day, Frank.”
He liked the way his name sounded coming from her. Softly, he whistled a happy tune as he headed toward the sheriff’s office.
❧
The second week Frank was sheriff, he rode his horse all around town, checking for anything suspicious. This job might be the easiest he ever had. Everyone loved him and treated him as if he were someone special. After making a turn through the business section of town, he rode through the residential area across the railroad tracks, ending near the smithy and livery.
June had arrived the week before. It looked as if this summer wouldn’t be as dry as last year when the livery burned down. This year, spring rains had nourished a good crop of wildflowers, which sprang up all over the place—in town and outside. Trees that dotted the landscape held abundant leaves in varying shades of lush green. Frank took a deep breath of the fresh-smelling air. A cool breeze kept him from getting hot on his ride. He could only think of one way that life could get any better, but he didn’t want to torment himself with that remote possibility.
He took a quick glance around then dismounted his horse in front of the smithy. Maybe August would have time to visit with him. He entered the open door and was greeted by the smoky heat from the forge.
August was facing the door. “Frank, what brings you here? Did your horse throw another shoe?”
“No, I just thought I’d pay you a short visit—if you have the time.”
August put down the tongs and mallet he was holding then wiped his hands on his large canvas apron. Then he pulled it over his head and laid it on the table beside his tools. “I’m ready for a break. Do you want to visit here or outside in the fresh air?”
“Outside would be fine.”
The two men had just walked through the door when the stationmaster rode up. “I was glad to see your horse tied here, Sheriff Daggett. A rather large shipment arrived for you today. From somewhere back East.”
Frank smiled. “It’s probably my furniture.”
“Yep,” the stationmaster agreed. “Could be. There sure are lots of big crates. I thought you might need whatever it is right away, so I came to find you.”
“I appreciate that. But there’s no rush.”
“I need to get back to the station. Good day, gents.” The man wheeled his horse around and rode that direction.
“It sounds as though you’re going to need that help we offered.” August turned to look back toward a table along the wall of the smithy. “It’s a good thing I don’t have much left to do. I can complete it today.”
“You don’t have to help—”
“I was there when our family and friends offered to help you get your house ready. Everyone meant what they said.”
“But they didn’t know when my things would arrive. They might be busy right now—with planting and all that.”
“That has been finished a long time.” August looked at Frank with a shrewd expression on his face. “Don’t you want us to help you?”
What could Frank say to that? Of course he wanted them to help, but he didn’t want to be a bother. Then he remembered that Gerda was there when everyone agreed to help him, and she hadn’t said that she wouldn’t come. Any time he could spend with Gerda was good, wasn’t it?
“When do you want to move your things?” August asked.
“I guess I need to clean the house up some, first.”
“Today is Friday. I’ll see if everyone can come early tom
orrow morning. If all of us help, we can have the house ready for the furniture by tomorrow afternoon. I’m sure I can get my brother and brothers-in-law to help.”
❧
August arrived at the Dress Emporium just before noon, carrying a picnic basket. Gerda was waiting on a customer in the shop when he came in, so he went into the workroom. When Gerda finished, she put the Out To Lunch sign in the window and pulled down the shade on the door. Then she joined Anna and August. A wonderful meal was spread across the cutting table.
“We waited for you, Gerda.” Anna turned from placing plates and napkins along the edge of the table. “August brought us a lunch from Mrs. Olson.”
Gerda was glad that she wouldn’t have to go up to her apartment to eat alone. Sometimes it seemed that everyone else had someone to share meals with. Of course she could go to either one of her brothers’ houses for lunch, but she sometimes felt like a fifth wheel on a wagon when she did.
Gerda hugged her brother. “That was thoughtful of you.”
They sat in the chairs that had been pulled close to the table. Then August said grace before Anna passed the food around.
When their plates were full, August started talking instead of eating. Gerda thought that was strange. August loved to eat. He worked hard, and he was a big man. He needed a lot of food to keep him going.
“I wanted to tell you something.”
Wondering what it could be, Gerda put her fork down on her plate and waited with her hands clasped in her lap.
“Frank’s furniture arrived on the morning train.” August leaned forward as if eager to impart the news. “I thought it would be a good thing for all of us to help him tomorrow. I’ll go talk to Gustaf and Lowell and Ollie.”
Anna clasped her hands in her lap. “That will be so much fun. I’ve always wanted to see inside that house. If all the women get there early in the morning, we can have it cleaned up in plenty of time for the men to move in the furniture by afternoon.”
August looked concerned. “I’m not sure about all the women. Several of you need to be careful.” He glanced down at Anna’s abdomen and blushed.
Anna patted his arm. “Oh, August, it won’t hurt us to help Frank. Women have babies all the time, and it doesn’t keep them from doing their work.”
Gerda knew that it wouldn’t be easy for her to go into that house and help clean it. The presence of Frank Daggett in the house she had dreamed of owning might be too much heartbreak for her.
“It might not be good to close the Dress Emporium tomorrow. People come into town on Saturdays, and often we get new business then.” That sounded reasonable to her. “Maybe I should keep the store open.”
“Nonsense.” Anna was adamant. “I’ll ask the Braxtons to keep an eye on things. If anyone needs us, they can come by Frank’s house.” She picked up a forkful of mashed potatoes and smiled at Gerda.
How could Gerda disagree with her?
When Marja came into the dress shop later that afternoon, Anna asked for her help.
“I’ll come and work in the Dress Emporium, and Johan can run the mercantile.” She clapped her hands as she usually did when she was excited. “That way we can help Sheriff Daggett and still keep both stores open.” She wheeled around and started toward the door. “I’ll go tell Johan. He’ll be so glad we can be of assistance.”
Now there was no reason for Gerda not to help. She even thought for a moment about feigning a headache or stomachache in the morning, but she knew that wouldn’t be honest, so she resigned herself to being in her dream house most of the next day, with the man of her dreams—and both of them out of her reach.
❧
The day turned out more festive than Frank had thought it would. Not only did the Nilssons and Jensons come to help get the house ready for him to move in, but also other people from the church arrived at various intervals during the first part of the morning. Soon the sound of hammers and saws filled the air as the men did minor repairs to the house that had sat vacant for almost a year. Some of the men even brought paint so they could help with the touch-up work. The women opened all the windows and swept and washed until everything in the house gleamed.
Right before noon, a wagon pulled up in front. Frank didn’t have to wonder what the back of that wagon held. The tempting aromas of food wafted toward him, making his mouth water and his stomach growl. Belonging to a community satisfied something inside Frank and gave him something that he hadn’t known he was lacking. It was almost unbelievable how much these people accepted him and loved him. Laughter and bantering conversations had rung throughout the house all morning. The only voice missing from all the happy noise was the one he most wanted to hear.
Gerda had been very quiet. She had worked efficiently, accomplishing a lot, but her quietness spoke more to his heart than all the loud chatter. Frank wondered if she was still upset because he had bought the house she planned to buy. He also wondered if there was anything he could do to take away the melancholy that surrounded her. It was odd to Frank that no one else noticed.
While Frank and August set up tables made of sawhorses and planks, the women bustled around and started bringing all kinds of food to cover them. Soon the workers gathered around the bounty, but no one ventured to pick up a plate to fill. For a moment Frank wondered why, then it hit him.
He turned toward the preacher, who looked more like a lumberjack that day since he was dressed in a plaid shirt and denim trousers. “Pastor Harrelson, would you say grace, so we can eat what these wonderful women prepared for us?”
Just before Frank bowed his head, he noticed that Gerda looked at him with a bemused expression on her face. He knew what grace was. His mother had always said a prayer before a meal when he was a young boy. Why should Gerda think he wouldn’t know about that? Whenever he joined her family for a meal he always bowed his head when they said grace. That woman surely was a puzzle to him. A puzzle he wanted to solve really soon.
❧
After lunch, several of the men took their wagons to the station to pick up the crates of household furnishings. Gerda was glad they would be gone for a little while. All through the meal, she had felt Frank’s gaze on her. She’d tried not to look directly at him, but occasionally she’d cast a sidelong glance his way. It was almost as if he were watching for her reaction to everything that happened today. How she wished she were back at the store, where she felt more comfortable doing what she usually did.
During the morning, Olina and Anna had tried to get her to participate in the discussions that went on all around. Although she answered their enquiries, she didn’t feel like talking very much. The whole day had the feeling of a festival, but her heart wasn’t in that kind of mood.
Although she’d never been inside it before, Gerda had fallen in love with the outside of the house. That’s why she’d made inquiries about buying it. She knew that she could change how the inside was decorated if she needed to.
When she first walked into the parlor, she gasped. The wallpaper pattern was one of her favorites. Trellises, green leaves, and cabbage roses made the room feel like a garden. She knew just the kind of furniture she would use in it to make it feel like home.
Her fingers itched to make curtains to frame the windows with shades of fabric that would complement the wallpaper. If all this went on much longer, she might just have the headache or stomachache she’d thought about feigning yesterday.
When she finished in the parlor, she went to the dining room. Once again, the wallpaper pleased her, and she mentally placed a large cherrywood table in the center of the room. Carved lion’s paw legs rested on a hand-loomed rug that echoed the wallpaper pattern.
She turned left at the doorway. Quickly, she toured the other rooms, upstairs and down. Everything she saw illustrated the home she hoped to have someday.
Soon the men returned from the station with their wagons loaded down with crates. Frank called Anna and Gerda into the parlor.
“I need a woman’s touch to make this ho
use a real home.” He smiled at them. “Would you help me decide where to put the furniture?”
How could Gerda refuse graciously? There didn’t seem to be any way.
When the men opened the first crate of furniture in the parlor, Gerda could hardly believe her eyes. The settee was the exact style she had imagined. Even the upholstery fabric was the same color. All she wanted to do was go home and spend time by herself. This day was one of the longest she had ever lived.
❧
When everyone had gone, Frank walked through his new house. It wasn’t just a house. It looked like a real home. He was glad that he had asked Gerda and Anna to help him decide where to put each piece of furniture. There was something about a woman’s perspective that added to each room’s uniqueness.
Several of the other women had unpacked all the kitchen items while the furniture was being dispersed. It looked as if it was waiting for a cook to come and prepare a meal. The rest of the house was almost full. Of course, he would need to purchase a few items, but he wasn’t in a hurry. He wanted Gerda to help him, but he knew she wasn’t ready for that. She had been wonderful working with Anna and him today, but when it was time to leave, he felt her withdraw from him once again.
That woman was an enigma. Would he ever understand her?
Eleven
Frank went to the hotel to check out of his room. He loaded his belongings on his horse and rode across town to his house—home. The word had a nice ring to it. It had been many years since he’d had a place to call home.
Frank took his horse into the small stable behind the house. While he groomed him, he familiarized himself with the rest of the structure.
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