Lone Pine Bride (The Brides of Lone Pine #1)(49)

Except that tomorrow she should go to Seth and this Seth needed to meet his bride. They walked into the barn and Seth bent to straighten their beds.

“I’ll wash your dress again,” he said. “Tomorrow we can go to Independence for new clothes for you.”

“I have lots of clothes in my trunk,” she said.

“Yes, but the road won’t be safe and the other one probably won’t be so good either. We could go to Independence first for you and Monica to shop and then we’ll take them to their farm and settle them, or else they can stay another night.”

“They need more furniture,” Hannah said.

“I’ll make them some, like I said, but it will take a while. We can use some of my money.”

“Monica said she brought their money and we’ll use mine too. They’ll need five beds and....”

“Four,” Seth said. “One will be a double one.”

“Four.” Hannah was glad of the dark to hide the sudden blush which rose to her cheeks. “They’ll also need clothes and food and some toys for the children.”

“A doll for Lucille and animals and carts for the boys.”

Hannah smiled. “No dolls for the boys and carts for Lucille?”

“Did you have horses and carts?” Seth asked.

“I was totally spoilt and had everything.”

“It can’t be so good for you now then.”

“It’s wonderful for me now and I’m really enjoying myself apart from the earthquake. I’m not bothered about being waited on and I’m becoming quite proficient at cooking. I haven’t poisoned anyone yet.”

“You’re wonderful at cooking,” Seth said.

“And you’re wonderful at catching fish.”

“It was a fluke. Usually it takes hours for a fish to come anywhere near me. I don’t think they like me. But I’m determined to get one for Wilfred and Monica tomorrow.”

Hannah giggled. “Perhaps they prefer swimming around to being eaten.”

“They probably do. Are you game for jumping the fence again?”

“More to the point, is Charlotte? Race you there?”

“Of course.”

They galloped towards the fence, went over it together and slowed to a trot as they came in sight of the barn. Once again they would sleep with animals nearby and Noah and his family had to do that, Seth said. They brushed the horses down, fed them and Seth insisted on washing Hannah’s dress again.

“What about washing your clothes?” she asked.

“I’ve got quite a few changes. I’ll do it in a couple of days.”

She would do it, she decided, that was, if she was still here which really she shouldn’t be. She wasn’t going to think of it and she wasn’t going to sleep when Seth read the Bible to her because she really enjoyed listening to him and was eager to get to know God better. He had been so good to them. He had protected them. He had given them the privilege of helping people. She was now His child and that was a wonderful thing.

But first she would find a piece of suitable wood to put the Bible verse on because that was very important. She stood, rolled the legs of his pajamas up her legs and tightened the cord which held them up. Was it indecent to wear them, she wondered, but became too involved in what she was doing to worry about it. She found a knife, began to carefully carve the words on the wood and looked at it critically.

Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. What a wonderful fact and He was with her now. But did He approve of her being here when she should really be in Lower Pine? Did He understand how she felt about it all?

“I’m sorry if it’s wrong,” she prayed quietly as she began to paint with the gold paint she had found. “Please forgive me and work it out.”

She did not realise Seth was standing in the doorway watching her, something he had been doing for an hour. She had lost track of time while she carved and now as she painted.

Eventually she stepped back to look at it. It wasn’t as good as Seth’s had been because she hadn’t cut very deeply but the gold showed up and now all she had to do was paint the background. He walked forward to stand next to her.

“It’s not very good,” she said. “I wanted to do it quickly so I didn’t really carve it deep at all. I suppose I didn’t carve it at all. But the words show up. I could make you another one and take this.”

“I want this,” he said. “It’s beautiful.”

“I’ll paint the background tomorrow.” She put it up on a shelf and walked towards the washroom. “Will you read to me about Jesus and that couple?”

“Yes, of course I will.”

He got into bed, reached for his Bible and she took a few minutes. When she returned and slid under the cover he looked across at her.

“Shall I read it now?”

“Yes, please. You have such a lovely reading voice.”

He started to read, she closed her eyes and he smiled as he saw her relax. He would read it to her in the morning and it was understandable that she was tired. She had been working so hard all day and probably what she had been doing for the last couple of days was a far cry from what she did at home, whatever that was.

She was the bravest lady he had ever met, the most resilient, the most beautiful. On that thought he fell asleep himself.