Ruby's Rhapsody (The Surveyor's Daughters Book 2)

by Vicki Hunt Budge

  Nathan couldn’t believe anyone idolized him. His first instinct was to politely decline the invitation, but his traitorous heart leaped within him when Ruby smiled after her father’s offer.

  Nathan clearly heard himself say, “Thank you, sir. I would love to share a meal with you and your family.”

  3

  Ruby watched Nathan throughout dinner, and later when they sat in the parlor for tea and coffee. The stone-faced fiddler appeared happy with her family, taking a turn holding baby Zillah and playing silly games with her. Nathan conversed easily with Ruby’s father and Evan about their upcoming survey project for a new canal, and he joked and teased Ruby’s youngest sisters. The stern expression he so easily wore around town had disappeared.

  “Once this new canal is built, we’ll see a lot of families move into the area,” Mr. Gardner said. “It’ll take a lot of hard work to clear the land, but most people who move west are more than willing to do the work. This rich desert land will ultimately yield to the farmer.”

  “The new canal is being built in Aspen Valley just over the hill,” Ruby said, pointing to give Nathan the general direction. “It’s where Nellie and Evan live with Zillah,” she added.

  “Yes, it is,” Charlie said. “Except it’s that way.” He laughed along with Ruby’s sisters and pointed at a ninety-degree angle from where Ruby had pointed.

  Ruby wrinkled her nose at him. “Okay,” she said. “So, I still don’t know east from west and north from south. But when I leave the house, I know exactly where I’m going.”

  “You’re just fun to tease,” Charlie said, picking up Zillah’s rag doll and throwing it at Ruby. “But if the state builds too many more roads around here, you’ll be lost.”

  Ruby grabbed the rag doll, but she didn’t throw it. She gently placed it in Zillah’s lap. “Here, sweet pea,” she said. “Uncle Charlie is being mean with your baby doll.”

  “Pa and Evan are pretty excited about the new land grants, roads, and canals,” Charlie explained to Nathan. “It keeps their brains busy with all the equations and measurements needed to map out Idaho. For me, I prefer cutting a spud into pieces, and watching the pieces grow into plants, and the plants grow into healthy green fields.”

  “Charlie keeps his brain busy producing food,” Ruby said. “He’s a big pest most of the time, but we like him anyway, since we all like to eat.”

  “Speaking of food,” Nellie said, “did anyone decide who’s coming to help me cook for the survey crew?” Nellie looked at her sisters and parents. She and Alice, one of her younger sisters, had cooked for the survey crew a year and a half ago, and Evan had been part of that crew. It was during that summer survey that Nellie and Evan had allowed their feelings for each other to blossom.

  “I wish I were cooking this time,” Ruby said. “The girls are lucky, getting to stay in your house and do all the cooking in your kitchen instead of outside. Zina and I cooked last summer, when Pa took us down by the Snake River. We had to camp out all summer and cook over the fire. The dirt and wild critters got to be too much for me.”

  “Alice and I are coming to help you,” Cora said, chiming in. “But I hope we can eat around a campfire some of the time. I like eating outdoors and looking at the stars when it gets dark.”

  “Me too,” Alice said. “But I’m excited this year because Cora and I get to sleep in the house and play with Zillah when we’re not cooking.”

  “I think I have two students who live in the valley you’re talking about,” Nathan said. “I’ll have to rent a buggy and take a drive over there sometime before winter sets in.”

  “The aspens are gorgeous right now,” Nellie said. “Fall is the perfect time for a visit to your students.”

  “I can drive you over there Saturday in one of our wagons,” Ruby added rather quickly.

  Mrs. Gardner’s eyes widened.

  “Belle and I, or Cora and I,” Ruby amended. She didn’t mean to imply that just the two of them would go unchaperoned. Mrs. Gardner had trained her daughters to be respectable young ladies. Even though they lived on what was still considered the American frontier, Mrs. Gardner expected them to follow certain rules of decorum. “Or, for that matter, any number of my sisters can go along.”

  Ruby motioned to all of her six younger sisters in the room. She felt a flush of heat spread to her face with her error in etiquette in front of the schoolteacher. She certainly didn’t mean to imply that she wanted to travel to the valley and spend the whole day with just him. Still feeling a little flustered, she added, “With the leaves turning colors, it’s a beautiful ride this time of year. I know my sisters would love to ride along.”

  “I wish I could go with you on Saturday,” Belle said, “but I promised Mrs. Stribling that I’d help with her housework.”

  “I’ll go,” Cora said. “I love rides in the country anytime.”

  Alice, Zina, Fern, and Beth nodded enthusiastically, wanting to go on the ride.

  “I love this,” Nellie said to Nathan. “I hope you’ll come to our little valley on Saturday. I’d be happy to fix lunch for everyone. Zillah will be thrilled to see her aunties.”

  Nathan shifted in his chair. He appeared uncomfortable for a few moments, as though struggling with a difficult decision. Finally, he agreed. “Thank you,” he said, smiling at Ruby and Nellie. “I accept your offer and look forward to the outing on Saturday.”

  Alice, Zina, Fern, and Beth clapped and cheered.

  Nathan cleared his throat and fidgeted in his chair.

  Ruby smiled modestly. The stoic schoolteacher was embarrassed by her sisters’ enthusiasm at spending the day with him. Little did he know that Ruby was more excited to spend the day with him than any of her sisters. It was all she could do to not clap and cheer herself.

  “I’ll have my students, Rachel and Thomas Jorgensen, let their parents know I’m coming for a visit,” Nathan said.

  He ran his fingers through his hair, and Ruby had to suppress a chuckle. The poor man was probably wondering what had just happened.

  The week flew by as Ruby helped her family with preparations for her father’s last survey before winter set in. Mr. Gardner, Charlie, and the rest of the crew were leaving Monday morning and camping right next to Nellie’s and Evan’s house in Aspen Valley. There were potatoes to dig, alfalfa to cut, and a hundred more chores to take care of before the men departed. Mr. Gardner had even hired a couple of workers from town to make sure all the farm work was completed before they left for the survey.

  Saturday morning, Ruby and Cora harnessed the horses and hitched them to the family wagon for their outing with Nathan. They were both sunburned and sore from all the field work of the past few days. Some housework and canning had been neglected during the week, but Mrs. Gardner had told Ruby not to worry about the house. “We’ll catch up on the house and canning next week while your pa’s gone,” she had said. “You and the younger girls deserve this outing after all the hard work you’ve done this week.”

  Ruby and her sisters folded blankets and laid them across the wagon seat and in the wagon to make the ride more comfortable for everyone. Ruby had wrapped one of her father’s rifles in a blanket and placed it at her feet. She didn’t expect to need the rifle, but Mr. Gardner trained every girl over the age of twelve to load and shoot. He also expected them to keep a rifle handy when they were out and away from the house.

  The girls hadn’t ridden too far when they saw Nathan walking along the road toward them. Ruby’s heart leapt at the sight of him. He was tall and lanky, and walked with a dignity that befitted a schoolteacher.

  “I thought it was a beautiful morning for a walk,” Nathan said once he was in the wagon sitting next to Ruby. “No sense of you having to come all the way into town to pick me up and then back out this way to head over to the valley. Besides, as a transplant from Tennessee, I’m beginning to love the smell of sagebrush.”

  Ruby glowed under her bonnet as she set the horses in motion. Not only was Nathan Banks sitting
almost close enough to touch her shoulder, but she loved the fresh minty smell of him. By walking to meet them, he had saved them travel time, and gave them more time to spend together. Ruby wished she could get a better look at him. With her sunbonnet shielding most of her face, she had to simply listen to his strong voice as he talked, and imagine what his dreamy eyes looked like.

  As the horses plodded along and pulled the wagon over the rutted road, the travelers saw antelope and deer in the hills. The creek meandered by at times, and then wandered off at other times. Sagebrush and scrubby evergreens filled the landscape along with an occasional outcropping of lava rock. A few wild chickens and rabbits darted here and there, and a red-tailed hawk screeched from high above.

  By the time they reached the crest of the hill between the valleys, the sun had risen higher in the sky. The bright yellow and orange leaves of the aspen trees glowed, making a brilliant corridor for them to pass through. The air was woodsy and pure, and all the fun chatter that had been going on, came to a halt. It was as though every member of their party had to pause and inhale the beauty of the countryside.

  “These leaves remind me a little of Tennessee this time of year,” Nathan finally said. “Fall is my favorite season.”

  “Do you miss your home?” Ruby asked. She briefly pulled her bonnet back to get a better look at him.

  “I grew up loving Tennessee,” Nathan said, his expression void of emotion. “But, I think I love Idaho now that I’m used to the dry climate. It’s fascinating to hear about all the roads and canals that are being built for new settlements. Farmers don’t need so many irrigation projects in Tennessee. We get a lot of rain back home.”

  Almost as if he wished to change the subject, he started talking about the animals they’d seen. “We’ve seen a lot of deer and antelope. Do people around here have trouble with mountain lions or cougars? My pa always taught me that where there are deer, there are cougars.”

  “Evan had an encounter with a mountain lion when they were surveying for the road through this valley over a year ago,” Ruby said as they started down the hill. “The big cat followed him halfway down a hill to camp. Pa chased it off with a shot from his rifle. I think it was over that way.” She pointed off to the rolling sagebrush area to the south, but then she laughed when she heard Cora laughing.

  “It could have been over there for all Ruby knows,” Cora said, grinning and pointing off to the north.

  “And a mountain lion almost attacked Nellie and I in the chuck wagon that same summer,” Alice said. “We screamed so loud, we scared that big cat away.”

  Everyone laughed except for Nathan. His eyes crinkled, though, as if he could imagine the scene in his mind.

  “They never found out if it was the same cat Evan saw.” Ruby shuddered as she spoke. “Wild animals are one reason I don’t like to cook for Pa’s survey crews. I don’t know how brave I’d be if I was confronted with a mountain lion or a bear.”

  “I wish I’d been there when that mountain lion came around,” Cora said over the rumble of the wagon going down the hill. “I’d love to see a mountain lion or a bear. When I cooked for Pa’s crew last year, the only exciting thing that happened was that I burned the bacon.”

  Everyone laughed again. Even Nathan couldn’t hold on to his restraint. “Does it make you nervous to travel out here where there’s bound to be wild animals?” Nathan asked. “There’s nothing but sagebrush, rock, and trees between your home and this valley.”

  Ruby leaned over and uncovered a portion of the rifle that lay at her feet. “Pa says the animals won’t bother us unless we surprise them,” she said. “The wagon makes enough noise to let them know we’re coming and frighten them off when we’re traveling. But just in case, one shot from Pa’s rifle, and they’d be on the run.”

  Nathan’s lips turned up ever so slightly. “Them and every other critter around,” he said. “Sounds like you girls would fit right in if you lived in Tennessee.”

  “Tell us more about Tennessee,” Ruby said.

  “Oh, yes, tell us about Tennessee,” Cora said. “I love to learn about new places. Someday, I’m planning to travel all over the country.”

  “See that spread at the foot of the hill?” Nathan said, the slight smile leaving his face. He took off his hat and slapped at a bee that buzzed too close to the wagon. “I think that’s where my students live. They told me it’s the first farm you come to in this valley.”

  “What time did you tell them you’d be by?” Ruby asked.

  Nathan ran his hand through his hair before replacing his hat. “Sometime before lunch. But I made sure they knew we were having lunch with Nellie and her family. I didn’t want them to worry about feeding us.”

  “I’ll stop the wagon where there’s a little shade and grass for the horses,” Ruby said. “We’ll wait in the wagon. You don’t want to take a flock of girls with you on your school visit.”

  “Can I go with Mr. Banks?” Beth asked from the back of the wagon. “Rachel’s my friend from school. I told her I might get to see her when Mr. Banks came for his visit.”

  Ruby started to protest, but Nathan stopped her by gently laying his hand across her arm.

  “It’s okay,” he said. “I’m sure Rachel would love to see Beth. It’s a long way out here from Clover Creek, and I’m impressed that Rachel and her brother ride their horse into town every day for school. They’d probably both like to see Beth.”

  While Nathan and Beth went inside the newly built farm house, Ruby and the rest of her sisters watered the horses and spread a couple of blankets on the ground near a small creek. Beth soon reappeared with Rachel and her brother, a tall boy toting a bucket of cool water and a dipper for the travelers. After everyone had a drink, the younger sisters went on a tour of the homestead.

  Ruby and Cora lay on the blanket looking up at the pure blue sky and talking after the younger children took off. “Have you noticed that Nathan seldom talks about Tennessee?” Ruby asked. “Every time someone asks about his home state, he changes the subject.”

  “Maybe something bad happened back in Tennessee,” Cora said. “He almost always has a melancholy look about him.”

  Ruby rolled over and pulled a piece of clover out of the ground. She counted the leaves and saw only three, and then flipped the clover off to the side. “Perhaps. I wish I knew. I’ve seen him smile, but not a lot.” Ruby giggled, thinking about the warm feeling that had flooded through her when Nathan placed his hand on her arm just moments ago. “He has the cutest dimples when he does smile.”

  “You’re the one smiling now,” Cora said, “just talking about him.”

  “I know.” Ruby sighed, searching through the clover and pulling at another stem. “I wish I knew how to get that man to smile, especially when he fiddles. It’s obvious to the whole town that he loves to fiddle.” Then thinking of the dance in the evening, Ruby added, “I had so much fun accompanying him last week. I think he enjoyed it too, even though he had that sober look of his all evening. I wonder if he’ll smile tonight when we play.”

  “If anyone can get the schoolteacher to smile, it’s you,” Cora said, and they both giggled.

  “I hope so. Look! A four-leaf clover!” Ruby pulled the bright green clover from among a cluster near them and grinned.

  “Nice,” Cora said as Ruby studied the tiny plant. “A four-leaf clover brings good luck to the person who finds it. I hope this one brings you good luck in getting Mr. Banks to smile when he fiddles.”

  Ruby jumped up and pressed the clover against the floor of the wagon box, covering it gently with the blanket wrapped around the heavy rifle. “Let’s hope so,” she said, a dreamy tone to her voice. Then she lowered her voice to a whisper. “I hope he smiles at me.”

  In less than an hour, Nathan returned to the wagon with Mr. and Mrs. Jorgensen. He had a distinguished look in his countenance, but nary a smile.

  “Thank you for coming all the way out here,” Mrs. Jorgensen said to Nathan as all the visitors cl
imbed into the wagon. “It was so nice to hear how the children are doing in school.”

  The Jorgensen family stood off to the side of the wagon and waved as the horses started for the main road. “They’re a really nice family,” Nathan said. “I’m so happy I got to talk with them today.”

  Ruby’s heart went out to the schoolteacher. If he was so happy to talk to this family, why couldn’t he show his happiness by smiling? It was almost as if he was afraid to share his emotions with other people.

  Baby Zillah kept Nathan and her aunts entertained once they arrived at Nellie’s house, trying to crawl on her hands and knees, but usually resorting to her belly. Ruby watched Nathan while they played with the baby and enjoyed Nellie’s good food. He seemed to lose some of his melancholy and enjoy himself when he was around her family, especially when he crossed one knee over the other and gave Zillah horsey rides on his ankle.

  All too soon, it was time to harness the horses again and head home.

  “See you at the dance tonight,” Nellie said, waving Nathan and her sisters off. “Evan and the rest of us will head out for the dance in a couple of hours. I can’t wait to hear the music tonight!”

  This time, Nathan offered to take charge of the reins, and Ruby let him. She wondered what he thought of Nellie’s excitement to hear the music tonight. She couldn’t wait to accompany this timid fiddler. Excitement rushed through her at the thought. Did Nathan look forward to her accompaniment? She would give anything to know his feelings.

  Fern and Beth, her two youngest sisters, had chosen to remain behind and ride into Clover Creek with Evan and Nellie. Cora had climbed into the back of the wagon with Alice and Zina, leaving Nathan and Ruby alone, sitting side by side on the wagon seat. Ruby removed her bonnet for the ride home as the sun was now behind them. She brushed a few tendrils of hair behind her ears, but a breeze had picked up, and they quickly broke free and flitted about her face again.

  As the horses plodded along on the dirt road, and the harnesses rattled in rhythm, the travelers chatted amiably, enjoying the pure air and scenery once again. Ruby worked up her courage to ask Nathan about Tennessee again. But before she dared ask, they came across a brown bear off to the side of the road. The bear foraged for some kind of berries in a large bush. Ruby instinctively grabbed Nathan’s arm for a few seconds before reaching for the rifle at her feet. At the exact same time, a fierce scream went up from Cora and her sisters in the back of the wagon. The bear turned, looked their way as though annoyed, and then dropped to all fours, loping off in the opposite direction.