Phebe's Promise (The Alphabet Mail-Order Brides Book 16)

by Cathryn Chandler

  The woman who’d been willing to give up her son in exchange for giving him an education, slapped the hat she was holding back onto her head. She walked a good ten steps away before turning around and walking back again. When she looked at Phebe, there was moisture in her eyes. “It would be a good thing to do, ma’am, and I’d be proud to help you.”

  “Oh, and there’s one other thing,” Phebe said. She smiled when Martha gave her a questioning look. “Please call me Phebe.” She turned her head and called out to the children. “Are you hungry? Supper will be ready soon, but we have some bread and jam ready to eat now.” She barely stifled a squeal of surprise as a sudden stampede of small bodies, and one taller one, raced past her.

  Martha stared after them, her hands on her hips. “They shoulda stopped and said howdy. Micah’s been taught better’n that.”

  “It’s all right.” Phebe grinned, picturing her husband being suddenly faced with a herd of children rushing at him. “There will be plenty of time for proper introductions later.” She inclined her head at Martha. “It will be good to have another woman here to talk to. I miss my sisters.”

  “Haven’t been around any women fer a while now,” Martha grunted. “How many sisters you got?”

  “Twenty-five.” When Martha stopped dead and stared at her, Phebe broke out into laughter. “It’s a long story.”

  Chapter 12

  Phebe took the chair Henry pulled out for her. She had to concentrate to keep from slumping over and laying her head on the table. It had been a long day, and she was bone tired. She smiled when Henry offered the only other available chair to Martha, who had followed Phebe into the small cabin. The former miner chuckled before lowering herself to the floor. Crossing her legs in front of her, she leaned back against a thick log that ran half the length of one wall.

  Henry stood by the empty chair and glanced over at Phebe. In her head she could almost hear him asking, “What do I do now?” She doubted if he’d ever seen a grown woman take a seat on the floor. She smiled and nodded at the chair, watching as he eased gently into it, reminding her of the way he’d carefully sat in the chair at Kate’s Tea Shop. Had that really only been three days ago?

  The only door to the outside opened, and Jake stepped through with Reb right on his heels. The stocky hand looked around the room before removing his hat and placing it on a peg in the wall.

  “This is real nice.” Jake nodded as his gaze went to Phebe. “It’s a good place for you to stay until we can decide what all needs doin’.”

  “It is a good place,” Phebe agreed softly. “And I’m grateful to have it.”

  Henry placed the book he’d been carrying on the small table that sat in the center of the room before adjusting his glasses on his nose. He smiled at his bride. “Thank you for dinner.”

  “Don’t thank me.” Phebe inclined her head toward the woman sitting on the floor next to the hearth. “Martha shot the deer so we could add meat to the stew tonight.”

  When Henry glanced her way, Martha shrugged. “Hardworkin’ men need somethin’ that will stick to their ribs, otherwise they ain’t no use to anyone.”

  “How’d you catch up with that deer anyhow?” Reb asked. He scratched his chin through the scraggly beard sprouting haphazardly along his chin as he stared at Martha. “They don’t take to anything gettin’ too close to ’em.”

  As the talk drifted into the different ways to hunt down a deer, Phebe let her gaze drift around the cabin. One wall was taken up by a good-sized fireplace. There were two doors opposite the one used to come into the cabin, each leading into a smaller room that Phebe imagined had been used as bedchambers. When she’d peeked into them earlier in the day, all she’d seen in the larger of the two rooms was a very narrow bed frame, built low to the ground, and an overturned crate. Except for the small rectangular table and two mismatched chairs in the room where they’d all gathered, there wasn’t another stick of furniture in the place.

  And Phebe could already feel the chill of the mountain air. She drew her woolen shawl closer around her shoulders.

  “I looked over the spot you had drawn out for my laboratory. It’s a fine, very flat area and should do nicely, but are you sure I should be that far away from you and the children?”

  Phebe drew in a quick breath before turning a sunny smile on her husband. “I think it’s perfect, Henry. It will have enough sun for the garden you want to put in, and it’s closer to the lake.” And a ready source of water if anything catches fire, Phebe added silently.

  “Yes, well then, I’ll mark it off and put it on the list for the men.”

  She frowned. “List?”

  Henry had already removed a piece of paper and charcoal pencil from his coat pocket and was busy scribbling on it. “The order we’ll need to have everything built.”

  “Order?” Phebe shot a quick glance at Martha, who only shook her head in response. “What order did you have in mind?”

  Henry adjusted his glasses and leaned a little closer to the paper in front of him. “I think the men should start by working on sleeping quarters for the children in the mornings, and then switch to doing whatever is necessary to the old mill in the afternoon after the lessons are done.” He lifted his head and looked at his wife. “You’ll need to tell them what you want done to turn it into a proper school, although the loft would make an excellent book repository.”

  “A library?” Phebe’s mouth dropped open. “You want to build a library?”

  Her husband’s eyes reflected his confusion. “Of course. I did bring quite a few books with me. I’d need to keep a few in my laboratory, but the rest would be suitable for the students.”

  “You’d share your books with my students?”

  “Why wouldn’t I?” Henry looked genuinely puzzled. “Books are meant for everyone. That’s what makes them so powerful, don’t you agree?”

  The fatigue which had been dragging at Phebe ever since she’d sat down suddenly lightened. She knew how much her husband treasured his books and was overwhelmed that he’d allow all the students to have complete access to them. It was incredibly generous, and something Madam Wigg would have wholeheartedly approved of. And it made Phebe’s heart melt just a little.

  Fussing with her skirt to cover the sudden heat in her cheeks, Phebe remembered the order of work Henry had set forth. “You want the men to put up sleeping quarters for the children before they build your laboratory?”

  “I know they can sleep in the wagons, but we’d all rest easier if they had something more solid around them. And winter will be here before we know it.” Henry looked around the cabin. “I suppose we could add on two large sections to this house and plan a completely different home for ourselves.” He crossed his arms over his chest and seemed to consider the idea. “It would speed things along and give them a place to sleep all that much sooner.”

  “You want the school and a proper place for the children to be built before your laboratory?” Phebe repeated softly.

  “That would be the most logical course to take,” Henry said, his gaze once again returning to his list.

  Phebe looked over at Jake and Reb, who were both grinning at her, and then at Martha, who mouthed, “he’s a good man.” Given Henry’s life of wealth, Phebe had assumed he’d want his own home and laboratory built first. She was stunned he wanted to put children he had no ties to before his own comfort.

  “How much of that grass do you want us to cut, boss?” Jake’s deep voice bounced around the room.

  Henry rose from his chair and began to pace in front of the fireplace. “We’ll need enough to cover the floor space of the old mill to start.”

  “You want to lay grass on the floor of our classroom?” Phebe asked. She wasn’t at all sure that was a good idea. The floors were worn enough that a little mud tracked in here and there wouldn’t make much difference. Especially since she’d assigned sweeping the classrooms as one of the chores for the children to do each day.

  “No, not on the floor
s,” Henry smiled. His face took on a faraway look, as if he were studying something that only he could see. “We’re going to use the milled lumber we brought to lay a flat ceiling underneath the roof. Then we’ll mix the dried grass in with the raw cotton and spread it out on the top of the ceiling.”

  Phebe struggled to envision what he was describing, but couldn’t discern why Henry would want to do such a thing. “Is there a reason to do this?”

  “Heat rises.” When she gave him a confused look, Henry grinned. “It’s to keep the space below warmer in the winter.”

  Phebe narrowed her eyes as she thought that over. She laughed when Henry’s remark suddenly made sense. “Because heat rises.” She beamed at him. “You want to trap the heat from the fireplace in the room.”

  “Yes,” Henry said. “The grass-and-cotton mixture will make a much more effective barrier than just logs with mud plaster between them.”

  Martha suddenly chuckled as she unfolded her legs and got to her feet. “Heat rises. Well, don’t that beat all.” She shook her head. “Maybe I shoulda laid some of that cotton-and-grass mix on top of my tent in the winter. It could get colder than the devil’s stare on nights up higher in the mountains.”

  Jake gave a solemn nod. “It’s one of Henry’s conveniences that Adam is always talkin’ about.”

  “Indeed, it is a convenience,” Phebe laughed.

  Martha placed her hands on the small of her back and stretched her body upward before picking up her gun. “Well, I’d best be gittin’ back to that wagon. Gotta make sure those children are behavin’ and not wanderin’ off somewheres.”

  Henry clasped his hands behind his back and smiled at her. “You’re welcome to stay in the second room. One of the men can bunk down near the wagon where the children are and keep an eye on them. Or perhaps the children could sleep in this room, near the fire.”

  Phebe’s nerves jangled a bit when Henry mentioned the sleeping arrangements in the cabin. She thought of the very small, narrow bed frame with the rope strung across it. She’d hoped Henry had another plan in mind for the two of them.

  Martha squinted at the tall man smiling at her and studied him in silence for a moment. “How long have you and Miz Phebe been married?”

  Henry blinked at the question. “A few days.”

  “Huh,” Martha grunted as she turned toward the door. “Don’t think the children are needin’ that kind of teachin’. They’re a mite young to be listenin’ to the two of you.”

  She opened the door and melted into the night as Phebe’s face went up in flames. She peeked over at Henry and saw he was bright red as well.

  Jake cleared his throat while Reb shuffled his feet back and forth.

  “We’d best be goin’ too.” Jake walked over to the door and lifted his hat off the peg. “We’ll get to cutttin’ that grass as soon as the mornin’ sun burns off the dew.”

  “Thank you, Jake.” Henry’s voice sounded strained despite his smile. “I’ll be out there shortly after the sun is up.”

  In less than a minute, Phebe was alone with her husband, with Martha’s words still echoing in her head. Not sure what to do next, she retreated into her usual calm silence.

  Henry slowly looked away from the door that Reb had shut behind him. When his gaze met Phebe’s, they were both silent as they stared at each other. Finally shaking his head as if he were clearing it, Henry took in a deep breath.

  “I’m sure you’re tired. It’s been a long day.”

  “I am tired,” Phebe agreed quietly.

  When he continued to simply stare at her, she clasped her hands in front of her and tilted her head to the side. “Is something wrong?”

  Henry’s expression remained serious as he crossed the room. Stopping a bare foot away, he wrapped his hands around her upper arms and lifted her from the chair as he stared into her upturned face. “You’re beautiful.” Lowering his head, his lips brushed lightly across her cheek.

  As soon as Phebe made a small sound in her throat, his mouth trailed down to hers and settled there, pressing firmly against her lips. When Phebe’s lips parted, Henry let out a slight groan and his tongue slipped into her mouth to taste and explore while Phebe clung helplessly to his shoulders, trying to absorb the sudden onslaught of sensations whirling through her body.

  She tried to move closer to him, but Henry suddenly pulled away, stepping back to hold her at arm’s length. For a long moment neither of them broke the charged silence. Finally, Henry took another step away from Phebe and dropped his hands back to his sides.

  “Yes, well.” He rocked on his heels. “I had your trunk put into your room and spread several blankets out on the bed. I hope you’ll find it comfortable enough to sleep on.”

  Phebe looked over at the small bedchamber. Her room? Oh no, this couldn’t be happening again! Especially not after the way he’d kissed her. But when Henry turned toward the door, Phebe realized it was a repetition of their wedding night, and Henry intended to sleep somewhere else. Her hopes rose a little when he hesitated, then plunged again at his next words.

  “I’ll be by for you in the morning, so we can have breakfast together.”

  With a last duck of his head, he left Phebe in the center of the cabin, staring after him.

  Chapter 13

  Henry slowly paced off the dimensions for his new laboratory. The solid ring of axes echoed across the open field as some of the men split logs, while others made use of long knives to cut the grass in the meadow. Normally the constant noise wouldn’t have bothered him at all. Henry had learned to block such distractions out of his mind long ago. But today each little sound seemed to grate against his nerves. And he didn’t need to consult one of his books to know why.

  Phebe. Whenever she was close, he couldn’t take his eyes off her. She had a soft loveliness that grew more appealing every day, and he liked everything about her. His wife was both practical and kind, a combination he’d only ever seen in his sister and his brother’s wife.

  But Phebe was different from them too.

  She had something that was uniquely hers. Something he couldn’t put his finger on, but which drew him in like a moth to a flame. Henry ran a distracted hand through his hair. It made no sense to him, but he couldn’t deny it either. He was happy at the thought of spending the rest of his life with Phebe. But that wasn’t his immediate problem.

  Still waiting for the right moment to have their wedding night was.

  When he realized he’d paced far over the number he’d set for the longest side of his laboratory, Henry stopped and let out an exasperated huff. He’d have to start over again. For the third time.

  “How much more of this grass do you want us to cut?”

  Jake’s voice came from right behind him. Startled, Henry whirled around to find the hand frowning.

  “What are you doin’ way out here? I thought that place you wanted built was goin’ to be put up a ways back there?” Jake pointed over his shoulder.

  “I’m thinking.” Henry flushed red at the snap in his voice. It wasn’t like him to bark at people, and judging by the surprised look on Jake’s face, it was obvious he thought the same thing.

  “I’m sorry,” Henry apologized, his embarrassment easing when Jake grinned back at him. “I have a lot on my mind.”

  “Got anything to do with you sleeping on that cabin’s porch last night?” Jake shrugged when Henry glared at him. “None of my business, but I saw you out there like you was guardin’ the door. A man should protect his wife, but I’m thinkin’ you could do that just as well from inside the cabin.”

  Since Henry felt the same way, he couldn’t conjure up one solid argument in return. Instead, he sighed and looked at the lake, the blue of its water peeking through the trees at the edge of the clearing. “It’s not that easy.”

  The older man snorted at that. “Then you’d better be findin’ a way to make it easy, or you might find yerself walkin’ off a cliff while yer doin’ all that thinkin’.” He shrugged. “Now, ho
w much more of that grass do we need to be cuttin’?”

  Turning his head to look at the growing pile Jake was pointing at, Henry did a few mental calculations before nodding his approval. “That will do for a start. It needs to be spread out so it can dry more quickly.”

  “All right, boss.” Jake gave him a quick salute before walking off, leaving a bemused Henry staring after him.

  Make it easy. Jake was right. If the perfect moment wasn’t going to present itself on its own, then it needed a solid push in the right direction. That wasn’t actually mentioned in The Gentleman’s Guide to Domestic Tranquility, but he was sure that it should have been.

  Henry started back toward the center of the field, his head down as he considered his options. When he came to a satisfactory conclusion, he picked up his pace, craning his neck to find Reb. Before they’d left San Francisco, it had been decided that Jake would be in charge of the work crew, and Reb would handle all the supplies. And right now, Henry needed something he’d neglected to bring with him. A quick question to one of the men cutting grass had Henry switching directions and heading for the barn. As soon as he stepped into the cool interior, he spotted Reb cleaning out a stall. When the lanky southerner saw Henry, he stopped what he was doing and walked over to meet him.

  “Need something, Henry?”

  “Indeed, I do.” Henry smiled. “I want you to send a supply wagon into town right away.”

  Reb silently scratched his chin for a moment. “But we jest came from town. We ain’t supposed to go again until the end of the month.”

  “We need to go now,” Henry said, standing his ground on the matter. “I’ll make you a list, and you can send one of the men today. And tell him he needs to be back within a week.”

  Still looking confused, Reb nodded anyway. “If’n it’s that important, I’ll go myself.”

  “That would be fine.” Henry beamed his approval. “You get the wagon ready while I make up that list.” And at the top of that list would be a mattress.