Lizzie winced. Not that she hadn’t been fully aware, she’d just chosen not to bother giving it much thought.
If she ever saw Minnie again, she’d apologize profusely.
At least she’d given her a bracelet. If she ever got in a pinch, the money from the bracelet would go a long way. She just hoped her friend, or the closest thing she’d had to one, never had to do that.
Once she’d understood, Posey had been happy to help. Posey seemed happy to do just about anything. Lizzie had even taken to checking the mail on the days when she knew Posey would be working at the post office. It gave her a chance to get out and Posey always introduced her to new people.
On one visit, when the post office was quiet, Posey had told Lizzie about seeing her letters to Mr. Foreman and assuming they were for her husband, Jake, who was the foreman at Windy River Ranch. She could feel Posey’s sadness and hurt as she told the story of being sure Jake loved another but they’d both laughed hard in the end. She also explained about the two girls who had been getting on the train, including the one who’d flung her bag into Lizzie’s side, and why they were being sent away.
Who knew that her letters to Matt would cause such an uproar in town?
They’d certainly changed her life.
And now, she had made her very first venison stew.
To her, the bubbling pot represented one of her finest accomplishments. Certainly she could dance and play the piano and stitch an elaborate embroidery pattern but none of that could feed and nourish her man.
The small house was tidy after an afternoon spent cleaning. Somehow having a clean house was much more satisfying when she’d done the work herself. She’d spent her life in a spotlessly clean house and she’d never appreciated the work of the many people who made that possible. As she’d been scrubbing the floor earlier, she thought about Suzie, the youngest maid who had the job of cleaning the grates in the fireplaces. Lizzie couldn’t even say for sure how many there were in the massive home, but after cleaning the hearth and stove of her home in Juniper Junction, she considered what life must be like for little Suzie and she shuddered. Shame and guilt washed over her.
She’d simply pulled the bell cord and someone showed up to respond to her every whim.
And none of it meant as much to her as the pot of venison stew.
When she heard the front door open, she hurried to greet her husband and welcome him home. Arriving at the door before he did, she opened it and waited for him on the porch. She paused for a moment as she watched him dismount Zelda, his horse. She waved at the neighbors across the street and enjoyed the feel of the warm afternoon sun on her face.
What was that sensation permeating her body?
Contentment. Satisfaction. Happiness.
She joined Matt and walked with him to the back of their house where there was a small barn and corral which housed Zelda.
“How’s my girl?” he asked, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her in for a kiss that took her breath away.
When she was able, she responded. “I’m wonderful. How are you? How was your day at Windy River? Anything new out there?”
Though she hadn’t met any of the employees out there other than Jake, she was starting to feel like she knew them since Matt often regaled her with stories over dinner. Being new to the west and anything related to a ranch, she found it all fascinating. But mostly, she just liked to see the way his face lit up when he talked about the horses and the ranch. He had found his calling, that was evident.
Once Zelda was situated for the night, they were free to enjoy their evening.
“Mm. Something smells good. Did Posey bring dinner over again?” His eyes crinkled up as he smiled and gave her a swat on the backside that made her squeal and giggle.
“Matt!” She swatted at him, indignant. “I cooked dinner all by myself. Well, it is Posey’s recipe, but I made it.”
“I know you did, darlin’. You know I’m just teasing you.” He went to the sink and pumped some water to splash on his face before scrubbing his hands. Drying off with a towel, he turned to her, his eyes full of love. “I’m very proud of you, Lizzie. I hadn’t realized that a maid wouldn’t know how to cook. I guess in a fancy house like the one where you worked, there were people to do everything. I’ve heard tell that in some of those mansions, there’s even one person whose whole job is to light all the lamps and by the time they finish, it’s time to start turning them out. Is that true?”
The way he described it, it did sound foolish. Though they didn’t have anyone like that at the home of the Pendletons, she suspected Nevie Pettit likely had that sort of ostentatious show of wealth. “Well, that might be an exaggeration, but not by much.”
Matt sobered, taking hold of her by the upper arms and peering deep into her eyes. “Do you miss it? Living in a big house and having someone else do the cooking? Not to mention all the sights of a big city like St. Louis.”
“No, Matt,” she said with total honesty, “I don’t miss it one bit.”
* * *
“Oh my. That was a delicious dinner, Lizzie.” Matt reached for her hand as she stood up after their meal and pulled her to sit on his lap. “But now I need some dessert.”
Lizzie flushed. “I didn’t get a lesson in baking yet. I’m sorry. I guess we don’t really
