Martha Read online

  A look of recognition flitted across the stranger’s face. “Oh my! Please, let me start that again.”

  To Martha’s surprise and amusement, the man went outside the cabin, set down his bags on the small porch, and reentered the room. He offered a hand. “Andrew Ford. Pleasure to meet you, please excuse my dreadful manners, and kindly don’t tell my mother about this. She’d be mortified.”

  Again, Martha felt the urge to laugh. “It’s nice to meet you, too.” As he vigorously shook her hand, she felt a strange thrill in her stomach she’d never experienced before.

  Andrew continued. “I’m here to work as a hired man for Tom McClain. He mentioned his wife was one of fifteen girls. Is that right?”

  Martha nodded. “Our parents adopted all of us at the same time.”

  “And I suppose you’re all spoken for?” Andrew asked.

  Martha felt her ears and cheeks flush. She looked down at the floor, spying the forgotten doll. “No. Many of us have married, but a few of us are single.”

  “Lucky for me then.” Andrew flashed her a grin, then seemed to recall his location. “Anyway, I should leave you alone. My sincerest of apologies for intruding, and I’ll apologize to Penny and Tom as well. I hope I didn’t frighten you.”

  Martha shook her head. Though she’d been scared, she didn’t want to admit it.

  Andrew’s gaze fell onto the doll on the floor. “Oh, I’m sorry. I must have made you drop this.” He bent down to pick it up and handed it to Martha. As his hand brushed against hers, she felt the same thrill as she had moments before. She pulled her hand back, stung, and Andrew looked at her with an expression of concern. “Are you all right?”

  Martha looked away, clutching the doll. She was embarrassed that he was seeing her with such a childish toy, but he couldn’t possibly understand what it meant to her. “I’m fine. But you should be going.”

  “Right.” Andrew shoved his hands into his pockets. “Well, again, I’m terribly sorry to trouble you. I hope I’ll see you around.” He turned around and walked out of the cabin.

  Martha sat down on the bed, shaking from the surprise of her unexpected visitor. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest, and she tried to take a few deep breaths to calm herself. How could this unfamiliar man produce such strong feelings in her?

  Chapter 2

  Martha settled into her new life on the ranch nicely. She rose around dawn to prepare breakfast for Tom and Penny’s family, including their adopted orphans. She was thankful there was a bunkhouse for the men who worked the ranch.

  Depending on the day, there were anywhere from five to ten men, including Andrew Ford, who worked on the land. Martha rarely saw them. She took her meals with Tom and Penny’s children and some of the orphans. She loved spending time with her nephews and getting to know them better. She certainly felt an affinity for all the boys her sister had adopted.

  On Sundays when they went to Nowhere, the entire group would pile into several wagons and set off for church services. Martha loved those Sundays because she got to see all of her sisters and Edna Petunia and Cletus. She would have never admitted it out loud, but as much as she enjoyed her new arrangement, she missed her adoptive parents and their constant banter.

  As Tom had predicted, Martha barely saw Andrew Ford, except for one evening when he joined the family for dinner. Martha was so nervous that she barely said a word for the entire dinner, although Andrew complimented her cooking several times. Apart from that, she barely saw the man despite the fact that their cabins were right next to one another. But one day, he was outside shining a pair of shoes as she walked out to start breakfast.

  “Morning!” Andrew flashed a wide grin.

  Martha wanted to smile back at him but looked at his shoes instead. “I thought you’d be at work by now.”

  “I have the day off. Tom’s a fair man.” Andrew gestured to Martha’s outfit. “You look lovely this morning.”

  Martha frowned. “I don’t know about that.”

  “Then take my word for it. You do,” Andrew said easily.

  Martha blushed. She wondered if he was flirting with her. She didn’t know much about such matters but a small part of her hoped that he was. She felt excited simply to be talking to him.

  “You know,” Andrew continued. “One of these days you’re going to have to tell me a little more about yourself. You’re so mysterious!”

  Martha shook her head violently. “There’s nothing to tell.”

  Andrew laughed. “I’m sure there’s plenty to tell. Like how you came to end up in Texas. You don’t sound like you’re from Texas.”

  Martha bit her lip. “I need to go start breakfast.”

  Andrew smiled. “Surely they can spare you for a few minutes.”

  “I was placed in an orphanage when I was very small.” Martha spoke quietly and looked at the ground. “When I was thirteen, the church that ran the orphanage sent us to Texas on a bus. They didn’t feel it was right to have girls and boys living under the same roof. But something fell through when we got here. We didn’t have a place to live as we thought we would.”

  Andrew let out a low whistle. “You traveled all the way from New York to Texas on a bus? I’m sure that’s a story in its own right.”

  “I barely remember it.” Martha waved a hand. She looked nervously at the main house even though she knew it would be some time before anyone else was awake. She liked Andrew, but she hated talking about herself. There were certain things that had to remain a secret, and it was hard when people poked and prodded, expecting answers.

  “Nevertheless, I’d love to treat you to dinner sometime and hear more about it, Miss Martha.” Andrew looked her directly in the eyes, and Martha fidgeted and looked down. She felt like he was looking right into her soul.

  Martha hastily waved goodbye. “I need to go now.” She practically raced to the main house.

  Andrew switched the shoe he was shining for its twin. He shook his head and laughed. Martha was an enigma. A very lovely enigma, but an enigma nonetheless. He wondered what she was hiding. She seemed so sweet, but so sad. He hoped he could find a way to lessen her burden.

  Martha rushed into the kitchen. Penny laughed when she saw Martha’s face. “Martha, you’re as red as a turnip. What’s gotten into you?”

  Martha ignored Penny’s question. “What should I start with today?”

  Penny couldn’t hide a gleeful smile. “Have you been talking to Andrew Ford?”

  Martha was horrified. How did Penny possibly know about her private thoughts and feelings about Andrew? “No, that’s not it,” she began, but she couldn’t lie to her sister. “Yes. I was talking to him. But only very briefly.”

  Penny poured grease onto a large griddle. “He’s quite a handsome man.”

  Martha tried frantically to think of another topic of conversation. She retrieved a basket of eggs from the counter and set them near the stovetop. She found a small bowl and began to crack several eggs, whipping them with a fork in preparation for the skillet. “What are we going to make for dinner tonight?”

  Penny acted like she hadn’t heard Martha. “You know, as much as you’re thinking about him, he’s thinking about you, too.”

  “What does that mean?” Martha asked, confused.

  “He asked Tom and me to help him figure out how to impress you. Even told us he thinks you’re beautiful. I believe his exact words were, ‘She’s the marrying type.’”

  “He did?” The hopeful words flew out of Martha’s mouth before she realized what she was saying.

  A knowing smile spread across Penny’s face. “I knew it! You do like him!”

  Martha felt immediately uneasy. She didn’t want to be in the kitchen with Penny anymore. She wanted to be all alone, where no one could hurt her or make fun of her. “I didn’t say that,” she said weakly.

  Penny saw that Martha was uncomfortable and paused from her breakfast preparations. “Martha, what’s wrong?”

  Martha looked down. “I don’t
. . . I don’t feel very well.”

  “Why don’t you sit down and rest?” Penny suggested.

  “No, I’ll be fine. Can we change the subject though?” Martha asked.

  “I only wanted to bring it up because I thought it might make you feel better. You’ve seemed a little lonely since coming here. I know we haven’t always been the closest of sisters, but I want you to enjoy living here. You’re a great help to me and my whole family, Martha.” Penny’s eyes shined with unfallen tears.

  Martha knew Penny genuinely cared for her. Part of her wanted to give Penny a hug or thank her for her kind words. But something stopped her from saying or doing anything. “Can we get back to making breakfast?”

  Penny nodded. “Of course.”

  Martha busied herself, pouring the eggs into the skillet and scrambling them. Penny cooked sausages right next to her, and together they prepared for the pack of boys, from toddlers to teenagers, who would soon be eating breakfast at the table.

  Martha took deep breaths to steady herself, focusing entirely on preparing the food and trying to put all thoughts of Andrew Ford out of her mind. All she knew was that she didn’t want to talk to Penny about her feelings.

  As the minutes pressed on, Martha found her thoughts returning to the young ranch hand. She imagined him talking to Penny and Tom and confiding his feelings for her. As she scooped scrambled eggs from the skillet onto the plates of Penny’s children and orphans, she wondered exactly what his intentions were.

  She didn’t want to get her hopes up, but Penny had said that he had mentioned marriage. That seemed absurd to Martha. She assumed she would never marry. Compared to her sisters and their engaging personalities, she had never thought she’d be lucky enough to find a spouse.

  “Aunt Martha?” John, one of the older orphans, held out his plate expectantly.

  Martha blushed as she realized she had been caught daydreaming, paused in front of John with an empty ladle. She hastily scooped the ladle back into the skillet and distributed some eggs onto John’s plate. “I’m sorry, John.”

  “Thank you, Aunt Martha!” John said cheerily. He hopped over to the breakfast table, where he joined the other orphans and Tom and Penny’s children.

  Martha sighed. She knew she needed to get herself together. Otherwise, she wasn’t going to be much help to anyone at all.

  Chapter 3

  “Andrew Ford, I presume?” An older man’s gravelly voice interrupted Andrew’s thoughts as he strode out of church services into the bright, hot Nowhere day.

  Andrew turned around, pleasantly surprised that someone knew his name. He was new in town, and hadn’t become acquainted with many townspeople, except for the ones who also worked on the McClain ranch.

  “Gerald Sibley. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” The old man offered his hand, and Andrew shook it heartily. Gerald Sibley had gray hair and a kind smile.

  “The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Sibley.” Andrew nodded respectfully at the two women standing behind Gerald as they all exited the small church structure.

  The small group found a space in the field outside of the church to continue talking. “This is my wife, Veronica, and our daughter, Mary.”

  “How do you do?” Andrew remarked politely. Veronica and Mary greeted him warmly, and Mary gave him a shy, soft smile.

  “I run the bank in Nowhere,” Gerald explained. “I understand you’re working for Tom McClain.”

  “That’s right.” Andrew looked around for the McClain family and smiled as he saw them speaking to an elderly couple. Andrew knew they must be Edna Petunia and Cletus, the colorful Nowhere citizens who had adopted a brood full of orphans despite their advanced age. Tom had told him many funny stories about the pair, and he looked forward to meeting them.

  “Would you like to take a walk? I’d like to show you some of the property that surrounds our church,” Gerald suggested.

  Andrew frowned. It seemed like a big, open field to him. He wasn’t sure what Gerald was getting at, but he felt rude not to oblige. “Of course, sir.”

  Gerald smiled at his family and took Andrew’s elbow as they distanced themselves from the rest of the church crowd. “As you’ve probably guessed, the land around our church isn’t my primary reason for talking with you, son.”

  Andrew wondered what Gerald wanted from him. “What exactly is your reason for talking with me?”

  Gerald sighed. “My daughter, Mary, is eighteen years old this year. She’s in excellent health, kind and cheerful, and has all the skills to run a household well. But you see, we don’t get many single young men, such as yourself, around Nowhere.”

  Andrew immediately understood why Gerald wanted to talk to him. “You’d like me to court your daughter.”

  Gerald looked surprised. “I wasn’t going to be so presumptuous, but yes. I’ve heard good things from Tom and the others who work on his ranch. You’re a good man, with common decency, integrity, and intellect. You come from a good family. It seems to me like you’d be an ideal match for my girl.”

  Andrew paused, shifting his weight from foot to foot. “I’m flattered, sir. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought a lot about marriage in these past few weeks. But I don’t know if I’m ready to make such a large commitment. I’d have to get to know a woman first before proposing marriage.”

  To Andrew’s surprised, Gerald laughed. “Of course, son! I’m not trying to rush you into marriage this afternoon. I simply wanted to let you know of my daughter’s eligibility. I believe that if you gave her a chance, she’d prove to you that she’d be an excellent wife.”

  “I’m sure you’re right, sir. She’s a lovely young woman,” Andrew said politely. He watched Mary from a distance. She wore pretty white gloves on her hands and a peach-colored dress. Mary seemed pretty and sweet, but there was another woman who had been on Andrew’s mind since the day he’d moved in. And she wasn’t giving him the time of day.

  Andrew’s eyes found their way to Martha, who held one of her young nephews in her arms and spoke with him quietly as her family held an animated discussion nearby. Martha was different from the others. She was quieter, and it seemed she was always thinking. Andrew felt sure there was much more to her personality that she wasn’t comfortable sharing with anyone.

  He longed to get close to her once again, to find out what she was hiding and what she was afraid of. He wanted to be her sworn protector, the man who was privileged to be her husband, starting a family of their own, maybe one that could rival Tom and Penny’s brood.

  But each time he approached her, Martha had either avoided his questions or excused herself. He had asked Tom and Penny for help, but all they would say was that Martha was a private person and most often kept to herself. He wanted to take her out on a proper date, but she wouldn’t even lend herself to a proper conversation.

  “Son? Are you all right?” Gerald’s voice broke through Andrew’s thoughts.

  “Please excuse me, sir. I was thinking about what a fine young woman your daughter is,” Andrew said smoothly. “I’m sure her upbringing has been impeccable.”

  Gerald looked flattered. “Thank you, Andrew. I won’t take any more of your time. I only wanted to introduce myself and present the idea to you. Something to think about.”

  Andrew and Gerald shook hands again, then Gerald returned to his family. Andrew watched as Gerald helped his wife and daughter step into a wagon.

  Andrew joined Tom and Penny.

  “What was that about?” Penny asked sharply, her eyes following the Sibley family.

  “Gerald Sibley introduced himself to me and told me his daughter is available for marriage.” Andrew didn’t see a reason to hide this fact from the McClains.

  Penny’s expression narrowed. “I thought you were interested in someone else.” Penny kept her voice lowered so the rest of the Sanders family, including Martha, couldn’t hear her.

  Tom also spoke quietly. “Penny, don’t give Andrew a hard time. I’m sure he was only being polite.” />
  “That’s right. And while I do have eyes for a certain someone, that person doesn’t seem a bit interested in me,” Andrew clarified, his eyes lingering on Martha as she played with her young nephew nearby.

  “Just give her some time,” Penny urged.

  “Give who some time?” Theresa asked, coming up to her sister and brother-in-law. “Hi, Andrew!”

  “Hello,” Andrew said pleasantly. He recognized the girl as one of Penny and Martha’s sisters, but he had no idea which one. He wondered how anyone was able to keep track of them.

  “What were you talking about?” Theresa persisted.

  “I’ve already forgotten!” Penny said brightly.

  Theresa looked confused but dropped the subject. “How do you like Nowhere so far, Andrew?”

  Andrew looked at Tom and Penny. “I’m very lucky to be working for Tom. Between his guidance and the chef’s cooking, I’ve basically been spoiled,” Andrew explained. “Oh, and I can’t forget Martha. Her biscuits and gravy—let’s put it this way. I thought my mother’s biscuits and gravy was the best meal in the world. Martha’s biscuits put my mother’s to shame, unfortunately—but don’t tell my mother that!”

  Theresa, Tom, and Penny all broke out into laughter. Edna Petunia wandered over. “What’s all this commotion about?”

  “Andrew was just appreciating Martha’s cooking,” Tom told Edna Petunia.

  Edna Petunia smirked. “Everything she learned, she learned from me!”

  “Then I am indebted to you,” Andrew said seriously.

  Edna Petunia giggled and patted Andrew on the shoulder. “You’re a good one, Andrew Ford. A very good one indeed.” With that, she ambled over to Cletus, who was talking to another one of the Sanders sisters. As she walked, she pulled out a hip flask and took a long sip.

  Andrew looked at Theresa, Penny, and Tom quizzically.

  “That’s her cough medicine,” Theresa explained sweetly.