Read Online Nordin, Ruth Ann - South Dakota Series 02 - Bid for a Bride by Frederique - Free Book Online
Book: Nordin, Ruth Ann - South Dakota Series 02 - Bid for a Bride by Frederique
Read Free Book Online
Authors: Frederique
Ads: Link
marveled at the precision in the cutting. "What part of the furniture work do you do? You don’t cut the design, do you?"
"You’re avoiding the topic," he gently said.
"Because I’d rather not talk about it." She looked at him, wondering if he’d press the issue.
After a moment of silence, he said, "I smooth the surface of the furniture, sometimes stain and paint them, and help deliver them."
She exhaled, glad he agreed to change the topic. Maybe in a few days she’d feel comfortable enough to discuss it, but she wasn’t up to it now. She cleared her throat. "Do you always have something to work on?"
"Pa and I do very well, but there are brief periods when there’s no work. Once in awhile, I assist him on a house repair in town, but for the most part, I stick with the furniture."
"Do you enjoy it?"
"Yes, I do. It’s soothing work, and I can feel the progress. I like knowing something is getting done."
"Well, it’s gorgeous work."
He smiled. "Thank you. Pa and I keep the stains, paints, and lumber in the other shed. Would you like to see it?"
"No, that’s alright. I was more interested in the furniture."
Someone knocked on the door, so she turned. John stood in the doorway and waved.
"Morning, Pa," Brian said and walked over to him.
She was about to ask Brian how he knew it was John but figured he probably picked up on some scent.
As if he read her mind, Brian turned in her direction and said, "Ma will start talking. Pa knocks."
"Oh." Well, so much for that guess. She was beginning to find how he picked up on so many things intriguing.
John placed his hand under Brian’s and made some more of those signs she saw him make the day before.
"Yes, we ate," Brian said. "Lucy’s a great cook."
Her cheeks grew warm from the compliment.
John smiled at her and used more signs.
Brian laughed. "I think so. Lucy, do you enjoy cooking?"
Looking at John, she nodded. "I like it well enough."
After John used a few more signs, Brian said, "Ma doesn’t care for it. She hoped that you liked it enough so that you’d help her improve her meals." He directed his face to John. "Ma doesn’t cook that badly."
John shook his head and did more signs.
"Oh, right. You said she doesn’t like it. I understand."
John continued to sign.
"Lucy, would you like to stop by their house for coffee and cookies? Ma actually enjoys making those."
"In that case, it would be wrong to miss it," Lucy replied.
John waved her toward the house and stepped aside.
Taking that as her cue, she walked passed him, said thank you, and left the small cabin. The two men joined her, and as soon as they reached the house, Eliza opened the door.
"Well, come on in," she said.
Lucy walked in first, followed by Brian who set his walking stick by the door.
"How are you feeling today, Lucy?" Eliza asked as she shut the door once John walked in.
Lucy glanced at Brian and smiled. "Much better. I like where you live. Nice and quiet. Peaceful."
Brian pulled out a chair. "Will you have a seat?" he asked Lucy.
"Thank you," she said.
"Don’t mind me," Eliza told the men. "I’m going to be jumping up and down getting the snack. Sit down and rest. We had a big day yesterday."
Brian sat to Lucy’s left and John sat next to him, leaving the seat to her right empty.
Eliza set out the cups and poured coffee into them. "Today John and I were planning to pick up your buggy. In fact, we were going to head out after this snack. Did you and Brian want to come along? You could pick up some items from the mercantile. I’m sure there are supplies you’ll want for your new home." She nudged Brian in the shoulder as she passed by.
"You might as well learn that once you married Lucy, that house became hers to do with as she wishes."
Brian laughed. "I don’t mind, Ma. At least she can see what’s in it."
John slipped his hand under Brian’s and signed to him.
Brian glanced in Lucy’s direction. "When Pa and Ma
"You’re avoiding the topic," he gently said.
"Because I’d rather not talk about it." She looked at him, wondering if he’d press the issue.
After a moment of silence, he said, "I smooth the surface of the furniture, sometimes stain and paint them, and help deliver them."
She exhaled, glad he agreed to change the topic. Maybe in a few days she’d feel comfortable enough to discuss it, but she wasn’t up to it now. She cleared her throat. "Do you always have something to work on?"
"Pa and I do very well, but there are brief periods when there’s no work. Once in awhile, I assist him on a house repair in town, but for the most part, I stick with the furniture."
"Do you enjoy it?"
"Yes, I do. It’s soothing work, and I can feel the progress. I like knowing something is getting done."
"Well, it’s gorgeous work."
He smiled. "Thank you. Pa and I keep the stains, paints, and lumber in the other shed. Would you like to see it?"
"No, that’s alright. I was more interested in the furniture."
Someone knocked on the door, so she turned. John stood in the doorway and waved.
"Morning, Pa," Brian said and walked over to him.
She was about to ask Brian how he knew it was John but figured he probably picked up on some scent.
As if he read her mind, Brian turned in her direction and said, "Ma will start talking. Pa knocks."
"Oh." Well, so much for that guess. She was beginning to find how he picked up on so many things intriguing.
John placed his hand under Brian’s and made some more of those signs she saw him make the day before.
"Yes, we ate," Brian said. "Lucy’s a great cook."
Her cheeks grew warm from the compliment.
John smiled at her and used more signs.
Brian laughed. "I think so. Lucy, do you enjoy cooking?"
Looking at John, she nodded. "I like it well enough."
After John used a few more signs, Brian said, "Ma doesn’t care for it. She hoped that you liked it enough so that you’d help her improve her meals." He directed his face to John. "Ma doesn’t cook that badly."
John shook his head and did more signs.
"Oh, right. You said she doesn’t like it. I understand."
John continued to sign.
"Lucy, would you like to stop by their house for coffee and cookies? Ma actually enjoys making those."
"In that case, it would be wrong to miss it," Lucy replied.
John waved her toward the house and stepped aside.
Taking that as her cue, she walked passed him, said thank you, and left the small cabin. The two men joined her, and as soon as they reached the house, Eliza opened the door.
"Well, come on in," she said.
Lucy walked in first, followed by Brian who set his walking stick by the door.
"How are you feeling today, Lucy?" Eliza asked as she shut the door once John walked in.
Lucy glanced at Brian and smiled. "Much better. I like where you live. Nice and quiet. Peaceful."
Brian pulled out a chair. "Will you have a seat?" he asked Lucy.
"Thank you," she said.
"Don’t mind me," Eliza told the men. "I’m going to be jumping up and down getting the snack. Sit down and rest. We had a big day yesterday."
Brian sat to Lucy’s left and John sat next to him, leaving the seat to her right empty.
Eliza set out the cups and poured coffee into them. "Today John and I were planning to pick up your buggy. In fact, we were going to head out after this snack. Did you and Brian want to come along? You could pick up some items from the mercantile. I’m sure there are supplies you’ll want for your new home." She nudged Brian in the shoulder as she passed by.
"You might as well learn that once you married Lucy, that house became hers to do with as she wishes."
Brian laughed. "I don’t mind, Ma. At least she can see what’s in it."
John slipped his hand under Brian’s and signed to him.
Brian glanced in Lucy’s direction. "When Pa and Ma
Similar Books
