A Bride for Tom (3 page)

“If I didn’t take the gift, he would’ve been
hurt.”

“Maybe. But what will Peter think?”

She placed the hat in the box and took out a
barrette. Deciding to pull the sides of her hair back, she snapped
the barrette in place and brushed her hair so it fell slightly over
her shoulders. “You know what Peter will think. You heard him call
Tom a bumbling idiot,” she continued, her tone sharp. It still
bothered her that Peter said that.

“Granted, it was wrong for him to say that,
but he is your fiancé. You shouldn’t be accepting gifts from other
men and entertaining them when you’re already engaged. It’s not
proper.”

She sighed. “It’s just a lunch, Ma. It’s only
right that I give him something to eat and drink during the lunch
hour. Besides, you’re here. There will be no misconstruing the
situation.”

“You aren’t planning to make a habit of this,
are you?”

Jessica set the brush down by the box,
refusing to look her mother in the eye.

“Jessica?”

“I’m not thinking of a romantic attachment,
but I do think the poor man needs help. He can’t dance and he keeps
bumping into people. If I taught him how to be...less awkward...in
social situations, I’d be doing all women a favor. Who knows? Maybe
I can even find him a wife.”

“Peter’s really not going to like this.”

Jessica’s face flushed with anger. “Who
cares?”

Her mother gasped and put her hand up to her
mouth.

She groaned. “What I mean is that maybe it’s
time to show people like Peter and Margaret that Tom isn’t as
idiotic as they say.”

“You must be careful because if you’re not,
people will get the wrong idea.”

“Why do you think I’m telling you this? The
fact that you know what I’m doing is proof there’s nothing going
on.” She went to the door and opened it. “You’ll be with us at
lunch, and you can verify that everything we will discuss is
innocent. I’m thinking Tom might like some of those leftover pork
chops if we put some of that apple glaze on them.”

“That’s a fancy dish for lunch.”

“Look at all those things he gave me,” she
whispered, motioning to her dresser. “I don’t know how much he
spent, but it couldn’t have been easy for a farmer’s son to come up
with that kind of money.”

“We’ll have to give him some cake for
dessert, too. Though,” her mother stopped her before she could
leave, “you can’t accept any more gifts from him.”

“I won’t.”

As soon as Jessica and her mother arrived in
the parlor, Tom stood up from his chair. “Hello, Mrs. Reynolds,” he
greeted. He fiddled with the hat in his hands and shifted from one
foot to the other.

“Hello, Tom. That was a very lovely gesture
to give Jessica something because of the mishap.” She glanced at
Jessica. “I’ll get lunch prepared. Jessica, you should take Tom out
to the porch and keep him company while I get the food ready.”

“But I thought I was going to help,” Jessica
argued. Especially, since it was her idea to invite him to eat.

“And leave the boy bored? That won’t do. Go
on.”

“Alright.” She looked at Tom. “Would you like
to come back out to the porch?”

“Yes. Sure.” He placed the hat back on his
head and walked forward.

Jessica turned toward the front door when she
heard her mother gasp. She glanced back in time to see Tom trip on
the rug. He managed to steady himself but the rug pulled the small
table along the floor and sent the vase teetering. Her mother
caught the vase before it fell off the table. Clutching the
heirloom to her chest, she breathed an audible sigh of relief.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I...I didn’t realize
the edge of the rug was in front of the chair.” His face grew red.
“Well, I mean, I saw it, but then I took a step forward and my
foot-”

Her mother smiled. “That’s alright.
Everything is fine.” She set the vase back on the table and
smoothed the rug out. “See? It’s like it never happened.”

“Come on, Tom.” Jessica waved him forward as
she did a quick scan of the floor. It looked clear of any potential
obstacles. She decided it was best if she held the door open for
him. She realized that this wasn’t exactly how things were done,
but she didn’t want to take any chances with the porcelain
figurines on the shelf in the entryway.

Tom managed past her without incident.

Before Jessica could join him on the swing,
her mother gently tugged on her arm. “What is it?” Jessica
asked.

“Be careful,” her mother whispered.

“Why? There’s nothing out there that can
break.”

“That’s not why I said ‘be careful’.”

Just as Jessica was going to ask for clarity,
her mother turned and strode to the kitchen. She shrugged and
joined Tom on the swing.

Chapter Four

Tom watched as Jessica sat next to him. His
body warmed from their close proximity. He hoped she didn’t notice.
She was the prettiest young woman he’d ever seen. Part of him
couldn’t believe she was even talking to him. It almost seemed like
a dream, except in his dreams he wasn’t clumsy around females.

“It’s a nice day,” he said, trying to think
of something she might be interested in hearing. “It’s perfect
weather for September. Not too hot and not too cold.” He tapped his
thumb on his knee. “I guess it’s that time of year though. I mean,
now that August is gone, the hot days are pretty much behind
us.”

“Yes. And just think last week I had to wear
a shawl. I don’t think summer is over quite yet.”

“Probably not.” He was no good at making
small talk, and it didn’t help that he couldn’t think straight with
her being next to him. Here was his chance to make up for the
dance, and he was ruining it.

“I like the barrette. Did you notice I’m
wearing it?”

No, he hadn’t, but he shifted back so he
could see it and nodded. “It looks nice.” Good one, Tom. The
weather’s nice. She looks nice. Can’t you think of a better word
than ‘nice’?

“Everything you gave me is lovely.” She
glanced at her hands, which were neatly folded in her lap. “You do
know that you didn’t have to get me those things, right?”

He wasn’t sure. She’d looked so horrified
when she realized she would have to cut her hair that it reminded
him of his mother when she got so upset his father went right out
to get her a present to apologize for upsetting her. He figured it
wouldn’t hurt to try the same thing. And it hadn’t. In fact, it
seemed to work out great since she invited him for lunch.

“Anyway,” she continued, “just so you know
that when something happens and a girl gets upset with you for
something, you don’t have to spend money to make amends.”

“Oh. Alright,” he slowly responded, not sure
where she was going with this. Did she mean that she wasn’t
interested in him?

“So...when do you start digging up the
crops?”

He blinked. “You mean the harvest?”

“Yes, that’s the term. You’ll have to forgive
me. I don’t have many dealings with farmers or their sons.”

“But I’ve seen you a couple of times dancing
at the barn.”

“Because my friend Margaret doesn’t want to
go alone. She doesn’t have any sisters of courting age to go
with.”

He refrained from rolling his eyes. He wished
he could go alone. Having Dave and Jenny go along with him was like
having his personal journalist taking notes on everything he was
doing. Dave and Jenny had to come back home and tell everyone
everything that happened. Tom really had to get his own home.

Turning his attention back to Jessica, he
asked, “Was Margaret the one who cut your hair?”

“Yes.”

He recalled the angry brunette in vivid
detail. He thought fire was going to come out of her mouth. Some
women were too scary, but he decided to keep that thought to
himself.

A few moments of uncomfortable silence passed
before she spoke. “Would you like me to teach you how to
dance?”

He turned to her in interest. He’d hope to
see her again, but he hadn’t expected her to actually say yes when
he asked her. He wasn’t planning on asking her until after lunch
though. There was no sense in spoiling a meal if she said no. But
here she was asking him. Resisting the urge to leap off the swing
and holler his good fortune, he restrained his excitement enough to
simply reply, “Yes. That would be fine.”

She smiled. “When can you come out? I don’t
want to get in the way of harvesting. I hear farmers can spend all
day in the fields.”

“Well, we officially start in two weeks. I
can come any time before then.”

“Oh. Let’s see. I think three days from now
will work. What do you think?”

What did he think? He pinched himself. No. He
wasn’t dreaming. “Sure. When should I come by?”

“How about lunch? Or would supper work
better?”

“I can get away whenever. I’m sure my pa will
be alright with it.” He winced. That made him sound like a child
instead of a grown man who was ready to take on the responsibility
of his own farm and family. “What I mean is that I don’t think
whatever I have to do will be so pressing that I can’t get away.”
No. That really didn’t sound better. Well, maybe a little
better...but not a whole lot. “I’m an adult of course. I mean, it’s
not like my pa is still telling me what to do. I’m twenty. It’s
just that...” Oh great. Now he was rambling on like a moron.

“I understand what you’re saying. You just
want to be sure that if your pa needs help, you’re there to
assist.”

“Right.” Yes, that definitely sounded better.
Thank goodness she came up with the right words. “Three days from
today is good. Nothing’s going to happen that’ll be an
emergency.”

“Then I’ll have lunch ready at noon, and you
can stay and dance afterward.”

He nodded, struggling to remain seated so he
wouldn’t jump up for joy. He managed a slight grin, hoping it
looked like the kind of grin that someone would give when mildly
interested in something.

Her mother came out and announced that lunch
was ready.

He was relieved. He really couldn’t think of
what else to say, and he figured leaving the conversation with
Jessica on such a high note was perfect. Nothing could top this.
Nope. He was on top of the world.

***

“She’s what?” Tom repeated dumbly as Joel
broke out into a fit of laughter.

“Engaged,” Jenny repeated that evening as
they checked on the animals in the barn.

“But she can’t be engaged. She invited me to
go to her house to dance.”

Jenny shrugged and put the pail of milk next
to the cow she’d been milking. “I don’t know why she asked you over
there. I just stated a fact. She’s engaged. Peter James is marrying
her in December.”

Turning to Dave who chucked feed into the
horses’ troughs, he asked, “Did you know Jessica Reynolds was
engaged?”

Dave shook his head. “No. But I don’t keep
track of the local gossip.”

Jenny rolled her eyes. “It’s not gossip when
someone’s engaged. It’s a fact.”

“I don’t care who’s marrying who.”

“Sounds just like a man.”

“Look, I have better things to do than worry
about which girl is with which boy.”

“Well, when your time comes to find a wife,
you’ll care.”

Joel stood up from the floor that he’d been
rolling around—and laughing—on. He dusted the hay off of his pants.
“Hopefully, you’ll do a better job of paying attention than
Tom.”

“I didn’t see her with any men,” Tom snapped.
“And contrary to what everyone thinks, I work hard. I don’t get
much time to find out what is going on in town. Besides, why would
she dance with me if she was engaged?”

“Now that is a very good question,” Joel
agreed. “In fact, I often wonder why any woman would dance with you
at all.”

Jenny groaned and looked at Joel. “Aren’t you
supposed to be cleaning out the stalls?”

“I’m done,” Joel stated, puffing out his
chest with pride. “I did it all myself, too. I believe Tom was
supposed to help. In fact, I know it. And if he hadn’t been gone
all day doing who knows what with Miss Reynolds, I would’ve been
done sooner.”

Dave lowered his rake and glanced their way.
“Well, what did she say when you apologized?”

“Nothing!” Tom replied, realizing he sounded
harsher than he needed to. After all, Dave wasn’t the one who gave
him as much grief as Joel did. Still, what did Dave care? “I
thought you were too busy to concern yourself with gossip.”

“I take that to mean it didn’t turn out
good.” Then Dave set the rake down and picked up the feed for the
chickens before he left.

“I don’t know,” Joel slowly said. “You had a
goofy smile on your face when you first got here. Something
interesting happened.”

Tom frowned. “You needn’t concern yourself
with my affairs.”

Jenny picked up the milk pail. “Just so you
know, Pa wants you to check the loose latch on the cattle fence
before you go in for supper.”

He rolled his eyes. “I’ll do it.”

“Come on, Joel,” she told their younger
brother.

“I’m coming,” he called after her as she left
the building. Turning to Tom, he asked, “Will you tell me how to
handle women?”

“Why?” Tom asked.

He smirked. “Because I need to know what
women don’t like, and you’re a wealth of information on what men
should never do.”

Tom’s face grew red. He ran after his
brother, ready to chuck him right into the stall, but Joel was too
quick for him. Tom glowered at his siblings before he grabbed the
tools he needed to fix the fence. His good news wasn’t such great
news anymore. Now he felt like a fool. Here he thought that Jessica
wanted to see him again.

But if she was engaged, then why did she even
ask him to come back? Why did she care if he could dance well or
not? Maybe it was a joke. Maybe she, her fiancé and friends were
laughing at him right now. He grumbled as he stormed out of the
barn, ignoring the way Joel whispered something to Jenny and
laughed before he darted into the house.