Page 330 of Conveniently Wed
“That would be satisfactory, Mr. O’Connell,” Aundy said, grinning from ear to ear. She asked him to meet her at herattorney’s office and thanked him for the call. She hung up the phone then placed a call to Nash’s Folly. Relief flooded over her when Garrett answered.
“Mr. Nash, this is Mrs. Erickson.” Aundy was all too aware of the many ears listening to their conversation since the phone lines were far from private. The buzzing static in her ear hinted that several people listened in on the party line. “I have a business matter to conduct today and was hoping you might offer your insight into the matter. Would you be able to provide your assistance?”
“I’d be happy to, Mrs. Erickson.” Garrett maintained a formal tone. “What time shall I expect to meet with you?”
“I could stop by around ten on my way into town, if that wouldn’t be in imposition.” Aundy wanted to ask how the Chinese man was doing, if Garrett was still mad at her, and if he’d experienced as much difficulty sleeping as she had after sharing such heat-filled kisses the other night. Instead, she squeezed her lips together to keep from blurting out something she shouldn’t.
Now that she’d set the wheels in motion for buying the sheep, she was frightened of what she’d done. What if she invested the money in the flock and they ended up being worthless, or causing all her hands to quit?
“I’ll see you then,” Garrett said, then hung up.
Aundy was sure that meant he was still upset over her escapade Friday evening.
She packed a basket with cookies she’d made earlier that morning and finished a few things around the house. Aundy took a bath and dressed in one of her nicest suits with a frothy ruffle of lace at the throat of the shirtwaist. She picked up her reticule, gathered a pair of creamy gloves to go with her buttery-yellow and cream striped outfit, and pinned a hat on her head.
Suddenly realizing she should have hitched the horse to the buggy before she dressed in her finery, she hoped one of the men would be nearby. Fortunately, she discovered Glen mending tack at the barn. It took him just a few minutes to hitch a horse to the buggy and have Aundy on her way to Nash’s Folly.
She parked at the end of the walk and hurried up the steps. With a perfunctory knock at the front door, she stuck her head inside and greeted Nora as the woman approached the front entry.
“Aundy, don’t you look like a picture of spring today. That soft yellow color is a perfect complement for your hair.” Nora hugged Aundy warmly then pulled her inside the house, accepting the basket of cookies the girl held out to her.
“Thank you.”
“You won’t believe what Garrett dragged home the other night.” Nora took Aundy’s hand, once she’d set down her reticule and removed her gloves, leading her to a bedroom near the kitchen.
“A puppy?” Aundy asked, giving Nora a silly grin.
“No, you goose. A man from China.”
Aundy followed Nora into the room. The man looked even worse in the morning light than he had Friday in the evening shadows. His face was a swollen mess and he slept on one side with his knees slightly bent. Aundy felt pity for him and the pain he had to be feeling. Maybe they should have the doctor examine him. “Will he be okay?”
“I think so. Other than a few cracked ribs and his poor face, he didn’t seem to have any other injuries. He doesn’t speak very good English, but we think he said his name is Li Hong.”
“Li Hong,” Aundy repeated, testing out the foreign name. She hoped Li Hong wouldn’t remember her part in his coming to be at Nash’s Folly.
He opened one eye and glanced first at Nora then at Aundy. His eyes widened when he saw her, but he held her gaze. When he didn’t appear to plan to say anything, Aundy released the breath she held.
“Mr. Hong, this is our neighbor, Aundy Erickson. She lives on the next farm over,” Nora said, making introductions.
Aundy took a step closer to the bed and inclined her head toward him. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hong.” Uncertain if she should extend her hand, nod her head, or bow, Aundy decided to stick with a friendly smile. “I hope you aren’t in too much pain.”
“No,” Li said, working up something that could have been a smile had one side of his mouth not been badly swollen. “Li fine.”
Aundy smiled again and backed toward the door. She was glad he could talk and seemed coherent. It must have been frightening for him to wake up in a strange place, beaten and in pain.
“I’ll get you a fresh glass of water, Mr. Hong,” Nora said, following Aundy out the door to the kitchen where J.B. sat reading a newspaper and drinking coffee.
“Well, look at you, Aundy. Don’t you look like summer sunshine?” J.B. offered her a smile that reminded her of Garrett as he helped himself to a handful of cookies from the basket Nora set on the table.
“Thank you, J.B. I need to pay a visit to my attorney and then possibly the bank, so I decided I better be dressed for the part.”
“She has a talent for dressing the part,” Garrett said, giving her a wicked smile as he strolled into the room. Dressed in pressed pants with a crisp shirt, light coat and vest, Aundy thought he looked too handsome for words. The burgundy vest and dark gray coat accented the liquid silver of his eyes and the rich color of his dark brown hair.
“Lands sakes, honey, what’s got you all fancied up?” Nora asked, knowing Garrett much preferred to wear the denims the cowhands all favored with a soft cotton shirt than his “fancy duds” as he and J.B. called their town clothes.
“I promised Aundy I’d go with her to meet a man about some business she wants to conduct this morning. If you want more detail than that, you’ll have to pry it out of her.” Garrett kissed his mother’s cheek and grabbed his hat off a peg by the back door.
“Shall we?” Garrett asked, holding out his arm to Aundy.
