Perfectly Matched (The Blue Willow Brides Book #3): A Novel (5 page)

Anna stopped dead in her tracks, whirling around. “Do you mean it?” she asked, her eyes widening in delight.

“Of course he does.” Callie answered as Edward walked toward her. The other members murmured in agreement.

“Yes, of course I do.” Edward latched his hand to hers and pulled her down the sidewalk. “You’ll love Callie’s hummingbird cake.”

“First, come with me, Anna, so you can wash your hands,” the capable Callie said to her, nudging Anna inside.

She knew Callie was trying to put her at ease. In the homey kitchen, where the spicy smells of baked cake lingered, Callie handed her a clean kitchen towel and soap.

“Thank you,” Anna quietly murmured as Callie turned on the spigot so she could wash her hands.

“Anna, I’m really glad that you stopped by,” Callie said.

“You mean dropped by, don’t you?” Anna grinned at her and Callie laughed.

“So you did. I’m sure Edward would have asked us tonight if you could join our group.”

Anna laid aside the towel. “You’re being nice. I shouldn’t have gone snooping like some lovesick adolescent whose beau
was courting another lady.” She bit her quivering lip, surprised at her own admission of jealousy.

Callie looked shocked and reached to take her hands. “Oh, goodness! You have nothing to fear on that line. Edward and I are just friends. We’ve known each other since we were children. Please don’t give the notion another thought!” she said, her eyebrows scrunching together.

“That’s good to know, Callie, because I could use a friend here in Denver.”

Callie squeezed Anna’s hands. “Then you have one! Now let’s go have a slice of the cake I prepared.”

The others’ conversation was quiet, and Pearl was busy filling the cups with coffee. She smiled at Anna as they entered, and the conversation ceased. Anna wondered if they’d been talking about her behind her back. Perhaps they had—but she couldn’t worry over what was done. She took a seat on the settee next to Edward, who balanced his slice of cake on his knees.

“I’ll finish serving the cake,” Callie said to Pearl, who handed her the knife and then licked a speck of icing on her fingertip.

“As usual, it tastes delicious!” Pearl said as she took the plate that Callie held out.

“Now that we’ve all settled back, why don’t we finish up before the evening is over?” Chris suggested.

“Good idea.” Harvey nodded. “Anna, have you read Dickens’s book
A Christmas Carol
?”

Anna set her fork down and swallowed her cake. “Indeed I have. Several times. There are many lessons about human nature between those pages, and I felt such compassion for Tiny Tim’s character. It brings England’s poverty to our consciousness by drawing on our own sentimentality of the Christmas spirit.”

There were murmurs of agreement around the room. Edward glanced over at her with an admiring look. Was he surprised at her knowledge of the book?

“Scrooge was a greedy old man, of which there are a few in this town, I’ll wager,” Pearl summarized. “I’m glad we’ve been reading this long before Christmas is upon us.”

“I couldn’t agree with you more, Pearl.” Callie bobbed her head. “What about you, Edward?”

Edward was thoughtful for a second. “I’m happy to say I don’t think I’m a miserly shop owner like Scrooge who mistreats my clerk like he did Cratchit . . . at least I don’t think I’m anything like that.”

“Well, of course you’re not, Edward.” Pearl laughed. “Well, I for one thoroughly enjoyed the book. Who gets to choose the next book?”

“First, I move to nominate Anna as a member of our group.” Callie grinned at Anna. “It’s obvious that she’s quite well read.”

Harvey leaned forward. “I second the motion. Anyone else in agreement?”

“I very much agree.” Pearl sat straighter in her chair, smiling at Anna.

“Great idea, Callie. Anna will be a lovely asset, but we men better watch out or we’ll be outnumbered soon.” Chris chuckled.

“It would be nice to have Anna join us. I didn’t want to leave her at home,” Edward said.

Callie set her cup down. “Good! Then I’d like to suggest that as our newest member, Anna has the honor of choosing our next title.”

Everyone’s eyes bore into her, and she was momentarily surprised. Quickly she came up with an idea. Glancing slyly
at Edward, Anna answered, “How about the book of Song of Solomon from the Bible?”

A leaf drifting to the ground beyond the window could almost be heard in the silence that followed. Anna felt Edward stiffen, so she risked a glance at him. Seated so close to him, she was keenly aware of his nearness and his masculinity. He wasn’t built like Daniel in physical strength, but he had a certain force about him that alluded to the power of his presence—at least in Anna’s mind. However, now his jaw was clamped like a beaver trap.

“You
do
read the Bible, don’t you?” Anna looked from one person to the next, pretending not to understand the silence. Had she said something wrong?

Finally, Harvey cleared his throat, adjusted his paisley waistcoat over his ample stomach, and pulled out his pocket watch. “We do, Anna, we do. The title just kind of took us by surprise, that’s all. Right, Edward?” He looked at Anna’s husband.

———

Edward shifted on the settee, drumming his fingers on his knee. One thing he didn’t know a lot about was Scriptures on marital bliss, and if he remembered right, the Song of Solomon was replete with them.

Pearl clapped her hands. “Oh, I can hardly wait. Every once in a while the reverend touches on the . . . er . . . that particular topic in the book that no one will talk about.”

“That’s because a lot of it could’ve been taken out, if you ask me,” Harvey commented.

“Oh, you old prude! If it’s in the Bible, God must’ve thought it was good enough for us to study. Count me in. It’s a great idea.” Pearl sat back in her chair, a pink flush across her cheeks.

Oh dear, what has Anna started now?
Edward sighed. Pearl would be interested since she was an old maid, always trying to get Harvey to perk up and take notice of her. Having Anna in this group now gave it an entirely different meaning. But he had to admit, when he’d thought she was lacking in the literary sense, he’d been wrong. Now he felt ashamed that he’d assumed she should stay at home tonight.

Edward’s eyes followed the delicate line of her profile, her flawless skin, and her pert nose. He should be flattered that she’d risked looking foolish to see what he was up to. But then, was that a normal way a wife would react, watching his every move? He hoped not or he would feel stifled.

“I’m not sure it’s appropriate for our group at this time.” Callie’s voice faltered. “Maybe another time, perhaps?”

Harvey coughed, and others made inaudible comments under their breath.

Edward rescued her. “I believe you’re right, Callie.” He turned to Anna. “However, you and I can read it together at home.” Her face showed confusion, and he tried to remember that she was young and naïve. “Perhaps you’d like to suggest something else.”

His lovely wife’s face brightened quickly. “All right. What about
Pride and Prejudice
?”

“Excellent selection.” Pearl leaned forward. “You and Edward will enjoy reading the Song of Solomon together, I’m sure.”

Anna shot her a grateful smile.

“Harvey and Chris, are you in agreement?” Callie asked.

Harvey and Chris nodded, and Edward felt immediate relief.

“It’s settled then!” Signaling the end of their meeting, Callie rose. The rest followed suit and retrieved their coats from the hall tree. “We’ll meet again in two weeks.”

Anna’s knees burned from kneeling against the hardwood floor, and she was sure she would have a crick in her back and be bent double for the rest of her life—
if
she ever finished cleaning the living room and hallway. Loose curls escaped the scarf tied about her head, and she pushed them out of her line of vision, threw the wet brush into the soapy pail, then leaned back on tired legs. Since she had some extra time, she moved Wednesday’s chore to today. She’d get her chores done as she saw fit.

The room seemed to have grown to twice its size since she’d started the chore right after breakfast. She sighed, rubbing her wrist.
Drat Edward’s list!
She was sure that her sister Catharine had never worked this hard at the farm.
Or did she—while I was chasing rainbows and butterflies to paint?
If she had, then Anna felt shame that she hadn’t noticed. Well, the floor looked good enough for her, so she declared the item completed, then shoved a window up to allow the breeze to dry it thoroughly. She wondered about Edward’s list.

She dried her hands on her apron and fished the list from her pocket. Today was market day, and she was looking
forward to getting out of the house. She’d have time to tidy her appearance, then go shopping. Edward had been in his shop since breakfast, and she longed to have someone to talk to. He’d been quiet when they ate, and she’d watched how slowly and deliberately he’d spread the butter and then the jam on his toast, making sure they spread to the edges, and being certain that the toast on his plate never came in contact with the eggs. Earlier he’d insisted on putting the bacon on a separate plate. She wondered why that was so important to him, but she didn’t ask.

She changed from her homespun brown work dress to a woolen navy skirt and stiff Battenberg lace blouse with a navy velvet ribbon tied at the throat. Slipping on sensible walking shoes, she picked up her purse from the dresser, donned her bonnet, and set out for the walk to the store. She drank in the fresh morning air, feeling quite happy to be outside with the sun’s rays warm against her face. Late September was becoming colder with each passing day, but she didn’t mind. Especially when she’d have someone to snuggle with once the ten-day postponement of marital consummation ended. She almost blushed at the thought and felt a quiver in her belly. She wasn’t given to vapors, but the thought of lying in Edward’s arms as his wife, and their coming together to strengthen their vows, caused her to be short of breath.
It must be the thin air and altitude
, she thought.

Admiring the fall leaves against the vibrant blue sky with their shades of gold, orange, and red, she walked briskly, humming a tune. The street was a flurry of morning activity, from horse-drawn carriages and wagons to people on foot going about their day-to-day activities. Anna decided that she liked the air of excitement the town had to offer beneath the
backdrop of the gorgeous mountain range. It was the best of both worlds—not too far to traipse to the foothills, but still connected to a bustling community.

A commotion across the street caught her eye. A portly gentleman had started up the steps to the bank when a large, reddish-brown dog moved toward him stiffly and began to sniff at his pants. The man shouted at the dog and motioned as if to hit it with his walking stick. The dog stepped sideways but only for a moment, then stood in front of the bank’s door. Anna had never seen a dog so large, but she couldn’t help but notice its thinning sides and matted, dirty coat. Suddenly the man kicked the dog in the side—not once but twice—and the pitiful dog yelped, then limped down the stairs with its tail tucked under and its floppy ears flat.

Anna felt her throat constrict with pity for the dog and anger at the man. Shopping would have to wait. “You there!” she yelled, waving her hand in the direction of the man. He paused as she hurriedly crossed the street, barely sidestepping a moving team of horses pulling a laden supply wagon. “Wait just a blasted minute!”

The older gentleman peered down at her from the top step while adjusting his finely stitched vest and topcoat. “May I ask what the devil for?” He cocked one eyebrow disdainfully, eyeing her from top to bottom.

“How dare you kick that old dog! Can’t you see it’s sick?” she spat at him, her voice cracking with emotion.

“I beg your pardon? And what business is it of yours, I might ask?”

“I make it my business if I see an animal in danger.”

The man snorted loudly. “Ha! That old good-for-nothing dog? He’s always hanging out around here. It’s not good for customers at my bank. Now, if you’ll excuse me . . .” He
turned to enter the door, but Anna was quicker and put her hand on the doorknob.

“Animals are God’s dumb creatures entrusted to our care,” she said.

“
Dumb
is right, but not entrusted to
my
care. If it matters so much to you, then
you
do something about it!” He smirked. “In fact, I’ll be the first to donate to your cause! The streets of Denver have enough riffraff to deal with without having to worry about stray animals.” His mocking tone rose as a man and woman walked out of the bank and paused to stare at them a moment. He doffed his hat at the couple, then glared at Anna and dismissed her with a wave of his hand before waltzing into the bank.

Anna clenched her fists at her sides, muttering under her breath.
Overbearing pig!
She turned and noticed the dog lounging on the porch of the general store, his head on his outstretched paws. Drawing closer, she noted that he had sad eyes and graying hair around his mouth. His thick hide stretched over protruding ribs. Her heart twisted inside.
Why, he’s nearly as big as a moose.
Moose! That was what she’d call him. She knelt next to the dog, stroked his broad forehead, and told him to stay put until she came back outside. The dog only closed his eyes, appearing too weary to move.

Once inside the general store, she headed directly to bins that held the freshest vegetables still available and found tomatoes, squash, and potatoes. Anna nodded to the skinny clerk, who grinned at her as she gave a tomato a brief squeeze.

“May I be of help?” he asked, strolling over to her.

“No, I think I’ve found what I need for today.” Seeing his crestfallen face, she paused thoughtfully with a finger against her chin and said, “But there is one thing you could do for me.”

The freckle-faced young man immediately perked up. “Anything. Anything at all, miss.”

“Do you have bath salts and body fragrances?”

He bobbed his head, and suddenly his pink cheeks flamed red. “Follow me. I think we have exactly what you’re looking for, Miss . . . ?”

Anna lifted her eyes to his inquiring ones. “Oh . . . it’s Mrs. I’m Mrs. Edward Parker.”

The young man’s face went blank, and he stammered, “Yes, Mrs. Parker, of course.” He motioned her to the counter housing all the sundry items. “Help yourself. We have some nice rose bubble bath or lavender-scented oil,” he said, holding up a bottle of liquid for her to take a whiff.

“I’ll take the lavender bottle,” she said. “And do you happen to know if that dog on the porch belongs to someone?”

The lad shrugged. “Not that I know of. He just hangs around all the shops, looking for a handout. Don’t worry yourself none about him. I saw you hurrying to his rescue a moment ago.”

Anna paid for her purchases, then said, “Oh, I’m not worrying. I’m going to take care of him!”

“You what?” He shot her a disbelieving look. “He ain’t worth keeping. He’s got rheumatism and he’s old.”

“That’s just the reason he needs looking after,” she said, taking the sack he handed her. “Thank you.”

He shrugged again. “Suit yourself.”

She started out but stopped to ask, “Do you know that man I was talking to across the street?”

He gave a short laugh. “That’s ol’ man Waldo Krunk. He’s the president of the bank.”

“I see. Well, thank you.” Anna hurried out and stood over the huge dog still resting right where she’d left him. She bent
down to give him a scratch behind the ear, and he rolled his head sideways to look at her contentedly, lifting one paw nearly as big as the palm of her hand.

“Come on, boy. I’m taking you home with me and filling that belly of yours.” The dog blinked and she laughed. “Matter of fact, I’ve christened you ‘Moose.’ But we need to hurry,” she urged, nudging him up. “Phew!” She pinched her nose with two fingers. “We’re gonna need a bath, aren’t we?”

The dog rose to his feet, tail wagging, when Anna produced a piece of bread from her sack. She handed it to him and he quickly gobbled it down. Somewhat stiffly, he obediently followed her down the sidewalk in hopes of another handout.