The Touch of Sage (5 page)

Still, he couldn
’
t stop the chuckle rising
in
his throat as he thought of the chaos the dog created at the door.
Tangled up in the rope, lying on top of him out on the front
porch for all the world to see—
what a sight it must have been to anyone watching.
No doubt she would wring the dog
’
s neck when he came home.
Reb felt guilty for finding amusement and pleasure in Sage Willows
’s obvious embarrassment—though n
ot guilty enoug
h to stifle another chuckle
.

“
Well, hello!
”
came a voice from behind him.
Reb t
urned to see three older ladies—
each sweet, elderly face beaming with an impish smile.

“
Look who
’
s come to visit, gals,
”
the shorter one said.
Reb thought she had too much color in her cheeks for her age.

“
That ain
’
t a visitor, Livie,
”
another said.
“
That there
’
s dessert!
”

Holding her skirt and petticoats, Sage hurried up the stairs to the second floor, all the time shaking her head as embarrassment from the display at the front door began to envelop her.
How mortifying!
That dog!
What a sight she must
’
ve been to Eugenia
’s nephew—
answering the
door covered in flour, B
ullet taking her to the porch boards.
A bleeding lip, for pity
’
s sake!
It could not have been a worse introduction.
And why hadn
’
t Eugenia told her about her nephew
’s
appearance?
It certainly would
’
ve helped to have been forewarned.
Then maybe she could
’
ve stop
ped staring at him—
her mouth hanging open like a trout!

Sage had reconciled herself long ago to the fact that if ever she did marry,
it would be an older man—
perhaps a widower.
Certainly not a handsome young man the likes of who
just stepped into the boarding house. Still, an
attractive m
a
n entirely unnerved her
—
whether or not she saw such a man as out of her reach.

“
Miss Eugenia,
”
Sage said, knocking on the woman
’
s bedroom door.

“
Yes, dear?
”
came Eugenia
’
s sweet voice.
She opened the door to her bedroom and gasped as she saw Sage.
“
Oh, my dear!
”
she exclaimed, reaching out and taking Sage
’
s chin in her hand to study the wound at the side of her mouth.
“
What on earth happened?
”

Shaking her head, indicating the wound was of no consequence, Sage said,
“
Your nephew is here.
”

Instantly, Eugenia
’
s eyes lit up.
“
Reb?
”
she squealed, clapping her hands together.
“
He
’
s here already?
”

“
Yes, and
—”
Sage began.

“
Land
’
s sakes!
Why didn
’
t he send a telegram first?
”
Eugenia said
,
taking hold of Sage
’
s hand and pulling her along behind as she fairly scampered down the stairs.
“
Oh, I can
’
t believe he
’
s actually here!
”
Pausing
,
Eugenia looked to Sage, an impish smile curling the corners of her mouth.
“
Isn
’
t he the handsomest thing you ever did lay eyes on, Sage?
”

Sage couldn
’
t help but smile at Eugenia
’
s pride in her nephew.
After all, such an attractive relative was worth being proud of.

“
Yes, Miss Eugenia,
”
Sage admitted.
“
He
’
s very handsome.
”

Eugenia giggled like a schoolgirl and returned to her descent of the staircase.
“
And we better get down there before Rose has him cornered and kissin
’
!
”

Sage stumbled once as Eugenia pulled her down the stairs and into the parlor.
The scene
that
met them there was nothing less than comical!
Instantly, Sage felt sympathy for Mr. Mitchell as she saw him bac
ked up against one parlor wall—
Mary firing questions at
him with the speed of a rifle, Rose
toying with the button of one of his shirtsleeves
,
and Livie clasping his free hand adoringly.
Still, she couldn
’
t stop a quiet giggle from escaping at the surprised look on the man
’s face. Eyebrows raised and
eyes wide, Reb Mitchell had obviously never dealt with the likes of the Willow
s’
s Boarding House widows.

“
How old are ya then, boy?
”
Mary was asking, a characteristic frown of suspicion wrinkling her already wrinkled forehead.

“
Twenty-six, ma
’
am,
”
Reb stammered a moment before liberation arrived in the sound of Eugenia
’
s voice.

“
Reb!
”
Eugenia exclaimed.
“
Rebel Lee Mitchell!
You angel!
Why didn
’
t you send a telegram and let me know you were comin
’
?
”

Sage giggled again as she saw the man exhale
,
relieved as the other three women in the room stepped away f
rom him,
allowing his aunt to capture him in a loving embrace.

“
Thought I
’
d just send myself instead, Auntie,
”
the man chuckled.

“
I see you
’
ve met my friends,
”
Eugenia said, once they ended their embrace.

The thought traveled through Sage
’
s mind,
How wonderful it must feel to hug him
.
But cle
nching her teeth tightly, she quickly drove the notion from her mind.

“Well,
in a manner of speakin
’
, I guess,
”
Reb chuckled.

“
Then let
’
s be proper,
”
Eugenia said.
Pointing to Rose
,
she said,
“
Mrs. Rose Applewhite…my nephew…rather my
grand-nephew
, Reb Mitchell.
”

Rose curtsied saying,
“
A pleasure, Mr. Mitchell.
”

“
Ma
’
am,
”
Reb said, nodding a greeting.

Eugenia smiled and gestured to Mary,
“
Mrs. Mary Farthen…Reb Mitchell.
”

Mary reached out and gripped the man
’
s hand in a firm shake.
“
Reb,
”
she mumbled.

“
Mrs. Farthen,
”
Reb
said,
returning her firm grip.

“
I
’
m Livie Jonesburg,
”
Livie interrupted, too impatient to wait her turn.
Taking the man
’
s hand
,
she added,
“
And I
’
m delighted to have you with us.
”

“
I
’
m glad to be here, ma
’
am,
”
Reb chuckled.

“
And I guess you
’
ve already met our Sage,
”
Eugenia said, pushing Sage forward.

“
Miss Willows,
”
Reb said nodding.
Sage smiled and took the hand he offer
ed, shaking it firmly. T
he heat from his hand again traveled the length of her arm, pooling warm and sweet in her bosom.

“
Met the dog too,
”
he added, smiling at Sage.
“
He gave Miss Willows here a bit of a run fer her money.
”

“
That why yer lip
’
s bleedin
’
, Sage?
”
Mary grumbled.
“
I wondered what on earth all that racket was a minute ago.
Where
’
s that mutt now?
”

Sage sighed.
“
I suspect he
’
s out visitin
’
Mr. Simmons
’s
lady dog,
”
Sage told them.

Mary chuckled as
Rose
and Livie shook their heads.
“
We
’
ll then…I suppose ol
’
Forest
will be over any minute now to propose marriage to ya again.
”
Sage blushed furiously as Reb looked at her, one eyebrow arched with curiosity.

“
Again?
”
Reb asked.

Sage felt her fingers fiddling nervously with her collar button as he looked at her, waiting for an explanation.
But her mouth was dry, her face hot
,
and she couldn
’
t say a word.

“
Ol’
Forest Simmons has less teeth in his head than a gray gander
,
and he
’
s always lookin
’
for a reason to propose to Sage,
”
Eugenia explained.

“
Biscuits are ready,
”
Sage announced abruptly, thankful for the aroma of hot biscuits
giving
her an excuse to change the subject.
“
Have you had breakfast yet, Mr. Mitchell?
”
she asked.

“
Call me Reb,
”
he instructed.
“
And no…I haven
’
t.
”

“Well then,
you have to have some of Sage
’
s biscuits!
They
’
re divine!
”
Rose
told him, taking his arm and leading him from the parlor and toward the kitchen.

Sage smiled as Livie took his free arm and added,
“
And with a little bit of honey…you
’
ve never tasted anything so sweet.
”

“
Oh, for Pete
’
s sake,
”
Mary grumbled, following the others to the kitchen.
“
You all quit a
-
slobberin
’
over the boy.
Ya look like a pack a hungry hounds.
”

“
Oh, you hush, Mary,
”
Rose
told her.
“
There
’
s enough of this boy to go around.
You
’
ll get your turn.
”