Pleased he brought a smile to her face, Grant kissed the back of her hand and relinquished it as Caterina approached with their dinner.
After finishing the meal, Grant walked Lacy to the back door of Ilsa’s shop and lingered a moment in the cold winter air.
“Lacy, you really have nothing to be concerned about. You’re a hard worker and a good person. People tend to do nice things for only the nicest people.”
She smiled and stepped inside her door. “Thank you for another lovely meal, but next time we dine together, it’s my treat. Would you like to come here for dinner sometime?”
Although Grant cared little for the gossiping tongues that would wag if anyone found out he’d been in Lacy’s apartment without a chaperone, he did care about her reputation. “As much as I would love to accept your offer, Lacy, I don’t think it’s a good idea. Not unless you have a chaperone.”
“I planned to ask Ilsa and Tony, too. I’d invite Caterina and Kade, but I can’t cook nearly as well as her and would be afraid to share my paltry offerings with a real chef.”
Grant gave her a thoughtful look. “You’d be surprised how much Caterina would appreciate the invitation. Why don’t you pick a night when her restaurant is closed? If they all are here, I’d love to come.”
“Good. I’ll let you know.” Lacy started to close the door, but stopped. “Thanks again, Grant.”
“For what?
“For being such a good friend. Good night.”
The soft smile she offered almost pushed him beyond reason. Reluctantly, he turned away and walked back to his buggy.
Chapter Eight
“Hello, Pendleton Central. Number please?” Lacy maintained her formal yet friendly tone although she felt rushed. The phone lines had been busy all day and she couldn’t wait for the end of her shift.
She’d had to chastise three of the regular eavesdroppers because the background noise of their children made it impossible for the two people actively participating in the conversation to hear. Right after lunch, she’d had to ask two lovebirds to hang up because they monopolized the party line for the better part of an hour.
Days like today, her job held more trials than triumphs. Grateful it was Friday and she’d have the weekend off, she couldn’t wait for the end of her shift.
“I’d like to speak with Lacy Williams, please.”
The unfamiliar feminine voice caught Lacy off guard. She stared at the switchboard a moment before answering. “This is Lacy Williams.”
“Oh, Lacy, this is Aundy Nash. I know you’re busy, so I won’t keep you, but I wanted to invite you to visit Nash’s Folly tomorrow. It’s the middle of calving and lambing season and I thought you might enjoy seeing all the babies.”
“I’d love that, Aundy. Thank you for the invitation. What time should I arrive?”
“How about nine, if that isn’t too early?”
Multiple listeners added static to the line. “Not at all. I’ll be there.”
Aundy’s smile carried through her voice when she spoke. “Wonderful. I so look forward to seeing you. Now, if it wouldn’t be too much bother, would you please connect me with the bank?”
“It would be my pleasure. Just a moment.”
Lacy plugged in the call and went back to work, energized at the prospect of seeing Nash’s Folly and spending a day out of town. She’d heard about the ranch where Aundy and Garrett lived, along with Garrett’s parents, but she had yet to see it. Visions of the lambs and calves frolicking in the pasture made her smile.
Unable to sleep due to her excitement, Lacy arose early and baked a batch of cookies that were a favorite of Walker’s. She packed them into two tins then removed her apron, donned the old dress she wore for chores, and hurried outside and down the street toward Tony and Ilsa’s place. She finished cleaning the barn as the first fingers of sunlight touched the sky. Since no lights glowed from the house, she quietly saddled Star and led her back to Ilsa’s shop, leaving her tied out front.
She ran around to the back of the shop, unlocked the door, and raced upstairs. Antsy as the tub filled with hot, steaming water, she took a bath and washed her hair. After stoking the stove in the kitchen, she stood in front of it and brushed the dampness from her hair. When it was dry, she returned to the bathroom, parted it down the center, and twisted it into two long braids that nearly reached her waist. She fastened the ends with thin strips of leather and finished dressing. She wore her leggings and moccasins beneath a dark calico dress with a full skirt.
Once again returning to the kitchen, she sat down and ate a simple breakfast of toast and tea then banked the fire in the stove and tidied her already clean apartment.
Incapable of forcing herself to wait any longer to leave, she slipped on her coat then grabbed a tin of cookies and her shawl on her way out the door. The soft nickering of a horse drew her attention as she stepped around the corner of the building.
Surprise brought her to a standstill as she took in the sight of Grant on a beautiful sorrel horse waiting next to Star.
“Grant! What are you doing here?”
“Aundy invited me to come out for lunch and hinted you might be headed that direction, too. I thought I’d come by and see if you’d like to ride together. With your horse out here, I assumed you’d be out soon, so I waited.”
Lacy walked over to his horse and gave him a thorough once-over. “You’ve a fine mount, Grant. What’s his name?”
“Drew. He’s seems quite taken with Star.”
Lacy nodded her head in agreement, gently patting Drew on the neck. The horse kept sidling closer to Star. Normally, Star would get agitated and step away, but she remained still. If Lacy didn’t know better, she would have said her horse flirted with Grant’s, batting her long eyelashes at him.
The idea of the horses sharing an attraction to each other, much like she felt for Grant, left her amused as she walked around to Star’s left side. She slipped the tin of cookies into a pouch and hung it from her saddle horn.
Grant started to dismount to help her on her horse, but she swung into the saddle with more ease than he’d seen many men mount.
She draped her shawl in front of her legs for modesty and gave him a warm smile.
“Shall we go?”
Grant grinned. “We shall.” The prospect of spending the day at Nash’s Folly with his friends normally made him happy. Today, he was ecstatic, knowing Lacy would be there, too. Properly chaperoned by Aundy and Garrett, he’d have an entire day to get to know her better, see how she interacted with his friends, and admire her lovely features.
Her lush lips drew his attention as they rode out of town and headed in the direction of Nash’s Folly. They moved but he had no idea what she said.
She appeared to wait for a response to a question.
Sheepish, Grant gave her an apologetic look. “I’m so sorry, Lacy. I didn’t catch what you said.”
She shrugged and rubbed her hand along her horse’s neck. “I asked if you visit Garrett and Aundy often at their place.”
“Not often, perhaps once a month or so. I do enjoy being out there, though. Have you visited them before?”
“No, but Ilsa and Tony told me about the sheep and cattle. I’m still not sure I understand the part about the Erickson Farm, though.” Lacy glanced at Grant. “Aundy was married before then widowed?”
Grant nodded. “She arrived in Pendleton seven years ago as a mail-order bride to a man named Erik Erikson. He was quite a bit older than Aundy, never married, but a good, honest man. They wed as soon as she arrived but on the way out to his ranch, the crazy man who used to own Dogwood Corners spooked the horses and the wagon flipped over on Erik. He survived for a few days, but the injuries he sustained were beyond anyone’s ability to heal.”
Lacy stared at him as tears filled her eyes. “Oh, that must have been so hard for Aundy. What did she do?”
“Erik left her the farm, so she stayed. She grew up in Chicago and didn’t know the first thing about rural l
ife, but she was determined. With the help of the hired hands that stayed and the Nash family, she learned. The original Nash’s Folly connected to the Erikson farm and the J.B. and Nora were her closest neighbors. Of course, it didn’t take long for Garrett to fall for her. They married that spring and consolidated the farm with the Nash’s ranch. Everyone calls the whole thing Nash’s Folly.”
Lacy thought it all made sense. She glanced up when Grant lifted his arm and pointed to a side road as they passed it. “Dogwood Corners is just up this way. You can’t miss it. In another month or two, the dogwoods will blossom. You’ll have to ask Marnie to let you know when they do, because it is spectacular to see.”
Aware that a dogwood was a tree, Lacy had never seen one, much less one in full bloom. Ilsa had mentioned something about the beauty of the trees and the house named after them.
The sound of the horses’ hoof beats and the random song of a bird were the only noises around them as they rode at a pleasant pace, in no rush for their ride to end.
In an effort to understand better the relationship of her new friends, Lacy turned to Grant. “So Aundy arrived first then Ilsa? Is that right?”
“Caterina came not long after Garrett and Aundy wed. She stayed with them until she opened the restaurant although she didn’t know them before she moved to Pendleton. She was running away from some men intent on doing her harm in New York. Anyway, she and Kade hit it off from the start. Talk about sparks flying, I thought the two of them might set Garrett’s wheat fields on fire that summer with all the fiery embers floating between the two of them.”
Lacy laughed. “You have a descriptive way of telling a story, Mr. Hill.”
Grant tipped his head to her. “Why, thank you, Miss Williams. Now, where was I?”
“Kade and Caterina nearly burning up the wheat at Nash’s Folly.”
“Right. The following spring, Tony arrived in town to warn Caterina that the villains were on their way from New York to drag her back and force her to marry a horrible man. The criminals ended up in jail and Kade married Caterina a few weeks later. Ilsa was still in Chicago, held prisoner in her aunt’s home. Aundy, Garrett, and Nik went to rescue her.”
“I haven’t met Nik.” Lacy had heard about Aundy and Garrett’s adopted son, but he was in New York attending college.
“He’s a wonderful boy, studying to be a doctor. In fact, I think Aundy said he only has another year and a half left before he finishes. He plans to return to Pendleton to work.”
“That’s wonderful,” Lacy said, aware that the new hospital in town needed more doctors. Doc Reed and the two other doctors did their best, but as the town continued to grow, so did the need for more physicians. “Ilsa told me about Aundy and Garrett coming to her rescue. I like the story about how Lars just happened to pass through Pendleton when he worked as a U.S. Marshal. It must have been so exciting for him to discover his sisters living here when he thought he’d never see them again.”
“Yes. From my understanding, Marnie was the one who figured out Lars and the girls were related and made the connection.” Grant pointed to a lane to their left. The top of a two-story house and barn were visible over a rise in the road. “That’s where Nora and J.B. Nash live. The cattle part of the operation is based here.”
In a pasture that reached the edge of the road, a sea of red and white cattle nibbled at brown winter grass and bits of hay remaining from their morning feeding. Lacy admired the sheer number of animals. Uncle Charlie raised cattle, but he didn’t come close to having as many as the Nash family.
“It appears to be a prosperous place.” Lacy commented as they rode past the well-maintained fence. About half a mile up the road, they passed a pasture full of sheep. A smile brought a sparkle to her eyes as she watched lambs run and kick their feet, butting heads and playing together. She reined in Star to observe their antics.
“They’re fun to watch, aren’t they?” Grant spoke so close to her ear, Lacy jumped involuntarily. His spicy, enticing scent blended with the smell of horses and leather. She breathed deeply, wanting to memorize the moment.
Slowly turning her head, his face hovered so close to hers, she could count the individual freckles on his nose and see blue, green, and gold flecks dancing in his eyes.
His lips beckoned to her. The shape of them held her attention while she imagined their resplendent taste. Innocently, she leaned toward him before she realized what she’d done. Overcome with emotions she couldn’t name or place, she pulled back and urged Star forward.
Grant cleared his throat and withheld a frustrated sigh. He’d been so close to kissing Lacy, his lips tingled from the near victory. Never in his life had he waited so long or worked so hard to get a kiss out of a woman.
Then again, he’d never met anyone like Lacy.
Urging Drew to catch up to her, he motioned for her to turn up a lane. “Have you met Aundy’s bunkhouse cook?”
Still befuddled from the kiss that almost happened, Lacy tugged her thoughts together and shook her head. “No, I haven’t. Why?”
“You’ll see. Aundy said he planned to prepare one of his feasts for lunch today. You’re in for a treat.”
Curious, Lacy turned her attention to the one-story house visible ahead, along with a big barn and numerous outbuildings. As they neared the house, she took note of the wide porch with rattan chairs and the white fence around the yard. Everything about it appeared friendly and welcoming.
“It’s charming,” Lacy said, reining her horse to a stop at the end of the front walk.
“You should see it in early summer, before it gets too hot, when all the flowers are in bloom. Aundy has flowers planted all around the house and in pots. She usually has a few blooming inside all winter.”
Lacy couldn’t imagine a flower blooming this time of year. Before they had time to dismount, the front door opened and Aundy raced down the steps, quickly covering the ground across the yard to them with her long legs.
“Lacy! Grant! I’m so glad you both came today.” Aundy flipped the latch and opened the front gate. She embraced Lacy in a warm hug then turned and offered Grant a welcoming smile. “Garrett’s at the barn with Dent if you want to take the horses over.”
Grant tipped his hat and took Star’s reins from Lacy. “I’ll go see what they’re up to. Is Li still making lunch for us today?”
Aundy grinned, aware of how much Grant enjoyed Li’s cooking. “He is. Nora and J.B. are going to come over and so is Marvin Tooley. I invited Lars and Marnie and their bunch, but I don’t think they’ll make it. Sophie and Noah both have colds and Marnie thought it best they stay home.”
“Sounds like a regular party.” Grant gave Lacy a long look before he started to lead the horses toward the barn. She remembered her cookies and stopped him, grabbing the tin from the pouch. He smiled at her and went on to join the other men. Dent and Garrett walked out of the barn and waved. Dent was old enough to be a grandfather several times over, but he’d been a good friend and ranch foreman to Aundy since the day she arrived.
“Let’s go inside and have a cup of tea.” Aundy looped her arm around Lacy’s shoulders and directed her down the sidewalk and up the front steps.
Lacy stepped inside as Aundy closed the door and offered to take her coat. Instead, she handed her the tin of cookies. “I made a few cookies.”
“Thank you, Lacy. That’s so thoughtful.” Aundy smiled and accepted the tin while Lacy removed her coat and draped it over the end of the sofa. She looked around the room. The house was vastly different from Ilsa and Tony’s. While the Campanelli home was the height of modern fashion with rich wallpaper, carved furnishings and loads of fripperies, Aundy and Garrett’s home was simple and comfortable.
Lacy smiled at her hostess and experienced a measure of relief. Although she knew Aundy and Garrett, she’d never really spent any time alone with them. Most often, she saw them at church, Ilsa’s shop, or Tony and Ilsa’s home. Intimidated by Aundy’s height and confident demeanor as well as the w
ay Ilsa, Marnie, and Caterina all talked about her with a hint of awe, Lacy quickly realized the woman was gracious and kind.
As though she sensed Lacy’s hesitation to relax, Aundy looped their arms together and grinned. “I don’t know about you, but I always like visiting in the kitchen best. The water is hot and it will just take a moment to make a pot of tea. Maybe we can sample some of your delicious cookies before the men come in. Once Garrett gets a whiff of the cinnamon, he’ll most likely hoard them for himself.”
In spite of her reservations, Lacy laughed and studied the big kitchen as Aundy set the tin of cookies on the table and prepared a pot of tea. The windowsill above the sink held several pots of colorful flowers. Grant was right. Aundy really did have flowers blooming year-round.
“Please, have a seat.” Aundy motioned to a chair as she placed the teapot on the table then removed cups and saucers from a cupboard. She set out a bowl of sugar cubes along with a pitcher of cream before she poured the tea and took a seat across from her guest.
Lacy stirred sugar into her tea then waited as Aundy removed the lid from the tin and offered her a cookie. After taking one, Lacy set it on the edge of her saucer and raised her gaze to Aundy.
It was hard for her to picture Aundy and Ilsa as sisters, despite a faint family resemblance. Ilsa was petite and graceful with an almost demure demeanor. Aundy stood as tall as most men with a purposeful determination that surrounded her. She wore a split skirt and cowboy boots. The whiff of horse hinted that she’d recently returned from a ride.
“Thank you for inviting me to visit today. It’s nice to be out in the country.” Lacy took a sip of her tea, calling on all the manners she’d learned at school and from Rose and Daisy’s coaching.
“It’s my pleasure. I’ve been meaning to ask you for some time but the weather was so bitterly cold and then we got busy with the new babies arriving and trying to keep them warm. Now that the nights aren’t so frigid, we don’t have to worry about them as much.” Aundy took a bite of her cookie. “Oh, these are so good, Lacy. Garrett will definitely hog them.”
Lacy: (Sweet Historical Western Romance) (Pendleton Petticoats Book 5) Page 10