He saw her glance around again and stepped forward. Her face brightened and she waved. He smiled and waved back feeling much happier now that he had decided he could give both of them time to really get to know each other.
Women really aren't that different from fillies. You just have to let them get to know you and be gentle with them if you want them to cooperate with you. And most mares have ways of gentling their stallions, he chuckled to himself as he walked toward Sam and Barbara and the others.
~~~
“There you are, Billy!” called Barbara. “I thought you had gotten lost or something.”
Sam and Billy exchanged looks which said to each other so clearly “city-slicker.” As if either of them didn’t know how to navigate in this country.
But he really couldn't blame Sam for wanting to know Barbara better. She's so beautiful. Still, he really hoped she liked him better than Sam.
CHAPTER 28 – Courtship
Before leaving the picnic, Dorothy and her sister Mary had decided Billy should be the one to drive Barbara and Emilene to visit. They were delighted when arrangements were agreed upon and, with the blessing of Mother Evangeline and the other orphans, Barbara and Emilene moved in with the Coopers, into their spare bedroom.
First Steps in the Campaign
As the ladies endeavored to turn their dressmaking talents into a going business, Billy remained the patient courtier. He had laughed heartily when Sam regaled him with the opening salvo in his campaign for Anna’s heart, finally realizing he’d been foolish to be so jealous.
Now Billy mounted his own campaign, making it a point to drop by regularly after supper to take Barbara for walks and buggy rides. He also made good on the offer of riding lessons.
Tired of seeing him waiting in the yard for them to finish dinner, Dorothy had started inviting him to dine with them.
~~~
Barbara had learned the basics of cooking, at the orphanage, but under Dorothy’s and Harmony’s tutelage she and Melody began to master some of the subtleties, such as timing the vegetables so they weren’t soggy or burnt by the time the meat was done.
“Miss Dorothy, this is one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten,” Billy complimented his hostess after a particularly fine meal of fried chicken with biscuits and gravy, pole beans, and an especially delicious berry pie.
“I believe that pie might even beat out one of Charlie Sue’s!”
Hearty laughter acknowledged his compliment.
“But, Billy,” Dorothy drawled, “didn’t you know that Barbara made this entire meal, including the pie?”
“And I helped with the pole beans,” Melody piped up, to more laughter.
“Well those were finest pole beans I ever did enjoy,” Billy gravely praised her, to more laughter.
Lessons
Billy had arrived early, as he often did, to give Barbara her riding lesson. It gave him a chance to play with Emilene. But today she was napping, so he just sat quietly to wait.
Barbara and Dorothy were busy working on a gown for Mrs. Swenson, the mayor’s wife. This was the first time Maybelle Swenson had agreed to have local hands touch her fabric.
“I think we will have to insert ourselves prior to her purchasing fabric from now on,” commented Barbara. “This is actually a rather cheap silk, and I’ll bet she overpaid for it.”
“So that’s why you decided to use the muslin backing in a double layer?”
“Yes indeed! I certainly got to learn a great deal about fine—and not so fine—fabrics going through donations from the ladies of the parish.”
While he couldn’t hear their words, he enjoyed listening to the ladies laughter. But as he was sitting there quietly, Melody came over with her slate and, propping her elbow on his knee and leaning her chin onto her propped hand, she gazed plaintively up at him and said, “Mr. Billy, can you help me with my school work?”
“Miss Melody, I would love to but I really cannot read,” he admitted, blushing a bit.
“I'm just a little girl, silly!” replied Melody. “You just call me ‘Melody.’ But you are an adult so I have to call you ‘Mr. Billy.’ And it is very sad that you cannot read. Let me teach you.”
Then she proceeded to do so.
Over the next several months, Billy always came over extra early for Barbara’s riding lessons and, after some play time with Emilene, he and Melody would disappear into the next room where she taught him his letters.
Now that he was older and less anxious to be outside working with the horses instead of cooped up in a schoolroom, he was able to concentrate and learned quite quickly.
Melody, the little minx, hadn’t really needed help with her homework. She was smart as a whip. However, she was bored and wanted a little masculine attention.
When she was younger she had declared her intention to marry her ‘Unca Charles,’ but was thwarted of her desire when she discovered he was her cousin. Mr. Billy wasn’t as old as Unca Charles, so he might be a better choice, but he was sweet on Miss Barbara. Still, he was always very nice to her, so she decided it was alright if Miss Barbara married him.
“I think you need to bring Miss Barbara some flowers,” she suggested one day.
“Oh you do, do you,” he laughed. “Well I just might.”
And on his next visit he was carrying not just one, but four posies of flowers. One for each of the ladies in the house. Dorothy and Barbara had accepted theirs with vocal pleasure and Harmony with a slight, shy “Thank you,” and blush.
But, thanking him prettily as she curtsied and accepted the bouquet, Melody gave him one of her patented eye rolls.
Billy laughed, and reached over and chucked
