Letter Perfect ( Book #1) (17 page)

Ruth listened to the conversation and appreciated that Josh hadn’t tried to deceive a buyer by misrepresenting the horse.
Just as
he said my father’s will should be settled according to what he would have wanted
instead of trying to keep everything for himself. He’s such an honorable man
.

“Ruth, please pass the gravy,” McCain asked.

“Here. Would you like more mashed potatoes, too?”

“Nah.” He paused. “Yeah. Yeah, I would.”

Ruth sent the gravy and potatoes to Josh so he could hand them to his father. “How many horses and cattle do you sell each year?”

“It varies,” Josh said.

“No need for you to fret over those details, girl.” Mr. McCain plopped a mound of mashed potatoes onto his plate and grabbed the gravy boat. “Plenty enough to keep you and my Laney as the best-dressed gals around.”

“I’m not worried about my wardrobe.”

“What are you worried about?” Laney tilted her head to the side, her brow furrowed. “Tell us. I’m sure Daddy and Josh can help.”

“It’s all this talk about Indians. Poor girl’s scared half out of her wits,” McCain declared. “Well, Ruth, you needn’t worry anymore. You’re safe here. You’ll never have to face crossing the continent again, so you can calm down and enjoy your meal.”

“You’ve hardly eaten a bite,” Laney said.

“Only because I’ve spoken so much. I’m very interested in what’s going on in the world, and the conversation engaged me fully.” Ruth picked up her fork. “Hilda is a wonderful cook. I’ve enjoyed every meal I’ve eaten at this table.”

“It didn’t occur to me to offer you the newspaper,” Josh said. “Mom and Laney never bothered with it.”

“Women aren’t interested in men’s affairs,” McCain said. “Though the
Sacramento Bee
does have an article or two that might amuse you, Ruth.”

Ruth felt obliged to respond. She swallowed thickly and gathered her courage. “Back home, I read the paper to Mama. We enjoyed conversing about the articles.”

“I look at the advertisements sometimes,” Laney said. She gave Ruth a longing look. “If you’re used to reading articles aloud, I’d listen.”

“You girls might enjoy that.” Josh nodded.

McCain shook his finger at them. “Before you go any further, promise me you’re not going to try to talk me into buying a bunch of those ridiculous patent medicines and nonsense in those advertisements.”

“I know better,” Ruth said. “They don’t work.” The huge collection of bottles and medicinal powders on Mama’s dresser hadn’t improved her health one iota.

Laney perked up. “See? We won’t ask for anything silly. Will we, Ruth?”

Laney’s hopeful look banished Ruth’s sorrow. A thought pinged through Ruth’s mind. “Laney and I would love to have the newspaper when you’re done with it.” She shot Laney a conspiratorial smile. She’d be able to read all of the stories to stay well-informed, but she also decided Laney might do well to use headlines or advertisements to learn to read better. Silently congratulating herself, Ruth lifted a bite to her mouth.

God is providing all that I need
.

She didn’t even mind that some of the bite fell off of her fork. After all, it landed back on her plate.

“Now let’s look at the
Bee
and see what words you already recognize.” Ruth spread the newspaper out on the bed.

Laney stared at it from across the room as if it were a whole knot of snakes.

“Laney, remember how you helped me get gravy out of my bodice last night?”

“Yes. It came out completely, didn’t it?”

“Of course it did. You knew exactly what to do. I would have used hot water and set in the stain, though. If you weren’t such a dear friend, I would have been embarrassed to ask you for help.”

“You’re going to tell me I shouldn’t be embarrassed to have you teach me to read now.”

“See how smart you are? You figured that out right away.”

“It’s not going to work.” Tears filled Laney’s eyes.

“Now how do you like that?” Ruth asked the room. “Here I thought Laney and I were friends and we trusted one another. And I thought she believed in God.”

“God has nothing to do with this.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. We’re supposed to commit our undertakings to the Lord, and as long as they are in His will, He blesses them.”

Laney looked stunned.

Ruth pounced on the opening. “See? That’s why this is going to work. Now you march right over here, and we’re going to kneel by this bed and ask our heavenly Father for His blessing.” Ruth slipped off the bed and knelt there.

Laney’s steps lagged, but she came over and slowly lowered herself. Resting her elbows on the mattress, she asked, “Do you really believe this, or are you just pretending so I’ll get my hopes up?”

Ruth clasped Laney’s hand in hers. “Psalm thirty-seven says, ‘Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.’ We’re going to commit this to Him and trust Him with it. If you truly want to read, Laney, I’m sure He will bless your efforts.”

“I never thought of it that way.” Laney bowed her head. “Lord, I want to read. You know how much I want to read. I never thought to ask you to help me, but I’m asking you now. Please help Ruth to teach me. In Jesus’ precious name, amen.”

“Amen,” Ruth chimed in. As she rose, she directed, “Go get a pencil.”

“I want to read, not write,” Laney said.

“You are going to read. I’m going to have you circle all of the words you know on the newspaper.”

An hour later, Ruth took the pencil from Laney. “That was great. Now we need to go ahead and paint for a while so when your father asks, you can honestly tell him you and I painted this morning.”

Ruth folded the newspaper and slipped it into her bureau. Later that night, she took it back out. Laney’s self-confidence needed a boost. She’d been able to read scattered words on two pages—far more than Ruth had anticipated. Carefully reviewing those words, Ruth took out the pencil and started to construct sentences. Much later, she put away her work and blew out the lamp. Tomorrow, Laney would read a whole story, one full page with nothing more than the words she already knew.

“Josh, could I please come into the barn?”

Josh slung the saddle on his horse and gave Ruth a stern look. “Why?”

“I need to get the hammer.”

“You didn’t tear off the outhouse door again, did you?”

“No.”

“Then what do you need a hammer for? Dad already said you’re not to add on to the coop.”

“I just want to hang a few pictures in my room.”

He headed her way. “How heavy are they?”

“Oh, they’re light. Why?”

“I need to figure out what nails to use.”

She shook her head. “Thank you, but I don’t need nails.”

“What are you going to use?”

“Sewing needles.” She stated that fact as if it made all the sense in the world.

“Why would you use a needle when we have nails?”

“Sewing needles are amazingly strong. They support a lot of weight, and they don’t leave big holes in the wall.” She smiled. “Some of the girls at one of the schools showed me that. It’s always worked like a charm.”

“You could barely hit a nail with the hammer. How do you expect to hit a skinny little needle?”

“I’ll hold it in place with my comb.”

Josh tilted his head back and stared at the rafters.
This woman is
going to drive me daft
.

“If you’d rather I not use your tools, I could try to use the heel of my boots. I’m sure I could make do.”

“You’d use a needle, comb, and boot to hang a picture.” He looked her in the eye. “Ruth, doesn’t that strike you as rather … eccentric?”

“I’m trying to be practical.” She hitched her shoulder in a casual, it’s-really-nothing air. “I’m using what’s on hand to get the job done.”

Envisioning her bashing her heel through the plaster wall, he decided she wasn’t about to do the task. “How many pictures?”

“Three. Laney painted one of them. It’s a wonderful miniature of a cottage.”

“Laney’s good with a paintbrush. She did that landscape over the piano.”

“I didn’t know she painted that! It’s exquisite.”

Josh nodded. “Wish she was as good at playing the piano as she was at the painting over it. All that money Dad spent for her lessons, and Sis couldn’t pound out a tune if her life depended on it.”

“I’ve heard her sing. She has a beautiful voice.”

“Yeah. If she spends a little time at the piano, she can pick out a tune; but give her some of that sheet music, and she slaughters the song in ways that would make the composer rip it to shreds.”

Ruth’s brow furrowed.

Josh felt guilty for his disloyalty. “But as you said, her voice is real nice.”

Ruth cast a glance around, then leaned forward. “Josh, I know Laney struggles with reading.”

He jolted. Ashamed as she felt about her illiteracy, Laney never revealed that shortcoming to anyone.

“Doesn’t it occur to you, if she can’t decipher words, it’s probably equally difficult for her to read music? Following the notes’ placement on the staff would not be unlike reading.”

“Never thought of it that way. Makes sense, though.” He locked eyes with Ruth. “You know Laney’s feelings would be crushed if you let her know you found out—about her reading.”

“Laney told me.”

Ruth’s revelation nearly knocked him clean out of his boots.

“I know it’s a secret, so don’t worry. I’ll be worthy of her trust.”

“That’s good of you.”

Earth grated beneath boots in the distance. Ruth reached up to shove one of her ever-escaping curls back into a pin and raised her voice, “So may I please have a hammer?”

“I’ll take care of it for you later.” There. That would keep her from knocking holes in the wall.

“Something broke?” Toledo asked.

“My heart.” Ruth turned toward him. “Josh doesn’t believe I can hang a few little pictures.”

Toledo didn’t even pause. He kept walking on by and shook his head.

“Don’t you think I could do it?” Ruth called after him.

The hand turned, gave her an all-encompassing look, and snorted.

Josh appreciated the wealth of meaning behind that wordless response. Toledo’s silence didn’t keep him from having registered an opinion. Looking at Ruth, Josh said, “The sign over the gate reads
Broken P,
not
Bedlam
.”

“Are you implying he’d be insane to agree with me, or that he’d be insane to go against your dictates?”

“I told you from the start, you’d have to submit to my decisions on this ranch. I don’t appreciate your trying to beguile my hands into disagreeing with me.”

She blinked in shock. “I attempted no such thing!”

Josh realized she really hadn’t intended to use her beauty and womanly charms to get her way.
Ruth really doesn’t see herself as desirable.
But I’m not about to let that turn my head
. “Go on back to the house where you belong, Ruth. I don’t have time to argue with you.”

“I’m not arguing. I just came to ask for a hammer.”

“Well, you’re not getting one. I told you I’d take care of hanging the pictures later on.”

“What ever gave you the impression that I’m helpless?”

“You might not be helpless, but you’re definitely inept. I don’t want you pounding holes into the walls.”

“I’d do no such thing!”

“You’re right. You won’t. You’ll wait until I can get to the task.”

“Shall I start a list for you? The chicken coop, the pictures …”

“Ruth—”

“Don’t you say my name in that tone of voice. This isn’t a school where you can send me back home if I vex you. Until we get my father’s will settled, you’re stuck with me and I’m stuck with you.”

“So far, I’ve done my level best to deal with the situation,” he gritted.
Irritating woman. I’ve sweat and bled and put every penny I had into
this ranch, and she’s done nothing but show up—
Ruth’s eyes narrowed. “Diplomatic words like ‘situation’ don’t hide your true feelings, Joshua McCain. You said it more clearly back at the attorney’s office when you blurted out that I’m taking half of your ranch.”

“That has yet to be legally confirmed.”