The slight woman smiled. “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t expecting to find anyone here.”
“Your brother gave us permission to dig up these fossils. The sheriff did as well, after your brother was arrested.” Eliza swallowed. “I’m so sorry about that, by the way. Your brother always seemed like such a nice man to me.”
She put a hand over her mouth and several seconds passed before she spoke. “Thank you. This has been extremely difficult. But it’s been good to hear there are people who believe in him.”
The poor woman! “Is there anything I can help you with? Did you need something while you were out here? I know it’s pretty abandoned.”
She shook her head. “No. I simply promised Lucas that I would check on things as often as I could.”
“That’s understandable.” She stared down at the tools in her hands. What else should she say? Should she give her condolences for the loss of her husband?
“It was good to see you, Miss Mills. Thank you for your great kindness to my brother. I hope the fossils are all you imagined and more.” The smile didn’t reach her eyes, but the woman had lived through so much hardship and grief, Eliza wasn’t surprised.
“Thank you. You are most welcome.”
The woman walked through the long grass back toward the ranch house.
An hour later, Eliza couldn’t take the heat anymore. Timeto ride back to the Adams’s home for a reprieve until Deborah came. Swinging up into the saddle, she patted the horse’s neck for a moment, then urged it into a gallop.
When she walked in the door, Mrs. Adams was kneading bread dough on the butcher block in the middle of her kitchen.
Red-faced and smiling, her hostess greeted her. “It shouldn’t take long for the bread to rise in this heat, should it?”
Eliza went to the washbasin and washed her hands. “Here, let me give you a bit of a break.” She stepped up beside the woman and watched her movements. It didn’t look that difficult.
One of Mrs. Adams’s eyebrows rose while her lips twitched. “Have you ever kneaded bread before?”
Eliza laughed. “No. But at least allow me to give it a try.” The next quarter of an hour was filled with her chatting with her hostess and learning the special techniques of kneading dough.
When Mr. Carnegie had offered her this position at the monument, she’d made sure that he knew she didn’t want any special treatment. And while this lovely home was much better than living in a tent, it was much different from anything she’d ever experienced. It had been good to see the way this family cared for one another and pitched in to make a home and life together.
“Not bad, Eliza. I’m impressed. Most women who’ve never done such a chore don’t have the arm strength.”
Eliza curtseyed in her pants and long work shirt. “Thank you very much. It must be all the time I’ve spent digging in the dirt for bones.”
“Thank you for your help. I’m sure you’re anxious to get back to your fossils.” The woman glided around her kitchen, preparing other dishes for dinner and humming as she worked.
Eliza left the room. What did the Adams family really think of her? The daughters had been wide-eyed several times whenEliza came down the stairs dressed in her regular clothing and one of her big hats. She’d tried to bring the plainest and sturdiest of her clothes, but apparently, they were still a bit fancy for this area of the West.
But every time she went to work in her pants, Mrs. Adams seemed a bit... uncomfortable.
Still, they’d never spoken a cross word to her. Even with all the danger and drama she’d brought into their lives. Perhaps a nice gift would be a good way to end her time here. She would think of a way to thank them for their hospitality.
She made her way up the stairs to her room and fanned herself. Even though her window was open, there still wasn’t any breeze and it was stifling.
Opting for a washcloth and hoping there was some cooler water in the basin, she wiped away as much of the dirt from her face and neck as she could. The clock on the dresser showed that she still had an hour before Deborah would be back out at the ranch to help dig.
She went to her desk and looked at her correspondence and her Bible. Mary had been meeting with her twice a week for prayer and had become a friend. Eliza hadn’t had many female friends until she’d gone to university and then to work for the museum. But Mary made it easy and shared many Scriptures with her about how women were to be there for one another. Especially the older guiding the younger, just as Devin had mentioned in his letter.
They’d been making a list together of all the different ways Eliza could use the gifts God had given her.
What a wonder that God could use her simple gifts in so many ways. That He used each and every believer in unique and wonderful ways.
The hair on the back of her neck bristled all of a sudden, and she whirled around.
Louise stood in the doorway, a scowl on her face.
“What’s wrong?”
