Singing Heart (25 page)

She also found several cast iron skillets and a beautiful set of china dishes with bluebirds hand painted on them. It brought such a wave of nostalgia over her for a moment that tears stung her eyes. Her mother had a set of these same dishes. She finished cleaning the storage area then washed the dishes lovingly. She looked exhausted. Dirt smudged her cheeks and apron. But she couldn’t stop now. Both men had helped her willingly but they were antsy to get outdoors. She had them stock the pantry with all the supplies from the wagon with what they had already had available. Then she took note of what she could throw together to feed them all and pushed the men out the door to let her make the meal in peace.

There was no sense in just cooking for two when it would be the same work to cook for them all and less cleanup. She shuddered to think of Jeb or Robert in the kitchen after she had cooked and cleaned for the day. The aroma that wafted out to the hungry men made them salivate. It was a slow torture. Several hours passed before she stepped out on the porch her hair freshly brushed, face and hands scrubbed pink to announce;

“
Dinner’s ready. Wash up.”

They all groaned. Jeb muttered under his breath. But they headed for the horse watering trough out back appearing a few minutes later in the doorway eyes bulging in wonder at the veritable feast she had laid out on the sideboard and the china dishes on the table. Jeb hadn’t seen a meal like this since his Maggie died. Even Sean’s culinary skills only extended to soup, chili or a rabbit stew. This was like going to heaven. Homemade biscuits, beef steaks grilled with green peppers and onions, freshly sliced tomatoes, topped off by a fresh peach cobbler. She had made coffee for after dinner but for now she made them drink water which she claimed helped the digestion.

They didn’t argue. At this point they would have drank mud if it made her happy to taste the fare spread before them. All of the men looked a little lost when they saw the dishes. Used to taking turns and eating right out the pot, fine bone china was a mystery that seemed too fancy not to mention fragile. None of the silverware matched but it was all sparkling clean. She took pity on them and fixed their plates serving each one of them. They ate with relish like starving orphans. She knew they would be hungry but was shocked when they finished every last morsel stuffing themselves like this was their last meal and they didn’t want to waste a crumb.

She refrained from commenting not sure whether to be disgusted by their piggish appetites or pleased that they obviously appreciated the meal to eat so heartily. She began clearing the table silently washing the dishes while the men stretched out in front of the fireplace discussing the farm. She listened disinterestedly until Sean began to discuss his plot of land. Evidently he had begun making plans to cut the wood in the hills nearby to build a house. When he described the interior her heart caught in her throat. It was her house. The one she had always wanted. With wall to wall bookshelves that ran from floor to ceiling on either side of the fireplace. A storm shelter, basement for storage, even a small nursery off of the master bedroom so a newborn could be close by without having to share the parent’s domain.

Everything she had ever mentioned had stuck in his head. She didn’t know if he wanted the house for himself because he was so impressed with her ideas or if he wanted to build it for her. She had no intention of becoming his wife for real. But she was touched that he wanted to build her dream home here in this beautiful untamed land. It was a monumental feat. It couldn’t be erected in a few days or weeks like the log cabins that sprung up every where were. Each piece of wood had to be cut, trimmed, fitted and someone would have to figure out the dimensions and make blueprints for it to be built. Some of the furnishings would have to be purchased in England or France then be shipped out west which might be a lengthy and expensive venture. It would take more than a few weeks to complete. There was no way Sean could afford it. Even though he had the wood to build the place with for free.

Jeb scratched his head thoughtfully loading his pipe. Evidently he had the same reflection.

“
Now Sean whut your describing is a mansion. Ya think Maggie an me wanted to live the rest of our lives in a place this small? We jest never had time once we got here ta stop working the crops long enough ta build on.”

Sean shook his head. “I’ve thought about it all Uncle Jeb. Even if you and Robert could help me and I know you can’t because you don’t have time, it would be more than just three could handle. I have a little money saved up but it isn’t enough. I have to find a way to make more somehow. A lot of it quick.”

Jeb snickered. “Good luck! Boy, you best build you and yer missus a little shack like this fore the snow flies agin. You don’t want to find yerself in that barn with a freezing woman an a screaming brat.”

Xzan was shocked by his bluntness. Even though she and Sean were only pretending to be married she was affronted by his low opinion of the union and the children they might have. She interrupted hotly drying her hands on the back of her apron.

“
Sean has no intention of having to live in the barn Mr. Fenierre. And if we have a child someday he certainly would see to it that none of us froze.”

She turned her face to her pretend husband.

“
How much money do you need?”

He shrugged. “I think to do it the right way, hire hands, feed them while their here, the things I’d have to order and have shipped it would be close to three thousand dollars. “

Jeb snorted. “I make thirty two dollas a year workin this land. That jest barely keeps us alive. It’s back breaking work from sun up ta sun down. If’un ya made that much which ya couldn’t cuz yer don’t have that much land to plant on and ya saved ever penny it would tek half yer lifetime to put that kind of money togetha. Ya best be realistic. Take whut yer can get and be grateful ta have a roof over yer head.”

Xzan fumed inwardly. She had money. Sean wasn’t even aware of how much. It had never really meant anything to her till now. She had taken it for granted. Knowing it would last her the rest of her life and that she was a hard worker with the earning capacity to make money teaching school or doing an honest days work wherever she found it. What Sean needed was a pittance compared to the small fortune she had in the bank in England. She mentally calculated how much she had in cash stashed away in numerous hiding places. Five or six times more than what Uncle Jeb made in a year. Hoarded unknown all of them in her petticoats, the hem of her cloak and in cash in her reticule. She reached out and squeezed Sean’s muscular shoulder encouragingly.

“
If you had the money how long would it take to get everything done?”

He sighed. “I’m not sure. May be 6-8 months.”

She beamed happily. “Just in time for Christmas. It will take me about two weeks to have the funds approved by the bank in Angel City. You get started ordering everything you need.”

Robert who had dozed off by the hearth came abruptly awake when Jeb lost his balance in his chair and fell flat on his back howling in pain. The look of shock on his face was priceless. Sean was dumbstruck. Turning around he put his hands around her tiny waist pulling her close to peer seriously in her face.

“
You have that kind of money?”

“
More if you need it. It isn’t doing any good sitting around that musty old bank in England. If you want the house it’s yours.”

He didn’t know what to think or to say. He wanted to build the house for her. On one hand he was thrilled to be able to make her dreams come true, on the other he had wanted to do it for her and that mean finding a way to come up with the money himself. After what Jeb had said he realized it would take a miracle to ever come up with that kind of money alone. With her money it would become a reality not just a hope for the future. His fingers tightened perceptibly.

“
Are you sure you want to do this? I mean that’s a lot of money Xzan. It could last you for years.”

Jeb who had righted his chair was rubbing his head. “Boy it’s yer money now. What’s hers is yers. If yer wantin to spend it on a dadburned house do it. If'n was me I’d be sittin purty the rest of ma life. Right here in this little cabin. Wouldn’t be breaking ma back frettin over the weather and the pest worryin it will destroy ma crops.”

Xzan glared at him. “It’s not just a house Mr. Fenierre. It’s a home. The reason men break their backs is to live in a home with their families. Come on Sean I’m through with the dishes. Let’s go make a list of what we’ll need. Tomorrow you can take me to town and I’ll see Mr. Gaston at the bank.”

He followed her glancing over his shoulder at the two men by the fireplace. Jeb was scowling. Robert’s eyes twinkled in amusement. He saluted his cousin teasingly. Sean chuckled trying to catch up with the unpredictable lady ahead. She held her tiny regally as a queen marching as if in to battle in the barn.

******

The trip into town was uneventful, as was the ride home. They returned by nightfall with even more supplies to stock the larder with now that she knew what the men would eat and how much. She didn’t cook the evening meal still angry at Jeb’s rude comments the night before. She thought it might do them some good to realize she wasn’t required to cook for them. To their knowledge Sean was her husband. She didn’t have to take care of anyone’s needs but his. It would make them appreciate her when she did cook again. One thing she had decided was that she wouldn’t be taken for granted or become a slave to the three men. She didn’t mind looking out for Sean, they were in this together, but the other two needed to do some serious changing of their ways. She took some dried jerky, bread and cheese up to the loft. Last night Sean had slept behind the bed on the cold floor a gentleman in every sense of the word. Tonight she felt it was only fair to switch places. They both had to work hard so they should be equally rested.

He was seeing to the horses still. She really wanted a bath. The road had been dusty and washing up in a basin of cold water just didn’t appeal to her. But she was too tired to boil the water and tote it up the stairs one bucketful at a time. She ate sparingly. No really that hungry. Tired to the bone. Lying back on the quilts thinking that she’s just rest for a few minutes. She fell asleep instantly. Sean found her that way a little while later. Her incredibly long hair had fallen loose from its bun covering the pillow like a dark fluffy cloud.

Black curly eyelashes fanned pale cheeks. She looked so small and fragile. He sat down beside the bed just looking at her absently chewing on the bread she had laid out on a plate. He could have gazed at her forever. She was so beautiful. He wished she really were her wife. He longed to explore that dainty mouth, trace the delicate outline of her nose and kiss those rosebud lips. To rest his cheek against those creamy breast. It was funny. He ached to make love to her but even in his thoughts he couldn’t allow himself to think about getting too intimate. He venerated her too much.

He’d had been intimate with several women. It was incredible. But he hadn’t felt for them the way she made him feel. She was more than just a soft body to fantasize about. He had loved her at first sight for so long it was hard to remember a time when he hadn’t loved her. He wasn’t a boy anymore. Even thought Jeb referred to him as one. He was 17 years old. A man. He could hunt, fish, work the land, build a home, shoe a horse, cook his own grub, outfight just about any man, and pleasure a woman. He knew he’d make a good father when the time came and right now he was certain the lady he had to convince of that would make a wonderful mother.

He wanted to be a good husband to her. It was his goal to build her dream home so that she would never want to leave. He hoped that their close proximity and the shared ups and downs would endear him to her and allow her to open her eyes seeing more than just a little brother. For now she needed to rest. She had been through a lot of excitement and changes the past few days. The money had been a surprise. She could afford to have anything she chose. Out in the middle of nowhere there was no place to buy that wasn’t falling down. There really was nowhere she could go. She had given him the money to build a house she had no intention of sharing except temporarily. He had a feeling that once it was built she wouldn’t be able to resist moving in to it and staying for a long time. He had a few surprises of his own.

******

The summer swelled around them, the heat was so intense that they wet themselves clothes and all in the creek nearby before beginning the day’s activities. They all worked as long as they could in the blistering sun, skipping breakfast and lunch. Then by mid afternoon when it was so too sweltering to breathe they’d drag in the house to cool down and eat ravenously. When it cooled a bit in the evening they’d go back to the fields and work until they couldn’t see anymore.

As promised Sean continued helping his Uncle harvest his crops. But in the distance they could hear the shouts of men hard at work cutting down trees, sawing logs, building his dream. Every night Sean took a quick dip in the creek letting the air dry his clothes as he went anxiously to check on their progress. He never let Xzan accompany him. Even though it was her money that had enabled him to build it. He wanted her to see the finished product. She was dying of curiosity. But she hadn’t tried to sneak a peak.

It was bigger than even he had visualized. The frame was in place and part of the walls were erected. He’d had them face it towards the creek which he felt was the prettiest view. It was set in a clearing with trees behind the house and farther in the distance a gorgeous backdrop of lush green hills. On the opposite side of the creek was Uncle Jeb’s cabin. Though divided by several acres the whitewashed crumbling cabin in comparison would be an eyesore. It would also remind them that they weren’t totally alone in a country where the land seemed go on forever.