Miss Emmie, could you run over to Knipp’s and pick up some of that nice-smelling hair stuff he has?” Walter stepped off the last step and groaned. “I’d go, but my feet are hurting today. It’ll do me good to sit on the porch for a spell.”
“Why didn’t you ask Landon to bring some home for you tonight? I planned on staying home to help Granny.” And every day after. Last night embarrassed her. Those rascals stole her plan and twisted it. Neither of them said more than two words to the sisters. They might as well have put their faces on their plates. Once the prayer was said, they remained silent for the meal except for the occasional, “Pass me some more potatoes.”
And Landon. Why had he brought Julia? He didn’t talk to her either. The only conversations taking place had been among the women. By the time dessert was served, Emmie and Granny were sniping at each other.
“I didn’t think about it. There was so much noise from all of you women talking I couldn’t think, much less come up with a question. And I didn’t see him this morning at breakfast. So are you going?” He took a step on the porch and winced.
The poor man really did hurt, and besides, if they smelled as good as Landon, it would be easier for women to fall in love with them. “I’ll let Granny know, and then I’ll be off. But next time, try and ask Landon when he is here.” She hadn’t seen Landon either. He must have awakened early and gone in to the store.
By the time she arrived at the store, she had steeled herself against seeing Julia. The woman probably even wore Emmie’s apron while she worked. She should be happy for Landon, but she wasn’t. She couldn’t come up with a single reason that he should marry Julia. She’d tried. Yes, she did. All night. And not one thing felt right about those two being together.
She stepped inside.
“Miss Emmie! You’re late. Did you bring muffins or something?” Cyrus trotted across the floor and skidded to a stop. “You don’t have a basket.”
“I’m sorry. I’m on an errand for Mr. Hoffman, or I wouldn’t be here.”
“But you have to be. Mr. Knipp is having a terrible time with those numbers today. He can’t even help me with my studies.”
“What do you mean?” She glanced around the room. Landon stood in the darkest corner covering his eyes. “Landon, what’s wrong?” Her skirt swished across the floor as she rushed to him.
“The spectacles are the wrong strength. My eyes feel like they’ve been scratched by a cat. I came back last night and worked on the books too long. Then this morning, I couldn’t stand to be in the light.”
“You stayed here all night?”
“Yes. I walked Julia back to the hotel and then came here. It seemed too late to return to the boardinghouse. I didn’t want to wake anyone.”
“You have a key, and Walter and Milton can sleep through anything. Where did you sleep? On the floor?”
“There’s an old bed upstairs, and I slept there, or rather tried to.”
“You need some cold compresses on those eyes. Cyrus, run to the café and get a few ice chips.” She opened the drawer with the delicate handkerchiefs and took out two.
“What are you doing?” Landon stared at her through his fingers.
“Making you feel better. When Cyrus gets back with the ice, I’ll wrap the pieces in these, and you can put them over your eyes.”
“But those are costly.”
“You only get one set of eyes. Where’s Julia this morning?”
“At her hotel, I suppose. Why?”
“I thought she would be working with you.”
“No, I would never allow her behind the counter at my store.”
That stung. Landon thought more highly of Julia. She pushed the handkerchiefs into his hands. “When Cyrus gets back, put the ice in them and hold them on your eyes. I’m going home.”
“Emmie?” Landon squinted. The film in his eyes moved, and he caught sight of her fleeing the store. “What just happened?”
Cyrus burst into the shop with earth-pounding steps. “Boy, oh boy, Miss Emmie sure seems all fired up about something. She was racing down the street. I bet she gets in trouble from Mrs. Mueller for walking fast. Why is she mad anyway?”
“I don’t know. Women puzzle me.”
“Did you poke her in the back? They don’t seem to like that much.” Cyrus handed Landon a cup with ice chunks in it. “Did you call her Monkey Arms? My brother told me they called her that in school. Made her really mad.”
“No, of course, I didn’t. Why would they do that anyway?”
“My brother said she was always knocking things over with her arms. He said they should never have called her that. It wasn’t a nice thing to do.”
“He’s right. And, no, I didn’t call her any names.” But he had mentioned her long arms earlier in the week. She hadn’t reacted well to that. Now he understood why.
“I have to take the cup back right away. They only let me take it because they said they knew you would return it. How’d you get people to respect you like that?”
Landon folded the ice into the expensive handkerchiefs. He couldn’t sell them now. “Time, Cyrus. Being true to your word is the best way to earn respect. If you say you’re going to do something, then that’s what you do.
“Even if you don’t want to?”
“Sometimes.” His stomach curled as he remembered a promise to Harry they’d made as kids to always be family. Harry broke the promise first, so did that let him out of fulfilling his side? Did he have to take care of Julia?
Emmie couldn’t wait to get home. In fact, if she could, she’d start packing her bags and hop on the train for Kansas tomorrow. Julia was too good, too sweet, too special to work at the store, but not Emmie. No, with her monkey arms, she was perfect to work behind the counter. Didn’t even need a step stool or a ladder.
Walter and her grandmother were in the kitchen.
“Did you get it?” Walter took a step back from the counter where he’d been stealing a cookie.
“No. I didn’t. You’ll have to ask Landon tonight.”
“What’s wrong, Emmie? Are you coming down with something? Come over here. You look flushed.” Granny settled her palm against Emmie’s forehead.
Granny’s touch felt cool and comforting. She would love to cuddle up on her lap and tell her how she felt about Landon and how he had made her feel today. But Walter hovered nearby, dropping crumbs on the floor, and besides, she was too big to get comfort from her grandmother’s lap. After all, she was the one supposed to take care of Granny, not the other way around.
“Nothing is wrong.” At least, nothing Granny could fix. She was more determined than ever to find a match for Walter and Milton by the end of the week. Maybe the man that waited in Kansas with his six children wouldn’t mind the way she looked.
“I’m glad you’re back from the store. I felt so bad about Julia living at the hotel that I sent Milton to tell her there is a room for her here. You’ll have to pack your things up and move in with me. She’ll only be here for a little while, but a grieving woman should be surrounded by people who care for her.”
Emmie choked back furious words. How could Granny ask the beautiful, most perfect Julia to move in? Now Emmie would be faced with watching Landon and Julia make butterfly eyes over breakfast and dinner every day.
The situation was now intolerable.