Love Inspired Historical November 2014 (53 page)

“I thought you said life was hard,” Leah's voice almost accused.

He watched a pink flush fill her cheeks as she heard her own tone. Jake reached across and captured one of her hands. The palms were lightly callused, but not nearly as much as his own. “Life is what you make of it, Leah. It can either be filled with hardships and you never feel happiness, or it can be filled with hardships and you make your own happiness. I believe that's what my parents did. Life was hard, but they found pleasure in the simple things and taught my brother and me to do the same.”

Jake fell silent. In a way, he was talking to himself as well as her. It had been hard when his parents had died, but he and his brother had carried on with life. Now looking back, maybe he should have stayed around when John married Sally. What would life be like for him now, if he had? Sorrow at the lost years threatened to overtake him.

She tugged her hand free of his. “I suppose you are right.”

Jake couldn't let her go without bringing her spirits up. “Tell me, Leah. What did you do to have fun when you were a kid?”

Leah's eyes searched his face. “Promise not to laugh?”

He drew an
X
over his chest with his finger. “Cross my heart.”

A smile twitched her lips at his silly action. She took a deep breath and then blurted out, “We had books that we could look at and read. There was one full of pictures. Pictures of beautiful flowers and brightly colored birds. I think I read that book a million times and dreamed of the day I could plant a flower garden. I imagined that I'd have a home and could place those flowers about so that their beauty could be shared by everyone. And maybe, the beautiful birds would visit my yard, too.” She smiled at the mental image and then dropped her eyes back to the table.

A piece of Jake's heart went out to her. Someday he'd make sure that she got that flower garden. Until then, Jake vowed to give her joy in some form or fashion for as long as he lived. Not because he loved her; he refused to open his heart up to such hurt again but because it was the right thing for him to do as her husband.

She cleared her throat and stood up. “Well, I need to get some rest. I'll see you at breakfast.”

“Good night,” he called to her as she hurried from the kitchen. Jake pushed away from the table and headed toward the barn. Icy-cold wind hit him in the face as he crossed the yard. Leah's childhood had been hard. He hoped that she'd find an easier life with him and Molly.

He opened the door to the tack room and began working on a saddle strap as he worried. Maybe Leah would be better off finding a man who would love her instead of marrying him, a man who would never give her his heart.

Chapter Six

T
he next morning, Jake took his time feeding and watering the horses. After a restless night, he wasn't ready to face Leah. She deserved better than he was offering. A loveless marriage wasn't something every little girl dreamed of. They dreamed of love, flowers and, in Leah's case, colorful birds.

He'd mulled their conversation over in his mind. Not once had she mentioned love, but what little girl wouldn't want to be loved? And since she'd grown up without her parents' love, surely Leah would expect her husband to love her. Wouldn't she?

Jake's stomach growled, reminding him he'd had very little for dinner. It was time to go in. Time to face her. He opened the barn door and headed across the yard. He was thankful the snow and wind had let up. The sun shone brightly and the earth glistened with a fresh blanket of snow.

He pushed the front door open. Warm air kissed his cheeks. He pulled his coat off and hung it on one of the many hooks beside the door. His hat and gloves were pushed into the coat pockets.

“About time you got in here,” Mr. Frontz greeted from his place at the table.

Jake grinned as he crossed the room. “Was I holding you up?” he asked, slapping the older man on the back.

“Not me.” Mr. Frontz stuffed what remained of his biscuit into his mouth.

Everyone around the table was munching as if it were their last meal. “Doesn't look like anyone else waited for me, either,” Jake observed.

“Didn't say they did. Just said it's about time you got here.” Mr. Frontz buttered another biscuit.

Jake took his place at the table. Molly sat across from him, beside Leah this morning. The little girl wore a pink dress and the ribbon that she'd wanted to put on the snowman a few days ago. “That's a mighty pretty ribbon you're wearing, Molly.”

Molly looked across at him and beamed. She pointed at Leah as if to say the ribbon belonged to her.

Leah grinned down at the little girl. “Molly's borrowing it today.”

The little girl nodded and then went back to her breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage and biscuit.

Agnes asked, “What time are you two going to the homestead?”

Leah looked to him, also.

Jake answered, “I was thinking we might go after breakfast, if Leah still wants to.”

Molly bounced about on her seat with excitement. He'd told her the day before that she could go with them and now wished he hadn't. After his restless night, Jake wasn't sure it was still a good idea for Leah to marry him. He wanted to talk to her, in private. But, he'd already agreed and wouldn't stop the child from going now.

Leah's soft voice pulled him from his thoughts. “Maybe after I help Agnes with the dishes.”

Agnes flustered. “Nonsense! You did all of last night's dishes and made sure the men had something hot in their bellies before sending them to bed. You don't have to do dishes this morning, too.”

“I don't have to, but I'm going to.” Leah stared back at Mrs. Frontz, daring her to argue.

Jake focused on filling his plate with food while enjoying the women's standoff. Agnes pursed her lips and stared right back at her. Leah raised an eyebrow.

“Aw, Agnes, let the young woman help out if she wants to. What's it going to hurt?” Mr. Frontz asked, pushing away from the table.

The pony express riders seemed to be ignoring the events around them but Jake knew better. Ike grinned down at his breakfast, while Cole and Will stuffed their faces with food. Jake decided to mimic Cole and Will, and tucked into his own breakfast.

“Fine. But, I'll do the washing and you can do the drying,” Agnes agreed.

Leah turned her attention to Jake. “Molly and I will be ready in about an hour.”

The pony express riders pushed away from the table. “Thank you for the fine breakfast,” Will said for all three of them as they stomped out of the house.

Jake heard Mr. Frontz giving them chores out on the front porch. The sound of boots clomping off the steps told him the men were gone. He resumed eating. How was he going to talk to Leah about the fairness of his marriage offer if Molly came with them to the house?

He looked up and found Leah staring at him. Her eyebrow quirked up at him, much as it had with Agnes a few moments earlier. Had he missed something she'd said? Was she expecting him to say something?

* * *

Leah waited for him to respond. When it was obvious he wasn't going to she asked, “Well, is that acceptable for you?”

He waved his fork in the air. “Oh, sure. I'm sorry. I just assumed you'd know it was all right with me.”

“How would I know that? I don't know what your plans are for this morning.” She began picking up plates and stacking them.

Molly got down from her chair and carried her dolly to the couch. Mrs. Frontz scooped food onto a clean dish and headed up the stairs. “If you two will excuse me, I'm going to take Mr. Dalton his breakfast.”

Leah felt heat fill her cheeks. She'd forgotten all about the injured man. What was it about Jake that turned her brain to mush? Last night he'd wanted to talk about their childhoods. She'd hated telling him she'd grown up in the orphanage, and then when he'd lectured her on how to handle being alone all her life, she'd wanted to scream at him.

Thanks to him, she'd tossed and turned all night. Worry ate at her insides. What if he'd changed his mind about marrying her? Did he think she was too damaged to take care of Molly? That she wouldn't give Molly a happy childhood? Those questions and more had danced about her mind until she didn't think she could stand another moment of being idle and in bed.

Leah carried the dirty dishes to the kitchen and sat them on the counter. She picked up a damp rag and headed back to the table to wipe down the area where Mr. Frontz and the riders had eaten.

Jake stood as she entered the room. “I'll see you ladies in an hour. Do you want me to come inside and collect you? Or would you rather meet me out at the barn?” he asked.

“Maybe you should come get us. I don't want to interrupt your work,” Leah answered as she picked up his dishes.

His brown eyes looked troubled. Leah couldn't help but worry that he was having second thoughts. How could she convince him that she would be a good mother for Molly? And wife for him?

As soon as the dishes were done, Leah called Molly to her. “Are you ready to go look at our soon-to-be home? We can wait outside for Jake, if you want to.”

Molly grabbed her hand. A big smile graced the child's face. Leah followed as Molly tried taking two steps at a time going up the stairs for their coats, hats and gloves. Her tiny legs stretched till she almost lost her balance and fell back against Leah for support. They both laughed and Leah felt a lightening of her load. Could it be that the good Lord knew what she needed and had set her down right in the middle of it? She surely hoped so, and that is what she would cling to today. Hope.

Once they were outside, the sun shone and glistened on the snow but its rays warmed their faces, making the day seem warmer than it was. As they waited for Jake, Leah let Molly play in the fresh snow. The little girl started to build what looked like a small castle. Leah chuckled as Molly danced around it with glee.

Maybe Jake was right about hardships. Molly had lots to be sorrowful about, but instead she chose to play in the snow and dance.

“Has anyone ever told you that you have a pretty smile?” Jake asked as he crossed the yard.

At first Leah thought he was talking to her, but then she noticed his gaze was on Molly. The little girl ran to him and jumped into his waiting arms. He swung her around and then put her back down.

He turned to Leah. “Ready?”

The two of them looked at her. Matching smiles covered their faces. Leah had to admit they both had nice smiles. “Ready.”

Holding Molly's hand, Jake led them around the house. He traveled a snow-covered path. It took them about five minutes to arrive at a small log building.

Leah had seen it from the side of the house and thought that it was a storage building. She could see the small chimney puffing out white clouds of smoke. A chimney she hadn't noticed before.

“I know it doesn't look like much, but I can promise that it will be warm and dry and all ours.” He cast a worried glance over his shoulder at her.

“I'm sure it will be just fine,” Leah replied, praying she was telling the truth.

Jake lifted Molly and stomped up the two small porch steps. He opened the door and stepped back down the steps to allow Leah to pass. “Ladies first.”

Taking a deep breath, Leah entered the house. It was one room with two windows. The fireplace was off to the left, and when she turned to the right, she saw a small bed. She could see where fresh mud and grass had been pushed between the logs to shut out the cold air. A back door was the only other thing of interest in the small room. And she'd been worried about how to decorate it. Leah almost laughed at the thought.

The sound of his boots on the steps reminded her that she still stood in the doorway. After being in the main house, Leah felt cramped as she walked farther into the room. Where would she cook? Where would all three of them sleep? Questions swirled through her mind in quick succession.

Jake closed the door behind himself and Molly. Putting Molly down, he said, “Can you cook over the fireplace?”

Cook over the fireplace? The question echoed through her mind. She didn't know how to do much more than boil eggs on the stove in the house. Cook on a fireplace? What did that even mean?

“I, ah—” Those were the only two words she could get out and one of them was a sound, not a word. “I—”

Jake laughed. “I'll take that as a no. Don't worry, Agnes and I will teach you.”

Leah fought down the panic and turned her thoughts to another worrisome problem. “Where will we all sleep?”

Jake pointed to the bed. “I thought you and Molly could have the bed and I'll pull my cot in from the tool shed.”

Was the room big enough for both? She eyed the wall. “Maybe we can turn the bed against the back wall and put the cot on the other side?” It was more of a question than a statement.

Molly ran to the bed and bounced on the mattress. She smiled at them both.

“Molly likes it,” Jake said, sounding a little depressed.

Leah turned to face him. She plastered what she hoped was a bright smile and said, “Oh, I like it, too. There are just things that need to be worked out.” Like how to cook, where to sleep and where to put all their belongings. She didn't voice the last but they screamed through her mind, all the same.

“Good. I'm sure Agnes can help us figure out how to arrange things so we will have plenty of room.” He didn't sound sure.

Trying to sound confident, Leah asked, “Will you help me move the bed? And then we can see if the cot will fit.”

Jake nodded and walked to the small bed. “Hop down, little one.”

As soon as Molly moved from the bed, Jake pulled it around to fit the wall. “Oh, that opens it up a little. Don't you think?” He turned to her with hope in his expression.

It was going to be tight but Leah couldn't crush his hopes. “Yes, and we'll use under the bed to store our clothes and shoes.”

He nodded. “I could go get the cot, and Molly and I could start staying here tonight.” Jake looked to the little girl.

She surprised them both by running to Leah and shaking her head hard. Molly grabbed Leah's skirt and buried her face in the material.

Leah saw the hurt look cross Jake's face before he masked it. She bent down and pried Molly from her dress, remaining on eye level with her so she could clearly see the child's reactions. “Sweetie, are you afraid of your Uncle Jake?” Leah was pretty sure that wasn't the case, but she wanted to make it clear in Jake's mind that his niece didn't fear him.

Again Molly furiously shook her head. She leaned into Leah and wrapped her arms around Leah's neck.

Feeling as if she were going to be choked, Leah gently pulled away from the little girl. “Do you just want to stay with me until Uncle Jake and I get married?”

Jake knelt beside them. “You don't have to come live with me until you're ready,” he told Molly.

His eyes held Leah's and she felt as if he were speaking to her, too.

Molly reached out and touched Jake's face. She smiled as her hand connected with the afternoon stubble. Releasing Leah, Molly leaned over and hugged Jake.

He started to speak, then hesitated, apparently torn by conflicting emotions. “I know this house is small. If you would rather move back to Texas where I have a small farm, I'll let the Frontzs know that we'll be leaving in the spring. That's the soonest I'd feel comfortable leaving with the weather the way it is.”

Leah shook her head. “No, the house is fine.” Squatting on the floor like this, all three of them together, kind of made her feel like part of a family. Maybe a small house was what they needed to get to know each other better.

Molly pulled away from them and walked to the window.

Still kneeling beside her, Jake's gaze moved to the fireplace. “Are you sure? It won't be easy.”

Leah felt as if she understood his emotions. A week ago, he'd been a bachelor doing what he wanted. Now he was faced with having a daughter and a wife to take care of, not something he'd planned to do at this stage in his life.

Maybe she assumed too much. But Leah didn't think so. She'd never had male influences in her life, but she wanted one now and couldn't think of anyone she'd rather have than Jake.

“Easy or not, we're in this together.” Leah reached out and put her hand on his shoulder.

His returning grin set her heart to fluttering. Leah quickly jerked her hand away and stood up. As she turned to look at Molly, Leah mentally chanted,
I will not fall for his easy smile, I will not fall for his easy smile
.