Page 160 of Conveniently Wed
“Oh no.” Miriam jumped up and scooted toward the kitchen. “Sorry, big brother. The food will be ready in two minutes. We were sewing, and I lost track of time.”
Drifter padded to the bed and whined, eager for his usual greeting. She reached down to scratch behind his ear and under his chin, only removing her eyes from Gideon for a quick glance at the animal. His long tongue caught her wrist in appreciation.
Gideon didn’t respond, only sank into his chair and crossed his arms, his face stoic. Of course, was that any different from his normal expression? Still, something felt different about him now.
Miriam didn’t seem to notice and kept on chattering. “You should see what we’ve done to my dress, Gideon. It’s the prettiest thing you’ve ever seen. And it was all Leah’s idea. She gave me the material too. Cut it off of her own gowns.”
As Miriam chirped out those last few comments, Gideon turned to examine the heap of fabric on the bed. Then he raised his gaze to Leah. She didn’t drop her eyes or pretend she wasn’t paying attention. Instead, she met his piercing gaze head on.
Was he angry? It was hard to tell from this distance. Was he just upset about the meal? Maybe he didn’t want Miriam to have anything more than practical dresses. Could that be because of his experience with bringing his wife from the city to this wild country?
She tried to hide the apprehension that rose with the intensity of his stare. She offered the hint of a smile, trying to show him all was well. She waited, holding his gaze, her heart wondering what he would do next.
And then he did the last thing she expected. His eyes softened into a gentle smile.
17
Leah braced her weight against the work counter as she draped the thin strip of crust over the rich burgundy of the blackberry pie filling. Despite the ache when she put weight on her leg, over the past few weeks she’d learned how to move around without too much pain. It was easiest in the kitchen, where she could lean against the counter while she worked.
And who would have thought she would enjoy cooking and baking so much? Miriam always made it seem like a chore, but Leah was learning to look at it more as an art form.
Especially the baking part. Now that she was beginning to understand what each ingredient added to the outcome of the dish, it was fun to experiment with flavors and textures. And since they were right in the middle of berry season, Miriam was always bringing in a basket of raspberries or blackberries or currants from the valley. Soon, Leah could be the one out riding through the mountains, picking berries and helping with the animals. Patience, though.
Father, thank You for Gideon’s skill when he splinted my leg. And thank You formending the bones.
While in this prayerful attitude, her mind drifted to her new friend.Lord, I pray You’ll guide Miriam in Your path for herlife. I think she feels trapped here on the mountain, with almost no interaction with other people. Help her know You haven’t forgotten her. Help her trust that You have the best plan in the right timing.
And then there was Gideon. Her heart ached for the man, strong and attractive, yet obviously hurting underneath his mountain man façade.Lord, soften his heart. Help him heal and forgive.She wasn’t sure who he needed to forgive most, God or himself. But God knew.
Her prayer was interrupted by a clatter of steps on the porch. Miriam’s blonde curls popped through the doorway and she began chattering almost immediately. “I got a whole basket full of red currants on my way back from taking lunch to Gideon. See how big these are? We should get a bunch of jars if we make jam from these. How’s everything coming for the evening meal?”
Leah smiled as the younger woman finally stopped for breath. “The last two loaves of bread just came out of the oven and this pie is ready to go in now. The potatoes are peeled, so there’s nothing left to do until later.”
“Good. I suppose we should start on this jam then.” Miriam’s face pulled into a grimace. “I hate to spend the afternoon in this hot kitchen when it’s so glorious outside.”
Poor Miriam. She deserved some free time. “If you tell me what to do, I’ll make the jam. You can take the afternoon off. Get one of my books and find a cozy spot outside.”
Miriam nibbled her lower lip, but then finally sighed. “No, jam is too hard to just tell you what to do. I’ll have to show you the first time.”
And so, they set to work. Leah watched carefully every step of the way so she would be able to do the job herself later. She truly felt bad for Miriam, like she was caging a wild bird who just wanted to fly about and sing, making the world a lovelier place.
“You know what I always imagine when I’m stuck in the kitchen?” Miriam said as she poured sugar into the pot with the currants. She didn’t wait for Leah to answer. “I imagine I’m a grand lady in a New York mansion. I sit in my summer room all morning and sip tea and eat biscuits smothered with currant jam, while talking with friends about all the latest fashions.” She gave a wistful sigh. “What a wonderful life.”
Leah couldn’t help but chuckle at such naiveté. “Well, your imaginings could be technically correct from a glance, but it’s really not as wonderful as you make it sound.”
Miriam blinked at her, coming out of the stupor. “I forget sometimes you used to live like that. You seem sonormal.”
Leah couldn’t help a smile as she stepped forward to stir the currant and sugar mixture. That old life of idle uselessness was behind her for good.
“It might sound fun to be a lady of leisure, but it’s not really what it seems. Instead of being allowed to donothing, it was more like Iwasn’tallowed to doanything. I could only read from a select group of books, draw, play piano, or do needlework, but that was about it. I couldn’t go anywhere by myself, always had to maintain my poise, couldn’t walk faster than an elegant stroll, and I’ve never, ever ridden a horse astride. That life was so confining.”
She stared down into the bubbling red jelly. “When I was little, I used to sneak down to the kitchen in the afternoons. Cook would let me help her pour ingredients, or mix batter, or roll out crusts. I loved feeling useful.”
A gasp sounded behind her. “Speaking of pie, I think we’d better check yours.”
Leah turned, dragging her bad leg, as Miriam opened the oven door and pulled out the golden-crusted pie. The burgundy-black filling bubbled, sending a sweet aroma through the kitchen.
“Perfect.” Miriam held the steaming concoction up for Leah to examine. “Gideon would be none too happy if we burned his favorite dessert.” She grinned at Leah before placing the pie on an empty shelf.
