“You folks make yourself comfortable while I finish supper.” She waved them toward the table, covered with a blue-flowered oilcloth, and opened the oven door to release the aroma of roasting meat.
No one seemed inclined to sit.
Nate wanted to ease Louise toward a bench, but she walked back and forth behind the table as if feeling the need to stretch her legs.
She turned, saw him regarding her and gave a wide smile, meant, no doubt, to reassure him.
He smiled back, hoping he hid his worry.
She stretched her arms overhead and sighed. “It’s good to be out of the stagecoach for a few hours. Something about the swaying and jerking doesn’t agree with me.”
The words were for his sake, but there was a general sense of relief.
Missy hung up her coat and scarf, and did the same for Louise.
Miss Rolfe joined Phil at the stove. “Can I help you with anything?”
“Can you make gravy?”
Miss Rolfe chuckled. “I can do most anything.”
Dutch headed for the door. “Anyone want to help with the animals?”
“I’ll be right along,” Phil said.
Dutch waved aside her offer. “No need. These men are all good at helping.”
Gabe and Archie trotted after the man. After a moment’s hesitation, Nate turned to follow, but Sam sat watching Phil.
Nate nudged him. “You coming?”
Sam jolted. “Huh?”
“We’re going to feed and bed the animals.”
“Right.” Sam followed, paused at the door to look back.
Nate chuckled. “Phil’s a good-looking woman.”
“Yeah.”
“Strong and independent, too, to run a stopping house by herself.”
“Yeah.”
Nate chuckled. Sam seemed to have lost the ability to talk.
When they reached the barn, Sam unsaddled Nate’s horse. He hung it over the rack provided and stared at the wall before him, seeming to be wrapped in a daydream.
Nate grinned as he found a curry brush and tended the horse while the Adamses helped Dutch with the bigger horses.
“Sure glad we got here in good time,” Archie said, pausing between tossing forkfuls of hay to the animals. “Your wife is mighty close.”
Nate continued brushing. “She says it’s only from bouncing around.”
“Could be. But things like that tend to speed up the process.”
“How long do you think it will take?”
Archie shrugged. “That’s impossible to guess. Each woman, each baby, is different. It takes however long it takes.”
That was hardly reassuring, especially for Louise’s sake. The few pains he’d been aware of made him want to stop the process entirely. He didn’t want to see her in pain, hear her gasping.
They finished the chores and hurried back to the house. Funny, it was the first time he’d thought of one of the way stations as a real house. Guess that’s what a woman’s touch did to a place.
His thoughts went to the little cabin on the piece of land he hoped to acquire. He hadn’t given the dwelling much thought. Mostly his plans had focused on growing a herd of cows and horses. But wouldn’t it be nice to come home to a place more like this stopping house and less like Dusty’s? Maybe he could clean up the cabin he was about to purchase and even add a room.
Whoa. He put an instant stop to the direction of his thoughts. There was no need for adding more space. What he had would be good enough for just him.
Indoors, the women all bustled about the kitchen. Miss Rolfe stirred something on the stove. Missy set the table. Louise sliced a golden loaf of bread while Phil took care of the roast.
Louise looked up as the men entered. Her gaze searched for Nate and latched on to his eyes when she found him, seeking something from him. He couldn’t say what she sought, but he met her look for look, offering strength, encouragement and promises he didn’t have the right to give.
He understood the terms of their marriage as well as she. But he had to admit he was growing to like the idea of having her as his wife.
“It’s all ready, thanks to help from these ladies,” Phil said as the women carried platters and bowls to the table. “Please sit down. I’m sorry I only have benches for you. Someday I hope to have regular chairs.”