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Ellen kept looking back over her shoulder at Laird on the way to the homestead. She just couldn’t get comfortable, knowing that animal was behind her. A little way out of town, Laird dropped his head down onto his paws and closed his eyes. Then Ellen relaxed a little bit and looked around her at the scenery.
“How far out of town is the homestead?” she asked.
“Fifteen miles,” Elliot told her. “It will take us the better part of the day to get there with a little bit of daylight to spare for evening chores and getting supper ready. That’s why I wanted to get out of town as quickly as possible.”
“I understand,” Ellen replied. “Tell me more about your operation out there. You didn’t mention very much about it in your letters.”
“It’s not much of an operation at this point,” Elliot admitted. “As I told you, I have the homestead as well as another claim down the valley. Most of the work right now involves breaking the land, fencing it for livestock, and scratching out a living as best I can.”
“And you’ve been doing it all alone, all these years?” Ellen asked. “It must be hard.”
“I’ve been working with Clive Henry, my neighbor,” Elliot told her. “He has the homestead next to mine, between me and the other claim. He helps me out in exchange for me working with him on his place.”
“That sounds like a good arrangement,” Ellen remarked. “It must be very helpful to have another person around to help with the heavier tasks.”
“It is helpful for heavier tasks,” Elliot agreed. “But it isn’t the same as having a wife at home when you come home in the evenings. I’ll be much happier to have you around than I ever was to have Clive.”
Elliot reached over and patted her hand in her lap. They smiled at each other until Ellen looked away.
“Does Clive have a wife?” Ellen asked.
“No,” Elliot replied. “He’s been widowed for ten years.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Ellen returned. “What does he think about you getting a wife?”
“He congratulated me,” Elliot told her. “He said it would be nice having a woman around for a change. He didn’t say anything about him getting a wife. We never talk about that. I guess he’s decided to live alone for the rest of his life.”
“That’s too bad,” Ellen replied.
“I think it’s a shame,” Elliot continued. “Because he’s the nicest fella in the world. He’d make a good husband to some woman.”
“Maybe he’ll change his mind someday,” Ellen remarked.
“Maybe,” Elliot replied. “But I don’t think so. I think he’ll be happier with something more like a real community moving into the area. If other men around the place get wives, and they have children, and people start socializing more, then it will seem more like a living place. Right now, it gets blamed lonely with just me and Clive around.”
“You’re right,” Ellen agreed. “It does sound nice.”
“What about you?” Elliot asked. “You won’t get too lonely being the only woman around, will you? I think the closest woman is Henrietta Henley, about thirty miles up the valley—apart from the women in town, that is. You might wish for a friend or some kind of companionship of your own, especially if we start having children.”
Ellen stole a sidelong glance at Elliot. Have children—with him? She never thought about that before. It might be nice to have another woman around for that, especially an older woman who’d gone through it before. Under the circumstances, she’d be alone. If she was lucky, she’d have Elliot around to help her, but it wasn’t the same as having someone who’d had children of her own.
“Hmm, I suppose so,” Ellen considered. “But, as you say, other women may move into the area. You never know what could happen. Anyway, I’ll manage whatever happens. I knew what I was getting myself into when I answered your letters. We’re married now, and this is our life. I’ll make it work.”
“That’s the spirit,” Elliot exclaimed. “I think you’ll settle in just fine. It’s not a bad life, when you get used to it. The hardest part is not having anyone to talk to, and you and I can be that for each other.”
“That’s the way I feel,” she agreed.
He glanced at her again, and when he saw her looking at him, he smiled and blushed a little.
Ellen studied him on the sly. He was kind of handsome in a round way. At least he was neat. She could live with any man as long as he wasn’t slovenly in his habits. She had to clean up after her step-father and her brothers at home. Nothing infuriated her more than a man who went around creating more work for her by messing up the house. She couldn’t stand a filthy home.
A soft whine drew her attention to the wagon box behind her. Her head spun around, and she discovered Laird standing just behind her shoulder, panting and staring at her. During their conversation and their stolen glances at each other, Ellen had completely forgotten he was there.
She cried out in fright, and she almost jumped out of the seat. Then the big dog whined again, and she realized he wasn’t looking at her at all. He was looking over her shoulder at the road ahead.
“He’s just excited about getting home,” Elliot explained. “Here, Laird. Jump down.” He swung his hand out in the direction of the horses.
Laird launched himself over the side of the wagon and landed like a cat in the grass next to the road. He bounded away, past the horses, and disappeared around a corner up ahead of them.
Elliot chuckled as he watched him go. “He’s like a little puppy every time we come home. Sometimes, he starts that whining and fidgeting more than a mile away. Then he jumps down and runs all the way home and I find him waiting on the doorstep.
