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Authors: Mary Davis
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was praying for his daughter. That must have been what he had done for Gabe, as well.
How sweet. Tears pricked her eyes.
Careful to keep his boots from thumping, he strode out of the room, and she followed him to the front door. âThank you for letting them stay here. Youâre right. It wouldnât be good to take them out in this weather. I canât thank you enough.â He looked down at the wood floor. âIâve still made a mess.â
âItâs only water.â
âAnd mud from my boots.â
âThe floor can be cleaned.â
He opened the door, stepped out and then put on his wet coat and hat. âThank you again.â He stepped off the porch into the wet, dark night.
She wished he didnât have to leave. She wished they were a family. But he had to, and they werenât.
She watched long after heâd disappeared. She thought of the boy heâd once been whoâd been lost on a stormy night such as this. Lord, keep him safe. When she could feel the damp air seeping through her clothes, she shut the door.
How could she have such strong feelings for a man so quickly? How could she not for a man so tenderhearted? She hadnât felt like this about any other man in town who had shown her attention. She was curious to see where their budding friendship led.
And her growing feelings.
She turned out the lamp and blew out the candles, save one that she took into the bedroom with her. She readied herself for bed, blew out that candle and slipped in next to Dora. The little girl must have sensed her presence, for she rolled over and snuggled up to Bridget. She in turn reached an arm around the small form. Content, she let herself imagine what it would be like to have these children as her own.
And, of course, their father.
* * *
Lindley lay on his back awake, listening to the rain on the roofâ¦as well as inside this poor excuse for a house. The meeting had gone well this evening. Some of the miners were skeptical at first, as Marcus had been. They were afraid of losing the jobs they already had.
Miss Greeneâs question haunted him. The miners arenât going to strike, are they?
He would do everything in his power to keep that from happening. Not one of them could afford to go a day without pay.
He rolled onto his side. The rain plunk-plunk-plunked into the three pots. Sleep evaded him. Was it the sound of the rain? No. He closed his eyes and listened. Something was missing. He listened harder.
Gabe and Dora.
He couldnât hear them breathing. His sonâs ever so soft snore and Dora talking in her sleep. His children werenât here. He didnât like being alone at night when it was raining. It was lonesome. Even having two helpless children nearby was comforting. But they were safe. Safe with Miss Greene.
Bridget. He tried out her name in the empty darkness. âBridget.â
He would like to use her first name but hadnât been invited to. Maybe he would ask if it would be all right. Or maybe he would just use her first name and see how she reacted.
She had cared enough to worry over his safety.
He hadnât wanted to leave her this evening, either time. He was comfortable around her. But also on edge. Though he felt at home with her, he didnât know if she felt the same. Heâd meant to ask her several times, but then heâd gotten nervous. If she didnât return his affection and turned him away, he knew it would hurt.
Courting hadnât been like that with Doreen. Heâd known they would marry and hadnât had to worry about doing something stupid or wrong. He also hadnât had to wonder if she liked him or even loved him. They would marry regardless of either of their feelings. He had come to love Doreen in a way. But these feelings he had for Bridget were different.
Confounding.
Unsure.
It had been easier knowing Doreen couldnât turn him down or away. She was stuck with him long before they
How sweet. Tears pricked her eyes.
Careful to keep his boots from thumping, he strode out of the room, and she followed him to the front door. âThank you for letting them stay here. Youâre right. It wouldnât be good to take them out in this weather. I canât thank you enough.â He looked down at the wood floor. âIâve still made a mess.â
âItâs only water.â
âAnd mud from my boots.â
âThe floor can be cleaned.â
He opened the door, stepped out and then put on his wet coat and hat. âThank you again.â He stepped off the porch into the wet, dark night.
She wished he didnât have to leave. She wished they were a family. But he had to, and they werenât.
She watched long after heâd disappeared. She thought of the boy heâd once been whoâd been lost on a stormy night such as this. Lord, keep him safe. When she could feel the damp air seeping through her clothes, she shut the door.
How could she have such strong feelings for a man so quickly? How could she not for a man so tenderhearted? She hadnât felt like this about any other man in town who had shown her attention. She was curious to see where their budding friendship led.
And her growing feelings.
She turned out the lamp and blew out the candles, save one that she took into the bedroom with her. She readied herself for bed, blew out that candle and slipped in next to Dora. The little girl must have sensed her presence, for she rolled over and snuggled up to Bridget. She in turn reached an arm around the small form. Content, she let herself imagine what it would be like to have these children as her own.
And, of course, their father.
* * *
Lindley lay on his back awake, listening to the rain on the roofâ¦as well as inside this poor excuse for a house. The meeting had gone well this evening. Some of the miners were skeptical at first, as Marcus had been. They were afraid of losing the jobs they already had.
Miss Greeneâs question haunted him. The miners arenât going to strike, are they?
He would do everything in his power to keep that from happening. Not one of them could afford to go a day without pay.
He rolled onto his side. The rain plunk-plunk-plunked into the three pots. Sleep evaded him. Was it the sound of the rain? No. He closed his eyes and listened. Something was missing. He listened harder.
Gabe and Dora.
He couldnât hear them breathing. His sonâs ever so soft snore and Dora talking in her sleep. His children werenât here. He didnât like being alone at night when it was raining. It was lonesome. Even having two helpless children nearby was comforting. But they were safe. Safe with Miss Greene.
Bridget. He tried out her name in the empty darkness. âBridget.â
He would like to use her first name but hadnât been invited to. Maybe he would ask if it would be all right. Or maybe he would just use her first name and see how she reacted.
She had cared enough to worry over his safety.
He hadnât wanted to leave her this evening, either time. He was comfortable around her. But also on edge. Though he felt at home with her, he didnât know if she felt the same. Heâd meant to ask her several times, but then heâd gotten nervous. If she didnât return his affection and turned him away, he knew it would hurt.
Courting hadnât been like that with Doreen. Heâd known they would marry and hadnât had to worry about doing something stupid or wrong. He also hadnât had to wonder if she liked him or even loved him. They would marry regardless of either of their feelings. He had come to love Doreen in a way. But these feelings he had for Bridget were different.
Confounding.
Unsure.
It had been easier knowing Doreen couldnât turn him down or away. She was stuck with him long before they
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