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ALICE TIED HER APRON around her waist and went to work cracking eggs for breakfast. “Who was on the telephone?” She beat them and poured them into the hot skillet. “Jack?”
Jack hung the earpiece in its cradle and turned. “Iris. It’s over.”
“What is?” She looked over her shoulder. Jack was grinning like an idiot.
“The war. President Wilson signed the Armistice Agreement this morning.”
She dropped her spatula and threw herself into Jack’s arms, nearly knocking him off his feet and sending his cane clattering to the floor. He held her tight and kissed her. Fritzi barked, jumping about their legs.
Before she knew it, she was kissing him back. It wasn’t like kissing Harry. Harry’s kisses were clean, quick, and on the cheek. More like one he might give his mother or Aunt Caroline. Harry was a gentleman, always considering her and her reputation in town. But Jack’s kisses were not those of a gentleman. He kissed her on the mouth, soft and lingering. Her heart raced, and her knees wobbled. He pulled her in tighter. His tongue slid over her upper lip and the memory of Harry’s face faded like the morning fog.
“I love you, Alice,” he whispered.
Alice snapped back to reality and pushed herself free of his arms. Her knees shook. She clutched the chair behind her to keep from falling, her lips burning with the desire to feel his again. She laid her fingers across them, half expecting to feel the heat still lingering from his breath.
“I love you, Alice,” he repeated. “This isn’t something new or rash. I’ve been in love with you for almost as long as I can remember.”
She went to the stove to check on the eggs. Maybe if she kept her hands busy, her mind and heart would slow down and refocus. “They’re done. Perhaps a little over done.” She turned off the flame. “Sit. I’ll get you a plate.”
He reached for her.
She stepped away. “I’m going to marry Harry.”
Jack tried to take her arm, but she managed to spin around and out of reach again.
“Here are your eggs.” She set two plates on the table. “I’ll get us some coffee. We’ll have our breakfast, like always, then we’ll head into town.” She handed Jack a cup, ignoring his attempts to speak, and sat down. “They must be planning some sort of celebration. What did Iris say? She knows everything happening in Pine Lake.”
If she kept talking everything would return to normal. No kiss. No burning desire for her fiancé’s brother. She looked across the kitchen table into Jack’s eyes. No, she could never forget how it felt to have Jack’s lips pressed against hers. Did she even want to? What was she supposed to do now?
Tears threatened. “I love Harry. I promised to marry Harry.”
“Do you love me?”
Alice was afraid to answer. There was a time, not so long ago, when it would have been easy. She would have said, Of course, I love you, Jack, but as a brother, a friend.
Now—
“Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, Jack. I love you, too.” Her words scared her as much as they clearly pleased him.
He took both her hands in his. “Marry me, Alice. Marry me, not Harry. He can never know you as well as I do. Love you the way I do. We’ll stay right here in this town, this house, where we’ll raise as many children as your heart desires. We’ll have the animals and your mother’s garden. And I would be as proud as I can be if you wanted to continue working with Doc. Pine Lake could never find a nurse half as kind and caring as you if they searched the whole world over. What do you say? Forget about my brother. Marry me.”
Alice’s voice cracked. She fought the tears threatening to fall. “I can’t do that to him. It wouldn’t be fair. Not after all he’s been through.”
The only sound was the ticking of the clock on the parlor mantle. She desperately wanted to take back her words. She wanted to say, Yes, Jack, I’ll marry you. But if she did, it would break Harry’s heart and put him in the position to become a laughingstock in town. She’d do almost anything to be in Jack’s arms—just not that.
She took a deep breath and opened her mouth to speak when the telephone rang again. Jack rose to answer it, ending their conversation.
“We heard.” He was talking to whoever was on the other end of the line, but he was looking at her. “Iris rang this morning.”
He paused to listen, nodding and making appropriate noises in response.
“She’s sitting right here.” Jack held the earpiece out to Alice. “It’s Lizzie.”
He covered the mouthpiece with his other hand leaned closer, his cheek brushing hers, his hot breath making her heart flutter and a chill run down her spine.
“I’ll honor whatever you decide, only promise me you’ll think about what I said.”
“I promise.” Her voice didn’t sound like her own.
“Alice? Hello. Are you there?” Lizzie’s voice broke through Alice’s thoughts. She lifted Jack’s hand from the mouthpiece.
“I’m here.”
“Are you all right?”
“Of course. Why do you ask?”
She watched Jack put on his hat and heavy work coat. I love you, he mouthed. Then he was gone, Fritzi tight on his heels. There were chores to be done before they could go into town.
Alice leaned against the wall. The plaster was cool on her flushed cheeks. She had stopped listening. Lizzie’s voice was like a songbird in her ear. She took a slow breath and turned her attention to her friend. “It is exciting news.”
“The mayor and town council are planning a celebration dance and barbecue at the Grange Hall tomorrow night. The Finleys are donating all the meat, and the ladies have been asked to bring the rest. I told your future mother-in-law we’d bring the cookies. They’re so much easier to serve than cake.”
“I agree,” was all Alice managed to squeeze in before Lizzie continued with all her plans.
“I thought perhaps we could make them together—here—some today and some tomorrow. Erikson’s has already agreed to donate the flour and sugar. And Betty’s mother said she’ll give us all the eggs we need from the hotel kitchen. It’ll be fun. We can catch up on the town gossip.”
“Lizzie, you know how I feel about gossip. How would you feel if you learned others were saying awful things about you? Things that weren’t even true.”
“They probably already are.” She laughed. “So, do you want to come over and bake cookies with me?”
“Will Betty be joining us?”
“No. I haven’t seen Betty in a couple days now, and to be honest, I don’t care to for a while. I want her to have plenty of time to think about what a horrible friend she’s been to you lately.”
“Lizzie . . .” She was right. Alice had no argument to defend Betty’s behavior.
“When can you come over?” Lizzie quickly changed the subject.
“As soon as I finish washing the breakfast dishes.”
“Wonderful! You can hang up now, Iris. There’s nothing more to hear.” An offended exclamation from the operator made Lizzie giggle.
“Careful.” Alice clucked her tongue. “She’s the source of most of the town gossip. She could make you her next target.”
“I don’t care. No one believes half of what she says.”
“True. But they still repeat it.”
“Mother Finley’s here. See you soon.”
* * *
JACK HARNESSED THE team to the wagon. “I’ll take you into town if you wait about ten minutes.”
“No need.” She stepped up to the bench and took the reins from him. He let his hand linger on hers. She hesitated then pulled away, slipping on her gloves. “I’ll be home in plenty of time to make dinner. I left a plate in the icebox for your lunch.”
She felt his eyes on her as she drove away and forced herself to not look back, afraid she’d turn around if she saw him standing alone in the yard. She didn’t stop until she arrived at Lizzie’s front door, just in time to say good morning to Doc Peterson.
“Remember,” Alice heard him say as she pulled up. “Plenty of rest.”
“I promise.” Lizzie stood on her toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“Good morning, Doc. Everything all right here?” Had Lizzie suffered a setback? She appeared healthy. In fact, she was positively glowing. Had her fever returned?
“Good morning, Alice.” Doc tipped his hat with a smile. “Such an exciting day. I trust I’ll be seeing you and Jack at the festivities tomorrow.”
“Wouldn’t miss it.”
“Until then, I have patients to visit and a supply order to place.” He hurried away. For a man in his sixties, Alice was continually amazed at his energy.
“Are you ill?” She took Lizzie gently by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. Lizzie’s cheeks were flushed and her eyes bright. Alice felt her forehead. She didn’t feel warm.
Lizzie laughed. “I’m fine. In fact, I’m more than fine. Come inside. I’ll tell you all about it over a cup of tea before we start the cookies. Johnnie Erikson delivered their donated baking supplies a short time ago. And Mrs. Young dropped off the eggs personally.”
“Did she say anything about Betty?”
“No, and I didn’t ask.” Lizzie waved her hand at the Erikson’s crate on the kitchen table. “Set that box anywhere and have a seat.” She went about making tea, humming and smiling like her old Aunt Sally did toward the end of her days. Aunt Silly Sally, they used to call her, although never to her face, the dear soul. Was Lizzie beginning to lose her mind the way her auntie did? Could this be some rare side effect from the influenza?
Alice refused to sit and waited for Lizzie to decide to say something. When Lizzie continued humming, Alice blocked her from putting the kettle on the stove and demanded an answer. “You’re scaring me. Tell me right now, why was Doc here? And why was he ordering you to rest?”
“Excuse me.” Lizzie pushed past, a small teasing smile on her tightly closed lips. She placed the kettle on the burner and set the gas flame. She turned and took Alice’s hands in hers. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. I’m not ill.”
“Then what?”
“I told you, dear Alice, I’m not ill.” She bit her lower lip and giggled. “I’m going to have a baby!”
Alice tried to speak but couldn’t find the words.
“At least, I’m pretty certain,” she prattled on. “It’s early yet. I’ve only missed one cycle. And Doc said it might just be because I was so sick. But I know I am. I can tell.” She put a hand to her stomach. “Well? Aren’t you going to say something?”
“With Fin?” Was all she came up with.
The sting couldn’t be more apparent in Lizzie’s eyes. Her face went from joy to shock to hurt in seconds, and a tear quivered at the corner of her eye before spilling down her cheek.
Alice pulled her friend into a hug. “I’m sorry. Of course, with Fin.” She held her out at arm’s length. “Here, wipe your eyes.” She pulled a handkerchief from the skirt pocket where she knew Lizzie always kept one. “I didn’t mean to suggest anything. I was just so surprised.”
“You’re surprised?” Lizzie gave a dainty little blow into the kerchief. “How do you think I feel? And there was no one more surprised than Fin when I told him. It was only the one time.”
The tea kettle hissed. “I’ll get it. You sit.” Alice turned off the flame and poured water into the pot. Placing it on the table to steep, along with the sugar bowl and two cups, she sat down. “Tell me what happened.”
“Alice!” Lizzie blushed and looked away.
“Heavens, not those details.”
“Fin was so attentive after Mom died, and when I was sick. He was here with me more than he was home with his own family. He’d hold me and listen and do about anything to make me smile. One night he kissed me and, Alice, it was so wonderful. I thought my heart was going to burst clear out of my body. I could hardly breathe. You know what I mean?”
She knew exactly what Lizzie meant.
Jack.
“I haven’t had much time with Harry since they returned. And when he left, we were still so young he never more than gave me a peck on the cheek.”
“One thing led to another and . . . you know. We were getting married anyway. It was only the once, so we didn’t see the harm.”
“I suppose, but now what? You certainly can’t wait until spring to get married.”
“We’ve talked to Reverend Lamb and he’s agreed to marry us a week from Saturday. I already have the dress, and we only ever wanted a small wedding. Fin’s immediate family and a couple of our closest friends. Harry should be back from Minneapolis in time to be best man, and you’ll still be my maid-of-honor, won’t you?”
“Of course.”
“And this way, when the baby’s born a little early no one should give it a second thought.”
“There have been more than a few babies born shy of full term around here for anyone to dare risk pointing a finger. Who else knows?”
“Only Doc, of course, Fin and his parents, the Reverend, and now you.”
“Well, I certainly won’t say anything.” Alice poured tea into each cup and drank hers in silence while Lizzie continued to talk wedding plans. If only she and Harry could be as excited about their own future. It might not feel so wrong.
* * *
THE NIGHT OF THE DANCE, Alice did a quick inventory of the cookies before handing the boxes over to Jack and Fin to take to the Grange Hall. They’d been baking for hours over the past two days, and she was concerned Lizzie might have overdone it in her condition. Alice did a majority of the work herself, forcing Lizzie to sit and rest on threat of telling Iris—accidentally, of course—the happy news. There was no quicker way to get the word around town than through Iris, and Lizzie knew it. So, she rested when told, but made a great show of pouting about it. In return, Alice promised not to tell anyone. Not Harry. Not even Jack.
Fin sidled up to the girls, steering them away from the other partiers. “I hope you didn’t overdo it, Lizzie.”
“I swear Alice should have the credit for all of these cookies. She hardly let me do a thing.”
“I made sure of that.” Alice gave him a nod and a little knowing smile. She hooked her arm in Lizzie’s. “I promise I’ll keep a special eye on this girl going forward.”
Fin’s brow furrowed. “Aren’t you and Harry moving to Minneapolis?”
“She’ll still have Doc, and you, and your mother.”
Jack snuck up behind them. “What are you three whispering about?”
Fin was quick on his feet with an answer. “Lizzie and I were wagering on which young man would get to dance with Alice first, seeing Harry’s still in Minneapolis.”
“I don’t intend to dance with anyone.” Alice waved a hand. “It wouldn’t be proper.”
“It’s only a dance,” Fin scoffed. “I don’t see any harm, and I don’t think Harry would mind, considering.”
“After all, it’s a celebration.” Lizzie squeezed her arm and pulled her close as they walked.
“Nonetheless, I’ll keep busy helping Mother Barnes with the food table. I might as well start learning how to deal with my future mother-in-law’s criticisms. Maybe we’ll even find a way to get along, for Harry’s sake.”
Jack snorted. “Good luck. But if anyone can do it, my money’s on you.”
A sound like a cat being dunked in bath water greeted them even before they reached the front door of the Hall.
Lizzie slapped her hands over her ears. “What in the world?”
Fin flinched. “Who is that?”
Jack and Alice exchanged anguished looks. They had a pretty good guess who was trying to sing, and why.
“Mother,” Jack said.
“Is that Keep The Home Fires Burning?” Alice asked in disbelief.
“What happened to Ollie Iverson?” Fin turned to Jack.” I heard the mayor was having his boy play piano tonight. Some jazz for dancing.”
“Mother got involved, that’s what happened. But don’t worry, I fixed it.” Jack winked at Alice. “As a thank you for saving your ears from Mother’s attempts at musical entertainment, and the equally unpleasant sounds certain to follow from each of her friends in the ladies’ club, I expect to have the first dance.”
Alice was almost afraid to ask. “What did you do?” The repercussions from his mother would not be pleasant. On the other hand, as long as her name didn’t get dragged into it, the whole thing could be fun to watch.
“Maybe best you don’t know ahead of time. You can always claim innocence.”
Fin picked up his step. “Come along, ladies. Let’s get inside and watch the show. These cookies are getting heavy. I’d rather be eating them than carrying them.”
The men set the boxes where they were told and grabbed a handful each. In the meantime, Margaret Barnes finished her performance to a round of applause no doubt meant to celebrate its end, rather than her performance. Oblivious to the giggles and eye rolling from the audience, she took an extra bow and walked offstage beaming.
Edna Sorenson was next. Mrs. Sorenson, while not quite as high in the Pine Lake social order, was well established, nonetheless. She owned a successful bakery famous for its mouth-watering Swedish breads and pastries. Edna nodded to Ollie at the piano, took a deep breath, and belted out God Bless America in a tone only slightly closer in pitch to the intended melody.
Lizzie cringed. “She certainly is patriotic. You can say that much for her.”
Alice leaned over. “Jack, how long do we have to wait?”
“Not long.” He smiled at Fin, who shrugged at the girls.
Between the prairies and the oceans white with foam, Ollie launched into a rousing rendition of Porcupine Rag. This time the applause was sincere. Mixed with cheers and whistles, it brought the young people to their feet. Edna Sorenson, on the other hand, looked at Ollie, her mouth hanging silently open. Her chin quivered. A single tear ran down her cheek. Alice felt sorry for her despite her relief that the caterwauling was over.
Margaret Barnes’ face turned a deeper shade of red every moment she tried to console a confused and crying Edna. She searched the room, coming to a stop by them standing by the cookies. Most particularly her son. She handed Edna off to Mr. Sorenson and marched across the dance floor, dodging hopping and bobbing young people, until she stood in front of Jack.
“You did this.” Her voice shook with rage.
“Did what, Mother?” He gave her his best impression of surprised confusion.
“This!” She pointed at the dance floor. “How could you?”
“No, Mother, how could you? This is supposed to be a celebration, not a contest to see who can best imitate a cat with its tail caught in a wringer washer.”
She ignored him and turned her anger toward Alice.
“And you helped, no doubt.” Mrs. Barnes pointed her finger at Alice’s chest like an arrow through her heart.
Alice raised her hands and retreated a step. “I didn’t have anything to do with it, Mrs. Barnes. Honest.”
“No one else knew about it, Mother. No one but me and Ollie.”
His mother continued to ignore him. “How did you think Harry would feel about this little stunt of yours?” She continued to go after her. “And what about Fin? Two of our brave young men who fought for our country. You turned their sacrifice into a joke.”
“Enough.” Jack attempted to get between Alice and his mother.
“Then I guess it’s a good thing how your engagement turned out.” Now the spark in her eye turned to a rapidly growing flame. She’d found her mark. Alice had never felt so terrified.
“I don’t understand.” Her voice cracked, barely heard above the music.
“You don’t know?” Margaret Barnes laughed, not like she’d been told a humorous story, but like the evil witch in a fairy tale.” You mean Harry didn’t call and tell you himself?”
“Tell me what?”
“Tell her what, Mother?” Jack slipped an arm around Alice’s waist. She was shaking and her legs were about to give out.
“Margaret.”
When did Mr. Barnes get there? She hadn’t seen him in the crowd.
“This isn’t the time or place.” He tried to lead her away.
Aunt Caroline appeared on her sister’s other side. “Perhaps we should step outside for some fresh air.”
Mrs. Barnes pulled herself free of them. “On the contrary, this is the perfect time. I think Miss Armstrong has a right to know Harry rung us not an hour ago to give us the good news.”
The room dimmed before Alice’s eyes. Her ears rang hollow. The music faded. Margaret Barnes’ voice though, came through loud and clear.
“Harry and Betty Young were married in Minneapolis this afternoon.”