by Sherry Kyle
Elena pulled her shawl closer around her neck. “Why couldn’t you wait till morning?”
“Elena, please. It’s late. Can Yvette come in or not?”
The babe whimpered again. Elena softened. “Where is she?”
“Around back. Wanted to make sure she was welcome before you caught a glimpse of her luggage.” Jonas turned away with a grimace.
Elena halted in the act of following. “Her luggage?”
“She’s a lady.” Jonas tossed the remark over his shoulder.
Elena rounded the corner of the house.
Yvette sat perched in the front of Jonas’s wagon with baby Willie in her arms. The bed was filled with suitcases of all sizes. The volume exceeded every possession Elena and her entire family owned.
Did Yvette think she was the Queen of England? How many bags could one woman have? There was no way she was bringing them all inside her parents’ house.
Jonas helped Yvette down from the wagon.
“Thank you for allowing Willie and me to stay with you.” Yvette’s tone sounded genuine.
Elena surveyed the load, and then, forcing a smile held out her arms to the baby. “Jonas, if you could bring her things out to the barn.”
Beside her, Jonas stiffened. “The barn? That’s no place for a woman let alone a small child.”
Elena adopted her most arrogant down-the-nose stare. “Only her luggage. Jonas, you know as well as I do that we don’t have enough room in our home for all these bags.” Elena turned to her guest. “Come, Yvette. I’ll help you get settled.”
Jonas hefted the last of the suitcases into the corner of the Seifert’s barn. What a load. To think all these bags were going to fill his home soon. Could he handle such a fancy woman?
He took off his hat and wiped his brow. The last thing he wanted was for Elena’s family to get involved with, or even know about, Yvette’s troubles. It had been hard enough waiting until the Captain retired for the night to sneak Yvette and Willie out of the boardinghouse. He was pushing Elena and her hospitality by arriving at this late hour.
Sweet Elena.
The way the moon reflected off her blonde hair made him want to reach out and touch it.
A cow mooed, capturing his attention. Jonas strode down the center aisle of the barn and checked each animal, grateful to see Tobias had started branding his animals. Nothing seemed amiss. Was he paranoid? He didn’t think so. With two women he cared about under one roof, there was more at stake. He stopped walking and listened. All was quiet, except the shifting of cow hooves in the hay.
Time to go home. Morning would come soon and he needed sleep. Last night, the boardinghouse was comfortable enough, but he couldn’t help but think of his own room. His bed. His quilt. Took being gone a couple of years to realize what it meant to be home.
Jonas closed the barn doors and hooked the latch. He climbed up into his wagon and flicked the reins. The team moved forward in the direction of his property.
This should be one of the happiest nights of his life. But something wasn’t right. His stomach knotted. He was engaged to the wrong woman.
He had scurried around the barn when he heard someone enter. Almost got caught too, but he was quick. His heart felt like it was in this throat. The man looked familiar. The same guy from Cayucos when they bumped into each other in front of the saloon. How would he get out of here without being noticed?
The sound of the latch locking the barn doors in place sent him into a panic. How would he explain his predicament to his boss? One cow, that’s all he wanted tonight. And now that wouldn’t happen.
He walked to the corner to see what the man dropped off. Luggage.
What’s this? He examined the contents of the bags. Dresses. Fancy ones. He lifted one to his face and inhaled the sweet fragrance. Lilacs. He’d like to meet the woman who wore such clothes. An idea occurred to him, and he held the gown against his body. What if he dressed up as a woman to disguise himself? At that moment, he was glad he was a small man. Looked like he’d be able to escape first thing in the morning. Especially if the farmer’s dumb son milked the cows. And if the boy didn’t see him, he’d walk off with the calf. The plan was perfect, unless the dairy farmer opened the barn doors.
Settling on a pile of hay, he closed his eyes. He’d be prepared, one way or the other.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Elena awakened with the crow of a rooster and stretched the knotted muscles in her back. The night before, she’d given her bed to Yvette. Willie slept beside her in the wooden box used for firewood. That left Elena to toss and turn on a pallet by the fire. She gathered and folded the quilts.
Yvette approached through the bedroom doorway.
“You look beautiful.” Elena figured out a way to compliment Yvette without telling her the whole truth. Her fancy town dress wouldn’t do for farming. She fingered her own simple cotton shift. Yvette would have a hard time learning to milk cows and tend to a garden in a dress that looked as if she was ready to entertain company.
“Thank you. Adrian purchased this gown for me a month after we married. I considered giving it to Gabi, but I couldn’t do it.”
If only Elena’s relationship with her childhood friend was as safe and secure as the locket that remained around her neck. A stab of guilt made its way down her spine.
Yvette ran her hand over the brocade. “I can’t expect Jonas to afford such luxuries.”
“Jonas will do all he can to provide for you.” Elena turned away to mask her feelings and set a folded quilt on the rocking chair by the hearth.
“At least a roof over my head and food in my stomach,” Yvette said.
And plenty of love.
Elena’s body tingled. Yvette hadn’t mentioned anything of the sort, but Elena knew it to be true. Lars, on the other hand, would be able to give her every worldly possession she desired, but she doubted she’d ever grow to love him the same way she loved Jonas.
“Would you like to borrow one of my dresses for milking the cows? I wouldn’t want you to soil yours.”
“Oh, my no.” Yvette chuckled and laid a hand to her breast. “It wouldn’t fit.”
Elena glanced down at her small frame. No, Yvette definitely wouldn’t be able to wear her clothes.
Her mother walked into the room. “Yvette, when did you arrive? I thought I heard a child’s cry in the night.”
“Jonas brought me late last night. We spotted a light coming from Elena’s room ...”
“We’re glad to have you, my dear. Tobias and Jonas have already worked out the details. Appears Jonas is in a hurry for you to learn the ways of dairy farming.” Mama flashed Yvette a cheeky grin.
“We’ll start with the early morning milking.” Elena said through tight lips. “Mama, would you mind keeping an eye on Willie while I take Yvette to the barn?”
“It would be my pleasure. Where is he?”
“Asleep,” Yvette said, “But he’ll want to be fed the moment he wakes.”
“We should hurry then.” Elena led the way out the back door toward the barn, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Life started early on the farm, and Yvette had better get used to it.
He hadn’t slept at all last night. For the first few hours, he’d watched light from the moon dance across the barn walls between the slats of wood. Even though he had room to roam, he had a taste of what it would be like to be captured. He didn’t like it, not one bit. But jail would be worse.
If the need arose, he could jump out of the hayloft window, but he decided against it. Beside his fear of heights, he didn’t want to get hurt.
He jammed the dresses back in the suitcase. Why would he consider disguising himself as a woman? Preposterous. What if he tripped and fell? Instead, he’d run for his life when the farmer or his idiot son came in to milk.
The sound of the latch unhitching sent him into a panic. He slid inside the first stall and hid behind the big beast. He peered around the cow’s flank.
Two women came through
the barn doors. The farmer’s daughter was dressed plain and simple, and had hair the color of honey. The other one had raven hair, and a body with curves in all the right places accentuated by a fancy green dress. She must be visiting from out of town—the one who owned the pile of luggage. He had clung to one of her flowery scented garments throughout the night to keep warm.
A shudder ran through him. How he wished he could spend more time watching her. But he’d run the risk of getting caught, and no woman was worth that price. Carefully, he ducked behind the cow. If he were a praying man, he’d ask God to help him escape.
A woman’s skirt swished past the stall. A light sweat crusted his upper lip.
“It stinks in here.”
His heart skipped a beat at the sound of the woman’s voice. Would they see him?
“Must be the manure.” There was a lilt to the other woman’s tone. “I’ll show you how to muck the stalls once we’re done milking.”
Why was the farm girl making the lady work?
The two women walked past the stall where he was hiding and headed toward the back of the barn. Thank goodness!
“Would you like to see our newest member of the herd? Her name’s Buttercup.”
“You name your animals?”
He’d heard them talking long enough. Time to make his move. He stepped out from behind the large cow. One glance over his shoulder, and he knew he was safe. The women, hunched over the stall of the smallest calf, were engrossed in a conversation. He slipped through the open barn door to freedom.
Once outside, he hadn’t counted on seeing his horse in the farmer’s paddock. How was he going to get him out of there without anyone noticing?
“Hey.” The voice of the farmer’s son called out to him in the distance. “Who are you?”
A swear word shot from his mouth. He’d have to hoof it back. His horse was the best thing he had going for him and now he’d have to leave without him.
He didn’t slow down or turn around. The last thing he wanted was for the farmer’s son to see his face. No jail time for him. Even if it meant losing his horse.
“Never thought Harmony Valley would have its own cheese factory.” Jonas hoisted a crate of milk bottles onto the wagon. “Makes selling a whole lot easier than going into town.”
Nicolas loaded the last of the milk containers. “I hear Mr. Salmina is giving a good price, too.”
“I hope it’s true.” Jonas climbed into the wagon. “I should be back in an hour.”
“Enough time for me to muck the stalls.”
“Don’t know what I’d do without you. You’re a fine worker.” Jonas flicked the reins and clicked his tongue. The horses moved forward. “See you soon.”
“Take your time.” Nicolas waved him on.
Jonas carried on down the road. The chinking sound of the glass bottles rubbing against each other brought a smile to his face. Each one represented money. The more he got, the better he’d be able to provide for his family. By the amount of luggage Yvette had taken to Elena’s, Adrian had provided well for her. Moisture formed on his hands. Now that he’d asked her to be his bride, he had more than his ma and sisters to consider. Over his morning coffee, he calculated how much he’d need to add a room to the house and purchase new furniture. Having a fancy wife could be downright expensive.
He pictured Elena’s response to simple luxuries. She’d kiss his cheek and wrap her arms around his neck. Jonas tugged on the neckline of his plaid shirt, his temperature rising. He’d have to stop thinking of his childhood friend in that way if he was ever going to be happily married to Yvette.
A movement in the tall grass caught his attention. Probably a small animal. He shaded his eyes to get a better look. Was that a man sleeping in the grass? Jonas yanked the reins and brought his team to a stop.
The man stirred.
“Need a lift?” Jonas offered. “I’m headed to Salmina’s Cheese Factory.”
The stranger lowered his hat over his eyes.
Odd. Couldn’t he speak?
“You look like a man in need of food and a strong cup of coffee. My house is not far down the road. My hired hand is there now. Otherwise, like I said, I can give you a ride.” Being downwind, Jonas could tell the stranger was in desperate need of a hot bath as well.
Without a word, the man stood and walked south toward Cayucos.
Between the cow thefts, the drifter who threw a rock through the general store, and someone bashing Jonas over the head, his senses were on high alert. The man’s behavior was suspicious to be sure. Why didn’t he take kindly to Jonas’s offer?
His mind took a turn, remembering when he’d wandered around San Francisco after the earthquake. Pride got in the way a time or two and he didn’t want to be bothered. He’d rather starve then take charity. Guess that was part of human nature. Nicolas didn’t want handouts either. Now his hired hand was as much a part of the Bollinger farm as Jonas was. Wonder how long that will last? Soon Nicolas would want land of his own and a bride to go with it. Jonas ran a gloved hand across his brow and flicked the reins once again, making a mental note to alert the sheriff.
Twenty minutes later, Jonas rounded the Salmina Cheese Factory with cash in hand. He tucked the dollar bills deep into his trouser pocket as a nearby argument ensued. Taking a step back, Jonas moved closer to the building and listened.
“If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a hundred times. I’m not interested in selling.” Tobias Seifert rolled up his sleeves to his elbows, and then planted both hands on his hips.
“You won’t get an offer like the one I’m proposing ever again. My herd is twice the size of yours. I need that spring.” Mr. Cavegn stood with his legs apart and his arms folded across his chest as if he was ready for a fight.
“I understand your predicament and your desire to water your cows, but look—the spring is on my land, and I intend to make good use of it. Do you have stock I can take off your hands? I hear you recently acquired near half a dozen.” Tobias stepped forward and eyed him, his right brow arched.
“And I hear you’ve been losing yours. Don’t look my way. Peder purchased our dairy cows fair and square.” The worried lines on Mr. Cavegn’s forehead relaxed. He unfolded his arms, laid a hand on Tobias’s shoulder, and shot him a smile. “Why don’t we share the spring? It’d work out for the both of us. What’ya say?”
Tobias took a step back. “I don’t see how that would work. We’ve never done business together, and I can’t imagine us starting now. Besides, the spring has only enough water for my cows.”
“Of all the selfish, low-down—”
“There’s no reason to start name calling.” Tobias swung up onto his wagon.
“And you call yourself a Christian man.” Mr. Cavegn let out a loud “Harrumph,” and then stalked away toward his team.
Jonas stood dumbfounded. He’d always known the two to fight over the spring and whose land it was on, but this disagreement had gone on long enough. Wasn’t Elena’s father a practical and giving man? Then why didn’t he allow Mr Cavegn rights to the spring? There was plenty of water. Must be his anger over the stolen cows. A niggling feeling wormed its way into Jonas’s belly.
Maybe he’d stop by the Seifert place on his way home and talk sense into Elena’s pa.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Do you think Papa will let me keep him?” Elena stroked the mare’s neck. This morning her patience had run thin helping Yvette milk the cows. After ten minutes of trying to squeeze out a drop with no luck, Yvette stormed off to the house.
“I don’t know.” Samuel held out a Granny Smith apple. The horse’s lips parted and she nabbed a bite. “We should ask around. See if she’s lost.”
“You’re right, of course. Whoever she belonged to rode bareback.”
“The owner could be the man I saw on our property this morning. I called out, but he kept on walking.”
“If this was his horse, why would he up and leave? Doesn’t make sense. If you ask me, he did
n’t want her anymore. Look at how thin she is.” Elena ran her hand across the horse’s back. “You can see her ribs.”
“Even so, she’s not ours ...” Samuel’s words hung in the air.
“Maybe she’s God’s gift to me. He knows how much I loved Starlight.”
“Wonder what Lars would say.”
Elena released a breath. “What does Lars have to do with the horse?”
“You’re going to marry him. Don’t you care what he thinks?”
Her brother could be irritating—and practical all at the same time. Elena rolled her eyes. “Of course I care what Lars thinks, but I still have a mind of my own.”
“You can say that again.” Samuel headed toward the house for breakfast.
Elena stroked the horse’s neck once more and leaned in close. “You could be beautiful. Time on our farm will fatten you up.” A pang of remorse sliced through her. She had two weeks left before she would become Mrs. Lars Rissler. Maybe the horse would gain enough weight by then to ride her on the hills of Harmony before she moved to town.
Samuel cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled. “C’mon, Elena. Papa is going to be back any minute.”
Papa. What would he say about the mare? He might remind her that God provided in mysterious ways. Hadn’t He done that for their family these last months when their cows had been stolen? Buttercup was a prime example.
Elena gave the horse one more quick perusal. No marks to indicate which farm she’d come from. And the poor animal’s coat was a clear indication the animal hadn’t been properly cared for.
Elena thanked God above. He’d given her a horse.
Instead of stopping by the Seifert’s place, Jonas headed straight back to his farm. He wasn’t ready to cross paths with Yvette. This was her first morning on a farm, and he wasn’t prepared to find out what she thought of living in a small house and milking dairy cows.
The hard truth was he couldn’t imagine Yvette living in the country. Her brother Nicolas, on the other hand, took to dairy farming like he was made for it. He relished every chore, from milking and mucking stalls to herding the cows back to the barn. Nicolas was the type of man Jonas’s father wanted him to be.