Loving Liza Jane (7 page)

“Papa?”

Ben went into automatic alert at the sound of Lili’s small voice. Booted feet hit the floor as he lay his Bible back down and turned to face his daughter. She stood in the doorway, golden curls mussed and sleep still evident in her eyes.

“What’s the matter, pumpkin?”

“I can’t sleep,” she mumbled, crossing the room.

“Why not?”

“Molly’s makin’ noises,” she complained.

“What kinds of noises?”

“Snorey ones.”

Ben smiled. “At least she’s sleeping for a change,” he reminded.

“Can I sit on yer lap?”

Without giving him the chance to reply, Lili climbed up and snuggled into the crook of his neck.

“It’s late, Lil, and you know how you are in the morning when you don’t get the sleep you need.”

“I promise not to grouch—too much,” she said.

He smiled over the top of her head and smoothed down a few hairs that insisted on going straight to his mouth.

“I’m also too excited,” she added.

“Now, what would you have to be excited about?” he asked, rubbing little circles into her back.

“Miss Merriwether. What else?” Her voice fairly chirped with enthusiasm. “Aren’t you excited?”

Ben closed his eyes and sought a suitable reply. “I wouldn’t say excited is the proper choice of words.” At present, the woman represented work to him.

After picking up building supplies in town and talking several men into coming out to help him, Ben and the others had set about refurbishing the old Broughton place immediately. One thing was certain; this was not a simple project. Matter of fact, the further they got into it, the worse it got. It seemed everything from the roof on down needed some sort of repair.

“Why ain’t you excited?” Lili asked, curling into him.

“I’ve asked you not to use that word.”

“Well, then why aren’t you?”

“Well, of course I’m happy that you will start school as scheduled. Isn’t that enough?”

“What does she look like, Papa?” she asked, ignoring the fact he’d dodged her question.

How could he explain to Lili that her new teacher was pretty without risking disrespect to her mother’s memory? “She’s—fine—I suppose.”

“But how does she look? Did you notice any ugly birthmarks?”

Ben laughed outright, the mere thought of an ugly mark on the refined Miss Merriwether somehow cheering his mood. “No, Lili, none that were visible.”

Satisfied, she asked. “Was she mean and grumpy?”

He supposed that all depended on who you asked, but he had to come up with a better answer than that. “I’m sure to you she will be everything and more than you ever dreamed possible in a teacher.”

Lili drew back and granted him a wide-eyed look of joy. “Jumpin’ Jehosephat! This is good news!”

“Lili, where do you come up with your vocabulary?” Ben scowled, at the same time fighting the urge to smile.

“I’m plain thrilled that you liked her,” she said, ignoring his question.

“I didn’t say I…”

“When can I meet her?” she cried.

“Huh?”

“Can we drive the buggy into town tomorrow so I can meet her face-to-face?”

“What? No, Lili. Papa has many chores to do tomorrow, one of which is fixing up Grandpa Broughton’s place so she can move into it.”

“Just think of it, the new teacher will be our neighbor. I will be the envy of the whole entire school.”

“Lili, it is not nice to create envy in your friends, particularly if you want to keep them,” he gently scolded.

Ben glanced out the window and up at Shannon’s Peak. The cabin was near enough that when his grandfather had lived there Ben could see the smoke rise up from the chimney, see his shadow pass across the window on a moonlit night, and catch the sight of his glowing lamp in the window when he sat next to it in the morning to read from the old family Bible. Would he once again watch out his window for the first hint of light on Shannon’s Peak?

“Well, when can I meet her?” she pleaded.

“School will start soon enough.”

“But I want to meet her before—so I won’t get the jitteries.”

He smiled. “You weren’t nervous last year, were you?”

“Not on the first day,” she admitted, fidgeting with the hem of her cotton nightgown, “but I was petrified on the second day, ’cause I found out Mr. Lofthouse was mean and grumpy.”

Ben sighed. “Lili, I’m sure you have nothing to worry about.” After meeting Miss Merriwether, he could rest assured his daughter would be in safe hands. The teacher might have been a little crisp and outspoken with him, but he was sure she had a love for children. Of course, he couldn’t tell Lili that because it was just a hunch.

“Well, can I meet her anyway?”

Her persistence was beginning to annoy him. “I just…well, perhaps I can drive you into town one day soon.” He knew just as soon as she batted those golden lashes and gave him that droopy look there’d be no letting up until she’d met the infamous Miss Merriwether.

“Oh, thank you, Papa. Tomorrow?”

“No promises.”

He was an easy target, and he knew it. Her slender arms moved around his neck and tugged until she’d gotten his face down close enough to plop a wet kiss across his cheek. “I love you, Papa. You are the best Papa in the world.”

“All right. I can see where this is heading. It’s time you hopped back into bed. Morning will be here before you know it.”

“Can I have a drink of water first?”

“Suppose you have to beat a path to the outhouse. Too much water will do that to you.”

“Then I’ll wake you up to take me.”

“That is just what I was afraid you’d say.” He tousled her hair and gently placed her on her bare feet. Her sleeping gown was getting shorter, indicating a growth spurt. “When did you grow those extra inches?” he asked, frowning.

She stretched to her full height. “I am seven, going on eight.”

“You just turned seven last month.”

“I’m still going on eight,” she corrected.

He smiled and stood to his feet, mulling about how proud Miranda would be of Lili. “Let’s get you that cup of water.”

The next morning brought dark storm clouds. With no trace of a sunrise in sight, it appeared as if a storm was imminent. Ben tossed the bedcovers off him and rose with a start, distant thunder bringing him to full awareness. He pulled on the same pair of old work pants he’d worn yesterday, but grabbed a fresh shirt off the stack of halfway folded ones he’d laid on top of the chest of drawers.

The concept of a mail-order bride struck him anew. At least the place would shine once more if he had a woman around. Not to mention there would be breakfast on the table when he came in from milking Bessie and Sarah and feeding the livestock. Washday would become her duty, and she could mend his shirts and darn his socks. Most important, she would love the Lord. The agency advertised only Christian brides.

Lord, what am I thinking?

The stench of last night’s burnt biscuits, pork gravy, and navy beans with brown sugar still lingered heavily, turning his stomach. He wrinkled up his nose as he passed the unscrubbed kettle still sitting on the cook stove. There was barely time to clean up the place what with all the chores awaiting him in the barn and out in the fields—and now over at the cabin. What had he even been thinking when he’d offered the broken-down place? At first, it’d seemed a generous move, even charitable, but now he questioned his sanity.

“You goin’ out to the barn, Papa?” The familiar little voice forced him to turn.

“Lili, go back to bed. It’s not even six o’clock yet. I’ll be in to rustle up some breakfast after I’ve tended to the animals. It’s going to rain and I want to finish as many of the outdoor chores as possible.”

She dropped her lower lip. “I can help.”

“I prefer you stay inside with Molly. She may wake up, and I’ll need you to keep watch.”

“But I helped you gather eggs yesterday while she slept,” she argued.

“This is different. I have a good deal more to do right now than gather eggs.”

“But, Papa…”

“Lili!”

Brought up short by the unfamiliar harshness in her father’s tone, her eyes welled up. Without another word, she walked slowly back to bed.

Another time he may have contemplated changing his mind, but not this morning. He hated that he’d hurt her feelings, of course, but it was high time she learned she couldn’t always have things her way.

Playing the part of both parents wasn’t easy. Armed with fortitude, he closed the door behind him and headed for the barn.

***

“Benjamin, what in blazes was ya thinkin’ by offerin’ up this place to that new schoolteacher?” Thom Hayes was standing at the top of an unstable ladder handing Ben more roofing supplies.

Ben gazed at him from the roof’s peak. Thankfully, the weather had held off till now, but every minute was touch and go the way the dark clouds loomed. Air so still and close made the warm, early morning temperature seem that much worse.

He gave his friend a rueful smile and wiped his brow with the back of his hand. “Thom, I’ve asked myself the same thing more than once.”

“Well, I’d say it was mighty generous,” Willie Jenkins shouted up. Hammer in hand and pocket full of nails, he set out to repair the tiny porch. “A little screw-headed maybe, but downright generous.” Ben chuckled and reached for the additional roofing materials.

“Appreciate the kind words,” he shouted down.

“Mighty sticky this mornin’,” Willie added, staring up at the sky.

“We’re in fer a storm,” said Thom.

“Let’s pray it holds off till I finish the worst of this patching.”

Approaching hoofbeats came over the rise just beyond the creek crossing, putting a stop to the conversation.

“Someone’s comin’,” Willie announced.

“I see that. Anyone recognize them?” Ben asked.

Two men on horseback, saddlebags bulging, galloped into view.

“Looks like Jeb Gunner and Sully Thompson. Word must’ve got ’round that we was needin’ some extra help out here.”

Ben settled into a sitting position and removed his hat to run his hand through his scruffy, longish hair.

“Hullo there!” shouted Willie. “What brings you two out here?”

“What’s it look like?” Jeb asked, his ready grin revealing a few missing teeth. Bringing his horse to a stop, he dropped the reins and slid easily from the saddle. “The missus told me I best get out here to help else she’d consider givin’ my supper to the hogs.” He immediately went for his saddlebag and lifted the flap. “Brought out some extra tools.”

Ben laughed. “Sure are grateful for the offer. As you can pretty well tell, we have our work cut out for us.”

“Whoo-eee!” Sully moaned. “This here is what ya call a project!” Still sitting atop his mount, he repositioned himself in the saddle and scanned his surroundings, lazily resting a hand atop the saddle’s horn. Rotted and warped floorboards, already pulled up from inside the house, lay scattered about the ground, while fresh cedar boards stood neatly stacked against the house. Here and there lay bits and pieces of debris that someone had tossed haphazardly, knowing there’d be a huge bonfire later. Taking off his hat, Sully slapped it hard against his knee. Even from his place on the roof, Ben could see the dust fly helter-skelter. Among other things, dust was something all farmers had in common.

“Looks like you spared no expense on them boards,” Jeb noted, glancing at the fresh cedar slats.

Ben couldn’t explain himself, but when he’d gone to the sawmill and seen the puncheon floor boards, mere split logs with their faces a little smoothed over with an axe or hatchet, stacked beside the smooth cedar, there’d been no contest. How could he expect a prim little schoolmarm to walk barefooted across boards that would fill her feet with splinters? To think he’d gone soft was a fear he harbored, so he hoped the matter would pass over quickly.

“Got a decent price,” he mumbled.

“Yeah? You got cedar floors in yer own house?” Jeb asked the question, but all the men waited for his reply.

Ben exhaled noisily. “No, I don’t have cedar flooring. I have oak slats. What difference does that make?”

A lifted eyebrow on Sully’s crusty face hinted at amusement. “Yer awful touchy on the subject. It was a simple ’nough question.”

Ben could have kicked himself for his overreaction. Maybe it was because he wasn’t completely sure himself why he’d splurged. “I suppose I’m feeling the pressure of getting this place finished. We all have crops that need our attention. I figured if I purchased quality stuff I’d be less likely to have to make repairs on the place later.”

“Makes good business sense,” Willie muttered.

“Yer right about us all havin’ crops that need tendin’,” Thom said. “I got fences to mend on the east side of my property, an ailing horse, and cabbage fields what need weedin’.”

Each one added to his personal list of ongoing tasks until they’d exhausted the subject. Sully finally climbed down off his horse and headed inside the house. “This pump work?” he called from the kitchen area.

“Well’s good, pump needs priming,” Ben answered. “Water’s probably rusty from lack of use.”

“Cupboards are hangin’ crooked. Chimney got any cracks?” he asked.

“Not that I know of.”

“Sink’s black. Ceiling looks a little warped.”

Ben smiled. “Did you come out here to work or to grumble? We already know this place is a shambles without your rubbing it in.”

“Just pointin’ out a few things.”

“Yeah, well, you’d do well to get to work. Never know when that schoolteacher might show up. Wouldn’t set well with her if you didn’t look busy,” Ben said, setting a roofing nail in place.

“You met her yet?” Jeb asked after hauling out the old three-legged table and adding it to the pile of rubble.

“I have.” Best to keep his answers short, he determined.

“What did you think?” That from Jeb Gunner.

Ben smiled to himself. “What does it matter?”

“Just curious. She look tough enough to handle the likes o’ them Hogsworth twins or Rufus Baxter?”

Ben laughed. “That remains to be seen. She doesn’t appear to be much taller than my Lili, but I have a feeling she’ll give them a run for their money regardless of her size. She struck me as a regular spitfire.”