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“None at all,” she replied. “I just can’t see her being all right with that.”
“She wouldn’t be. She’d start looking for orphan trains so we could have a family anyway.”
“Are there orphan trains coming through here?” she asked. She’d heard about orphan trains but wasn’t sure if they were real or not. It sounded like something fictitious to her.
He nodded. “There have been a few. Our valley is made up of people who have big hearts and many take in orphans. And not to be farmhands either. They take them in to be their children.”
“That sounds lovely. We could give your mother at least half of the grandchildren she wants in a single day.”
He laughed. “I have a feeling grandchildren won’t be a terrible problem.”
She blushed. “I suppose we’ll find out in time.”
Back at the house, they gave the berries to Sally who immediately washed them. “I’ll show you how to make a perfect huckleberry pie tomorrow,” she told Heather.
“I’m eager to learn,” Heather said, though she still wasn’t certain how anyone could make the sour berries taste good.
“Did you two enjoy your walk?” Sally asked.
“Oh, it was nice. I loved the view from that hill!” Heather said.
“I’m glad. I may send you both out again.”
Patrick frowned. “We need to wait until Heather is breathing better. The change in altitude is bothering her.”
“Oh, I hadn’t realized!” Sally looked at Heather. “Sit! I don’t want you overdoing it.”
Heather laughed. “I’m fine. Although it’s getting late. I’m going to turn in.”
“I’ll be up as soon as I milk the cow,” Patrick said.
Heather took a deep breath. She knew that this was the night they’d consummate their marriage. She couldn’t claim to be too tired again because she’d gotten plenty of sleep the night before.
Sally smiled at her. “Goodnight!”
“Goodnight, Sally.” Climbing the stairs, Heather lost her breath again, but it wasn’t hurting her chest nearly as much as climbing the hill had. It was odd that it was so hard to adjust to the new altitude.
She quickly changed into her nightgown, but instead of lying down in bed, she picked up one of the books she’d brought with her. She only had a few, and she wasn’t willing to leave any of them behind.
She choseThe Time Machineby H.G. Wells as her book for the evening. She’d already read it a dozen times, but it was so good, she knew she’d read it at least a dozen more.
When Patrick joined her, he found her sitting up in bed, and was pleased he wouldn’t have to wait longer. “What are you reading?” he asked as he pushed his suspenders down over his arms and unbuttoned his shirt.
“It’s a science fiction novel by H.G. Wells. Have you read any of his work?”
“I haven’t. What’s it called?”
“The Time Machine. It’s about a man who builds a time machine and travels into the future where men are divided into two species. I love it. I’ve read it many times.”
“Perhaps you’ll let me borrow it one day,” he suggested.
“I’d be happy to. When you have time to read.”
He unfastened his pants then, and she closed her eyes tightly. She didn’t want to see her husband naked. It would be unseemly.
He chuckled when he saw her eyes close, walking to her side of the bed, and liberating the book from her hands. He then turned down the lantern on her nightstand and walked around the bed to climb into it beside her.
“You don’t have to be afraid of this, Heather.”
