Page 10 of Mail-Order Bride Mommy
She chuckled at the way he spoke, his pride obvious then she took in the rest of the room with a glance. So much potential. Through the doorway to the left, she entered the kitchen and dining area. A table to one side had six chairs circling it. Supplies covered its surface. The kitchen held a worktable, a shiny black-and-chrome stove, and lots of cupboards. Two doors exited to the right. The first revealed a large pantry and storage area. The shelves held an array of baking pans, jars, and crocks. The other door led to a cloak room with many hooks and shelves. Only one coat and a winter hat hung there. She opened the back door on the far side of the little room and looked out on trees and bushes sheltering them to the east and north. Luke’s house sat further along the trail.
There was so much to explore, and she meant to do so once she’d settled in. She returned to Matt, waiting by the table.
“Well, what do you think?” he asked.
She clasped her hands at her waist, a gesture that hid the bubbling joy of her new home. “It’s more than I expected.”
“Really? What did you expect?”
“I read about the tarpaper shacks many bachelors live in.” A crude frame shelter wrapped inside with black tar paper to provide a degree of protection. She almost laughed aloud at her assumption.
“And yet you came?” He shook his head.
“I figured I could improve things.” Her gaze went around the room. “But this won’t be the challenge I imagined.” She turned full circle. “I can’t wait to start.”
“I’ll help put supplies away. Just tell me where you want them.”
She grabbed a box and carried it to the pantry. He followed with a crate. She began to unload items.
He observed for a moment. “What’s your system?”
Her hands stopped in midair. “System? For what?”
“How you organize the supplies.” He made it sound like she should understand what he meant.
“I put things on the shelves and find them when I need them.”
He took the items she’d unloaded, and moved them to one side, sorting them into neat rows. Were they set in place alphabetically, by size, or by use? He then took the canned goods from his box and arranged them neatly on another shelf. She could tell those were sorted so the beans were all together, the peaches in their own row, and everything lined up like soldiers.
She watched as he emptied the entire crate then stood back brushing his hands together in satisfaction.
“There. At a glance, you can see exactly what you have on hand.”
She slowly resumed taking items from her box and shelving them, trying to decide how she felt about having him choose the way she should do it. A little imp made her want to scatter the cans into disarray. But that would be childish.
He returned with another crate.
Only one thing concerned her. “Are you going to check on this and make sure I do it according to your standards?”
He stopped taking items from the box and stepped back. “I was only trying to be helpful.”
They studied each other. She tried to find humor in the strain between them. And failed. She managed a smile, but it felt forced.
His eyes were wary. Was he seeing her as difficult? Challenging every suggestion he made, though to be fair, hissuggestionabout how she was to care for Lindy had sounded more like an order.
Then it hit her. They were acting like opponents. She didn’t want to fight. “If that’s what you expect then I will do it.” She took items from the box and arranged them in what she hoped was a logical way.
He stood back for several minutes then lifted a sack of cornmeal and another of rice and placed them on a lower shelf. The air between them was stiff with uncertainty.
How was she to erase that feeling? And make it clear she didn’t plan to question every bit of advice he gave?
Before she could frame a proper statement, a crash resounded through the house. Matt dropped the box and dashed in the direction of the noise, Gwen right behind him.
* * *
Lindy.Was she in trouble or causing trouble? The noise had come from the bedroom where Gwen’s belongings had been taken and Matt didn’t slow his steps until he was inside the room. The source of the sound was obvious. Books lay scattered across the floor.
The child responsible for the mess was missing.
