stone into a still pond.
“That you are.” Mrs. Dolan pointed at the chair. “Then you’d best sit a spell and have some vittles.”
Matt felt awkward, but he did just that. Hannah hopped up and fixed him a plate from the pots on the stove. She set his plate down on the narrow table and sat back down.
The silence remained as they ate. The only sounds were those of chewing. Mrs. Dolan mostly gummed her food, since apparently a good deal of her teeth were missing.
It was never quiet at meals at the Graham ranch, and he hadn’t realized just how much noise people made when they chewed. He tried to think of something to say to break the silence but the longer it went on, the worse it got. He probably should have stayed in the dining room.
“You two need to sleep in the room at the top of the stairs tonight,” Mrs. Dolan announced as she noisily smacked her lips on the last bite. “It’s got the biggest bed.” She winked at Matt.
His stomach flipped at the idea that she wanted them to use a big bed and flipped a second time when she winked at him. Matt was no fool—he knew Hannah and he needed to live as man and wife in all ways, but he sure as hell hadn’t expected her grandmother to think about their having sex.
Matt made the mistake of meeting Hannah’s gaze and saw all of what he was feeling, as well as something he’d hoped not to see, panic and fear.
It had been a long wedding day, and he knew it would be a very long wedding night.
Hannah wanted a hole to open up right there in the floor and swallow her. She knew she was blushing and looked like a complete fool, but she couldn’t help it. Granny had no business talking about the bedroom or the size of the bed. She knew Hannah had next to no knowledge about men or bedding them.
It would be a disaster. What was she thinking? It already was a disaster. And she’d wondered how her wedding day could get worse.
After meeting Matt’s gaze and seeing the same discomfort in his face, she wanted to weep. It would be bad enough to share a bed with the stranger who was now her husband, but to know he didn’t want to be in the bed ... that was ten times worse.
He obviously didn’t want to share a bed with her. Yet he’d married her, for better or for worse. Apparently the worse would be arriving right around bedtime.
She didn’t taste her food but mechanically chewed it anyway. Granny had taught her never to waste food so she did as she had always done—obeyed. Matthew ate heartily, finishing off what was left in the pots and peering around for more. She didn’t want to tell him again to go back to the dining room, but any remaining food would be in there.
Actually, they were lucky to have the food supplies they did. Making two meals for the Grahams had practically used up all of the food stores they had left. Somehow Hannah would have to find a way to restock the food before she left for her new home, or convince her grandmother to come with them. Coffee, some dried jerky, and a few biscuits were not going to last long.
Hannah got to her feet, ready to do something where she didn’t have to think so hard. She started to clear the dishes and Matthew stood up.
“Oh, no, you are not going to clean up after us.” He took her by the elbow and walked into the dining room. His hand felt warm even through the material of the dress—it was an odd but very pleasant feeling. “Who’s on dishes today?”
To Hannah’s surprise, his brother Nicholas got up.
“Who’s on water duty?”
Rebecca got to her feet.
“Good. Both of you will clean up just like if you were at home. Becca, they have a pump in the sink so you don’t have to go outside, but you should get to heating the water now.” He turned his attention to Nicholas. “Don’t break anything.”
It was astonishing to think all of these children, including the boys, took turns at chores such as dishes and fetching water. Hannah truly hated doing dishes and to have that particular chore done
“That you are.” Mrs. Dolan pointed at the chair. “Then you’d best sit a spell and have some vittles.”
Matt felt awkward, but he did just that. Hannah hopped up and fixed him a plate from the pots on the stove. She set his plate down on the narrow table and sat back down.
The silence remained as they ate. The only sounds were those of chewing. Mrs. Dolan mostly gummed her food, since apparently a good deal of her teeth were missing.
It was never quiet at meals at the Graham ranch, and he hadn’t realized just how much noise people made when they chewed. He tried to think of something to say to break the silence but the longer it went on, the worse it got. He probably should have stayed in the dining room.
“You two need to sleep in the room at the top of the stairs tonight,” Mrs. Dolan announced as she noisily smacked her lips on the last bite. “It’s got the biggest bed.” She winked at Matt.
His stomach flipped at the idea that she wanted them to use a big bed and flipped a second time when she winked at him. Matt was no fool—he knew Hannah and he needed to live as man and wife in all ways, but he sure as hell hadn’t expected her grandmother to think about their having sex.
Matt made the mistake of meeting Hannah’s gaze and saw all of what he was feeling, as well as something he’d hoped not to see, panic and fear.
It had been a long wedding day, and he knew it would be a very long wedding night.
Hannah wanted a hole to open up right there in the floor and swallow her. She knew she was blushing and looked like a complete fool, but she couldn’t help it. Granny had no business talking about the bedroom or the size of the bed. She knew Hannah had next to no knowledge about men or bedding them.
It would be a disaster. What was she thinking? It already was a disaster. And she’d wondered how her wedding day could get worse.
After meeting Matt’s gaze and seeing the same discomfort in his face, she wanted to weep. It would be bad enough to share a bed with the stranger who was now her husband, but to know he didn’t want to be in the bed ... that was ten times worse.
He obviously didn’t want to share a bed with her. Yet he’d married her, for better or for worse. Apparently the worse would be arriving right around bedtime.
She didn’t taste her food but mechanically chewed it anyway. Granny had taught her never to waste food so she did as she had always done—obeyed. Matthew ate heartily, finishing off what was left in the pots and peering around for more. She didn’t want to tell him again to go back to the dining room, but any remaining food would be in there.
Actually, they were lucky to have the food supplies they did. Making two meals for the Grahams had practically used up all of the food stores they had left. Somehow Hannah would have to find a way to restock the food before she left for her new home, or convince her grandmother to come with them. Coffee, some dried jerky, and a few biscuits were not going to last long.
Hannah got to her feet, ready to do something where she didn’t have to think so hard. She started to clear the dishes and Matthew stood up.
“Oh, no, you are not going to clean up after us.” He took her by the elbow and walked into the dining room. His hand felt warm even through the material of the dress—it was an odd but very pleasant feeling. “Who’s on dishes today?”
To Hannah’s surprise, his brother Nicholas got up.
“Who’s on water duty?”
Rebecca got to her feet.
“Good. Both of you will clean up just like if you were at home. Becca, they have a pump in the sink so you don’t have to go outside, but you should get to heating the water now.” He turned his attention to Nicholas. “Don’t break anything.”
It was astonishing to think all of these children, including the boys, took turns at chores such as dishes and fetching water. Hannah truly hated doing dishes and to have that particular chore done
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