Page 305 of Conveniently Wed
Astounded by the beautiful clothes she wore, he wouldn’t have expected someone who worked in a factory and traveled out west as a mail-order bride to be so well dressed. His mother mentioned something about Aundy’s sister being a talented seamstress. Maybe she’d added the elaborate embellishments to the woman’s wardrobe.
“Ma said you were coming for dinner and asked me to fetch you.”
“I’m fairly certain you have better things to do than escort me, Mr. Nash,” Aundy said, aware that Garrett spent a lot of time helping her since Erik’s accident. She knew he had his own ranch to run.
Garrett’s silvery gaze met hers with a playful grin. “I reckon I might, but when Ma barks an order, we all jump to carry it out.”
He refused to admit he would have volunteered for the job if his mother had asked someone else to fetch Aundy.
For reasons he didn’t want to examine, he looked forward to time spent with the plucky widow. Garrett could listen to her soft voice for hours on end and never grow tired of the sound, although she wasn’t one given to idle chatter.
“So it would seem.” Her neighbor’s lighthearted comment made her lips turn up in a smile.
“You ready to go?” Garrett took Aundy’s coat from her hand and held it for her.
“I believe so.” Aundy slipped on her coat then stepped outside while Garrett pulled the front door closed. Not seeing awagon or buggy waiting, just Garrett’s saddle horse, she looked around, wondering how he planned to take her to the ranch.
Garrett tried not to grin at Aundy’s confused look. “Before you get too excited, I thought I’d show you how to hitch a horse to the buggy and take it to the ranch then I’ll bring you home after supper and reclaim Jester.”
She followed Garrett as he took Jester’s reins and led the animal to the barn.
Aundy watched, taking mental notes, as Garrett described each step in the process of hitching the horse to the buggy. The animal stood quietly during the entire procedure.
“Erik’s horses are well trained. You always need to be watchful of any animal, but Erik’s won’t intentionally try to harm you. Even ol’ Nut will behave as long as Bolt is close by.”
“I appreciate that information,” Aundy said, standing so close to Garrett, she could smell his unique, manly scent. Combined with the warmth radiating from him and the way he kept looking at her with those silvery eyes, she found it impossible to pay attention to his detailed instruction. She took a sudden step back, and would have tripped over a feed bucket if Garrett hadn’t grabbed her good arm and pulled her forward against his chest.
Overwhelmed with strange emotions and sensations, Aundy kept her gaze down when he dropped his hand and stepped away.
“Thank you,” she said, embarrassed and flustered. “I wasn’t paying attention.”
“It’s quite all right.” Garrett attempted to gather his thoughts. They’d scattered every direction the moment he touched Aundy. Sparks worked their way from his fingers all the way up his arm. “Shall we head over to Nash’s Folly?”
“Nash’s Folly?” She gave him a quizzical look as he assisted her onto the buggy seat.
“That’s the official name of our ranch.” Garrett guided the horse out of the barnyard and down the lane toward the road. “You mean Ma hasn’t told you that story?”
“No, she hasn’t.” Garrett’s statement piqued her curiosity. “Why don’t you tell me?”
“When Ma and Pops arrived in Pendleton, they came out here and saw this land. Ma was humming the hymnMy Jesus, I love Thee. Do you know it?”
When Aundy shook her head, Garrett began singing the hymn in a deep baritone. She blinked in surprise as his rich voice filled the afternoon air with perfectly pitched notes.
My Jesus, I love Thee
I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign…
“She and Pops thought God’s grace led them here to Pendleton and they wanted to make the best of it. They declared they were ‘resigning their follies’ and starting a new life. Pops named the ranch Nash’s Folly so none of us would forget their promise. We’re still human and make mistakes, but that story helps keep us on the straight and narrow.” Garrett turned to look at Aundy with a devilish grin. “That, and the threat of Ma taking a switch to us.”
“I can’t imagine Nora taking a switch to anyone.” Aundy smiled at him. “But I do like that story and the name Nash’s Folly.”
They rode along in silence for a few minutes before Aundy gave Garrett a thoughtful look. “Did Erik have a name for his farm?”
“No. Everyone round these parts refers to it as the Erickson Farm. His folks settled there a long time ago. Guess no one feltthe need to give it any other name.” Garrett wondered what Aundy was thinking. Her eyes had narrowed and she pressed her lips together. He noticed she did that anytime she was in pain or contemplating something.
When she continued to appear lost in her thoughts, Garrett talked about some of the neighboring ranches, who owned them, and if any of them had names. He cautioned her to stay away from Marvin Tooley, much in the same way as Erik.
