Her Believing Heart Page 4

  Nellie put her arm around her sister and led her to the covered back porch where the wash tubs were stored. She faced her younger sister over one of the wash tubs and spoke to her in a soothing tone. “Mother said since you’ve started your monthlies it’s time you start helping with the rags.”

  Alice’s thin arms hung limp by her side. Her shoulders slumped. “I know,” she whined. “But the rags are gross.”

  Nellie didn’t like the job either, but it was a chore that had to be done. She made sure water was heating on the stove, and then she and Alice laboriously filled two of the wash tubs with cold water. “Look at it this way,” Nellie said, trying to cajole Alice into smiling, “now that you’re old enough to wash the rags, it means that you’re a young lady, and old enough to dance with the boys tonight.”

  Alice’s cheeks filled with color. “No boys are going to ask me to dance.”

  “You might be surprised,” Nellie said, laughing. “Especially if you leave that scowl behind when we leave for the dance.” Thoughts of the dance reminded Nellie that she had promised the first dance to George Jepson. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that now. A niggling feeling made her wish the first dance was with Evan Howell.

  One thing was certain. Nellie was thankful there was a dance to attend. Until the new school teacher moved to town recently, there hadn’t been anyone to play for a dance in Clover Creek for several months. The new school teacher cleared the one-room schoolhouse every Saturday evening and played his fiddle to the delight of the whole town. Elderly Mr. Jones accompanied him on the reed organ placed in the corner of the schoolroom.

  The Saturday night dance was the highlight of Nellie’s life.

  Nellie pushed all thoughts of the dance from her mind. She had a job to do and didn’t want to take all morning doing it. Evan and Charlie would be coming back from town in a few hours, and she wanted the rags washed and hung up in the cellar before they returned. And she wanted plenty of time to get ready for the dance.

  “How about we make a competition out of washing the rags?” Nellie said. “Like Dad says, ‘a fun competition makes time go faster for any job.’”

  Alice pouted and wrinkled her nose when Nellie dumped the rags that had been collecting into the tub of cold water. Rain still drizzled down around the wooden porch and dark clouds hung in the sky.

  “Well,” Nellie said, her hands firmly planted on her hips. “Do you want to spend one hour washing rags, or three?”

  “One,” Alice whimpered, her face resembling a wilted flower.

  “Run and look at the clock. Let’s see if we can wash these rags and have them hung up to dry in one hour. Since it’s still raining, we’ll hang them in the cellar.”

  “It’s five minutes to nine,” Alice reported upon her quick return from looking at the parlor clock.

  “Perfect. We’ll be done by ten if we hurry. Ready, set, go!” Nellie shoved the wash plunger into the murky tub, and jostled the rags around with all her strength. After a few moments, she stopped, and handed the plunger to Alice. “Here,” she said, her breathing heavy. “Keep stirring the rags. I’ll check on the hot water.”

  While Alice plunged and shoved at the rags, Nellie returned to the back porch and scooped up a handful of rags from the wash tub. She dropped them into a second tub of cold water and scrubbed them on the washboard. Once she scrubbed the rags to her satisfaction, she wrung them out and set them aside on the back porch to await their hot water bath. “Here, I’ll plunge and you scrub for a while,” she said. She scooped up another batch of rags and started the process over again.

  Alice moaned, holding her hands over the tub as if afraid to submerge her fingers into the murky rags.

  “Hurry!” Nellie said. “Time’s ticking away. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can start getting ready for the dance.”

  “Why can’t Ruby or Belle do this?” Alice whined, referring to two of her older sisters.

  “They’re cleaning the house and baking bread. Don’t worry, they take their turns. Ma always has us take turns, so no one person has to wash the rags all the time.”

  Alice stuck her finger tips into the water, as if waiting to see if she could survive the experience.

  “I’ll curl your hair for the dance,” Nellie said. “Provided we have time after we finish here.”

  The promise of curls was all it took. Alice submerged her hands and started scrubbing. Once she started, she worked as quickly as Nellie, and they soon had the rags in a soapy hot bath. After washing the rags in hot water, and two good rinses in clean cold water, they headed to the cellar with their basket of clean rags.

  “Whew,” Nellie said once they were tucked away from sight and hanging the last of the rags over the ropes in the cellar. “I was hoping to get done before Evan and Charlie returned.”

  “You really like Evan, don’t you?” Alice said.

  “Um, he’s a good friend.” Nellie picked up the last two rags to hang. She didn’t like her sisters or anyone asking her about Evan. Too many people thought Evan wasn’t good enough for her because of his station in life. “Why don’t you run upstairs and check the clock. If we didn’t finish in less than an hour, I’ll bet we came close.”

  4

  Rain turned to drizzle as Evan and Charlie bumped along the muddy road to Clover Creek to take care of Mr. Gardner’s errands. They talked and bantered for a while, but after a short time, the talking ceased. Both men seemed to be caught up in enjoying the fresh smell of wet sagebrush and their own thoughts.

  Evan’s thoughts focused on Nellie. He could still picture her working in the field, her slim figure bent over the potato plants, her sunbonnet covering most of her face. She wielded a hoe as quickly and efficiently as he or Charlie. She was a cheerful worker too, never complaining or trying to get out of work.

  The whole Gardner family worked hard, causing Evan to admire them and want to have a family like them. His mother was a hard worker, but his father wasn’t. His family’s problems were as simple as that, and the realization had brought Evan sorrow for years.

  When Evan thought of Nellie hoeing the field, he couldn’t help but think about George Jepson showing up to talk to her. His heart tightened as he wondered what they talked about. George had so much more to offer Nellie than he did; a ready-made position in his father’s store, and a reputable name in the community. Evan had nothing by comparison.

  Trying to shift his thoughts to something more uplifting, Evan remembered the way Mr. Gardner made a competition out of family chores. He loved that the family only competed against their own time, making the chores fun. The time certainly did go faster. He had even suggested the idea to his mother to get his younger sisters more enthusiastic about their chores.

  Evan also liked the Gardner family’s reward of making ice cream after completing their field work earlier in the week. He had thoroughly enjoyed the fun and bantering that went along with making the ice cream. Now that he was earning more money, he wanted to order an ice cream maker for his mother and sisters. His family had good memories of reading together and playing games together, but they had never had the means to make ice cream.

  Evan and Charlie picked up the tools at the blacksmith shop and covered them in the back of the wagon. Rain still drizzled down on the men, soaking their shirts and running off their hats. The main street through Clover Creek teemed with mud and dung as they climbed back into the wagon.

  “Hope this rain lets up today,” Evan said, climbing into the wagon. “We won’t be surveying for that new road if it doesn’t.”

  Charlie took the lines and guided the horses into the mire. As they trudged down the street to the mercantile, the horse’s hooves cut through the mud and the wagon wheels splat muck in every direction. “Pa won’t leave Monday if things don’t dry out,” Charlie said. “But I know he’s under pressure to complete the survey as soon as possible. People are coming west every day and clamoring for good Idaho farmland.”

  “That’s what I want,” Evan s
aid although his best friend had already heard his dreams hundreds of times over the past years. “A farm of my own where I can get out and work in the soil every day.”

  “Then I can’t understand why you didn’t walk to the store while I picked up the tools,” Charlie said. “All that dirt you’re so fond of is mixed with good rain water today, plus a few other earthy components. If you weren’t afraid of a little mud, you could have had my pa’s order ready to load by now. You must be getting soft.”

  Evan took off his hat and dumped the drops of rain water off to the side of the wagon. He ran his hand through his dark hair before shoving the hat back on his head. “Yeah, if I would have run through the muck and turned in your dad’s order for supplies, we could be done by now and on our way back to your house. Then you’d have more time to spruce up for tonight’s dance. The young ladies will line up waiting for a chance to dance with the esteemed Charlie Gardner.”

  Charlie grinned. “You’re as anxious to spruce up for the dance as me. In fact, if we don’t hurry and get back so you have time to clean up, my sister—”

  “Hold on!” Evan called out. He jumped out of the wagon and sprinted across the street on muddy bricks that had been laid for rainy days like this one. The bricks were supposed to make crossing the street easier when the street was ankle-deep in mud, but sludge from constant wagon traffic had made the bricks practically as muddy as the street.

  “Mrs. Jones!” Evan called to his neighbor as she stood on the opposite side of the street from the store. “Do you need to cross over to the store?”

  Mrs. Jones held an umbrella over her head and was wrapped in a weathered shawl. “I thought the rain had stopped when I started out,” she said. “I should have stayed home, but Marv’s come down with a cough. I wanted to get some flaxseed to make a poultice for his chest. Besides, we’re out of coffee, and Marv can’t go a day without his coffee.”

  Evan scooped Mrs. Jones into his arms so quickly, she let out a little squeal. Walking carefully back across the bricks, to be sure he didn’t slip and dump them both into the mire, Evan carried her across the street and deposited her on the boardwalk in front of the mercantile. “There you go, Mrs. Jones,” he said, making sure she stayed upright before letting go of her. “While you get the things you need, Charlie and I will gather our supplies. We won’t take long, and then we’ll give you a ride home in Charlie’s wagon.”

  “It’s not that far to walk,” Mrs. Jones said.

  “It is on a day like today.” Evan winked at her. “And we’re going right past your place anyway.”

  “Bless you, Evan Howell,” Mrs. Jones said, patting his cheek. “You are such a dear boy. I won’t be but a few minutes.”

  While Charlie finished ordering supplies from Mr. Jepson, Evan stopped in front of the candy counter. Mrs. Jepson walked up and stood across from him, her lips pursed, her arms crossed over her chest. “Can I help you?” she asked in a stern voice.

  Evan smiled at the woman. He pulled a few coins from his pocket like he always did, to show that he was a paying customer, and asked for a small scoop of lemon drops to take to his sisters. His mother had trained him to hold his head up when treated rudely, and look beyond other people’s character weaknesses.

  Evan paid for his lemon drops and pocketed them. Then he helped Charlie load the supplies into the wagon, making sure everything was covered and tied down for the ride back to the Gardner place. He found Mrs. Jones and helped her into the wagon, climbing in beside her. The rain had tapered off, and a break in the clouds revealed a blue sky on the horizon.

  Charlie took the lines and once again guided the horses into the muddy road, this time carefully turning them back the way they had come. The air smelled clean and pure once they got away from the main road. A few minutes later, Charlie pulled the horses to a stop in front of the Jones home.

  “Look at that rainbow,” Mrs. Jones said, twisting her face around and pointing at the sky. “Two rainbows! Can you see the second one? It’s a little weaker, but it’s beautiful.”

  “I see them,” Evan said. “They are beautiful.”

  Mrs. Jones nudged Evan’s arm. “I’ve heard that when you see a rainbow blessings are coming your way if you’re following your heart. Perhaps double blessings are coming your way, Evan since there’s a double rainbow.”

  “What about me?” Charlie said, grinning at Mrs. Jones as he waited for Evan to help her out of the wagon. “Can I count on blessings of the heart?”

  Mrs. Jones patted Charlie’s arm in a motherly way. “Charlie Gardner, you’re just a young pup. Plenty of time for you to grow up yet. Now Evan here is old enough to think about settling down with a nice young lady and starting a family.”

  “But he’s only a year older than me,” Charlie said in a distinctly complaining voice.

  Mrs. Jones nodded, her eyes twinkling. “A year more mature,” she said.

  Evan helped the older lady into the house, and then stacked a bunch of firewood on her porch. When he leaped back into the wagon, he apologized to Charlie. “Sorry that took so long. I figured I’d better get some firewood ready for them. This rain has cooled things down.”

  “So, you’re old enough to settle down with a nice young lady, and I’m still an immature youngster,” Charlie said, giving Evan a nudge on the arm. “What’ll you bet I dance with more young ladies than you tonight?”

  “I wouldn’t take on that bet,” Evan said. “I’d be sure to lose.”

  “I wonder if Nellie’s going to the dance tonight,” Charlie said, a teasing look in his eyes. “I’ll have to dance with her if she does. Family rule, you know. Dance with your sisters and make sure they have a good time. I have so many sisters that it cuts into my dance time with all the young ladies in town. Unless, of course, my best friend comes to the rescue and helps me out by dancing with my sisters, especially the oldest one.”

  Evan chuckled, but kept his eyes straight ahead and pulled his hat down. He was used to Charlie’s teasing, but he was sure his cheeks were blazing. He’d be happy to dance every single dance with Charlie’s oldest sister if he could. He tried to keep his feelings to himself when he was around the Gardner family, but it was hard when all he wanted to do was watch every move Nellie made.

  By the time Evan and Charlie returned from town, unloaded the wagon, and found Mr. Gardner in the kitchen, it was late in the afternoon.

  “Thanks again for all your help,” Mr. Gardner said to Evan. He paid Evan for the day’s work as he had at the end of each day during the past week. “We’ll look forward to seeing you here bright and early Monday morning, ready to take off for the survey. Will your family be all right while you’re gone for several weeks?”

  “They should be fine,” Evan said. “Mr. and Mrs. Jones promised to look after them.”

  The two men stood near the kitchen door. Nellie and her sisters were helping their mother prepare the evening meal. Nellie looked up and smiled, causing Evan’s heart to race. Before he made it out the door, he heard Mrs. Gardner make a request.

  “Nellie, will you run to the cellar when you’re finished slicing the bread, and bring up a jar of pickles?”

  Evan bolted. “I’ll get the pickles for you,” he called out cheerfully and leaped off the porch, headed for the cellar. He and Charlie had played in that cellar so many times, Evan knew his way around. He hadn’t even made it to the cellar door before Nellie nearly caught up to him. “Evan!” she called, her voice a high-pitched shriek. “I’ll get the pickles!” Her hands reached out and clasped his when he reached for the cellar door. She wedged her way in front of the door and didn’t release his hands, causing them to stand merely inches apart.

  “Your hands are trembling,” Evan said.

  Nellie smiled so sweetly, he thought his legs might buckle.

  “I just wanted to see you off,” she said, breathlessly.

  For some reason that Evan couldn’t understand, Nellie still clung to his hands. She stood so close, he worried he might get mud
on her dress. The scent of lilac in her hair drove him out of his mind. “You must be going to the dance,” he said, his stuttering voice almost a croak.

  “I am. Are you?”

  “I promised to take my two oldest sisters.”

  Nellie still clung to his hands, smiling, her face flushed, filling him with a longing he hadn’t known could be so strong. “Will you promise me a dance?” He almost whispered the words.

  “Oh, yes.”

  “Two dances?” he asked softly.

  She nodded.

  Evan didn’t even feel crushed when she released his hands and straightened her back against the cellar door, almost like she was guarding it.

  “I promised the first dance to George,” Nellie said, “but now I’m promising the second and last dances to you.”

  Evan stepped back, forgetting about pickles, and only thinking about lilacs and dancing with Nellie.

  “I guess I’d better get going,” he said, in spite of the fact that she looked so adorable, he didn’t want to leave. He wished he dared take her in his arms and kiss her, but that wouldn’t do. She was ready for the dance, and he was ready for a wash tub and a good clean scrubbing. “I look forward to those two dances.”

  “As do I,” she said.

  “Are you sure you don’t want me to help you get those pickles?”

  She shook her head, smiling again, her eyes sparkling.

  As Evan walked off down the road, he wondered if Nellie looked so happy because she had only one dance with George Jepson and two dances with him. He also thought she had acted a little strange though. He couldn’t help wondering if there was something in the cellar that she didn’t want him to see.

  5

  The rain had completely stopped that evening when the Gardner family rolled into Clover Creek in two wagons. Blue sky and streaks of brilliant sunlight broke through the remaining clouds.