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Authors: Elaine Manders
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Chapter 10
After changing clothes, Adela harvested the popcorn and hung the stalks in the rafters of the hayloft. When she returned to the house, the clanking of pots and pans told her Mrs. Calhoun was preparing lunch. She followed the noise.
Mrs. Calhoun stood at the stove stirring her stewpot. Adela ambled to her side and peeped inside. “Can I help you with anything?”
With a loud tap of the spoon against the side of the pot, Mrs. Calhoun sent an apprising glance at Adela. “Not a thing. It’s a good hour and a half before the men come in for lunch. I’m going over to the Lynstrum’s for a can of peaches. I’ve plumb run out and want to make a peach cobbler for supper.” She untied her apron as she spoke. “The stew’s just getting started. You could give it a stir now and then.”
Adela had another question, but Mrs. Calhoun was already out the back door. She took the apron Mrs. Calhoun had discarded and tied it on. If there wasn’t anything to be done in the kitchen, the parlor could certainly use some cleaning. She dipped out a pan of water from the reservoir. After slivering some soap into the water, she found a dish rag. She threw it across her shoulder, hefted the pan, and headed into the parlor.
She’d start with the windows. For some reason, the parlor windows had no curtains. That seemed odd, but it might be Mrs. Calhoun hadn’t gotten around to washing the windows. Adela could take care of that and maybe get in the good graces of her future mother-in-law as well.
Dust was a never ending problem out here, what with fields being plowed under for the winter. The windows were coated inside and out. She cleaned the windows inside and took her pan to the outside. After some searching, she found a short ladder by the side of the barn. With some stretching, she managed to reach the upper panes.
By the time she’d finished that, beads of sweat covered her forehead and upper lip. But the windows sparkled. She blotted her face with the corner of her apron and smiled with satisfaction. One didn’t accomplish anything without a little sweat.
Mrs. Calhoun still hadn’t returned, so Adela stirred the stew and fell to cleaning the furniture. It could stand a good rubbing with bees wax, but she didn’t know where, or if, it could be found, so she buffed the surfaces as best she could. She put away the clutter in the most obvious places and stood back to admire the room. Mrs. Calhoun and Byron would surely notice.
But they didn’t. In fact, no one went into the parlor at lunchtime. Byron mentioned he was going into town as they lifted their heads after the blessing.
“Wished I’d known that.” Mrs. Calhoun ladled stew into their bowls. “I had to go to Hilda Jane’s for a can of peaches.”
“I don’t usually go into town until Saturday, but Lem needs a part to fix the buggy, and Adela wants to do some shopping. Go ahead and make a list, Ma.”
Adela’s heart raced at the prospect of being alone with Byron. Also, she wanted to get the fabric to make some work dresses—and an apron. She realized she hadn’t taken off Mrs. Calhoun’s apron. “Do you have an apron pattern, Mrs. Calhoun? I’m going to buy some calico for a new dress. I brought my own dress patterns, but I’d like to sew up a couple of aprons as well.”
“You don’t need a pattern for an apron. Just cut the pieces like that one you have on.”
Adela laughed. “Oh, so I can. It should be simple enough.” She knew the men weren’t paying attention, but Mrs. Calhoun had again managed to make her feel foolish.
As the meal progressed, Byron and Lem got into a discussion about the broken buggy. Adela judged she’d just have enough time to visit the outhouse and grab her hat and money for shopping. She didn’t want Byron to have to wait for her. She excused herself before the rest had finished eating. “I’ll be waiting by the wagon.”
Chapter 11
Demurely seated several inches from Byron on the
Chapter 10
After changing clothes, Adela harvested the popcorn and hung the stalks in the rafters of the hayloft. When she returned to the house, the clanking of pots and pans told her Mrs. Calhoun was preparing lunch. She followed the noise.
Mrs. Calhoun stood at the stove stirring her stewpot. Adela ambled to her side and peeped inside. “Can I help you with anything?”
With a loud tap of the spoon against the side of the pot, Mrs. Calhoun sent an apprising glance at Adela. “Not a thing. It’s a good hour and a half before the men come in for lunch. I’m going over to the Lynstrum’s for a can of peaches. I’ve plumb run out and want to make a peach cobbler for supper.” She untied her apron as she spoke. “The stew’s just getting started. You could give it a stir now and then.”
Adela had another question, but Mrs. Calhoun was already out the back door. She took the apron Mrs. Calhoun had discarded and tied it on. If there wasn’t anything to be done in the kitchen, the parlor could certainly use some cleaning. She dipped out a pan of water from the reservoir. After slivering some soap into the water, she found a dish rag. She threw it across her shoulder, hefted the pan, and headed into the parlor.
She’d start with the windows. For some reason, the parlor windows had no curtains. That seemed odd, but it might be Mrs. Calhoun hadn’t gotten around to washing the windows. Adela could take care of that and maybe get in the good graces of her future mother-in-law as well.
Dust was a never ending problem out here, what with fields being plowed under for the winter. The windows were coated inside and out. She cleaned the windows inside and took her pan to the outside. After some searching, she found a short ladder by the side of the barn. With some stretching, she managed to reach the upper panes.
By the time she’d finished that, beads of sweat covered her forehead and upper lip. But the windows sparkled. She blotted her face with the corner of her apron and smiled with satisfaction. One didn’t accomplish anything without a little sweat.
Mrs. Calhoun still hadn’t returned, so Adela stirred the stew and fell to cleaning the furniture. It could stand a good rubbing with bees wax, but she didn’t know where, or if, it could be found, so she buffed the surfaces as best she could. She put away the clutter in the most obvious places and stood back to admire the room. Mrs. Calhoun and Byron would surely notice.
But they didn’t. In fact, no one went into the parlor at lunchtime. Byron mentioned he was going into town as they lifted their heads after the blessing.
“Wished I’d known that.” Mrs. Calhoun ladled stew into their bowls. “I had to go to Hilda Jane’s for a can of peaches.”
“I don’t usually go into town until Saturday, but Lem needs a part to fix the buggy, and Adela wants to do some shopping. Go ahead and make a list, Ma.”
Adela’s heart raced at the prospect of being alone with Byron. Also, she wanted to get the fabric to make some work dresses—and an apron. She realized she hadn’t taken off Mrs. Calhoun’s apron. “Do you have an apron pattern, Mrs. Calhoun? I’m going to buy some calico for a new dress. I brought my own dress patterns, but I’d like to sew up a couple of aprons as well.”
“You don’t need a pattern for an apron. Just cut the pieces like that one you have on.”
Adela laughed. “Oh, so I can. It should be simple enough.” She knew the men weren’t paying attention, but Mrs. Calhoun had again managed to make her feel foolish.
As the meal progressed, Byron and Lem got into a discussion about the broken buggy. Adela judged she’d just have enough time to visit the outhouse and grab her hat and money for shopping. She didn’t want Byron to have to wait for her. She excused herself before the rest had finished eating. “I’ll be waiting by the wagon.”
Chapter 11
Demurely seated several inches from Byron on the
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