Chapter 5

Sleep, a bath, clean clothes and attention did wonders for Tate, Adam thought. Tate smiled at his mother and his sister, at the waitress, and at every woman who stopped at their table to look the child over and gather some gossip. His shiny bright hair curled on top of his head and every woman had to stroke those locks of orange.

His mother kept offering spoonful’s of mashed potatoes and gravy to the kid and he just kept eating. Adam couldn’t figure out how the boy was so thin when he ate like there was no tomorrow.

At least the conversation had turned away from Tate and Millie to Jacob’s wedding. Jacob was moving into the Hamner house with Rania after their ceremony tomorrow which was being held after church. Because the two houses were within a mile of each other, Jacob could take care of chores at both the Wilerson and Hamner ranches. And the newlyweds would have some privacy before Rania’s parents returned from Texas. Then Jacob and Rania would move into the Wilerson house.

“We will introduce Millie and Tate to the townspeople at church tomorrow,” his mother declared while holding another spoon of potatoes in front of Tate.

“Do you think Tate can sit through the service and the wedding right after that?” Sarah asked, as she gazed admiringly at the child in question.

“Hmm, I don’t know if Millie attended church in Chicago and if the child was used to sitting still. Maybe we should stop back by the mercantile and see if they have a cloth book we could buy for him to look at during the service.”

Adam cringed at the word “buy” because he hated to see what his account total was going to be this month. He’d have to eat at home, but then he guessed that was his mother’s intention.

“Think Millie will be ready to meet everyone tomorrow? She’s been through so much loss this past week. Maybe we should ask before planning her day?” Jacob asked. Adam thanked upward for another male’s opinion at their table. His mother sure wasn’t taking his suggestions.

“You’re right, Jacob. Adam can ask Millie this evening when he comes home for supper,” and his mother turned her brilliant smile on him next.

“Do you think Miss Elison will come to church with Dagmar?” Sarah leaned forward and asked. Adam thought Sarah was a bit in awe of the fancy woman who arrived from Boston last week. The woman seemed nice enough when they met last night, but Adam didn’t stay long enough to really talk to her and gain an opinion.

“Who knows,” Jacob said, concentrating on his chicken dinner.

“I’d hope so. She didn’t say how long she was planning to visit, but you’d think she’d want to get off the ranch to visit with people. Dagmar and the ranch hands aren’t the most social group to spend time with.” Apparently Sarah was hoping to spend some time with this new woman in the area.

“Shall we drive by the Bar E on our way home to give her a personal invitation, Sarah?” Adam recognized his mother wanting to do something for both her daughter and the new woman. Although he internally griped about what his mother was doing for Millie and the little boy sitting on her lap, she was the best woman in the world. If Adam ever decided to marry, his bride would have to measure up to her.

“Who saved room for dessert? It’s apple pie today,” the waitress declared as she cleared dishes off their table.

“Both men said, “Me” at the same time before Cate and Sarah nodded yes.

“Well, Adam, Millie said she’s good at making pies so you’ll have to compare hers to what you’re getting now,” Sarah teased her brother.

“Millie will have to clean the dust off the range and the cobwebs out of the oven first. When did you last use the stove, Adam?”

“I quit carrying in wood and lighting the fire when the house was warm enough to go without heat. I get my coffee at the café in the morning so I don’t bother to carry in wood and heat water.”

“What about hot water for your bath? You do bathe occasionally don’t you?” Sarah was on a roll now.

“Oh, I get a real good bath over at the…”

“Never mind,” his mother interrupted him. “You’ll start carrying wood now because Millie needs it.”

If only he could eat his pie in peace...

***

Millie slowly awoke to noises coming from the kitchen through the closed bedroom door. It was the chatter of women plus a little one, all normal conversation along with the sound of water being poured into a tin tub.

When was the last time she had a chance to catch a nap? It dawned on Millie where she was, and that it was Tate making the noises in the next room.

A soft knock on the door opened Millie’s eyes into the afternoon light that cast a shadow into the room. “Yes?”

“Millie, I thought you’d like a bath before we leave and Adam comes home. The tub is ready for you. We’ll be in the parlor with Tate to give you some privacy.”

“Thank you,” Millie answered back, already feeling better than she had for days. She opened the door to find the tub full of steaming water by the stove, and towels and soap on a chair beside it. She couldn’t take off her wrapper and underthings fast enough to sink into the fragrant water. Millie could tell one of the women had added a splash of Lavender Water to the tub. And it was a long enough tub to stretch her legs out in front of her instead of sitting with her knees up to her chest.

She eased into the water an inch at a time to savor the feel of heat against her skin, and so she didn’t splash any water out onto the floor. It was heavenly! Millie smelled the bar of soap before rubbing it on the wash cloth she had dipped in the water. Lavender again, just what she needed to wash the smell of travel, the chicken house and the jail cot off her skin, and out of her nose.

Millie pulled up her knees and scooted down so she could dip her head under the water. Her waist-length copper-red hair floated above her in a mass of color until she pushed up her chest to surface. It had been ages since she gave her scalp and hair a good scrubbing and it felt so good.

The water had cooled before Millie rose out of the water and reached for the towel. Who knew when she’d have the luxury of a long soak again with Tate to take care of and Adam in the house at night? She knew Cate meant for her to enjoy it, so she didn’t feel guilty.

How was she going to return the favor?

***

“Oh, you look like you feel so much better,” Cate beamed when Millie walked into the parlor later.

“Thank you so much for heating the bath water and giving me time to enjoy it,” Millie smiled back. “But I’ve taken so much of your time today, and you have the wedding tomorrow…”

“We had fun doing it, and having time to get to know Tate,” Sarah said hugging the little boy on her lap. “But we probably should be heading on to the Bar E, don’t you think, Mother?”

Cate opened up the watch pinned on her shirtwaist and agreed. “Yes, but first I have something for you, Millie, before we leave and you’re on your own.”

Millie swallowed hard when Cate pulled a gold band out of her reticule and handed it to her. She couldn’t help when tears started forming, and tried to sniff to keep them from running down her cheeks.

“This ring was in an envelope with the letters you wrote to Sam. I assume he meant to give it to you in person…on your wedding day.”

All Millie could do was nod. Sam had asked her ring size so he’d be ready for the ceremony.

Cate took the band from Millie’s fingers with her left hand, and took Millie’s left hand with her right. Cate looked Millie in the eyes and said, “Sam would have wanted you to have this ring—and wear it—as a symbol of his love, and as your protection until you marry again.” She slid the perfect-size ring on Millie’s ring finger and closed both hands around Millie’s.

Millie squeezed her eyes shut, wishing Sam had been the one to put the ring on her finger instead of his neighbor. She really did enjoy his letters and was looking forward to a life with him. This symbol of his love for her hit deep in her chest, making her realize her dream of a home with Sam was shattered now.

“I’m sorry, Millie, but I knew you needed that one gift from Sam, and you also needed closure.”

Millie couldn’t help it when tears started running down her cheeks. After all she had gone through to get to Kansas; she still didn’t have a husband or a home.

Millie was grateful when Cate gently pulled Millie into her own chest to give comfort. Why did she have to lose her husband before getting to know him, and losing the security it meant for her future too?

When she finally got control of her tears, Cate eased Millie away from her chest to look at her. “I also think you should wear the ring now and we’ll introduce you as Mrs. Donovan to the townspeople. You’ve never said if you were married before,” and Cate stopped to look at Tate, “but I think it would be best for your reputation if you say you are a widow, especially with you living in Adam’s house as his housekeeper now.”

Millie wiped her eyes and blew her nose on the handkerchief that Sarah handed her, and nodded in agreement. “Yes, that would be best.” Millie took a deep breath to compose herself. “My husband’s name was...James.”

“How long were you married?” Cate asked.

“Two years, and he’s been gone almost one.”

“How old are you.”

“I’m twenty-two.” Millie caught on that Cate was helping her fabricate a story to tell people. Did Cate think she was an unwed mother?

“When is Tate’s birthday?”

Millie tried to think quickly because this was the most crucial question of all. She pasted a watery smile on her face and answered, “He’ll be two on June 30th.”

Cate clasped her hands and smiled. “Adam will be twenty-seven on the same day! We can have a supper party for both of them at the same time.”

“Mother...”

“Yes Sarah, we really do need to go. Will you be all right now, Millie?”

Millie gave Cate, and then Sarah a hug when Sarah rose off the sofa. “I can’t thank you enough for all your help and support today. From the chance for some sleep, the bath, the food…”

“Well you didn’t have the greeting you were expecting yesterday with Sam, so we wanted to be here for both of you.” Millie had lifted Tate to her hip, and both she and Cate saw how lovingly Sarah caressed Tate’s check before turning to leave.

“Oh and if Adam forgets to mention it to you, we’d love for you to join us in church tomorrow for the Sunday service and the wedding ceremony afterwards. And there will be a combination reception and church pot luck following that.”

“I’d love to go to church. Is it Catholic by chance?”

“Clear Creek is so small we’re lucky to have a church at all. Everyone in the area goes to it, no matter their faith before they moved west.”

“Pastor Reagan’s wife, Kaitlyn, emigrated from Dublin about five years ago. I’m sure she’d love to talk with you. We can hardly understand her Irish brogue when she gets excited.”

That there was an Irish woman in town made Millie both happy and homesick. She’d try her best to make a home here—while she stayed.