Lone Pine Bride (The Brides of Lone Pine #1)(47)

“You’re a hard taskmaster,” he said, doing as she said.

“Outright and a hard taskmaster?” She screwed her nose at him. “That doesn’t sound so good.”

“It’s meant to sound wonderful. You are the nicest lady I have ever met, the kindest, and there is no cook better than you.”

“Not even your mother?”

“My mother is a wonderful cook but it’s different.”

“Why is it different?”

She wasn’t sure if she should be pursuing this line of conversation, Hannah thought, but she couldn’t resist it. He looked at her thoughtfully.

“I don’t know how to define it. You are so new to it that it’s nice watching you. You come at everything with a refreshing enthusiasm which makes a person feel good.”

“I am enjoying things which I never thought I would enjoy,” she said.

“And I am enjoying watching you.” Seth stood back to look at the flowers. “Is that alright?”

“It’s beautifully and professionally done and you also are doing things you haven’t done, or did you fill the house with flowers before?”

He grinned. “I think you know the answer to that. Where shall I put the flowers?”

She pointed. “On that ledge where everyone can see them. Shall we make a welcome sign for them?” She walked over to pick up a broom. “I’m going overboard, aren’t I? This property is already their home.”

“I think a welcome sign would be nice,” Seth said. He went for a piece of wood and lifted down a tool box which had a hammer poking out of it. “I’ll see what Wilfred has in here.”

“Maybe a Bible verse would be better than the word welcome,” Hannah said. “You know the Bible well. What do you think?”

“I think it’s a wonderful idea.” Seth began to smooth down the wood before picking up a knife which was in the box. “There’s a verse I love which is at the end of Luke. It was when a couple were walking along the road on the third day after Jesus died on the cross. The verse says, Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. He then walked with them but they didn’t recognise Him until He broke bread in their house. He then disappeared and they went back to Jerusalem to the disciples to tell them. Jesus then appeared to all of them again.”

“Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.” Hannah repeated the words. “That is really nice. He’s been with us all the time, hasn’t He?”

“He has. Shall we carve the words on here and put it near the flowers?”

“You carve it while I sweep the hay into the next barn. I’m not particularly artistic.”

“I could do the hay afterwards.”

“No. I don’t mind doing it.”

Her gaze travelled to him frequently while she swept but she did not see him looking at her between his carving. He worked carefully, dusted it off and put the wood up on the shelf.

“How is that?” he asked.

She walked over to stand next to him. “It shows up very clearly,” she said.

“There’s some paints over there. Shall I paint it? Let’s see what colours they’ve got.”

“Gold for the wording,” they said together.

“Because God is more precious than gold,” Seth added.

“Yes. Would black or brown be better for the background?”

“I’ll do the words first then we can try a bit of each colour and see.” He dipped a small paintbrush in gold and held it out. “You do the words.”

She painted carefully. She knew any errors could be painted over but she wanted to get it right. When she finished Seth took a thicker brush and painted a bit of brown and a bit of black. “Brown,” they said in unison and smiled at each other. Seth painted, they set it on the shelf on another piece of wood ready for it to dry and stood back again to look at it.

“We could do one for your house when we get back,” Hannah said. “Would you like that?”

“I would.” Seth looked round. “I could help Wilfred make some furniture.” He put his hand on a table, pushed it and it buckled a bit. “I’ll just strengthen this. What else could I make?”

Hannah pushed a few chairs which stood round the edge of the barn. “These could do with strengthening. Maybe Wilfred made others or bought them and threw these out because there’s five of them.”

“Yes. They could do with painting and so could this table.”

“I could do that,” Hannah said. “You do the strengthening and I’ll do the painting.”

“Good idea.”

And once again they kept glancing at each other while they worked. When they finished they put the table in one part of the barn with the chairs next to it. Seth cleared out the stove and filled it with wood for when they returned the following day. He would bring a couple of pots for them, he said, because he had a few, and they could pick some of the vegetables at the back of the house. He could catch a fish again and that would keep them going for the first day. Maybe the next day he could get a rabbit for them.

“Wilfred has a room underground here,” he said, walking over to a trapdoor in the floor. “He uses it to keep things cool there. Not as cold as if you use ice boxes but cool enough to keep meat for a couple of days. I’ll go down and see if it’s safe.”