Joseph’s curiosity got the best of him, and he walked out and spoke to the young woman.
“Good afternoon, ma’am. Is someone meeting you? It’s rather cold out here. You could wait in the mercantile.”
The young woman shook her head, “Thank you, but no one is meeting me. I’m just trying to decide what to do.”
Joseph did his best to cheer the young woman. “It might be better to think inside where it’s warm. My name is Joseph, and I own the Belle Café across the road. My sister works with me, and she made an apple pie this morning. I think a slice and a cup of coffee or tea might help whatever is bothering you.”
When the young woman looked up at him, her blue eyes glistened with unshed tears, and Joseph’s heart skipped a beat. She took his breath away, and she was either in trouble or distress. Either way, he vowed to help her.
“Thank you, my name is Holly Martin and tea sounds lovely.”
Joseph bent over to pick up Holly’s small trunk saying, “Allow me. We can set this inside the café while you have some pie and tea.”
Holly smiled as she picked up her carpet bag and followed Joseph across the road. The café looked inviting with its red checkered window curtains and Holly shivered when the warm air hit her face. She hadn’t realized the stagecoach ride was as cold as it was until she felt the heat of the café surround her.
Joseph walked toward the back of the café and set Holly’s trunk in a corner near the kitchen and called out, “Charity, I’m back. We have a guest. Can you bring tea and pie, please?”
A bright voice answered, “In a minute, Joseph.”
Joseph turned to Holly, “Please allow me to hang up your coat, and you can sit and warm up.”
“Thank you,” Holly replied as Joseph took her coat and hung it on a hook near the front door.
A few moments later, a young woman with hair the color of spun gold to match her brother’s entered the dining area with a teapot and two cups.
As she set the pot and cups on the table, Joseph said, “Charity, this is Holly. She just arrived in town. Why don’t you sit down and take a break? You can tell her about Belle while I bring in more firewood. The temperature is dropping rather fast this afternoon.”
Joseph left before either Charity or Holly could say a word. Charity smiled and shook her head. “Joseph is a man of few words. Welcome to Belle,” Charity said as she poured two cups of tea. “I’ll be right back with pie.”
When Charity set down two plates with apple pie and took a seat across from Holly, both began to speak at the same time. They laughed and smiled at each other.
“Please, you speak first. I really need some of this tea,” Holly explained just before sipping her tea.
Charity nodded. “It seems Joseph has decided that I should be the one to welcome you. As I said, he doesn’t talk a lot, but I make up for both of us. Belle is a wonderful place to live, but then I assume you must know that, or you wouldn’t be here. Are you expecting someone to pick you up?”
Holly shook her head and did her best not to let her feelings show but must have done a poor job when Charity said, “Is something wrong? You look a bit pale.”
After a few more minutes of chatting, Holly felt she needed to trust someone, and Charity seemed accommodating. Holly began to tell her story of why she arrived in Belle and before she was through both young women had tears in their eyes.
“I’m so sorry you were treated that way,” Charity said and assured Holly she was welcome. “We don’t have a seamstress in town, and an older widow lady does some of the mending for those who can’t or the men who don’t know how. Perhaps you could help her. Until that or if it doesn’t pay enough you could help out here.”
“Oh no, I couldn’t,” Holly stammered. “I can’t take work away from you or Joseph. You are too kind.”
“It’s not kindness, I suppose it’s more selfish,” Charity confessed. “I’m a widow, and I have two young children. I help Joseph here at the café because he needs the help, but I would rather spend the time with my children.”
Holly’s hand flew to her chest. “You’re so young to be a widow. How old are your children?”
“They are two and four, and I feel I could teach them better than if they stay with old Miss Barber, the retired schoolmistress. She’s kind, but they tire her out quickly.”
“I imagine they would, but I still don’t feel that it would be right to take your job.”
Charity smiled, “Let me explain. Our parents died when I was sixteen from a fever. Joseph is a year younger than me, and we both did all we could to support ourselves along with the small amount of money our parents left. Our parents owned a home here in town and the pastor at the time and his wife watched over us. The townsfolks helped, and we managed to make
