The grandfather clock in the corner of the room struck nine.
“Oh, look at the time,” Caroline said, rising. “I have to be getting home. Milly’s coming over to do my final dress fitting in the morning.”
One by one, the other ladies started gathering their things.
Except for Polly. “We haven’t even spoken of any Spinsters’ Club business yet,” she complained. “Haven’t there been any letters from bachelor candidates arrive at the post office lately, Caroline?”
Caroline shook her head. “I’m afraid not. Oh, by the way, Faith, I’ve told Papa you’ll be stopping by to pick up any bachelor mail that might arrive.”
Faith started to agree, but before she could open her mouth, she saw Polly’s lower lip jutting out dangerously.
“I could do it,” Polly declared in a voice that dared anyone to disagree. “Sounds like Faith’s going to be pretty busy running the nursing corps when she’s not at the parsonage herself. And I see you took the lion’s share of the slots, Faith.”
There was an unspoken accusation in the other woman’s voice, and from the indrawn breaths and shocked expressions around the parlor, everyone else noticed, as well.
Faith forced herself to take a calming breath before speaking. “I’m not sure what you’re trying to say, Polly, but I did so out of a desire not to burden anyone else unduly. I only help Papa at the newspaper office when he needs me, and I don’t have younger brothers and sisters to mind, so I have more time to devote to the preacher’s care. Would you like to do it with me tomorrow?” she asked Polly. “I’d be happy to have your help.”
The other woman’s eyes lost their pugnacious glint, and she looked away. “I can’t. Tomorrow I promised my mother I’d watch the younger children while she goes to San Saba. It’s just so boring keeping Teddy, Johnnie and Lottie out of trouble. I swan, Lottie is the worst of the three!” She tittered, but none of the other ladies joined in.
“It’s fine with me if you want to pick up the bachelor letters, Polly,” Faith said. “That would be a big help.”
“Perhaps after the wedding’s over and the preacher’s condition stabilizes, y’all could plan some new sort of event, or write a new advertisement in the newspaper for eligible bachelors,” Caroline suggested. “Good evening, ladies. Faith, I hope all goes well tomorrow,” she said as she left.
One by one, all of the Spinsters’ Club members departed, until only Faith, Louisa and Polly were left.
“I...I think I’ll go read for a while,” Louisa said, excusing herself with an uneasy glance toward Polly.
Polly waited until Faith’s cousin went upstairs, then grabbed her reticule and motioned for Faith to follow her out onto the front step. “I...I’m sorry,” Polly murmured. “I don’t know what makes me snippy like that,” she said. “I admire you, Faith, I really do. You’re such a confident, admirable woman and I’m just...me. I want to be looked up to and useful, too! I thought Bob Henshaw admired me—” she shrugged and heaved a great sigh “—but then he went back to Austin...”
Faith was touched by the sadness on the woman’s face. She just wanted to be loved—and who didn’t? The defection of her beau had been a blow to her confidence, especially when the other two men who had come to Simpson Creek at the same time had made commitments to their matches. Bess Lassiter had married her rancher from Mason and moved there a month ago, while Hannah and Mr. Von Hesse had just announced their engagement.
“You’ll find the right man someday, Polly,” Faith assured her, and put a bracing arm around the woman’s trembling shoulders. “There’ll be unattached fellows at the wedding reception, you know. Prissy mentioned her handsome cousin Anson is coming for a visit, and she’ll probably bring him along. Matches have been made before at weddings.”
“Pshaw, I’ve met that Anson Tyler before. He’s far too impressed with himself to notice little old me. But there’s another gent whose eye I’d love to catch...” Polly murmured.
Faith had a sinking feeling she knew who that was—Gil Chadwick. Well, Gil’s choice of ladies was no business of hers. He was a grown man with sound judgment.
“And meanwhile, I know you will be a big help to Reverend Chadwick. He’s going to need some nursing care for a long time, you know—far longer than the two weeks I’ve scheduled so far. Meanwhile, I’d be happy to let you take a couple of those slots I had put myself down for, Polly,” she said.
“That’s all right,” Polly said quickly. “We’ll see how it goes. As you said, he’ll be needing help for a long time. Thanks for listening to me, Faith.” She gave Faith an impulsive hug, then scampered down the steps into the night.
Faith watched until Polly disappeared around the corner. She needed to go in soon, for tomorrow would be busy and start early. But for now she just stood there, enjoying the peace and the sweet scent of the honeysuckle that wafted from the tall bushes surrounding both sides of the step. The night was clear, and she thought she heard the hoot of an owl from down by the creek...
“Is she gone?” asked a voice from behind the honeysuckle.
Faith was so startled that she nearly fell off the step. Her arms flailed as she strove for balance, but finally she righted herself. “Who’s there?” she demanded, but the voice was familiar and she thought she recognized it.
Gil Chadwick came out from behind the bush, looking more than a little sheepish. “I’m sorry if I frightened you, Miss Faith,” he said, chuckling. “I’ve been waiting for your meeting to be finished to speak with you about tomorrow, and I thought everyone had left, so I was just on the verge of knocking at the door when I heard you coming out with Miss Shackleford. If I’d tried to make it back to the parsonage, she’d have seen me...”
Perhaps she shouldn’t have, but Faith couldn’t help but giggle at the look of dread on his face.
“You laugh,” Gil said ruefully, “but Mrs. Detwiler warned me Miss Shackleford has ‘set her cap for me,’ whatever that means. And just in case she’s right, I need to avoid that young lady for a while, especially while I’m so worried about Papa.”
She wanted to ask what it was he didn’t like about Polly, but that would be amusing herself at Polly’s expense. “Yes, how is your father? I thought you’d be at the Walkers’ with him.”
“I was, until the good doctor sent me home. He said Pa was doing as well as could be expected and he’d watch over him tonight. Mrs. Walker told me to make sure the house was ready for Papa to come home tomorrow, but I’ve already cleaned the place and made his bed with fresh sheets...” He shrugged.
“Sounds like you’re all ready for your father’s homecoming,” she said. “You must be so happy after all he’s been through,” she said, aware she was babbling. But she was just so pleased to be in his presence, to know that he had waited because he wanted to speak to her. Alone. “We spinsters are all set to pitch in, too, Gil. One of us is signed up to be with your father every day for the next two weeks. What time do you want me at the parsonage tomorrow? I want to be there when you bring him home, of course.”
“Right after breakfast, about eight? Oh, and I wanted to show you what Mrs. Patterson loaned me from the mercantile.”
Curious, Faith stepped down off the step into the sparse grass that was all that would grow so near the giant live oak that shaded their house.
“I was so concerned Polly’d spot it, if not me,” he confessed over his shoulder, then pushed the object away from the side of the house toward her.
It was a chair, with a back and seat of leather and wheels on the sides. “It’s for Papa,” he said with a smile. “Mrs. Patterson said I could use it as long as Papa needs it. Wasn’t that kind? And Dr. Walker says if Papa continues to improve, he can soon get up in it and spend more