Love Blooms in Winter Read online

  Despite his growing frustration with the situation, Tom had to smile when he thought of Lil. He couldn’t help a grudging respect for her. She worked like a beaver. Though he didn’t know much about her, he knew she raised hogs, dressed like a man, and cussed like a pirate—and she and Mae were close friends. He couldn’t think of a more unlikely pairing.

  Fisk had been quick to tell him where the woman lived, and he made it clear that he didn’t want to make the trek with him, so Tom went alone. Lil’s house sat in a hog wallow some distance outside of Dwadlo. The tin roof of the shanty sagged beneath the heavy snow atop it. The dogs that had followed him from town immediately got into it with Lil’s pack when they darted out of a large barn, taller and wider than most.

  He neared the porch and she appeared, shotgun leveled at her hip right at him.

  Getting off his horse he called, “Lil, it’s Tom Curtis.” Then he tried to shake a growling mongrel loose from his pant leg.

  Lowering the weapon, she smiled at him. “Why, git yoreself on in here, Tom Curtis!”

  Out the corner of his eye he caught sight of Jeremy riding in on a donkey. He silently watched the young man slide from the animal’s back, reach for the ropes looped around its neck, and use one to tie the donkey to a rail. Then he waded into the pack of barking dogs, culled Pauline’s strays, and tied them to Lil’s fence railing.

  Tom shook his head. He had to admit, the nickel a day he paid that boy was well spent. Striding toward the shanty, he stepped up onto the porch.

  “What brings you out this way this afternoon?”

  “Well, um, Fisk mentioned you have an elephant.” The implied inquiry felt as silly as the words sounded. This would go down as a first for him and the railroad, hiring an elephant, but he was left without a choice.

  She nodded. “Yeah, I got one.”

  “You actually have one?”

  “Just said so, didn’t I?”

  “You didn’t mention the fact yesterday.”

  “Figure you’d come to me if you needed Esau.”

  She peered up at him and he smiled. She had a smudge of red jam on the corner of her mouth. She might actually be an attractive woman if she ever cleaned up and dressed like one. “Fisk told me his name. Can’t rightly say I’ve ever heard that before, except from the Bible.”

  “I took one look at that big ol’ hairy skin and knew that was my Esau.” She paused. “He was a hairy, hairy man.”

  When his mama had read the Bible to him, Tom had never thought of naming an elephant or anything else for that matter, after one of Isaac’s sons.

  Her eyes turned to the slate-colored sky. “You planning to work this evenin’?”

  His gaze followed hers. The clouds showed signs of breaking up. “I don’t think so. The day’s gone. But, weather permitting, tomorrow we can continue to clear the wreckage. I was wondering if I could…use your elephant.”

  “Use him how?”

  “To move the locomotive and the cars.”

  “Well, he could shore do it,” she said. “I’ve made a pulling harness for him—ain’t the best, but it helps when I’m uprootin’ trees.”

  Tom relaxed a little. He was relieved to have at least one problem off his hands. Just two to go: Get the right rail, and find Pauline a home. But there was one question that kept nagging at him. “Is it safe to work with him?”

  “Safe? Aww, Esau’s a big ol’ kitty. He wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

  Flies didn’t concern him. The removal of the overturned steam engine and wooden boxcars did. He needed brute strength. He hoped the animal was up to the challenge. “Can you have him at the job site early in the morning?”

  She nodded. “I’ll ride him there. I have to take special care of his skin in the cold, but he can handle it for a day. I’ll have to have him back home and inside before dark.”

  “Much obliged.” He tipped his hat and turned to step off the porch. The dogs lunged on their ropes and a few broke loose. Chickens squawked. Feathers flew. He paused when he heard Lil clear her throat, loudly, so he turned and met her stoic expression.

  “He gets a dollar a day—same as me.”

  Nodding, Tom set his jaw. “Dollar a day.” He’d never paid an animal one red cent before, but he figured there was always a first time for everything.

  By morning word had spread that Esau had been hired to move the locomotive and cars. When Mae, Jake, and Pauline arrived at the work site just after sunrise, the area was teeming with curious observers. Over the previous two days most of the snow surrounding the engine and cars had been cleared away, but if today was sunny, the entire area would become a mud pit. Mae had put her boots on, but Pauline insisted she didn’t have any and shoes would be just fine.

  Mae recognized most of the people in the gathering crowd, including many who came all the way from Branch Springs to help. On Jake’s insistence, she’d closed the store and post office for a couple of hours to accompany him to the site. If truth be known, she came more to see Tom than to be with Jake, and that thought bothered her.

  Thoughtfully, Jake had included a reluctant Pauline. He had yet to volunteer a hand in the repair of the track, but Mae knew that manual labor was not his strong suit. Pauline had grumbled all the way to the site because she still nursed a grudge against the railroad interfering with the town’s serenity, and it didn’t seem likely she’d ever let go of her resentment. But as exciting and entertaining moments were few and far between in Dwadlo, she willingly climbed into the buggy.

  Mae spotted Jeremy in the distance as soon as they arrived. She saw quite a few dogs tied to various objects. He was putting logs on the fire next to the water barrels to keep them from freezing. He loved his “man” work and took it seriously. He also seemed to love working with Tom. Mae was sure she’d heard his name at least a hundred times in the last two days during conversations with her little brother. She was happy to see him bond with another man, but she was afraid that Tom’s departure would devastate Jeremy, and she didn’t want to see that happen.

  More families arrived, with men and women carrying small children and babies bundled in warm clothing. Once word had circulated about the elephant working here today, a huge crowd was certain to show up. The whole scene had taken on a circus-like atmosphere.

  When Tom appeared, she noticed a frown on his handsome face. Tired lines had formed around his eyes. Was he getting enough sleep? The accident consumed his days. She stood up in the buggy and waved. He lifted a gloved hand in greeting.

  “Sit down, Mae.” Jake shook his head. “The man doesn’t need more distraction.”

  Mae sat down, fuming inside. How dare he reprimand her like a child! If they weren’t in public she’d give him a piece of her mind. Jake had been acting a bit strange lately, and she had no idea why. Maybe he just missed her brother’s cooking. Since they had moved into Dale’s place, Jeremy hadn’t cooked dinner for him.

  She opened her mouth to talk to Jake about his behavior, but before she could speak the crowd let out a loud roar. When she looked up her anger was forgotten. Her excitement swelled as Lil and Esau came into view.

  Dwadlo would never forget this day!

  Nineteen

  Mothers moved small children closer to their sides, allowing plenty of room for the massive animal. Lil sat like a proud parent showing off her newborn. Mae’s eyes focused on the enormous coat and smiled as she thought of the elephant’s name. Esau certainly was hairy.

  She looked over at Tom. His eyes were fixed on the gigantic force moving toward him, and she noted his uncertainty. Life had thrown him a curve, and he must spend his nights wondering how on earth he had found himself in this situation. Sadness gripped her. When the rail was complete, he would leave. Right now, watching him take charge of the difficult situation, she knew that for her Dwadlo would never be the same. She gave herself a mental shake. Mae, that is a most shameful thought for a woman about to become betrothed to another man! She glanced at Jake, seated in the buggy next to her, observing t
he activity with keen interest.

  The massive Goliath lumbered closer to the overturned locomotive. Lil called, “Stay back, folks! Let Mr. Curtis connect the riggin’!”

  Mae’s heart nearly stopped when the animal came closer to Tom. Her hand absently came up to cover her mouth. Protect him, Father…

  Pauline clasped her hands. “Sonny boy could be crushed like an ant!”

  The animal’s sheer bulk dwarfed Tom. Mae couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped while she watched the unfolding scene. She caught back an appalling thought. If Esau were to overstep his bounds, she feared Pauline could be right.

  Jake abruptly turned toward Mae. “Did you say something?”

  “No…I just…uh…the elephant scared me.” She wasn’t afraid of Esau. She’d been around him before. Had Jake sensed her fear for Tom?

  “Curtis is a smart and cautious man. He knows what he’s doing. He’ll be fine.”

  Please God… let it be so.

  Jake stared at the scene in front of him. “You seem overly impressed by the man’s work, Mae. It hardly takes a genius to work with a dumb animal. See how your railroad man is getting dirty messing with that filthy animal. Most repulsive.”

  Tom looked fine to her. He worked fearlessly with Lil to get Esau into his harness. At one point he’d slipped and gone down, but he’d only hit the snow-covered ground. It wasn’t as though he’d rolled in the mud and looked like one of Lil’s muck-coated sows. However, according to Jake, that was exactly how he looked. If she didn’t know better, she’d think the lawyer was jealous. But that was ridiculous.

  “What I see is that you don’t plan to help.” Mortified by her imprudence, Mae couldn’t believe she’d voiced her displeasure with him, yet she felt no compulsion to take it back. Jake turned toward her, and from the look in his eyes and the expression on his face, she could tell he wanted to scold her for being insolent.

  “Oh, look!” She pointed at Tom and listened to the crowd’s appreciation when he finished connecting the harness-like apparatus to the elephant. “He did it!”

  Jake glared at her again, but she joined the crowd’s cheers and clapped her hands. For the first time in a very long while she felt liberated, and she was mindless of Jake’s insecurity.

  “They’re ready to move the engine!”

  “Lil!” Tom shouted above the growing racket.

  “Yes, sir?”

  “See if you can quiet the crowd.” He didn’t know how the news had spread so fast. He’d hoped to move the engine and cars without an audience. This certainly wasn’t a spectator event, and he didn’t want to excite the elephant.

  Placing her fingers at the corners of her mouth, Lil whistled. The piercing sound caught the crowd’s attention. “Shuddup!”

  Conversations ceased.

  Nodding at Tom, Lil said. “Go on.”

  He checked the rigging twice and then motioned for her to back the animal to the engine. “Slowly!” he warned.

  Giving another whistle, Lil spoke to the elephant. “Back.”

  Esau lifted one large foot and took a step backward.

  Tom shivered, thankful Esau listened to his master. The morning was freezing, and he wondered if the temperature would ever get out of the teens. His hands and feet were already numb, and he doubted he’d even feel it if the elephant stepped on his foot. He wasn’t comfortable in such close quarters. Esau’s tail whipped his cheek, and he quickly averted his head, dodging the weapon on the return swish. He felt like a fly next to the gray beast. “Does he have to do that?”

  Lil nodded. “That’s normal behavior. Relax.”

  He was as relaxed as anyone standing inches away from tons of flesh. He bent to straighten a rope, and when he looked up the animal hiked its tail.

  Oh good grief! Fear struck him speechless, but the anxious moment passed without incident. The onlookers chattered freely, pointing and laughing. He hadn’t planned to provide the morning’s entertainment.

  Lil yelled again. “Quiet!” She used the harness to climb up on Esau’s back.

  Tom secured a sturdy chain to the locomotive and then to the harness. “Okay! Move him a couple of steps!” He bent to pick up the slack in the chain, and when he turned all his breath was squeezed out of him. The elephant had moved backward instead of forward. Swallowing down hysteria, he tried to breathe as a solid wall of flesh flattened his nose. Forward! his mind screamed.

  Lil leaned down to peer over the animal’s side. “Did you say somethin’?”

  “Forward! Move him forward!” Only the sharp command sounded more like “mood hen fodward!”

  “Esau. Forward.” The weight of the animal came off of him, and Tom gasped to fill his lungs. When he turned, Mae was suddenly there, hovering over him.

  “Are you hurt?”

  “Go back to your buggy!” Heat filled his cheeks and he consciously dusted his pants. “I can handle this.”

  She stepped back and gave him a look that said she had no intention of returning to the buggy. The skirt of her dress below her heavy coat caught his eye. This was no place for a woman.

  “Careful,” she called up to Lil. “It’s tight quarters back here!”

  “Shore thing. Ease up, Esau.”

  Tom stepped out of the way and motioned for the animal to step back. The elephant took two steps toward him and stopped. He readjusted the harness, checked the connection to the engine, and then motioned for Lil to move the animal forward. Mae came to stand beside him.

  “Does your intended know you’re out here in the cold with me?”

  Nodding, Mae pointed. “He’s sitting right over there watching us.”

  “He doesn’t mind?”

  “I didn’t say he didn’t mind. I said he was watching.”

  “You should go back to the buggy, Mae. I don’t want you to get hurt.” He said the words he knew he should say, but the truth was that he liked her there, with him.

  Mae smiled. “I’ve been around Esau a lot. Lil and I are friends, or did you forget?”

  “Okay, then. Just stay out of the way. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

  “Why, Mr. Curtis, I’m flattered.”

  At that moment the sun peeked through the clouds and Mae was bathed in light, looking like an angel. Her hair was shiny, her complexion fair and flawless. She was indeed one fine woman.

  Within an hour the overturned locomotive was upright and off to the side, safely removed from the damaged section of track. By early afternoon Esau, with the help of the crew, had cleared the rest of the damaged cars and now stood to the side, contentedly munching on hay. Bystanders still walked around the elephant, amazed by his size and power. Fisk, on the other hand, was fascinated with the engine. He was like a child, climbing around the locomotive, slipping onto the engineer’s seat, and touching every knob and handle. He was doing everything kids do when they pretend to drive a steam engine.

  Eventually, though, the crowd started to disperse, and Tom studied the work site. He hated to end the workday so early, but without the needed supplies, there was nothing more they could do. He glanced down at his mud-caked clothing and thought he resembled one of Lil’s sows. Mae’s soft voice interrupted his thoughts.

  “You look a mess.”

  His gaze lazily scanned her own grubby attire. He smiled. “I’m afraid you don’t look so good yourself, Miss Wilkey. You’ve ruined your pretty dress.”

  Sighing dramatically, she grinned. “I know. Jake said I have to walk home.”

  Tom turned to watch the man’s back disappearing down the road. “Seems Jake isn’t very accommodating. Is he always this thoughtful?”

  “His buggy is new, and the upholstery is quite expensive. He is…well, you see, Jake…”

  “Don’t make excuses for him. He has enough of his own.” Tom saw her eyes begin to tear up. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Mae. In fact, you’re the most giving, most helpful person I know.” She looked at him and blinked hard, trying not to cry in front of him. “And, if you don�
�t mind my saying so, you’re the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen.”

  She fell into step with him but remained silent. He was afraid he’d embarrassed her. He probably shouldn’t have made those cracks about Jake, but the more he saw of the man, the less he liked him. He should probably apologize, even if he’d meant every word he’d said. Reaching down, he took her hand and stopped walking. She looked up at him, and as he searched her beautiful brown eyes, he realized he had an almost overpowering urge to kiss her.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked when he didn’t say anything.

  “Nothing. Everything seems right.”

  “Well, you stopped walking. I just wondered why.”

  “I wanted to apologize…in case what I just said insulted you in any way.”

  Mae shook her head, her gaze on him unwavering. “You didn’t insult me, Tom. And for your comments about Jake, well, I suppose everyone in town feels the same way about him.”

  “Why do you stay with him?”

  “Because…” Mae looked at the ground for a moment and then back up to his face. “I guess he’s like a habit, and no one else has given me a reason to leave him.”

  “I’d love nothing better than to give you that reason and kiss you right here, right now. But out of respect for you, and Jake, I won’t.”

  Sadness crept over her features, and she looked confused. “I’d love nothing better myself, but I…have commitments elsewhere, and I know you want to get back to your life.”

  “My job,” he corrected.

  “You’re working right now, aren’t you?”

  He hadn’t thought about it, but he was working. Clive was joking about another promotion. His was still waiting for when he got back to the office. Tom thought about that. He hadn’t run a crew in years, but he was enjoying the physical labor. Every bone ached, but he’d slept like a log the past couple of nights. He’d grown soft sitting behind a desk every day. “You’re right. I am working.”

  “Then something else must be drawing you back.” She pulled her hand from his.