Lone Pine Bride (The Brides of Lone Pine #1)(42)

“A bath chair.”

“What’s that? I’ve never heard of having a bath in a chair.”

Hannah giggled and the thought came through her mind how he brightened wherever he was. “A chair on wheels for Wilfred. Monica says she thinks they would be happier going back to their farm and living in the barn.”

“I would probably want to do that,” Seth said. “And yes, I can make a chair on wheels. I could use big wheels so he could push them round and get around himself.”

“Even better. Could you call the children in and get Wilfred into the living room so we can have breakfast? Monica has done oatmeal and I’ve done our famous egg on bread.”

“Delicious.” Seth walked over to bend to kiss Hannah. “Thank you, darling.”

She bent her head as her cheeks flamed. He was acting the part and doing it well and she had to remember that. It was of no consequence, anyway, because they weren’t really betrothed. Fiancé was the new word, her sister had told her, and it sounded nice. Seth went for Wilfred and the children and came back to help them carry through the plates of food.

“Not bad,” Lucille said when they started to eat the egg on bread. “I couldn’t have done better myself.”

“You couldn’t have done it at all,” Aaron added. He grinned as she stuck her tongue out at him.

“Lucille! That is not ladylike,” Monica said.

“That’s because she’s not a lady,” Aaron and Lucas chorused.

“Behave and eat,” Wilfred said.

“After breakfast you young people could help me make a bath chair for your father,” Seth said.

“Will he have a bath in a chair?” Lucille giggled.

“He could have a shower in one. It will have wheels and I thought we’d make them big enough for him to push round with his hands. What do you think?”

“I’m clever,” Aaron said. “I could do that.”

“Me too,” Lucas added.

“I’m most clever,” Lucille said. “I’ll oversee everything.”

“And we’ll just sit watching you,” Monica said.

“It’s man’s work,” Lucas said.

“Women are far more clever,” Lucille cut in. Hannah listened and watched with interest and felt she had never been happier in her life. Seth, what they were doing, the fact that she was being useful. All of which she could have been at home, she knew, and her parents had been very patient when she was a child. How she would love them to be here now and see everything.

Except that she wasn’t marrying this Seth because he was the wrong one. Soon he would have another lady and she was beginning to hate the woman. Hate? She mustn’t do that now she had Jesus in her life but surely God wanted her to be happy.

She resolutely pushed thoughts from her mind and tried to concentrate on the enjoyment she was finding at this moment. Reality would arrive all too soon and she was going to be part of making a bath chair. Maybe she could even spin out her time if she thought of a way to do it.

They would have to make a chair from scratch, Seth said when they went to the barn afterwards to find materials, and what did the ladies think would be best for the actual seat because wood would be a bit hard to sit on? Some kind of leather, Hannah replied, maybe the materials which were used for a saddle.

“I have leather,” Seth said. “I bought some recently to start making another sofa but never got round to it. Lucille, maybe you could design the chair. There’s paper and pencils in the bureau in the living room. Aaron and Lucas, come and help me find the right size wheels. I’ve got a few I’ve acquired over time. How big do you think they should be?”

“Big enough for papa to push round,” Lucas said.

“They’re over there behind the straw. Go and see what you think. Monica, how are you at sewing?”

She smiled as she looked at him and Hannah felt she would burst with pride. He was bringing everyone into it, which included the children who could be quite a handful, she was sure. “I can sew,” Monica said.

“Beautifully,” Wilfred added from where he sat with his legs stretched out in front of him. He had swung over to the barn with the aid of his sticks at Seth’s suggestion which meant he was part of everything. Only Seth would think of that, Hannah thought, and he was the kindest man out.

“So can I,” Wilfred continued. “We’ll do whatever needs doing together.”

Together. What a wonderful word. “What do I do?” Hannah asked.

“You just being here inspires me.” Seth reached out to briefly touch her hair. “What you can do is get scissors and help Lucille with the designing and cutting the leather. You can discuss it together. I have quite a few pairs of scissors in the house in various places.”

“Come on,” Lucille said, taking Hannah’s hand. “We’ve got the most important work.”

“We have,” Aaron and Lucas chorused. Seth winked at Hannah, she turned with a smile to go to the house and the morning was a busy one as they cut leather, sewed it round a steel frame which Seth made and put together the body and back of the chair.

At midday Hannah went to cook a meal. She would do it, she said, because Monica and Wilfred were better at sewing, and by this time the children had lost interest and were kicking around a ball Seth had found for them in a game which seemed to have no name but which occupied them.