Page 7 of Mail-Order Brides Wishes (Montana Mail-Order Brides #7)

Chapter Four

B ryn faced the closed door. A circular gouge had been worn around the handle from many hands twisting it.

If only there was a window in it so she could watch Flint walk away.

She rushed to the square window behind the table that allowed a look toward the barn and pens.

There he was walking beside a tall man. Flint wasn’t small, but seemed to shrink beside the man Bryn knew must be his partner. The pair went into the barn.

Would he come out again or was the emergency that called him away within those walls? She waited. Not that she could explain to herself why she needed to know if he stayed close by or left.

In a few minutes, the two men led horses from the barn, swung into their saddles, and rode away to the east. Her shoulders sank.

Flint glanced back and gave a little tip of his head.

It wasn’t likely that he could see her at the window and less likely that he’d been thinking of her and Susie when he looked in her direction, and yet she allowed herself to believe otherwise and pressed her palm to the glass pane.

The horses and riders trotted onward until they were out of sight, hidden by trees and hills. With a drawn-out sigh, she turned away from the view.

Her glance circled the room and her excitement returned. She had things to do. Susie’s room first and she joined her niece there.

“Let’s put your things away.”

Susie plopped to the floor, her legs outstretched, and her arms folded before her. “I gots no pet. I gots no mama.” Tears flowed as sobs rent the tiny body.

“Oh, sweet child.” Bryn scooped Susie from the floor and sank to the side of the bed, the child on her lap and encircled by her arms. She rocked and murmured comfort, knowing she could offer no cure for the pain of Susie’s loss. But after a moment, she began talking.

“I think your dolly might like to lie on the pillow with your blanket around her. There might be room for your frocks in that wardrobe. What should put in those drawers?”

Susie’s sobs quieted.

“Didn’t you bring some books with you?”

“You read to me?”

“Of course. And then we put our things away.” Hand in hand, they went to the other room where Bryn undid the latches on the trunk and lifted back the lid. The upper tray was full of books, and small items.

“This one.” Susie picked up her favorite book and sat on the floor, her back to the trunk indicating she wanted the story right then and there.

Bryn didn’t mind because she liked the book and even more, she enjoyed how Susie cuddled to her as she read.

Mama tucked Sasha into her bed.

She kissed Sasha good night. “Now be quiet and go to sleep.”

Sasha turned to Dolly. “You heard Mama. Go to sleep.”

“I’m not tired.” Dolly jumped up and down on the bed.

She fell on her tummy and bounced. She giggled. “That was fun.”

Sasha put her down on her pillow. “It’s time for bed.”

“I’m not tired.” She sang her favorite song. “I’m a little dolly.”

She sang loudly. And not very good.

The story continued as Dolly refused to settle and Mama had to scold them. Sasha did her best to get Dolly to be quiet. Finally, she read to the doll from the Bible story book her mama read to Sasha.

She opened the story book. “Jesus loves us.”

Dolly looked at the picture of Jesus with the little children. “Why?”

“Because he does. Mama says it’s in the Bible so it’s true.”

“But I’ve been bad tonight.”

“Jesus died on the cross to pay for the bad things we do.” Sasha turned the page where Jesus was on the cross.

“Why?”

“Because he loves us.”

“Even when we’re bad?”

Sasha showed Dolly the picture of Jesus talking to his friend, Peter.

“Peter wasn’t always good, but Jesus still loved him, so I know He loves us even when we do bad things.”

Dolly thought and thought. Sometimes Dolly had to think very hard to understand things.

“I like that.” She used her sleepy voice. Her eyes closed.

Sasha put her on the pillow and crawled under the covers next to Dolly.

“I like that too.” Her eyes wouldn’t stay open.

Neither Dolly nor Sasha heard Mama come in and whisper, “Good night.”

Bryn slowly closed the book, waiting for Susie to make the first move.

Susie turned her face up to Bryn. “Auntie, was I naughty?”

Bryn understood she referred to her mother’s death. It was a question the child had asked before. “No, you weren’t. Your mama loved you so much and now she’s loving you from heaven. God loves you even more and He’s watching over you. Every day no matter what.”

Susie nodded and pressed her cheek to Bryn’s shoulder. “I likes Uncle Flint.”

“Me too. I think God sent us to him so we could be happy.”

“Mama would like that, wouldn’t she?”

“She certainly would.”

Susie scrambled to her feet. “Can I puts my books in my new room?”

“That’s a great idea.”

They spent the next hour putting Susie’s things away. They were rearranged several times before Susie was satisfied with their placement.

“Do you want to play or help me with my things?”

“I play.” She already had her doll on the bed and proceeded to wrap her in her blanket. Her favorite book also lay beside her.

Bryn knew she would pretend to read the story to her doll. She slipped away quietly but paused at the door to watch her niece. Please God, help her continue to find joy in her life. Grant me wisdom in raising her. As she turned away, she added, almost shyly, Thank you for Flint.

She stood in the center of the other bedroom and studied it.

The quilt on the bed was squares of muted earth tones.

She doubted that Flint had made it. Had Adele?

Or someone else he knew? Or had he paid someone to make it?

She trailed her finger over its surface.

Soft. It would be warm in the winter. No pictures hung on the walls.

That could soon be remedied as she’d brought several framed pictures from home. Or what used to be home.

Opening the doors of the wardrobe revealed two shirts.

She touched them. Good quality cotton. One was plain brown, the other black with a contrasting red yoke.

A grin tickled her insides. It was kind of flashy.

Not the sort of shirt she’d have expected of him.

Stains under the arms indicated it wasn’t new.

Had he bought it to impress a lady friend? Perhaps Rowena?

She slammed the wardrobe doors closed and sucked in air. No need to be upset. It wasn’t as if she didn’t know about Rowena. But she couldn’t quite push aside the knowledge that according to the way her sister talked, he had loved her.

Or was it simply Rowena making things more dramatic than they really were in order to make herself look more important? Something her sister had been known to do on occasion.

I’ll choose to believe the latter.

Her resolve renewed, she opened the wardrobe again and hung her few items of clothing.

Turning to the dresser, she opened the top drawer.

Empty. The second was also empty. The third held a neat assortment of bundled socks and neatly folded neckerchiefs in red, navy, and black.

She touched the red one. Did he wear it with that black and red shirt?

Or with the brown shirt to brighten it up?

The bottom drawer held woolen union suits.

Her cheeks burned at looking at a man’s undergarments. But then tonight they would become intimate. Her skin almost burst into flames at the thought.

Slowly, quietly, she shoved the drawer into place and put away her things in the upper two.

The extra blankets and winter wear she’d brought, she left in the trunk.

An empty bookcase stood in the living area, and she put her Bible and a few books in it.

Perhaps on a quiet evening, she might read to Flint.

They’d sit side by side, perhaps shoulder to shoulder as it was when she read to Susie.

More heat burned her cheeks. She hurried from the room.

A clock hung over the table. Time to explore the kitchen and make supper.

She discovered a well-stocked pantry. A good supply of flour, cornmeal, cooking oats, and everything she needed for baking.

Plenty of canned goods. A selection of vegetables.

Half a dozen jars of meat. No doubt courtesy of Adele.

She loved cooking and set about creating a meal meant to please any man… or more importantly… Flint.

Humming, as she worked, and at the same time, listening for Susie. And beyond the walls of the house, she strained for sounds of horses riding into the yard, signaling Flint’s return.

The vegetables were cooked, the potatoes mashed, and the meat and gravy ready. Susie grew fussy. She could not put off feeding the child any longer although she'd envisioned the three of them sitting down together, a new family in a new home sharing a meal.

Susie ate a decent meal and Bryn prepared her for bed, reading her a story— the same one as earlier. She tucked her in and started to leave.

“Auntie, I’s scared.”

The fear in the child’s voice burned through Bryn. “How would it be if I lie down with you?”

“You’ll stay?”

“You saw where I put my things in the next bedroom. That’s where I’ll be if I’m not in the kitchen.” She lay on top of the covers and pulled Susie into her arms. “But I won’t leave you. I promise.” She hummed.

A strange sound jerked her awake. She blinked, trying to remember where she was , and realized she’d fallen asleep cradling Susie. This was her new home.

Had Flint returned? She slipped from the room, grateful when Susie didn’t wake.

The house was dark. She peered out the window toward the barn, making out its shape in the moonlight, and strained to catch any noise. After a moment, she gave up. The food was still on the table. Golden light from the lamp she lit filled the room with strange shadows and she shivered.

The food had grown cold, but she ate a few mouthfuls. Remembering she’d promised to leave a meal for Flint, she filled a plate, put the leftovers away, and washed the dishes.