Chapter 10
CHAPTER 10
K neeling in front of the fireplace, Ashley prodded the new piece of dry wood to make sure there was enough heat to get him and Lisa through the night. Sparks and embers flew from the dry wood, and the flames burned brighter. Satisfied, he set the poker aside.
He glanced over at Lisa. She was already in the bed, and the blanket was tucked up to her chin. “Is that better?”
“Yes, thank you.”
He noted the exhaustion in her voice. Even though she had slept late, the day had taken its toll on her. Who could blame her? She’d been dragged all the way to town, had to endure an unnecessary wedding that bound her to him for the rest of her life, had to let her friends know she was well, and then had to make the trip all the way back here. Sure, the fact that she was able to ride on the horse helped to ease some of the physical exertion, but she hadn’t been in shape to do any of it.
He rose to his feet. With a glance at the pitcher, he realized he had forgotten to fill it with water. Without bothering to put on his coat, he grabbed it. He filled it almost to the brim with the cold water that was in the barrel. He took a peek in through the window by the cookstove and saw that her eyes were closed. What kind of future were they going to have? She could do better than him.
She should have been free to do better than him.
He shook his head. Of all mornings the preacher had to come by, this had to be the one. Any other morning, he would have been awake, and he would have stopped the preacher before the man could get close to the cabin. He slammed the lid on the barrel. Lisa jerked. He closed his eyes for a moment. He hadn’t meant to startle her.
After a moment, he went back into the cabin. “I went to get some water. Would you like any?”
“I’m not thirsty.”
“Well, if you get thirsty, here’s the water.” He placed the pitcher on the table and set a cup next to it.
Since there was nothing else to do to get everything ready for the night, he sat in the chair and pulled off his boots. The sun hadn’t been down for too long. That meant they were both going to sleep early. That guaranteed he would be awake before dawn. It was a shame the preacher hadn’t decided to make his rounds tomorrow.
Forcing aside his irritation, he retrieved the blanket he had draped on the back of the chair. He still couldn’t believe how much things could change in one day. A single day could make all the difference to his future. And he not only had one day like this, but there were two others he’d been through. Feeling weary, he shook out the blanket and laid it on the bearskin rug.
He was about to grab his rolled-up towel when Lisa called out, “We’re married. There’s no point in sleeping on that hard floor. You might as well be comfortable and sleep next to me.”
He glanced her way. She closed her eyes and turned her face to the window. No doubt, she would be asleep within the next ten minutes. She had dozed off while they were on the horse. He thought he was going to have to carry her to the cabin, but she managed to run off to handle personal matters then climb into the bed without his assistance.
She still had her dress on, too. That didn’t surprise him. Ever since she’d regained consciousness, she had kept that dress on. If he hadn’t been so shocked by the day’s events, he would have found her a second dress. She couldn’t keep wearing the same dress every day. He would have to deal with that tomorrow. Nona had a few dresses she didn’t wear anymore. Maybe Lisa could tailor them to fit her with the needle and thread he kept for repairing his clothes when they tore.
Out of respect for her, he went to the bed fully clothed. He turned his back to her and rested his head on the rolled-up towel. It’d been a long time since he had slept with all of his clothes on. He tried not to think about it, but images of that terrible night pressed into his consciousness. He could almost hear the rain as it came down hard on the barn roof. He could almost hear the animals that were secure in their stalls. He could almost feel the dry straw under his hands as he grasped bundles of it to ward off the chill in the air. He could almost smell the damp earth as the wind blew into the cracks of the barn. He could almost smell the manure as well. Out of all the things he could almost smell, he could only see one thing in the darkness. And that was the frightened eyes of Gene. “What are we going to do now?” Gene asked him.
Ashley opened his eyes, and at once, he was brought back to the present. The warmth of the cabin returned to him. The softness of the mattress and the softness of Lisa’s body next to him erased the memory of the hard floor of the barn. The soothing sound of her breathing as she eased into sleep shut out the eerie sounds of the rain as it pelted relentlessly against the barn. But, at the moment, there was no ignoring the memory of his brother’s eyes or the fear that had been in his voice. He wished he had known what to do to save him.
A tear slid down his cheek. It was going to be a long night.
* * *
Ashley wasn’t in the cabin when Lisa woke up the next morning. She listened to make sure no one was talking outside before she sat up in the bed. She took a tentative peek out the window. No one was there. Good. It was safe to get up. The last thing she wanted to do was bring more trouble by getting out of bed too soon.
She threw the blanket off. The second she began to move, she felt the familiar wetness that told her she was having her lady’s time of month. Startled, she peered down between her legs and saw blood. With a groan, she tore off a section of petticoats that were untouched by the blood then jumped up so she could tuck it in her drawers. It was crude, and it didn’t make her feel any cleaner, but it would stop her from bleeding down her legs. She couldn’t do anything about the sheet on the mattress, though. She closed her eyes and tried to remember what the preacher’s wife had told her about washing clothing. What was it that worked best for things like mud and blood? Was regular soap enough, or should she use something else?
The door opened, and she jerked away from the bed. She was tempted to throw the blanket over the bedsheet, but her dress had a blood stain on it, so she couldn’t hide it from Ashley.
She cleared her throat and forced aside her embarrassment. “I, um…that is to say that the lady’s time of month started.” She was ready to brush back her hair from her face when she remembered the blood on her hands.
Ashley put a hand over his heart. “Thank God. I thought you needed a doctor.” He paused then went over to her. “You can wear a pair of my pants and one of my shirts. Then we can wash everything, including the things you wear under your dress.”
The things under her dress? “Do you mean my drawers, petticoats, and chemise?”
“If that’s what those things are, then yes.” A blush crept up his cheeks. “I only know you wear things under the dress because I had to remove your clothes in order to get you warm. I would never have removed them otherwise.”
“Yes, I know. I remember how damp my clothes were because of the rain.” At the time, she hadn’t cared, of course, because she figured she wouldn’t live long enough to need to dry them. But since he hadn’t known about chemises and petticoats, she could only surmise he hadn’t removed a woman’s clothes before.
“Anyway,” he continued, “I don’t know what women need for this kind of thing. Obviously, you will need a change of clothes. You can’t wear that all day.” He gestured to her dress. “My clothes are in that dresser. Just give me your clothes after you change.”
“Do you know how to get blood out of bedding and clothes?”
“Sure. For fresh blood, cold water and salt will suffice.” He started to remove the bedding. “But I have to start washing it now before the blood sets.”
She nodded, relieved he knew how to remove blood. She should have known he could get rid of blood since he cut up animals for food. If she had to be forced to marry someone in this wilderness, Ashley was the perfect choice. For once, she was glad he happened to stumble upon her.
“You can wash your hands in that bowl. I’ll clean the bowl up, too,” he said once he had all of the bedding in his arms. He started for the door but then stopped. “Is there anything you need for this kind of thing?”
It took her a moment to realize he meant her monthly flow. “Oh, well, I can use some of my petticoats to act as sanitary cloths.”
With a nod, he left the cabin to let her clean up and dress in clean clothes.
* * *
Late in the afternoon, Ashley knocked on Boone and Nona’s door. He wiped the sweat from his forehead. It always took a long time to wash bedding, especially the thick blanket. Even with her help, the dress and her undergarments had taken longer to get the blood out than he’d anticipated. He’d had to let those sit in a mixture of vinegar and water for a while before he managed to get those looking like they had yesterday.
Now, he had everything hanging up on the clothing line to dry. He wasn’t sure the blanket would be dry by the time it was night, but he could always offer Lisa his coat to use as a blanket if she got cold. They had more pressing matters at the moment. Lisa was going to make a life here, and that being the case, she would need more than one dress.
Boone opened the door and smiled as soon as he saw Ashley. “Preacher Ryder came through here and told us the good news. Did you bring the missus?”
Ashley’s eyebrows furrowed. He was sure the preacher had mentioned seeing Boone before reaching Ashley’s cabin yesterday. “Are you telling me that the preacher visited you twice yesterday?”
Boone shook his head. “No, he came out again today. He wanted everyone to know that you took a bride. He wants the whole town to come out to welcome her on Sunday. We’re even going to have a potluck.”
Ashley had to resist the urge to flinch. Why did the preacher have to intrude on so many people’s lives? Couldn’t he leave well enough alone? Ashley married Lisa. Why wasn’t that enough?
“So, did you bring her?” Boone asked as he scanned the area around Ashley.
“No, she’s back at the cabin. I came to ask if Nona has any dresses she wouldn’t mind giving Lisa.”
Nona ran over to the door, holding a spoon in her hand. “Ashley, I thought I heard you! How are you, dear?” She bypassed Boone and gave Ashley a hug. “Did you bring your wife?”
“No, she’s back at the cabin,” Boone answered for him.
Nona frowned in disappointment. “What a shame. You could have brought her here for supper. We’re just getting ready to eat.”
“I had to leave her at the cabin because she doesn’t have enough dresses,” Ashley said. “She’s stuck wearing some of my clothes.”
“As a matter of fact, I do have some dresses that I don’t need anymore. Come on in, and I’ll get them for you.” Nona waved him in then went over to the small kitchen to set the spoon down.
Unlike Ashley, this couple had a bedroom, a living area, a kitchen, and a loft that their kids had used years ago. Compared to his cabin, this place was huge.
While Nona went to the bedroom, Boone poured water into a cup. “When did you post for a mail-order bride?”
“Oh, I didn’t do that,” Ashley replied as he accepted the cup then sat with him on the couch. “Lisa came in on a stagecoach with some old friends. She went up to the cliff that way to see the ocean,” he pointed west, “and she got lost. I found her lying unconscious among some trees. I brought her to my cabin to nurse her back to health. The preacher thinks we were acting inappropriately and made us marry.”
“So you didn’t want to marry her?”
“I hadn’t planned on it.” But then, Ashley hadn’t planned on ever getting married. This whole thing with the preacher just complicated his—and Lisa’s—life. With a sigh, he added, “It’s just as well we married. I met her good friends, and they don’t have room for her.”
“Where do they live?”
“They’re in town. Their home is two blocks from the mercantile. They’re across from the Blacksmith’s.”
“I think I heard about them. Are they the Paxton’s?”
Ashley nodded then drank the water. “Have you met them?”
“Not yet. The preacher was talking about them. A son and daughter with their mother. They’ll be at church on Sunday. A lot of people are bound to attend. We’re all curious about the newcomers any time we get them.”
Yes, Ashley recalled how many people approached him when he first arrived here. He’d never been more relieved than the moment he finished gathering his tent and other camping supplies so he could head up the hillside and build his cabin. He had come in autumn, and while he had expected to have his progress hampered in the winter, the fact that they got mostly rain meant the temperatures were mild enough to keep up his work.
“Are you getting along with the woman you married?” Boone asked, drawing his attention back to the present.
Ashley took another drink of water. “I think Lisa and I will get along fine. I expect it will take time for her to adjust to being here.”
“Is she pretty?”
Ashley looked at him in surprise.
Boone chuckled. “I can’t help but ask. I’m a man, and a man likes to know if his friend married a woman he thinks is pretty.”
Despite the heat rising up in Ashley’s face, he said, “Lisa’s a pretty woman.” In fact, she was so beautiful that she was attractive even when her clothes were wrinkled up and her hair was all tangled and muddy.
Nona returned to him with an armful of dresses and what Ashley now recognized as female undergarments. “Here are seven dresses and other things I think Lisa can use.” She glanced at her husband, and her tone took on a wistful tone. “I forgot that our daughter left a few of her things behind when she got married. For a moment, it was like having her back here living with us.” Her attention went back to Ashley. “These are in good condition, so Lisa can wear them right away. If she needs help making adjustments, bring her here.”
Ashley accepted them from her and rose to his feet. “Thank you. Lisa will get good use out of these clothes. You two have been most kind.”
“It’s the least we can do for all the wood and meat you’ve given us over the years,” Boone replied.
Nona nodded her agreement. “We would love to have you both here for dinner sometime. We know you prefer to be alone, so you talk it over with her and tell us if dinner is something you both want to do.”
Glad they weren’t going to press him to arrange a time to come to dinner before he left, he thanked them again and headed out. Boone and Nona were nice people, but it was difficult to sit and chat with people after years of keeping to oneself. He was dealing with enough as it was, what with Lisa now living with him permanently and having visited her friends yesterday. He barely had it in him to make conversation with Boone and Nona.
At this point, all he wanted to do was return home and sit in silence by himself. This time, however, he would have to sit in the workshop instead of the cabin. He released his breath. Just how much was his life going to change now that he had a wife?