Chapter 5 #2
The air was colder on the ride out of the hills.
Or maybe Amelia was just warmed inside from the beauty of the birthing and even from the tea.
Whatever the case, she was glad for the brisk pace Thatcher kept for their ride home.
It made talking more difficult, but Thatcher still managed to carry on a conversation about the drinking problem in the mining community and how the temperance movement was gaining ground in Summit County.
When they turned onto the lane that led to his cabin, Amelia was fighting to keep her teeth from chattering.
By the time they reached the cabin, she could hardly dismount for the stiffness of her limbs.
As Thatcher reached her side and assisted her to the ground, she could no longer hold back the shivering.
His brow furrowed as he took her in. “You’re freezing.”
“I admit, I’m cold.”
He fingered her coat. “You need a heavier winter coat.”
“Perhaps I do.” She’d left behind the heavier coat she’d worn on the farm in the winter because it had been so bulky and she’d had such limited room in her valises. Now she wished she had brought it.
Thatcher placed a hand on her back and steered her toward the cabin. “Let’s get you inside.”
She shuffled forward, still shaking.
“Here, let me help.” Before she could protest, he swung her up into his arms and was carrying her to the cabin, somehow managing to handle the lantern.
“I can walk.” Her protest came out sounding weak.
“Yes, but you’re so frozen that you’re walking at the pace of a snowman.”
“I didn’t know snowmen could walk.”
“Exactly.”
She glanced up to find him grinning at his own jest. He had nice even teeth when he smiled, which he did freely and frequently. The smiles and humor were as foreign to her as the socializing and conversations.
Her father had rarely smiled and never jested about anything.
They’d gotten along just fine without any conflict.
And they’d sat together most evenings, reading the newspaper aloud, then playing checkers before going to bed early since they’d had such early mornings.
However, their home had always been quiet, somber, and sometimes even sad.
When she’d married Charles and moved into his house, life had grown even more isolated for her, especially as it became clear how much the community disliked Charles.
She’d had long days with little to do, and being away from her father and the farm and everything she loved about it had been especially difficult.
Whatever the case, the first evening with Thatcher was proving to be very different from everyone and everything she’d known. And she liked it. She liked him.
He didn’t break his steady stride as he carried her to the cabin.
When he reached the door, he somehow managed to get it open.
He carried her inside, went directly to the closest sofa, and lowered her to the cushion.
As he placed the lantern on an end table, he grabbed a blanket off the back of the couch and draped it over her.
“Better?” he asked, glancing around the room, his gaze landing on another blanket on a chair positioned near the fireplace. He swiped that one and laid it over the first blanket before tucking both blankets around her body more securely.
When he finished, he straightened, then stood back and examined his efforts. “That should tide you over until I get the fire going.”
“It will do just fine.”
He was already setting to work adding fuel to the remains of a previous fire on the hearth. Within seconds, he had a blaze going. “There.”
“Nice work.” It would take a few minutes for the cabin to warm up, especially because it was wide open with a loft above the main room.
In addition to the sofa and a couple of chairs on one side, a cast-iron stove and a large table with benches took up the other half of the room.
It had a few simple rugs and decorative pillows and curtains.
But with the clutter and disarray spread throughout, it was also easy to see that a bachelor had been living there for months.
“Sorry it’s so messy,” he said, as if he’d read her thoughts.
“It’s a cozy place.” From what she could tell, except for the main room and loft, there was only one other room—a bedroom.
The bedroom.
She shuddered again.
Thatcher hurriedly struck a match.
Yes, she was still chilled, but more than that, she had nothing but distaste for what was to come.
She’d forgotten all about the wedding night over the past few hours of helping Thatcher deliver the litter of puppies.
But the fact was, she was a married woman again, and she was no longer na?ve, as she’d been after the short wedding ceremony with Charles.
She might not have known exactly what to expect that first night with him, but she knew now.
Of course, a man like Thatcher would probably be more considerate. At least, she hoped so. Either way, she hadn’t enjoyed sharing a bedroom or bed with Charles, and she wouldn’t ever enjoy that with Thatcher either.
As he added more fuel, a scratching at the door was followed by a resounding bark. She guessed Rusty, his dog, had come to say hello.
Thatcher crossed to the door. “I’ll go take care of the horses while—”
She started to push up but stopped when he frowned in her direction.
“—you stay and get warm.”
“But I want to help.”
He paused with a hand on the door. “I appreciate that. But you need to thaw out so you don’t turn permanently into a block of ice.”
Before she could protest any further, he stepped outside and latched the door behind him.
Once he was gone, she felt strangely alone.
He had such a big and strong presence, but not in an intimidating way.
Instead, he was caring and considerate, and she’d enjoyed being with him since the moment they’d left the hotel after the wedding.
She snuggled down under the covers. Maybe the wedding night wouldn’t be as bad as she was anticipating.
As accommodating as Thatcher had been so far, and after accepting her pregnancy and still being willing to keep her as his wife, he would surely expect her to do her part to make him happy and content.
Yes, she would cooperate with him tonight and every night. It was the least she could do for all he was doing for her.