opened the door.
Temperance stood in front of him, her eyes shiny with unspent tears. She lifted her chin and locked eyes on him. “This doesn’t change the fact that what happened between us yesterday was wrong. But I don’t know where else to go, and my family’s circumstances just went from bad to worse.”
He stood back to allow her access to the room. She entered quickly and he closed the door before turning to her. “Has something happened since last night?”
“It’s Da. He’s dead.” Her tears, which had been held at bay, began in earnest. Basil didn’t think twice about what he was doing. He led her to a bench at the side of the main room of the bank, wrapped his arms around her, and let her cry. When he sensed she had regained control of herself, he dropped his arms and moved from her side.
“I thought Samuel’s health was improving.”
“He seemed to be getting better, and Ma was so happy. Then, last night, he began burning up with the fever again, and he died this morning. Joseph’s father is allowing us to bury him near the soddy, so he’ll still be with us until we move on.”
“How is your mother faring?”
“She’s been inconsolable, but she’s a strong woman who has known for months that this was a possibility. She’ll recover, but never will she forget him.”
“Do you need help with the burial?”
“No, Joseph and his brothers are digging the grave now, and we’ll have a short service this evening when I get home.”
“You don’t need to be here today. You should be with your family.”
“I will be. I wanted to come here to let you know that, despite what happened yesterday, now is not the best time for me to turn my back on gainful employment, regardless of the circumstances. I wanted to let you know before you found my replacement.”
“Well, yes, of course. The job is still yours. I was going to ride out to the restaurant this evening to tell you that I don’t want anyone else cleaning my bank. You do an excellent job. I think, though, that instead of going to the restaurant this evening, I’ll join your family at the grave site.”
Temperance turned a surprised look to him. “You’d do that?”
“Of course. Even though your father and I had only the briefest of contacts with each other, I want to pay my respects to your family.”
“All right then. The service is set for six o’clock, right at dusk. Joseph told us that, since the burial will take place on their land, we must be willing to adhere to some Native American traditions. I’ll admit, I’m very curious about them.”
Temperance stood and took a step away from him. “I should get home. But we must lay some ground rules, to prevent what happened yesterday from ever occurring again. I don’t believe I should clean your quarters, even if you’re not there. It’s unseemly.”
“Absolutely. I was going to suggest the same thing.”
She glanced up at him quickly. “You were?”
“Temperance, I am so sorry about what happened. Believe me, if I could rewind yesterday, I certainly would. I enjoy the fact you and I are becoming friends, without any flirtations getting in the way, and hope we can continue. I think removing the closeness of my apartment would help in that regard.”
Temperance took a deep breath. “Oh, thank you, sir. Not only are you my employer, making our behavior totally inappropriate, but I have a beau back home, who is coming for me in the spring. I must do everything I can to encourage Jeremiah to come out early, maybe within a few weeks. Now that Da is gone, we will need him to be our one strong man that the wagon masters insist upon. Plus, there is the not-so-small matter of your reputation as a ladies’ man. It’s best that I stay far away from your quarters, for the sake of my reputation. I’m afraid you’ll have to find someone else to take over that chore.”
Was it Basil’s imagination, or did her eyes take on a wistful look as she turned her gaze to the door
Temperance stood in front of him, her eyes shiny with unspent tears. She lifted her chin and locked eyes on him. “This doesn’t change the fact that what happened between us yesterday was wrong. But I don’t know where else to go, and my family’s circumstances just went from bad to worse.”
He stood back to allow her access to the room. She entered quickly and he closed the door before turning to her. “Has something happened since last night?”
“It’s Da. He’s dead.” Her tears, which had been held at bay, began in earnest. Basil didn’t think twice about what he was doing. He led her to a bench at the side of the main room of the bank, wrapped his arms around her, and let her cry. When he sensed she had regained control of herself, he dropped his arms and moved from her side.
“I thought Samuel’s health was improving.”
“He seemed to be getting better, and Ma was so happy. Then, last night, he began burning up with the fever again, and he died this morning. Joseph’s father is allowing us to bury him near the soddy, so he’ll still be with us until we move on.”
“How is your mother faring?”
“She’s been inconsolable, but she’s a strong woman who has known for months that this was a possibility. She’ll recover, but never will she forget him.”
“Do you need help with the burial?”
“No, Joseph and his brothers are digging the grave now, and we’ll have a short service this evening when I get home.”
“You don’t need to be here today. You should be with your family.”
“I will be. I wanted to come here to let you know that, despite what happened yesterday, now is not the best time for me to turn my back on gainful employment, regardless of the circumstances. I wanted to let you know before you found my replacement.”
“Well, yes, of course. The job is still yours. I was going to ride out to the restaurant this evening to tell you that I don’t want anyone else cleaning my bank. You do an excellent job. I think, though, that instead of going to the restaurant this evening, I’ll join your family at the grave site.”
Temperance turned a surprised look to him. “You’d do that?”
“Of course. Even though your father and I had only the briefest of contacts with each other, I want to pay my respects to your family.”
“All right then. The service is set for six o’clock, right at dusk. Joseph told us that, since the burial will take place on their land, we must be willing to adhere to some Native American traditions. I’ll admit, I’m very curious about them.”
Temperance stood and took a step away from him. “I should get home. But we must lay some ground rules, to prevent what happened yesterday from ever occurring again. I don’t believe I should clean your quarters, even if you’re not there. It’s unseemly.”
“Absolutely. I was going to suggest the same thing.”
She glanced up at him quickly. “You were?”
“Temperance, I am so sorry about what happened. Believe me, if I could rewind yesterday, I certainly would. I enjoy the fact you and I are becoming friends, without any flirtations getting in the way, and hope we can continue. I think removing the closeness of my apartment would help in that regard.”
Temperance took a deep breath. “Oh, thank you, sir. Not only are you my employer, making our behavior totally inappropriate, but I have a beau back home, who is coming for me in the spring. I must do everything I can to encourage Jeremiah to come out early, maybe within a few weeks. Now that Da is gone, we will need him to be our one strong man that the wagon masters insist upon. Plus, there is the not-so-small matter of your reputation as a ladies’ man. It’s best that I stay far away from your quarters, for the sake of my reputation. I’m afraid you’ll have to find someone else to take over that chore.”
Was it Basil’s imagination, or did her eyes take on a wistful look as she turned her gaze to the door
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