He handed her the flowers. “These are for you.”
She took them and sniffed the bouquet. Roses were her favorite. “You shouldn’t have.”
“I couldn’t wait to meet you. I hope you don’t mind.”
She shook her head. “I’m glad you came over, and I’m sorry again for not telling my parents yet. I promise they will know today.”
“Then shall we make plans to meet tomorrow?”
“Yes. That would be wonderful.”
“Should I call upon you here?”
“Of course, Mr. Fairbanks.”
“Can I come around this time tomorrow?”
“Yes. That will work.”
He stepped backward. “Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Goodbye, Mr. Fairbanks.”
She didn’t watch him leave but entered the house and closed the door. She glanced around the hallway, grateful her parents weren’t here to overhear the conversation. Ma would never forgive Summer for not telling her about the wedding. And although she would say something to her parents today, she didn’t know how to bring up the subject.
Her decision about becoming a mail-order bride hadn’t been done hastily. A month before she’d answered the ad in the newspaper, she had received a letter from her mother. In the letter, Ma mentioned that the livery wasn’t doing well, and their regular customers were going elsewhere to get their rigs fixed, or their horses shod. Ma had mentioned that Jesse and Cal helped occasionally and that Rosie also helped in the livery, but it didn’t make a difference.
Knowing that Summer would be a burden to her parents when she came home, she realized the only way to help the livery was to find a wealthy man to marry. The day after that, she had read the ad in the newspaper, and, thinking it was a sign from God, had written to Mr. Fairbanks.
Now, seeing him in person, she knew her decision had been right. Of course, convincing her parents was a different matter altogether.
Building up the courage, Summer walked toward her parents’ bedroom. Just as she raised her hand to knock on the closed door, she heard water splashing and her mother’s sweet voice instructing her father to step into the tub.
Summer frowned. Apparently, telling them the news wouldn’t happen now. However, she could still help her father in some way.
She ran up the stairs, taking two at a time, and hurried into her room. She found her boy’s trousers in the bottom of one of her drawers. It had been a while since she was in the stable, and when she thought about getting back to her duties, anticipation hammered through her heart.
She slipped into her worn blue britches from five years ago but almost couldn't close the buttons together. When she tried buttoning up her faded red shirt, she giggled over how the fabric stretched tight across her bosom. This was certainly indecent, but she couldn’t very well go to the stables to clean wearing a dress.
Forgetting the ladylike manners her aunt had drilled into her, she flew down the back staircase and out the door, running all the way to the livery stable. Her unbound hair flapped against her neck and back, and a thrill rushed through her, experiencing those feelings of long ago.
When she came to the front of the stable, she stopped. The chipped red paint on the barn aged the structure, but it still stood larger than life. A wooden sign painted in black letters hung high above the hay port: BENNETT’S LIVERY, HORSES BOARDED & BEDDED, RIGS FOR RENT.
Her heart ached from the years she’d missed away from the stable. But she was home now, and she’d make everything right.
She opened the front doors and peered inside. The barn reminded her of a tunnel, dark and cold, yet bright at both ends. When she walked inside, the neighing horses welcomed her and brought her attention around. Grinning, she hurried to her favorite horse, Buck. The black stallion was tall, broad-chested, and snip-nosed. She reached up to stroke his mane.
“Hello, Buck, I’ve missed you so.”
She buried her face against his neck. Buck nuzzled her with his nose.Yes, I’ve certainly missed this.Tearing herself away from the horse, she stepped into her pa’s office and picked up the ankle-length, brown leather apron hanging on the wall, then wrapped it around her waist. Now, where should she start?
The brightness from the morning sun shone through the dirty small-paned windows, lighting the east side of the barn. She glanced around. Despite the obvious changes, things still seemed the same. Running her fingers over the roll-top desk, she noticed how scarred and rickety looking the drawers were from hard use. The room was cluttered with bridle rings, horseshoe nails, snaffle bits, horse liniment, and tack hammers. Years of use had worn the varnish from the back and arms of the chair. To the right of the desk sat a potbelly stove just as dusty as the rest of the office.
Deciding her first order of business should be dusting, she found an old rag and moved around the office, swinging the cloth through the air, creating a dust storm. She sneezed but continued wiping until the office looked halfway presentable, then realized it would be dusty no matter what she tried to do.
From out in the stable, Buck snorted again, and she wished she had the time to take him for a ride. It’d been so long. She glanced over at the animal and smiled. “You’ll get your turn, don’t worry.”
The fast pace of shuffling feet stopped her. “Hello? Is anybody here?” somebody called out.
