dish washed, Mattie was beside her holding her hand out to dry it.
“I’m sorry it took me so long to eat my cake, Tracy. I should have helped clear the table.”
Tracy smiled and shook her head. “No, you should have enjoyed your cake.” When Mattie beamed up at her, she said, “We’ll start on the first of your new dresses after we finish the dishes.”
Mattie all but bounced up and down. “I’d like that.”
Tracy kept her ears open to the voices behind her. Once again Andy let the others know what they would be working on the next day. “Tomorrow is branding,” he said.
Arthur groaned. “I hate branding. The smell is awful.”
“Get used to it. We’re a ranching family so we brand the cattle. No choice.” He collected all the plates and took them over to Tracy, trying to do his best to get on her good side once again. “Thank you for supper. It was wonderful.” Would she forgive him?
Tracy said nothing just nodding in acknowledgement of his words as she took the plates from him. She put them into the hot water she was washing the dishes with and kept up her work.
Andy sighed as he took his seat at the table again. He’d talk to her after the others were in bed. With the way she cooked, he knew he wanted to keep her. He regretted his words from the previous night a great deal.
As soon as the dishes were done and put away, Tracy went into her bedroom and brought out the fabric they’d purchased. She carefully used the pattern and cut out the pieces for the first dress. Explaining what she was doing to Mattie through each step and letting the young er girl help where she could, she hoped to teach her to be able to take charge of her home when she left. She knew it was a tall order for a young girl, but Mattie seemed willing to learn all she could.
They had the dress completely cut out by the time she needed to send Mattie to bed. She once again walked up the stairs with her and waited while the girl changed into her nightgown, and then sat on the edge of her bed. Mattie smiled at her. “Thank you for the best day I’ve ever had.”
Tracy smiled. The day had been difficult for her, knowing that she was not wanted and never had been. She’d fought through it though, and could see by the girl’s face that it was a good thing she had. “We’ll do so much more tomorrow.” She leaned down to kiss her forehead. “I’m going to teach you to sew tomorrow.”
Mattie smiled, nodding as her eyes drooped. “Thank you for making my bed so clean.”
They’d managed to wash all the sheets and quilts while the men had been working during the day. Tracy was really proud of all they’d accomplished. They weren’t anywhere near done with the cleaning, but they’d made a good start. In a week, the house would look like it should, and they’d be able to devote more of their time to sewing.
Chapter Four
Once again the boys were in bed by the time Tracy made it back down the stairs. She automatically gathered up the pieces of the dress they’d cut out so she could put them away. She didn’t want to have to deal with any messes first thing in the morning.
Once she was finished, she said, “Good night.”
Before she could close the door to their bedroom, Andy called, “Wait. I want to talk to you before you go to bed.” He’d been thinking about what he wanted to say to her ever since he’d gotten home and seen supper sitting on the table.
Tracy put the things in her hands onto the dresser and walked back into the kitchen, sitting down across from him. “What do you want to talk about?”
Andy stood up and moved so they were sitting closer together. Tracy considered standing up and moving further away from him, but she wasn’t going to be that childish. “I’m sorry I got angry with you in town today. I know that John likes to flirt with every woman he meets, so I shouldn’t have blamed you for what he
“I’m sorry it took me so long to eat my cake, Tracy. I should have helped clear the table.”
Tracy smiled and shook her head. “No, you should have enjoyed your cake.” When Mattie beamed up at her, she said, “We’ll start on the first of your new dresses after we finish the dishes.”
Mattie all but bounced up and down. “I’d like that.”
Tracy kept her ears open to the voices behind her. Once again Andy let the others know what they would be working on the next day. “Tomorrow is branding,” he said.
Arthur groaned. “I hate branding. The smell is awful.”
“Get used to it. We’re a ranching family so we brand the cattle. No choice.” He collected all the plates and took them over to Tracy, trying to do his best to get on her good side once again. “Thank you for supper. It was wonderful.” Would she forgive him?
Tracy said nothing just nodding in acknowledgement of his words as she took the plates from him. She put them into the hot water she was washing the dishes with and kept up her work.
Andy sighed as he took his seat at the table again. He’d talk to her after the others were in bed. With the way she cooked, he knew he wanted to keep her. He regretted his words from the previous night a great deal.
As soon as the dishes were done and put away, Tracy went into her bedroom and brought out the fabric they’d purchased. She carefully used the pattern and cut out the pieces for the first dress. Explaining what she was doing to Mattie through each step and letting the young er girl help where she could, she hoped to teach her to be able to take charge of her home when she left. She knew it was a tall order for a young girl, but Mattie seemed willing to learn all she could.
They had the dress completely cut out by the time she needed to send Mattie to bed. She once again walked up the stairs with her and waited while the girl changed into her nightgown, and then sat on the edge of her bed. Mattie smiled at her. “Thank you for the best day I’ve ever had.”
Tracy smiled. The day had been difficult for her, knowing that she was not wanted and never had been. She’d fought through it though, and could see by the girl’s face that it was a good thing she had. “We’ll do so much more tomorrow.” She leaned down to kiss her forehead. “I’m going to teach you to sew tomorrow.”
Mattie smiled, nodding as her eyes drooped. “Thank you for making my bed so clean.”
They’d managed to wash all the sheets and quilts while the men had been working during the day. Tracy was really proud of all they’d accomplished. They weren’t anywhere near done with the cleaning, but they’d made a good start. In a week, the house would look like it should, and they’d be able to devote more of their time to sewing.
Chapter Four
Once again the boys were in bed by the time Tracy made it back down the stairs. She automatically gathered up the pieces of the dress they’d cut out so she could put them away. She didn’t want to have to deal with any messes first thing in the morning.
Once she was finished, she said, “Good night.”
Before she could close the door to their bedroom, Andy called, “Wait. I want to talk to you before you go to bed.” He’d been thinking about what he wanted to say to her ever since he’d gotten home and seen supper sitting on the table.
Tracy put the things in her hands onto the dresser and walked back into the kitchen, sitting down across from him. “What do you want to talk about?”
Andy stood up and moved so they were sitting closer together. Tracy considered standing up and moving further away from him, but she wasn’t going to be that childish. “I’m sorry I got angry with you in town today. I know that John likes to flirt with every woman he meets, so I shouldn’t have blamed you for what he
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