Neither of them had to marry unless they chose to.
After securing her braid, she looked down at her shirtwaist and skirt. They were hopelessly dirty from days on the trail, but she needed a bath before she dared change into her only clean dress. Hopefully washing could be added to tomorrow's list too. Somewhere near the top.
* * *
Dinah forced herself out of the sagging cot as the first faint streak of gray lightened the horizon through the only small window in this room. She had so much to do today. She couldn't waste a minute.
Naomi continued a light snore as Dinah refastened her hair and straightened her clothing in the darkness. Snoring was another thing that had begun these past weeks, the more Naomi's body swelled.
After slipping into the main room and closing the door behind her, she peered into the darkness of the chamber where Jonah and the children slept. Steady breathing sounded from inside. Her patient had slept better than she'd expected. She'd given him laudanum just before retiring for the night, then had awakened only once to his moans. Another dose eased his pain, and he seemed to still feel the effects now.
The men outside must not have fared as well, for she'd heard someone come into the house three different times. The soft boot thuds always went into Jonah's room, stayed a few minutes, then thumped back across the main room and outside.
She'd moved the chest of drawers in front of the door in their chamber, just in case. But thankfully, its strength had never been tested.
They'd made it through the first night.
To celebrate, the men might enjoy a hearty breakfast. Johnnycakes would be possible given the supplies she'd found last night. There might not be syrup, but maybe she could find a jar of jam, or mix a sweet topping from the sugar she'd spotted.
The coals she'd stoked in the stove still looked warm, and with some poking, she nurtured a small flame. Naomi or Nana usually handled most of the cooking and related chores back in Virginia. Dinah was always working in the clinic or visiting patients.
But she knew her way around a cookstove well enough. When she added kindling from the crate beside the stove, the chunks of bark and small wood lit easily. There were only two logs left inside, which meant she'd need to bring in more for cooking.
Did these men drink coffee? Or maybe tea. She preferred a good warm chocolate herself, but that might be a luxury she had to forego in the Montana Territory.
After adding the two logs, she closed the door to the firebox and filled the kettle with water, then moved it to what would be the hottest part of the stove. Best find coffee or tea and start it brewing before she went for wood. Had there been a stack of split logs outside? Not that she could remember.
Lord, don't let me have to split wood to make this breakfast too.Surely with all these strapping men around, they would have a supply somewhere.
She'd already gone through all the tins on the shelf, which was where she'd found the sugar and salt and two other powders she couldn't identify. Saleratus maybe, a staple Nana used often to make her cakes rise. So now she waded through the crates and burlap bags stacked in the corner. Even if she didn't find coffee or tea, she needed to know what food items were on hand to plan for meals.
"What are you doing?"
She jumped at the voice, nearly losing her grip on the crate she was lifting off the stack. When she turned to find the source of the voice, her heart skipped a beat at the sight of Jericho Coulter standing in the middle of the room, arms full of firewood. The only dim light came through the open door behind him, silhouetting the line of his broad shoulders. The outline of his hair looked especially wild this morning. Did he always keep it hanging to his shoulders?
Dinah cleared her throat and straightened her back, keeping her voice steady. "Good morning. I'm just looking for supplies to make the morning meal. Do you have coffee or tea?"
He stepped forward, dropping his load into the box they used for firewood. "We did have coffee. Not sure if there's any left." As he moved beside her and reached for the next crate on the stack, his nearness overwhelmed every other thought. He smelled rich and woodsy, and maybe a bit like hay. He was so tall, at least a handbreadth taller than Pop.
She tried to step back. To allow him more space and her mind to clear, but with her first attempt, her feet tangled in her skirts. She scrambled to grab something to keep from falling flat on her rear.
Her fingers caught cloth, and she grabbed hold, stopping her backward momentum and allowing her feet to find solid ground.
"Easy there." Jericho grabbed her wrist, securing her firmly.
The cloth she gripped was covering a strong arm—Jericho's arm—and the muscle rippling beneath was sturdy enough to keep a horse upright if need be.
"I'm sorry." She released him, but he still gripped her wrist with his other hand. She tugged to pull away—to get far from this man she'd just embarrassed herself in front of.
"Those skirts can be a nuisance on a homestead." He finally let go of her arm, and she took two steps back—without tripping this time. "My sister wore trousers like the rest of us. The only time she put on a dress was when we went to town."
She dared a glance at his face. Did he think she should wear pants too? Not likely around so many men. Her ears burned just thinking about it. Nana would be mortified. An image slipped in of how shocked her grandmother's face would be if Dinah paraded in trousers across the parlor during one of her weekly teas. All those high-collared women with even higher opinions of themselves would need smelling salts for sure.
"Something funny?" Jericho eyed her, a hint of amusement glimmering in his coffee eyes.
She shook her head. "Just imagining how that would go over back in Wayneston. I think I'd better stick with skirts." That was all she owned anyway.
She turned to the cookstove and grabbed a log to add to the firebox. "If you find coffee, the water's ready for it." Best refocus his attention where it should be. "I thought I'd make Johnnycakes this morning. Do you have maple syrup or jam?"
