Cole watched as she just looked back up at him and shook her head no. Thank goodness, he did not have to worry about that. He just had to figure out what to do with her. He broke eye contact, took a big swig of the strong coffee and began to think.
“Well, you have a few options…” he started and watched her chocolate brown eyes go wide with hope. He could not help but grin at her expression. That is exactly what he wanted, to break through the barrier she had erected and get them to talking so they could develop a solution together.
“You can move into town if one of the convents has an opening,” he offered and figured that would be the most proper suggestion and quickest fix for their problem. Cole had met several hardheaded people in his travels and found that when they had their mind set, they would refuse to see any other suggestion… unless it became their own idea. There was always more than one way to skin a cat.
“We could always see if May has room enough for you in her new home, but that will take some time and I am not sure that another woman would be welcomed in their home. After all, they have been apart for months and I am sure they want some quality time together,” he said with a suggestive wink and grinned widely at her flushed face. He could see the wheels turning in her eyes as she was thinking quickly about the options he was giving her.
“Or third option? You could stay here and I can sleep in the barn until we get a proper chaperone for you.” He really did not want to stay in the barn, but it would not be the first time for that, either. She did not look thrilled at this last comment and this surprised him. He figured it would be the easiest way for her to hide if they were searching for her.
Elizabeth felt very guilty. She hated to put him out of his home and was relieved at the options he gave her. None of the statements included her going back to Indianapolis! It was such a relief to know that he wasn’t sending her back home.
“I feel bad that you have to stay in the barn when you could just stay in your room and I could stay in mine,” she suggested tentatively but knew his solution was best for everyone involved. She did not want to marry and assumed that since he did not suggest it as an option, he did not want to marry her, either.
Cole shook his head and took another large sip of his coffee, “Nope, neither one of us will be forced to do anything we don’t want to do willingly, Beth. I think from now on you need to go by a different name in case someone starts asking questions. What do you want to use for a last name? New life, new name.” He shrugged.
Elizabeth just stared at him. Almost offended by his quick denial at sharing the house with her. It was surprising to stay the least. She knew she was pretty by society’s standards and assumed the way he had looked at her, that he thought she was nice to look at as well. Maybe he had been jilted in the past and was leery of women? For him to come right out and boldly claim he “wasn’t looking for a wife” was unexpected to hear.
“I am not sure. I’ve never thought about it. I always assumed I would only change my name when I married,” she said almost jokingly but so relieved that it would not be the reason for it now. “Beth. I like that. How about Beth Rowlett? I can say that May and I are cousins,” she said hopefully and breathed a sigh of relief at his nod in agreement.
“Thank you, Cole, for understanding and helping me,” she said happily, hopped out of her seat and clapped her hands in happiness. She agreed to write May and inform her of the change just in case someone questioned her about her cousin. She also intended to make sure that May completely understood she did not want to be found.
Last thing she needed was someone investigating around the small farm and asking questions about her. She wished she had enough sense to use a different name on the coach! She had signed it “Elizabeth” only in the register and they never questioned it, but it was a giveaway for anyone investigating. She only hoped that if someone was snooping around, they would find that Elizabeth had mysteriously disappeared into thin air.
Cole did not want to burst her bubble, but moved to step away from the table. The vibrant, attractive woman in front of him had dropped her protective shell and was enticing to watch. She was happy and it was infectious. He wanted to pick her up and swing her around the room, and almost did when she shot out of her seat and was giddy with excitement.
“I need to get us supplies and get moved into the barn loft. Will you be okay here alone?” he asked, needing to get away from her before he did something he regretted… Like touching her or kissing her. He was itching to hold her and had to refrain himself. e was itching to
Where did that thought come from?
Cole shook his head and turned from her warm smile.
Elizabeth was thrilled to her bare feet! “Yes, yes. I will be fine. I will wash up some of my clothes – and yours, too, if you like. I will keep myself busy and safe until you return,” she said encouragingly. She would clean and try to earn her keep, as long as it kept her here for the time being.
Cole did not look at her. He couldn’t, as of yet. His mind was racing with foreign ideas he had tried to put to the wayside. Friends! They would be friends first. The thought of her lips touching his was seared into his brain still and he did not want a refresher on how soft they looked. Her dark eyes flashing, her smile enchanting and directed at him was a heady thing to behold!
“Can you start the beans for us for supper? Do you know how? Can you shoot a rifle?” he asked hurried, grabbing his saddlebag. He still did not look at her, but noticed as she moved to the sink, her bare toes peeped out from her skirt.
“Where are your shoes?” he said absently before he could hold back the thought.
“Oh! I needed to wash some things, remember?” She gave a little laugh, “I’m so sorry but I could not put them on. They were filthy,” she said embarrassed, curling her toes and shaking her skirts as if to hide them.
“I can put a pot on the fire if that is all there is to it. And yes, I can point the gun at someone and shoot it. As long as I don’t have to reload, I should be all right. I will barricade myself inside the house if I need to,” she said happily. Nothing would get her down today. She was free!
Cole stared at her diminutive toes that barely peeked out from beneath the heavy layers and his eyes slowly crawled up to her smiling, pink face.
She had no stockings on!
He thought blankly, his mind shut down at the mental picture of her bare legs underneath her skirts. Without another word, he clutched his saddlebag against his chest as if it were a shield and abruptly turned to the door to leave.
“The gun in the corner is loaded. Don’t touch it unless you have to. It’s got a sensitive trigger,” he croaked and then began coughing, wondering if her legs were sensitive, as well.
He had been with plenty of women before but the thought of her creamy legs in front of him, within reach, taunted Cole like never before. He wanted to see those milky legs, suddenly, and the rush of desire was overwhelming. She wasn’t a woman to be used and tossed aside! She was a lady to be loved and adored by someone. Someone other than him. He did not need a wife and they needed to keep things amicable between them if they were going to exist together for the time being.
What was wrong with me?
He thought wildly and practically ran from the farmhouse like wild dogs were chasing him.
Elizabeth’s smile faded at Cole’s abrupt departure. She was free…but alone once again and she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to be.
Cole felt like a coward. He ran from a tiny, attractive woman for the first time in his life ever. Most times, he was in pursuit or paying for their attention for the night. This was different. He was surprised by the rush of desire at the prim, proper woman that stood before him and wanted to do the most decadent things to her body. She would be shocked at the line of thought he had pictured her legs and where he’d like to put them. The horse ride into town would be a long one if his body did not calm down, riding with his maleness at alert was the ultimate in uncomfortable against a saddle horn.
Cole arrived in town several hours later and, thankfully, in a more relaxed state. When touring some of the homestead he realized what a sad state it was in. It was almost like his father had moved away or given up. The garden had not been touched or tilled whatsoever so there would be no vegetables anytime soon, which meant extra work and an extra expense when he stopped at the mercantile. He would have to show Beth how to do it so he could focus on repairs and make sure he had stores for the winter. Those stores needed to include enough for both of them if she was staying for any length of time. He would need chickens, a pig, a cow for milk and this would require another trip into town. Probably with Elizabeth… Beth’s aid. He shook his head remembering that he would need to call her by her new moniker.
If progress started on the homestead during the next few months, he would have to be prepared to take care of a hired hand or two meaning more food and goods. Cole sighed deeply, realizing it would be a long summer and fall for him alone. Setting up was expensive and he knew his pockets would not be deep enough unless he sold some land. He had nothing else to sell with the livestock gone. Cole assumed his father had sold and not repurchased…or at least hoped so. One of his stops today would be at the bank and that would be telling if he had help or not with the land.
Frustrated, Cole stepped out of the bank into the glaring sun, squinting at how bright it was. His theory had been correct: his father had sold the herd and apparently had not replenished it. According to the teller, he had not come back into town after the sale at all. Which meant that the funds should be there in the bank or wired out, but they were not. He had sold but had not deposited, either. Cole transferred the remaining cash from his father’s account to his account and signed the deeds as he had been instructed to in the letter he had received announcing the death. He was the rightful owner of a barren piece of land with no signs of income at this time. He was not penniless in the least, but how long would that last?
Cole rushed through the afternoon, attempting to finish his needs before it got too late in the day. He had no desire to be caught unawares in the dark or robbed of his bounty he would be purchasing today. Seed, flour, a few apples, sorghum, and other goods were loaded into bags and packs, and then strapped to his horse. He did splurge and purchased a gingham bonnet for Beth. He knew he probably shouldn’t due to the limited funds and knowing that he would have to still buy livestock, but the bonnet would protect her fair skin and he figured, if she would be helping him in the garden, that it was the least he could do as a thank you.
Elizabeth spent the day trying to keep herself busy while listening for any sounds of Cole returning. She stared at the offending pot of beans soaking for quite a while, unsure when to put it on the fire and decided upon later this afternoon might be a good time. She took this time to familiarize herself with the house and its contents. She decided it was not snooping, but rather investigating what she would be cleaning and attending to as she justified her digging around, mentally.
Elizabeth kept the fire going in the hearth because she was unsure how to restart it, so as it died down during the course of the day, she added another log to it and poked it around to make the coals glow. Swinging out the cast iron arm, she placed a small pot of water over the fire to get it warmed to begin her cleaning. No clue what to use as a cleaning agent or soap, she decided that fresh, hot water would be a good start and would ask Cole about it later on.
Tidying up, she gathered their plates from the morning and peeked in each room. The house, she determined, must be much older than it originally seemed. Her home in Indianapolis had gas lights and a lavish bathroom compared to what she looked at now. The tiny restroom in Cole’s house left a lot to be desired but it was much better than going to the restroom behind a tree, like when she traveled by coach, or an outhouse. She stared at the simple bathroom and was happy it was there period. The small, cast iron tub looked like it hadn’t been used in some time, but was free from rust or corrosion as well as the small porcelain commode.
Dusting, wiping down dressers, cleaning out the wash basins in each room made for a warm afternoon. The fireplace still roaring did nothing to dispel the afternoon heat that was beginning to invade the April day. Elizabeth loosened the neck of her blouse, fanning herself and decided to open all the windows to let in a cross breeze. She also decided to park herself for a bit on the porch bench and to have a glass of water in the shade.
The front of the farmhouse was quite unassuming but as she sat, she saw that it did have a rustic appeal to it. She spied a few roses that needed tending badly, along with an overgrown pathway that led round the house. Curiosity of her new home got the better of her and she followed the pathway.
Her new surroundings took her by surprise. The land around the house was more than pretty in a rugged way. Smatterings of blue flowers were creeping up in patches in the yard. A small empty coop sat quite aways from the house. A small, stone well topped with a rope and pulley system sat near a gathering of trees. One of the trees was strange and ropy looking. She had never seen anything quite like it but the large leaves looked almost lush.
She continued her tour, noting that the barn looming ahead seemed to be quite massive. It must have held quite a bit of goods or was expected to be able to contain it all. Deciding she had better check on the fire and start the beans, she concluded her inspection and glad some of the fresh air had helped with the temperature.