He shook his head.“No, there’s going to be another night of hardtack and jerky.Then you can go to the store tomorrow and get whatever you want to fix.”
“All right.”
When they finally reached his cabin, she hurried inside to see what awaited her.To her surprise, everything was perfectly clean.There should have been a layer of dust with as long as he was gone, but there wasn’t.
He stepped inside and looked around.“Sally must have come by and cleaned things up for you.I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s food in the cellar.”
Agnes found the trap door and hurried down the ladder into the cellar.“You’re right!”she called back up.There was some salt pork and enough greens for a salad.
Soon, she was cooking on the brand new stove he’d bought for her, excited to eat a decent meal for the first time in weeks.“I hope you’re hungry!”she called out.She had no idea where Jasper had disappeared to, but it didn’t matter.He’d be there when the food was ready.
To her surprise, he wasn’t.She waited for several minutes before hearing footsteps.“Jasper!I was getting worried.”
Instead of Jasper, it was Sally running toward her for a hug.“You wouldn’t believe how much I missed you!”
“How did you know we were back?”Agnes asked, hugging her friend close.
“Jasper came to get his goat, and he told me you wouldn’t mind seeing me.”
“Wouldn’t mind?That’s putting it mildly.It’s all I talked about.Thank you for leaving food for me.”
Sally smiled.“I thought you’d know where it came from.I’m going to have the other ladies come over around ten tomorrow morning, and we’ll discuss business ventures.”
Agnes laughed.“Jasper said you’d be trying to get me to join you.”
“He was right.We have ideas.We’ll be here in the morning, and we’ll talk then.I’ll let you get back to your supper.”
“Thank you for all you’ve done to help!”Agnes said.
“I’d do anything for you.You know that!”
Jasper walked in as Sally hurried off to her home.“I thought you could use a nice surprise.”
Agnes threw herself into Jasper’s arms.“Thank you so much!You’re the best husband a girl could ask for.”
He chuckled.“I don’t know about that...”
“I do.No one else would have thought to bring my friend over when they were so tired.You could have let them care for the goat another night, and instead, you went out of your way to do something that would please me.It worked.You get extra husband points.”
“What are husband points?”
She shrugged.“I’m not sure yet.I just know you deserve extra, whatever they are.”
“I guess I’ll take them then!”
“Sit down.There was food downstairs.I made salt pork, boiled potatoes, and salad.I hope you like all that!”
“I’ll eat anything you want to fix for me.I was getting sick of hardtack and jerky too.”
She smiled, putting the food on the table.She’d already set it with the plates and utensils she’d found.“Sally and the others will be meeting me here at ten to discuss my place in their business venture.”
Jasper sighed, shaking his head.“Now, why doesn’t that surprise me?I don’t mind if you join them.Just don’t forget about me.”
“I’ll do my best,” Agnes said with a grin.
As they ate, she savored every bite, thankful to not be eating their trail food.“There’s a lot I still want to do around the house, but Sally made me feel at home as soon as I walked in.”
“It looks like she washed the sheets and quilt.I bought that quilt at the store last year.Mrs.Thompson and Mrs.Hunter made it.They wanted something to do all winter when it was too cold to be outdoors.”
