Read Online Hope Springs by Sarah M. Eden - Free Book Online Page A

wool for all their coats or paying for dozens of shoes. If others grow ill, I’ll run out of money before I can get medicine for all of them. I can’t even pay you the three dollars I owe you for flour without dipping further into my savings.”
    “Don’t worry yourself about—”
    “I will pay you,” she cut across him. “I just haven’t made my bread deliveries this week, so I don’t have enough money from that to pay you with, and I need my savings to live on now that I don’t have a regular job.”
    He knew she wasn’t trying to make him feel guilty, but he felt so just the same. “I am sorry you couldn’t stay at our house. We’ve missed you there already.”
    She smiled at him. “I’ve missed you as well—all of you. The mornings are far too quiet here.”
    “I missed our morning chat at breakfast this morning as well.” He had to look away or he knew he’d reach out for her. She chose someone else.
    Katie handed him a nail, and he set back to work. He was nearly done with the last drawer when a knock sounded from the front. The house was small enough that they easily heard Mrs. Claire invite the visitor in.
    A moment later, Katie’s face lit with a brilliant smile as her eyes settled just past Joseph.
    “Tavish.”
    Joseph drove in the final nail with a force that surprised him. He thought he’d come to terms with Katie’s choice. Apparently not.
    “Hello there, Sweet Katie.” Joseph thought he heard a question in Tavish’s tone.
    “I wasn’t expecting you, Tavish, but I’m pleased you’ve come.” Katie’s tone had lightened. How was it Tavish managed to do that for her when he had only managed to talk about heavy things, topics that made her cry? Maybe it was for the best that she’d chosen Tavish. “Joseph brought me my bread flour and was kind enough to stay and mend the chest of drawers I’d not gotten around to.”
    “I would have done that for you,” Tavish said. “You needed only ask me.”
    “I didn’t actually ask Joseph. He simply took on the task,” Katie said. “He can be very bossy, you know.”
    He glanced up at her. Her teasing smile pulled an answering one from him. The connection was a brief one, over almost the moment it began. Katie rose and walked past him, no doubt straight to Tavish.
    Joseph slid the newly repaired drawer into place. He didn’t look behind him. Katie would be holding Tavish’s hand or leaning into his embrace. He had no desire to see that.
    “I came by to offer to drive you about while you made your bread deliveries,” Tavish said, “but I don’t smell any loaves fresh out of the oven.”
    Joseph scooped up the nails and dropped them on top of the bureau. He set the hammer beside them.
    “I didn’t have time for baking today,” Katie said. “If you’re free tomorrow, I’ll take you up on your offer.”
    “I’ll make certain I am. As for today, Finbarr is tending Ian’s animals, so I am at your disposal for the afternoon. What else needs mending?”
    “I’ve been meaning to put a couple nails in the wall to hang my dresses on,” Katie said. “And there’s a shelf in the kitchen that’s not terribly sturdy.”
    “I’ll get started, then. You keep adding to that list. I’ve an entire afternoon.”
    Joseph knew an invitation to leave when he heard one. Tavish had arrived, and Joseph was no longer needed or welcome. He picked his coat up off the floor and stepped past Katie and Tavish to where his hat hung on the doorknob.
    “Thank you for bringing the flour,” Katie said. Joseph fancied that he heard a small thread of regret in her words. Perhaps she’d enjoyed his company, though likely not as much as he’d needed hers. “I’ll pay you for it just as soon as I can.”
    “Don’t fret over it. Take your time.” He set his hat on his head and turned to Tavish. He could at least try to show the man that he held no true malice toward him. Jealousy, certainly. Envy, yes. But even with all that, Joseph couldn’t