By lunchtime, Emma had made a decent dent in the kitchen—at least, she had enough cleared so she could prepare an adequate meal. Boiled potatoes with gravy, sausage, and collard greens. Oh, and a pan of cornbread.
She quickly removed the remaining cups and saucers from the dining room and set them to soak, wiped the table and chairs, and set out fresh plates and flatware. If she’d had more time, she would have relished those dishes...with tiny pink roses and blue hyacinths painted around the border. They were the prettiest she’d ever seen. Would she ever own anything that lovely?
Ma had touched these dishes, had washed and dried them with her own hands. That made them even lovelier. Ma...
No. She couldn’t afford to linger in memories right now. Too much to do, and Allison watched her like a circling buzzard, waiting for her next meal.
But Riley’s words from earlier niggled at Emma’s mind. Your mother was always special to me… Of course she would be, though Emma had never thought of it before. Ma and Mrs. Stratton were friends from childhood. During Ma’s early years in the Stratton’s employ, she was more than just a servant. She’d been a companion and confidante to Riley’s mother. After Mrs. Stratton died, Ma came home in the evenings and talked about Riley. Funny, Riley was the only one of the Strattons she ever spoke of. It was as if the others didn’t exist.
But when Ma figured out Emma was sweet on Riley, she wasted no time setting Emma straight. You and Riley come from two different worlds. Best not go wasting your thoughts on him.
Ma’s warnings hadn’t kept Emma from her secret dreams, though. Silly dreams. Now that Emma was older, she could see Riley for exactly who he was—a philanderer and a flirt.
But such a handsome one…
She couldn’t let her heart betray her sense of reason. Good-looking or not, she would never subject herself to becoming just another notch on Riley Stratton’s belt. Ma had warned her, and she would take heed.
“Smells delicious.” Riley’s voice pulled her from her reflections.
She pressed a palm to her chest to still her racing heart. “Riley Stratton, if you don’t stop spying on me, I’ll…”
“You’ll what?”
Gracious and mercy. What was she thinking, speaking to him like that in his own home? “I’m sorry, Mr. Stratton. That was out of line. I guess I was just lost in my thoughts, and you startled me.”
He leaned against the now-clean counter, then hopped up to take a seat on it. “Would you care to share those thoughts with me?”
“I’m afraid they’d be just as confusing to you as they are to me.”
Riley chuckled. “If you’re not going to share your thoughts, perhaps you’ll share a morsel of whatever smells so amazing. I make a very good taste-tester.”
“I’m sure you do, but lunch is ready. I’m not sure how to go about gathering everyone for the meal, though.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. They’ll be here in about five minutes. Dad and Colt are never late for a meal.”
“Promptness is an admirable quality,” she said. “So is keeping appropriate boundaries.”
Riley, who had leaned closer to her while he spoke, sat back and held up his hands in a sign of surrender. “I’ll keep my distance from you, but I make no promises about this cornbread.” He grabbed a messy hunk of crumbling bread. She swatted at his hand, but he ducked. “I always was faster than you,” he said with a naughty-school-boy expression.
That look. It started a longing in her chest, and she pulled her gaze away from him. Through the window, she noticed several men entering a long, low building about a hundred yards behind the house. “What about all the ranch hands? I didn’t prepare for them. I probably should have asked...”
“They live in the bunkhouse, out back. They have their own stove, their own supplies. Those fellas take care of themselves. You’ll rarely see any of them up here, unless it’s Joe, the foreman. And Joe only comes if he has business to discuss with Dad.”
Good thing he was giving her these details. The less she had to ask Allison, the better. “Along those same lines of good boundaries, could you please move aside so I can reach behind you?”
For a moment, Riley’s eyes sparked, as if he would challenge her. But just as quickly, he hopped down and stepped to one side. “Pardon me, Miss Monroe.”
She moved as far to the opposite side as she could, reached for the pretty bowl of boiled potatoes, and removed the cloth that covered them. Honestly. Was he going to be under her feet every day? Hopefully the novelty would wear off soon.
A man’s voice echoed through the hall. “Allison! What are you doing there?”
Allison moved from the shadows in the hallway just off the kitchen. “Not a thing. Just waiting for you...”
A spike of frustration flared in Emma’s chest. Didn’t that woman have anything better to do than spy on her all day?
John Stratton strode into view, followed by Colt. “It looked like you were...oh. I wasn’t aware we had...company.” The elder Mr. Stratton removed his hat and smiled, but something in his eyes didn’t look pleased. “I take it you’ve hired a replacement.” He looked around the kitchen, then inhaled deeply. “Smells delicious. I’m John Stratton...head of this motley clan.”
“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Stratton.” Emma wasn’t sure whether to bow, curtsy, or just shake the man’s hand. It was such an odd introduction, for she knew perfectly well who John Stratton was, and he knew perfectly well who she was. And he’d never given her the time of day before this moment. She nodded, offered the sweetest smile she could muster, then turned toward the gravy boat that still needed to be set out.
“Emma will be taking her mother’s place,” Allison said in a smirkish tone weighted with false compassion. “Isn’t that...wonderful?” Funny. She didn’t sound like she thought it was wonderful at all.
“I’ll let you know after we eat.” Colt barely acknowledged her. Soon, all four adult Strattons were seated at the dining room table, digging into the meal in the most uncivilized civility Emma had ever witnessed.
No prayer. No conversation. Everyone’s napkins were in their laps, their forks held just so... But the emptiness in the vast room made Emma squirm with discomfort.
She didn’t know what was expected. Should she stay in the room, waiting to serve them? Disappear into the shadows? Maybe that was the reason for their aloof nature. They weren’t used to having someone else in the room. Emma slipped into the kitchen where she continued washing dishes as quietly as she could.
“I’m not too happy you took it upon yourself to hire someone without consulting me, Allison.” John Stratton spoke in a low tone, but not so low Emma couldn’t hear. She made note of the way the sounds bounced off the walls. She needed to be careful with every word she said in this house.
“Especially that woman,” Mr. Stratton continued. “First Donnigan comes home with all his shameful surprises, and now this.”
“What do you mean by that woman?” Riley’s whispered words sprung off the vaulted ceiling, directly to her ears as clearly as if he’d spoken them inches from her.
“You know what I mean. I only kept Sally Monroe on because your mother loved her. And I figured her presence was a comfort to you after your mother died. But now that the woman’s gone, did Allison really need to bring her spawn into this home?”
Emma froze. Had he really just said that?
“I must admit, I can already see I’ve made a mistake.” Allison spoke in a normal tone, not even trying to whisper. “She showed up on the doorstep this morning begging for work. I could hardly turn her away. And now she’s done nothing but swoon over Riley since she arrived.”
“Well, she sure can cook.” Colt sounded like his mouth was full as he spoke. “And from the looks of things, she’s done a little more than swoon. This is a different place. You can actually see the tops of the furniture, Al.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Allison hissed.
“It means, she sure has cleaned things up, and this is the best meal I’ve had in weeks. I say we give her a raise.”
Emma didn’t know whether to burst into tears or go dump the remainder of the gravy into John Stratton’s lap. That woman? Spawn? What on earth was he talking about?
No amount of money was worth this kind of treatment. She had her pride, and that was that. She untied her apron, hung it on the hook, and as quietly as she could, exited the back door. She made it all the way to the carriage house and was in the process of hitching Sugar to the buggy when Riley appeared in the doorway.
He studied her for a minute, but she ignored him. “I take it you heard all that?” His voice rumbled across the aisleway.
She sent him a glare. “Lyndel and my pa probably heard it back at my place, Riley.”
“Oh, so now I’m Riley? You always did let your defenses down when you were angry.”
“Of course I’m angry.” She jerked hard on the strap she was buckling. Too bad he knew her so well. “I may be in need of a job, but I’m not that desperate. You can inform your sister-in-law she can send my half-day’s wages through the post. Good day, Mr. Stratton.”
“Emma, please. I know my family can be difficult. Believe me, I have to live with them. But Pa’s always been sensitive when it comes to your family.”
She spun to face him. “He called me a spawn!”
“I’m sorry.” And he truly did look sorry, with a weary sadness creasing the corners of his eyes.
“What in the world did I ever do to him?” Emma tried to sidestep Riley, but he moved in front of her.
“It’s not you—”
“I just want to go home. Please step aside.”
“Give us another chance. I put Allison in her place about how you were hired. I told her I’d heard the entire exchange. I think after hearing the story, my father’s respect for you raised a couple of notches. He’s got a lot on his mind right now.”
Emma forced back the burning sensation in her eyes. Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry. “I’m sorry. But you haven’t told me anything that justifies what I heard in there.”
“I know. Please don’t go.”
“Mr. Stratton—“ Her voice cracked. “My mind is made up.”
Defeat slumped Riley’s shoulders, but he moved out of the way. Under different circumstances, she might have felt sorry for him. He couldn’t help who his family was. But right now, she just wanted to get as far away from this God-forsaken place as she could.