Page 12 of Hank and Elsie
In the small barn, Hank inhaled the comforting smell of horses and hay and unsaddled Chipper, allowed the stallion a drink, and handed Torin the saddlebag containing his supplies, setting his own on a straw bale. Silently, the two took each side of the horse and began to groom the buckskin hide.
Once the horse was settled, they each carried a saddle bag out of the barn. Instead of going through the back door, Hank moved to the east side of the house and tapped a log halfwayup the back wall. “I could put a door here.” He paced out the dimensions of the room. “What do you think?” He stopped for Torin’s input.
With a shake of his head, Torin walked over to the imaginary boundary and added four strides to the length. “Ladies, especiallyelevatedones, like wardrobes. You’ll need more space.” His friend made a wide step sideways. “More width, too.” He stamped a foot. “A fireplace here on this wall for warmth…” He hesitated. “For an all-too-brief time, my marriage wasn’t bad.” His blue eyes became sad and distant, seeming to look back in time. “There’s not a more sensuous sight than firelight playing over your beloved’s skin.”
A lump rose in Hank’s throat. He didn’t know what to say to the man’s pain, so he remained silent. But Torin’s words were a stark reminder that finding and courting a bride was only the beginning to keeping her happy for a lifetime.
CHAPTER 5
At the mercantile, Elsie excitedly poured out the story of her visit to the dress shop to her family. With an excited clap of her hands and several toe bounces, she ended with the job offer.
Without a word, her mother handed Elsie a basket. “Please get one bag of flour and a pound of brown sugar. Five pounds of beans, too.
Disappointment made it hard for Elsie to keep her expression civil. If she showed a hint of attitude, Ma would likely take against the idea. Still, hiding her impatience while her parents shopped, deliberating over every item, almost made her skin itch.
A few minutes later, Elsie saw the dressmaker coming toward them. She grinned in surprise and hastened over, carrying the heavy basket. “I told them about the job, Miss Taylor,” she said in a low voice. “But they haven’t given me an answer. I thought we best get the shopping over with before I press my case.”
Her parents turned and stared at Miss Taylor.
To Elsie’s dismay, neither one of them looked welcoming. She touched the dressmaker’s shoulder, praying that her parents would approve of the woman. “This is Miss Taylor, whom I toldyou about. Miss Taylor, these are my parents, Anne and Richard Bailey, and my brother, Ricky, and sister, Mary.”
Miss Taylor stepped forward and offered a gloved hand to Ma, who took it in her bare, work-roughened one. “Your daughter was so eager to tell you about the job that she didn’t stay for more information.” She released Ma’s hand. “I’m sure those details are important to you, such as how much your daughter will be paid.”
Pa cleared his throat. “An offer in hand is important.”
“I’ll pay fifty cents a day with free room and board—living with me, of course, so your daughter will be chaperoned.” She hesitated. “We’ll chaperone each other. A day off every other week. We can figure out when. Perhaps, Sunday, so if you come to church, Elsie can spend time with her family.”
Elsie sucked in a breath, her eyes widening.
Her parents exchanged thoughtful glances.
“In addition, I will train her in dressmaking, so she’ll be learning important skills. I’ll give her a discount on all fabric and other goods.”
Please, please, please!Elsie clasped her hands together, sending them a pleading expression.
“Why don’t we give this arrangement a try?” Miss Taylor coaxed. “Say, a month? Then, if the situation doesn’t suit Elsie or you, or me, for that matter….”
Her father sighed. He pushed back his hat and rubbed his head. “There might be times when we have sore need of another pair of hands. The harvest….”
“I see no reason she can’t go home for a week or two.”
“Please, Pa. Ma,” Elsie begged. “My wages could really help out, and I’ll be able to make everyone new clothes.”
Pa shifted his feet and shook his head. “We couldn’t take all your money, Daughter, generous though the offer is.”
“Half, then. I insist. You need new boots, Pa. Yours have already been resoled twice.” Elsie placed a hand on his arm. “Please, Iwantto help my family.”
He glanced at his feet and then at her. “You’re sure about this?”
“Oh, yes, Pa.” Her head bobbed.
Her father exchanged a glance with her mother, and then held up a hand in apparent resignation. “All right then.”
Elsie gave a joyful bounce. “Oh, thank you!” Belatedly remembering she was supposed to be a grownup lady now, she stilled.
Pa looked at Ma again and shrugged before turning back to his daughter. “Barring bad weather or some unforeseen circumstance, we’ll make sure to attend church in the next few weeks to see how you do.”
Miss Taylor smiled at Elsie. “Can you stay and start tomorrow, or do you need to return home and pack your things? If you remain in town, I can lend you the necessities,” she offered, seeming anxious to put her plan in motion. “Or, if you wish, you can take a nightgown, undergarments, a skirt and shirtwaist, from what I have in stock. We’ll deduct the cost from your wages.”
