AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I did. He said he’d send his son over to do the chores. I didn’t mention it, but I think we should pay Timothy for helping out.”
“If the animals are alive and the cow’s bag isn’t about to explode when we get home, that’s a fine plan.” Theo grinned at her, then pointed to the basket. “I’m starving. Did you make sandwiches with the leftover biscuits and bacon?”
“I did. I even rounded up enough cookies I’m hoping I might get one or two before you devour them all.”
Theo shrugged as he took the biscuit she held out to him. “I can’t help it if you’re a good cook, Rena. Aunt Bess taught you well.”
Rena generally avoided any mention of her mother, but it no longer held the sting it once had. Something about telling her story to her friends had opened a door she’d nailed firmly shut. Light and love had started to flow through that crack. Perhaps, with time, she’d be able to shove the door wide open.
“Mama was a wonderful cook, but so is your mother. I’d say our grandmother taught them well.”
Theo chuckled and shook his head. “According to Ma, their mother was a danger in the kitchen, and most of what she made was inedible. She said she and Aunt Bess learned to cook out of self-preservation.”
Rena laughed, pleased Theo had shared the story with her. It was one she hadn’t heard or known since their grandparents had passed before they were born.
“Tell me more about our grandparents, Theo. Do you have more stories?”
While they ate their lunch, Theo kept her entertained with funny things his mother had shared over the years. Rena’s mom had always been the quiet and reserved one of the two sisters, but Rena wished she had stories from her she could share with her cousin.
They reached the depot with plenty of time to spare. Inside, the stationmaster, Mr. Masters, gave them their tickets, then sent one of his helpers outside to see to the team and wagon.
“Hope should be right on time,” the man said, glancing at the large clock on the wall. “You have about an hour before she arrives. We’ll load the team and horses as soon as we unload the freight coming in. Just be here no later than two or you’ll miss the train.”
“We’ll be here,” Theo said, tucking the tickets into his pocket, then motioning for Rena to precede him out the door he held open. “Well, cousin, how would you like to spend an hour? We could go sit in the hotel lobby and act like we’re from the upper crust of society. We could browse through things we don’t need at the mercantile. We’d have time for a quick visit with Josh.”
At the mention of Josh, Rena felt her senses jump with awareness. Try as she might, she had trouble getting the handsome saddlemaker out of her head. He always smelled decadent, like leather and sunshine. The combination was proving hard to resist, especially when she didn’t particularly want to.
Since last Sunday, when Henley, Cora Lee, and Anne had given her hope that she could have a future that included romantic love, Rena hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Josh.
She knew it was too soon, too sudden, but she cared for him, and for Gabi. In fact, that little girl had wound her tiny fingers firmly around Rena’s heart, and she was sure nothing would ever remove the affection she felt for the child.
At night, right before sleep claimed her, Rena imagined what it would be like to be Josh’s wife and Gabi’s mother. Would she be able to give up the freedom she felt being on her own in trade for a loving family?
No doubt existed in her mind that Josh was a good man and would be a wonderful husband. She could easily see he was an amazing father.
The two questions she couldn’t help pondering were if she could submit to domestic life as a wife and mother and if Josh would ever want her. She wasn’t like most women and came with scars that were visible on her burned body as well as those that were burned into her heart.
A visit with him certainly wouldn’t help her already muddled thoughts get any clearer, and she felt the need to take control of them as much as possible until they made it back to the mine with the dynamite. Daydreaming on her part could have disastrous, deadly results.
“Why don’t we go for a stroll? You can show me more of Holiday.” Rena looped her arm around Theo’s, and they went for a walk in the bright spring sunshine. He showed her where Josh and Gabi lived in a white farmhouse on the eastern edge of town. They walked by Evan and Henley Holt’s stately home and meandered past the church before turning along Main Street. They stopped in the mercantile long enough to buy a peppermint stick for each of them to enjoy and continued their jaunt among the businesses and homes in Holiday, with Theo talking about who lived or worked in each place before they heard the train whistle and headed to the depot.
The train chugged to a halt when they reached the platform. Rena stood near the depot office, watching with interest as people left the train. Some looked like miners. Others were dressed in fine clothes. There were cowboys and farmers along with businessmen and a few women.
When it was time to board, Theo escorted her into the passenger car, and they took a seat near the front. Rena settled by the window, excited for another adventure, but dreading the trip back in the wagon.
Theo went to check on the team and wagon, ensuring they were loaded, then returned just in time to take his seat before the conductor made a final boarding call.
The train chugged forward, and they were soon making their way out of the mountain and into Baker City.
“How did you like riding Hope?” Theo asked with a teasing grin as they disembarked from the train. “Hope isn’t such a bad thing, you know.”
“I am aware, cousin. Thank you.” Rena cast him a dark glower at the unnecessary reminder, then followed him to where the team and wagon were unloaded. She accepted his hand as she climbed up on the high seat.
“Let’s go see Mr. Samuelson.”
Rena looked around with interest as Theo guided the team away from the train depot and headed down a side street. “Is that the dynamite man?”
“Yep. Robert Samuelson has been making dynamite for the past handful of years using glycerin oil, nitric acid, and sawdust. He is excellent at what he does, and he supplies most of the mines in the area. Because of his experience, it’s safer to use dynamite he makes than rely on making our own at the mine. In the long run, I think it’s more cost effective too.”
