Read Online High Mountain Drifter by Jillian Hart - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jillian Hart
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improvement." Daisy's footsteps padded in their direction. "He's frustrated being stuck in bed."
"Sure, when he wants to be out helping find Ernest," Iris sympathized, securing her needle in the fabric and folding up her half-sewn dress. "What are you doing back so soon?"
"What do you mean, so soon?" Daisy blew into sight, untying her hat. Rain dripped from the brim. "It's suppertime."
"Already?" Gemma twisted to get a good look at the mantel clock. "It's after five. We've been talking for hours."
"Time flies when you're having fun," Rose chimed in, folding up her crocheting. "I can't remember the last time I've had such a good time."
"It's the company," Maebry teased playfully. "You've never had me over before."
"Or me," Elise joked as she slipped the mittens she'd been knitting into her bag. "Gemma and Penelope are pretty great, too."
"Why, thank you." Penelope blushed, eyes dancing with mischief. "I think we're all pretty great. I've had the best time. Thank you for having us over."
"Exactly," Gemma and Elise said in unison.
"We have to do this again," Rose declared, bouncing to her feet. "We'll figure it out and be in touch, yes?"
Affirmations peppered the air. Verbena anchored her needle in the fabric and set her hoop aside. Everyone was standing up, ready to leave, giving hugs, extending pleasantries, heading toward the door to don outerwear.
Verbena joined everyone in the large, airy foyer. She hugged Penelope, so thankful they'd gotten a chance to know each other better. Said goodbye to Elise and Gemma, who thanked her profusely for including them. Elise had promised to give Gemma a ride, for she'd walked from town, and was ferrying Penelope in that direction anyway.
"Next time I'll be able to come earlier," Maebry said, the last to leave, as she buttoned up the new coat Gil had bought her. Her appled-cheeks were pink with happiness, her emerald green eyes had never sparkled so brightly before. Marriage looked good on her. "I'm cutting back on my hours. Aumaleigh and I talked about it this morning."
"Of course, you won't need to work now that you're married." Daisy took Maebry's hat off the coat tree and handed it to her. "Aumaleigh depends on you so much. You help cook most of the meals."
"She still has Josslyn," Maebry plopped the hat on her head. "And I won't completely quit until Aumaleigh has hired a replacement. Perhaps there's someone out there somewhere who needs a job. So it will all work out."
"What matters is that you're happy." Iris gave Maebry a hug. "Drive safe. I hope Gil won't mind that his supper will be a little late."
"He's working late tonight," Maebry said, her smile never wavering. "So no worries. He'll eat at the ranch. I tell you, this afternoon has been just what I needed. My curtain is done, and so I can start on my next project. Oh, and I'll look for you in church tomorrow."
"You two come sit with us," Rose invited, following Maebry through the door and onto the covered porch. "Good night!"
"Good night," Maebry called through the twilight. Her steps tapped a snappy rhythm on the porch stairs and then she was gone, her voice faint as she said howdy to Burton standing guard.
Rose closed the door. "Well, that was fun, but I'm starving. What's for supper?"
"Why are you looking at me?" Daisy wanted to know, hands in the air, palms up. "I'm not the only one who can cook around here. Let's go take a look in the pantry. We can warm up roast beef and gravy."
"I'll put on some potatoes to boil," Iris offered, waltzing down the hallway.
"I'll whip up some biscuits," Rose offered. "Magnolia, set the table, will you?"
"Let's eat by the fire," Verbena suggested, standing by the door, thinking about the chill in the air and how cold it must be for the men outside. "And we should make enough for Burton and the guys."
"Absolutely," Daisy called from the kitchen.
Verbena intended to join them in the kitchen and help, but her feet stayed rooted to the floor. She drew back the curtain on
"Sure, when he wants to be out helping find Ernest," Iris sympathized, securing her needle in the fabric and folding up her half-sewn dress. "What are you doing back so soon?"
"What do you mean, so soon?" Daisy blew into sight, untying her hat. Rain dripped from the brim. "It's suppertime."
"Already?" Gemma twisted to get a good look at the mantel clock. "It's after five. We've been talking for hours."
"Time flies when you're having fun," Rose chimed in, folding up her crocheting. "I can't remember the last time I've had such a good time."
"It's the company," Maebry teased playfully. "You've never had me over before."
"Or me," Elise joked as she slipped the mittens she'd been knitting into her bag. "Gemma and Penelope are pretty great, too."
"Why, thank you." Penelope blushed, eyes dancing with mischief. "I think we're all pretty great. I've had the best time. Thank you for having us over."
"Exactly," Gemma and Elise said in unison.
"We have to do this again," Rose declared, bouncing to her feet. "We'll figure it out and be in touch, yes?"
Affirmations peppered the air. Verbena anchored her needle in the fabric and set her hoop aside. Everyone was standing up, ready to leave, giving hugs, extending pleasantries, heading toward the door to don outerwear.
Verbena joined everyone in the large, airy foyer. She hugged Penelope, so thankful they'd gotten a chance to know each other better. Said goodbye to Elise and Gemma, who thanked her profusely for including them. Elise had promised to give Gemma a ride, for she'd walked from town, and was ferrying Penelope in that direction anyway.
"Next time I'll be able to come earlier," Maebry said, the last to leave, as she buttoned up the new coat Gil had bought her. Her appled-cheeks were pink with happiness, her emerald green eyes had never sparkled so brightly before. Marriage looked good on her. "I'm cutting back on my hours. Aumaleigh and I talked about it this morning."
"Of course, you won't need to work now that you're married." Daisy took Maebry's hat off the coat tree and handed it to her. "Aumaleigh depends on you so much. You help cook most of the meals."
"She still has Josslyn," Maebry plopped the hat on her head. "And I won't completely quit until Aumaleigh has hired a replacement. Perhaps there's someone out there somewhere who needs a job. So it will all work out."
"What matters is that you're happy." Iris gave Maebry a hug. "Drive safe. I hope Gil won't mind that his supper will be a little late."
"He's working late tonight," Maebry said, her smile never wavering. "So no worries. He'll eat at the ranch. I tell you, this afternoon has been just what I needed. My curtain is done, and so I can start on my next project. Oh, and I'll look for you in church tomorrow."
"You two come sit with us," Rose invited, following Maebry through the door and onto the covered porch. "Good night!"
"Good night," Maebry called through the twilight. Her steps tapped a snappy rhythm on the porch stairs and then she was gone, her voice faint as she said howdy to Burton standing guard.
Rose closed the door. "Well, that was fun, but I'm starving. What's for supper?"
"Why are you looking at me?" Daisy wanted to know, hands in the air, palms up. "I'm not the only one who can cook around here. Let's go take a look in the pantry. We can warm up roast beef and gravy."
"I'll put on some potatoes to boil," Iris offered, waltzing down the hallway.
"I'll whip up some biscuits," Rose offered. "Magnolia, set the table, will you?"
"Let's eat by the fire," Verbena suggested, standing by the door, thinking about the chill in the air and how cold it must be for the men outside. "And we should make enough for Burton and the guys."
"Absolutely," Daisy called from the kitchen.
Verbena intended to join them in the kitchen and help, but her feet stayed rooted to the floor. She drew back the curtain on
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