“If I’m going to cook and clean and wash for this family, I expect a few courtesies in return.”
“Such as?”
“I don’t expect to be ignored. I don’t presume to tell anyone what to say, but Good day will do when nothing else comes to mind.
“Secondly, I expect each of you to wash and change your shirt before you come to the table. You expect the food to be fresh and good-smelling. I don’t see why you can’t be, too.”
“You’ve got to be crazy,” Monty protested. “I’m worn to the bone when I get in. I don’t have time for washing and changing my shirt.”
“Nor does he have a clean shirt,” Hen added in an under-voice.
Monty gave his brother an evil look but said nothing.
“Any more requests?”
“Yes. I expect everyone to remain standing until I’m seated. And wait for the blessing before they eat. After that, the food will be passed to the right so everyone can have their chance at each dish without reaching across the table or yelling. You will eat with the manners I’m sure you were taught. And the dogs will be left outside.”
“I’m not sitting still for that,” Monty exploded.
“I told you not to bring a woman here,” Tyler said. “I don’t mind doing the cooking.”
“But we mind doing the eating,” Jeff reminded him.
“The woman stays,” Monty said, “but she doesn’t rule the roost.”
“The woman has a name,” Rose snapped from between clenched teeth. “And if you wish to eat at this table again, you’ll learn what it is.”
“You voted to hire a housekeeper,” George said. “It’s up to you to make it work.”
Rose spun on her heel to face George. “You voted?”
“George kept telling us how he had to take responsibility for the family because he was the oldest,” Monty explained. “So Hen and I told him if he was so hot to be responsible, he could find somebody to keep the place clean. I don’t like taking orders from him, but an agreement is an agreement.”
“I feel the same,” George said, turning to Rose. “And you agreed to cook.”
“Not unless my conditions are met.”
His stare nearly unnerved her. She wanted to hide, say anything to make him look away, but she knew if she didn’t win now, she’d never win. Besides, the new look in his eyes had overcome the anger. It had softened it as well.
“Politeness, good manners, and a wash before coming to the table,” George said.
“And the dogs left outside,” Rose added. She wasn’t satisfied with George’s condensation of her expectations, but she didn’t want to push the point too far. She wanted a good deal more, and at the moment she was mad enough to do just about anything to get it. Still, it might be better if she got an agreement in principle now and worked on the details later.
“What about tonight?” Monty asked. “I’m still hungry.”
Rose started to refuse, but one look at George changed her mind. It seemed he intended to consider her demands, but he clearly expected food in the end.
“If you’ll sweep up this mess, I’ll see if I can’t get something ready in about an hour.”
“Us!” Tyler exploded. “You threw it on the floor.”
“Not much left to sweep up,” Hen observed. “At least the dogs have a full stomach.”
“If I have to clean up this mess, they’ll be the only ones with a full stomach.”
Monty. He had the worst temper.
“I don’t think we began very well,” George said, the look in his eyes more intense. “I suggest we start over again and attempt to forget this.”
“I’ll not forget it, and I’ll not clean up her mess,” Monty insisted.
“You’ll do both,” George said, “or you won’t eat.”
Their gazes locked, two strong men, two stubborn men. Monty didn’t look away, but he made no move to defy George.
“We’ve been inexcusably rude,” George stated, looking from one to the other. “I, unfortunately, have been the rudest of all. How can I expect you to be polite to Rose when I didn’t have the courtesy to introduce her to you?”
“They all started eating before you got here.”
Zac again. Rose couldn’t tell if he meant to placate George or accuse him of being slow to come to the table.
George ignored him.
“This is Rose Thornton,” George said. “From Austin. She has agreed to keep house for us. This is Thomas Jefferson Randolph,” he said, indicating the shyest of the Randolph boys. “Jeff and I fought together in Virginia. We don’t know what happened to James Madison Randolph, but you’ll know him when you see him. He looks like a cross between me and Zac. The twins are James Monroe Randolph and William Henry Harrison Randolph. They took care of the ranch during the war. They’re a little wild, but they won’t leave you to stand alone. That sour-faced long drink of water is John Tyler Randolph. He doesn’t look like anybody. Doesn’t like much of anybody either. That little scamp making sure he’s on the right side of my temper—”