When the woman released Jonah and his brothers, she glanced up at Emma.
“And this must be Miss Foster.” She stepped around Lucas, who’d picked up a little girl, spinning her about.
Jonah quickly stepped in front of the woman and held up a hand for Emma. She placed her hands on his shoulders and slid down easily.
“Hello.” She wasn’t sure what else to say. “I’m Emma."
“Why aren’t you the prettiest thing? And would you look at those eyes, Jonah? Henry’s a lucky man.”
Jonah’s face fell. Lucas set the little girl back on the ground and both he and Noah stepped up to join their little group.
“Where is Henry?” When the woman looked at Jonah’s face, her smile dropped. “Jonah,” she said his name slowly, “where is Henry?”
“Aunt Leah,” Jonah began.
Noah stepped up behind her and put his arm around her shoulders.
“It was an accident,” Lucas said. “A mustang threw him.”
Emma’s heart swelled painfully as Leah’s face contorted in anguish and tears started down her face. She hunched over, her arms folded across her stomach, and Noah eased her down as she dropped to the ground on her bottom.
“Jonah, Noah, Lucas,” she looked at each of them with tear-filled eyes, “I am so sorry,” she said in a barely audible voice.
“Mama?” A young voice pulled Emma’s attention to the little boy who’d been spinning the metal ring when they’d arrived. He stood with his stick still in hand, his eyebrows crumpled in the middle with concern.
Leah reached out and put an arm around him and he rested his head in the crook of her neck and she kissed him on the top of his head.
“Why are you crying, Mama?”
She didn’t respond. It seemed she couldn’t.
The other children quickly joined him at their mother’s skirt. The little girl crawled up onto Leah’s lap and leaned back against her other arm. Jonah, Noah, and Lucas also sat down, each now with their arm around one of the remaining three older boys.
Emma felt like an intruder on such a tender moment. She hadn’t known Henry. Henry Deardon had been a name she’d learned at just fifteen years old when her grandfather had arranged their betrothal. She wasn’t a part of this and wanted to leave the family to their grief.
Around the side of the house it looked as if there may be a garden where she could go and wait a while. Emma took a step backward, but Jonah reached out and caught her hand in his.
“Stay,” he whispered, pulling her gently toward him on the ground.
She sat down and immediately the little girl scooted from her mother’s lap and climbed onto hers.
Leah reached a hand out to her and Emma quickly placed her own inside it. “The wedding,” she said softly. She must have believed that Henry’s death had been a devastating loss for Emma. Emma thought she might cry herself from the look of pain and sympathy on Leah’s face.
“Are you Miss Foster?” the little girl asked with surprising clarity for a child.
“Mmhmm,” Emma answered positively. “How did you know?”
“’Cause Mama said it would take an angel to marry Hank, and you’re the prettiest angel I’ve ever seen.”
Emma looked around at all of the faces now staring at her.
It took a moment, but Leah was the first to laugh. Then Jonah. The rest followed.
Leah wiped the tears from her eyes and face and stood up, keeping her young son’s hand curled in her own. “Come on, that’s enough fretting for now. I’m sure our guests would like to get settled in, don’t you think, Cole?” She mustered a smile, but her eyes were still wet and red.
The boy nodded his head excitedly.
Jonah pulled Emma to her feet, but did not immediately let go of her hand. She wasn’t sure if it was simply to help her feel more at ease or if it had something to do with the wonderful kiss they’d nearly shared last night.
I wasn’t imagining it. He was going to kiss me. Right?
Emma looked down when she felt a little tug on her skirt. The little girl smiled up at her, then slid her small hand into Emma’s. “I bet you’ll be the most beautiful bride.”
Heat rose in Emma’s cheeks and she glanced over at Jonah.
“I think so,” he said matter-of-factly.
She knew she should be shocked by how forward Jonah was with her, but she liked knowing he thought she was pretty. She bit her bottom lip, then glanced down at the child.
“What’s your name sweetheart? How old are you?” Emma asked, leaning down closer to the girl.
“Hannah. And I’m six.” She smiled, revealing two missing teeth.
“Well, Hannah, I think you’ll make a beautiful bride one day too.” Emma squeezed her hand.
Hannah’s smile widened until it touched her eyes.
Emma stood up and caught Jonah’s stare.
“Six?” she mouthed at him.
Jonah winked.
Emma smiled to herself. Little Hannah was quite grown up for six.
A beautiful bride? Emma didn’t dare hope—wasn’t sure she wanted to.
“Shall we?” Jonah asked, sweeping the air in front of him.
The two girls giggled and walked past him, up the front porch stairs, and into the main house.
This was going to be an adventure. Emma just hoped she was ready.
Chapter Nine
Mornings at Redbourne Ranch were as beautiful as he’d remembered. He’d spent a few weeks here just after his mother’d left and had been back a few times over the years when the work would allow.
The misty haze that rose off the pond combined with a glint of the sun reflecting off the water added an almost magical feel to the place. Jonah sat on the swing Uncle Jameson had built for his children off a low-hanging branch of an old maple tree to think.
He gazed out across the field behind the pond where the grass had been cut low to the ground and a gaggle of chairs had been orchestrated in two rows facing a feeding loft that had been swept clean. Large bows made of thin material graced wooden posts that had been set strategically around the designated area. Henry would have liked the set up.
So much had changed in the last month, and now, his whole life was about to change again. Duty told him he needed to take responsibility for their family’s commitment to Mr. Foster and marry Emma for her dowry, but reason told him to simply pay Emma handsomely for the Oregon land and walk away from further obligation. Neither option sat well with him.
When he saw Raine, Leah’s oldest son open the doors to the first stable, Jonah jumped off the swing and followed him. When they’d arrived last night, Uncle Jameson and the three oldest Redbourne boys had been over to the neighbors delivering some fresh vegetables and helping rebuild a wind damaged barn. When they’d returned, Jonah and his brothers had scarcely a moment to speak with them before bedtime.
“Morning, Jonah,” Raine greeted him.
“Raine.”
“That swing sure does help when you have something on your mind to work out.”
“You often have a lot to work out, do you?” Jonah teased.
Raine smiled as he grabbed a brush hanging from a nail just outside one of the stall gates.
“Raine,” one of the twins whispered as he poked his head around the door. “Have you seen Genesis? He’s gotten away again and I’m afraid mama will find him before we do.”
Levi and Taggert were nearly identical, barring the long, thin scar on Tag’s neck where a bobcat cub had gotten him.
“Jonah?” The twin stood up straight and walked into the stable. It was Levi. No scar. “Are Noah and Lucas up?”
“I haven’t seen them yet this morning, but I’m sure if you go get them, they would be happy to help you find your creature.”
Levi spun on his heel, but before he rounded the corner he turned back. “Sorry about Henry, Jonah. That’s rough.”
Jonah nodded his appreciation.
“So, what’s on your mind this morning that got you up e
arlier than the rest of us with chores to do?” Raine asked, still brushing the pony.
Jonah recounted Emma’s experience with Penny.
“Use Allouette here,” Raine told him, now holding up a bucket of oats to the beautiful white mare with a dark brown mane. “We call her Lou for short. We got her when Hannah was first learning how to ride. She’s real gentle.” He set the bucket down and retrieved one of the dull red apples from the basket on top of the work table at the far edge of the stable.
“Does she spook?” The last thing Jonah needed was to have another horse go rogue with Emma in tow.
“Not that I’ve ever seen,” Raine answered. After rubbing the apple on the bottom of his shirt, he placed it in his open palm and fed it to Lou. “So, what are you going to do?”
“I’m sorry?”
“About Miss Foster.” Raine threw Jonah a shovel. “You obviously like her.”
“What does a sixteen-year-old scalawag like you know about it?” Jonah was irked that he could be read so easily—especially by his young cousin.
Raine chuckled. “Enough.”
Jonah spent the rest of the early morning helping Raine and the others finish their chores. Aunt Leah had assured him that she would take good care of Emma and not to worry. He determined that he would wait to teach her how to ride until after lunch.
It was nice to be around family.
After the plank on the corral fence had been mended, Jonah pulled the bucket up out of the well. It had very little water, but he was able to manage half a cup of cool liquid. He leaned back against the stones and took a deep breath.
“Jonah,” Leah opened the back door and walked down the back steps from the house, “may I have a word?”
Jonah wiped the small droplets of excess water from his mouth with the back of his hand and set the tin cup on the ledge of the well.
Uncle Jameson, with two large beams balanced on his shoulder, intercepted her on his way to the barn. He set the poles on the ground, grabbed her about the waist, and kissed her smack dab on the mouth for God and everyone to see. After a moment, he pulled away without a single word, recovered his load, and walked away, whistling.
Jonah just stared—as did half the people in the yard.
Aunt Leah smiled as if the display had been the most normal thing in the world, although she looked a little flushed when she reached him. She jumped up and sat on the well wall with one leg curled under her, turned enough so she could face him.
“Jonah, dear, the wedding was supposed to be the day after tomorrow. I had thought with Henry being gone and all—”
“Dad asked me to take Henry’s place,” Jonah said before she could finish.
“I see.”
“I told him I didn’t want to pay for Henry’s mistakes, but then…”
“But then you met Emma.”
Jonah nodded.
“She is a lovely girl, Jonah. Right smart. And I would venture she’s mighty capable and a quick learner,” Leah said with a smirk. “She’s in the kitchen with Lottie right now, learning how to knead bread. I think she’s taking out all of her recent frustrations on the dough.” She laughed. Then her face became serious. “You don’t have to marry her, you know.”
Jonah snorted. “Tell that to my father.”
“I love my brother, but Gabe is too stubborn for his own good.” Leah put her hand on Jonah’s shoulder. “He’s let his pride and fear get in the way of what’s most important. You and your brothers. His family. Us. Don’t let that happen to you.”
He thought for a moment. “I saw what mama’s leaving did to my dad and I vowed that I would never let a woman have that kind of power over me. I thought I would be perfectly happy never getting married.”
“What?” Aunt Leah jumped down off of the well wall and turned to face him with her hands on her hips. “Jonah Nicholas Deardon, why on earth would you say such a thing? You’ll make a fine husband and father. Why would you ever choose not to have such a blessing in your life?”
Jonah was taken aback by her sudden effrontery.
“Aunt Leah,” he said quietly, “I’ve changed my mind.”
Leah had opened her mouth as if ready with a response, but she quickly closed it again.
“I want what you and Uncle Jameson have. I want a big family with a ranch of my own. I’m just not sure I want it all right now.”
“Jonah,” Noah called, running toward the stables, “mount up. Uncle Jameson needs our help.”
Jonah leaned over and kissed his aunt on her cheek. “Thank you.”
He rushed after his brother and found Lucas and Uncle Jameson, along with three of his young cousins, mounted and ready to ride just outside the stable doors.
“A small herd of buffalo have tromped onto Redbourne land and some of the surrounding farms, destroying many of the farmers’ crops,” Jameson told them. “Rafe,” he pointed at the youngest of them, “are you sure you want to ride along. It’s going to be dangerous.”
“Yes, sir,” the young man responded without hesitation. “I’m ready.”
Jameson nodded, pride exuding from his face.
Rafe was twelve years old and as ready to ride as any of them. Jonah shook his head. He’d been here at the beginning of the summer and he’d swear that the youngster had grown half a foot in that time. He stepped into the stable where Perseus had been lodged and led the chestnut gelding out of the gate into the yard, and mounted.
“Where are the twins?” Jameson asked his boys.
All of the young Redbournes averted their father’s gaze. Jonah was sure the twins were causing havoc somewhere and didn’t envy them when their father found out.
“Who knows what monstrosity those boys will discover next,” Jameson said with exasperation. He put two fingers to his lips and let out a two-toned whistle.
A loud woman’s scream came from the house and the two boys fled down the back stairs giggling. They ran to the stables and within seconds emerged with their mounts.
Jameson raised a single eyebrow at them. The smiles on their faces quickly turned solemn and they bowed their heads.
“Keep your eyes open for the mustangs,” Jameson cautioned as he looked hard at each of the riders on this little venture. “They’ve been more excitable than usual as of late and I’m afraid the old stallion may make things a little difficult for us.”
Jameson’s horse danced anxiously.
“It will be best if we can wrangle the buffalo into the south pasture and mend the fence between our land and the Miller farm. I want to avoid a stampede at all costs.”
Jameson pulled the head of his horse around and swung his hand in the air in a circular motion.
“Move out.”
Chapter Ten
Emma draped across one of the wooden chairs at the kitchen table. She’d had no idea how much work went into making something as simple as bread. She had to admit that punching the dough had made her feel lighter somehow, as if all of her worries had melted away along with her strength. However, it did feel good to have made something with her own hands.
Lottie, the plump Spanish cook, had been more than patient with her. Emma looked down at her clothing. Luckily, Leah had provided her a thick apron to put over her blue dress or, she feared, the garment would have been a powdery, sticky mess by now.
From the corner of her eye, Emma caught movement on the table. She turned her head and looked down with a startled gasp. A blue-green lizard with two black rings around its neck scurried toward her.
She heard a low snigger come from the kitchen doorway and spotted the twins she’d met late last night peering around the wall. She guessed they had placed their friend on the table with hopes to spook her. It wouldn’t work. She’d recently had a few days on a train with a few orphans who’d liked to play practical jokes, but this Emma was not the same woman she was a week ago.
The boys didn’t know she’d seen them.
The animal stopped and bobbed its brown head as if looking where it could go nex
t.
“Well, what are you, little one?” Emma asked, holding her hand out to the small creature.
She giggled when it climbed onto her palm and up her arm to her shoulder.
“Awwwwhh.” The twins both cried with a tone of disappointment and Emma smiled inside.
A loud, very distinct two-toned whistle sounded from the yard.
The two young boys immediately emerged from the shadows in the doorway to the kitchen.
“Come on, Genesis.” One of the twins picked up the lizard, looking slightly dejected.
Lottie walked back into the kitchen just in time to see the animal before the boy had successfully tucked it into his pocket. She screamed and grabbed ahold of the broom next to the counter. With one swing of the straw strapped end, she caught the twin who’d hidden Genesis in his pocket on his rear end.
“¡Ay de mí!” Lottie exclaimed as she fell down onto the chair next to Emma. “Those boys and their little animales will be the death of me.”
Emma stood up and walked over to the window. She pulled back the curtain and peered out at the mounted group that looked ready to ride.
The back door opened and Leah walked in.
“Where are they going?” Emma asked, attempting to keep the apprehension from her voice.
“Cal, the foreman, spotted some buffalo heading this direction and they are just going to ride out and head them off.”
“Is that safe?”
“With Jonah and his brothers along everything should be fine.” Leah wrapped her arm around Emma’s shoulder and giggled. “It looks like you are wearing some of that bread.”
Emma laughed, sure she looked a sight.
“Come on, we’ll get it cleaned out of your hair and maybe later we can all go for a swim.”
Emma felt her eyes grow wide. She couldn’t swim.
“I…don’t know how to swim exactly.”
“Don’t worry, honey. You’ll learn.”
“Again,” Jonah said. Emma had both successfully mounted and dismounted four times.
The Deardons Complete Mini-Series Page 6