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“Hello there,” Luke said, bending down to look at her.
“Oh, alright. Damn that Joe, he is always doing things before asking. His heart’s too big and he’s got to understand I can’t hire on everyone who walks up to the house and needs work. Been a few stragglers from the war, needing work from time to time. I guess you can bunk in the barn with him and take your meals at the house then. I’ll expect a full day’s work out of you though. And if I don’t get it, you’re out of here. And one other thing…”
“Yes ma’am?” His voice grew deep with question.
“Stop starin’ at me—like that,” her voice scolded, but her eyes flashed with mirth.
“Yes ma’am,” he answered with a crooked smile. “Uh, what do I call you, ma’am?”
She blinked hard. “My name’s Hattie, Hattie Tanner.”
When he didn’t say anything, she went on to explain, “My corn needs picking before the sun scorches it to death. And we’ve got to get that cotton ready for market. You see Joe? He’ll get anything you need,” she instructed. Then, after considering it, she asked, “If you know about the trouble last night, why you want to work for me? You might as well know, most folks around here consider me a squatter, that’s no secret. But for the record, I come by this land legal like.”
“Well ma’am, like I said, I need a job, and it sure wouldn’t hurt if you had an extra man around the place, now would it? Besides, I knew the men that owned this place before.”
Her mouth flew open and she stared long and hard again, then something soft passed in her eyes and a slight smile played at her lips. She nodded silently as though a lump had grown in her throat. She nodded, unable to voice her feelings any further. “You know they died, don’t you?”
“I heard that. I liked them both.”
“They were good men. Alright Luke.”
“Yes ma’am, and thank you ma’am,” Luke said as his eyes held her.
“Did you know them, ma’am?” He couldn’t stop himself from asking.
“I knew Lee Nelson, as good as I needed to know him. There was none better than Lee,” she whispered.
“Yes ma’am.”
The sadness in her voice haunted him. He wanted to tell her the truth, but it wasn’t wise for more reasons than one. He knew it.
“You seem kinda sad like.”
“I am sad, sadder every time I think of a man like Lee dyin’. And now that he’s dead and gone I can say it, ‘cause it won’t do no harm to nobody, but I loved him truly.”
She looked down, then nodded. A few seconds past before she could speak again.
“It’s nothin’. This old war took a lot of good men.” She nodded towards the old oak tree. “Good men, out there in the dirt, it doesn’t seem right.”
Luke frowned.
“Luke?” she called after him as he walked towards the barn. “When Joe finishes showing you about the place, you come inside and try on some of Lee's clothes. That worn out mess you have on is almost indecent. And you look like they might fit. No hand of mine will dress like a tramp.”
“Yes ma’am.” He smiled, once more probing her very soul with a glance.
It was working perfectly. Now he could have good meals, a clean house, his farm taken care of like he liked it and all he had to do was play along. The only problem: keeping his hand off of Hattie.
But for now he was satisfied with his scheme.
Joe laughed when he heard the news. “So she hired you right off, huh?”
“After a bit of a hard luck story, she did.” He chuckled. “She sure spoke well of me and Dil though. I thi
nk everything is gonna be just fine, Joe.”
“She’s a good lady.”
“Joe.” Luke looked at his friend. “I think you are right about that. She sure seems to have loved me.”
