“There’s nothing left. I was just stirring the potatoes and carrots. I just took the baked ham out to the table. Let me help you. You’re all windblown.” She reached up and pulled a few of Marybeth’s hairpins, then artfully arranged her hair more securely. “There. Go take a seat. Carrie and the boys are in there with Fred.”
“Thank you for the help. If you’re sure, then I’ll go.” Marybeth kept looking for something that was yet undone. “You have the bread and butter there as well?”
“It’s all there. I’ll bring these vegetables, and that will be the last of it. Now scoot. This is my kitchen, after all.”
Marybeth laughed. “Yes, ma’am, and a perfect kitchen it is. I hope to have one half as nice.”
Eve looked around at the white cabinets. “You will, Marybeth. I know you’ll one day have a house just like this one.”
“I hope so. I love it here. It’s filled with beauty and well-planned rooms ... and love. This house is just full to the brim with love.”
A knock sounded at the back door, and Edward let himself in. He stood for a moment, looking as though he had no idea what to do.
“Come in from the cold, Edward. We’re ready to eat. I was just shooing Marybeth out of here. Come get your lovely wife and take her to the table.”
Marybeth stiffened and, for a moment, thought to refuse anything to do with him, then her good senses took over. There was nothing positive to be gained by bringing their troubles into this house.
“I’m starved,” she said, smiling at Edward. “And I’m betting you are too.”
He didn’t seem to know quite how to respond at first, but finally he nodded. “I am.” He smiled at Eve. “Smells mighty good in here.”
“Well, let’s stop just smelling and get to eating. Go on now. I’ll be right there.”
Marybeth smiled at him as though nothing was amiss. Edward wasn’t at all expecting that. He figured she’d probably busted into the house and had a good cry in Eve’s arms. He fully expected to be lit into by the older woman, just as his ma might have done years ago.
But instead, he found the ladies in good spirits, and Marybeth completely at peace. He moved toward her and offered her his arm. To his surprise, she took it and smiled again.
He escorted her from the kitchen into the dining room, where Fred and the children were already sitting at the table. He had managed to put a block of wood under each child and tied them to the chair with dish towels so that they couldn’t jump down or fall.
“Looks like you have this lot secured,” Edward said, nodding at the children.
“You have to know how to secure your area,” Fred replied. “This works best with the children since we don’t have one of those fancy tray chairs that you have for Carrie.”
“I’ve definitely been glad that we brought it with us to Cheyenne,” Marybeth replied before Edward could say a word. “Pa always had keen insight about inventions and such. When he first saw that chair, he told me he had no doubts about its usefulness.”
“Sounds like a smart man.”
Edward nodded. “He was, and he was a good mentor to me. My own pa looked to him for advice and once told me I was fortunate to have such a man in my men of wise counsel.”
“Well, I told Eve that as soon as I had time to come over and study that chair, I was going to make us a couple. I think it would be a whole sight easier than tying the children to chairs.”
“Here we are,” Eve said, bringing a large bowl to the table. “Our potatoes and carrots are finally cooked through.”
Fred jumped up and took the bowl from her and placed it on the table. By the time he’d finished with that, Eve was already seated, so he offered grace.
Edward closed his eyes but didn’t really focus on Fred’s words. The argument he’d had with Marybeth remained as an obstacle between him and God. He was sorry to have hurt her but had no idea how they could go on with things as they were.
“I tell you Tim Martin is prouder than a peacock with that new son of his. The man’s grin all but lit up the way home. We probably could have gotten by without my lantern.”
“Julia was pleased as well,” Marybeth added. “This being their first, she had wanted a boy to carry on her husband’s name. It had been most important to both of them.”
“It’s a good thing to have sons,” Fred said, putting a slice of ham on Samuel’s plate and cut it into several pieces. He added another larger slice to his own plate and cutting several smaller pieces from it for David. The two-year-old was quite excited at the prospect and gave a little bounce in his seat.
“Gonna eat,” he said over and over as his father delivered the ham to his plate.
“He’s definitely looking forward to this,” Eve said, passing the potatoes and carrots to Edward. “He loves ham. It’s probably his favorite food. At least right now. Earlier this summer I could scarcely get him to eat anything but oatmeal.”
“Carrie just loves most everything,” Marybeth said, preparing food for Carrie’s plate. “She takes great pleasure in feeding herself, so the contents never seem quite so important.”
