The Brides of Chance Collection (42 page)

Delilah did as she was asked, then pulled out plates, glasses, knives, and forks to set the table.

Miriam brought out a salted ham hock. “Why don’t you watch as I cut the first bit? Then you can try your hand at it.” This seemed easy enough—Delilah didn’t lack competence with a knife.

“All right, you try it.” Miriam nodded her approval as Delilah started shaving and chopping. “You have a sharp eye and a steady hand. That’s good.” Together they finished the ham, and Delilah, starting to feel more comfortable, waited for further instructions. Miriam brought out a huge bowl.

“I still have plenty of eggs left from yesterday, so we’re all set. You tap ’em on the edge of the bowl, like this.” She demonstrated in one swift movement. “Then part the halves and let the egg run into the bowl. See?”

Miriam made it look absolutely effortless. Heartened, Delilah resolutely picked up an egg and brought it down on the rim of the bowl. With a crack that all but echoed in the morning stillness, the shell split completely and yellow goop slimed the tabletop.

Miriam started laughing. “Gently!” She wiped up the table with a rag and handed Delilah another egg. “All right, give it another shot.”

Delilah put down the egg. “I don’t want to waste them.”

Miriam smiled. “That was just your first try. I did the very same thing. Try again.”

This time, Delilah tapped it so gently, the shell didn’t boast so much as a crack. She looked helplessly at Miriam.

“Just keep tapping it a little harder each time until you get the feel for it. Be careful, and you’ll get it right.” In no time at all, Delilah got the hang of it, and three dozen eggs floated in the bowl.

“Now what?”

“We stir it until the clear and the yellow run together. Here.” She gave Delilah a wooden spoon, and Delilah followed her instructions, then poured half of the mixture into a large, greased skillet waiting on the stove.

“Mix it periodically and add in the ham.” Miriam demonstrated. It cooked until a mess of scrambled eggs and ham sat ready to be put on a platter.

“Now try cooking the other half while I warm some bread.” Miriam pulled two loaves from the bread box and began slicing.

Delilah took the pan and poured the rest of the eggs into it. She watched intently for it to bubble, then pounced to stir it as soon as it began. Some of the goop seemed stuck on the bottom.

“Miriam? Why do mine stick to the pan when yours didn’t?”

Her cousin hustled over to take a look. “I forgot to tell you that you need to regrease the pan. It’ll be difficult to scrub clean, but your eggs’ll be fine. Just keep moving them around until they look like mine.”

Pretty soon, they looked finished, and Delilah emptied the contents of the pan onto the platter. Following more advice, she filled the dirty pan with water from the pump.

Miriam had just finished placing butter and preserves on the table when Gideon wandered in. “Sure smells good in here, sweetheart.”

“Thank you. Fresh coffee’s on the stove, and Delilah here helped me make ham ’n’ eggs for breakfast.”

Gideon turned to Delilah. “Good morning, Delilah. If you’re half the cook my Miriam is, we’ll keep you busy for sure.”

Delilah confessed. “Actually, this is the first time I’ve cooked anything. I hope it tastes all right.”

Logan and Bryce stumbled into the room toward the basin, followed by Dan and Paul. Dan started cutting toast into little strips and putting them on a tiny plate. Paul grabbed the milk and filled two small glasses. He turned to her.

“Miss Delilah, would you like milk, water, or coffee this morning?” His gaze was as penetrating as the day before, and her nerves tingled as heat spread through her.

“I’d like the milk, please.” She loved fresh milk. “And please just call me Delilah. No ‘miss’ is needed.” That was for sure. With her twenty-first birthday fast approaching, she knew most girls her age had already started families. Somehow, she didn’t want this intriguing man to think of that every time they spoke.

“Delilah.” He said it softly, testing it out, but the way he said it made it sound beautiful.

Titus came in, leading Alisa and their nieces. Everyone took a seat. Gideon presided at the head of the table, with Miriam on his right. Delilah hastened to sit on her other side. Dan sat to his left with Ginny Mae on his lap and Polly beside him, flanked by Alisa and Titus. Paul sat next to Delilah, with Logan beside him and Bryce at the end of the table. Delilah tried to ignore the fact that they were packed so close, she could feel Paul’s warmth.

After everyone settled in, Delilah jumped a bit when Paul clasped her hand in his until she realized they had all joined hands for prayer. She only wished she could be a part of something so special.

For now, she’d just pretend that she wasn’t someone they’d taken in out of charity. She listened as Gideon spoke of his appreciation for all of their blessings and asked God to be with them during the day to come. It seemed strange that they’d think God, who was so big and busy, would be right beside each of them all day long.
Perhaps it just feels that way because they have each other to care about
.

Paul’s hand swallowed hers. It almost made her feel dainty and feminine sitting next to him with her hand cocooned in his warm, work-roughened palm. She stifled a pang of regret when the prayer ended, and after a slight reassuring squeeze, he let go. She sat as an outsider once again amid morning chatter as everyone passed around platters of eggs and bread with the coffee.

I don’t want to let go
, Paul realized. He didn’t even know why he’d sat next to her. Usually he took the place at the end of the table where Bryce sat today. Logan sent him a peeved look, but Paul watched Delilah hop like a frightened rabbit to be next to Miriam, and before he knew it, he squeezed beside her at the table. He’d felt her quick intake of breath when he’d first grasped her palm. Now he didn’t want to let go of the warm, soft, slender hand nestled so sweetly in his.

She towered over Miriam on the other side of her, but the crown of her head came about equal to his nose. She reminded him of that old fairy tale Alisa told the girls. The one about the girl who walked into the bears’ house and tested everything out. Delilah felt not too big, not too small, but just right. She smelled so feminine and delicate, but he didn’t feel like he crushed her hand, either, which brought him back to the odd little war going on inside of him.

Paul knew the prayer would end any minute, but he just hadn’t quite convinced himself to let go. Her dress—the color of marigolds—made her look like a ray of sunshine, and he wanted to enjoy her warmth a little longer. When everyone said, “Amen,” he compromised and gave her hand a slight squeeze before withdrawing.

“Your breakfasts make it worth gettin’ up, Miriam.” Bryce’s praise was well earned.

“Thank you, Bryce, but I think Delilah deserves most of the credit this morning. It’s the first time she’s ever cooked.” Miriam’s response had everyone peering at their new houseguest.

“You did a fine job, a mighty fine job.” Logan shoveled eggs with gusto as everyone congratulated Delilah.

Even Polly chimed in. “Yeah. I haven’t ate crunchy eggs since Auntie Miri-Em came.”

Silence fell as the menfolk became intently interested in their coffee, and Delilah blushed. “I must’ve gotten some shell into the bowl. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s all right,” Alisa assured her as she inspected Polly’s plate. “A little bit never hurt anyone, I’m sure.”

“What are you doing, Auntie Alisa? I like my crunchy eggs!” Polly snatched back her plate. Paul couldn’t help it; he started to chuckle. Soon everyone joined in, even Dan.

“Crunchy eggs!” Dan grinned at his little daughter. “Well, Princess Polly, if you like your crunchy eggs, you can go ahead and eat them. Won’t do you any harm.”

After the laughter stopped, Paul faced Delilah. Her cheeks flushed. “Maybe little Polly got a bit of shell in hers, but I’ve never tasted better eggs ’n’ ham.” He couldn’t remember the last time he’d enjoyed breakfast so much.

After breakfast, the men went out to their usual duties while the women cleaned up. It took Delilah half of eternity to scrub the skillet clean, but finally she finished.

“Delilah,” Miriam offered, “since you arrived yesterday evening, you didn’t have much of an opportunity to wash up after traveling. I’ll bet your hands are pretty well soaked after that pan, but if you’d like, we can fill the tub so you can have a bath. After you’re done, we’ll dunk the girls.”

“That would be wonderful, Miriam. I’ll start pumping the water.” While Miriam dandled Ginny Mae on her lap and worked with Polly on colors and numbers, Alisa and Delilah heated pots of water and hefted them to the old washtub they’d hauled in from the barn. When they’d set everything up, Delilah hurried to fetch her soap.

Once behind the screen, she got out of her clothing as quickly as possible and slid into the bath. She supposed the tub was barely big enough for the largest of the brothers to hunch into, but it gave her enough room to lean back as long as she bent her legs. Mindful that the little ones would be next, she picked up the soap instead of soaking. It wouldn’t be fair to leave them with a cold bath after she luxuriated in the relaxing warmth. After she filled her hair with suds, she reached for the basin of fresh water next to her. When she’d scrubbed out all the dirt and achiness, she reluctantly climbed from the tub to help Miriam and Alisa with the girls.

When she came out from behind the partition, Miriam looked at her in surprise. “That was awfully fast.”

“Usually we enjoy a soak for as long as we can. It’s one of the comforts around here.” Alisa spoke as she helped Polly undress.

“I enjoyed every minute,” Delilah praised. “I just didn’t want the water to be cold for the girls. I feel so much more like myself now that I’m clean again.”

“Why don’t you try to dry your hair and braid it while we take care of the children?”

Delilah gratefully took Miriam’s advice and toweled her hair a bit more, only to realize she’d forgotten her brush. She excused herself and went out once more. The sun glowed cheerfully in the blue sky, so full of life she slowed her pace to enjoy the beauty of the day. Rather than braid her hair alone in the small cabin, she picked up her brush and trekked back to the kitchen. After living without the company of women for so long, she found herself eager to spend time with Miriam and Alisa.
I might as well enjoy it while it lasts
.

Paul shaded his eyes and scanned the sky. It could only be about ten o’clock, but for some reason, he hankered for lunchtime. At any rate, he needed to head back for some more tacks. The stretch of fence they’d been fixing needed more help than they’d thought, considering they’d worked on it a few weeks before.

He strode over to where Speck, his brown and white paint, calmly grazed. He swung into the saddle and trotted over to Titus. “I’m heading back for some more tacks.” At his brother’s nod, he turned Speck toward the barn and cantered off. As the house came into sight, he spotted a flash of yellow as Delilah came out of the kitchen. He watched as she slowed her pace, enjoying the sun. Her head tilted back for a moment, and black waves tumbled over her shoulders. His throat went dry.