His Redeeming Bride Read online

  Sarah glanced at Rachel who nodded. “It’s true, Sarah. You looked happier after he died.”

  Sarah closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I didn’t realize my feelings were transparent.” It made her feel exposed, and she didn’t like that.

  Caroline bit her lower lip, an action Sarah recognized as her nervous habit of trying to bring up unpleasant topics. At Sarah’s urging, Caroline spoke. “You might as well know that Preacher Amos and Hubert have begun a search to find a husband for you.”

  “What?” Noticing Ralph’s curious glance in her direction, she lowered her voice. “They can’t do that.”

  “They are convinced that you need a husband to bring you back to your senses. They believe that Mr. Craftsman has bewitched you.”

  “Oh, that’s silly. Neil’s been nothing but generous and kind. Why, he even lets me make decisions and stands up for me.”

  Rachel touched her arm. “Then he really has changed?”

  “Yes. He’s not the same person he used to be.”

  “Then he must be like the prodigal son. I heard Neil started out along the right path and lost his way. So he’s found his way back. That’s wonderful. I remember when he got married to Cassie and his mother was telling everyone that she hoped he would stop his life of...Well, you know.”

  The bell rang again and Sarah detected a knowing gleam in Ralph’s eye when Neil walked through the door. Leave it to Ralph to enjoy a person happening to show up when others are talking about him. She could sense the rumors ready to fly as soon as she left the place.

  “We won’t keep you,” Caroline whispered. “We believe there’s nothing going on between you and Neil, regardless of what the preacher and my idiot husband says.”

  Neil stood at a distance, directing his gaze to the candles on the shelf in front of him. Sarah decided that it was time to let people know she wasn’t ashamed to be associated with him. “Neil? Would you like to meet my friends?”

  His head snapped in her direction, his eyes wide. Even Ralph’s jaw dropped, and two elderly ladies stopped to stare at her. To his credit, Neil simply nodded and approached them.

  Seeking to appear calm while her cheeks grew hot from embarrassment to have such an attentive audience, she made the introductions, marveling that her voice sounded steady.

  Neil tipped his hat and said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” to Caroline and Rachel.

  “Any friend of Sarah is a friend of ours,” Rachel replied. “Perhaps you and Sarah should bring your children to my house after church this Sunday and we can have a late lunch together.”

  Neil glanced at Sarah, and she realized he was asking whether or not she would accept the invitation, so she gave a slight nod. “We would be delighted.”

  “Well, good.” Rachel exhaled, looking relieved, and said, “I suppose Caroline and I should go.”

  “Yes,” Caroline agreed. “It was nice meeting you, Mr. Craftsman.”

  As they hastened to the door, Neil turned to Sarah. “You didn’t have to do that.”

  She inwardly grimaced when she saw Ralph raise an eyebrow. The elderly women shook their heads and whispered whatever it was that nosy old ladies said to each other when they didn’t like something.

  “I know,” Sarah finally replied, “but I wanted to.”

  “I’ll get a basket and you can put whatever you want into it, all right.”

  “All right.”

  While she shifted a cooing Luke to her other arm, she caught sight of Caroline and Rachel giggling. Frowning, she wondered what they found amusing. When Caroline’s eyes met hers, Caroline mouthed, “You look happy with him.”

  Sarah, understanding the insinuation, gasped. Were her feelings that obvious? A quick glance in Ralph’s direction notified her that they were. Ralph still had that annoying gleam in his eye. Her friends giggled again and slipped out the door.

  Neil returned with the basket. “Are you ready?”

  “Yes.” Face redder than a tomato, she hurried to select the foods she wanted so they could get out of there as soon as possible.

  Chapter Fourteen

  June brought warm breezes and longer days, and to Sarah’s dismay, it also brought an onslaught of single men who either came under the guise of checking out Neil’s cattle for purchase or came outright and asked to court her. One such man rode up to the property on his horse while she was hanging the clean laundry on the clothing line to dry in the warm wind. Emily stayed with her to help her.

  “Mrs. Donner, don’t the sheets look like they’re dancing?” Emily asked, pointing to the white sheet that would have blown across the field had it not been for the pins holding it firmly in place on the line.

  She gave her a mischievous look. “It does. Can you dance like that?”

  Emily scrunched her nose as if thinking about it. Finally, she nodded. “I think so. You tell me if this is right.” In her eight-year-old enthusiasm, she flung her arms around and twirled in fast circles before she fell on the soft green grass.

  Chuckling, she took the girl’s hand and helped her up. “That was perfect!”

  Emily bowed, so she clapped her hands.

  Then Sarah bent to retrieve a towel from the basket. “Will you hand me more pins?”

  “All right.” She rushed to obey. “Here.”

  “Thank you. You are a wonderful helper.”

  “Do you think I’ll make a good wife someday?”

  “Oh, there’s no doubt about it. You’ll be an excellent wife. You can cook, clean, do laundry, make people laugh, and you look pretty.”

  “But I don’t know how to sew a dress.” She frowned as Sarah lifted one of her dresses and put it on the line. She hastened to give Sarah more pins.

  “Well, I’ll teach you how to sew.”

  “Really?”

  “Sure. It takes a lot of practice and patience. It won’t be as easy as cooking or cleaning.”

  “Oh, but I can learn, can’t I?”

  “You’re a very smart person. I have no doubt you can do anything you set your mind to. I understand why your father takes you hunting and horse riding.”

  Emily bounced around Sarah. “Look, the towel looks like it’s dancing with the dress.”

  Sarah watched as the two items got tangled up. “I put them too close together.”

  “Can we dance?”

  She grinned. “I think someone is trying to get out of helping with the laundry.”

  “I’m not, Mrs. Donner. I promise. I just want to dance one time with you.”

  Sarah quickly lengthened the space between the towel and dress before joining Emily. “What do you want me to do?”

  “Hold my hands and I’ll lead.”

  Sarah obeyed and laughed as Emily led her in circles until she tripped and fell. Emily tumbled next to her, also laughing.

  “That was fun,” Emily replied.

  “Yes, it was. I can’t remember the last time I laughed so hard.”

  Emily wrapped her arms around her neck and hugged her. “I’m glad you’re here, Mrs. Donner.”

  Warmth flooded her heart as she embraced the girl. “I’m glad I’m here too, Emily.” She stroked the girl’s soft hair. “You’re a good girl.”

  “Mrs. Donner?” someone asked.

  Startled, Sarah looked up, just noticing the tall man who loomed before her. Squinting, she helped Emily up and smoothed her dress. “Yes, I’m Mrs. Donner. Do you need something? Perhaps you are here to see Mr. Craftsman about his cattle?”

  “No, ma’am. I came by to pay you a visit.” The man ran his hands along his suspenders, and he wore a grin that made her think of a jester in a royal court. Taking off his brown hat, revealing his wild brown mane, he nodded. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Turning to Emily, he said, “And you.”

  Emily gave a polite greeting and returned to the basket.

  “You’ll have to forgive us, Mr....?” Sarah began.

  “The name is Barney Weiss.”

  “Mr. Weiss, I hope you
don’t think us rude if we finish hanging up the laundry.”

  “Oh, a man never minds a woman doing woman’s work.”

  She stiffened for a moment but proceeded to the clothes line where she set to the task of hanging up one of Neil’s shirts. The wind carried the scent of him that the soap and water didn’t eliminate. She momentarily stopped, enjoying the reminder of Neil’s masculine scent that reminded her of the outdoors and hard work. It was probably silly to enjoy the smell, but she found that she liked to think of anything that had to do with him.

  Barney cleared his throat, bringing her attention back to the chore. She accepted the pins from Emily and hastened to hang the shirt next to her dress.

  “I hope you don’t mind a personal question,” Barney told her.

  “I have nothing to hide,” she replied. “Ask anything you like.”

  “You and Mr. Craftsman aren’t...Look, I don’t mean to pry but it wouldn’t be appropriate if the situation lent itself to that of an intimate nature.”

  Emily gave him a hard look. “My pa is a good man. He sleeps in one bedroom and Mrs. Donner sleeps in another one. I sleep in the third bedroom.”

  Sarah wasn’t surprised by the girl’s outspoken tone, but Barney apparently was, for she noted his jaw dropping. “Emily is right, Mr. Weiss. Neil has offered me a place to stay and that is all. There is nothing improper going on.”

  He seemed relieved. “I heard you were an honest woman. I worked with your husband.”

  “So you and Jim were friends?”

  “We talked on occasion. He said you were an orderly woman and a fine cook. He had no complaints.”

  “He must have loved her,” Emily spoke up, handing Sarah more pins.

  Sarah watched Barney, wondering if Jim ever said that to someone he knew, for he never said it to her.

  “I assume so,” Barney replied. “Men don’t go around discussing their feelings to other men.”

  Just as I thought. Why should she hope that Jim found something in her to love? The sting she experienced was a slight one and would be gone soon enough.

  “That’s not true,” Emily argued. “My daddy’s farmhand tells everyone how much he loves his wife. He says she’s the best thing that ever happened to him.”

  It was true. Sarah had heard him brag about her one time when she was in the barn. She also recalled the envious feeling that lodged itself in her gut for the rest of the week. Sighing, she hung up a pair of Neil’s pants.

  Barney laughed. “Maybe I should say that some men don’t go around talking about their feelings.”

  “That would be better,” Emily agreed.

  “I have to admit, you have a good sense of humor,” Sarah told him. “Most of the men who’ve been coming by don’t like an outspoken girl.”

  He shrugged. “The way I see it, a girl has a right to speak her mind.”

  She arched an eyebrow but didn’t say anything. She had a hard time believing him, and she didn’t know why. Once she hung up the last item of clothing, he offered to carry the basket for her. Reluctant, she accepted, for she knew it meant he would want to come into the house and stay awhile. Once they reached the porch, Emily said she was going to find her father.

  “Neil Craftsman certainly is teaching his daughter to be bold,” Barney remarked as she opened the kitchen door.

  Jim’s mother looked up from the table where she was feeding five-month-old Luke.

  Sarah ran over to her, struggling to be polite. “Mrs. Donner, I asked you not to give him cow’s milk. You know he gets constipated when he drinks it.”

  Beatrice waved her hand. “Little Jim wouldn’t stop fussing, so I gave him a bottle. What’s the harm?”

  “I asked you to come and get me if he was hungry.” She stopped herself before reminding the woman that she still breastfed Luke. She didn’t want to disgust Barney.

  The woman chuckled. “My dear, Sarah, I saw that you had company and didn’t wish to intrude.”

  My dear Sarah? The only time the irritating woman used those words was when they were in front of other people. Flushed, Sarah grabbed the bottle from Luke and hoped the three ounces he drank wouldn’t cause too much trouble to his body.

  “What are you doing?” Beatrice asked, her eyes wide.

  “I’m back now, so I’ll feed him.” Sarah picked him out of her arms and stormed to the stairs so she could go to her bedroom for privacy.

  “Sarah, I was only trying to help.”

  Sarah whirled back, astonished at the tears the woman was “unsuccessfully” trying to dab with a handkerchief Barney handed her. Biting back a comment on how sick and tired she was of seeing Beatrice play the same scene for almost every man that had been coming out to see her, she stumped up the stairs, not caring if she seemed rude or not. Life was getting unbearable with all the men showing up several times a week.

  “It’s all because Preacher Amos wants to see me married to someone who’ll take me back to his church,” she muttered as she shut the door to her room. “Well, I’m not going back. I have a mind of my own and I’ll use it!”

  Luke cooed at her and grabbed her necklace.

  Setting him on the floor so he could sit, she took off the family heirloom and placed it in her jewelry box which sat on her dresser. Picking her son back up, she realized that Jim’s mother hadn’t changed his diaper and quickly proceeded to do the chore before she fed him.

  ***

  “Pa!”

  Neil turned to Emily after he finished unsaddling a horse. Straightening up, he let Ben take the gelding. “Hi, Em. Are you and Mrs. Donner finished with the laundry?”

  “We are.” She skipped over to Ben and watched as he put the horse back into its stall. “I want to ride him after supper. Can I, Pa?”

  He grinned. “Yes, you may. Do you have a clean pair of pants?”

  “I do. Mrs. Donner put a patch on my old ones so I can wear those again. I like her. She teaches me how to do female things and she tells me good stories and dances with me. We were having a lot of fun before another one of those men showed up.”

  The smile faltered. “Another man came out to see her?”

  “Uh huh.” She hopped up on a bucket that was turned upside down. She held out her arms and balanced on one foot. “He was thin and tall. You know, he’s not as ugly as that Mr. Bonnet that came by last week. But I think he was pretending to like me. I don’t believe he really likes the way I think.”

  He frowned, wondering if Sarah found this one interesting. Why couldn’t Amos and Beatrice stop sending men out to visit her? Neil thought that he and Sarah worked out a reasonable solution with Beatrice by allowing her to visit twice a week for two hours so she could see Luke, but the woman continued to send men in hopes that Sarah would marry one of them. It bothered Neil to no end, especially when the men wanted to ask him about Sarah, to see if she was worth their time. He hated answering those questions, so he often found something else to do. Yes, Sarah was worth any man’s time and attention, but he would rather die than tell them that. And he prayed that they wouldn’t find out. With each new potential suitor, his stomach tensed into all kinds of terrible knots.

  “Is the man still here?” he asked Emily, ignoring the knowing grin Ben threw his way.

  His farmhands made it no secret that they wanted to see Sarah become the next Mrs. Craftsman, and he had to admit that the thought pleased him as well, though he didn’t think their friendship progressed to that stage yet. She still needed time to establish who she was as Sarah instead of taking on her husband’s identity.

  “Yes. They’re in the house. I didn’t want to be around them so I came here.” She stopped walking on the bucket and looked at him. “Are you going to stop these men from coming out? I don’t want her to leave.” Her eyes lit up. “I know! You could marry her. Then they’d have to stop.”

  “I should see if Mrs. Donner is giving Sarah a hard time,” Neil said.

  Ben chuckled.

  “Don’t you have work to do?” Neil
snapped.

  “Not at the moment, boss.”

  “Well, find something. I don’t pay you to watch my love life.”

  “Interesting you should use the word ‘love’ in conjunction with Sarah.”

  Groaning, Neil hurried out of the barn, Emily at his heels.

  Once he opened the kitchen door, he was relieved to see that Sarah had abandoned the stranger who sat at the kitchen table talking to Mrs. Donner.

  They immediately stopped talking and glanced in his direction.

  “Where’s Sarah?” he asked.

  “She’s in her bedroom with her baby. She mustn’t be disturbed,” Beatrice said. “She is doing what nature designed her to do.”

  “You mean breastfeed?”

  She gasped.

  “Mr. Craftsman, I do not wish to intrude but I don’t think such talk is appropriate to delicate ears,” the nasally sounding stranger admonished him.

  “Last time I checked, this was my house, which means I can say whatever I want. There’s nothing inappropriate in mentioning a woman breastfeeding her child.”

  Beatrice gasped again, bringing her hands up to her ears.

  He rolled his eyes and bounded up the steps, almost breaking into laughter when he heard Emily say, “I plan to breastfeed when I have a baby someday. Sarah said that it’s the best kind of milk a baby can get.”

  “Oh, Barney, do you see why Sarah needs you to rescue her from this horrible place?” Beatrice whined.

  Gritting his teeth, Neil knocked on Sarah’s door.

  “Who is it?” Sarah called out.

  “Neil.”

  She opened the door, holding a sleeping Luke in her arms. “Did Emily send for you?”

  “No but I thought I’d make sure no one was causing you problems. I know it upsets you when Beatrice is here.”

  “I thought if I let her come spend time with Luke, then she wouldn’t keep sending men out here to meet me. But she’s getting worse. I don’t know how else to handle it than to hide in my room.”

  Relieved because she didn’t want this man anymore than she had wanted the others, he asked, “Do you want me to get rid of them?”