Chapter Six

 

 

 

One morning in the next week, Bat stayed in town. He had a meeting with the lawyer, tending to ranch business. When he walked by the Seamstress and Millinery Shop the owner, Leta Mays, was rearranging the hat displays in the window. He nodded and touched his hat brim when she smiled at him.

An idea lit up his brain like when he struck a match to the wick in a kerosene lamp and lit up a room.

He should have Miss Mays make a bonnet for him. That way he'd be prepared to impress the right woman with a gift when and if he ever met her.

If he didn't find a woman to impress, he could always give the bonnet to Billie for being such a good sister to him. After all, she'd worked real hard at cleaning his house, and she was a good listener. A tad too free wheeling with her advice, but he'd be lost without her.

Bat took the time to study Leta Mays while she changed two bonnets on the female heads in the shop window. Somewhere in her forties and holding her own with a trim figure and light yellow hair, Leta wasn't a plain looking woman. She wasn't a raving beauty, either. He knew her as a successful, hard working business woman. A woman that could take care of herself in the undeveloped west was a rare person. The only other woman like her he knew was his sister, Billie.

Bat sauntered through the shop door and stuck his hands in his jeans pockets. “Mornin’, Miss Mays. I'm Bat Kayhill.”

The woman pushed a strand of pale blond hair back into the bun on the back of her head. When she turned from the window, her warm smile wrinkled the corners of her bright blue eyes as she replied, “Morning, Mr. Kayhill. I know who you are. One of my good customers is your sister, Billie Sommers. It's nice to meet you. What can I do for you?”

Bat looked around the female clothing store, feeling instantly uncomfortable with his surroundings.

An older seamstress, Etta Borders, sat in a corner, working on the hem of a dress some woman had ordered.

Her eyesight must be fading. She squinted as she held the needle up to the sunlight, streaming though the window, so she could see the eye to thread it.

Mrs. Borders was an old gossip and a widow. He knew for sure if he had a possible wife list she wouldn't be on it.

In fact, he'd better be cautious about what he said around that old woman. Otherwise, Billie would be able to tell him about his business in the seamstress shop word for word next Sunday at dinner.

Bat blurted out, “I need ya to make a bonnet for me, Ma’am.”

Leta Mays perked up. She picked up a pencil and scrap of paper to take notes. “What kind of bonnet?”

Bat shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t know exactly how to answer that question. Is there more than one kind?”

Miss Mays chuckled. “Of course, there is. Do you want an ever day bonnet for someone to wear at home, a nicer looking one for church or a fancier one for parties?”

Uneasy, Bat shifted his feet as he rubbed his chin. “I didn't realize I'd have to make a choice. I figured on just a nice modern bonnet like all the women are wearing. I’ll leave that part up to ya. Ya know more about such things than me as far as how a modern bonnet should look.”

Leta made a note and asked, “How old is the woman the bonnet is for?” When Bat looked confused, she went on to explain. “Is the bonnet for someone that's younger, for instant, like one of your daughters? Their young age figures in to the bonnet style they would prefer.”

Bat stared out the plate glass window at the street as he gave that question thought. He didn't know which woman in town he’d give the bonnet. How would he be able to give Miss Mays an age now? One thing he knew for sure was that the woman wouldn't be as young as his daughters.

He glanced back at Miss Mays. He found an expectant look on the seamstress’s face as she waited. He had to give her an answer. “She’s a lady about yer age.”

“What color do you want the bonnet?”

“Cain’t say. Why don’t ya pick a popular color,” he suggested, thinking the color surely wouldn’t make much of a difference. That wasn't as important as him picking the right woman to marry.

Leta grimaced and said slowly as if she was explaining to a child, “I can't pick a color for you or the woman the bonnet is for. The color usually depends on what color the dress is the bonnet is going to be worn with. You need to check with the woman and figure out which dress she wants to wear the bonnet with before you choose a color.”

“Cain't do that,” Bat said hurriedly. Leta eyed him hard. He finished with, “Cause the bonnet is a surprise gift.”

“All right, you're welcome to look at the different colors of material I have in.” Leta walked over to a table stacked high with material. “I just got in a new shipment. Maybe one of the bolts will jog your memory about the color of a dress you have seen on your friend.” She stood one bolt on end. “This bright blue material would make a striking bonnet. Of course, I’m partial to blue.” Leta chuckled, running her hand over the material. Then she turned business like. “The color is your choice. I can't pick a bonnet choice from all these bolts for you. That's a personal preference between you and the woman.”

Me asking a woman what color of bonnet she prefers isn't going to happen any time soon since I don't have a woman to ask, Bat thought. He was regretting ever coming in this shop. The bonnet gift was a bad idea.

He studied the blue bolt Leta Mays held up, knowing he needed to make a decision quickly. She wasn't going to fool around all day trying to help him. If a paying customer came in, she might leaving him waiting. To be stuck in that woman's store for very long would be sheer torture.

The shade of the blue material reminded Bat of the color of the water in the spring fed pond on the south forty at his ranch. It struck him when he focused on Leta's face that her warm eyes matched the blue of that material. “I can tell ya right now after looking at this pretty blue material, a blue bonnet would do just fine. Reckon when ya might have the bonnet done?”

“A couple weeks from now maybe. I can't say for sure. I’ve several dress orders ahead of you. I have to make those first. That means I’ll have to work on the bonnet in between if you can wait that long. Is that all right, or do you need the bonnet sooner?” Leta asked.

“Whenever ya get the bonnet done would be fine. There’s no big hurry,” Bat said agreeably.

He noticed the way Leta eyed him, wondering what he was really up to. Since he didn’t have a woman in mind to give the bonnet why should he be in a hurry. Not that he could tell Leta that. She'd think he was touched in the head for buying a woman's bonnet if he told her the real reason he wanted it.

A few days later, Bat was on his way by the seamstress millinery shop to the hotel for lunch. Leta wouldn’t have the bonnet done so soon, but why not check on her progress. Bat went inside and crossed the store with a slow gait to where Leta sit in her corner sewing. He took his hat off. “Hello, Ma’am.”

Leta looked up from the dark green dress sprawled across her lap. “Hello, yourself. Call me Leta,” she said, grinning at him. “Ma'am makes me feel old, Mr. Kayhill.” She stuck her needle in a dark green thread spool and rested her hands over the spool in her lap as she looked at him.

“Yes, Ma’am. I mean Leta. I sure wouldn't want to make ya feel old. You're far from that from what I can see. My name is Bat in case ya didn't know. Ya can call me that instead of Mr. Kayhill so I don't feel old, either,” He said with a twitchy grin, rocking from one boot to the other.

Small talk made him nervous, especially in a woman's dress store. He’d like it better if he was talking to the men over at the mercantile. He sure hoped he got out of the store before any women customers came in. They would stare a hole through him, trying to figure out what he was doing in the store.

“Yes, I know your name. Bat, what can I do for you?” Leta asked.

“Well .. well, I thought maybe I’d check to see how you’re coming with the bonnet?”

Leta looked distressed. “I must have misunderstood. Did you need it this soon?”

Bat put his hands up. “Oh no, nothin’ like that. Just checkin’ as long as I was goin' by to see if ya started the bonnet. That's all,” Bat said quickly. “I don't need the bonnet in any kind of a hurry.”

“Good.” Leta relaxed back and took a deep breath. “I did start it. I just got the material cut out. That’s all I can do to the bonnet until I get this dress done.

In fact, right now I’m ready to stop working and go find me a bite to eat for dinner,” Leta said. She arched her back and rubbed where she could reach.

Bat twisted his hat in his hands. “Why how about that! Puttin' the feedbag on is what I intend to do. How about comin’ over to the hotel with me for the noon meal. On me, of course,” Bat invited.

He surprised himself that he had the nerve to offer the invitation. He probably wouldn't have if he'd taken the time to think about asking her. He hoped Leta didn’t think he was being too forward. After all, they really didn't know each other.

“I’d love to get out of here for awhile. I am going to take you up on that offer. I hear the hotel has good food,” Leta said cheerfully. She yelled toward the back room, “Etta, I’m leaving for lunch. You will need to watch out front. If anyone asks for me, I'll be back in an hour.”

The hotel dining room was usually a busy place at noon. Bat considered himself lucky to find a table for them. They were waiting for their beef and noodle meals to come when Billie walked in. She did a double take and came across the room to their table. “Hello, you two. My word, this place is jam packed today, isn't it? I don't see a place to sit. Not with anyone I know anyway that wouldn't think I was being forward if I just sat down with them.”

“Sure is crowded in here all right,” Leta said. “Mr. Kayhill, get a chair if you can find one so Billie can sit with us.”

“Oh, I don't want to intrude on your meal. I just came over to say hello,” Billie protested.

“No trouble at all. Besides, ya better take Leta up on the invite since I'm buying,” Bat joked.

“In that case, Leta, I'd be glad to join you for dinner,” Billie returned. “What's the special today?”

“Beef and noodles,” Leta told her.

“Sounds good,” Billie said.

“Be right back with a chair,” Bat said. He headed across the room, walking fast toward an empty chair he saw in the corner before someone else grabbed it.

After dinner, Bat walked Leta back to the shop. He left her at the door. With his hands in his pockets, he whistled all the way home. He had enjoyed his noon meal with the seamstress. She had a good sense of humor and a sunny chuckle.

She seemed to hit it off with his sister, Billie, which helped make the time go more smoothly. He wasn't sure he could have filled in with enough conversation to keep things from getting awkward if Billie hadn't been there to fill in the gaps. He wasn't used to talking to women except for Billie and the girls. They didn't count since they were kin.

He sure hoped he was able to find a woman that was something like the owner of the Seamstress Shop. One that the women in his family liked, and he could get along with as easy as he did Leta.