Chapter Seven
HALE SLIPPED INTO THE kitchen to find Tansy dishing up plates of food while Isabella put away various utensils and pots and pans.
“Hale.” His sister paused at his unexpected presence, the large spoonful of peas she was holding paused in midair. “Do you need something?”
“I thought I’d join the two of you for supper.” The words came out awkwardly.
Tansy raised her eyebrows while Isabella looked at him with a pleased smile.
“The confines of the office were wearing on me,” he said.
It was a flimsy explanation. And while it was the truth, the reason he wanted out of the room was to see Isabella.
The entire afternoon, he’d found himself craving time with her.
He’d found excuse after excuse to wander toward the little desk near the front door where she waited to help guests.
Barely any of his work had gotten done.
“Of course,” Isabella said while his sister continued to watch him in amusement. Isabella retrieved a third set of silverware and placed them at an empty place on the table. “It’s much better to dine with family than to eat alone while you work.”
He gave her a grateful smile. “I need to make this more of a habit. Can I help with anything?”
“Heavens, no,” Tansy said as she placed a full plate in front of him. “I prefer the dishes unbroken and the pies unscorched.”
“It wasn’t that bad,” Hale said, eyeing the roast chicken on his plate as his stomach growled.
“It was,” Tansy insisted. She set two more plates on the table as Isabella poured them each a glass of Tansy’s perfectly sour-sweet lemonade.
Hale shook his head, waiting impatiently for them each to sit so he could begin eating.
“This sounds like an entertaining story,” Isabella said as she took the seat to Hale’s right.
“Oh, it is.” Tansy sliced off a piece of chicken as Hale dug into his own plate. “Our mother ran the kitchen at our family’s boardinghouse in Philadelphia. She got it into her head that Hale needed to learn the basics of cooking. That lasted one afternoon.”
“Two,” Hale corrected her, his mouth half full of chicken.
“He burned the dessert, broke Mother’s favorite serving dish, turned the chicken into something that couldn’t be chewed, made the gravy into tasteless sludge that adhered itself to the pan, sliced his hand, and .
. .” She frowned and tilted her head, as if she was certain he’d ruined something else.
“Oh! And bruised all the apples when he overturned the basket Mother kept in the pantry. That was before he grabbed hold of a shelf and brought the entire thing down on his head.”
Isabella’s eyes were round as she looked at Hale. “Were you all right? How old were you?”
“I was fine,” Hale said, directing the words at Tansy who shook her head ever so slightly. “I was twelve. I walked away with a scratch or two.”
“And a black eye. Don’t you remember—”
Hale cut Tansy off before she could embarrass him any further. “My talents lie in numbers and people, not in the kitchen.”
“I’d say so.” Tansy grinned before popping a forkful of peas into her mouth.
Isabella was watching them both with an amused look on her face.
“Isabella is an excellent cook,” Tansy said. “She’s very resourceful, and she’s already saved us money in food purchases.”
Isabella blushed at the compliment. “I’ve spent a lot of time making food stretch, that’s all.”
It reminded Hale of how differently they’d grown up.
His family hadn’t been rich, but they’d made a good enough living from the boardinghouse.
He realized he didn’t know a thing about homesteading, but if Isabella’s skills in using food were any indication, it seemed as if it might have been a hard life.
“She also had some wonderful suggestions for our garden. If we grew more here, we’d be less reliant on purchasing it.
And with her help, we should be able to put more away for the winter, which will also save us money.
” Tansy had that faraway look in her eye, the one she got when she was dreaming up new ideas for their business.
Hale was simply thrilled that the two women were working so well together, and that Isabella was as helpful as he’d hoped she would be.
Isabella was talking about all the different fruits and vegetables they could seal into jars for the winter.
Tansy was nodding along and asking questions, but Hale simply watched his wife in awe.
If he hadn’t known better, he would have thought she was twenty years older and had already raised a family with the sheer amount of knowledge she had.
“How did you learn all of this?” he asked, unable to contain his curiosity any longer.
“My mother knew everything about running a home without wasting anything,” she said with a hint of pride in her voice.
“Excuse me, Mr. Darby.” A voice came from the door, and Hale dragged his gaze away from Isabella to find Mrs. Moira Bowles, the woman who assisted with housekeeping, standing at the kitchen door. “The sheriff is here and wishes to speak with you and Miss Darby.”
Hale raised his eyebrows. “Please tell him we’ll be right there.”
He was startled to find Isabella’s face had gone pale at the news.
He and Tansy were used to Sheriff Wright or the town marshal stopping by on occasion to ask about guests or to warn them about someone they were looking for.
But Isabella had only been in town a short while.
She likely thought there was someone dangerous under their roof right at that moment.
Hale gave her a reassuring smile and rested his hand on hers.
“It’s usually nothing at all to worry about,” he said.
She gave a quick nod, but under his hand, hers was shaking.
“Why don’t you come with us? We’ll introduce you, and you’ll see there’s nothing to be concerned about,” Hale said as he stood.
Isabella hesitated, then finally stood herself. “All right,” she said with a slight tremble in her voice.
“We have our share of bandits and wild men coming through town now and then,” Tansy said, looping her arm through Isabella’s as they made their way through the dining room toward the front hallway. “But our boardinghouse rarely sees people like that. We keep everything orderly here.”
Sheriff Wright waited for them in the otherwise empty parlor. Hale shut the door behind them. There was no need to worry any of the guests.
“I’m sorry to bother you this evening,” Wright said as he took off his hat and nodded at the ladies.
“It’s never a bother for you to pay us a visit,” Tansy replied. “This is my brother’s new wife, Mrs. Isabella Darby. Isabella, this is Sheriff James Wright. He ensures the safety of the entire valley.”
“I’m pleased to meet you, Sheriff,” Isabella said. The tremor in her voice was gone, but she stood stiffly and the smile she gave was restrained.
Hale watched her attempt to hide her true feelings.
She must have been really frightened. But it was curious too.
After all, growing up in the Wyoming Territory, she should have been used to occasional ruffians riding through.
It made him wonder if something had happened to her or her family in the past.
“I heard you’d been married, Darby,” Wright said with a grin.
“I’m pleased to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Darby.
” He tapped his hat against the side of his leg.
“I won’t keep you long. I’m looking to find out if you’ve had a guest recently by the name of Frederick Gable.
He goes by ‘One Eye.’ Apparently, he lost an eye in a fight.
Dark hair. Speaks with a lisp. He’s been accused of selling cattle that don’t belong to him. ”
“I can’t say we’ve seen anyone of that name or description,” Hale said.
“He certainly sounds memorable,” Tansy added.
“It won’t be long before someone catches up with him.
I appreciate your help if you see him.” Wright turned his attention to Isabella, whose color still hadn’t returned.
“Why don’t the two of you come by for supper one evening?
I know my wife would love to meet you. If Miss Darby can spare you, of course. ”
Tansy smiled. “I suppose I could get by for an evening.”
“How about Tuesday?” Wright suggested.
“We’ll see you then.” Hale shook the sheriff’s hand before showing him out.
“That was awfully kind of him,” Isabella said as Hale closed the door.
“He’s a good man. We’re lucky to have someone like him looking out for all of us.” Hale paused. They were alone in the front hallway since Tansy had returned to the kitchen. Isabella twisted her hands together, and despite her words, she still seemed uncertain.
“Is everything all right?” he asked in a low voice.
She nodded quickly before her eyes darted toward the door behind him. “Yes, of course.”
Hale had the distinct feeling that she wasn’t being honest about her feelings. But she was also probably embarrassed about being frightened.
“Come on, let’s go finish our supper.” He reached out a hand, and she took it. The feel of her hand in his made him want to take away anything that scared her, anything that threatened her. While he couldn’t change what must have frightened her in the past, he could ensure she felt safe right now.
And dinner with the sheriff and his wife was an excellent way to do just that.