Emily Jane stared down at the man sitting at her kitchen table. Calm blue eyes looked up at her. There was no anger in their depths, only understanding. What did he have to be understanding about? Hadn’t he just accused her of not caring about the girls’ welfare with his actions? Or had she misread his motivation for picking up the girls and taking them into the house?
“I don’t think you meant to harm the girls, Emily Jane. But I also don’t think you thought your actions through. A mother fox isn’t something to trifle with.” He folded his hands in his lap and looked back at her.
She sat down in the chair opposite him. “Look, I know that the mother fox isn’t around. I would never have let the girls play with the fox pups if I thought she was.”
“I know that. I simply reacted. I’m sorry.” He continued to hold her gaze.
“I’m sorry, too.”
The girls stood holding on to the rim of the tub looking at the adults. Emily Jane would never hurt Rose or Ruby. William was right; if the mother fox had returned, the little girls might have been injured.
Emily Jane turned her attention back to him. “I won’t let them play together anymore.”
William’s smile warmed her heart. “I didn’t say they couldn’t play together, but I would like to wait a few days and make sure their mother isn’t going to return before they do.”
“Aren’t you going to tell me to put them back where I got them from?”
He laughed. “Would you do it?”
A smile tugged at her lips. “Nope.”
The front door opened, and Anna Mae called out that she was home. Emily Jane answered her call and then stood up. “I best get supper on the table.” She walked to the basin and washed her hands.
“What do you think Anna Mae will say about your fox pups?” William whispered across the room.
Emily Jane did her best Anna Mae schoolteacher imitation. She put one hand on her hip and shook the other one at him. “If you think those nasty fox cubs are coming in this house, you better think again.” Then she giggled.
“What fox cubs?” Anna Mae demanded from the doorway.
William’s rich laughter washed over Emily Jane like warm summer rain over the tulips. She wanted to bask in the sound of it. By not telling her she’d have to get rid of the fox pups, William Barns had endeared himself to her just a little bit.
The next morning, the bell jingled over William’s head as he entered the general store. His boots sounded loud on the wood floor. It wasn’t a large store, but it did have most of what the town needed. Unlike his store in Denver. His store had grown as his business had grown.
Carolyn looked up from where she stood behind the counter. Dark circles under her eyes told the tale of a sleepless night. “Good morning.” She stifled a yawn.
“Good morning. Little Wilson having trouble sleeping?” William asked as he walked behind the counter and pulled a green apron from a hook underneath it.
She offered him a weak smile. “Afraid so. My little fella had a tummy ache last night.”
William tied his apron on. “Is he sleeping now?”
Carolyn nodded and yawned again.
“Why don’t you try to take a nap, too? The store is quiet, and I can always call up the stairs if I need to.” He picked up a dust rag and headed to the canned-goods shelf.
“You don’t mind?” she asked, pulling her own apron off and stuffing it under the counter.
William smiled at her. In the past few months he’d had his share of sleepless nights due to babies wanting to doze in the day and be up at night. “Not at all.”
“All right, then. Wilson and Pa are over at the Crawford ranch. They should be back shortly. Thanks, William.” She yawned again, gave a weak wave and opened the door behind the counter that led to their living quarters.
The store seemed quiet once she’d gone. William walked about studying the shelves. They didn’t seem very full. Was it because people had made a lot of purchases? Or were the Moores having financial problems that prevented them from restocking the shelves? How could he find out without hurting their pride? A man didn’t meddle in another man’s affairs. He’d make it a matter of prayer, and the Lord would work it out. He had no doubt of that.
He dusted the cans and shelves while his mind worked. He had his own life to figure out. He needed direction. A plan. He liked knowing a bit about his future, and he wasn’t afraid of hard work. In fact, he welcomed it. There was nothing more satisfying than accomplishing something and seeing a job well done. So, what was he going to do? That was the question uppermost in his mind at the moment. If the Moores were in financial trouble, would they allow him to help them out? His mercantile had sold for a nice sum of money. Maybe Wilson would be interested in a partnership. If not, should he consider starting another business here in Granite?
Excitement coursed through him. It felt good to consider his options. For months now, he’d lived from moment to moment, without time or strength to think or plan ahead. The twins took every minute of his time, and he fell into bed exhausted each night. But now, with Emily Jane’s help, he had time to think on things, and that was important to him.
For the first time in a while, William found himself totally alone in his thoughts. He had needed this time for himself. A broom rested next to the end of the shelf he was dusting. William picked it up and headed to the front with it. He’d sweep the boardwalk and think there.
He opened the door and stepped out into the warm sunshine. The posters he’d put up a couple of days before hung in the breeze. William reached up and pulled one down. Emily Jane had agreed to watch the girls until Josiah returned, so he no longer needed the posters.
Crumpling the papers, William stuck both into his apron pocket. The broom swished the dirt about as he continued to sweep. The sun warmed his neck and shoulders.
“Good morning, Mr. Barns,” a young voice called as Amos ran up the sidewalk.
“Good morning, Amos. What’s the rush?”
“I was stopping by to see if you all had any deliveries for me.”
“Not this morning,” William answered, resting on his broom.
“All right. Thanks.” Amos stuck his hands in his pockets and continued down the boardwalk. His shoulders drooped, and his boots kicked at small pebbles as he left.
The first thing William decided to do was give Amos a more permanent job, once he decided on a business to open in Granite. He looked to the broom in his hand. “Hey, Amos!” he called after the boy.
Amos turned and returned to him. “What can I do for you, Mr. Barns?”
“Well, I was hoping you would finish sweeping up here for me. I just remembered I do have an order in the store that will need to be delivered.” William handed his broom to the nodding boy.
“Be glad to. Thank you, sir.” Amos grinned as he swept at the boards.
William reentered the store. The bell jingled over his head. He began gathering up cleaning supplies. His place needed a good cleaning. He’d send the stuff to Emily Jane with a note asking her to keep them at her place until he got off work. The smile grew on his face as he wrote out the order. Amos would earn a little money this morning, and he’d have a cleaner home tomorrow morning.
Emily Jane sat on her front porch with a bowl of dried beans in her lap. She brushed the hair from her forehead and smiled. The laundry was done. The babies were all fed, clean and napping. The warm scent of bread baking coming through the open window gave her a sense of great accomplishment.
She picked a rock from the beans and tossed it into the yard. Her gaze moved to the little wooden box at her feet where the two fox cubs slept. Would the men in town truly be upset if they discovered she kept baby foxes? If they were anything like her pa, they would be.
Mrs. Green’s dog barked. Emily Jane looked up to see Amos coming down the street carrying a large box. He seemed to be heading to her house. She frowned. She hadn’t bought anything from the general store that needed to be delivered.
“Good morning, Miss Rodgers. Mr. Barns asked me to drop this box off at your house and said he’d pick it up when he comes to get the girls.” Amos set the box on the porch.
“Oh, I see. Well, thank you, Amos, for bringing it over. Would you like a cookie or two?” She gave him a smile, knowing he’d jump at the chance to have fresh cookies.
He nodded. “Thank you.”
“Good. I’ll be right out with the cookies.” Picking up the bowl of beans, she continued on inside. First, she checked on the girls. They were curled together like a couple of sleeping puppies. Each had thrust a thumb into her mouth. The desire to reach down and wipe the soft curls from their foreheads overwhelmed her. Resting the bowl of beans on her hip, Emily Jane gave in to the urge and did just that.
Rose smiled in her sleep; Ruby scowled. So much alike and yet, so different. She ran a finger across Ruby’s soft brow, easing the frown away.
Careful not to wake them, Emily Jane went to check on her bread. She set the beans down on the table beside the cooling loaves. She’d made two extra for William and the girls, knowing he wasn’t much of a cook. Or at least, he didn’t seem to be.
Taking a dipper of cold water from the bucket, Emily Jane made a glass for herself and one for Amos. She sipped at the cool liquid, then put several cookies into a cloth for Amos and his family to eat later. Then she chose two more for Amos to munch on now. Emily Jane put everything onto a tray and carried it all back outside.
“Here, let me help you with that.” Amos hurried up the steps and took the tray from her.
Emily Jane turned and shut the door behind her so as not to wake the girls with their conversation. “I decided your family might like a few cookies, too. I hope you don’t mind taking them home to your mother.” She smiled at Amos and returned to her chair.
“Oh, thank you. I’m sure the kids will love them.” He sat down on the porch step. “I can’t stay long. I’m hoping Mr. Westland has a delivery or two for me to do today.” He handed her her glass of water and stuffed a whole cookie into his mouth.
Emily Jane hid her grin behind her glass. Amos was a good boy, and she liked his mother, too. When he’d finished his snack and ambled back down the road, she glanced into the box that he’d set down earlier. A turkey feather duster, sponges, sulfur soap, borax and a washboard rested inside.
It was obvious that William had plans of deep cleaning his new house.
Emily Jane rose and returned to the kitchen. She rinsed the beans several times. She could always tell when cooked beans hadn’t been washed really well. They had a dirt taste to them. Tonight she’d set them to soak and tomorrow they’d be ready to cook. A small hunk of salt pork added to them and a cake of corn bread would make a great meal. She couldn’t wait till the people with gardens started bringing in fresh vegetables to sell. Sliced cucumber, tomatoes and baby onions would taste so good.
With the beans setting on the table, she headed back to the sitting room to check on the girls. They still slept peacefully, but it would soon be time to wake them. Until then, Emily Jane tiptoed past them and hurried out the back door. She checked the ends of the sheets for dryness, then pulled them from the clothesline.
She carried them to each bedroom and dumped the correct set on the beds. First she made up Anna Mae’s, then her own.
Straightening from smoothing the bedsheet, she smiled intentionally. Perhaps tomorrow she’d check on the little girls’ beds and wash their sheets, as well. In fact, it wouldn’t hurt to check on them now.
Emily Jane tiptoed back through the sitting room, out the front door. She picked up William’s box and crossed the street. Would he be upset if she used the products he’d ordered to clean his house?