Theodore walked out of the house, shaking his head and muttering under his breath. Normally, stepping outside into the fresh air calmed him and helped him find peace. Now, it didn’t do anything to quiet the million thoughts that bounced around inside his mind. His heart raced, and he couldn’t shake the picture of Isabel standing in front of the mirror in her dress. She had taken him completely by surprise.
He shoved his hands in his pockets, feeling like an idiot.
I just agreed to take her to a dance. What in the world was I thinking? he asked himself.
The idea of being in a crowded room with a lot of other people made his head ache. He had never really learned to socialize and didn’t enjoy it.
Shaking his head, he still tried to figure out why he said he would go to the dance. He could have told her that she could go with Abigail and Mick and that he would stay home with the baby. Theodore almost turned around, went back into the house, and told her that. He honestly couldn’t explain what stopped him.
Instead, Theodore headed toward the corral, thinking he would take a ride on Remington to clear his mind. His toe caught a loose rock, and out of frustration, he kicked it with a little more force than was necessary, sending it skittering across the land.
Groaning inwardly, he saw Jacob leaning against the coral fence, taking a break.
The foreman looked at Theodore, raised his eyebrows, and asked, “What’s wrong? You look like you’ve been sucking on a lemon.”
Frowning, Theodore shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest. “Nothing.”
“It doesn’t look like nothing to me,” Jacob said. “Your face is as red as a branding iron. What’s got you all worked up?”
Theodore growled, knowing that Jacob wouldn’t let it go. He said, “I just agreed to take Isabel to the dance St. Mary’s church is hosting.” His voice was low as though he was telling a secret.
Jacob’s eyes widened. “The dance? You agreed to go to the dance?” he asked in disbelief. “Do you even know how to dance?”
Theodore glared at him. “Not really. I don’t plan on dancing, anyway. I just… Well, it seemed like the right thing to do when she asked me to go. You should have seen the look on her face.”
The foreman pushed his lips out and rubbed his beard. “I must say that I’m a little surprised. When she first got here, you treated her like she was lower than a snake’s belly and vowed that you wouldn’t have anything to do with her. Now, you’re agreeing to take her to a dance?”
Theodore’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t say anything. He didn’t really understand the situation himself, which was why he had wanted to go for a ride in the first place. A few weeks ago, he wouldn’t have agreed to go, and she wouldn’t have dared to ask. He needed a moment of peace to think about everything.
He hadn’t been looking for a real marriage when he posted the ad in the paper and still wasn’t. The last thing Theodore wanted or needed were the complications, feelings, or expectations that such a relationship would entail. He was very satisfied with the friendship that he and Isabel had formed.
Jacob watched the expression flash across Theodore’s face.
“Are you warming up to her then?” he asked cautiously.
Theodore hesitated for a minute and said, “She’s become a friend, and I respect her.”
Jacob didn’t say anything. He just looked at Theodore, dumbfounded.
Running his fingers through his hair, he sighed heavily. “Maybe. I don’t know what in tarnation I’m doing. But when she asked me to go, I didn’t have it in me to say no.”
Nodding, Jacob smiled. “She’s a good woman, Theodore. I wasn’t so sure about her when she first got here, but she’s proven herself.”
“I guess. You know I haven’t gone out to socialize in a very long time, and that was at the saloon. I’ve never been to a dance.”
“Just take everything one step at a time,” Jacob advised.
“Yeah, I guess, but this seems like one heck of a first step,” Theodore muttered.
The night that Theodore had been dreading arrived. He had constantly been trying to find a way to get out of going, but he couldn’t come up with a good excuse.
As he stood looking in the mirror in the hall, messing with the collar of the shirt that Isabel had ironed for him, he felt the knot in his stomach tighten.
What was I thinking? I can’t believe I actually agreed to go to the dance with her.
He stared at his image in the mirror, which reflected his anxiety. His hair was neatly combed, and he had trimmed his beard. He looked presentable for the occasion—not that he cared what other people thought. He shocked himself when he realized that he did care what Isabel thought.
Tugging at the collar of his shirt, he shook his head. The idea of being around so many people made his stomach hurt. He had never enjoyed being in crowds, trying to make small talk and be sociable. That just wasn’t the kind of man he was.
He took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves.
Maybe it’s not too late to change her mind. Isabel might not mind if we stayed home instead of driving the wagon all the way into town, mingling with a bunch of people she doesn’t know, and then coming back, he thought. If I say it that way, maybe she’ll be okay with staying home.
Theodore turned away from the mirror and walked into the kitchen, ready to suggest that they not go to the dance. However, the words died in his throat as he walked into the room.
Isabel had her back to him as she fussed with something on the counter. She wore the new dress she had made, and it fit her perfectly. The dress highlighted her figure, which made his breath catch in his throat.
She turned around and smiled at him. Blushing, she played with the delicate chain she wore around her neck. Isabel had taken a lot of care in fixing her hair. Golden curls framed her face, and the blue dress set off her blue eyes. A warmth briefly coursed through him as he looked at his beautiful wife.
“Are you ready?” she asked.
Her eyes were sparkling, and she was clearly excited.
Despite his determination to cancel on her a few minutes ago, he nodded. “Yes. I think I hear Jacob now.”
Jacob had agreed to watch Timmy for the evening. The man was still amused that Theodore had agreed to go to the dance with Isabel. He also told Theodore he was proud of him for getting off the ranch. “It’s about time you went to town for some other reason besides supplies.”
“I’ve got the wagon already hitched up,” Theodore said.
Jacob knocked on the door and then walked into the kitchen.
“You look very lovely,” Jacob said.
Isabel turned bright red, and she smiled. “Thank you. Timmy is in his playpen. He’s been fed, but he’ll need his bottles later. He’ll let you know when he’s hungry. There are cloth diapers in our room on the table next to the crib.”
“Now, no one said anything about changing nappies,” he said. When he saw the look of horror on Isabel’s face, he chuckled. “I’m just teasing. Timmy and I are friends, and we’ll get along just fine. You guys had better git.”
She pulled her cloak around her shoulders and walked to the door. Isabel gathered her dress around her so that she could pull herself into the wagon. She seemed taken aback when he offered her a hand. Once again, he realized he hadn’t been much of a gentleman since she arrived.
Isabel was quiet during the ride to town, which suited Theodore just fine. He wasn’t in the mood to talk.
What in the world am I going to talk to those people about? I have nothing in common with them.
Although he knew a lot of the old timers in town since he had grown up in the area, he didn’t know any of the people who had come in later. Some of the people had migrated to New Mexico Territory to escape the Civil War. Others had lost their homes due to the war and needed to start over. The more adventurous people came to homestead and try to start their own ranches and farms.
He didn’t rush the horses, but it seemed to Theodore that they arrived in town in record time. Several wagons were out front, telling him that there were a lot of people from neighboring ranches and farms who had already arrived.
Theodore helped Isabel down and offered her his arm, much to her surprise. He figured that if they were going to walk into this shindig together, they would do it properly.
He could hear the sounds of fiddles seeping through the walls into the night air. He sucked in a huge breath, and he opened the door for Isabel. The large room was filled with chatter, laughter, and the sounds of stomping feet and rustling skirts. The noise was almost overwhelming, and Theodore had to push down the sudden urge to run away.
Abigail and Mick were already inside when he and Isabel walked in. The couple greeted them enthusiastically.
Mick held out his hand and said, “It’s good to see you again, Theodore.”
Theodore could honestly answer, “Likewise.”
The man hugged Isabel, as did Abigail.
Abigail grabbed Isabel’s hand and said, “We saved you a spot at our table. They have lemonade, cookies, and other snacks.”
They sat down together. To Theodore’s astonishment, he was able to easily converse with the three others. They shared stories and talked about the weather and other interesting topics.
Theodore looked around the room that was lit up with lanterns. The place had been decorated to resemble a magical forest. The music was excellent, and Theodore found himself tapping to the beat a couple of times.
People stopped by to talk to Abigail and Mick. They were happy to meet Isabel and pleased to see Theodore off of his ranch. The conversation was always light and fun. There was a lot of laughter, and Theodore was shocked to discover he was actually having a good time. For the first time in his life, he felt like he belonged to the community even though he had grown up in the area.
“There are a lot of new people I didn’t recognize,” Theodore commented.
“The town is growing very quickly. People are moving out West by the droves. This is a good place to settle and find jobs. The Santa Fe Trail makes Santa Fe a trading hub because people are stopping off here to stock up on supplies.”
Mick paused to take a sip of lemonade.
Abigail said, “Plus, Fort Marcy is providing people with jobs, not only on the fort, but also in the shops, saloons, and such. There’s also the fact that Santa Fe is the capital, which means politicians and rich folks are coming out here.”
“That means more jobs,” Mick said. “I’ve had to hire a couple more apprentices to help me out in the blacksmith shop. I wouldn’t be surprised if I had competition from another shop popping up.”
Theodore saw Abigail and Isabel exchange a glance and knew they were thinking about the offer for Isabel to make dresses.
He shook his head and told himself just to focus on the good time he was having.
“I’m sure that the competition won’t be serious. You’re established and well thought of,” Theodore said.
Mick nodded. “I’m not worried about running out of work.”
Theodore was about to say something else when another couple stopped by to talk for a few minutes. He found himself engaged in the conversation.
I don’t think I’ve talked this much my entire life, he thought with amusement.
The musicians began to play the Spanish waltz.
Mick stood up and held out his hand to Abigail. “May I have this dance, my beautiful wife?”
She smiled. “It would be my pleasure.” Then, she looked at Theodore and Isabel. “Come on, you two. You’ve been sitting long enough. Theodore, it is time that you danced with your wife.”
Theodore blushed and glanced at Isabel, who seemed astonished by the suggestion.
“I don’t know. I’m not a good dancer,” Isabel said, brushing a blonde curl out of her face.
Even though she was protesting, Theodore saw anticipation in her eyes and knew that she wanted to dance.
Abigail grinned at them. “Don’t be silly, Isabel. You’ll do fine. You guys need to get up and have some fun. It is a dance, after all, not a sit-down.”
Theodore knew his face was probably growing bright red. He wasn’t much of a dancer and didn’t relish the idea of making himself look like an idiot in front of the entire town. However, when he saw the look on Isabel’s face, he sighed quietly and stood up. He held out his hand to her. She smiled at him and slipped her hand into his.
He was startled to feel a warmth flow through his body at her touch. They moved to the center of the room to the dance floor. Both of them were obviously nervous but made their way to the edge of the dancers.
She put her hand on his shoulder, he lightly touched her waist, and they clasped hands. At first, Isabel was very tense, but after a moment, they fell into a rhythm. Everyone else around them seemed to disappear as he focused on the woman he held—his wife.
Theodore hadn’t danced in years and was astonished to discover that he enjoyed dancing with Isabel. She was very graceful and kept pace with him as he led. Her eyes were sparkling, and she had a beautiful smile on her face as their bodies moved together, keeping time with the music.
As he watched her face, he felt something inside of him that he couldn’t identify. It wasn’t a feeling he’d ever experienced before. He liked having her in his arms and was swept up in the music and dance. Unconsciously, he pulled her a little closer to him. Her cheek brushed his, and he could smell a hint of the sweet scent of vanilla. Theodore’s heart thundered in his chest.
Isabel smiled into his eyes. They were the only two people in the world at that moment. He looked at her face and moved closer to her, as though he was going to kiss her. Her lips parted, and he could feel her pulse quicken as he lowered his head to hers.
Theodore stopped when he suddenly remembered where he was. The music was playing, and people were dancing all around them. He pulled away from her and said awkwardly, “Thank you for the dance.”
He dropped his hand from her waist and looked at her for a second.
Her eyes opened wide, and she looked shocked at the abrupt change. She nodded, and he could see the disappointment on her face. “Of course. Thank you.”
Theodore led the way back to their table, his heart thudding and face red.
What in tarnation came over me? What was I thinking? I almost kissed her in front of the entire bloody town.
He sat down and finished off his glass of lemonade with one swig. Theodore looked over at Isabel, who had taken her chair next to him. He couldn’t stop thinking about how she felt in his arms, the way she looked at him, and the warmth that coursed through him.
Isabel hummed some of the songs from the dance on the way home. She had thoroughly enjoyed herself.
Coming out West to be with Theodore is the best decision I’ve ever made in my life, she thought.
“Did you have a nice evening?” he asked.
“Yes, I did. Thank you so much for taking me,” she replied.
“My pleasure.”
Isabel was certain that Theodore had enjoyed himself as well but asked anyway, “I know you didn’t really want to go with me. Did you enjoy yourself?”
She was surprised when he answered honestly, cheeks flushing as he said, “Yes.”
Smiling, Isabel pulled her cloak tighter around her to keep out the chill of the night air. She replayed their dance in her mind, thinking about how wonderful it felt to be held in Theodore’s arms. Closing her eyes, she recalled the warmth that spread through her, radiating from where he lightly touched her waist. Her hand still tingled from holding his.
Isabel briefly touched her lips. She’d been sure Theodore was about to kiss her and wished she knew what stopped him.
Is he starting to think of me as more than just a friend and mother to our child? She nibbled on her bottom lip. Is there maybe a chance for this to be a real marriage, like Abigail’s and Mick’s?
Sighing heavily, she told herself to be patient and take their relationship one step at a time. Theodore was just now starting to loosen up around her. He touched her hand and danced with her tonight, albeit because Abigail insisted.
But still, he was going to kiss me.
Her thoughts occupied her mind, and she was shocked when they arrived home. Theodore jumped off the wagon and helped her down.
“Go on inside and check on Timmy. I’ll unhitch the wagon and be in shortly,” Theodore said.
Jacob was sitting on the couch in the parlor with his head back. Loud snores echoed around the room. Timmy was sound asleep in his playpen, his blanket tucked around him.
Isabel hated to wake Jacob but knew that if she let him sleep like that all night, he would wake up with a terrible crick in his neck.
She didn’t want to scare him, so she stood in the doorway and softly called his name. Isabel had to call him a couple of times before he woke up. He seemed disoriented for a split second, and then he sat up straight, rubbing his neck.
“I guess I must have dozed off,” Jacob said with a rueful grin.
“It seems so. Timmy, too.”
“I wanted to keep the tyke out here where I could keep an eye on him. Didn’t feel right sitting in your room.”
“That’s perfect. Thank you so much for watching him tonight,” Isabel replied.
“Did you have a good time?”
“I did. It was amazing. Probably the only thing I miss about New York is all the music playing on the streets all the time. Do you think that Theodore would be willing to hire a band and singers for me and the cows?” Isabel grinned.
“Doubtful, but it never hurts to ask,” Jacob said, chuckling. “I’m going to head out there and help him with the horses. You have a good night.”
“You, too. Thanks again.”
He nodded and went outside.
Timmy woke up and let Isabel know that he was hungry when she picked him up.
“We’re going to have to get another milk cow just to keep you fed,” she said. “Even though we’re weaning you off the bottle, you’re still drinking a ton of milk.”
She gave him his nighttime bottle and checked his diaper. Isabel was pleased to see that it was clean.
Isabel laid him in his crib and watched him hold his bottle while she slipped out of her good dress and into her everyday dress. Although it was time for bed and she was very tired, she wanted to say goodnight to Theodore first.
Timmy closed his eyes, and the bottle dropped to his side. She covered him up and kissed his cheek. She turned around to go into the kitchen and almost literally bumped into Theodore.
“I came to say goodnight to you both,” he said, standing in the doorway awkwardly.
She smiled and gestured to the crib. “He just fell asleep. Jacob did a nice job taking care of him tonight.”
“He’s a good man,” Theodore agreed. He touched Timmy’s face. “Good night, Timmy.” Theodore looked at Isabel and smiled. “Good night.”
“You, as well.”
She took the bottle into the kitchen, washed it out, and returned to her bedroom. As much as she hated for the day to end, she was very tired. She changed into her pink flannel nightgown and pulled the quilt up to her chin. Isabel fell asleep quickly.
The next morning, during breakfast, she told Theodore that she needed to make a trip into town. Isabel had managed to sew a couple of Christening gowns for babies and was anxious to turn them over to Mrs. Payne. She also wanted to talk to Abigail about the dance.
“I’ll saddle Blazes for you,” he said. “When do you think you’ll be back?”
“Before dinner. There’s some chicken in the larder for lunch,” she told him.
He nodded.
Abigail was excited to see Isabel and Timmy. Before settling into Abigail’s parlor, they walked to the dress shop. Mrs. Payne smiled widely when she saw them.
She rubbed her hands together and looked at Isabel’s basket. “Is that for me?”
Isabel nodded, and the three women walked into the back room. Once again, Mrs. Payne examined Isabel’s work closely, following the seams, lightly tugging on them, and making sure that they were straight and even.
“Incredible work,” she said. She pulled out sixteen dollars and passed it to Isabel.
Isabel was amazed that Mrs. Payne was paying her so well. Of course, there weren’t a lot of dress shops in the city, and, as the four of them had discussed the night before, the city was growing. Men and women were moving to Santa Fe, and they needed clothes. Mrs. Payne charged enough for her dresses and other clothing that she more than made up for what she paid Isabel.
“How do you feel about handkerchiefs? It’s a common gift during the holidays, and I always run out, especially the lacy ones. I’ll pay you twenty-five cents for basic designs, fifty cents for lace edging, and a dollar for handkerchiefs with embroidered designs on them.”
“That sounds great,” Isabel said. “How many do you need?”
“I’ll send you home with two yards of cotton and two yards of linen. I have some lace and ribbon trimmings for you to take with you and, of course, embroidery thread. I trust you to do a mixture of the plain to the very fancy,” Mrs. Payne said.
“Thank you,” Isabel replied.
Although handkerchiefs were simple to do, they still required careful stitching. It was often one of the selling points for handkerchiefs. She could make thirty-six handkerchiefs from the fabric. That would go a long way to build up the cash she had stashed in her stocking drawer.
When they arrived back at Abigail’s home, they settled in the parlor. Isabel pulled out some of Timmy’s toys and let him play. Abigail lent Isabel her dressmaking scissors so she could cut out some of the cotton squares and get started sewing on them while they talked.
“I was amazed that you managed to get Theodore to the dance last night,” Abigail said.
“Me, too. I’m pretty sure that, at first, he would have preferred to have been boiled in a vat of hot oil. On the way home, though, he said he had a good time.”
“I’m glad. I was half afraid that he would just sit in the corner and refuse to talk to anyone,” Abigail said. “I was glad that he not only seemed to enjoy talking to Mick and me but to others as well. He might be coming out of his shell.”
Isabel put her fingers to her lips and shook her head. “Shush. Don’t speak too soon.”
They sewed and chatted about all the people they talked to at the dance until lunchtime. Mick came home for the noon meal and joined in the conversation. After they were done eating, he helped saddle Blazes. They all exchanged hugs, and Isabel and Timmy headed home.
For dinner, she made hamburgers with brown gravy, mashed potatoes, and corn. Isabel had just finished cooking when Theodore walked in and sat at the table.
Isabel smiled at him, and he nodded as she set a plate and glass of water in front of him. She picked the baby up, put him in his high chair, and gave him a plate with bite-sized morsels. He was hungry and immediately stuffed the food into his mouth with his fists. She watched the baby, pleased that he had such an appetite. He was growing quickly.
Theodore was quiet at dinner and seemed distracted.
“Is everything okay?” she asked.
“What?” he asked, lifting his eyes from his plate. “Yes. Everything is fine.”
“You seem distracted.”
“I’m just planning the rest of my week. Dinner was good,” he muttered.
Isabel frowned, but she didn’t push him. “Thank you.”
Timmy finished eating, and Isabel cleaned his hands and face. Theodore picked him up and took him outside. Isabel scrubbed the dishes and kitchen before stepping outside. `
The baby looked up at her and grinned. “Mama.”
Isabel smiled and said, “That’s right, baby.”
He clapped his hands and laughed. Then, he crawled over to the chair and pulled himself up so that he was standing. Isabel held her breath as he took two steps and then fell hard on his bottom.
She waited. Isabel knew from raising her brothers and sisters that if no one reacted, the baby usually wouldn’t cry or make a fuss. He would simply try again.
Timmy looked around as though stunned. He made several faces, like he didn’t know where to laugh or cry. Eventually, he decided to try again.
Theodore beamed at Timmy. “Who’s a big boy? Who’s Dad’s big boy?”
Timmy managed to walk over to Theodore, using the chairs for balance, and put his hand on Theodore’s knee.
“Dada.”
Theodore picked him up and gave him a huge hug. “Look at my big boy, walking around.”
Isabel clapped her hands together and smiled widely. “Wow, Timmy. Look at you go. You’re such a big boy.”
She almost felt like crying. It was so hard to believe that the tiny baby she’d found outside that door was now walking.
In comfortable silence, they hung out on the porch for a while, watching Timmy explore his newfound freedom.
When the last little bit of the sun’s rays started to disappear, Theodore said, “I’m going to make my rounds for the night.”
Isabel picked Timmy up and changed him into his sleeping gown. She sat by the fire and held him, humming a lullaby. His eyelids grew heavy. He reached up and touched Isabel’s face. Her heart swelled with the intense love she felt for him.
The front door creaked open and shut, and Theodore’s heavy steps echoed through the house. He walked into the parlor and saw Isabel holding the baby, still humming.
Theodore sat next to her and gently took the baby from her. He cradled Timmy in his arms and stared into the baby’s face as he tenderly rocked the baby to sleep.
Isabel watched them with a gentle smile. Her entire body warmed at the sight of the large, tough man delicately holding the baby.
I don’t care how he presented himself to me when we first met; he can show affection and love deeply. That is so obvious in how he cares for Timmy.
The fire warmed the air and cast light and shadows across the floor. A feeling of contentment and happiness exploded inside of Isabel. Without thinking, she leaned over and kissed Theodore’s cheek.
He looked at her in complete shock. His eyes were wide open, and his jaw had dropped slightly.
Isabel sucked in a deep breath and bit her bottom lip. She cringed, not sure what his reaction would be.
What in the world possessed me to do that?
After a brief second, Theodore turned toward her. Supporting the baby’s head with one arm, he let Timmy’s bottom and legs lay across his lap.
Theodore gently touched her face and leaned in to kiss her. Isabel’s heart thrummed in her chest, and for a moment, she forgot to breathe.
She closed her eyes and felt his warm breath on her face.
They jumped apart when they heard loud voices and shouting outside, turning their attention to something much more sinister.