“So he was all right when you went back?” Doyle checked again.
“He certainly was. He was sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee and looking at the paper.”
“Ya just never know,” Doyle said, shaking his head in wonder. “Well, as long as he’s doing fine. That’s what matters.”
“I agree with you. He took it pretty easy today, so maybe it won’t be much of a setback.”
“How is the planting coming? Are you near done?”
Jace filled him in and noticed that Doyle hung on nearly every word. Jace wondered absently what it would be like to be so closed in, and after watching his uncle and then Doyle, he hoped he would never have to know.
Jace didn’t get back down to the store until nearly closing time. Not even looking in Cathy’s direction, he went directly to where Maddie was working and pulled out his list.
“A bar of shaving soap,” Jace began when she was ready to help him. “A small jug. Clara wants a bag of sugar,” and the list went on, about eight items in all. Some things Jace needed, and some he wasn’t desperate for at all. Clara liked to come in and do her own shopping, but every so often she would surrender one of her items. This week it was sugar.
Maddie fetched all the items, and Jace handed her the money, saying as he did, “You’d better check that money.”
Maddie looked down at the coins in her hand and back at him.
“I might be trying to cheat you.”
Maddie’s mouth opened when she realized what he was teasing her about. She wanted to be angry, but it wasn’t working. A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, and she turned away before she could laugh. When she returned with Jace’s change, however, he did not let up.
“Is this correct?” He studied the coins. “I don’t want you cheating me.”
“Jace Randall!” Maddie could not keep her silence. “I can’t believe you’re teasing me about that.”
“About what?” His look was as innocent as he could manage. “I’ve heard that women can lie and cheat too. Not as much as young men, mind you, but women are capable.”
Maddie put a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. Jace gathered his things, his own eyes brimming with a teasing light. When he was ready to leave, he leaned on the counter, bringing his face close and down to her level.
“Madalyn,” he said so softly that she leaned toward him. “Obviously some man has hurt you, but you need to believe that we’re not all like that.”
Maddie felt trapped by his eyes. She didn’t move, not even when he reached up and brushed her chin with one finger. Maddie’s head turned to follow Jace’s progress out the door, but not until a man came from the back room with a rake in his hand did she come back to earth.
Leaving Cathy to help the man, she went down on her knees behind the counter. Shifting and arranging shelves that were in perfect order, she stopped after a few minutes and allowed the thought of Jace Randall to settle in her mind. Remembering his dark green eyes sent her pulse racing. She felt flushed all over.
In an instant she realized no one had ever affected her in that way, not even the man who’d broken her heart, and she’d been in love with him.
Wanting to dismiss the feeling once and for all, Maddie pushed to her feet and got ready to close the store. She finished her duties, but they were done without joy or relief. Right now she felt nothing except hopelessness in her situation.
Cathy witnessed some of this and was on the verge of asking whether Maddie was all right but held her tongue. It would have been a foolish question to voice. One look at Maddie’s face told Cathy that the younger woman was anything but all right.
Planting was over and the crops were settled for the season. A stretch of beautiful weather the first week in May allowed the men to put in long hours and finish the job. Weeding always waited for attention, but as for the growth and health of the crops, that was in God’s hands. Each and every farmer hoped for the right amount of rain and sun in order to harvest in the late summer and fall.
The Randalls were no different. Their crops were in, and they were working on equipment and at the mill. They had done almost nothing else but planting for nine days, even missing services on Sunday, but this week had brought some relief, and Jace was already planning to go into town on Friday night. Instead of going to the Commons Tavern, he would stop and see the Shephards and Maddie, someone he hated not seeing for more than a week. He hoped to gain an invitation to visit for a spell.
“I’m tired,” Woody said over lunch on Friday. “Why don’t you go ahead to the mill and work on the millrace. Beavers tend to get in there every year.”
“I’ll do it.”
Woody gave some instructions to Jace, truly wishing he felt like going himself but wanting to see it done today. They wouldn’t be using the mill for a few more months, but he wanted that done so he could check it tomorrow, telling himself that tomorrow he’d feel up to going.
The store was busy, almost like a Saturday. Cathy and Maddie worked until dinner, and then the afternoon picked up again. Some folks just browsed, and some came in to visit. Maddie was putting a flask of vanilla back on the shelf when she overheard Asa mention Jace’s name.
“I was out near the sawmill before coming here and saw Jace Randall fall in the millpond. Tripped up and went in head first, he did.”
Maddie heard nothing else. Her heart felt as though it were going to stop in her chest. It didn’t really register with her that there were people in the store and that Cathy needed her help. Jace had fallen into the pond and she had to go.
She slipped out the side door and managed to keep her walk steady until the edge of town. She even waited until a line of trees hid her before breaking into a run, but run she did. She made the mill in record time, her chest heaving, her mind racing.
Jace didn’t see her arrive but suddenly looked up to find her in the wide doorway, somewhat disheveled and out of breath.
“What are you doing here?” Jace asked, still dripping on the sawmill floor and thinking Doyle might be sick.
“Asa came in. He said you fell in the millpond.”
“I did fall in.”
“I thought you’d drowned!”
Jace nodded, compassion filling him. “You don’t swim, do you, Maddie?”
Maddie could only shake her head no, too upset and out of breath to say more.
“I swim,” he reassured her kindly. “I swim very well.”
“You might have drowned,” she repeated.
“Not unless I’d hit my head on something, and that wasn’t the case. I was leaning over working on the millrace and lost my balance. That’s all.”
Maddie nodded, unable to look at him. She glanced around the doorframe, aware that he was headed her way.
“Were you worried?” he asked softly when he stopped in front of her.
“Of course not,” Maddie said, eyes still averted.
“I think you were.”
Maddie finally looked at him.
“And I think you have entirely too big an opinion of yourself, Jace Randall.”
Jace smiled slowly.
“So I’m to believe that you ran all the way down here for what reason?”
After casting around for something to say, Maddie tried, “I just thought someone should let Woody know if you had indeed drowned.”
Jace smiled again, his eyes knowing.
“I have to get back to the store,” Maddie said, knowing retreat was her only hope.
“I’ll take you,” Jace offered, suddenly serious, but Maddie was backing away.
“I’ve got to go.”
Jace didn’t press her, but then he didn’t need to. He’d found out in a most unexpected way all he needed to know.
“I’m going into town tonight,” Jace told Woody over tea that evening, still thinking about the way Maddie had come to the mill.
“To the tavern?” Woody asked, his voice knowing.
“Maybe,” Jace said cryptically.
/> “Unless you find some other place to go?” Woody guessed.
Jace didn’t need to answer. The smile he tried to hide gave him away. The smile faded swiftly, however, when Woody reached up and rubbed at his chest, his face a little pained.
“On second thought, I might just stay here.”
Woody looked at him with surprise and found Jace’s gaze trained on him.
“Not for me, you’re not,” Woody put in plainly.
“I think I can make that decision myself,” Jace countered.
Woody sighed. “Jace, I don’t expect you to center your life on me.”
“That’s not what I’m doing, but you’re not at your best right now, and I’m not expected in town, so my plans are easily changed.”
“Go to town, Jace,” Woody commanded firmly, thinking that was the end of it.
“What I do with this farm is your business, Woody Randall. What I do with my time is my own.”
Woody looked at him, realizing this was exactly what he’d wanted for his heir, but he never reckoned on it being directed at him.
Woody sighed and Jace heard it. He didn’t care if the older man didn’t approve. He didn’t want to live with the horrible feeling he would have if Woody died while he was away. He realized it could happen at any time, but when it seemed this obvious, he knew he would be foolish to leave.
It made for a long evening. Woody fell asleep fairly early, but Jace was strong in his resolve. Nearly as bored as he could imagine, he even got out the book he’d borrowed from Doyle and began to read.
“I need a favor, Clara,” Jace said on Saturday morning when Woody had already gone outside.
“As if I don’t do enough around here,” Clara replied sarcastically, catching Jace off guard. For a moment he stopped and then realized she was teasing.
“I need a picnic lunch,” he plunged in and told her, “for tomorrow.”
Clara smiled. “Do I get to know whom you’re taking?”
Jace smiled back. “As if you don’t already.”
Still grinning, Clara turned back to the pan she was washing.
“I’ll leave it for you in the buttery.”
“Thanks, Clara.” Jace kissed her cheek, surprising her mouth wide open.
But Jace didn’t see how he’d startled her. He was already turning toward the door, hoping that Woody was at his best all day. He had to go into town tonight and ask a certain lady to join him on an outing after services tomorrow. And for that reason alone, he desperately needed his uncle to be in top form, at least for the next two days.
Tea was over on Saturday night by the time Jace arrived at the Shephard house. Cathy was handing dishes to Doyle to dry, and Maddie was putting the last touches on some muffins they would enjoy the next day.
Doyle answered the knock, pleased to see Jace, and invited him in.
“You just missed tea,” Cathy told him.
“I just had my tea, thank you, Cathy. I’m actually here to ask Maddie a question.”
This brought all the Shephards to attention. They looked at Jace as a threesome—two with pleasure and one with dread.
“Maddie,” Jace began, his palms sweating as they held his hat, “would you accompany me on a picnic tomorrow after services?”
“Well,” Maddie hedged, not wanting to look at her uncle and aunt. “I’m not sure that I’m free.”
“Of course you are,” Cathy put in, and Maddie turned surprised eyes to her.
“I thought we would leave right after services,” Jace explained. “I’ll have the wagon.”
“I’m not sure that I can, Jace,” Maddie began.
“Why not?” Doyle chimed in this time, really causing Maddie’s eyes to widen.
“Well, then,” Jace said, working not to smile. “Tomorrow, Maddie?”
“All right,” she said, unable to believe those words had come out of her mouth.
Jace was gone just moments later, and Maddie stood still, but only until she found her voice. She rounded on her aunt and uncle, feeling utterly betrayed and determined that they would know it.
Seven
“What happened here just now?” Maddie asked, her voice tight with frustration.
“You agreed to go on a picnic with Jace,” Cathy spoke up.
“I agreed, or you and Doyle agreed?”
“Either way, it’s a good idea,” Doyle put in.
Maddie’s mouth opened. “How can you say that? You know how I feel. I’ve never felt so betrayed in all my life.”
This silenced Doyle and Cathy. Maddie’s feeling betrayed was never part of the plan. Cathy was sick at the thought of it.
“I’ll go after him,” Cathy said, starting to remove her apron. “I’ll tell him we made a mistake.”
Maddie looked into the crushed faces before her and shook her head.
“Please, Cathy,” she began, stopping her aunt’s movements. “Just tell me why you both want me to do this. Please just explain it to me.”
“We think Jace is special, and we can see that he cares for you. We thought you might be feeling the same way.”
Maddie heard these gently spoken words and realized something. They had never interfered. They had never tried to pair her off or do any matchmaking. That they were doing so now was something she had to take notice of. And on top of all of that, she was noticing Jace. It would be a lie to say anything else.
“I’ll go with Jace tomorrow,” Maddie said, doing her best to cover all annoyance. She couldn’t take their crushed faces any longer, and as always, Doyle’s health lingered in her mind. “But you need to understand that I’m not making any promises. I think Jace might be special too, but that doesn’t mean I trust him. I would never deliberately hurt him, but if my rejection of him does that, I’ll not feel guilt.”
“We don’t expect any more than that, Maddie,” Doyle told her. “We want you to be honest about your feelings, and if they don’t include Jace, then he’ll have to learn to live with it.”
“And we don’t think he’s the type to play games with your heart, Maddie,” Cathy added. “We would not have welcomed him in the first place if he were that sort of person.”
Maddie nodded, hoping they were right. It had been years ago, she knew that, but some things you don’t overcome. She honestly didn’t think her heart could take that kind of treatment again.
Jace didn’t know when he’d been so nervous. He was ready for services a full hour early, the picnic basket prepared and waiting, and all he could do was pace.
Woody would be going on his own, giving Jace the wagon. He wasn’t sure his uncle felt that well, but Jace thought he might be putting on a good front so that Jace would keep the date.
In a last-minute, desperate move just before he went out the door, he slipped a small flask of Woody’s liquor into the basket. Not even when he’d come to Tucker Mills on the train had he been this nervous. As excited as he was to have Maddie Shephard all to himself, he wondered if he’d have the wits about him to say anything intelligent.
“You’re going to be late,” Woody said, already to the door.
Jace shook himself. He’d paced himself into a standstill and was now behind schedule. He went out the door knowing he mustn’t dare but wondering if he might need a drink from that flask just to get into town.
Maddie was utterly silent on the wagon seat next to Jace. Jace kept the team at an easy pace, not having revealed where they were going, but Maddie noticed they were headed in the direction of the mill.
“Did you have anything to ask Mr. Sullins this morning?” Jace asked.
“No,” Maddie said, not wanting to admit that she’d heard little of the sermon.
“I hope you didn’t delay your questions on account of me. I would have waited.”
“No, I didn’t have questions this morning.”
Jace wondered if it was going to be this strained the whole time. He knew he ducked out on her answer last night when she said yes even though he could tell she was doubting.
His eyes shifted every now and then to look at her, but she kept her eyes straight ahead, and there was no eye contact.
Jace had driven the team past the mill and the farm to a nice grassy area of unknown ownership. Woody was friendly with all his neighbors, so Jace felt confident that he was welcome. When he finally stopped the team, he helped Maddie down from the seat. Clara had set out a quilt, and Jace grabbed that along with the basket.
The field was open and huge. The grass wasn’t overly long, and Jace took them only a little ways into the field before he set up. Maddie sat on the blanket as soon as it was spread out and let Jace do the rest. He began to unload food, and it seemed to her that there was no end.
Maddie was impressed with the picnic—she couldn’t help but be. Clara had made fried chicken, honey rolls, and cheese biscuits. She had cut up small pieces of salted pork and mixed them with apples and raisins. There were cookies, tarts, and a small jug of tea.
“Thank you,” Maddie said when Jace loaded a plate and handed it to her. “It all looks very good.”
“I think Clara outdid herself,” Jace commented, starting on his own plate.
And with that, conversation nearly died. Maddie would only glance in Jace’s direction, and she initiated no conversation at all. He hated it when women threw themselves at him, but it would have helped if Maddie had at least spoken to him.
Jace knew it was his own fault. He could tell that she didn’t want to go the night before and was probably with him now only to please her aunt and uncle.
“Is your food all right?” Jace finally tried.
“Yes, thank you.”
These stilted words were no more uttered than Jace watched her fold her arms and shiver a little.
“Are you cold?” Jace asked, noticing the way she huddled into herself a bit.
“A little,” Maddie admitted.
“My jacket is in the wagon. I’ll get it for you.”