Page 319 of Conveniently Wed
“Would you like more? There’s plenty.”
“Yes, ma’am!” Five eager faces looked at her, waiting for a second piece.
When they finished their cake and sat drinking cups of hot coffee, Aundy asked them for ideas on bringing in more income. They discussed several options, including everything from planting experimental crops to renting out one or two sections of land.
“Maybe we could get us a herd of sheep,” Bill said, grinning at Fred before glancing at Aundy. “They don’t take much care and some people are making a small fortune from the wool.”
“There ain’t no way on God’s green earth I’m gonna wrangle woolies for a living,” Fred said, shooting Bill a dark glare.
Bill gave Fred a good-natured shove. “I was only joshing ya. We all know how much you hate sheep.”
“They stink, they’re stupid, and I can’t abide them,” Fred said hotly as he finished his coffee. Aundy refilled his cup then returned to her seat.
“Are they really easy to care for?” Aundy asked, curious. She hadn’t seen any sheep on nearby farms and tried to remember what she read about them in the books J.B. had given her.
“All you need to raise sheep is pasture, a good dog, and a shepherd. From what I’ve seen, you can run five to eight head of sheep on what it takes to feed one cow. You don’t have to ride herd over them like you do cattle. Just turn ‘em loose and let ‘em grow,” Bill said, ignoring the venomous looks Fred directed his way.
“Do they really stink?” Aundy asked, turning her attention to Fred.
He nodded his head. “To high heaven and back again.”
After a few more teasing comments, the men drained their coffee cups, thanked Aundy again for the meal, and sauntered out the door.
When she finished washing the dishes, Aundy sauntered to the front room and flipped through the books she borrowed from J.B. One of them had to contain information about sheep.
Aundy stood with Nora after the Sunday church service listening to a group of women talk about getting together for a quilting bee. She absently agreed when one of the women asked if she would join them.
Her attention centered on the discussion of a group of men off to her left. Frustrated she couldn’t march right up to them and be a part of it, the words sheep and wool pricked her ears. Aundy tried to listen to the conversation over the chatter of the women.
Inconspicuously taking a few steps their direction, she finally heard enough to figure out the men talked about the price of wool and who raised the best sheep in the area. She caught a few details and wished she had something to write on, desperately wanting to take notes. For just a moment, she considered the simplicity of being a man.
An idea she thought would bring in a good profit for the farm with a minimal amount of additional work was simmering in her head, but finding someone who would do business with a woman was proving difficult. It would have been a simple thing to ask Garrett to help her, but she wanted to do this on her own, without his help or that of J.B.
After asking at the general store, the post office, the newspaper office, and a few other businesses around town, she was told repeatedly to go back to taking care of her house and leave the discussion of farming to men.
“Eavesdropping?” a deep, familiar voice asked, stirring the hair by her ear. She turned her head and looked into the broad smile and silvery eyes of Garrett. “What are you doing?”
“Trying to listen, but the chatter of the magpies is drowning out the conversation.” Aundy tipped her head toward the group of elderly women gathered around Nora.
Garrett threw back his head and laughed, causing more than a few glances their direction. He ignored his mother’s scowl as he ushered Aundy out to the surrey where J.B. waited.
“You want to come over for more lessons this week?” J.B. asked as Garrett helped her into the back of the surrey.
“If you have time, I’d like that very much. I have some questions I wanted to ask you,” Aundy said, adjusting her skirts as she settled back against the plush seat. Nora had taken Aundy to town several times in a small buggy, but on Sunday, the family drove the canopy-topped surrey to church.
Garrett ignored her protests she could get herself to town. He always made sure he had plenty of time to pick her up and stop back by Nash’s Folly for his folks. Dent and two of her four hands often rode their horses into church. She knew if she asked, Dent would hitch up the buggy or wagon for her and take her himself.
“Why don’t you come over tomorrow morning once you get done scaring your chickens,” J.B. looked over his shoulder at Aundy. She suddenly realized where Garrett got his teasing grin. It came straight from his father.
“You boys be nice to our girl,” Nora warned, stepping up to the surrey just in time to hear J.B.’s teasing remark that made Aundy’s cheeks turn bright red.
“Yes, ma’am,” J.B. and Garrett said in unison. Garrett shot Aundy a wink before he picked up the reins and guided the horse out of town.
Later that week, Aundy saddled Bell and rode her to Nash’s Folly, taking along a basket of fresh cinnamon muffins she’dmade. Nora would no doubt have already served breakfast, but the men often liked a mid-morning snack.
After leaving Bell at the barn, she walked to the kitchen door and knocked. The clomp of boots let her know Garrett remained in the house. He pulled the door open and gave her a smile that weakened her knees.
“Good morning.” Garrett welcomed her into the kitchen. “Pops will be right out. He was helping Ma get something off a shelf in their room. Who knows what she’s got planned today.”
