When Love Comes My Way Page 17

  She could use some new material for a hat too. It would be rather convenient to live over a store like Menson’s. Dusting her hands, she put on her coat and went downstairs for her second shopping trip of the day.

  “Let’s see now. Five yards of cotton, a spool of white thread, and three cents’ worth of peppermints.” Henry Menson ordinarily dropped a couple of extra pieces of candy into the sack, but not today. “Is that it, Miss Yardley?”

  “Yes. Thank you, Mr. Menson.” Henry wrapped the material, thread, and candy in heavy white paper and bound it tightly with string. Handing the neatly wrapped bundle to her, the clerk’s customary smile failed to materialize. His thin lips were set in a pinched line and his expression warred with his desire to be polite.

  “Right pleasant day we’re having.”

  “It is indeed.” She took her purchases and turned to leave. “Please put these on Mr. Lannigan’s account.”

  An exceptionally pretty porcelain bowl sitting in the front window caught her eye, and she lingered to examine it. Her dalliance was merely a tactic to delay leaving. Jake was on the sidewalk outside the store talking to Ed Holman, and she was hoping if she postponed her departure long enough, she could avoid an encounter. He had not been back to the room since he’d left before dawn.

  Admittedly, she was starting to worry about his next move. She’d heard the townspeople buzzing, but no one had said a word directly to her about last night’s scandalous event.

  The bell over the door tinkled, and she glanced up to see Echo enter the store. Tess tensed when she saw that Waite accompanied her this afternoon. She tried to put aside her bias and smiled warmly at her friend.

  Echo nodded briefly in Tess’s direction, and then she quickly averted her eyes and hurried over to take a seat next to the potbellied stove. The young woman’s meek reserve didn’t surprise her. When Waite was present, Echo kept to herself.

  The big burly jack spotted her. Though he pretended to be interested in a three-bladed cattleman’s knife in the showcase up front, she felt his eyes periodically shifting back to her.

  Placing the porcelain box back in the window, Tess edged closer to the door. Jake was still deep in conversation, and she knew if she left now he would either confront or ignore her. Her eye caught sight of a new stack of calico and muslins. That would give her something to look at for a few more moments.

  Sherman Miller wistfully eyed the barrel of apples, good-naturedly complaining to Henry about his wife Selma’s cooking—or the lack of it lately.

  “Better get you some of those apples, Sherman. They make a right tasty pie,” Henry urged.

  “What do I need with apples, Henry? They would sit in my kitchen and turn pithy.”

  Sherman’s eyes coldly skimmed Tess, and she noted that Selma ignored his remark as she picked up a bottle of Doctor Kilmer’s Female Remedy and studied the label. Good for you, fellow WASP.

  “Yessiree bob, there’s nothing better after a cold day of being out in the woods than to come home to the smell of hot apple pie bubbling in the oven,” Henry agreed.

  “A man has a right to come home to that,” Sherman made a point of adding. “Especially after he’s worked hard for his woman from dawn till dusk.”

  Tess admired Selma. She casually placed the bottle back on the shelf and moved on.

  “I like a thick wedge of cheese on my apple pie. Don’t you, Sherman?”

  “I don’t rightly know, Henry. It’s been so long since I had a piece of apple pie that I’ve plumb forgot what I’d put on it.”

  Tess wished Henry would drop the subject. Sherman was practically salivating at the thought of the tasty, rich dessert, and the corners of Selma’s mouth were getting more pinched by the moment.

  “Yessir, women nowadays are something. Don’t know their place. That’s what it is,” Henry decided.

  “I agree with you there, Henry. Looks to me like they would know when they’re well off.” The jack nodded. “I say if a man’s good enough to give them a roof over their head and a houseful of kids to run after, they should be grateful enough to make a simple apple pie for him every once in a while.”

  “Looks like it,” Henry sympathized.

  “Sherman, you and Henry done been going about this all wrong.”

  A grin spread across Waite’s features, and he walked over to warm up by the stove. Judging from his appearance, Tess guessed he hadn’t seen a bar of soap or a razor in weeks.

  “A real man keeps his wife in line. Now, take my little woman. She done been fixing me fine meals lately. Extra fine.”

  Echo glanced up expectantly. “Waite, that ain’t so—”

  “Hush, darlin’.”

  She winced when Waite’s soft rebuke brought the activity in the store to a halt. Echo’s eyes darted to her.

  “But I ain’t been—”

  “No one asked your opinion.”

  When Waite’s harsh look silenced his wife, an uneasy hush fell over the store. Tess longed to intercede for her friend, but she knew any interference on her part would only make the situation worse.

  “A woman ought not go against her husband.”

  “I’m sorry,” Echo said softly.

  “How sorry?”

  “Real sorry, Waite.”

  “Apology accepted. Now, I think this might be a good time for you to tell the little schoolmarm here that you ain’t gonna be in her soo-ciety.”

  Crimson color flooded Echo’s face. “Waite—”

  “You don’t want to cause a scene now, do you, darlin’?”

  “No… but don’t make me give up my soo-ciety.”

  Echo’s voice trembled, and Tess knew the young woman was close to tears. When she took a step forward, she felt Sherman’s hand on her shoulder to stop her.

  “No wife of mine is gonna consort with an unmarried woman living with a man,” Waite said. “Don’t argue with me. Just tell Miss Yardley you’re not gonna be able to come to any more of her little after-school powwows. You got a man at home who needs looking after. You don’t have time to be running around rilin’ up trouble. This town was a God-fearing place until that woman arrived.”

  Tears rolled from the corners of Echo’s eyes. “Waite. I’ll…I’ll start cookin’ again, I promise. Don’t make me give up—”

  “Tell Miss Yardley what I said, Echo.” His tone was firm and brooked no nonsense.

  Sherman cast a warning look toward the man. “Waite, I think you should settle this matter at another time and place. We’ve been ribbin’ the women, is all. Don’t mean any harm, none of it. If they want to have their little society, that ain’t gonna hurt no one.”

  “Miller, I won’t tell you how to handle your woman, and you won’t tell me how to handle mine,” Waite said evenly. “Echo?”

  Her head obediently dropped, and she did what he said in a barely audible voice. “I…I can’t be in your soo-ciety anymore, ma’am. I’m real sorry.”

  The front door swung open, and Tess’s knees went weak with relief when she saw Jake enter the store.

  Waite smiled. “That’s fine, sugar pie. Mighty fine.”

  Taking his gaze away from his wife, he shot Tess a smug reminder that he was still the boss in his household. She watched him saunter back across the room as if the incident had never taken place. She wished she could smack the look off his face, but she knew that was impossible.

  “Afternoon, Big Say,” Waite said.

  Jake nodded and held the door when Echo fled past him like a shy doe, followed by a confident Waite Burne. Tess’s heart went out to her friend. She hoped the incident was over and wouldn’t continue after the couple got home.

  Henry cleared his throat and returned to the Millers’ order, his tone seeking to lighten the tension that hung over the room like a pall. “Could be apple pie ain’t what it’s cracked up to be.”

  Casting a worried glance at Selma, Sherman said, “Well, won’t hurt me none to shed a few pounds.”

  Tess felt like stamping her foot. Henr
y was back on the subject of those pies again! But if Sherman still found the heckling amusing, Selma didn’t. She quietly moved to the flour barrel.

  “Oh, Sherman.”

  He glanced up. “Yes, darlin’?” He shot Henry a knowing wink.

  “Would you step over here, please?”

  Sherman obliged. “What is it, love of my life?”

  Selma smiled sweetly. “You want an apple pie, darlin’?”

  “That would be real nice, dear.”

  Selma dipped her fingers in the barrel and then calmly flipped flour in her husband’s face. “Then bake it yourself, dumplin’.”

  Sherman was clearly not amused. He sputtered, his large hands coming up to wipe the flour away from his eyes, rimmed in white. Recovering from the unwarranted assault, he spoke in a low tone. “You ought not to have done that, Selma.”

  Tess couldn’t believe her eyes when Selma calmly dipped her fingers in the barrel a second time, and then flicked a wad of flour on the front of Sherman’s red flannel shirt.

  “Then dry up. Once you and those other baboons agree to build a new schoolhouse, you’ll get your pie. Not a moment sooner.”

  Jake had turned to watch the exchange. Tess noted he was more amused than concerned by the marital dispute. Then she saw Sherman’s hand slowly move to dip into the barrel.

  “Don’t you dare,” Selma warned.

  Sherman’s devilish grin assured her and everyone else in the room that he would indeed dare. Tess backed closer to the door for escape.

  Henry glanced up, and his face paled. Hurriedly wiping his hands on the front of his apron, he scurried from behind the counter. “Here now, Sherman, we’ll have none of this—”

  Suddenly, pandemonium broke loose. Selma screamed when flour hazed the air, and the battle was on.

  Jake had stepped to the side, but when apples and oranges started flying, he ducked and headed for the front door. Tess straightened her hat irritably and suddenly felt herself being lifted off her feet and hoisted roughly over the big lumberjack’s shoulder. Jake hauled her out of the store like a sack of grain. How dare he! She kicked helplessly as she heard Henry frantically try to put a stop to the broadening fracas.

  “Put me down!” she ordered. Jake set her, not too lightly, on her feet on the sidewalk. The clamor of pots and pans flung in anger now came from the store. Henry pleading for Sherman and Selma to stop only added to the confusion.

  Jake spoke for the first time. “When are you going to learn to quit butting in folks’ business, especially the marriages in this community?”

  Tess picked up the bundle of goods and the hat she’d dropped. “It’s time someone improves the quality of life around here!” With a sigh of disgust, she began dusting flour off her lovely creation. “And there are some marriages that need improving! Take Waite Burne’s, for instance. Why don’t you fire him?”

  “Waite is one of my best fallers. I don’t fire a man because I don’t happen to like him.”

  “This is different. He’s a miserable excuse for a man! The way he treated Echo in the store was disgusting.”

  “Did he strike her?”

  “No.”

  “Did he threaten to harm her in any way?”

  “No. It was his bossy attitude. I don’t like the way he treats her, giving her orders and then running off to get drunk when life doesn’t suit him.”

  “Has she complained about him?”

  “Of course not. Echo is too loyal to complain—”

  “Unless there’s an indication that Waite is mistreating her, you’d better stay out of it. If Echo needs help, she knows where to find it.”

  Frustrated, she smashed her hat back on top of her head.

  The corners of Jake’s mouth twitched. “You know, Miss Yardley, the women in these parts have been raised to know their place.”

  “Is that so, Mr. Lannigan?”

  “They are accustomed to taking orders, and they enjoy the security of knowing that someone is looking out for their best interests.”

  “Whose best interests? I think that’s precisely the issue here. A new schoolhouse would be in the best interest of the entire community. It seems that it’s the women who are farsighted enough to understand the problem.”

  “You’d be wise to keep your thoughts private.” He turned on his heel and started off. “This all started in the first place because of you.”

  “Me? What have I done? You weren’t in there when Waite made Echo drop out of the WASPS society! It broke her heart!”

  Turning, he confronted her again. “Now, you listen to me, young lady. You’ve been stirring up trouble for weeks over this nonsense about a new schoolroom, and I want it stopped.”

  “What happened in there is not my fault! If Henry and Sherman would have kept quiet about those silly apple pies, Selma would never have lost her temper and thrown that flour.”

  “It’s not just Selma and Sherman. You have every married couple in camp squabbling. I can’t get anything done for the men running in and out of my office whining about the way their wives won’t cook, won’t wash their clothes, won’t talk, and won’t—won’t do a blame thing!” His tone rose at the end, even as he blushed a little.

  “Ha! It serves them right!”

  His hands shot to his hips. “Ha! That kind of fighting is about as low as it gets.”

  “If you mean I’m responsible for encouraging the women of this town to use any means they possess in order to have a little say about what goes on around here, you’re right, Jake Lannigan! If you and the other men in this town don’t have enough pride in your families and your children to see that they have the very best you can provide them, then you can suffer the consequences.”

  “No one complained until you showed up.”

  Jake turned and walked off but she fell into step behind him. Her hair had fallen loose in the scuffle, and she irritably gathered up the strands and tried to shove them back up under her hat. “Don’t walk away from me when I’m talking to you! You could put a stop to all this bickering in a minute if you would agree to take a precious few days and ten or fifteen men to build that new schoolhouse!”

  “No.”

  “Yes!”

  “You’re not getting a new schoolhouse, so you and your fellow hornets had better fly back to your nest. If you think you’re going to bring my men down with feminine wiles, you are sadly mistaken.”

  “WASPS! And pray tell me why not!”

  He refused to answer the question. “And you’d best be finding you a new place to store your things. You are not moving into my place.”

  Her chin lifted a notch. “I already have.”

  “I can move you out just as fast.”

  She breathlessly tried to match his long-legged strides. Common sense told her to drop the subject. He was obviously not in any mood to rationally discuss the matter, but she couldn’t stop now. He was being pigheaded and completely illogical about a serious situation.

  “I’m supposed to forget about the schoolhouse and cower down to you like a meek, helpless woman?”

  “That would be real nice, Miss Yardley. And, may I add, mighty sensible on your part.”

  “Well, it isn’t sensible to me.”

  “I can see that.”

  They had entered the pines now, and the path narrowed. “Haven’t you ever wanted anything so bad you were willing to fight for it?”

  “Maybe, but I was always smart enough to know when I was licked.” He paused at the foot of a large pine and strapped on his safety belt. Then he donned his spikes.

  She peered at the tree’s towering trunk, and a knot of fear formed in the pit of her stomach. Did he intend to climb to soaring heights in order to end this discussion? “What are you doing?”

  “I get paid to work, not to stand around and argue with a wasp.”

  Her gaze followed the height of the pine. “Are you going to cut this tree?”

  “One of the greenhorns left an ax up there this afternoon. I’m going
after it.”

  With rope flying and spikes digging, he began to climb to the top of the two-hundred-foot tree. Tess clamped her eyes shut and leaned against the base to wait. Her heart beat like a jungle drum. If he fell…

  “I know you have your dreams, Jake Lannigan!” Everyone in camp knew Jake wanted to plant trees as well as harvest them, but the new owner of Wakefield Timber didn’t share his vision.

  “Not anymore!”

  “André told me that once you had hopes of replanting these pines.”

  Jake paused in his ascent and tightened his safety gear. “André talks too much.” His cleats dug deeper into the wood.

  “It’s true, isn’t it?”

  “You tell me. You seem to know all about it.”

  “André said you and Rutherford Wakefield planned to replant the pines, but Mr. Wakefield died before the dream was realized.” He had nearly reached the pinnacle now, making it necessary for her to shout to be heard. “Isn’t that so?” She wasn’t sure if he answered her this time. The wind snatched voices and sent them astray.

  “If it is true, why is it so hard for you to understand why building a new schoolhouse is important to me? I won’t be here forever, but like your dream, I want to leave something for future generations. It’s important to me!” She was a dismal failure at teaching, so she had to leave something behind to prove that she’d been there.

  She waited a full five minutes before Jake came back down the tree carrying the retrieved ax in his hand. She breathed a sigh of relief when his feet touched solid ground. “Have you heard a word I’ve said?”

  “About what?” He disconnected the safety rope and let it drop.

  “About the trees and the new schoolhouse. Though my goal isn’t as lofty as yours, and it won’t change the future to any great extent, it’s still a worthy endeavor.”

  “Then get yourself a hammer and a bucket of nails and have at it.”

  She moaned with disgust. “Why must you be so arrogant?” Jake turned his back, and for a long moment she was afraid he’d simply dismissed the subject until he spoke quietly.

  “Did André tell you anything about Tess Wakefield?”

  “He said you tried to persuade Mr. Wakefield’s granddaughter to keep the land long enough to complete the planting project, but she refused. He said she was expected to arrive in camp to complete the sale of Wakefield Timber to a rival competitor, but she hasn’t made it yet.”