Reverie (Hollow Hearts Book 1) (10 page)

Isaac knew he was being somewhat irrational. But he couldn’t contain the anger he felt when he saw his brother with his arms wrapped around Hetty. And he couldn’t deny the full force of the jealousy that bubbled under his skin when he saw how comfortable the two of them looked together, alone, under the night sky.

“I thought…I thought that you and I…” He paused. “Listen to me, Hetty. Whatever you say it was doesn’t excuse the fact that it was inappropriate. You work here. You work for this family. I admit you’ve done a lot for my mother, but I won’t have you crossing lines. Are we clear?” A feeling of regret immediately washed through him.

Isaac felt Hetty recoil at the harshness of his words. This was not the man he was. He wanted her to know the kind man who’d listened to her in the early morning hours. He wanted her to see the man who was grateful for her help with his family. Not the man in front of her – so full of anger. He didn’t want to be the irrational man he’d just shown her, but seeing her hugging his brother sent fire through his veins.

“I understand...sir,” she said quietly.

Isaac turned on his heels and retreated to his room. What had come over him? He immediately regretted every word he’d just spoken to the woman he was falling for. He knew he couldn’t undo what had just transpired on the porch, and he wished he’d just controlled his anger. But maybe it was for the best. He didn’t want to develop feelings for Hetty, and he pretty much just ensured that their relationship would remain strictly professional.

The morning of the Wheeler apple festival dawned with grey clouds and bitter cold moving through the air. Hetty prayed the rain would hold off and the festivities would not be interrupted. She’d been so busy the last couple days making sure everything was set for friends and neighbors to descend on the farm. She and Lottie had spent hours walking through the orchard placing baskets at different locations so the men harvesting the apples could move at a good pace. She’d worked with Elizabeth to plan a setup for the food and drinks the neighbors would bring with them. Chairs and tables were set up in the yard, and all that was left was to cover them with tablecloths and arrange the small centerpieces she’d put together with foliage found around the ranch. Hetty couldn’t deny her excitement for the day. If only she could shake the terrible memory of Isaac’s hateful words from the other night. What had come over him?

Isaac hadn’t spoken a word to Hetty since their conversation on the porch the other night. Of course she hadn’t gone out of her way to speak to him either. She’d kept her head down, completed her work, and retired to her room as soon as she was able each evening. Elizabeth even questioned Hetty, curious if she was working too hard, but Hetty assured her whatever was going on could be cured with a good night’s rest. She didn’t dare tell Elizabeth how Isaac had treated her. It wasn’t her business and, truth be told, she was rather embarrassed about the whole thing.

With one last sigh Hetty rose from her bed. She washed her face, dressed quickly in her nicest work dress, and took an extra moment to brush her brown waves before securing her hair in a braid that would last through the day’s excitement. She reached for a clean apron from the pantry on her way to the kitchen and began the day’s breakfast routine. Festival or no festival, the Wheeler family needed to be fed.

Isaac sat and let the stillness of the barn wash over him. He’d sneaked out of the house early this morning as he’d done for the last couple of days. He’d skipped breakfast in an effort to avoid as much contact with Hetty as possible. His stomach grumbled, but he tried to ignore the ache. Oh, how he’d love some of her hot, buttery pancakes. He’d wash it down with a steaming cup of coffee—strong and black—just the way she knew to make it. The kitchen would be warm and inviting, the fire causing Hetty to perspire as she moved through her morning routine. She’d hum to herself as she brought him coffee. He’d catch her winking at Lottie as she poured a bit of extra syrup on her plate. She’d listen intently to Elizabeth’s suggestions and she’d genuinely laugh at Elias’s attempts to joke around.

She blends in
, he thought.
Why did I have to attack her like I did?
Isaac replayed the whole scenario over and over again, and he still couldn’t justify his poor behavior. He knew she hadn’t done anything wrong on the porch that night. It wasn’t in her nature. She was as proper and pure as he’d ever seen in a woman. Her first concern when accepting the job was how appropriate it would be to live on the ranch even with Elizabeth as a chaperone. Why had he thought, even for a moment, that she was crossing a line with his brother? He knew better.

Isaac ran his fingers through his thick hair. It was jealousy and fear. Plain and simple. He’d seen what appeared to be a tender moment between Hetty and Elias, and his mind snapped. He couldn’t control the envy pouring through him, the anger at his brother, and the fear that Hetty was possibly no different from Rachel. His self-inflicted penance had been to avoid her. Avoid the house. Avoid the family. But he knew he couldn’t keep up the avoidance. Not only did Hetty deserve an apology, but the ranch would soon overflow with friends and neighbors harvesting the apple crop and engaging in the season’s best fellowship, and he needed to make things right.
But how?

He needed to tell her the truth.

Hetty smiled and watched the many children run and play in the yard of the ranch house. Their giggles filled the air and Jasper soaked up each and every bit of attention they paid him. Women chatted and tended to the occasional scratch or scrape. They adjusted hats, re-tied scarves, and used their motherly words to ward off a scuffle or two. The tables in the front yard overflowed with so much delicious food. The cakes, pies, breads, stews, roasts, and vegetables created a wonderful aroma and added a pleasant atmosphere to the day despite the cold. Asking everyone to bring a dish to share created an abundance of homemade goods soon to be enjoyed by everyone.

The men were busy in the orchard. They’d filled many baskets and bushels with the year’s harvest, and every wagon in the yard held its share of the bounty. Hetty imagined there would be pies and cobblers being made all over town over the next few days. She watched Doc Winters work the apple cider press, and she noticed Elizabeth enjoying what seemed to be a delightful conversation with the man while he worked.

“Hetty, you’ve done such a wonderful job organizing the day!” Sarah Morris, the wife of a neighboring farmer, said to Hetty as she pulled her into a gentle hug.

“Thank you. I wanted to be sure Elizabeth could enjoy the harvest this year even though her health hasn’t been the best.”

“It’s a good thing you came along when you did. I tried to come over and help when I could, but with my own chores and the four little ones, it was nearly impossible.” Sarah rubbed her swollen belly and smiled. “And things are about to get busier when this little one makes an appearance.”

Hetty laughed. “Busy, yes, but you love it don’t you?”

“More than you could imagine,” Sarah whispered.

Hetty envied the joy mixed with exhaustion she saw in Sarah’s eyes. Her husband, Roger, was a quiet and kind man she’d seen in town a few times over the years, but this was the first chance she’d had to get to know them and enjoy their company. They were good people—kind and caring and completely in love with one another. Roger had come over to check on Sarah several times, making sure she was taking time to sit and rest.
He always worries over me when I’m with child,
Sarah mentioned to Hetty earlier, and it was clear that the man doted on his sweet wife.

Hetty recognized several families from church including Maggie and David Sawyer, who had adopted a young boy from the orphanage just before Hetty left to work with Mrs. Calhoun. She remembered caring for young Matthew when he was an infant and to see him now, healthy, happy, and growing like a weed, touched her heart. Maggie sat under the nearby shade tree with her newest child nestled in her lap. Matthew regularly left the other children to their play so he could make a quick run to kiss his new baby sister.

Mr. Davis from the mercantile had joined the festivities this year, though several folks had told Hetty that he usually didn’t attend. With his grandson back in town to help with the store, he’d been able to join in harvesting the apples for the first time since his wife, Dotty, had passed away. Hetty watched him laugh and even attempt to chase some of the children, much to their delight. It was good to see so many members of the community celebrating together.

“I see some of the men coming in from the orchard. Perhaps we should go ahead and feed the children so we can eat with them when they’re ready.” Elizabeth came up behind Hetty.

“Of course. I’ll go and tell the children if you’ll let the mothers know to help the younger ones,” Hetty said before she turned toward the group of children huddled around a bug of some description on the ground.

Within minutes the food tables were surrounded and the noise level rising as mothers helped their young ones fix plates and find seats on nearby quilts. The sky stayed grey and, despite the chill in the air, the weather held steady. Hetty motioned to Elizabeth to sit while she helped Lottie fix a plate of fried chicken, green beans, and potato salad. She promised the child a piece of cake if she ate a good dinner and helped her balance her plate while she located the perfect spot on the quilt next to Sarah and Roger’s youngest daughter, Caroline. When she knew Lottie was settled, Hetty returned to straighten up the food table and bring out several fresh platters of fried chicken she’d kept warm in the house. The men would soon devour the majority of the food. As she set the platters on the table she noticed Isaac standing nearby in deep conversation with Elias and several other men.

Hetty wanted to look away, but she couldn’t. He’d successfully avoided her for two days and she missed him. She couldn’t deny that she longed to see that kind smile at the breakfast table or those dark eyes focus on her as he listened intently to whatever she said. A hand rested on his firm hips while the other adjusted his hat. She caught a glimpse of his dark waves, sending shivers into the pit of her stomach. Truth be told she didn’t want Isaac to think anything had happened between her and Elias. She wasn’t sure she ever wanted him to know the feelings he caused within her, but she certainly didn’t want him to think she was taking advantage of his family. They were amazing and wonderful, but deep down Hetty knew she wasn’t worthy of a family like this, a fact Catherine reminded her of so many times growing up. 

Isaac glanced around at his neighbors when his eyes landed on Hetty. There she was, making sure everyone else was taken care of before she’d allow herself to enjoy the day. But there was a sadness about her. Surely caused by his harsh words.
I should go over and talk to her
, he thought.
I should apologize
.
I should ask her what I can do to make up for my terrible behavior.
Just as he was about to excuse himself from yet another conversation about cattle, he noticed a young man approach Hetty.

“Excuse me, Miss Hetty?”

“Oh, Joshua. It’s good to see you!” she smiled at the young man.

“I’m glad I could come today.”

“I imagine it can be difficult to get away from your duties at the livery. Did you close for the day so you could join us?”

“No. I got a kid from town to watch over things for me for a bit. I wanted to help today. Ma would kill me if I didn’t bring her some of the famous Wheeler apples. She is already planning pies.”

Hetty smiled at Joshua. She’d known him for a while, a gentle man who handled the horses for Mrs. Calhoun on more than one occasion.  While he didn’t advertise taxi services, he’d assisted Mrs. Calhoun several times when Sol was unavailable to take her on her many social calls. He was a nice man—young, but very hardworking, having taken over the livery from his father just last year. He was handsome in a boyish way, still retaining the same youthful looks she’d expect to see on a young boy. Despite being 22 he didn’t look much older than 16.

“Have you eaten, Joshua? There’s plenty of food,” she asked him.

“I’ll eat in a minute. I actually wondered if I might ask you something if this is a good time.”

Hetty looked around and noticed the rest of the crowd had descended on the food. The children were finishing and resuming their play with only a few curling up on the quilts for an afternoon rest. The cider press was going strong under the skilled hands of Doc Winters. Laughter and conversation filled the air, and Hetty took a relieving breath that everyone seemed to be having a good time. Soon the music and games would begin and the first batch of cider would be passed around.

“Now is as good a time as any.” She smiled.

“Well,” he said, nervously wiping his palms on his jeans. “I was wondering if you’d like to take a drive with me tomorrow after church.”

Hetty was surprised by his question. It wasn’t what she expected him to ask at all. She thought maybe he’d ask about Mrs. Calhoun’s horse he was tending in her absence or if she’d received word that they’d arrived in Philadelphia safely, but not this. She stole a quick glance at Isaac, now devouring a full plate of food. He’d made it clear to her she was just an employee. Whatever moments they’d shared in the early morning hours in the kitchen didn’t mean anything to him. And perhaps they shouldn’t mean anything to her either. Joshua was a nice man. And she’d be lucky to get to know him more.