A Daughter's Quest (8 page)

“Oh, you poor dear.”

The sympathy in Mrs. Barker’s voice released some of that reservoir of tears. Constance reached up and swiped them away.

“I think you need a mother’s hug.”

Comforting arms engulfed Constance and didn’t let go. She enjoyed them for a moment before she stepped back. “Thank you.” Here she was thanking someone again. She stiffened her spine and went back to her task.

“I’m here for you anytime you need me.” Mrs. Barker bustled over and placed a skillet on the stove. Then she started stirring eggs together to scramble.

At breakfast, Constance paid closer attention to catch the names of the people at the table. Two men named Theodore and Thomas sat beside each other. She could tell by all their similarities that they must be brothers. Short in stature, their balding heads had tufts of hair around the sides and back that stood straight up, and their eyes twinkled when they laughed. Not only did they look almost identical, their voices sounded similar, and their gestures followed the same patterns. They kept talking about working at the mercantile. From what they said, they must be employees, not the owners of the place.

Martha Sutter was the schoolteacher, and Sylvia Marshall talked about the clothing she designed for a customer, so she had to be a seamstress. Constance wondered where she did her work. The new couple who rented a room yesterday afternoon was quieter, listening to the others. However, when Martha asked their names, they told her they were Ed and Francis Owens. They didn’t say much else except that they were looking for a farm to buy, so they might not live in the boardinghouse very long.

“Mrs. Barker, how is Selena?” Constance wondered who Sylvia was inquiring about.

“She’s still in a lot of pain.” The proprietress shook her head as if dismayed. “Her sister came in from their farm and took her home with her. She wanted to be sure she was well cared for. The doctor is concerned because the break wasn’t a clean one. He’s afraid it might take awhile to heal.”

The other cook
. Constance said a silent prayer for the woman.

Constance baked all morning. Mrs. Barker wanted bread so they could have sandwiches for supper. She gave Constance canned peaches to make pies for lunch, and Constance made a pound cake to have at suppertime. All the work felt good. It had been too long since she felt such a sense of accomplishment.

When everyone came in for supper, Hans arrived. He told Mrs. Barker that he wanted to eat at the boardinghouse that night. He was tired of his own cooking. Somehow, Constance had a hard time picturing the gentle giant toiling over a hot stove. She wondered what he cooked.

“You’re welcome to eat here anytime.” Mrs. Barker smiled encouragement at him. “I can always use the extra money.”

Constance ate quietly, listening to all the conversations around the table. She hoped they would mention something that would help her finish her quest.

“Mrs. Barker, this pound cake is the best one I’ve ever eaten.” Hans stuffed a forkful into his mouth, and a smile lit his face.

“Thank Constance.” The woman gestured toward her. “She’s my new baker.”

Hans stared at Constance. “I didn’t know you were looking for a job.”

She dropped her hands into her lap. “I wasn’t. Remember Mary was waiting to talk to me when we returned to town?”

He nodded, and she continued. “That’s what she wanted to tell me. That Mrs. Barker needed someone to bake while her cook recovered. It sounded good to me. I have a better place to stay than the hotel, and I can save my money.”

“If you’re going to bake every day, I just might have to eat here every night.” Hans laughed.

Some of the others joined in. Their compliments about her baking abilities encouraged Constance. Maybe she was supposed to be here right now. If only someone would mention something about the Mitchell boys, especially Jim.

The thought of Hans eating here every night caused an unsettled feeling in her. Why did the prospect of seeing him every day make her happy?

Hans had been surprised to learn that Constance had a job at the boardinghouse. Pleasantly surprised, since the things she baked were so delicious. When he told Mrs. Barker he might eat there every night, he meant it as a joke. After she agreed, he knew it was just what he wanted to do. Maybe by being there with everyone sharing their days, he would be able to find out what Constance was hiding. And the food was far better than anything he put together.

For the next few nights, he showed up right when the meal was being served. Every night, Constance made a different kind of dessert. If Hans didn’t work so hard, he might get fat eating all those rich sweets.

Since his family had moved away, he lived alone. He hadn’t felt lonely until he spent so much time with other people around the table in the evening. Maybe he wasn’t created to be solitary. He had friends, but when he went home after work, the evenings seemed to stretch on forever.

Today was Saturday, and several people from outlying farms who came to town to pick up supplies also brought items that he needed to repair for them. A couple even had him shoe more than one horse, which they would take home when they left town later. His day was long, almost past the supper hour at the boardinghouse.

When he arrived, everyone was finishing their meal and ready for dessert. He had just walked in as Mrs. Barker had told him to do, but when he saw all the empty dishes on the table, he turned to leave.

“Hans.” Mrs. Barker hurried around the table to greet him. “I thought you would be coming. I told Constance to put a plate in the warming oven for you.” She turned to look at the young woman. “Why don’t you get it for Hans while I pour his drink?”

Constance carried the covered plate with two thick, quilted potholders. When she set it in front of him and lifted the cover, the smell of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and gravy caused his stomach to rumble. He hoped no one noticed, but just before Constance turned away, he noticed a twinkle in her eye. It looked good there. Too often, her face held a sad expression.

Mrs. Barker patted Constance on the shoulder. “You sit down and finish your food. I’ll get the apple pie for everyone.”

Constance slipped into the empty chair beside him. He felt her presence so strongly that, even if his eyes had been closed, he would have known she was there.

Mrs. Barker returned carrying two plates of pie, which she set in front of the two single women who roomed with her. “What kept you so long, Hans?”

Everyone turned to look at him expectantly. He didn’t like the feeling of being the center of attention. “I had lots of customers today. Then I went home to clean up. I didn’t want to show up at your table in dirty clothes or with dirty hands.”

A chorus of chuckles went round the table, and conversation resumed. Hans enjoyed the excellent food while everyone else except Constance ate dessert. One by one, they excused themselves and left the room. Then Mrs. Barker took her empty plates into the kitchen.

“I’ve been wanting to ask you something, Constance.” When he said her name, she looked at him instead of the food on her plate. “I have a buggy, and I would like to pick you up and take you to church in the morning.” Her expression told him that she might want to decline his invitation. “I know you walked last week, but the boardinghouse is farther away, and the weather is getting warmer. We could even ask Mrs. Barker if she wants a ride, too. Would that be all right with you?”

Constance stopped eating and put her fork down. After a long moment, she turned to smile at him. “That would be nice, Hans.”

Mrs. Barker agreed to go to church with them, but she planned to go out to see Selena after the services. The people who lived on the neighboring farm to Selena’s sister had offered to give her a ride out there and even bring her back to town.

On Sunday, the sanctuary of the church welcomed Constance like an old friend. How could she have gotten to feel so at home in such a short time? Hans stayed outside talking to one of the farmers, and that suited her fine. She sat in the same pew where she had sat the week before and looked up at the Good Shepherd. Mary turned around in the front row and smiled at Constance. Several times this week, the two women had spent time together.

Just before Pa came home from the war, Patience—Constance’s best friend all through her growing-up years—had gotten married and moved to Little Rock. At first, they wrote letters to each other. Then when Patience and her husband had a baby, the letters became few and far between. It had been months since she had received one. Already, Mary had become a good friend to Constance, filling the hole left by losing Patience.

Before Jackson stood up for the opening prayer, Hans came down the aisle and asked her if he could sit beside her. She slid over and let him be by the aisle. Constance hoped no one got the wrong idea. Mary glanced back again, and her smile widened.

After the final prayer, Mary made a beeline up the aisle, stopping beside Hans. “Jackson and I would like to invite the two of you over for lunch. Today, I left a meatloaf in the warming oven.”

A big smile spread across the man’s face. “I really like your meatloaf.”

Constance wondered if there was any food he didn’t like. She’d seen him eat a lot of every supper at the boardinghouse. She wondered if Mrs. Barker was charging him enough for his meals.

“So how about it, Constance?” Mary’s eyes pleaded with her. “We really enjoyed last week.”

Constance glanced around the room that was rapidly becoming empty. “Won’t other people want to spend time with you, too? They might not like you spending so much time with someone new.”

Mary’s face held an incredulous expression. “No one will care. Most of these people hurry back to their farms to take care of livestock. Besides, we’ve had supper with three different families this week. So please say you’ll come. I know Mrs. Barker doesn’t serve meals to the boarders on Sunday.”

How could she say no? Jackson had helped her start finding the Mitchell property, and Mary had found her a job. Besides, she really enjoyed this couple. She glanced up at the tall man standing in the aisle beside her. If she were truthful with herself, she had to admit that spending time with Hans could be interesting, too. It couldn’t hurt to do it one more time, could it?

“That man really does like your meatloaf.” Constance laughed at the memory of Hans’s appreciation.

At least today Mary let Constance help her with the dishes. While Mary washed, Constance dried and stacked them on the table. Later, she would help Mary put them up. Then next time she came, she would know where they went in the cupboard behind the curtains that hung above the dishpan.

Mary’s eyes twinkled in amusement. “That’s why I made such a large one. He did eat quite a bit, didn’t he?” After plunging a plate in the rinse water, she shook off the excess and handed it to Constance. “He’s been here before, but you have to agree that it takes a lot of food to fuel a man that large.”

Constance felt the warmth of a blush make its way up her neck and into her cheeks. She had been thinking the same thing. Not only was Hans handsome, but he was also strong and well-built. Of course, a lady shouldn’t have noticed a man’s build, but how could she miss it? She placed the dry plate on top of the stack on the table and turned back around. His muscles rippled when he ate, as well as when he worked.