6. An Autumn Blush
An Autumn Blush
On Monday, I woke up with a rock of dread sitting in my stomach, and it stayed there as I did my best to eat breakfast and then headed out to the stable.
Much to my relief, Derrick was scheduled to work that morning. If he hadn’t been, I might have gone crazy having to wait to apologize in person. So when he walked through the barn doors that morning, his usual smile on his face, it was all I could do to return it.
“Good morning, Miss Ella,” he called in his sing-song way. “How was the market yesterday?” Derrick couldn’t make do on just the pay from the stables, unfortunately. Casey wouldn’t give him enough hours. So when he wasn’t at the ranch, he worked at the local hardware store as well.
“The market was… interesting,” I said, thinking briefly on how it had felt to have Asher’s attention. “Look, Derrick, I think I messed up, and I’m not sure what Casey’s going to do about it.”
Derrick put down his broom and came to stand in front of me. Unable to meet his gaze, I looked down. As soon as I did, I felt the gentle pressure of his hand on my shoulder. I knew he meant it to comfort me. But as it reminded me of my dad, it only made my throat grow thicker.
“What’s wrong, Ella?” he asked, his voice kind. “What happened?”
I shook my head before clearing my throat. “I… I asked Casey for more pay. I know I shouldn’t have, but–”
“What do you mean you shouldn’t have?”
Surprised at his outburst, I finally met his gaze. “What?”
He snorted. “You do know that the work you do here would require a much higher paycheck anywhere else, yes?”
I shrugged. “I work hard for the ranch because I love it. But… look, that’s not the point. The point is that when I asked her for more pay, she said it was going to come out of your hours. Or Brianna’s.” My eyes stung as I looked into his, hoping he would forgive me. “I never meant–”
“Ella, I say this not as an employee, but as your father’s best friend. No, don’t look down. Look at me, honey.” His voice was sharp now, as it had that dad quality, and his brown eyes were narrowed on my face. “The only reason we’ve stayed so long was for your sake.”
I blinked at him, unable to form words. He and his daughter had remained under Casey’s employment… for me?
“When your dad died,” he went on, “I promised myself that I would watch out for you. It’s what your dad would have done for Brianna if I had been the one to go.
And I know that because he told me so the day she was born.
So I don’t want to hear any apologies, young lady!
We can leave anytime we want to. But you…
” His voice cracked, and he straightened, dropping his hand as he swallowed hard.
“Your parents loved this place. But they never meant it to be a prison.”
Before I could answer, Casey stuck her head around the corner, and I jumped slightly. How much of our conversation had she heard?
“Ella, your riders are here,” she called.
“I’ll be there in a minute,” I called back, willing my voice not to shake.
“I know you have to go,” Derrick said, gently this time. “But think about what I said. Namely, that you have friends. And your friends want to help.”
I gave him a shaky smile and a quick hug before heading out toward the arena, wiping my eyes on my shirt as I did. That he and Brianna had only stayed for me? I’d have to unpack that later when I had more time and emotional energy.
And most definitely when I was alone.
The air was still crisp with the newness of dawn as I left the shadows of the barn and stepped into the warmth of the sun, and I was glad that I’d put on one of my flannel shirts before heading out. It was the second week of September, and autumn had definitely arrived.
“Good morning, everyone! You’re already back!” I greeted my senior riders where they were sitting on the porch. Apparently, they had enjoyed their camp so much that they’d decided to book another riding session immediately.
My parents had built the house so that it was right up against the arena rather than a back or side yard.
They’d also placed several benches on the porch facing the arena.
That way parents could watch their children during their lessons.
Or, as in the case with my pupils now, my more senior riders had somewhere to rest while they were waiting for their turns.
“I think it’s Bill’s turn to go first this week,” I announced as soon as I had the first horse saddled and ready to go. “Then we’ll have Betty Lou, Johann, Mazy, and Pearl go in that order.” As I spoke, my phone buzzed in my pocket.
“Excuse me just a second,” I said, pulling it out. “I need to make sure my stepmother…” My words died as I read the name on the screen.
Asher Kentworthy
My heart took off in my chest.
“Oh, look at her blush!” Miss Betty Lou laughed. “Tell us, sweetie. Who’s it from?”
I hurried to put my phone away, but my face felt hotter than the September sun above. “A friend,” I hurried to say, shoving my phone back into my pocket.
“Some friend that must be.” Bill nudged Miss Pearl, who smirked. “Do you blush like that when I text you?”
“No. I turn my phone off,” Miss Pearl said with a sniff.
“Okay, Bill,” I said with a smile. “Are you ready?”
Bill was ready, but that didn’t stop them from teasing me every chance they got. I didn’t mind, though. My parents had loved to tease, but now that they were gone, laughter had become a rarity in the house.
Besides, if I were being honest…
I was elated that Asher had texted me. And it was killing me not to whip my phone out and memorize everything he said and immediately text him back. I might have even done so if I hadn’t been sure that my pupils would try to coax his message out of me.
And I wouldn’t have put it past Betty Lou to snatch it out of my hands, had the opportunity arisen. She was quick. So quick, apparently, that everyone swore she cheated at card games, though no one could ever catch her.
If I had to wait, though, I didn’t mind waiting until the end of this lesson.
My senior riders were surprisingly good in the saddle.
Apparently, they had all ridden when they were younger, according to Bill.
They just needed a little extra help from our plastic stepping stool and my guiding hand to get on.
And even if they were decidedly nosy, it was nice to have people who were curious about my well-being.
By the time we finished, they were tired but happy, and had all decided to visit one of the nearby sandwich shops for lunch. I was invited as well, and part of me wanted to say yes.
“Maybe some other time,” I said with a grin. “I have more work today. But I can’t wait to see you all again!”
And I meant it.
Once they were gone, however, I dove back into the tack room and pulled out my phone to see what Asher had texted.
Sorry I didn’t make it to church yesterday. I had to drive home because I had work early this morning. I just wanted to tell you again how I enjoyed seeing you on Saturday. And I’m looking forward to that lesson. Maybe you’ll make a real cowboy out of me yet.
I grinned and shook my head. He was ridiculous. But he was being ridiculous to me. And that was incredibly attractive.
“Ella?”
I jumped up to find Casey glaring at me from the door of the tack room.
“I’ve been calling for you!” she said. “Have you been in here this whole time?”
I shoved my phone back into my back pocket. “No. The last riders just left. I was about to take my lunch break.”
“Well, it will have to wait. The vet is here to look at the Smithsons’ horse. I need you to show him which leg she was favoring yesterday.”
I sighed but nodded. I’d called the vet myself, so it would make sense for me to be the one to talk with him.
And yet, every time I tried to get a moment’s peace throughout the day, Casey seemed to find something new for me to do.
Apparently, she had several more equine conferences coming up, which meant she needed me to be ready, and I was quickly reminded of why I’d started taking college classes in the first place.
Sometimes, I just needed to sit down.
Fortunately for me, my next course would start in a week. I could survive until then, I promised myself.
After wolfing down a PB&J for lunch and a granola bar sometime that afternoon, I groaned when I finally got to sink onto my bed with my dinner at nine-thirty that night. For once, Casey had made something I liked–rotisserie chicken with rice and green beans.
Okay, so she’d gotten it from the store. But it still tasted good after being microwaved–something a lot of store-bought meals couldn’t boast.
I thought about texting Asher but decided to wait.
It was late, and I had no idea what time he went to bed.
Annoyance shot through me as I thought about all the times I’d wanted to answer him that day but had been interrupted with yet another thing to do by my stepmother.
So I typed out a reply that I could send first thing in the morning.
Then I started to eat. But then Margaret’s storybook caught my eye.
She’d told me we would talk about it later. But it was just so strange. The book was old. Very old. And she’d supposedly lent it out to many people. Surely it couldn’t be normal to loan friends an incomplete story–and a children’s one at that.
And yet, she hadn’t seemed surprised at all that I’d asked her about it.
What was the deal with this book?
Curiosity overtaking me, I took it out of my bedside table and opened it once more. But the second I turned the first page, my heart seemed to stop.
The first part of the story that had been there the day I received the book was still there. But now a new image had appeared on the page after that–along with more text:
After the death of the girl’s father, Ella was mistreated terribly by her stepmother and stepsisters. They forced her to work day and night to keep them comfortable even as their coffers were emptied, thanks to their lavish tastes and luxurious sense of fashion.
Then, after that…
Nothing. Just blank pages for the rest of the book.
I let out a tiny shriek and dropped the book. Thankfully, I was sitting on the bed, so it didn’t have far to fall. Quickly, I closed the book and shoved it into the drawer of my bedside table, this time for my own safety as much as for the book’s.
Books didn’t write themselves. They just didn’t. Nor did they illustrate their own pictures. And yet, that was exactly what this book had done.
Then I shook my head. I was being ridiculous. I must have simply missed that page the first time I’d opened it. Pages stuck together all the time, after all. Yes, that had to be it. The pages had stuck together, and I’d missed the new pages. That was all.
But, I decided as I turned off my light, I knew exactly what I was doing the next day. And if Casey didn’t like it, she could kick rocks.
I had to ask Margaret about this book.