Laurel: Bride of Arkansas (American Mail-Order Bride 25) (9 page)

He had bacon frying in one pan, the coffee pot was heating on a back burner, and grease sat in another skillet waiting to be heated. Glancing over at her, he grabbed the loaf of bread that Edna had sent, and then handed her the bowl of eggs

“Here, take care of these for us.” Picking up the knife, he asked, “Do you want one slice or two?”

“One, please.” She stood beside him holding the bowl, watching him intently. What in the world was she supposed to do with these? How did he want them cooked? She could break them and stir them like Cook had done, but she didn’t have any fancy ingredients, or she could consult Aunt Jennie. But he’d see her, and he’d know that she couldn’t cook. In reality, though, how long could she keep up the charade? Their conversation from last night about secrets echoed in her head. “Griffin, this may not be a good time, but I have to tell you something.”

“Now’s as good a time as any.” He turned to face her, holding four slices of bread and with a broad smile on his face. “What is it, my little mountain flower?”

Her face warmed at his use of the name he’d called her last night and she lowered her eyes. She couldn’t think about that right now. She had to tell him she’d come here under false pretenses. She’d perhaps been over confident sitting in her room at the boardinghouse, crafting her letter, trying to sound positive about her abilities, but not specific. In the end, she’d lied. What would she do if he sent her to back to Massachusetts?

She had to face the consequences of her actions, so she might as well confess now rather than later. Holding her breath for a few seconds, she let it out, looked up at him and announced, “I can’t cook.”

He threw his head back and laughed out loud. “That’s it? That’s what you wanted to tell me?”

“Well, y-yes, I . . .” She stammered. This was not the reaction she’d expected. “Why are you laughing?”

“Because I knew.”

“How did you know? I said in my letter that—”

“That you could run a household.” He set the bread slices on the counter top. “If you had any skills, you’d have said so in order to make sure I thought you’d be a good candidate for my wife. And then there was that first time I saw you standing there on the platform.”

“What?”

“Everything about you screamed quality. You looked like a woman who was used to being spoiled and pampered.”

“But I’m not.”

“I know that, now, don’t I?”

She folded her arms at her waist and glared at him. “Then why didn’t you immediately put me on the next train back East? Why did you go ahead and marry me?”

“Because I couldn’t believe my good fortune at having such a beautiful woman answer my advertisement.” He mirrored her stance and matched her glare. “I was intrigued.”

“Intrigued?” She bristled.

“Yes. I’d been married for five years to a woman who
had
been spoiled and pampered. Ora Lee was unkind and vindictive and a woman who used every feminine trick she could to manipulate and control. She was deeply troubled and made everyone around her miserable.” His stance relaxed and he leaned his hips against the counter’s edge and sighed. “I wanted to know if you were the same.”

Laurel empathized with him. She’d known women like his wife and had never understood their actions, for no matter how much misery they inflicted on others, they were rarely content. She felt like she should apologize to him for all women’s behavior. “I’m sorry, she treated you so badly.”

He reached for her and pulled her to him. “Me, too, but I’m pretty tough.”

She pressed her hands against his chest to stop him from pulling her into his arms. “So, what do you think?”

“About you?” He leaned back as if sizing her up. “I think you’re smart, independent and enterprising, and you don’t back away from problems.”

“I try not to.”

“Know what else I think?”

“No, what?”

“That I’m starting to like having you around, but I’ll change my mind if you let my bacon burn.”

She pushed away from him, took the fork he handed her and turned the bacon strips in the pan. They were a little brown, but still edible. After she’d rescued the bacon, he showed her how to fry the eggs and make pan toast.

When they finished eating, she looked across the table. “I like being here, too, Griffin, and I promise to be a good wife to you and a good mother to your children. Thank you for being intrigued.”

“Sometimes even a blind hog finds an acorn, and I’ve found you.”

After their meal, she sat down at the table with her stationery, a pencil, her glasses and a lamp. She finally had some time to write a few letters to the girls she’d worked with, while Griffin worked on one of his projects.

Her first one was to Roberta McDaniel, her manager at the mill.

October 28, 1890

Dear Roberta,

I hope this letter finds you well and happy. I have reached my new home in Flat Rock Point, Arkansas, and married my groom, Mr. Griffin Benning. He seems kind, loving, even tempered and has a sense of humor. He has two daughters, Josie and Coral, who I will meet when their grandparents bring them from Little Rock in about three weeks. If they are as lovely as their names, I feel we’ll get along very well.

He has a log home that he built himself and he appears to be quite a talented craftsman. There is much for me to learn here and I send you my sincerest thank you for recommending, Aunt Jennie’s Household Bible. I feel that Aunt Jennie will be my salvation.

Are you still bothered by remembrances of the fire? I confess I have had a few nightmares. Please write to me to let me know how you are getting along, as I am most interested in your wellbeing.

Most Sincerely,

Laurel

And to her closest friend, Violet,

October 28, 1890

Dearest Violet,

I miss you so much and hope this letter finds you well and happy. I hav
e
reached my new home in Flat Rock Point, Arkansas, and married my groom, Mr. Griffin Benning. He seems kind, loving, even tempered and has a sense of humor. He has two daughters, Josie and Coral, who I will meet when their grandparents bring them from Little Rock in about three weeks. If they are as lovely as their names, I feel we’ll get along very well

Griffin manages a logging company and I believe is quite adept at felling a tree. He has a log home that he built himself and he appears to be quite a talented craftsman.

I hope the memories of the fire on that fateful day at the mill are fading. I confess I’ve been plagued with a few nightmares, but pray they will cease now that I’ve begun my new life.

Hoping to hear from you soon,

Laurel 

She followed that one with letters to Rachel, Cora, and lastly to Patience Eaton. She hoped to hear from them all soon, as she was anxious to know where they’d ended up and if they were happy.

She wanted for all of her friends to be as happy as she was at this moment.

CHAPTER NINE

Laurel pulled the quilt up over the sheets and smoothed out the wrinkles on the bed. She plumped the pillows, straightened the curtains, and then stood by the door to give the room a final look. This was the last thing she had to do before getting dinner ready for the table. Griffin would be home soon from picking up his girls and the Sealy’s from the train station.

She was amazed at how quickly the last three weeks had sped by. Griffin had proven to be a patient teacher and she felt confident that she could make a good home for her family. That didn’t mean she wasn’t nervous as could be to meet his former in-laws. She felt queasy from the thousands of butterflies sitting in her stomach. Boots on the wood-planked porch started their wings flapping wildly.

“Laurel, we’re here!”

She stood at the top of the stairs, her feet unable to make that next step and her hand white-knuckled from gripping the banister. She didn’t know what to expect from Ora Lee’s parents. Would they resent her for taking their daughter’s place? Would they like her well enough to allow the children to stay? Shaking her head, she knew if she continued to stand here, her self-doubt would build. It was time to go downstairs.

“Laurel?” Griffin stood at the bottom of the staircase looking up at her. He took the steps two at a time to reach her. “Hey, come on down. Gwenda and Henry are anxious to meet you.”

“I can’t,” she whispered. “What if they don’t like me? What if they think me unfit to raise their daughter’s children? What if . . .?”

“You can
‘what if’
the situation all day or you can come down to meet them and see for yourself.” He smiled at her and took hold of her hand, prying it from the railing. “Come on. You know, by now, I won’t throw you to the wolves.”

“I know that, it’s just—”

“Laurel? I’m Gwenda.” The older woman gave a little wave. “Do you have some coffee or maybe a cup of tea? I’m a little dry after the ride from town.”

“I do, I’ll be right down.”

Griffin squeezed her hand. “See? I told you. Trust me?”

“Yes.”  Hand-in-hand, she descended the stairs with her husband. She’d learned to trust him, but, for the others, she’d reserve judgment.

When she walked into the main room, she saw the Sealy’s sitting on the settee with two little girls between them. The children had their hands folded in their laps, eyes wide, and quietly taking in all that happened around them. She closed the distance, put out her hand and said, “Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Sealy, I’m Laurel. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is ours, but we’re going to have a problem if you don’t call us Henry and Gwenda.” Mr. Sealy sounded gruff, but she saw a slight tilt at the corner of his mouth beneath his mustache.

“Yes sir.”

“Don’t do that either,” Gwenda said. “He’s hard enough to live with as it is.”

“Don’t you two gang up on her,” Griffin interjected. “She’s been nervous enough about meeting you.”

Laurel knelt in front of the girls. ”Now, which one of you is Coral?” The oldest girl, all of five years old, put her hand in Laurel’s, while the second, aged three, did the same. “Josie and Coral, it’s so nice to meet you. I’m Laurel.”

She stood and moved toward the kitchen. “I’ll go put on the kettle for the tea.”

“If you don’t mind,” Gwenda said. “I’d like to help you.”

“Of course, that would be lovely.”

A short time later, Laurel and Gwenda brought the teapot, cups, saucers, and a plate of sugar cookies she’d made yesterday to the table.

“Here you are, Henry. There’s sugar for your tea, if you like, and since Bessie was cooperative this morning, we have cream.” She smiled as she poured tea into three cups, and, after serving the Sealy’s, she handed a cup of coffee to Griffin. “I hope you enjoy it.”

“I’m sure we will, dear, but I have to say, these cookies are delicious. Where ever did you get the recipe?”

Griffin spoke up, “She got this and most other recipes and training from her Aunt Jennie.”

Laurel sputtered, nearly choking on the hot liquid. She wiped her chin with a napkin, and said, “Thank you, Gwenda. Yes, I thank Aunt Jennie every day for all the guidance she’s given me. This cookie recipe, though, came from our neighbor, Edna Tate.”

“Do you think she’d mind giving it to me? I would love to serve these to the ladies that come to tea when I get back to Little Rock.” Gwenda took another cookie off the plate and took a bite and stared at the half-circle that remained between her thumb and forefinger. “Um, hmm, these just melt on your tongue.”

Laurel picked up a couple of cookies and handed one each to Josie and Coral. “Here you go girls. Do you want something to drink?”

Both girls nodded and Griffin got up from his chair. “I’ll get them a glass of water.”

When all the cookies were gone, Laurel noticed Josie was yawning. “I’ve prepared a room for the girls, is it too late for them to take a nap?”

“That’s probably a good idea. They were so excited, they didn’t sleep on the train.”

Laurel went around to Josie and held her hand out to the child. “Would you like to go upstairs and see your new room?” It surprised her when she held up both her arms to be picked up and carried. Laurel glanced at Griffin. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

***

Griffin watched as both Laurel and Gwenda walked up the stairs, each with a child in tow. While Coral and Josie had barely given him a second glance, they seemed to be accepting Laurel, and he was happy about that. He was also glad they’d gone upstairs, for Henry had said they needed to talk about the business.

Henry started the conversation. “Is it as dry here as it is up north?”

“We haven’t had a drop of rain since last spring.” Griffin leaned forward resting his arms on the table. “It’s so dry now, if it does come a storm, I’m worried about what will happen. A single spark could set the whole mountain ablaze.”

“The crew should have made it back from New Orleans this morning, if I remember correctly.”

“Yeah, by noon at the latest.” Griffin never ceased to be amazed by Henry’s capabilities. The man was more than double his own age, and yet he still had his head in the logging business. Last year, Henry had taken Gwenda, Coral and Josie back to their home in Little Rock, after Ora Lee died, and left the company he’d started in his son-in-law’s hands. “I’m meeting everyone in the office in the morning. Do you want to come along?”

Henry’s mustache lifted at both corners of his mouth in a big smile. “What time do I need to be in the wagon?”

“After we eat is early enough. Laurel has a big breakfast planned.”

“Well, I do love to eat, when Gwenda lets me.” He laughed at himself. “Say, I haven’t seen those boys you had living here. Where are they?”

“Clem and Otto? A couple of weeks ago, I sent them home to help get their mother’s house ready for winter.” He grinned. “Besides, Laurel needed time to get used to things around here without those two lummoxes underfoot.”

“Good call on your part. As I remember, they’re a handful.”

“They have their moments.” Griffin shook his head. “They should be back here tomorrow morning ready to work.” He heard Laurel and Gwenda’s voices looked toward the stairs.

Laurel crossed from the bottom of the stairs and stood beside him, her arm around his shoulders, “That went well. Both Coral and Josie tapped right out.”

“They didn’t give you any trouble?”

“No, we gave them the dolls I found in the attic and they seemed quite content.”

“You remember them, Henry. I gave each girl a doll when they were born.” She sniffled and pulled a handkerchief from the cuff of her dress. “I think they remember them.”

Henry stood and gathered his wife into his arms and held her. “Yes, Gwen, I’m sure they do.”

Griffin knew what coming back to this house was doing to Gwenda. She and Henry had been through the wringer with their daughter’s death. He leaned back in his chair, cleared his throat, and looked up at Laurel. “Say, I’d be much obliged if you ladies could find your way to the kitchen and hurry that dinner along. I’m mighty hungry.”

“I think that can be arranged. Gwenda, will you help me finish up and set the table?”

When the women had left the room, Henry turned to Griffin. “Ora Lee’s passing has been tough on all of us, but Gwen’s taken it particularly hard. I appreciate you understanding and letting us visit.”

“Henry, I didn’t send you away. I’ve missed my girls more than you know, and, while I knew I couldn’t take care of them by myself, you and Gwenda could have stayed here.”

“We all have to do what we think is best, and I thought it best to take them back to Little Rock, away from the memories.”

“Was it best?”

“No. Turns out I was wrong, and that fact was made clearer to me a few minutes ago.”

Griffin knew it couldn’t have been easy for Henry to say that out loud. No man wanted to admit he’d been wrong, least of all, Henry Sealy.

“I’m sure we’d be happy to have you stay and I’m certain it’s best for Coral and Josie to have their grandparents close, but I’ll ask Laurel how she feels about it.”

“Ask me what?”

He glanced toward the hallway. Laurel carried dishes to set the table, and Gwenda followed with the silverware. “I’ve invited these two to stay with us for a while. Are you all right with that?”

Laurel set the plates and saucers onto the table, straightened and smiled broadly. “That’s wonderful. It will give us plenty of time to learn about one another. We can make more sugar cookies.”

“Thank you, Griffin.”

“You’re welcome. I should’ve put my foot down a year ago.”

Henry walked around the table, pulled Gwenda into his arms and wrapped her in a hug.

Pushing out of his arms, Gwenda put the knives and forks onto the table. “Now, shoo, we’ve got work to do and you two need to get out of the way.”

***

Once back in the kitchen, Laurel handed Gwenda a paring knife and the potatoes to peel and cut up. Laurel had set a pan of water on the stove to boil them. She turned to the chicken on the chopping block. Griffin had been kind enough to do the deed for her and sacrifice one of their hens for dinner. Taking a large butcher knife, she carefully cut it into pieces, remembering how her new husband had taught her to slice between the joints. Then she dipped the pieces in seasoned flour and put each piece into the bubbling oil. Gwenda had offered to make biscuits and gravy, so that was in the works as well.

When they’d settled into a routine, Laurel said, “I’m glad you’re going to stay with us for a while. I hope it turns into a very long time.”

“I’d like that, too.”

“Gwenda, something’s bothered me since I came here, and although we haven’t known each other but a couple of hours, I’m wondering if you can help me understand something.”

“I’ll try.”

“I’ve tried to figure out why you took Griffin’s children away from him. Why were you living hours away in Little Rock instead of here, when this house is certainly large enough to accommodate everyone?”

The woman kept her head down, methodically peeling one potato after the other. “It’s complicated, Laurel. Nothing is ever as simple as it seems on the surface. Has Griffin told you anything about Ora Lee?”

“A little. The subject upsets him so I haven’t pressed him further.” She took a large fork and checked each piece of chicken in the bubbling oil. They were sizzling in the grease but were still a light brown color. She knew the chicken pieces needed to brown more before she turned them. 

“I see.” Gwenda finished peeling the last potato and carried the bowl of cut pieces over to the pot of hot water. She set the kettle on to boil. Wistfully, she said, “Our daughter was a blessing to us. As a child, she had a mischievous personality and was always happy. We sent her to a finishing school back east so she’d have the advantages that weren’t available in Arkansas. As our only child, Henry wanted her to have every advantage.

“The summer Ora Lee came home was the summer Griffin came to us from Texas. He had come to learn some old techniques and share new ideas. I think he originally wanted to start his own company in the Piney Woods of Texas, but Henry talked him into relocating here. He was so full of life and ideas, it didn’t take long for Henry to make him a partner in the company. We thought of him as a son.”

Laurel took note of the pride in Gwenda’s voice. “I can see that.”

“His handsome good looks had us all captivated, and after a few months’ courtship, Griffin and Ora Lee married. It was then, I began to notice some changes in her personality. She’d write that everyone was against her and Griffin was mistreating her. We came to see for ourselves, but there was no evidence to support her rants.