Loving Eliza Page 5

  He was grateful to depart from the man’s house. At least ordering the lumber from Greg would be safe. Greg was already married. When they reached the lumber store, he motioned for her to go first through the open door. He waved to Greg who was setting a stack of freshly cut rectangular boards by the counter.

  “It’s nice to see you, John,” Greg called out as he stood up. He sauntered over to them. “You must be Miss Sweet.”

  “I am,” Eliza said.

  “I’m Greg Stevens. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He turned to John. “Do you want the regular order?”

  John held up two fingers.

  “You’re going to double the order this time?” Greg asked.

  John nodded.

  “Business must be treating you well.” Smiling, he made his way to the counter and took out his ledger. “I can have it delivered tomorrow morning around ten. Does that work?”

  John nodded and pulled out his wallet.

  “Let me mark down the transaction.” He glanced at Eliza. “In business, it’s important to keep track of all your expenses and profits. Expenses are what you spend money on and profits are what you make.”

  John noticed a flicker of irritation cross her face. “Really?”

  Greg didn’t seem to catch the sharp tone in her voice, for he had returned to his paperwork.

  John sensed the tension in the air. Eliza wasn’t pleased but she kept quiet. He wondered what was wrong. He wondered if she would tell him on their way home. He wished he could talk so he could ask her about it.

  Greg finished writing and handed him the paper and pencil. “All I need is your ‘X’ and the total comes to $2.”

  John took the pencil and paper and got ready to put the ‘X’ where he usually did when Eliza grabbed his arm.

  “That’s the funniest looking two I’ve ever seen,” she said, obviously upset. She looked at John. “Do you know your numbers?”

  Embarrassed, he shook his head. No one had taught him that either.

  “Mr. Stevens, I happen to be literate, and I’ve learned a couple of things when it comes to business. That is a three. You are trying to make a fifty percent profit off a man’s inability to read. Now, I understand that you are using a shrewd business sense to rip someone off, but this is illegal and I don’t mind finding the marshal so I can discuss this matter with him. I believe his wife, Charity Grooms, might like to see me again. I did accompany her on the stagecoach ride to this place.”

  John glanced from her to Greg, one of the few people he had believed to be a friend. His face grew red in both anger and shame. Why would Greg do this to him?

  Greg glared at her for a moment before he turned his attention to John. He smiled. “Let me see that.” He took the paper and clucked his tongue. “I meant to write a two. Thank you for catching my error, Miss Sweet.”

  John watched as he erased the old number to write in the new one. Now John knew the difference between a two and a three. This was one lesson he’d never forget.

  Eliza smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m teaching John how to read and write. I think it’ll be good for his own business. Maybe he can even keep his own ledger and write out contracts too. Then he’d be a real professional.”

  Greg gave a curt nod as he set the paper aside. “Yes. It’ll be good for your business, John.”

  John decided not to give any gestures. Instead, he joined Eliza and left the store. How long had Greg been doing that to him? Like a fool, he’d just handed Greg his money and let Greg give him the change. He knew that $2 was a fair price. He knew that $3 was too much. But without being able to recognize the symbols and what they meant, he hadn’t been able to deduct whether or not Greg was being honest with him. He suspected it happened a lot. And Greg hadn’t known Eliza could read. John’s gaze traveled the length of the street where store owners had opened their doors to waiting patrons. Who else had ripped him off?

  Eliza let out a low sigh before asking, “Where do I buy curtains or have someone make curtains? I never learned to do any sewing.”

  Addy did that. He pointed down the street to the house that stood next to Melissa Peters’ home.

  “But Melissa’s not alive.”

  He shook his head.

  “Addy?”

  He nodded. He liked that she caught on fast to what he meant, and he liked that she looked out for him. I need to learn to read and write. I need to learn my numbers. He had gone along with her plan to teach him partly because it meant that he could be near her, but now, in light of what just happened with Greg, he realized this was a necessity. He didn’t like being a fool, and if he could read, he’d have caught the error—whether Greg intentionally did it or not. Sadly, he suspected Greg did it on purpose.

  After they went to Addy who seemed more than happy to make the curtains, they went to the general store where Eliza picked up some baking supplies. Watching her choose what she’d make took his mind off of Greg. He imagined for a moment that she was his wife and that they’d end up going home together to snuggle...to kiss...and then...

  “I think this will do,” she said, interrupting his thoughts.

  He walked over to the counter where Frank tallied their total. When Frank announced the amount, John looked at Eliza who gave him a slight nod. Comforted in her answer, he handed Frank the money and was reassured, once again, when she indicated that Frank gave him the right amount of change. Good. At least, he could trust Frank, which was good because he liked Frank and didn’t want to think ill of him.

  John lifted the sacks of grocery items and followed Eliza out the door.

  On their way back to the wagon, a couple of men lounging by the post office snickered at John. “And that’s what they call ‘beauty and the beast’.”

  John stopped and glared at Michael Reeves and Larry Gordon. His brother Aaron had warned him to stay away from those two, and for the most part, he managed. But once in awhile, he ran into them and ignored their taunting. Today, after what happened with Greg, he was especially sensitive to their comments.

  “Did I hurt your feelings there, boy?” Michael asked, obviously not caring either way.

  Eliza halted her steps and turned to them. “Is there a problem, mister?”

  Larry examined her from head to toe. “Not with you, ma’am. You’re downright perfect.”

  She didn’t respond.

  Michael looked at her. “You do know you’re with a retard, don’t you?”

  Her jaw dropped. “A...a what?”

  “A retard,” he slowly said.

  “A woman as pretty as you can find other places to stay,” Larry said. “You don’t need to settle with someone like him.”

  This was exactly what John was afraid of. They were giving her ideas she didn’t need to be having. He caught her attention and nodded in the direction of his wagon.

  The two men laughed.

  “Just like a pup,” Larry said. “He gets so excited when anyone pays him the slightest bit of attention.”

  She placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at them. “You owe John an apology.”

  “I would apologize if he could understand me, but he can’t. It’s why he never went to school. The boy is dumb.”

  “Like a dog,” Michael agreed. “You can’t do much to train him either.”

  She slapped both of them before John had time to blink.

  Larry put his hand to his cheek, stunned, while Michael bolted to his feet.

  John quickly stood between her and Michael.

  The doctor who worked next to the post office ran out of the building. “Hold it right there.” As soon as he reached them, he said, “I don’t know what’s going on here, but you’d better stop right now. I won’t have this kind of conduct while I’m around. I have enough sick people to tend to without you two beating each other up. Now, I suggest you leave the matter be and go home.”

  Once John was sure that Michael wouldn’t harm Eliza, he stepped back.

  The doctor nodded.
“Good. Go on home.”

  “Like a good little doggy,” Michael hissed.

  The doctor shot him a warning look which made him stop his taunting.

  Eliza shook her head but obediently walked down the street. The dust kicked at her heels since she practically ran. John went after her and was glad when they reached the wagon.

  Now she knew. She knew what most people thought of him. They assumed that if he couldn’t talk, he couldn’t think...or feel. This only added to his shame.

  He put the bags into the wagon and helped her into the seat.

  To his surprise, she pulled his hand closer to her. Leaning forward, she said, “Don’t you mind them. They’re not worth your time.”

  He stared into her eyes, noting the tears that had formed in them. He nodded. He knew. He always knew. But he was grateful to know that she knew it too.

  “Good.” She let go of his hand and faced forward.

  He got into the wagon. Unlike the first time he took her to his property, she was quiet. He wondered what she was thinking. At one point, he even nudged her arm so she’d look at him before he tapped his head with his finger.

  “Nothing. I just don’t feel like talking,” she replied.

  He decided not to press the issue. She had a right to keep her thoughts to herself. But he sure wished he could tell her his.

  Chapter Six

  Eliza turned the knob on the kerosene lamp so the light grew brighter. Then she poured another cup of water for her and John and set them at the table where John sat with a stack of papers in front of him. He was currently writing the letter M on the blank sheet in front of him.

  It had been three days since their venture into town, and she noticed how serious he got about learning to read and write after that. The thought that someone would go out of their way to rip off someone who couldn’t find out what was going on left her sick to her stomach. John was much too trusting of people. But then, did he have a reason not to be? At least until she clued him into what Greg Stevens was doing to him?

  It made her want to take him in her arms and protect him from the harsher realities of the world. He seemed to be in such a sheltered environment. In some ways, she envied him that. She hadn’t been that way since she was fourteen and her parents died. Nothing was the same for her after that, and there was no turning back the clock and doing things differently. Besides, just how much could a fourteen year old do?

  She slowly exhaled and sat across from him. “It’s late. We should call it a night when you’re done with that sheet of paper.”

  He didn’t answer her. Instead, he carefully wrote another M on the paper. His letters were still sloppy, but she noted the progress.

  “You’re doing great, John. Why, you’re going to master this in no time.”

  Again, he just continued writing, not bothering to acknowledge her statement.

  She sighed and took a drink of the cool water. A slight breeze blew in from the window. July was a hot month and it took the nights to cool things off enough so she could be comfortable. The humidity wasn’t so bad up here though. That was nice.

  Her eyelids grew heavy. She wondered what time it was. She should’ve checked the clock when she was getting the water. Yawning, she forced her eyes open and stretched the muscles in her neck. When she was done, she glanced at John who had stopped writing to look at her.

  She straightened up. “Do you need something?”

  He motioned to her and then pretended to be asleep.

  “Yes, I’m tired. We’ve been doing this for a good five hours. I’m ready to sleep, aren’t you?”

  He shook his head but stood up and helped her up. He put his arm around her shoulders and led her to the kitchen door.

  She was too tired to protest. Instead, she leaned against him as they left his house. The night was quiet except for a round of crickets chirping. Saturday night was so peaceful out here, unlike the rowdy noise in the saloon back in Omaha. One thing was for sure, she didn’t miss that place.

  John’s steps came to a halt.

  “What is it?” She yawned and glanced up at him.

  He pointed to the sky.

  She smiled. There was a full moon out tonight and the thousands, if not millions, of stars sparkled in the clear night sky. “It’s really something, isn’t it? Every time I look up there, I feel insignificant. We’re so small in the whole scheme of things.”

  His gaze met hers and he grinned back.

  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

  He nodded and then touched her cheek, softly tracing her skin with his fingers.

  “You think I’m beautiful too?”

  He nodded again.

  It was such a touching thing for him to tell her in his own way, and for a moment, she thought if Daphne never did show, then maybe he’d be free to marry her after all. She quickly blinked and shoved the thought away. She’d been a prostitute for goodness’ sakes. He’d never even kissed a woman. He deserved someone as pure as him.

  So she decided that she wouldn’t acknowledge the compliment. “Will you take me to church tomorrow?”

  A frown crossed his face before he nodded.

  She sighed and looked down at the grass which blew softly in the breeze. She didn’t like hurting him. Why he figured she was the one for him, she didn’t know. There was nothing special about her. In fact, in many ways, she was far from ideal. And she’d read Daphne’s letter. Now there was a lady. A real lady. One who’d never get into a man’s bed unless she’d already exchanged vows with him.

  Once again, Eliza wondered how things might have played out if her parents hadn’t died when she was fourteen. Then her mother’s sister wouldn’t have taken her in, and then she’d never have to deal with her uncle.

  Taking a deep breath, she reminded herself that she’d survived. Her life was better now. Preacher Peters assured her that God could work all things for good for those who loved Him. And she did love Him. That’s why she wouldn’t rob John of Daphne...or Daphne of John. They would do well together. They’d have a house full of children. Lots of laughter and love. An ideal family. A situation she could never have.

  “Will you take me to church tomorrow?” she softly asked.

  He winced.

  “I know you don’t like the way some of those people are in town. I bet they go to church too, don’t they?”

  He nodded.

  “Do you think God is like them?”

  He shrugged.

  “He’s not, John. You can’t base God on what people do. It’s people who aren’t perfect. And I’ve learned that just because someone claims to be a Christian, it doesn’t mean they’ll act like one.”

  Which explained the minister and other pristine looking church men who had arranged for her to accommodate their needs in an out-of-the-place area. They didn’t want to look bad on Sundays...or in front of people who knew them. At the time, she didn’t care about God, so it didn’t matter to her. How things changed in the span of three months from the moment she met Preacher Peters.

  “Do you mind if I take myself to town?”

  He shook his head in a way that she knew meant he didn’t want her to go without him.

  “I’d like to go to church, John. I know I have my Bible, but it’s not the same as going.”

  Slowly exhaling, he finally nodded.

  “You’ll take me?”

  He indicated his agreement.

  “I’ll be with you. You won’t have to face them alone. And there are some good people there. Addy and Frank attend, I bet. Then there’s Charity. I met her on the stagecoach I came on. She married the marshal, you know.”

  He nodded again.

  “She’s nice. So is her aunt. I don’t think it’ll be as bad as you fear, and if people start giving you a hard time, we’ll just leave. I promise.”

  Taking her hand in his he motioned to her ring finger and looked at her with the all-too-familiar question in his eyes.

  She groaned. “No. I’m not going to marry yo
u.” She chuckled. “I’m going to my quaint home before you get even more bold, mister. I need to go to sleep. I’ll see you at sunrise.”

  She quickly ran to her home before he could stop her.

  ***

  Eliza put on her best dress, which happened to be her blue one. She pulled her hair up and tucked it under her hat. A part of her was apprehensive about going to church. She’d gone to Preacher Peters’ church for about a month and a half before she left Omaha. The people there had known about her past and had accepted her. But the people here didn’t know anything about her. This was a clean slate. Even so, she had to quench the nervous anxiety in her body. She took a deep breath and looked at herself in the small mirror.

  “I can do this. I am a lady now.”

  She picked up her small purse and left her home. She made it halfway across the yard to John’s house when she saw him emerge from the small barn. Smiling, she watched him as he led the geldings and the wagon in her direction. He really was an attractive man, and that was so much more evident when he dressed up in a dark blue suit.

  She waited until he reached her before she spoke. “Thank you for taking me. I promise that when we get back, I’ll make you a little something special for dessert.”

  To her surprise, he didn’t smile, but when his eyes met hers, she understood that he didn’t want to go but was going for her sake. She considered saying that they could stay. Then she thought that if he was going to get over his aversion to town and some of the people in it, he needed to go and face them. The best way to conquer a fear was to confront it.

  She wasn’t sure what to talk to him about on their way to town, so she rambled on about everything from the beautiful weather to the deer she saw leaping across the fields. He listened...at least she thought he listened. He could have been tuning her out. It was hard to tell if a man who didn’t talk at all was paying attention or not unless he made eye contact or did a gesture. When she stared at him, his focus remained on the dirt path in front of them. And so, she continued to ramble just to ease the tension.