“Hello?” she called. A few moments passed and nothing. Cora wandered out the big open doors of the barn, and looked around. The land looked different in the light, and without the cover of heavy rain and mist. The ground was still wet, but water droplets and dew illuminated the green all around. She followed the fenced area, where some pigs were sloppily rolling in the mud, eating at a basin with fresh feed.
Past the small farming area, with the animals, and a small plot of vegetables, the sandy road mark began to wind its way under and through great trees sprinkled in rows for as far as Cora could see. The sun bounced through the branches, and kaleidoscopes with the leaves sporting rain drops. Little red orbs also glistened in contrasting pockets against the green-leaf backdrop.
“Joshua?” she called out again.
As she continued to walk, she caught glimpse of a white farmhouse, smoke tufting out from the red brick chimney in the distance.
“Joshua?” Cora wandered from the wide wrap-around porch and into the house, where she immediately felt the smell of food coming from the room beside the entranceway.
“You’re finally up,” Joshua let down a plate of food on the table. Potato hash, eggs, and some meat--Cora’s eyes widened.
“Did you do all this?” she said.
“It’s more lukewarm now,” he said. “But I figured I’d go ahead and have you eat something at least.”
“How long have you been up?” Cora sat down on the wooden chair at the table.
It smelled good.
Joshua laughed. “A lot longer than you have,” he said. “A lot.”
He pulled up the suspenders that were limp at the side of his trousers through his arms and snapped them to his shoulder. Cora couldn’t help but still blush.
“I’m sure by now you noticed the cherry trees on your way in,” he said.
“They were beautiful,” Cora said.
The two of them were having a real conversation, and Cora smiled inwardly at that. Perhaps the end of a rain really did breathe in new life.
“One of our best exports,” he said. “This town grew up around, well, the river, of course, but also just as much the prize cherry orchard that my grandfather started.”
He pushed his feet into heavy work boots.
Cora smirked. “For a high society man, you’re really keen on being a farm boy.”
Joshua Dansby laughed, and Cora’s heart beat at the dimple that flashed in his cheek, his smile spreading across his face.
“Out here, it’s not so cut and dry as the East, I’m sure. Everyone’s got a little bit of farm boy in ‘em here. You have to be or you won’t make it.”
Joshua coughed into his sleeve.
“Are you alright?” Cora stood up.
He waved his hand at her. “I’m fine. Just a morning cough, is all.”
“You should be careful,” she said. “It’s real easy to catch a bad cold after a rain. You should take it easy, Joshua.”
Joshua stood up and made his way to the door, swinging his hat onto his head.
“I’m fine,” he said. “I’ve got to stake out for harvesting soon, so I don’t have much time to hang around. If you need me, I’ll be out in the trees.”
His piercing blue eyes glinted her way. “And, Cora?”
“Yes?”
He tipped his hat toward her. “Thank you for using my name.”
Cora pursed her lips and looked away, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of having warmed up to him.
In the least, she thought, he’s not repulsive.
And her heart beat as she thought of his smile, and those deep, blue eyes…
There wasn’t much to do around a great big house all alone. Cora amused herself by perusing the small library that Joshua built up in his study, of which there were many books she had never even heard of. It was enough to keep her occupied for a good part of the morning. She sat in a large armchair, under the portrait of a stout, old man with the same mischievous, cold stare that Joshua Dansby held. No doubt an old relative of years past.
She found herself entirely consumed by a fascinating article in a magazine, a fictitious story about a man and a stranger’s journey racing to the highest of heights in a magnificent air balloon.
It all was so curious and fascinating to Cora, she had almost forgotten the time.
As noon approached, Joshua still hadn’t been back to the house and, though she told herself she didn’t really care about him, Cora did have a sinking feeling in her gut.
She was just stepping outside, and onto the great porch, when a covered buggy came riding down the driveway. It slowed to a halt in front of her, and a man in a suit, with a walking stick and hat was escorted out by the tall, lean, and expressionless coach driver.