about it.” Alexandria left her sister standing in the room and hurried down the stairs. Her father was just being admitted by Millie.
“Hi, Daddy, how was town,” Alexandria greeted him with a kiss on his cheek. She set Lilly on her feet and let her trail Millie back into the kitchen.
“Busy. I hope that you and Elijah don’t mind but I picked up your mail while I was there.”
“Thanks, Daddy, I appreciate that and I’m sure Elijah will as well.”
“Hi, Daddy,” Anna reached the bottom of the stairs.
“Are you alright, sweetheart?” Clay asked of his youngest.
“Just a little tired I think,” Anna forced a smile.
“Well, we’re headed home. I would stay for that promised coffee but it’s looking as though it may rain.”
“I understand, Daddy. I’m glad you came by and brought Anna. Tell Mom I love her.”
“I will,” her dad promised.
“Come see me again soon,” Alexandria hugged her sister.
“I will,” she answered.
“Please do,” Alexandria encouraged and followed them onto the porch; she waved as they climbed into the buggy and pulled away. Dreading the long afternoon ahead, she turned back to the house.
Chapter Four
“I have a beautiful wife,” Elijah commented as he and Jonathon worked in the barn together that afternoon.
“Congratulations,” Jonathon grinned at his boss and friend.
“For what? Last night I suddenly realized that my wife is a woman and now I feel like a gangly teen age boy and you’re congratulating me?” Elijah wasn’t amused.
“Sorry,” Jonathon’s smile belied his words. “How old are you, Boss?”
“Thirty-seven.”
“Hardly a gangly teenage boy.”
“Thanks but that doesn’t stop me from feeling like one.” Elijah was quiet for a moment as he filled a bucket with feed. “How old are you, Jonathon?”
“Twenty-six.”
“Still young; appreciate it while it lasts,” Elijah offered a self-depreciating smile before disappearing into a stall. He reemerged shaking his head. “I take back what I said about feeling like a gangly teenage boy beside her; most the time I feel more like an old man.”
Jonathon smiled; he was curious as to just how much of an age gap there was between the newlyweds but he didn’t dare ask.
“Tonight I plan to take your advice and spend some time with her. We talked last night but that was more me apologizing for being a jerk since she arrived.” Elijah scooped the bucket into the feed again as Jonathon began cleaning one of the stalls.
“Good luck.”
“Thanks, I’ll need it. I have to tell you, I’m very glad you showed up here, Jonathon, you’re proving to be a good friend.”
“Thanks, everyone can use a friend.”
“How are you holding up, Jonathon? You don’t say much about it but I know firsthand the first few months are the hardest.” Elijah paused outside the stall.
“I’m alright most the time, especially when I’m busy. Others…others are hard. Yesterday would have been her birthday.”
“That was a hard day for me too,” Elijah acknowledged.
“It was a hard one, Boss,” Jonathon nodded.
“Call me Eli, Jonathon. You may be my employ but as I’ve already stated; you’ve come to be a good friend to me.”
“Thanks, Eli,” Jonathon returned before both men concentrated on their chores.
***
Alexandria entered the barn later that afternoon while Lilly was taking her nap and carried an apple to her favorite team horse. Spunky snorted and greeted her affectionately before claiming the offered treat from her out stretched hand. The door opened and Alexandria nodded at one of the hands she didn’t know as well.
“Afternoon, Mrs. Morris,” the man tugged his hat brim in greeting.
“Afternoon,” Alexandria returned with cool politeness.
“You sure are a pretty thing; how’d that old geezer pull that off?” the man had come to lean on the stall next to Spunky’s. “How old are you anyway, sweet thing?”
Alexandria glowered at the man and studied him a moment before answering. He looked to be in his early twenties, his hair dirty blonde and eyes brown. His face was sharp and cruel; she shuddered.
“Old enough,” she responded.
“Why’d you up and marry an old man?” The man’s gaze raked over her as he talked.
“I married my husband because I love him,” she bit out impatiently before turning and moving to the stall of the other team horse. She hoped that the man would take the hint and leave her be.
“Then you must be disappointed. I was under the impression that he married you to care for his brat by his sainted wife,” Nick threw the barb at her and watched it hit its mark. She visibly flinched. “Aware of it are you? What a waste; you’re so beautiful,”