Young Taddy wasn’t alone. The man with him was older, had dirty blonde hair, black eyes and a crooked nose. She didn’t like the look of him but said nothing. “Good morning, Taddy.”
“Mornin‘ Miz Thibodaux. This here is Davy. Mr. DeLille sent him to help, seeing as how your order’s so big.”
“Very thoughtful of him,” she said. Davy eyed the dogs. “Ma’am, can you lock those mutts up somewhere. I’m scared of dogs.”
“I doubt that is necessary. These dogs are very well behaved.”
Davy backed away. “For you mebbe. Hounds don’t seem to cotton to me, and I’d worry about bein’ attacked. Might not do as good a job as I should.”
Grace sighed. “Fine. I’ll put them in my room until you leave.”
“Thank you, Miz Thibodaux.” Davy heaved a sigh. “If you’ll both follow me, I’ll show you where to put everything.” Callin the dogs, she walked off. “Mars, Mercury, come.”
With the men unloading the wagon and the dogs secure in her room, Grace remained inside and made lemonade. Moving big loadswas thirsty work. Needing ice, she aimed for the pantry and the new ice box. She hadn’t seen the man who’d carried it leave. “Did you put ice in the box?” she asked as she entered. However, the worker who’d come with Taddy wasn’t there.
“Where…?”
She went to the back door and glanced out. Only Taddy labored to unload the fencing. Grace searched every room on the ground floor, then raced up the stairs to her bedroom.
Surely Mr. DeLille would not employ a thief? Besides the dogs were there and he claimed to be afraid of them.
Dirty Davy, as she thought of him, was coming out of the room across the hall from her bedroom.
“You shouldn’t be up here. Why are you?”
“Ah, I’m looking for a toilet.”
“I haven’t had plumbing installed yet. The outhouse is in the woods back of the stable.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
She outstared him, forcing him to head down the hallway to the staircase. Then she darted into her bedroom. That Davy had gone to her room was unlikely because of the dogs, but she had to check. The pups leapt to greet her. “Not now, boys,” she warned. They subsided. Grace searched the entire room, but found nothing amiss. She returned to the kitchen, to finish making the lemonade. She was pouring the drink, when someone knocked on the screened back door of the kitchen.
“It’s open,” Grace called. “C’mon in.”
“Want to let you know we’re finished, Miz Thibodaux,” Taddy said.
Good, she’d have her solitude and peace back soon.
“Thank you Taddy. I’ve made some lemonade. You and your friend should have a glass before you leave.”
“We’d appreciate that, ma’am.”
She handed a tall glass to Taddy and took the other outside.
There was no sign of the other man.
“Taddy, do you know where your friend went?” she called back to the house.
He came to the door. “’Bout fifteen minutes ago, he told me he was going to the outhouse.”
As the young man spoke, Dirty Davy strolled out of the stable. “Davy, Miz Thibodaux’s got some lemonade for you. Hurry and drink it. Mr. DeLille wants us back afore lunch time.”
The man took the lemonade and guzzled it down, then handed the glass back to Grace.
“Why were you in the stable?” She asked, trying to keep her tone civil. This was the second time she’d caught the man in a place he had no business being.
“Wanted a little shade‘s all.”
