A Love For Keeps (Truly Yours Digital Editions) (10 page)

She locked the shop door and pulled down the shade that said C
LOSED
on the other side before gathering the teacups and tray and heading to the kitchen to see her mother. She set the tray down and dropped into a chair at the table.

Her mother turned from shaping the bread she was making for supper. “Her majesty has taken her leave, has she?”

“Finally. Oh, Mama! I do dread having to try to please her. I’ve a feeling there will be no way I can do it.”

“Just do the best you can, dear. It’s all you can do.”

“But what if she hates my work for her and spreads a bad word about me?”

“Her papa owns the bank that gave us the loan. She’s not going to risk causing him to lose money by hurting your business, dear,” her mother assured her.

“Surely she wouldn’t.” Meagan got up to heat water for a cup of fresh tea.

“You needn’t worry anyway, dear. You are an excellent seamstress. She won’t find anything to complain about.”

“Oh, I hope you are right, Mama. She is one of the rudest women I’ve ever dealt with! I’m sure she was taught better.”

“I certainly hope so.” Her mother chuckled and shook her head. “Evidently she didn’t learn it very well.”

Meagan’s sisters burst in from school just then, and the talk turned to their day. It seemed there was a new boy at school, and Becca kept teasing Sarah about him. From the color flooding her sister’s cheeks, Meagan had a feeling that she might have taken a liking to him. She visited with the girls for a while and then went to finish trimming the dinner dress she’d been working on when Abigail came in. Her thoughts wandered as she hand stitched the trim around the bodice. Could it be possible that Nate had sent Abigail to check on her? No! He came in with Natalie often enough to know how her business was going. Besides, he wouldn’t do that. Perhaps it was just because she wanted to find out herself how Meagan did business. Or perhaps it was because she wanted to make it very clear to Meagan that she had claim to Natalie and Nate ….

It seemed to Nate that he only saw Meagan when he took Natalie in for a fitting or briefly at church—although he never had a chance to speak to her there. Abigail saw to that. She seemed to be at his shoulder, slipping her hand through his arm as soon as the service was over. She always had something “important” to tell him or someone to introduce him to. By the time he got free, Meagan and her family had already left.

He was beginning to feel frustrated with the whole situation. He hadn’t run into Meagan since the day he treated her to a soda, and just seeing her in the shop wasn’t enough for him. She seemed to be in his thoughts often during the day, and he’d even begun to dream about her. He wanted to spend more time with her, but he wasn’t sure how she might feel about that.

When Nate took Natalie in for a fitting of her new spring jacket the day before her birthday, Meagan seemed glad to see them. Her mother had made a special supper for Natalie, including her favorite cake. She would have a family celebration the next day, but Nate had a feeling that this was the one Natalie would enjoy most.

Before her mother served the cake, Meagan presented Natalie with a new reticule to match the jacket she’d just finished. Her mother and sisters had small gifts for her, too. Nate had never seen his daughter so happy and excited.

“Oh, thank you so much!” Natalie said. “I love it all. I’m having a party at my aunt Abby’s tomorrow evening, but I know it’s not going to be as nice as this.”

“Oh, I’m sure it will be,” Meagan assured her. “We just didn’t want your birthday to come without giving you a little celebration.”

“Thank you,” Natalie said again. “I can’t wait to show Grandmother and Aunt Abby my gifts!”

Nate heard Meagan’s quick intake of breath, as if she were about to say something, but when he looked at her, she just gave a little shake of her head and began to hand out the cake.

Something about her seemed different though, and he wasn’t sure what it was. When he and Natalie got ready to leave, it was even more apparent that something was different. While her attitude toward his daughter was still warm, he sensed a certain coolness toward him. Nate wanted to ask if something was wrong, but with his daughter and Meagan’s family right there, he didn’t feel it was the right time.

“Thank you all for helping to make Natalie’s birthday so special.”

“Yes, thank you!” Natalie said. “It was ever so much fun! And I love my gifts. Thank you so very much!”

“We were happy to be able to celebrate with you,” Mrs. Snow said.

“And I love my new coat, Miss Meg. It is just like I pictured it, only better. And thank you again for my reticule!”

Meagan’s smile for his daughter was completely genuine, of that Nate had no doubt.

“I’m glad you are happy with it. It was a joy to make it for you.” She bent down and gave Natalie a hug. “I hope you have a happy day tomorrow.”

As Nate watched the expression on his daughter’s face when she hugged Meagan back, he knew he wasn’t the only one who cared for Meagan Snow.

Meagan blew the hair off her forehead as soon as the door closed on Nate and Natalie.

“Come have a cup of tea, dear,” her mother said. “I can tell you are upset.”

Meagan let out a ragged sigh and followed her mother to the kitchen where Becca and Sarah were cleaning up. She didn’t know who she was trying to convince when she said, “I have no right to be upset, Mama.”

“That may be so, but you are. What is wrong?”

“It was the mention of Abigail Connors,” Meagan said, dropping into a chair at the table. “I do not see how she could be related in any way to Natalie. That child is so sweet and her aunt is … a … a viper!”

“Now, Meagan, dear, that’s a bit strong, don’t you think?” Her mother made a cup of tea and handed it to Meagan, then poured herself one and joined her at the table.

“I suppose it might be. But she is just so condescending and rude. And she acts as if she owns Natalie and Mr. Brooks. She never fails to point out how often she spends time with them and all they do together, or how she’s always been there for the two of them ever since her sister died in the fire.” Meagan sighed and began to rub her temple. “When Natalie tells Abigail about her party here and what we gave her … well, I don’t think she’s going to be happy. She isn’t going to like the fact that we celebrated Natalie’s birthday here at all.”

“Ahh, I believe I’m beginning to see.”

Meagan shook her head. “No, Mama. I know my place. Mr. Brooks will not be courting me—I don’t belong in his social circle. Abigail Connors has a way of making me realize that. Besides, I—”

“Meagan Snow, I’ll not have you talking like that. You are just as good as that Connors woman and anyone in her circle. When he worked for the railroad, your papa was just as well thought of as Mr. Connors is. Don’t you ever think you have to belong in a certain circle before you are good enough for anyone. The only circle you need worry about is the one that God is at the center of.”

“I know, Mama. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“Just don’t talk like that again. Nate Brooks would be a very lucky man indeed if you cared for him.”

Meagan took a sip of her tea, afraid that if she looked her mother in the eye, she’d be able to see that Meagan already did care for Nate—much too much for her own good.

Meagan couldn’t deny that she’d been cool toward Nate after Natalie’s birthday celebration. She didn’t mean to be. She felt badly about it, yet events of the weekend had her feeling even more upset.

On Sunday, Nate had somehow managed to get out of his pew and head back toward her and her family before Abigail could grab him. She was, however, right behind him.

Meagan’s first instinct was to flee, but her mother put a constraining hand on her shoulder, and she realized she couldn’t be that rude.

“Good morning, Mrs. Snow, Meagan, Becca, and Sarah,” Nate said with a smile.

Her family greeted him the same way they always did.

His eyes were on her, however, and as Abigail was sidling up to him, all Meagan could muster was a weak smile and a quiet, “Good morning.”

“I just wanted to thank you again—”

“Oh, dear Meagan,” Abigail interrupted Nate, “the jacket you made our Natalie is just beautiful. I can’t wait to have the first fitting of the dress you are making me!”

“Thank you,” was all Meagan managed to say.

Nate looked irritated as he continued, “I was thanking you for helping to make Natalie’s birthday even more special than usual.”

The subject of the conversation came running up the aisle. “Miss Meg, everyone loves my jacket! I’ve been telling everyone who asks that it was you who made it!”

Meagan couldn’t help but smile at the child’s sweetness. “Why, thank you, Natalie. That is very nice of you.”

“Well, yes, it was, dear,” Abigail said, pulling Natalie close to her side. “We’re getting out the word as fast as we can. But now we must leave. Mama and Papa will be wondering what is keeping us today.”

Nate let out an audible sigh but nodded. “I suppose we should be going. I hope you have a very nice day, ladies.”

“Thank you,” Meagan’s mother said. “You have a wonderful one, too.”

Abigail put her hand on Nate’s arm and turned to Meagan. “Good-bye. I’ll be in for my fitting this week.”

All Meagan could do was nod at the woman and try to smile.

It certainly wasn’t a great afternoon for her. She was out of sorts the rest of the day and even into the next. With Abigail and some of her friends as her clients now, Meagan was reminded almost daily that Nate’s social life wasn’t the kind she led. Her life was filled with family, work, and church. And while she wished she were going to the Crescent’s Grand Opening Gala, it wasn’t the kind of thing she would want to do often. Yet from what she heard from Abigail and some of her friends, their lives seemed filled with parties and elegant dinners and—

She had to chuckle. It was all those things that would keep her in business. She was fortunate to be able to sew for the ladies who attended all of those social gatherings. They were the ones who paid more for their outfits and would get her business on sound financial footing. One day, she’d be able to pay off the bank loan. Then, perhaps she could ask Miss Abigail Connors to find someone else to sew for her.

Meagan sighed and shook her head. No. Not even then. She still couldn’t risk making Abigail angry. The woman would waste no time trying to get her friends and acquaintances to go elsewhere, too. Meagan was just going to have to put up with Abigail and be thankful for the business she might help bring in. Most importantly, she needed to pray for the Lord to give her patience and a proper attitude toward Abigail.

She was also bothered by how she had been treating Nate recently. It wasn’t his fault she didn’t like his sister-in-law, and she shouldn’t be letting those feelings have anything to do with how she treated Nate. He probably thought she was awful. Perhaps he even regretted giving her the loan—

The bell over the shop door rang, and Meagan looked up to see the man in her thoughts come inside. “Nate … is something wrong? I don’t think Natalie is due for a fitting.”