The Romancing of Evangeline Ipswich (2 page)

“Evie!” Evangeline heard Shay call.

Looking across the street to the diner, Evangeline saw that Shay sat in conversation with Warren Ackerman—a little boy in town just a couple of years older than Shay.

“Warren and me are just sittin’ over here talkin’,” Shay called. “Is it okay if I stay with Warren a while longer? He say’s he’ll walk home with me and Molly.”

Evangeline giggled as she looked down to where Molly sat looking bored but patient at Shay’s feet. She shook her head, as ever astonished at the nonsense the poor old marmalade feline put up with.

“Yes, sweetheart,” Evangeline called. Her own smile broadened as Shay’s dark eyes lit up with delight. “But don’t linger too long, all right? Don’t let Kizzy and me start worrying about you.”

“I won’t,” Shay assured her older sister.

Evangeline giggled to herself as she watched Warren Ackerman’s face pink up with embarrassment when Shay linked her arm with his. It seemed Shay and Warren had been nearly inseparable at times—ever since they’d played the bride and groom in the Tom Thumb wedding presented to the townsfolk that past summer. They’d become fast friends, and Evangeline was glad her littlest sister didn’t want for companionship.

Exhaling a heavy sigh, Evangeline turned toward home. “Even my baby sister has a beau,” she mumbled to herself.

Inhaling a deep breath of fresh autumn air, however, Evangeline lifted her chin, straightened her posture, and started for home. After all, now that she’d made her decision, she had so much to do in preparing for her trip. First and foremost was telling her family about her plans.

Evangeline wondered how they would feel about it—about her agreeing to Jennie’s request that she come and stay with her until the baby was born sometime near the end of October. She wondered if they’d be upset with her for not having discussed it with them before she’d written to Jennie and promised that she would travel out to help her. Certainly she knew that Shay would be disappointed. Yet Calliope and Rowdy lived so close that Shay would never be too lonesome. And Shay did have her friend Warren to keep her company too. Furthermore, Amoretta and Brake would be moving back to Meadowlark Lake before the snows settled in. So between two older sisters, two brothers-in-law, and her father and mother, Shay would be more than attended to.

Of course, Kizzy was expecting a baby as well, and Evangeline had experienced a measure of guilt about leaving her. Yet Kizzy seemed as robust and as strong as ever. Therefore, Evangeline had little doubt that Kizzy would be fine, and she would have Amoretta and Calliope to watch over her. In any case, Jennie’s baby was due near to a month before Kizzy’s was. So there would be plenty of time for Evangeline to return home for Thanksgiving and the birth of her new little brother or sister, as well as the Christmas holidays.

Evangeline sighed with self-assurance that going to Jennie was the best venue before her. Jennie needed her help. Her family in Meadowlark Lake did not.

She glanced about then to the beauty of autumn all around her. The trees that dotted the main thoroughfare of Meadowlark Lake were already boasting colorful leaves of crimson and orange and gold. The pumpkins nestled betwixt the vines in the fields on the horizon just beyond town were already a beautiful orange where they lay. No doubt Meadowlark Lake’s annual pumpkin parade held on All Hallow’s Eve would be a breathtaking sight to behold. At the thought of missing the town’s All Hallow’s Eve social, a twinge of regret did indeed pinch Evangeline’s heart. But Jennie had assured Evangeline that autumn in Red Peak was just as lovely as in any other out west.

Therefore, she sighed with satisfaction in her decision to visit Jennie and continued to amble toward home.

“You’re back already, Evie?” Kizzy asked as Evangeline entered the house through the back kitchen door. “I thought you’d linger awhile with Mrs. Perry.”

Evangeline smiled as she studied her striking young stepmother a moment. Pregnancy only complemented Kizzy’s dark beauty—only made her dark eyes appear more mysterious and her lovely smile more soothing.

“We chatted for bit,” Evangeline explained. “But for some reason, I just wanted to get home.” She added, “And Shay wanted to stay and play with Warren for a little while. I told her it would be fine. I hope you don’t mind.”

Kizzy giggled, shaking her head with amusement. “Not at all. Shay certainly is sweet on that little boy, isn’t she?”

Evangeline laughed a little as well. “She certainly is,” she agreed.

Kizzy smiled at Evangeline and suggested, “Why don’t you sit down a bit and keep me company while I finish mixin’ this cake for dessert tonight, hmmm?”

“All right,” Evangeline agreed. She took a seat at the kitchen table, exhaling a rather weary-sounding sigh as she did so.

Kizzy Ipswich’s eyes narrowed as she studied Evangeline. There was a growing unhappiness in Lawson Ipswich’s eldest daughter. Kizzy had watched it spread through her countenance for past six months or so, and she sensed what was causing it—though she did not know how to stop it. She knew
what
would stop it but not how to make the
what
happen.

Evangeline’s history was somewhat a sad one. Her mother, Lawson’s first wife, had passed away when Evangeline was only twelve. And as nearly always happened in such situations, Evangeline began to be the one to care for her two younger sisters, Amoretta and Calliope. Forced into being a woman with responsibility at such a young age had stripped Evangeline of most of the carefree and pleasurable parts of adolescence and young-womanhood. Furthermore, the loss of her mother and consequent load of responsibility had left its mark on her heart and soul as well.

Of course, Amoretta and Calliope were also devastated by the death of their mother. But they had been younger than Evangeline—still children—and had not borne the brunt of effect that Evangeline had. And now Evangeline sat at the kitchen table, knowing that both her younger sisters had met, fallen in love with, and married astonishingly handsome men who were strong, loving, and thoroughly obsessed with their wives. Even her own father had fallen in love with Kizzy—and, in marrying her, acquired another daughter who was young and fresh and vibrant. And there was the baby on the way—another joy her father would know that Evangeline could not yet imagine herself being blessed with.

Oh, the girl wasn’t bitter—not in the least of it—a fact that spoke to Kizzy of Evangeline’s high character and strong heart. But a nearly tangible sense of disappointment and heightening unhappiness had begun to settle around her like a veil of lost hope, and it worried Kizzy.

“What’s eatin’ at your thoughts, Evie?” Kizzy asked then. She chose that moment to finally inquire of Evangeline about her feelings, because the two of them were alone in the house. She knew it would be easier for Evangeline to express concerns or deep feelings then, as opposed to when her father and Shay were present.

Evangeline shrugged. “Oh, nothing so much as is worth discussing now, I don’t think.”

But Kizzy smiled. “Tell me, Evie. What’s in your mind?”

Evangeline’s heart began to race with anxiety as the idea settled in her that perhaps she should confide in Kizzy. After all, Kizzy was a wise woman—far wiser than most women of her young age. By past experience, Evangeline had come to know that it was often very sensible and helpful to confide in Kizzy. Furthermore, it was well Kizzy knew Evangeline’s father and how he would feel and react to certain things.

And so in an instant Evangeline decided to leap and said, “I’ve written Jennie and told her I would travel to be with her until the baby arrives. She’s terribly worried, especially now that the doctor has put her to bed for the remainder of her time. I plan to leave next week—to have someone drive me up to Langtree where I can board the train to Red Peak to be with Jennie.”

She watched as Kizzy continued to stir the cake batter in the bowl she had propped in one arm. Her heart hammered with trepidation as she waited for Kizzy’s response.

Thankfully, Kizzy responded quickly by smiling and saying, “I think it’s a wonderful idea, Evie! You need to get away from Meadowlark Lake for a while, I think. And your friend Jennie…well, it sounds like she certainly needs help, not to mention some extra companionship. I imagine it’s quite a miserable thing to be put to bed for over a month.”

All at once, Evangeline’s heart leapt with excitement. “Oh, Kizzy, really? Do you really think I should go? I mean, I’ve already written to her and told her that I would, but I’ve been so afraid to tell everyone…especially Daddy. But if
you
think it’s wise for me to go, then all my fears will be settled.”

Kizzy smiled and nodded her reassurance as she said, “I
do
think you should go, Evie. There’s nothing here for you at the moment. You need an adventure of sorts. And though I do admit some concern over the fact that you will be servin’ someone again—for it seems you’ve done that at every turn—I do think you need somethin’ different for now.” Kizzy paused, quirked one eyebrow, and added, “Now as for your father—mind you, he might not be as sure as I am that you need to go, but I’ll explain things to him, and he’ll come around. So no worries there. Though I do think you should talk to him right away about it.”

“Oh, I will!” Evangeline exclaimed. The joy at knowing Kizzy approved of her decision sparked sheer delight in her at the prospect of leaving Meadowlark Lake for a while and seeing Jennie again. “We were such good friends as girls, Jennie and I,” Evangeline told Kizzy. “The fun we used to have!” She giggled and added, “And the mischief we used to get into! I think we must’ve driven our mothers nearly mad with our antics.” She sighed, saddened at the memory of the loss of her mother. “Of course, that was before…before…”

“Before your mother passed away and you stepped into the responsibilities left by her absence,” Kizzy finished.

“Yes,” Evangeline admitted. Quickly, however, she countered, “Not that I minded at all, Kizzy…truly! I loved caring for Amoretta and Calliope. It’s just that…well, I miss being young and carefree the way Jennie and I were when we were children.”

“Well, you’re still very young, Evangeline Ipswich,” Kizzy reminded.

But Evangeline countered, “I’m old enough that Floyd Longfellow thinks I’d make a good mother for his little girls.”

Kizzy rolled her eyes and laughed. “Ha! Floyd Longfellow doesn’t care about you being a mother for his girls. He’s just smitten by your youth and beauty, Evangeline. The motherin’ of his girls is the last thing on his mind where you’re concerned.” Kizzy shook her head and said, “And besides, once you’re gone off to Red Peak to Jennie, Floyd will start pantin’ over Blanche Gardener, Winnie Montrose, or some other pretty young thing in town. So don’t let the fact that an older man is sweet on you start you to thinkin’ you’re too old for the likes of the young bucks.” Kizzy smiled and winked at Evangeline. “But I will tell you this,” she began. “When the day comes that one of them young bucks comes along and captures your attention, Evie…you’re gonna need to let him know he’s got it.”

“What do you mean?” Evangeline asked—for she was a bit confused by Kizzy’s instruction.

“I mean that you’re a unique beauty, my darlin’,” Kizzy explained, “the kind of beauty that good, humble men are afraid to pursue.”

But Evangeline sighed with disagreement. “Now I
know
you and Daddy have been talking about me…because that’s what he always tells me.”

“Well, he tells you that because it’s the truth,” Kizzy said. “Men of good character and heroic hearts tend to have very humble souls, Evie. They tend toward thinkin’ they’re not good enough for a raven-haired beauty with deep emerald eyes and a name like Evangeline Ipswich.”

Evangeline giggled and shook her head with amusement. “A raven-haired beauty with deep emerald eyes, am I?”

“Yes. You are,” Kizzy confirmed. She inhaled a breath of determination and continued, “For instance, your newest brother-in-law…how long did he pine away after your sister Calliope, thinkin’ he wasn’t worthy of her, hmm? A long time, I think. And it’s worse with you, because your features are dark and mysterious. It intimidates some men.”

As Evangeline’s deep emerald eyes met Kizzy’s deep brown ones, she suddenly understood what Kizzy was expressing. “You’re speaking from your own experience, I would guess,” she offered.

“Yes,” Kizzy answered, “though I never saw myself as some great beauty—or even a simple beauty. Pshaw, I always said. I think it was merely that I’m dark-haired and dark-eyed, with gypsy blood in my veins that the sort of men I was attracted to never approached me. Still, your father argues otherwise with me.” Kizzy smiled, blushed a little, and almost whispered, “But your father wasn’t afraid of me…not in any regard.” Quickly she added, “Yet I
did
have to encourage him for some reason. And that’s why I’m tellin’ you, Evie. When there finally arrives a man that captures your eye—and therefore your heart—you must give confidence to him. Let him know that you’re wantin’ his attention.”

Evangeline mulled over what Kizzy had told her, but only for an instant before she said, “Well, that’s neither here nor there anyway. I’m going up to be with Jennie. And besides, I’m sure there are even fewer eligible young men in Red Peak than there are here in Meadowlark Lake.” Evangeline frowned, shook her head, and waved a hand as if dismissing her thoughts. “I need to go to Jennie. That’s why I’m going.”