Opal (Orlan Orphans Book 3) Read online

  Edna Petunia shook her head. "Not at all. Why, if Flo wasn't here, I'd ask if you used tongue!"

  "But—She's right here!"

  "That's why I didn't ask. See? I can be circumspect. None of my girls think I can." Edna Petunia winked at Opal.

  "But—" Nathaniel sputtered. "I—"

  "No use arguing with her," Opal told him, continuing to eat her pie. "Edna Petunia always wins."

  "You do?" Nathaniel asked the older woman. "Why do you always win?"

  "I just do. I think people are afraid to argue with someone my age. Think I'll keel over dead from a heart attack or something." Edna Petunia looked at Nathaniel. "You're not afraid I'll keel over dead? I'm old!"

  He shook his head. "I don't think there's anything fragile about you at all, Edna Petunia."

  Edna Petunia sighed. "So glad someone sees me for exactly what I am. It's a nice change." She winked at him as she picked up her plate and Flo's. "You want more?"

  Flo shook her head. "No, thank you."

  "Well, come with me then. We'll go tell Cletus that your papa asked Opal to marry him. The next sound we all hear will be his screams." She took the girl's hand and the two of them left the room.

  Nathaniel looked at Opal. "Will it really bother him?"

  Opal shrugged. "Probably. He takes his role as father-figure to fifteen young ladies very seriously."

  Nathaniel sighed, forking up the last bite of his pie. "Well, let's go talk to him then. Better to get it over with."

  "Sure." She ate her last bite too, carrying both plates into the kitchen and rinsing them. "They're probably in the informal parlor."

  "You have two parlors?"

  "We have sixteen people living in this house. We need six parlors." Opal led the way through the house, saying a little prayer that Cletus would go easy on Nathaniel.

  Chapter Four

  Cletus was sitting on the couch, a book in his hand. He laid it down as Opal and Nathaniel walked into the room. "What's this the old bat is telling me about you proposing to one of my little girls?" he asked Nathaniel. "I haven't even met you yet."

  Nathaniel held his hand out for the man. "It's nice to meet you, sir. I'm Nathaniel Reid."

  "Wish I could say the same. I'm not going to though." Cletus shook Nathaniel's hand, but his face was grumpy.

  "You have many other girls, don't you? You don't need this one. I only have one little girl. I need another."

  "Edna says you kissed her. You use tongue?" Cletus asked.

  Nathaniel looked around the room to see if his daughter was there, and let out a relieved breath when she wasn't. "No, I didn't use tongue. She pulled away too fast."

  Cletus shook his head. "Not really a kiss if you don't use tongue, boy! Why waste your time?"

  Opal shook her head. "You need to stop spending so much time with Edna Petunia. You're getting as bad as she is!"

  "Oh, she told me to ask," Cletus responded.

  "I can't believe you'd ask that in mixed company," Nathaniel said, looking over at Opal. "Do they always talk this way around you?"

  "Oh no. Sometimes they're much worse! You should hear what Edna Petunia said right before my sister got married." She blushed as she thought about Edna telling Ruby that she didn't feel like explaining about newly-weds playing 'hide the pickle.' "No, you shouldn't. Better if you don't."

  Nathaniel felt as if he'd walked into a house full of crazy people. He had to get Opal out as quick as he could! Why, their bad manners and strange topics of conversation might just rub off on her.

  Cletus looked at Nathaniel, all serious for a change. "What do you do for a living? I've never seen you around town."

  "I'm a rancher. My wife died about six months ago, and I'm trying to raise little Florence on my own. She's a good girl, but I know I'm not doing right by her. I don't think I realized just how much her education was lacking until I met Opal, and she started helping out around the house."

  "I suppose every little girl should have a mother." Cletus rubbed the back of his neck, seemingly very agitated. "Every old man should have a beautiful daughter to take care of him as well. I do have many beautiful daughters."

  "Why don't we leave the decision up to Opal? She's made me think she's going to just tell me no anyway." Nathaniel frowned at Opal.

  "Why? You didn't like the boy's kiss?" Cletus asked Opal.

  Opal blushed. "I'm not answering that. What's wrong with you, Cletus? You shouldn't be asking me that question! You're supposed to tell me never to kiss a man before I marry him, aren't you?"

  Cletus shrugged. "Now why would I do that? First time I met Edna Petunia, she bent over, lifted her skirts, and showed me her pretty little bottom. Sure didn't stop me from marrying her! I think you need to make sure that you're compatible with your future husband. How will you know if you don't kiss him?"

  "Sarah Jane says she won't kiss a man unless she's married to him."

  Cletus rolled his eyes. "Sarah Jane needs someone to take her in hand. Hopefully the man who can do it will move into town within the next few years. She's only sixteen now, but when she's ready, she's going to need a strong man." He turned his attention back to Nathaniel. "You should kiss her again. I think that's what she's waiting on. No woman can make a decision as big as marriage without a tongue kiss."

  Nathaniel had enough of being teased about kissing Opal. "Do you want me to do it here so you can give me pointers?"

  Cletus grinned. "I think that's a brilliant idea. Go ahead." Cletus leaned on his elbow watching the other man who was still standing.

  Opal had taken a seat in a chair, and was stunned when Nathaniel actually turned to her and took her hand, pulling her to her feet. "He's not going to let us get away with not kissing again right away. So let's do it."

  "No! You can't be serious!" She put her hands out in front of her to keep him from getting too close.

  "Now, Opal, the man just wants to show you that he's the right man for you. Would you keep him from proving that to you?"

  "Of course I would! Cletus, you can't just order a man to kiss one of your girls and expect him to do it. It's not right."

  "Well, I do like the idea of kissing you," Nathaniel said softly. "C'mere and let me show the man that I know how to kiss you right."

  "You're both crazy. No, I will not kiss you in front of him, just so he can say if he likes it or not. It's not right."

  Nathaniel sighed. "I don't think he'll ever let you marry me now. That's too bad."

  Opal rolled her eyes. She didn't think she wanted to marry the man, but if she changed her mind in the future, it should be her right. She fisted her hands in the front of his shirt and pulled him toward her, going up on tiptoe to brush his lips with hers. She had no idea what a 'tongue kiss' was, so she made no attempt at all on that front.

  Nathaniel grinned when he saw his ploy had worked. He grabbed her, and pulled her closer to him, his lips immediately taking over the kiss. His tongue traced her lips, and when she finally opened her mouth for him, he stroked her tongue with his.

  Opal felt like she was doing something incredibly naughty, and she liked it. How could she enjoy kissing someone in front of Cletus? Finally she broke away from the kiss, a bit out of breath, her chest heaving.

  Cletus shook his head at her. "Go ahead and say yes now, girl. You'll regret it otherwise." He picked up his book and continued reading, obviously dismissing them from his presence.

  Nathaniel gripped her hand and pulled her to the front door and outside with him. "I want to keep kissing you."

  Opal shook her head. "I don't think that's a good idea."

  "Marry me, Opal. We could have the preacher perform the ceremony after church on Sunday." He felt more for her than he ever had another woman. His first wife had been deceitful, and it had only taken him a short time to realize he didn't feel the kind of love for her he'd thought he did.

  "That's too soon. Edna Petunia would have a fit if I got married that fast. That's what Ruby did, and she still mumbles about
it."

  "What exactly does she mumble?" Nathaniel asked, curious.

  Opal shrugged. "It's hard to understand, because she's mumbling, but it's usually something like, 'Now I understand how Mrs. Sullivan felt.'"

  "Who is Mrs. Sullivan?"

  "I'm not sure, but I think it's Dr. Iris's mother. Edna Petunia will never answer when we ask."

  "They're—odd people." He didn't want to offend her, but he couldn't think of another way to classify her 'family.'

  "They are! Very odd. How do you feel knowing that they'll be a part of your life forever if you marry me?"

  He shrugged. "I can deal with it if you can deal with me. Are you going to marry me?"

  "I don't know! I—I enjoy kissing you. I think you know that. I just don't feel as if I know you well enough. And you've not been a widower for very long. Are you sure you're ready to marry already?"

  "I'm sure." He didn't want to complain about his Stella, but she'd eventually have to know everything. He knew that. It wasn't time yet.

  "I haven't made a decision, and I won't for a day or two at least. I need to think about it. I do love Flo—and your kisses. I'm just not sure if I'm ready to make the kind of commitment marriage is. I'm only eighteen."

  He nodded, understanding completely. "I'll give you the time you need, but don't keep me waiting forever. Florence needs a good mother." He couldn't stand Florence's name being shortened to Flo. That's what Stella had done, and it had annoyed him as much then as it did now.

  "She told me her name was Flo. You call her Florence?"

  "Only her mother ever called her Flo. I have never liked the shortened version of her name."

  "Oh, I'm sorry! Do you want me to call her Florence then?"

  "If she asked you to call her Flo, then call her that. I want her to be happy with her name." He looked at the door. "It's getting late. We should be getting home."

  Opal nodded. "Probably." She took a step toward him, knowing she shouldn't even as she did it. "One more kiss before you go." She stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips to his, feeling a thrill run through her body when he closed his arms around her, kissing her.

  This time it was Nathaniel who broke the kiss. "Think hard, Opal."

  "I—I'll just go get Florence." She had such a hard time stringing a sentence together when he kissed her. Why did he affect her so? She opened the door and hurried through the house, searching for the girl. She found her with Katie and Hattie.

  "Your papa is ready to go," Opal told her.

  "Aw. I was having fun."

  "I know. It's getting late, though, and you two need to get home." Opal walked toward the stairs with Florence right behind her. "He's waiting for you out front."

  "Did you tell him you'd marry him?" Flo asked.

  "I told him I'd think about it. I can't make that kind of decision without thinking long and hard about it."

  "I want you to marry us. You'd be a good mama."

  Opal smiled, hugging the girl. "I would love to have you as a daughter." I'm just not sure I'm ready to have your papa as a husband.

  "Then you should marry us! We could all live happily ever after!"

  Opal laughed. "Has someone been telling you fairy tales?"

  "My papa tells me fairy tales before bed every night. He keeps telling me that we're waiting for my prince on a big white horse to come along so I can ride off into the sunset with him."

  "I'm sure he'll be at your house the instant you're old enough to marry."

  "When will that be?" Flo asked. "Is there an age?"

  "You know, I'm not sure. I don't feel old enough to marry even now, but I am. Lots of girls are mothers by the time they're my age."

  "They are? How come you're not a mother yet then?"

  "I guess I just haven't found my Prince Charming yet." Opal wasn't sure how else to explain it.

  "Is my papa your Prince Charming then?" Florence asked.

  "I guess we'll see, won't we?"

  When they got outside, Opal smiled at Flo. "I'll see you in the morning. We're going to learn to bake bread and sew a dress tomorrow."

  "And make something tasty for supper?" Flo asked, obviously only interested in the food she'd get.

  Opal grinned. "Maybe we should all three come here for supper instead? Edna Petunia would love having guests. She especially loves little girls."

  Nathaniel nodded at that. "I'll make sure I get to the house early tomorrow so we can come over." He reached out and took Opal's hand before they left, squeezing it tight.

  Opal watched the two of them walk away, the road lit up by the moonlight. How was she going to be able to decide what to do?

  Chapter Five

  Opal tossed and turned all night, feeling the burden of the decision she needed to make weighing heavily on her mind. On the one hand, she didn't like the idea of marrying so quickly, but she knew that Flo needed a mother now, not in a year or however long she felt like being courted.

  Also, she couldn't ask Nathaniel to wait. When he kissed her, she could feel the fire of his passion burning for her. The man was much too—interested—for her to be able to tell him she wanted to wait. No, if she said no, she knew that would be it, and she wouldn't be able to spend much time with them. But if she said yes, the wedding would need to happen almost immediately.

  What she really needed to do was talk to Mrs. Hayes, or better yet to Ruby, about her dilemma. Ruby had just gone through the same thing. Surely she would be able to give good advice. But when?

  Even before she went down to breakfast Saturday morning, she wrote a quick note to Ruby.

  "My dear sister,

  I'm trying to make a major decision, and I badly need to talk it over with you. There's no one else I trust as I do my twin. Will you come to the small house just out of town, off the road to the Sanders' house for lunch today? The boys may come as well. I just need my sister.

  Missing you,

  Opal"

  She gave the letter to Martha on her way down to breakfast. "Will you take that into town to Ruby? I'll give you a penny."

  Martha shook her head. "You don't have to pay me. I'll do it. After breakfast?"

  "That would be perfect. Thank you, Martha."

  Martha nodded. She never said much, and she was always a bit distant from the others. Opal had tried hard to be her friend and draw her out, but nothing had worked.

  "Are you going to marry that man?" Martha asked.

  Opal shrugged. "I have no idea. I'm going to talk to Ruby first. I need to tell her what's going on. It helps to discuss things with her."

  "I wish I had a twin," Martha said softly.

  "You do? Why?"

  "Because it seems like you have a built in best friend. Someone who will always be on your side and listen when you need someone to talk to."

  Opal nodded. "It is like that. I used to not like being a twin, but I didn't realize just how much I'd miss my sister when she moved out."

  "Maybe you'll have twins some day."

  Opal laughed. "Wouldn't that be something? If both Ruby and I had twins?"

  After breakfast, Opal and Martha walked together as far as Nathaniel's house. "Do you want me to come back and help with anything?" Martha asked as they parted ways.

  "Why don't you stop by on your way back, and I'll let you know?" Opal didn't know what she planned for the day, other than sewing the pieces of the dress she'd cut out together. "Oh, and would you get some flour?" She dug into her pocket and offered Martha some money. "I don't have enough to finish the day's cooking."

  Martha looked down at the money in her hand. "I will get it. Seems strange that you'd buy them flour."

  Opal shrugged. "I don't know what they can and can't afford."

  Martha just nodded, her brown eyes wide. "I'll be back in a bit." She walked off toward town while Opal went into the small house.

  Florence flew at her from across the room. "I'm so glad you're here! What are we going to do today?" she asked.

  "Well, we're going to bak
e some bread as soon as Martha comes back, and then we'll give both bedrooms a good cleaning, and I'll work on your dress. I cut out all the pieces last night." Opal showed Florence the small basket she carried.

  "My pretty dress! When will it be finished?"

  Opal shrugged. "I've never made a little girl dress before. Soon probably."

  "I'll help you!" Florence offered. "I've been a little girl my whole life!"

  "Well, that will be a big help," Opal said with a laugh. She looked in the kitchen. "We'd better start with the breakfast dishes."

  They worked side by side to get the dishes done and return the kitchen to rights. Opal was surprised by just how messy the two were with their cooking. No wonder it had taken so long for her to clean that first day she'd come over.

  Once the dishes were done, they started on the bedrooms, washing down the walls and scrubbing the floors. Opal climbed the steep ladder up to the loft where she scrubbed the walls. She was surprised at the size of the bed in the little girl's room. "What a big bed you have!"

  "It had to be that big so I could share with mama. If you become my mama, will you share the bed with me?"

  Opal blinked a couple of times in surprise. Why had Opal's mother shared a room with her? She'd never been married, but she knew that wasn't right. "I don't know. We'll ask your papa."

  Just then there was a call from downstairs. "Opal? Are you here? I have your flour!"

  Opal leaned over the loft and waved. "Up here. Put the flour on the table, would you?"

  "Sure!" Martha set the flour on the table and walked to the foot of the stairs. "Want me to finish cleaning up there? Are you baking bread today?"

  "Would you mind? I am baking bread, and I'm hoping that I'll have some ready in time for lunch." Opal carefully climbed down the stairs.

  "Ruby said to tell you that she'd be here for lunch, but she'd leave the boys at home so you two could talk."

  "Oh good. I was hoping we'd have an opportunity to just chat for a bit."

  "What about Flo?" Martha asked softly.

  "I don't know. I'll send her to do something outside or something. I'll make it work."