The Unexpected Wife(52)
She shook her head. “That fancy dress was a cast-off from my cousin.”
“I’ve underestimated you. You are more than you seem. It’s been a long time since I’ve come home to supper and a clean home. The boys have never been happier. You fit here.”
Again no words of love. “I smooth people’s lives. That what I’ve always done best.”
“That’s why you worked in the kitchens.”
“After the trouble with Douglas and I realized my uncle had every right to throw me out, I decided to make myself so useful that they’d never want to send me away. And it worked. Everyone in my uncle’s social circle coveted my cooking skills. There was a pumpkin spice cake recipe that several fine ladies tried to buy from me.”
“You never sold it.”
“No. If I sold my recipes I could have been replaced.” Looking at him made her heart ache. Traitorous tears filled her eyes. “But I’m tired of just being useful. I want to know that if I got sick or I couldn’t work there’d be someone to take care of me. I won’t be just a convenience anymore.”
“I don’t want you to leave.”
She sighed. “I’ll stay until the end of the summer as I first promised.”
He frowned, frustrated that he couldn’t give her what she wanted.
“Thank you for trying, Mr. Barrington. But it’s best I leave.”
Over the next couple of days, Matthias continued to arrive home before dinner. He played with the boys and tried to stay near Abby. He found all kinds of fool excuses to talk to her, whether it was the boys, the weather or cattle prices.
She was always polite and answered his questions, but she kept her answers short and her guard up. By the third day, he was running out of excuses to talk to her.
To Matthias’s great relief, Holden arrived with his coach midafternoon on Friday. This time he carried three miners and a railroad executive. All the men ate their fill, and Abby was pleased to earn nearly five dollars for her meals. Reputation of her cooking was spreading like wildfire.
The men spent a good bit of time talking about beef and horses. The railroad was going to need both if it was going to bring a rail line up from Butte. With the railroad as a customer, Matthias would do more than break even this fall, he’d make one hell of a profit.
He should have been pleased by the development. After all, the lack of money had always been at the root of his worries. But even the promise of a hefty profit didn’t soothe the tightness in his gut. He was losing Abby and he didn’t know what to do.
Thirty minutes later, Matthias and Holden fastened the last of the buckles harnessing the horses to the coach.
“So how are things going with you and Abby?” Holden said as he rechecked the harness. “Abby seems extra quiet.”
Matthias shoved his hands in his pocket. “Tense.”
Holden shoved out a sigh. “Look, Matthias, I know we all sprung Miss Abby on you out of the blue. If things ain’t working out between you two then I can take her back into town with me.”
“No,” he said, surprised at the force in his voice. “We just need a little more time to work things out.”
Holden lifted an eyebrow. “So you’re glad we sent for her?”
“She’s one helluva complication.”
Holden lifted an eyebrow. “A good complication or a bad one? I’ve had my life complicated by women before and I’ve got to say it wasn’t all bad.”
“It’s not all bad.”
“What are you gonna do?”
“Hell, I don’t know. With Elise the love was there at first sight for both of us. Whatever is between Abby and me isn’t clear-cut or easy.”
Holden laughed. “Sometimes when you got to work for something you appreciate it more.” His gaze drifted past Matthias to Abby who was talking to three very attentive miners. “But you better work fast. There are a lot of men who’d marry her in a heartbeat.”
His gut coiled with hot jealousy as he watched a miner kiss her hand. “What the hell can I do?”
Holden scratched his chin. “For starters, I’d bring her into town for the Fourth of July picnic.”
“Holden, I’ve got more work than I can shake a stick at. I can’t spare two days.”
Holden shrugged. “If you want to keep Abby you better consider it.”
He didn’t want to lose Abby. “What difference will a picnic make?”
Holden laid his hand on Matthias’s shoulder. “Think about it. Women love social gatherings. Mrs. Clements and the other two women in the valley will be there. And you know how women like to talk. There’ll be music, dancing and I bet Mrs. Clements would be happy to watch the boys for the night so you two could get a little privacy.”