A Home at Trail's End (8 page)

“Yes.” Malinda dried her hands on her apron and smoothed her hair. “Will said he'd drop them by before we headed off to the mercantile.” She excused herself and hurried out to meet him. Elizabeth watched from the porch, still marveling at how two people who'd recently been complete strangers now seemed so perfect for each other.

“Hello,” Belinda called as she lugged a bulky carpetbag into the house. “We have arrived.”

Elizabeth smiled and pointed to the ladder stairway. “Your room awaits.”

“I wish I could sleep up there too,” Ruth said longingly.

“We already went over that,” Elizabeth reminded her. “We're not going to crowd you in with Susannah and Emily—and Amelia and Belinda get the other two beds.”

“But I'm crowded in with you and Aunt Malinda,” Ruth pointed out.

“Why don't you be an angel and go help Amelia with her things,” Elizabeth suggested as she watched Amelia struggling to carry a box and a bag up the porch steps. Fortunately, that distracted Ruth for the time being. It wasn't easy being the youngest of the cousins, but someday Ruth might appreciate it.

While the younger girls helped the older girls get settled in and unpack—or more likely to ogle at the lovely clothes these girls had brought with them from Boston—Elizabeth and Malinda returned to fixing food to take to town. The plan was to have a picnic lunch on the church grounds with family and friends.

“Do you remember when we used to go to town on Saturdays in Kentucky?” Malinda asked Elizabeth.

“I certainly do.” Elizabeth tucked a cloth down over the biscuits, which were still warm. “But our town had more than just one store and a church.”

“This is just the beginning,” Malinda assured her.

“That's true. And the Bible says not to despise small beginnings.” Elizabeth smiled. “And I do not. After all those months on the trail, I am thankful for our little settlement.”

“And I hear that Bert Flanders is planning for his blacksmith shop. Flo told me they want to build a small house with a lean-to that will function as his business.”

“I expect Bert will be kept busy too,” Elizabeth said. “With so much building going on there's a need for hardware.”

“And didn't you mention that Jessica's aunt and her friend might start a business here too?” Malinda asked. “A boarding house and restaurant?”

“That's their plan, and according to Eli, they were doing a good business when he saw them in Empire City last week. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if they make enough profits to start a nice boarding house here.” Elizabeth smiled to herself to think of the business Ruby used to operate back in St. Louis. Jess had said it was a dance hall, where the whisky ran freely. But during the arduous journey, Ruby and Doris had seemed to reform some of their ideals. Still, she wondered what Malinda would think if she knew about St. Louis. Not that Elizabeth had any intention of telling her. Some things truly were better left unsaid.

Everyone chattered happily as they walked to town together, but eventually the younger children hurried on ahead and only Elizabeth, Malinda, and Will's two daughters were walking together. “I can't get over the feeling that this is like a holiday,” Malinda said happily. “Having a store within walking distance of my home. It's just wonderful.”

“And it's wonderful the weather is so pleasant.” Elizabeth looked up at the clear blue sky, the sunshine filtering through the autumn leaves. “It's such a beautiful day.”

“Yes, this time of year is exceptionally nice,” Malinda told her.

“So far I haven't noticed all that much difference between the climate here and in Kentucky,” Elizabeth said. “Autumn in Kentucky was always lovely too. Remember?”

“That's true,” Malinda said. “I love autumn in Kentucky too.”

“Well, it's a lot warmer here than it would be in Boston this time of year,” Belinda told them. “We were usually wearing our heavy coats in early November.”

“Will it be warm like this all winter?” Amelia asked Malinda.

“It will get cooler, and of course, the rains will come. But even so, it's still warmer than winters were back in Kentucky.” She grinned at the two girls who would become her stepdaughters in December. “And I can assure you that it's much warmer than a Boston winter.”

“Does it ever snow here?” Amelia asked.

“I haven't seen snow once since we settled,” Malinda told them. “It did freeze one year, but I don't think that's typical.”

“Well, I won't miss the snow or ice,” Belinda announced.

“But I will miss some things,” Amelia confessed. “Like candy stores and bakeries.”

Belinda giggled as she pointed at a well-worn shoe in front of her. “And new shoes.”

“And buying ready-made clothes,” Amelia added.

“Yes, girls, we do understand.” Malinda said in a maternal tone. “It takes some adjusting to get used to some of the deprivations of the frontier. But I believe that someday we will have all those amenities too.”

“Really?” Amelia asked hopefully. “Even a candy store?”

Malinda laughed. “Well, perhaps it will be a while before we have a store devoted entirely to candy. But surely the mercantile will carry some sweets.”

“Oh, I'm sure Aunt Lavinia will have stocked her candy case by now,” Amelia told her. “I can't wait.”

“I just hope she's got some of the household items I'll be needing to set up housekeeping,” Elizabeth said. “I've got quite a list.”

“Lavinia told me they'll be taking orders for merchandise,” Malinda said. “Although I'm not sure how long it will take for shipments to arrive.”

“Eli predicts that the Coquille River will be used to transport shipped goods from the coast someday.” Just bringing Eli's name into the conversation filled Elizabeth with a girlish sort of giddiness.

“John used to say the same thing,” Malinda told her.

“Imagine how much time that would save,” Elizabeth said wistfully.

They were just coming up to the church, and it was fun to see others milling about what Elizabeth hoped would someday be considered a real town. She estimated at least two dozen people gathered between the church and the mercantile. Certainly, it was not much by other standards, but it gave one hope.

After depositing their food baskets at the church and visiting with some of the women there, they ventured over to the new shopping establishment, pausing to socialize along the way. A freshly painted sign was prominently displayed up high on the false front.

P
RESCOTTS
' M
ERCANTILE
E
ST
. 1857

“This is a red-letter day,” Malinda said with enthusiasm as they went into the mercantile. “Our very own store.”

The place was bustling and smelled of coffee and onions as well as many other pleasant scents. People were chattering happily, and Elizabeth estimated at least a dozen adult customers were perusing the interior of the store. Several children, including her own, were gathered around the candy counter and dry goods, eagerly exploring everything. She had warned JT and Ruth to look but not to touch, and as far as she could see, they were heeding her instructions. However, JT looked as if his fingers were itching to pick up a music book that was in the book section.

“Hello, son,” she said quietly from behind him.

“Ma.” He turned eagerly, pointing out the book to her. “That book has fifty songs in it.”

She nodded. “I see that.”

“It's got musical notes for piano, but Mrs. Taylor has been teaching us to read music at school. I think I could learn the songs on my guitar.”

She put her hand on his shoulder. “Did you bring enough money for it?”

He nodded, looking up at her with earnest eyes. “But do you think it would be wasteful? I know we need things for our home.”

She smiled. “Don't you think music would be good for our home?”

He grinned back at her.

“I trust your judgment, son.” She patted him on the back and then went to see what Ruth was admiring.

“Look, Mama,” Ruth said when Elizabeth joined her. “There's some really pretty pink calico there.”

Elizabeth nodded. “Yes, Ruth. But we brought a fair amount of fabric from home, remember?”

“But none as pretty as that,” Ruth told her.

“Perhaps not. But until we use up our fabric, I don't see the need to purchase more.” She tweaked Ruth's braid. “Although I'm sure it would look very pretty on you. Maybe you can find a pink hair ribbon instead.”

Ruth gave her a surprised look. “I didn't mean for me, Mama. I meant for you. Wouldn't it make a pretty wedding dress for when you and Eli get married?”

Elizabeth laughed. “Oh, my. Well…I'm not sure.”

“Oh, it would, Mama. I know it would.”

Elizabeth looked down into Ruth's sparkling blue eyes. “That's very sweet of you to think so, dear. But I don't plan on sewing myself a new wedding dress. I would much rather spend my time sewing curtains and such.”

Ruth looked truly dismayed.

“But if there is time to sew a dress, I think perhaps I'll just use that green calico I brought from home.”

“Oh, no, Mama.” Ruth looked appalled. “Not green.”

“Why ever not? Green is a nice, sensible color. One of nature's favorite shades.”

Ruth firmly shook her head. “Haven't you heard the wedding-dress poem?”

“What?” Elizabeth shook her head.

“It goes like this.” Ruth stood straight as if she were reciting in school.

White—chosen right.

Blue—love will be true.

Yellow—ashamed of her fellow.

Red—wish herself dead.

Black—wish herself back.

Gray—travel far away.

Pink—of you he'll always think.

Green—ashamed to be seen.

Elizabeth couldn't help but laugh. “Well then. I certainly won't wear green!”

“Or yellow or red or black.” Ruth got a thoughtful look. “And not gray…I don't want you to go far away, Mama.”

“So what does that leave me with?” Elizabeth asked.

Ruth held up three fingers. “White, blue, or pink.”

Elizabeth thought. “Well, I wore white when I married your father, but I was just a young woman then. Perhaps…blue?”

Ruth's serious expression broke into a smile. “Yes, Mama, blue.”

“And I brought some blue calico too,” Elizabeth told her.

“But it's dark blue,” Ruth reminded her. She pointed back at the shelf holding the bolts of fabric. “How about that one on the end? It's the same color as your eyes.”

“What about the blue fabric we already have?” Elizabeth asked.

“It would make pretty curtains and things,” Ruth said hopefully. Elizabeth was about to put an end to this discussion and remind Ruth of the practicalities of living on the frontier when Clara came over to join them. Before Elizabeth could set her daughter straight, Ruth was emphatically explaining her plans for Elizabeth to have a beautiful blue wedding dress. “The same color as her eyes. And when a bride wears blue it means her love will be true.”

Elizabeth sighed. “Oh, Ruth, my love will be true no matter—”

“You're right,” Clara said to Ruth. “Your mother
does
need a pretty blue dress for her wedding day.”

“But we haven't even set a wedding day,” Elizabeth reminded her. “For all I know it might not be until next year.”

Clara waved her hand at Elizabeth. “Now, I'm sure you have shopping to attend to. Ruth and I will take care of this little matter ourselves.”

Elizabeth just shook her head, and chuckling at how her mother and daughter had just joined forces against her, she went off to see what she could find on her list.

The men, wanting to make good use of the first part of the day, arrived later in the afternoon—just in time for the potluck picnic. Asa and Matthew came in the wagon, and Elizabeth almost asked why Brady hadn't come. But then she stopped herself. Of course, she knew. As a colored man, Brady had not been accepted into the community. And although this wasn't surprising to Elizabeth, she still felt badly for Brady's sake. His life, it seemed, would continue to be an isolated one. Sometimes she wondered if he missed the old days, when James had kept numerous slaves to help with the farm. But even thinking of this felt foreign to her now. And wrong.

“I figured you womenfolk would need a wagon to haul all your wares back,” Asa teased as they were sitting out in the churchyard to eat.

“I still want to go back for a couple of things,” Clara told him.

“So do I,” Elizabeth said. “I got to thinking they might run out of sugar before the next shipment arrives.”