Audrey had been to the parlor and returned home when Caleb delivered the wood late the next morning. She invited him in, but he hesitated in the doorway. “No, guess I’d better get along to the mill. I just dropped by to see if…everyone was all right.” His gaze traveled around Audrey’s shoulder into the kitchen where Yvonne was working at the sink.
The young widow had admitted after the judge’s services that her husband had been ill a good part of their journey. They were looking for better climate when the final fever took Frank. It was good to know that the malady that had stricken the wagon train wasn’t the cause of Yvonne’s loss. Seemed Frank had been sick a good long spell and Yvonne had been expecting widowhood for some time.
“We’re fine,” Audrey assured him. “And thank you again for moving the judge to the icehouse. Everyone was so helpful; Copper and I really appreciate it.”
Caleb brushed off her thanks. “Looked like the whole town turned out, except for Cordelia and Horace.”
“Well, I understand their fears.”
“Rumor has it Cordelia’s lost her mind. She won’t let anyone in the house, and Horace can’t leave the place. Guess his two employees run the bank.”
“She is aware that the illness is abating?”
“She knows, but she refuses to believe it.”
Audrey shook her head, thinking about the poor woman and her pathetic attempts to isolate herself and her family from trouble. Hard times had a way of coming even when uninvited. “I’ll fix something, maybe bake a cake, and go see about her.” The visit was long overdue, but chances were Cordelia wouldn’t let her into the home. If not, she’d leave the offering on the doorstep and hope the banker’s wife didn’t feed it to the dogs.
Yvonne turned from the sink, dressed in a light blue calico that Copper had loaned her. She made a fetching sight with her blond hair drawn back into a smooth chignon. She looked nothing like the terror-stricken, half-drowned waif who’d appeared on the judge’s doorstep earlier. She sent a shy smile at Caleb as she passed the open doorway, and the red stain of a blush crept into his cheeks. Caleb didn’t want a spitfire like Copper, and Yvonne wasn’t a spitfire in any sense of the word. She was quiet, gentle, unassuming, and pleasant to be around. In spite of her loss, she was quick to help in the kitchen or with feeding the refugees from the wagon train.
When it seemed apparent that Caleb had caught the scent of fresh-baked bread, Audrey opened the door wider. “I just took a pan of cinnamon buns out of the oven. Surely you can stay for a few moments.”
The hat came off swiftly. “I could spare a minute or two.”
Audrey ushered him into the room, and he took a seat at the table. Minutes later Audrey slid a plate of warm cinnamon rolls in front of him. For a man who artfully wooed women, the big mill worker was suddenly tongue-tied, so she decided to help him by asking the questions she knew he was fair to bursting to ask. “Where are you from, Yvonne?”
“South Carolina.”
“Oh yes. You have a lovely Southern accent.” She motioned to the table. “Sit down and keep Caleb company. You’ve been working all morning.”
Her features turned a colorful shade of pink, but the woman sat down. “Y’all talk nice too.” She lifted a hankie to her eyes. “Can you tell me about Frank? I don’t know where they’ve taken him.”
Too late, Audrey realized the fast pace of events had left the poor woman in the dark, and she’d been too polite to ask. She explained where Frank had been taken.
Caleb reached over to lay his large hand on top of hers. “It’s not a proper place for women, but I’ll be happy to take you there, ma’am. The icehouse is just down the road a piece.”
Audrey smiled, thinking of the times he’d glibly let her wander around on her own. Who would have thought fun-loving Caleb could be so gentle?
Or Eli be so attentive. Her heart thrummed when she thought of how tenderly he’d held her the night they’d found Frank. And then the unexpected admission that he’d changed his mind about her being…what had he said? Something about her not having a brain in her head? Silence stretched until Audrey decided Caleb was truly in over his head. She picked up the conversation.
“Had you and Frank been married long?”
Now why had she asked that? It was too soon for the young widow to discuss personal information with her loss so fresh in her mind.
“Five years. Frank was our neighbor. Pa got sick, then Ma. We lost our crops—and in a few months I lost Ma and Pa. The next year, I lost the farm. I didn’t have anywhere to go, so Frank suggested we get married so he could look after me. He was a lot older than me, but I owe him so much.” She dabbed her eyes with the linen napkin. “I tried to take care of him when he took sick, but he just kept getting worse. Then he decided we’d best look for better climate, but during the long journey he got even sicker. Then the rains came and it was wet and cold and…he died. And I didn’t know what to do.”
Caleb’s expression was as sober as Audrey had ever noticed. “You don’t have to worry now. The citizens of Thunder Ridge will see that you’re taken care of. Your wagon is in a shed at the mill, and we’re taking care of your horses and personal effects. It’s going to be all right, ma’am. You’re not alone now.”
Yvonne clung to his hand, eyes brimming with unshed tears. Audrey sensed life had been hard for her. Perhaps it would be better now.
Patting the widow’s hand, Caleb turned back to Audrey. “Any change in Willow?”
“None.”
Audrey closed the door when Caleb left and set to work. A quick trip to the chopping block, a dose of scalding water, a little time spent plucking the wet feathers, and an hour later the fragrance of frying chicken and chocolate cake filled the kitchen. Copper entered the room and wrinkled her nose. “Isn’t it a little early to be fixing dinner?”
“I’m fixing the Padgets’ supper.”
Copper eyed her as if she had lost her mind. “Whatever for? The old crow won’t let you come within a hundred feet of her, and she’s perfectly capable of cooking her meals.”
“Caleb says she’s barricaded herself inside that house, refusing to see anyone. I’m going to check on her.”
Sadie, who had entered behind Copper, stored the cleaning supplies, clearly eavesdropping on the conversation.
Copper frowned at Audrey. “You’re wasting your time taking food to Cordelia and Horace. They won’t appreciate it.”
“Probably not, but I’m going to take it anyway.” God knew, even if Cordelia might not, that her intentions were honorable.
Copper banged a pot down on the stove. “I suppose I ought to take that ill-tempered Redlin something for his supper. He insists on staying with the wagons and stock, and he can’t have a campfire with all this rain.”
Sadie laughed. Not a ladylike chuckle but a full-throated belly laugh.
Copper turned to look at her. “What?”
“Gets under your skin, does he?”
Copper twitched. “I’m merely trying to show him some Christian charity, and believe me, it isn’t easy.”
“A man like that ought to be treated like a king. Now if I was to marry the man, I’d put him on a throne.”
“I’d crown him, all right,” Copper muttered. “With an iron skillet.”
Adele walked into the kitchen in time to hear the exchange and laughed. “He’s lucky she hasn’t crowned him with the whole stove, as riled as she gets.”
Copper firmed her lips. “He deserves a swift kick in the behind. Josh Redlin is the most aggravating, arrogant, self-centered man I’ve ever had the misfortune to meet.”
Sadie grinned. “I could overlook a few flaws for a man that good-looking.”
Copper heaved a sigh. “You’re welcome to him. And as for taking food to Cordelia, Audrey, I never suspected you were such a saint. Why do you want to risk a tongue-lashing?”
Audrey, who had listened to the women’s sparring, felt a spurt of irritation. “Actually, I never thought you could be so judgmental.”
Copper whirled. “Judgmental? Because I speak the truth about Cordelia?”
“I know the truth about Cordelia, but I wholeheartedly agree with Sadie about the way you treat Josh Redlin. It’s downright maddening the way you treat him. If I were him…”
The young lady’s porcelain complexion flushed bright red. “You’re taking his side?”
“I surely am. He’d be more agreeable if you were kinder.”
Copper threw a dishcloth on the counter and flounced out of the room.
Sadie nodded wisely. “That woman’s got it bad.”
“Her behavior toward the man is peculiar.” Audrey packed food in a basket, covering it to keep out the rain. “I’m going to carry this over to the Padgets’. Keep an eye on things here, will you?”
“Does that include keeping an eye on Copper and Josh?” Sadie joked.
Audrey chuckled. “That’s up to you. How much do you value your life?”
She pulled on her cape and started out for the banker’s house.
Climbing the steps to the front door, she turned to look back at the town. From here Cordelia could keep an eye on the comings and goings of just about anyone who ventured in or out. Small wonder the woman knew everything that went on.
The redbrick home with its white-pillared porch was a fine establishment. An appropriate show for Cordelia’s exaggerated opinion of her appointed place in life.
A latch clicked, and Audrey turned around to face the door. The heavy wood swung open, and there stood a Cordelia she’d never seen before: hair hanging in untidy coils around her face, hollow-eyed, clothes wrinkled and stained. She had a dishcloth held protectively across her mouth, and her expression was downright haunted. The two women stared at each other for a minute before the banker’s wife barked:
“What do you want?”
Audrey held out the basket. “I brought your supper.”
Cordelia’s gaze clouded with suspicion. “Why would you do that?”
“Because I—we, the town, are worried about you. I came to see if there is anything we can do to help you.”
“We’re fine. Have more died?” Her inflection rose. “More deaths? More!” She was screeching now.
“No more,” Audrey hurried to say. “There’s been none in the past few days. I hadn’t seen you lately, and I wondered if you might need help of any kind.” She didn’t know how she could make it clearer. The people in town cared…or at least she did. Even with the Padgets’ peccadilloes, concern for the banker and his family was evident. Was that so hard to conceive?
“Willow is ill—”
“It’s her fault. I warned her to stay from those sick people.”
“No, she—”
“She brought it on herself!”
Audrey indicated the basket. “May I bring this inside?”
“No!” Cordelia recoiled as if Audrey had handed her a rattlesnake. “I have no intention of allowing anyone inside this home until this dreadful epidemic has run its course. Now go away and don’t come back until you’re invited.” She tried to slam the door but Audrey’s boot stopped its movement.
For a moment the two women’s eyes locked in silent combat.
“Cordelia,” Audrey pleaded softly. “The epidemic seems to have run its course. Please, come out of this house and join the townspeople in helping these homeless wagon train families. They’ll move on soon. There’s no reason for alarm now, and no longer a reason to imprison yourself and your family. Is Horace Junior all right?”
“He’s fine, no thanks to you or the others.” The battle-worn woman swiped a hand across her forehead. “Will this madness never end? What if it sweeps the town, wiping out the entire population? What will you have to say then?”
Closing her eyes, Audrey silently prayed for a way to comfort the distraught mother. “No one can know what tomorrow will bring; we can only trust that God is in control of the circumstances.”
“He wasn’t watching over that wagon train.”
“Now that’s not true. Not everyone died, and he tells us that every man is appointed his amount of time. He provided a good-hearted town for the wagon families to recover in. What more could you ask?”
Cordelia stared at her, then snatched up the basket and stepped back inside, shutting the door. The lock slid into place.
Audrey waited a moment, wondering if anything she’d said had reached the woman. The last thing Cordelia needed was a pious sermon on faith. Her qualms were logical. What mother would allow her child to be subject to a fatal illness if she could prevent it?
Turning away, Audrey descended the long stairway back to the path, wishing that she could be as rational about her wants and fears regarding Eli as she pretended to be about Cordelia’s misgivings.
It would sure make life a whole lot simpler.