"You better get your house done, Eli. You've let the project slide since Amy left."
He had left the interior unfinished, living among the sawdust and cut boards, not caring if it was ever completed.
But Eli had faithfully watered the new flowers in front of the porch that Amy had transplanted. Just in case Amy came back…or as a way to remember Amy?
"Why should it matter if the house isn't done?"
"I know how you feel about Amy, and Cora says Amy feels likewise about you."
“So?” Dagmar may have guessed Eli’s prior feelings, but after Eli didn’t bother to see Amy off at the train station, Eli was sure he ruined any future with her.
“Let go of your past and propose to Amy when she returns. You both deserve happiness,” Dagmar dared him.
They had stopped on top of a hill with the herd below them. Eli sat in the saddle, staring ahead, thinking of Dagmar’s words.
“What if she leaves me standing at the altar?” Eli blurted out his worst fear.
“You mean like I almost did to Cora? You were there,” Dagmar said quietly.
“I knew Cora stood in the back of the church waiting for me to walk in the side door of the church and stand beside Pastor Reagan. But I balked, thinking I wasn’t good enough for that high society lady.”
“But she loved you, accepting you as you are.”
“Yeah. Why the heck does a tiny woman love a tall, shaggy me? I’ll never figure it out except thank God she does.”
Eli braced himself, knowing what Dagmar was hinting at and would be sure to tell him.
“You and Amy may have had different—and in her case—a rough upbringing but think of how well you two get along together. You and Amy have the spark that could make a good marriage.”
Yes, they did, and Eli would be a fool to not take the chance. Rebecca and Amy were as different as night and day. Where Rebecca wouldn’t talk about what was bothering her, Eli and Amy could talk about anything, good or bad.
“You need to finish that house anyway, Eli. ‘Boss’ Cora’s orders since she peeked in your house yesterday and saw it wasn’t ready for the furniture that’s due to arrive sometime this week.”
Eli sighed, knowing he needed to apologize to Cora. It was the foreman’s house, not his personal home, and it was his job to complete it. Another boss might have fired him instead of giving him slack for acting like a lovesick kid.
“Thanks for setting me straight, Dag. I’ll tackle the last of home building tasks and get it done.”
As Eli and Dagmar continued their ride, Eli thought about the wedding ring he wanted to buy just a few weeks ago. Had his feelings changed for Amy? No, he was in love with Amy but had pulled back trying not to get hurt again if Amy wasn’t coming back to Clear Creek.
But what if she was returning because of his hints of marriage before she left to visit her family?
He had to think positively and plan for their future. Eli thought his future was in Pennsylvania with Rebecca, but there had to be a reason he—and Amy—came to Kansas with livestock. Their meeting in the little prairie town of Clear Creek was fate.
Chapter 16
Amy wiped her handkerchief across her brows and around the bottom of her chin. The recent July thunderstorm made the train car steamy with humidity and moisture.
She glanced at the cloth, not surprised the moisture she’d wiped off her face was hinted with dirt and soot.
Well, at least she was cleaner than the last time she arrived in Clear Creek. No manure-caked pants or filthy cropped hair this time. She smiled at the memory. She’d been desperate and brave, and the action of running away to Kansas paid off.
Amy smoothed the back of her hair underneath the back edge of her hat, glad her hair was long enough now to stay pinned up. Men, and women had noticed her stylish dress and hat and nodded to her as if she was a rich woman.
She sighed, thinking she needed to portray that air of confidence when she arrived in Clear Creek in a matter of minutes. Cora had requested Amy telegraph a day ahead of her arrival so someone would be there to drive her back to the Bar E.
And who would be waiting for her? One of the ranch hands would be the obvious choice, but she dearly hoped it was Eli. He was so upset with Amy that he avoided her after she decided she needed to go to Texas.
But it was the right decision to travel home and see her family. Now Ruth and Amos were thriving on the prosperous Ferguson Ranch. Their mother’s memory seemed to improve after being back with her siblings. They’d all missed out on not knowing their mother’s siblings and their families.
Amy met cousins, looking so much like her and Ruth, it was uncanny. They had all struck up friendships that would continue through letters and visiting.
And now it was Amy’s turn to choose what she wanted and where to live.
She felt the slowing of the train as the brakes were applied. Amy eagerly looked out the window to watch as they pulled into town. She’d purposely sat on the right side of the car to scan the depot platform, anxious to see who would be waiting for her.
Eli. Eli was standing by himself, in his Sunday suit, scanning the windows as the train slowed to a stop. He clutched a stem of light purple asters in his left hand. Eli raised his right hand when their eyes met through the glass. There was a questioning look in his eyes as if he wasn’t sure Amy wanted to see him.
Amy smiled and waved back to Eli. She was finally home.
Eli stood back and watched as the conductor helped her down the steps onto the depot platform. He still had a tentative smile on his face, as if he still wasn’t sure she was glad to see him.
She boldly walked up to stand in front of Eli, reaching for the flowers in his hand.
“Is this for me?” she softly asked Eli, now feeling self-conscious again. Their fingers touched as she grasped the stems and he let go of them.
“Yes. I stopped at Kaitlyn’s garden before coming here. I’m glad to see you.”
“I had planned to return to the ranch after I visited my family, Eli.”
“And I’m sorry, I didn’t believe you’d come back.”
Amy nodded and looked toward the end of the car where they were unloading baggage onto carts.
“I assume you have a larger bag than the first time you arrived in town?” Eli asked as he held out his elbow for her to tuck her hand around.
Amy couldn’t help chuckling, thinking of the difference in luggage this time.
“I left five weeks ago with two large and heavy carpet bags, but they are very light now because I left most of the clothing with my sister and mother.”
“Because you can replace your wardrobe from the five-trunk room?” Eli guessed.
“It was Cora’s idea to bring clothing to my family. I brought colors and sizes I knew would work for them. I only brought home what clothing I needed for my trip to Clear Creek.”
“Our boss is a smart and generous woman,” Eli commented as they watched for her bags.
Eli said our boss, not my boss. Apparently, he was all right with her living and working on the ranch.
“There’s my bags,” Amy pointed out, and Eli easily lifted the two from the pile.
“They are lightweight,” Eli said as he took both handles in his left hand and put his elbow out to Amy again. She gladly grasped his arm, happy to touch him.
“Want to check to see if there’s any bulls being unloaded from this train?” Eli asked as he guided her toward the stockyard.
“Well, I didn’t accompany any this time,” Amy remarked, curious why they had to walk to the pen at the end of the yards. There were no cattle being unloaded or waiting in the pens to be loaded up.
Then Amy noticed the aster laying on the top of a fence post.
“What’s this?”
“Looks like another flower begging to be picked up and admired,” Eli said as he tried to keep from smiling.
“Then I’ll enjoy it. No use it sitting here in the sun wilting.” Although the petals were starting t
o go limp.
“How about we eat at Clancy’s Café before we drive home? I’m sure you’re ready for a hearty meal.”
“Hmm. Maybe I should stop at the barbershop’s back bathing room first?” Amy teased as she smelled the flowers.
“Nah. You smell much better after departing from the train this trip,” Eli replied as they walked to the café.
“Welcome home, Amy dear! Good to see you!” Edna Clancy’s kind words were punctuated with a hug. “Your table is ready, Eli. I’ll bring your food out now.”
“What’s going on, Eli?” Eli pulled Amy’s chair out to sit at the same table they had used when she first came to town. And in the center of the table was a vase featuring pink roses and purple phlox.
“Add your stems to the vase so they can enjoy some water.”
“Whose garden did you raid for these blossoms?” Amy asked as she carefully stuck the asters in to reach the water.
“These came from Millie Wilerson’s flower garden. Her rose bushes are in full bloom right now.”
“I can imagine her whole yard smells heavenly.”
“Heads up, Amy. Here’s your meal,” Edna warned Amy to lean away from the center of the table as she put the hot plate in front of her.
“Mashed potatoes, roast beef, green beans and two slices of bread. The same meal I had when I first came to town, but I don’t think I can eat everything. I’m not starved this time.”
Eli tried his hardest to stop his grin, but it widened on his face anyway.
“Amos had no problem eating that, plus a large piece of apple pie.”
“I’m glad to report my brother Amos can easily eat this much food and more. He’d literally grown a foot since I’d seen him a year ago.”
“That’s good to know. How is your family?”
They ate their meal as Amy filled him in on her family, the sad events along with the facts that everyone in her family was going to be all right now.
Edna walked from the kitchen when they were ready to leave. “Here’s a wet rag to wrap around your flowers, Amy. Cora has plenty of vases for you to use when you get back to the ranch.”
“Thank you, Edna. I do look forward to walking in that house again.” The sparkling cut glass caught the sunlight and lit up the rooms with colorful prisms. Amy realized that was one reason her childhood home was so dull, besides the absence of love when comparing her parents and the Hamners.
“Anything else you need before we drive back to the ranch?” Eli asked as they walked to the livery stable.
“No. I’m anxious to see the twins. I can’t imagine how much they’ve changed during the weeks I’ve been gone.”
Eli’s horse, Snow, hitched to the buggy, was waiting in the shade of the livery, ready to go.
“Wait,” Eli pointed to the buggy seat. “Looks like you have more flowers to add to your bouquet.”
“And who’s garden did you get those white gladiolas from? They are gorgeous!”
“I didn’t put them there, but I’m guessing word got around I picked a few flowers to welcome you home. You know how gossip spreads around here,” Eli answered as he helped her into the buggy’s seat.
The ride to the ranch was animated with Eli’s stories of what had happened at the ranch and in the area in her absence. The talk was easy between them again, compared to when she left.
Amy laughed, so glad to be back in Clear Creek. Even if she and Eli didn’t marry, he’d be her friend, just like the rest of the community.
“I see the herd is close to the corrals today,” Eli mentioned before they drove into the ranch yard. “Want to drive around the back and continue out to the pasture to see your bulls?”
“I’d love too,” Amy answered, noticing the hill was dotted with calves too.
Eli hopped down to open a gate behind the barn and waited until Amy drove the horse and buggy through the opening. Eli shut the gate and climbed back into the buggy beside her.
“The calves have gained a lot more weight than Gunner and Nels, but I can’t help to compare them. It’s been fun watching all the babies on the ranch grow this summer.
“There’s Felix standing by Ransom! He’s grown this summer too,” Amy admired the young bull standing by the massive Hereford.
“I think we’ll turn around now, so Felix doesn’t run to you. Snow wouldn’t appreciate being hitched to the buggy and not being able to sidestep Felix’s attention.”
“Oh, it’s so good to be back, Eli. I really missed this place.”
“I’m really glad to hear that, Amy,” Eli said as they drove back to the gate.
Instead of stopping at the rock house, Eli drove on to the foreman’s house, jumped off, and hitched the horse’s reins to the hitching post.
Amy couldn’t believe the overwhelming clusters of color in front of the house. The iris didn’t bloom this time of year, but the rest of the perennials she planted, plus several other summer varieties she hadn’t, were in full bloom.
“I want you to see the inside of the house,” Eli suggested as he helped her down from the buggy. “The furniture you picked out for it arrived ten days ago.”
“I picked out?” Amy chortled, surprised at how he worded it.
“Come on,” Eli urged Amy, and he grasped her hand and pulled her up the steps. There were two rockers and a swing on the front porch too, giving the home an inviting feeling.
Eli opened the front door and stood back to let Amy walk in first. Her eyes immediately darted around to the crystal vases of colorful flowers sitting on the end tables by the settee and upholstered chairs.
“I feel like I’m walking into Cora’s home with crystal in here.” Only then did she look at the window curtains and the rugs on the floor. This was so much nicer than she ever dreamed Elli’s house would look.
“Let me show you the kitchen,” Eli said eagerly as he pulled her toward the back of the house.
The kitchen was bright and inviting with yellow walls and another bouquet on the kitchen table.
“Oh, Eli. The house turned out so nice. I bet you love living in it.”
“Guess what color the bedroom walls are?” Eli walked backward pulling Amy towards the staircase.
“Sky blue?” Amy asked, her breath quickening as she followed him up the steps.
Eli didn’t say anything until he pulled her into what she knew was the largest bedroom.
Then Eli embraced her against his chest. Without hesitation Amy wrapped her arms around his waist, wanting the contact with him too.
“I missed you, Amy, so much,” Eli whispered in her ear. “I love you.”
Amy pulled back, searching for confirmation in Eli’s words.
The love she saw in Eli’s eyes was real and sincere. Amy could trust this man.
“What if I said I love you too?” Amy whispered. She didn’t return to only work at the Bar E Ranch. She wanted a husband and a home.
Eli stepped back but held on to her right hand. After taking a deep breath, he got down on one knee in front of her.
“Then I’ll ask you, Miss Amy Sanders, for your hand in marriage. Would you please marry me and live in this house? I built it, and you furnished it.”
Tears filled Amy’s eyes as she stared at the man she loved.
“It would be an honor to be your wife, Eli. I accept.”
Eli stood up, pulling her against himself as they shared their first kiss. The tenderness and longing of his lips chased away the pains of the past and sealed her future. She’d found her husband and home, all because she cut her hair and took care of a carload of bulls going to Kansas.
Chapter 17
Eli looked at his bride, surrounded by her closest friends, Cora and Tina, holding baby Gunner as she talked to them.
Sensing his gaze, Amy turned, smiled and walked toward him. Eli admired Amy’s bright blue dress, giving his heart a tug at the color she’d chosen for today. He’d told her once that most Amish brides wore blue or purple on their wedding day. Of course, Cora and Amy would
find and alter the best blue dress in the trunks of clothing stored in the rock house’s upstairs.
Dagmar intercepted Amy, reaching for his son. “You two need to forget about all the babies at this party and celebrate your wedding.”
“Thank you, Dagmar. Not only for the babies to spoil, but this lovely party. We wanted to keep it simple, but you seemed to go overboard,” Amy shook her finger at their boss.
“Bah! We only invited family,” Dagmar said as he looked around the yard at the people standing or sitting at tables in the shade of Eli and Amy’s home. Most of the older children were playing tag with Yipper and Kipper, the ranch dogs. Babies were held by parents or grandparents.
Eli agreed it was mostly family, just not formally his or Amy’s. All of the Hamner and Wilerson couples were related to Dagmar as siblings or in-laws being the Brenners and Connelys.
And Cora’s brother’s family came from town, along with Marshal Adam and Millie, who made their wedding cake. And the Shepards, because they worked at the Bar E before they moved into town to start their saddlery shop.
The Reagans were here because Pastor Reagan married them on their porch steps at six o’clock this evening. Because of the way Eli and Amy grew up in different faiths, they decided to marry at home instead of the church. Pastor Reagan wholeheartedly agreed with Eli’s suggestion, enjoying preaching outdoors for a change.
Because they decided to marry the next Sunday after Amy returned to Texas instead of waiting for another date, they’d write letters to their families in Pennsylvania and Texas to announce their nuptials.
Eli knew they’d visit Amy’s relatives over the years, introducing their children to Amy’s mother, aunts, uncles, and cousins. He hoped the letters he planned to write to his parents and each of his siblings would open the way to communicating with them again. Even if Eli didn’t hear from them, he wanted to visit the farmer he’d worked for and show Amy the Pennsylvania countryside.
Eli slipped his arm around Amy’s shoulders and pulled her against him.
“Happy, Mrs. Fisher?” Eli whispered as he leaned in to smell her floral scent. She’d bathed and washed her hair with rose soap last night.
Amy Admires an Amish Man: A Historical Western Romance (Brides with Grit Book 12) Page 10