Page 2 of Hank and Elsie
Torin smiled. “Guess not. Swans. You, too, of course, although you play second fiddle to the birds.”
“At least I’m higher than Brian,” Hank smirked, referring to their other bachelor neighbor, who lived along the lake on the other side of Torin and Jewel. “He’s third fiddle.”
“Only because the swans mostly stay at your end of the lake,” Torin retorted with a matching smirk.
Hank couldn’t help grinning back, always glad to put one on over on Brian Bly, with whom he shared a friendly rivalry, even if the man wasn’t anywhere nearby to know about the current conversation. The two also had an unspoken pact to lighten up Torin, for the man was much too sad and serious. No matter how much he adored his daughter, the burden of Jewel’s care weighed on him.
Hank and Torin often found Brian’s grumpy remarks humorous. He never knew if Brian meant every pessimistic statement, or if their friend secretly amused himself—sometimes at their expense.Probably both.
Hank went inside the house for the mason jar containing small pieces of stale bread and some of the new peas that he’d put aside yesterday for Jewel to feed the swans when next she came by. He twisted off the lid, set it on the counter, and then walked outside to hand the jar to the girl. “Here you go, honey.”
She smiled, her tongue poking out of her mouth. “Thann, Han.”
He grinned in return. “You’re welcome, Jewel baby.”
Holding the jar to her chest, she raced to the water—or at least hurried as quickly as Jewel, with her stumping gait, could move.
Once she tottered and fell, some bread spilling from the jar. Neither Hank nor Torin moved to assist her. The sand was a soft landing, and Jewel had a stubborn streak about getting up on her own.
The girl pulled herself to a crouch, carefully returned the bread and peas to the jar, and stood, moving toward the lake.
She was a familiar figure to the swans, and the pair glided in her direction, graceful necks bowing. With a squeal, Jewel picked a scrap of bread from the jar and threw it to them. The piece didn’t go far, landing at the edge of the water. But the swans trusted Jewel enough to dart forward, one beating the other to gobble up the bread.
Torin took his gaze from his daughter and waved at Hank’s latest addition to his furnishings. “Mighty fine rocking chair you have.”
Hank agreed, but to say so aloud would sound arrogant. “Took a while to figure out the curve of the rockers.” He gestured toward the chair. “Try it out.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” Torin settled himself in the rocker and let out a sigh. “Jewel was awake before even a hint of dawn lit the sky.”
Hank pulled up the bench next to Torin. The two sat in silence for a while, watching the girl feed the swans, her joy making both men smile.
“Sunday next, I’m going to church,” Hank announced. “I’ll also stop by the mercantile. I’ll have a saddlebag full of purchases. But the other saddlebag is free. Let me know what you need from town.”
Torin rocked back. “Troubles me sometimes how beholden I am to you,” he said, his tone heavy. He didn’t take his gaze off his daughter.
Turning his head, Hank stared at him in astonishment. “What in tarnation do you mean?”
“You are as good a friend as can be found. You keep our secret.” Torin tilted his head toward Jewel. “You and Brian both. You fetch my supplies. You are good to my daughter—like an uncle—as unlike her real uncles as can be. I owe you so much.”
“You don’t owe mejack,” Hank said, purposely crude to get his point through his friend’s thick skull and into his brain. Thiswasn’t the first time Torin had expressed similar concerns or touched on the lingering, bitter pain from his family.
Hank pointed to Jewel. “Ilovethat little girl.” He jabbed a finger in her direction.Love you, too, he sent the thought to Torin.The feeling was real, although he didn’t say so aloud. A man didn’t go around expressing such sentiments to another man—no matter how good a friend. But he hoped Torin caught his meaning. “We all help each other out. Like all the times you and Brian and I pulled together to harvest or cut ice. How you watch my horses when I go visit my sister and her family.”
“You don’t go very often,” Torin pointed out.
“I’ll visit more if it’ll make you happy,” Hank retorted.
“So, what’s with this sudden impulse to attend church services?”
Hank wasn’t sure if he should mention wife-hunting, given Torin’s horrible experience with his short marriage.But it’s not as if I can hide that I’m courting. I’ll be away more often. She’ll have to visit….“I think Jewel would love having a baby around to play with.”
Torin cocked an eyebrow. “Don’t you think you’re jumping the gun a bit? Or did you send for a mail-order bride and are picking her up tomorrow?”
Hank laughed. “I’m not that courageous. No, I figured I’d start courting the ordinary way—by finding a pretty lady at church.” He glanced at Jewel, and then at Torin. “I’ll warn you before I bring someone by, so you won’t venture over. But at some point, I’d want my potential bride to meet our baby girl.” He lifted his chin in Jewel’s direction. “Any woman who wouldn’t accept that precious child isn’t the wife for me.”
“Good to know.”
Like a knight guarding a princess, Torin kept Jewel’s existence a secret. His wife had rejected the baby at birth, and, when he refused to institutionalize his daughter like boththeir families wanted, his parents disowned him, and the baby’s mother sought a divorce. Torin fled to seclusion, where no one would see Jewel and make fun of the child or snub her.
