Love Inspired Historical November 2014 (3 page)

A profusion of well-manicured plants fronted the structure—the garden hadn't suffered from the same neglect as the house. A woman with a pair of garden shears in her gloved hands knelt among the plants lining the front walk.

A gardener perhaps? It stood to reason that a woman such as Mrs. Pierce, with an impressive house like this one, would have servants.

The woman stood as soon as she saw them, and Simon was surprised by how tiny she was. She couldn't be any taller than four foot six or seven. And she looked old enough to be his companion's mother.

“Well, hello.” The woman tugged off her gardening gloves, her eyes alight with friendly curiosity.

Mrs. Pierce gestured toward the smiling gardener. “Miss Jacobs, this is Mr. Simon Tucker. Mr. Tucker, this is Miss Dovie Jacobs, the boarder I mentioned.”

He touched the brim of his hat. “Pleased to meet you, ma'am.”

She acknowledged his greeting with a friendly nod. “Did you two just come from the town meeting?” She absently brushed the leaves and dirt from her skirt. “I'll admit I've been nigh on bursting with curiosity.”

Simon wondered why she hadn't gone to the meeting herself. But it wouldn't be polite to ask. “We did,” he said as he opened the gate. “And it so happens
I
was the subject. I find myself stranded here in town with ten children and their guardian who has taken seriously ill.” He nodded deferentially to his companion. “Mrs. Pierce has generously agreed to open her home to us while we await the outcome of our friend's illness.” He gave her what he hoped was a winning smile. “I hope that won't inconvenience you any.”

“Not at all. And I'm sure enough sorry about your friend. I'll pray she recovers quickly.”

Then she turned to Mrs. Pierce and gave her an approving smile. “Good for you. I've thought this place was crying out for a big family ever since I moved in. And ten children, bless my soul—that will certainly keep us on our toes.”

From Miss Jacobs's tone, the two women's relationship seemed more friendly than the businesslike face Mrs. Pierce had put on it. Good to know that the tension he'd sensed at the meeting didn't extend to her household.

Miss Jacobs turned back to him. “You can count on me to help with the little ones in any way that I can.”

He was glad to hear it. He could already sense she would be one who balanced doting and discipline the way Miss Fredrick had seemed to. “Thank you, ma'am. From what I've seen of them on this trip, these are a mostly well-behaved lot, but they
are
children.”

“Don't you worry none, young man, between me and Eileen here we'll manage nicely.”

Mrs. Pierce didn't respond to that. Instead she gave him a puzzled look. “So you don't know these children well?”

He shook his head. “Up until a short time ago, I knew Miss Fredrick and her charges mainly through my sister's letters. I popped in and out over the years to visit Sally and her children, of course, but that was all.” He straightened. “Make no mistake, though, these children
are
my responsibility until I get them to where they're going.”

“Of course.” One delicate brow rose a fraction of an inch. “Was there anything else we needed to discuss right now?”

“No ma'am, unless you have questions for me.”

She gave him a “you're dismissed” look. “I thank you for walking me home, but if you will excuse me, there are many preparations to be made.”

Simon touched the brim of his hat again. “Then I'll be on my way. Thank you again for your hospitality, and I'll bring the kids over in a couple of hours.”

Then he paused. “Can you direct me to the restaurant?”

With a nod, she turned to face the way they'd come. “Go back as far as Second Street, then turn right. The restaurant will be a block and a half on your left.” She faced him again and the movement brought them unexpectedly closer together.

Her eyes widened and for a moment her aloof exterior cracked the tiniest bit. Her breathing seemed to hitch for just a heartbeat and her fingertips fluttered to her throat as if seeking a pulse there. Oh, yes, beneath that ice-queen exterior, an ember glowed. An ember he'd like to see burn brighter.

She recovered quickly, though, dropping her hand and schooling her expression. “The sign in front of the building reads Daisy's Restaurant,” she said coolly. “You can't miss it.”

With a thank-you for Mrs. Pierce and a tip of his hat for Miss Jacobs, Simon took his leave.

Meeting Miss Jacobs had relieved at least one of his concerns. The woman seemed willing and able to provide whatever mothering the children would need these next few days.

But his wayward mind was more interested in Mrs. Pierce than her boarder. That little close encounter they'd just had had obviously rattled her. And he wouldn't deny he'd felt something, as well. It was nothing more than mere curiosity, though—he couldn't let it be anything more. He had no time in his life right now for anything but meeting the kids' needs. Still, there was nothing to say he couldn't enjoy getting to know his hostess better while he was stuck here.

Would she be able to maintain that ice-queen demeanor once the children invaded her home? Or would that other, less confident but much more interesting Mrs. Pierce show through?

Well, if anything could strip the standoffish tendencies from a person, it was dealing with a houseful of kids. And he was rather pleased he'd be around to watch it happen.

Chapter Three

E
ileen watched Mr. Tucker walk away, studying the casual confidence of his demeanor, still confused by her own reaction to him. There was nothing sophisticated or polished about the man. He'd called himself a handyman and cabinetmaker, which to her translated into a common laborer with some carpentry skills. His hands had been callused and even had a couple of rough-looking scars.

Not at all the kind of man she should be attracted to.

So what was it about him that drew her? There was the confidence in his bearing and his earnestness. And then there was his warm smile that reached all the way to his cornflower eyes that just drew a person in.

“That Mr. Tucker seems like a nice young man.”

Eileen started, as if she'd been caught mooning over some imaginary beau. She turned and stepped through the gate, ignoring Dovie's knowing smile. “I suppose.”

She returned to a businesslike manner, dismissing her wayward and totally inappropriate thoughts. Better to focus on the trouble that was about to descend on her. Ten children—what had she been thinking? She had no idea how to deal with children of any age, much less a horde of them.

But she
could
handle this. After all, she had been trained to be ready to rise to any sort of social emergency with grace and confidence. How much worse could this be than handling household servants or an unruly party guest or even a last-minute menu disaster? As for the matter of her financial straits being discovered, she'd have to put a good face on that as best she could. Surely it was only a matter of remaining unruffled and not allowing her guests to get overly familiar.

She turned to Dovie with returning confidence. “As the person in town with the biggest home, I felt it was my duty to offer shelter to these poor stranded children.” Not entirely true—she hadn't volunteered so much as been cornered, but in the end she
had
agreed to help.

Dovie eyed her approvingly. “Opening your home to them was a generous, Christian gesture, especially being as you're such a private kind of person. And don't you worry, like I told that young man, I'll pitch in and help where I can.”

Thank goodness Dovie liked to keep busy. This new situation would certainly afford her boarder plenty of opportunities for that. “I appreciate your offer.” She unbent slightly. “I'll admit, I don't have experience dealing with children.” No, that was one lady-of-the-manor skill she had never been taught.

“Don't you worry about that none. The only thing you have to know is that what children need most is love, patience and discipline. And of course a grounding in the Good Book. Give them that and the rest will work itself out.”

Eileen didn't have a response for that, so she moved on to something else. “The members of the Ladies Auxiliary have agreed to help with the meals.”

Dovie fell into step with her as they moved to the house. “It's always good when a whole community comes together to help those in need.” She gave Eileen a sideways look. “So when are the children supposed to get here?”

“In about two hours.”

“Then we'd best get to work.”

Eileen took a deep breath. Since her husband's death, she'd found herself overwhelmed by the debt he'd left behind. She'd been reduced to selling many of her prized furnishings, as furtively as possible, of course, and had had to do some creative rearranging of the remaining pieces to try to cover it up.

The result was that many of the unused rooms were stripped to the bare essentials and had been closed off from view, even from her boarder. Not that she had many visitors these days.

But now she was going to be forced to open those rooms up for her guests' use and there would be no hiding anything. It would be best to prepare Dovie for the reality she would soon see. “You should know that the furnishings are rather sparse in most of the extra rooms.”

Dovie seemed to see nothing wrong with that. “As long as your guests have a bed to rest in, I don't imagine they'll be doing any complaining.”

“There are six girls and four boys to accommodate besides Mr. Tucker.” It was just hitting her that the man who'd thrown her so off balance today would be residing here, as well. She would really have to keep her guard up for the next few days. But, strangely, she was more energized than irritated by the challenge.

Not that Mr. Tucker was of any more import than the children. “There are five extra bedchambers on the second floor and four on the third.” She frowned. “But I don't think it necessary to give each child his or her own room.”

“Oh, my, no. In fact, they'll probably be happier if they have someone to share with. Why don't we put the girls in three of the second-floor rooms and Mr. Tucker and the boys in three of the rooms on the third?”

Eileen nodded, relieved that Dovie agreed. That would mean fewer rooms to prepare and fewer bed linens to deal with. “That sounds like an acceptable approach.”

The two women had barely started when the doorbell sounded. Eileen left Dovie to finish opening the windows and stripping the beds while she went to see who was at the door. Surely Mr. Tucker hadn't returned already?

When she opened the door, however, it was Ivy Parker, and right behind her was her husband, Mitch, and a couple of young boys. All four of them were loaded down with armfuls of linens.

“Hello,” Ivy said cheerily. “Where would you like us to set these?”

Eileen stepped aside. “Please come in.” She waved to the open doorway on the left. “You can set it all on the table in the dining room.”

As they trooped into her home, Ivy chattered away. “The members of the Ladies Auxiliary all contributed something. You'll find sheets and coverlets enough for eight beds. If you need more, let us know. We also figured you'd need some extra towels so we brought a stack of those, as well.”

Extra towels—of course. She should have thought of that. What else hadn't she taken into consideration? And the thought of ten children needing baths was enough to send a shiver up her spine.

But it would never do to show a lack of confidence—she was the lady of the house. It was her duty to make all of her guests feel at home. “Thank you. I'm sure we will be able to put all of this to good use.”

Once everything was safely deposited on the table, Ivy shooed her husband and the youths away, then turned to Eileen. “Now, what can I do to help you get ready for the invasion?”

“That's really not necessary. Dovie is assisting and between the two of us—”

Ivy interrupted with a wave of her hand. “Fiddlesticks. I don't mind a bit, and it'll give me a chance to visit with Nana Dovie.”

Ivy had been orphaned as an infant and Dovie had been the one to raise her. They were very much like mother and daughter even though there was no blood tie between them. Eileen supposed, more than anyone else in town, these two women could truly relate to these children and their situation.

Without waiting for a response, Ivy headed for the stairs. “By the way, Reggie volunteered to take care of the evening meal for you all today so there's no need to worry about that.”

Regina Barr was Eileen's nearest neighbor and the current head of the Ladies Auxiliary.

Ivy looked back over her shoulder without slowing. “And there's a list forming of volunteers to handle the meals for the next several days.”

At least that was one worry off her shoulders. The food she'd put up from her garden this past summer and what she had left to harvest from her fall planting was supposed to take her through the winter. She could ill afford to feed an army of children solely from her own stores for more than a few days without adversely affecting her future menus.

With a start she realized Ivy was already headed up the stairs. Since Ivy had boarded here for a while before she married the schoolteacher, she knew where everything was.

Managing to catch up to her without breaking into a hoydenish rush, Eileen decided it would do no good to argue—she'd learned Ivy usually went her own way.

Ivy rolled up her sleeves and set to work as soon as she reached the second floor. As far as Eileen could tell, her former boarder seemed to see nothing amiss with the stark furnishings and lack of fancy drapes and coverlets in the spare bedchambers. She supposed, if anyone in town had to see her true state of affairs, then Ivy and Dovie would be the most sympathetic to her situation. Neither had known her before her fall from grace or had witnessed the lavish way she'd conducted her life back then. For that matter, nor did any of the visitors who would be here for the next few days. So there were no unflattering comparisons for them to make, no unpleasant history for them to remember.

As for Mr. Tucker, the admiration she'd seen in his eyes had been very disconcerting. No one had looked at her like that in a very long time. And she was honest enough to admit, just for a moment, she'd wanted to bask in it.

Perhaps it was worth all this bother just for that small, precious gift.

She just had to make certain she didn't get used to it.

Because it wasn't likely to come from anyone else anytime soon.

* * *

When Simon checked in at the restaurant to see how the kids were faring, the women there assured him they had everything under control. He'd been surprised to see that one end of the restaurant housed a library. He hadn't expected such niceties in this small-town community.

The reverend's daughter, who looked to be about sixteen or seventeen, was reading a book to several of the younger children, while some of the older ones were browsing the shelves and thumbing through books on their own. Mrs. Harper pulled him aside to assure him they would keep an eye on the children for as long as he needed them to.

Satisfied they were in good hands, Simon headed to Dr. Pratt's clinic to check on Miss Fredrick.

He was thankful they'd landed in the midst of such good people. On his own he'd have been totally inadequate to the task of looking after the children. After all, what did a thirty-year-old bachelor like him know about taking care of kids, especially little girls. And while Mrs. Pierce might not be the maternal type, her boarder, Miss Jacobs, would know how to deal with the needs of the children. Surely between the three of them, they could manage whatever was required over the next few days.

And hopefully they wouldn't be here in Turnabout longer than that. He had to keep believing Miss Fredrick would recover soon and they could be on their way once more. Surely God wouldn't allow for any other outcome.

That thought made him wince. He of all people should know that bad things
did
happen to good people, even innocent children, and God alone knew the reasons.

Unbidden, his thoughts turned to when he was nine years old and his own parents had died. He and his sisters had been farmed out to different relatives and rarely got to see each other again. In fact, his youngest sister, Imogene, had passed away the following year without him even knowing until the funeral was over and done with.

Just one more sign of what Uncle Corbitt's opinion of “that side of the family” had been.

Simon determinedly pushed those thoughts away and entered the doctor's office trying to maintain a hopeful outlook. “How's Miss Fredrick doing?”

The somberness in the spare, white-haired doctor's demeanor wasn't encouraging. “I wish I had better news for you, but she's not showing any signs of improvement.”

“But she
is
going to get better, isn't she?” He couldn't quite mask the hint of desperation in his voice.

The doctor came around his desk and leaned back against it as he faced Simon sympathetically. “I'm afraid you need to face facts. There's a very real possibility she might never regain consciousness. If there's anyone to be notified, I would do it now.”

Simon raked his hand through his hair, not wanting to accept what the doctor was saying. “She has a brother—his name is Wilbur I believe—but they had a falling-out. Other than the children, she doesn't have anyone else that I'm aware of.”

“Notify her brother.” The doctor's tone was firm. “I find most people put their differences aside at a time like this.”

“Of course. But it
is
possible she'll recover, isn't it?”

The doctor looked at him with sympathy. “Anything is possible, son. But it's very much in God's hands now.”

Before Simon could respond, one of the side doors opened and a woman dressed in black with a crisp white bibbed apron stepped out. The doctor straightened. “Mr. Tucker, allow me to introduce my niece, Verity Leggett.”

Simon tipped his hat. “Pleased to meet you, ma'am.”

“She and her daughter have recently moved in with us,” the doctor continued. “Verity is helping here at the clinic. Between her, my wife and me, someone will be with Miss Fredrick at all times.”

“Thank you. I appreciate all you're doing for Miss Fredrick.” He scrubbed his jaw, trying to collect his thoughts. “The kids have been asking after her. Would it be okay if they came around to see her?”

The doctor hesitated before replying. “As long as they are prepared for what they will see. Unless something changes, she'll be unconscious and unable to move or speak.”

“Mr. Tucker.” Mrs. Leggett's tone was sympathetic but firm. “I hope you don't mind my interference, but as a mother myself, I feel it would be unwise to bring the children here just yet. It would only serve to upset them further.”

Simon nodded. “I appreciate your advice, ma'am.”

He thanked them both again, then asked the whereabouts of the telegraph office and took his leave.

What was he going to do if Miss Fredrick didn't make it? More to the point, what would become of the children? He'd given Miss Fredrick his word that he'd do everything in his power to get them all safely to their new home. But what was the use of getting them to Hatcherville if Miss Fredrick wasn't there to look out for them? He certainly couldn't step into that role himself, not alone at any rate. He'd take in his niece and nephew, Audrey and Albert, if there was no other choice but to separate the children. But he'd scour heaven and earth to keep them all together if he could.