“Why didn’t you tell me your arm was injured?” he asked, leaning over and grabbing her around the waist, lifting her in front of him. The mud-flecked feather on her bedraggled hat smacked him in the face and he fought the urge to grin.
“It’s fine,” Aundy said, trying not to gasp at the throbbing in her arm making her feel lightheaded or maybe it was the impropriety of riding across a stranger’s lap. With Erik injured, what society deemed proper no longer seemed very important. Holding herself stiffly, she tried not to think about Garrett’s arms around her as he urged his horse, Jester, through the mud.
“Sure it is,” Garrett said, shaking his head at the woman with an obvious obstinate streak. Studying the road in front of him trying to ignore the feel of a woman held so close to him, he kept an eye out for the wagon. Rounding a little bend, the wagon was hard to miss, turned over in the middle of the road. It was easy to spy Erik trapped under the back of the wagon, his face a ghostly shade of white beneath the mud coating his head.
Stopping Jester, Garrett kicked his feet out of the stirrups and swung a leg over the neck of his horse, dropping to the ground. Before Aundy could figure out how to dismount, Garrett grabbed her around the waist and set her feet on the muddy ground.
“Erik? Can you hear me?” Garrett asked, kneeling by his neighbor and friend. Although Erik was more than ten years his senior, they often talked over the fence about farming, ranching, and life in general. Erik had been a guest at the Nash dinner table many times over the years and they were all pleased for him when he announced he was getting married.
Erik didn’t move so Garrett took off his glove and felt along the man’s neck, finding a pulse beating there, although it was faint.
“We need to move the wagon,” Garrett said, standing while he pulled on his glove. He looked around, expecting to see Erik’s team. “Where are the horses?”
“Erik made me unhook them before I went to get you,” Aundy said, kneeling next to Erik, holding his head in her lap again. “He said they’d find their way home.”
“They’re probably already at the barn, waiting to be fed,” Garrett said. He had no idea how badly Erik was injured but getting the weight of the wagon off his chest needed to happen immediately. Taking stock of the situation, Garrett noticed for the first time Aundy’s trunks scattered on the ground near the wagon. Striding to where they rested in the mud, he picked up the first one and carried it to the back corner of the wagon. He did the same with the second one, placing it next to the first trunk.
“We’re going to have to work together to do this, Mrs. Erickson,” Garrett said, looking into her scared face. He surmised she was much younger than he first guessed. She wore confidence in an easy manner, but right now she looked very young and frightened.
This was some way to welcome Erik’s bride to Pendleton. When she nodded, he motioned her to stand at the end of one of the trunks. “I’m going to lift this corner of the wagon. When I do, you push that trunk beneath it to hold it up then we’ll do the same thing with the second trunk. As soon as it’s secure, I’ll pull Erik out.
Aundy nodded her head, frightened by the thought of the wagon falling back on Erik or trapping Garrett as well.
“Don’t you dare use that arm,” Garrett said, nodding to her left arm still held tightly against her side. “Get down like this and push with your back and shoulder.”
He demonstrated how he wanted her to move the trunks and she got into position, lifting her soggy skirts out of her way as best she could by placing the hem in her injured hand.
Putting all his strength into it, Garrett grunted and strained, finally hefting the corner of the wagon up off the ground high enough the trunk would fit beneath it. “Now!” Garrett said between clenched teeth as he bore the weight of the wagon. Aundy quickly slid the first trunk into place, followed by the second.
Garrett hurried to take Erik by the shoulders and pull him from beneath the wagon.
“Get back from there, please, Mrs. Erickson. I don’t know if the trunks will hold it or not and I don’t want you to receive any more injuries,” Garrett said, pulling Erik a safe distance away.
If Aundy had two good hands to work with, he would have had her pull Erik out from beneath the wagon when he lifted it. Her injured arm, combined with Erik’s deadweight, meant there was no possible way she could have moved her husband using one hand, no matter how hard she tried.
Wondering what was keeping his mother and their hired hand, he turned to mount Jester and ride back to the ranch for the wagon when the jingle of harness let him know his mother was approaching.
Jim drove Nora right up to where Garrett and Aundy kept watch over a motionless Erik. Prepared to jump down into the muddy mess, Jim’s restraining hand on Nora’s arm kept her from leaving her seat. “Just stay here, Mrs. Nash,” Jim said, setting the brake and handing her the reins.
“My gracious, Garrett! We’ve got to get that poor man home,” Nora said as Jim and Garrett carefully carried Erik to the back of the wagon and gently laid him on some old blankets Nora had spread in the wagon bed. Jim climbed up to the seat while Garrett tied Jester to the back of the wagon and then swung Aundy into his arms, setting her close to Erik.
Glancing at Garrett, she wasn’t certain his behavior was at all appropriate, especially since she was now a married woman. His touch made a jolt zing through her from the top of her head to her mud-covered feet. Surprised by his strength, Aundy thought Garrett acted like she weighed no more than a bag of flour and she knew for a fact she was taller and sturdier than many men.
Cradling her left arm against her chest with her right, Aundy continued her prayers on Erik’s behalf as Jim urged the wagon toward Erik’s farm. Only by staring intently at her husband’s chest could she see it barely rise and fall. That had to be a good sign, at least she hoped it was.
She felt the wagon turn and looked up to see a house in the distance along with a big barn and several outbuildings. While not as big or impressive as the Nash house, Erik had what appeared to be a solid one-story home with a porch across the front and back and a yard with a nice fence. His horses were standing at the barn dragging the reins of the harness behind them, waiting to be relieved of their burden and fed.
Jim pulled the team to a stop at the edge of the front walk and hurried down to help Garrett carry the injured man.
Nora was already out of the wagon and running in the door before Jim and Garrett made it to the porch steps. Aundy trailed along behind, uncertain what she could do to help.
“Bring him in here,” Nora called from a room off the large living area.
Heedless to the mud dripping from all their clothes, the men carried Erik into the bedroom and carefully placed him on an oilcloth Nora yanked from the kitchen table.
“That should keep the bedding from being ruined,” Nora said, watching as Garrett and Jim removed Erik’s boots and the outer layers of his muddy clothing. Erik groaned and though still unconscious, his hands tightened into fists. When he coughed, drops of blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
Nora grabbed a rag from the basket of supplies she set by the bed and wiped Erik’s face. Shaking her head, she left the room and took Aundy along with her while Jim and Garrett removed the rest of Erik’s muddy clothes. Stoking up the stove in the kitchen, Nora filled a big pot with water and set it on the stovetop to heat. She returned to the sink and began filling another large pot.
Moving the teakettle to the front to heat faster, she was busy filling a bucket with water when Garrett and Jim came in the room.
“I’m afraid to do too much more until the doc gets here,” Garrett said, nodding toward Aundy. “Maybe you can help her get cleaned up, Ma, and then see about setting her arm. Looks to me like it’s probably broken.”
“What?” Nora asked, spinning around to see Aundy holding her arm, her own face pale and pinched with pain. “Why didn’t you say something earlier? I would have set your arm before we ever left my house.”
; “We need to see to Erik first,” Aundy said, feeling her legs grow weak beneath her. “I’ll be fine.”
“My lands, child,” Nora said, taking control of the situation. Gently placing her hand on Aundy’s muddy shoulder, she directed her to sit in one of the kitchen chairs. “Garrett, you and Jim take this water and these rags and see what you can do about cleaning Erik. Just be gentle, we don’t know what might be injured,” Nora said, handing Garrett the bucket full of water while Jim took a stack of rags and a couple of towels.
Aundy began to shiver, whether from the shock or her cold, muddy clothing she didn’t know. Sitting white-faced in the chair, she pinched her lips together in an effort to keep from fainting. Other than being knocked out when the wagon wrecked, she didn’t plan to lose consciousness again.
Trying to focus her attention on anything other than her arm and Erik lying injured in the other room, she noticed a basket packed with food on the counter. It was most likely the cold supper Erik mentioned Nora prepared.
“It was nice of you to provide supper for us,” Aundy said, using her good hand to motion to the basket.
“My pleasure. It’s not every day a new bride moves into the neighborhood. Erik was so excited about you coming, he nearly burst his buttons,” Nora said, smiling from the sink where she filled yet another kettle then set it on the stove. “We hope you’ll enjoy being a part of our Pendleton community. The town is definitely growing and we need good families to help lead it in the right direction.”
“I didn’t have the opportunity to see much in town, but it looks like you have a nice variety of shops and stores.”
“Yes, and if there’s something you want that’s not available in town, the mercantile can order just about anything,” Nora said, deciding Aundy had to have a bath before she could do anything with her arm.
Garrett and Jim returned with a pile of dirty rags and damp towels. Opening the kitchen door, Garrett stepped off the porch and dumped the water on a nearby bush, then rinsed the mud out of the bucket before setting it on the end of the counter.
“How is he?” Nora asked, watching Garrett.
“Same. I think we got most of the mud off. We wiped down the oil cloth and put one of your old blankets over him.” Garrett leaned over and whispered something to Nora, causing her to nod her head with a grim expression.
“Fine,” Nora said, rolling up the sleeves of her dress. “Can you boys run back down and get Aundy’s trunks? She’ll need clean clothes to put on and I doubt Erik has anything here fit for her to wear. You better take care of Erik’s horses, too. We’ll pray the doc shows up soon.”
“Yes, Ma,” Garrett said, opening the door. “I think Erik gave all the hands orders to stay away from the house the rest of the day, so I don’t know that any of them will be around to offer assistance. Once we get the horses cared for, I’ll see about rounding them up.”
“Good,” Nora said, pointing toward the back door, indicating it was time for Garrett to get out of the kitchen.
“Let’s get you cleaned up, honey. Garrett helped Erik put in a bathroom recently, once he knew you were coming. Not too many farm wives have indoor plumbing, but Erik wanted to make sure you had every convenience he could provide. He thought it might be hard for you to get used to country life and wanted to do what he could to make you feel at home.”
Aundy couldn’t speak, thinking of Erik’s thoughtfulness. Nodding her head, she tried to blink back her tears.
“I’ll go run the water then we’ll get you out of those muddy clothes,” Nora said, bustling out of the kitchen and down a short hallway. Aundy could hear water running and looked forward to getting out of her filthy clothes and scrubbing away the mud.
Nora returned to the kitchen, carrying one of the old towels she brought from home.
“Take off your muddy clothes, honey, and wrap this around yourself, that way you won’t be dragging all the mud along with you,” Nora said, setting the towel on the table while Aundy got to her feet and tried unsuccessfully to unbutton her dress with one hand. Nora helped Aundy remove her clothes and wrapped the towel around the girl. Embarrassed to be in need of assistance, and from a complete stranger, Aundy’s pink cheeks flamed through the mud splattered on her face.
“Go soak a while and by the time you’re ready to get out, the boys should be back with your things,” Nora said, pointing toward the bathroom.
Hurrying down the hall, Aundy glanced at her arm, glad to see bone was not poking through the skin. Maybe it was just sprained.
Eyeing the wonderful bathtub, Aundy closed the door behind her and used the old towel to wipe off as much mud as she could before sinking into the steaming water.
Taking a few moments to let the water relax her sore, abused muscles, she continued to send up prayers on Erik’s behalf. She couldn’t hear what Garrett whispered to Nora, but by the looks on both their faces, it had to be bad. She felt guilty soaking in a tub of hot water with a bar of fragrant rose soap Erik had no doubt purchased for her scenting the air while he lay unmoving in his bed. As soon as she was clean, she’d go sit with him and hold his hand. It was the least she could do.
Trying to wash her hair one-handed, she was relieved when Nora knocked and stuck her head around the door. “Need any help?”
“If you don’t mind, I could use some with my hair,” Aundy said, looking chagrined.
Smiling, Nora soaped Aundy’s hair, keeping up a running conversation while she did so. “Did Erik say you were from Chicago?” Nora asked as she busied herself massaging Aundy’s scalp. Aundy didn’t think anything had ever felt so good before and closed her eyes.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“He said something about you being a seamstress. Is that correct?”
“I worked as a seamstress in a factory that made ready-made clothing. Our mother taught my sister and me to sew when we were quite young.”
“Did your sister work in the factory with you?”
Aundy shook her head. “No, thank goodness. Ilsa has a rare talent with a needle. She works for my aunt, creating gowns for some of Chicago’s most elite clientele. I would not have allowed her to work in the factory.”
“Oh? Why not?” Nora asked, not familiar with what factory work entailed.
“The hours are long, the pay is poor, and the working conditions are less than pleasant,” Aundy said, managing to suppress a shudder. Her beautiful, delicate younger sister wouldn’t have lasted a week in the factory. Some of the male supervisors weren’t above making life miserable for the pretty girls who turned down their attentions. On top of that, the work was backbreaking, sitting in front of a sewing machine for hours on end with insufficient lighting. Aundy never had any problems because she wasn’t perceived as one of the young, attractive girls. Instead, she was lumped in with the matrons who largely went unbothered.
Wanting to make a better life for herself, and eventually her sister, Erik offered Aundy the opportunity when he asked her to marry him. Educated, Aundy hadn’t been able to secure any suitable work when she found herself desperate to earn an income, which was why she took the job in the factory. Her family needed the money and didn’t have the luxury of waiting for a good job to come along.
“Does your sister still work for your aunt?”
“Yes, she does,” Aundy said, her tone taking on an edge as she thought about the cruel woman who held her sister’s fate in her hands. “I was hoping to eventually bring Ilsa out here to live on the farm. Erik mentioned in one of his letters that he wouldn’t mind. He just asked that I wait a few months to give us time to get used to being married. Now, I…”
Nora put a gentle hand on Aundy’s head as the girl struggled to keep the tears filling her eyes from rolling down her cheeks. Erik’s bride seemed to be a strong, capable girl who took things head-on and without a lot of fuss. She would make any rancher or farmer a good wife, especially someone like Erik who was older and somewhat set in his ways. “Everything will work out just fine, Aundy. Don’t you worry.”<
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“Thank you, Nora,” Aundy whispered, squeezing the woman’s hand in her right one.
Nora laughed as she noticed Aundy’s fingers beginning to look shriveled from the water. “Let me see if I can find something for you to wear until Garrett and Jim get back with your clothes. We need to get you out of there before you melt into the water.”
Nora hurried off then returned with a warm, flannel robe in a dark shade of blue.
Handing Aundy a towel, Nora turned her back, giving the girl some privacy while she dried off.
“I appreciate you helping me,” Aundy said as she pulled on the robe after rubbing herself briskly with a rough towel. A masculine scent clung to the robe and she knew it must belong to Erik.
Watching her struggle to dry her long, blond tresses, Nora took over, using the towel to squeeze out excess water.
A noise from the front room sent Nora hurrying out the door while Aundy waited in the bathroom. She heard the clomping of boots in the hallway, going past the bathroom door and the sound of something heavy being set on the floor in the next room.
The men’s footsteps thudded back toward the front door as a knock sounded on the door. Nora opened it and motioned Aundy to follow her to the bedroom next door, where her trunks sat against one wall.
“The boys used some burlap at the barn to get your trunks clean, although I think that one,” Nora said, pointing to the trunk with the broken lid, “is sadly beyond saving. I’ve got your dirty clothes soaking so we can get that nasty mud out of them.”
Nora unfastened the straps and latches on the trunks, pushing up the heavy lids and watching as Aundy dug inside, taking out clothes. Noticing the sensible girl chose a dark green dress she could wear without a corset, Nora nodded her approval. Although wrinkled, it was clean and serviceable.
Noticing the fine stitching that made the dress look special, Nora smiled. “Did you or your sister make this dress?”
“Ilsa made it for me. Like I said, she’s the one who’s talented with a needle. I can run a sewing machine with the best of them, but Ilsa makes things lovely,” Aundy said while Nora helped her dress.
Aundy (Pendleton Petticoats - Book 1) Page 3