Martha Read online

  “Is she ill?” Andrew asked politely.

  This set off Theresa, Penny, and Tom into another fit of laughter. Andrew felt fortunate to work for such an interesting family. As usual, his eyes were drawn back to Martha, whose hair had fallen into her face as she bent down to speak to her nephew. She brushed a loose strand behind her ear, and Andrew was struck by how beautiful she looked against the backdrop of open plains.

  He wished Martha would join in on the easy camaraderie the McClains seemed to share with all of the other Sanders sisters and their parents. He wanted to speak openly with her, to find out all about her past and her deepest desires for the future. “Please excuse me.”

  Andrew walked over to Martha, who was playing with little Robby. “Hi, Robby! How would you like to play horse?”

  Robby looked up at Andrew, confused. “Horse?”

  Andrew bent down, picked Robby up, and placed him on his shoulders. He took off at a gallop. Robby squealed in glee.

  Martha shook her head and laughed at Andrew’s antics.

  A few moments later, Andrew and Robby returned, and Andrew set Robby back onto the ground. “How are you today, Martha?” Andrew asked.

  Martha looked down at her feet. “I’m fine. How are you?”

  “I’m fantastic.” Andrew smiled broadly, wishing he would be able to make Martha smile, too.

  Robby spotted his brothers, and Martha watched as he ran off to play with them.

  “He really seems to like you,” Andrew commented.

  Martha shrugged. “He likes all of his aunts.”

  “Yes, but you take special care of him. I’ve seen you with him. You’re very good with all the boys.” Andrew tried to get Martha to meet his gaze.

  Martha looked at her hands. “Thank you. He’s sweet.”

  “I’m sure you’ll make an excellent mother one day,” Andrew continued, hoping he wasn’t being too bold.

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

  “Why not?” Andrew’s face was full of concern.

  Martha didn’t know how to express what she wanted to say. She had never thought she would marry, but how could she tell that to Andrew? If she could believe Penny, marriage was something Andrew was actively thinking about. She didn’t want to scare him away.

  Then again, it probably didn’t matter. There was no way a handsome young man like Andrew would ever end up with a young woman like her. She was too plain and quiet to keep his attention for more than a short while. He would probably end up with someone like Mary Sibley—a girl who was pretty, cheerful, and had lots of friends.

  Martha had seen Mr. Sibley take Andrew aside. She felt sure they had been talking about marriage. Whatever feelings Martha had for Andrew, she needed to forget about them. “Please excuse me. I need to speak to my family.” Martha stepped away before Andrew had a chance to respond.

  Andrew stood alone. Although he was taken aback, he was also more determined than ever to get Martha Sanders to open up to him. There had to be a way. She was clearly hiding something behind her expressive, dark eyes. But what was it?

  Martha changed the linens on the children’s beds in the main house. She looked lovingly at the toy train and ball that sat on a shelf in Robby’s room. She had never envisioned herself as someone who would get married and have children, but now that she was spending so much time with her nephews, she had started to think about it more and more.

  She envisioned herself greeting a husband as he came home from work with a hot-cooked meal and gently rubbing a swollen belly. She had watched many of her sisters go through pregnancy and childbirth, and she wondered what it would be like when it was her turn one day. She hoped that if she did have children, they’d be as sweet as little Robby.

  He loved his Aunt Martha and was thrilled any time she was around. He often asked her how she was feeling or what she was doing at any particular point in the day, and they would play outside for hours once Martha’s chores were done for the day. He was a sweet, inquisitive little boy, and Martha enjoyed every moment they spent together.

  Next, Martha went to the bunkhouse. It was the cook’s day off, and it was Martha’s turn to fill in. She chopped vegetables, preparing to make a soup for lunch.

  A half hour later, the sound of men entering the bunkhouse startled Martha, snapping her out of her reverie. Although she was in the small kitchen of the bunkhouse, she could overhear their conversation.

  “Don’t wait too long. There aren’t many young women in Nowhere!” a man’s voice advised. Martha recognized him as one of the hired hands. The men that worked on the ranch took their meals separately from the family, so Martha rarely saw them.

  “I’ll take that into consideration.” Andrew’s deep voice also carried into the kitchen.

  Another man chimed in. “You should stay a single man for as long as possible. Once you marry, your life becomes dull and boring.”

  Martha’s face flushed. Why were they talking about Andrew marrying? Were they talking about Mary Sibley?

  “Don’t listen to him, Andrew. You should marry now while the girl is still young and can fulfill her wifely duties, if you know what I mean,” the first man retorted.

  Martha felt dizzy. She didn’t want to listen to this anymore. She went over to the door that separated the kitchen from the main hall of the bunkhouse, walking softly so no one would hear her. She gently pushed the door shut. She put her ear to the door and was relieved that she could no longer hear the men’s voices.

  When the soup was done, Martha carried it out into the bunkhouse and set it on the table without a word. A few of the men thanked her, but she simply nodded and turned away.

  As she cleaned the kitchen, she replayed Andrew’s words in her head. He hadn’t mentioned any one woman in particular, but his friends had acted like he had someone in mind. Martha wondered what he had told them about her, and if it was Mary Sibley, as she suspected.

  She hadn’t seen them together, but that didn’t mean anything. Andrew could have easily taken one of Tom’s horses or wagons to the Sibley’s home. For all Martha knew, they were already courting and talking of marriage and a family.

  Martha was surprised to realize that hot tears were stinging her eyes. She hadn’t cried in a very long time, and she couldn’t believe she was shedding tears over a man she barely knew. She didn’t have time to cry. There was work to be done. She wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and continued on her way into one of the orphan’s cabins.

  Martha walked into the empty cabin and found the bed sloppily made, likely one of the orphans in a rush to begin the day’s work. Tom’s men began work as the sun rose each morning and worked until dinner time with only a short break to eat lunch. She smiled and tugged the loose sheets off the bed, gathering them so she could wash them.

  She fitted a clean sheet onto the bed and remade it so that each corner was neat and tidy. She stepped back, admiring her handiwork, then moved on to the next cabin.

  Soon, it was time to begin dinner. As Martha walked back into the main house, she found her thoughts drifting back to the conversation she’d overheard earlier. Who had the men been talking about? Was Andrew a taken man?

  She tried to shift her thoughts toward the dinner she was about to prepare, but thoughts of Andrew kept running through her mind. She had never thought of a man as much as she thought of him, and now she couldn’t get him out of her head. What was she going to do?

  Chapter 4

  Another week passed, and Martha only saw Andrew at church again. She watched enviously as Andrew and Mary smiled together after the service. Mary threw her head back and let out a huge guffaw, and Martha found herself feeling hurt and left out.

  Later, Andrew sought Martha out before they all piled into wagons to go back to the McLain ranch. “How are you, Martha?”

  “Fine.” Martha didn’t feel like talking to Andrew. Even though she knew she had no claim on him, she had felt horrible when she had seen him talking to Mary.

  Andre
w leaned in close, lowering his voice so the others wouldn’t hear. “I was hoping we could speak some time. I’d like to get to know you better.”

  Martha frowned. She felt like he was only saying that because he felt bad for her. He and Mary Sibley probably laughed about poor, unfortunate Martha Sanders. Martha wasn’t interested in his pity. “I don’t think that would be appropriate.”

  Andrew looked taken aback. “I’d like to spend time with you, Martha. I enjoy your company.”

  “Do you enjoy it as much as you enjoy Mary Sibley’s?” Martha asked angrily. Her vision blurred, and she felt too upset to say anything else, so she turned abruptly, rushing off until she found one of her nephews to play with.

  She had never been this affected by another person before, and she didn’t like it. She preferred to keep to herself. That way, she didn’t have to worry about what other people said or did. No matter what she tried to pay attention to, she couldn’t shake the image of Andrew speaking with Mary.

  Martha didn’t wish ill upon Mary Sibley. Although she was spoiled and could be obnoxious, Mary would probably be a perfect wife and mother for Andrew’s children. But every time she thought about it, she could feel her pulse begin to race and her cheeks flush.

  Andrew watched Martha flounce away, befuddled. “What did I do wrong?” Andrew murmured to himself. The more time he spent with Martha, the more confused he became.

  “What’s that?” Tom approached Andrew and clapped him on the back.

  “Nothing,” Andrew said dejectedly.

  Tom could tell something was wrong. “What is it?”

  Andrew waved a hand. “Don’t worry about it.”

  “You seem perturbed. Tell me what it is,” Tom insisted. He had learned not to let emotions fester among his team. They did backbreaking, grueling work day in and day out. There was little room for error, so everyone had to be focused, and that meant not keeping any thoughts hidden or secret.

  “I keep trying to get closer to Martha, but she keeps running away from me!” Andrew exclaimed. “Have I done something to offend her?”

  Tom shook his head. “Honestly, Andrew, Martha is a bit of a mystery to me. I like to think I have good relationships with all of Penny’s sisters, but Martha in particular has always been more distant than the other girls.”

  Andrew nodded. “I can see that. Many of the Sanders girls seem bubbly and outgoing. Martha’s different—not that it’s a bad thing—but I see her as less open and forthcoming as the others. She seems to be hiding something. And I want to get to know her.”

  “Are you feeling the pressure to marry?” Tom asked.

  Andrew smiled, startled by his blunt question. “I wasn’t before, but now the other men are telling me that it’s hard to find eligible young women in Nowhere.”

  Tom sighed. “They’re not wrong. It would behoove you to marry quickly because single women in Nowhere are rare. It’s a small town, and most of the Sanders sisters are already married. They’re most of the young women in town.”

  “I see your point,” Andrew replied. “I’m sure Mary Sibley would be a fine match, but there’s something about Martha that I can’t stop thinking about.”

  “Oh, no.” Tom looked at Andrew in a new light. “I know that look.”

  “What look?” Andrew was confused.

  “You’re in love,” Tom said. He put his hand on Andrew’s shoulder.

  Andrew scoffed. “How could I be in love with Martha? We have barely even had a conversation!”

  Tom shrugged. “Answer this for me. Do you think about her every day?”

  “Yes, of course. I always pass by her cabin.” Andrew didn’t know where Tom was going with this line of questioning.

  “Do you think about ways to brighten her day and make her smile?” Tom asked.

  “Of course,” Andrew said.

  “Do you imagine what it might be like to be her husband?” Tom continued.

  “Yes, but isn’t that natural?” Andrew replied.

  “And finally, is she the first thing you think about in the morning and the last thing you think about before you fall asleep?” Tom pressed on.

  “I don’t see how that’s pertinent—” Andrew began.

  Tom cut him off. “Answer the question.”

  “Yes,” Andrew admitted.

  “Oh, yes. Just as I suspected. You’re in love with a Sanders sister!” Tom whooped cheerfully.

  Andrew winced. “Sh. Please, not so loudly!”

  Tom grinned. “I have one bit of advice for you, if you want it.”

  “Anything,” Andrew said. Now that Tom had said it out loud, Andrew had to admit that it was true. He was in love with Martha Sanders. Even though it seemed like she had no interest in him in a romantic sense, he had to try. He would do whatever it took to convince her that his intentions were good.

  “Do not cross Edna Petunia,” Tom said. “Ever. Got it?”

  Andrew frowned. “She seems like a sweet old woman, maybe a bit batty. How bad could she be?”

  Tom looked Andrew straight in the eye. “Trust me. You do not want to find out.”

  Andrew was confused, but he trusted Tom’s word. Although he was curious why Tom seemed afraid of an elderly woman, he decided to drop the subject and get back to the matter at hand. “What does that have to do with Martha? How can I make her see that I’m serious about pursuing her?”

  Tom thought for a moment. “Have you asked Cletus for her hand? She’ll know you’re serious then.”

  Andrew gulped. He hadn’t thought of that. “I’d like to have at least one full conversation with her before I propose marriage, don’t you think?”

  Tom winked. “All I know is that in my case, I knew on first sight that Penny would be my wife, and I wasted no time in trying to convince her of it.”

  “Thank you, Tom,” Andrew replied. “I’ll think about it. I appreciate your help.”

  Although Tom was helpful, Andrew wished his younger brother were there to counsel him. Although Andrew was older by a year, his brother Alexander had always seemed wiser and more knowledgeable, especially when it came to social custom. All of the girls in the small town the Ford brothers had grown up in seemed to throw themselves at Alexander, seeking his attention. Once Alexander was ready to marry, he would have his pick of brides from the little town.

  Andrew wondered what Alexander would say if he were here now. He would probably tell him to stop wasting his time and start aggressively pursuing Martha. But Andrew still felt strange about the whole situation. He thought about Martha night and day and wanted to be with her desperately. Whether it meant seeing her, talking to her, or engaging in private activities that he had only imagined. And yet, he had no idea how she felt about him. It seemed like every time he thought he was about to get close, she pulled away. He never advanced, only ended up farther away.

  Andrew sighed as the McClain family and the other men began to pile into the wagons to head home. As he was about to follow them, he felt a sharp pinch on his behind. He gasped and turned around.

  Standing in front of him was none other than Edna Petunia Sanders. Andrew was too shocked to say anything.

  “Hm. I overheard one of your admirers droning on about your buttocks and wanted to see what all the fuss was about.” Edna Petunia frowned.

  “Excuse me?” Andrew was bewildered.

  “Not bad. It’ll do.” With that, Edna Petunia left and joined her family at their own wagon.

  “You coming?” Tom shouted from one of the wagons. A few of the orphaned boys shifted to make room.

  Andrew turned around and rushed over to the wagon and climbed in. “That was one of the strangest things I’ve ever experienced in my life.”

  Tom grinned as he started the horses. “I see you’ve met Edna Petunia.”

  Martha guided Robby’s horse in an easy loop around the stable. “Careful,” she called up to Robby.

  Since Martha had gone to live with the McClains, Robby had become interested in riding horses, ju
st like his big brothers and father did.

  Martha had helped break in Ginger, a sweet older horse that was perfect for taking Robby on slow trots around the ranch. Sometimes, Robby became overly excited and hugged Ginger’s neck, startling her, so Martha had to remind him to be gentle with her.

  “Cake tonight, Aunt Martha?” Robby asked from his perch on the saddle.

  Martha shook her head. “Not tonight, Robby. We had cake last night.”

  “Oh.” Robby looked deflated.

  Martha looked him in the eyes. “If you behave yourself tonight and tomorrow, maybe there will be a cake for dinner tomorrow night.”

  “Cake!” Robby cheered.

  Martha bit her lip to hold back her laughter. Robby loved sweets of all kinds.

  Just then, she heard a shout from one of the cabins nearby and turned in the direction of the noise. She accidentally dropped the rope she had been using to lead Ginger around the stable.

  There was another high-pitched shriek, and Ginger spooked. Martha swirled around just in time to see Ginger rear up and take off running.

  “No!” Martha screamed. She raced after Ginger, seeing Robby hanging onto the saddle with all of his might.

  But it was too late. Ginger bucked again, tossing Robby onto the ground. Martha cried out in anguish and rushed to him.

  Tears streamed down Robby’s face, and he gasped for breath.

  “Sh,” Martha instructed, holding his small, broken frame close to her body. “I’m here now.”

  Martha examined Robby’s entire body closely. Though he was covered in mud, he was slowly regaining his breath. His left leg was bent at a strange angle. Martha touched it softly.

  Robby howled with pain.

  “I’ll be right back, Robby,” Martha told him. She rushed over to the cabins, where she had first heard the scream coming from. “Someone, come quick! Little Robby’s hurt!”

  Next, Martha ran into the main house and called out for Penny. “Penny, come quick! Robby needs you!”

  In less than a few minutes’ time, Tom, Penny, and an assortment of their children and orphans surrounded Robby. Martha brushed tears from her face as she looked on, feeling helpless.