Obviously his guest was heartily amused, Aurelian put on a look of being resigned about it all but really he did not have an ego that couldn't take a little embarrassment from his mistakes and his children were so enjoying this all too.
"Well, that was my thought at the time, but looking back on it...yes, not smart. Which is why I stay out of the kitchen," Aurelian shrugged.
When he was done both Clara and Wyatt had satisfied looks on their faces and as for Lucinda, she reached out to touch Aurelian's arm again. "Well, I'm so glad that you went back to check on the casserole. Otherwise a fire could have started inside the house."
"Possibly, but it still would have been inside the oven so more likely just burnt the dinner to a cinder. Not that I wish to experiment like that again to see whether it would spread," Aurelian commented.
"So then....why don't you tell us all about one of your own cooking disasters or did everything you make turn out fine?" he put the spotlight on her this time.
When Aurelian's tale was finished, Lucinda glanced at Clara and Wyatt. They looked as satisfied as a rooster coming out of a chicken coop. At least Aurelian had two children to keep him from being lonely. Aurelian must have shared his children's love for putting people on the spot, because he then asked her about her own cooking disasters.
"Oh, heavens!" Lucinda put her hands flat on the table and shook her head. "There's so many I don't know where to begin."
Pursing her lips, she thought for a moment. "I didn't grow up cooking, so I had to learn after I married. There were a few disasters then, but they were little things like letting the roast stick to the bottom of the pan or using too much salt. But the worst disaster was on the trip out here. I'd never cooked over an open fire before."
She glanced at Clara, who had surely had her share of cooking fiascos before landing a job at the diner. "I tried to make biscuits once. I didn't know how to keep the heat the same all over so some biscuits were charred and some were still doughy."
She made a face at the memory. "That whole trip was filled with lessons on how to cook while on the wagon trail."
"There's so many I don't know where to begin," Lucinda declared.
"This'll be fun," she just whetted Wyatt's appetite as he loved funny embarrassing stories, well long as they weren't about HIM.
She mentioned a roast sticking to the bottom of the pan, Clara looked bemused, "Gosh that must have been one dry hunk of meat you had?"
Too much salt? Yes, even Clara realized that had happened to her on rare occasions. But then Lucinda got to outdoor cooking....now that could be quite challenging.
Lucinda now glanced at Clara, "I tried to make biscuits once. I didn't know how to keep the heat the same all over so some biscuits were charred and some were still doughy."
"Oh dear, I sympathize with you on that though. A campfire is such a tricky thing, so uneven. At least the doughy ones you could put back onto the fire?" Clara replied.
"I'd have eaten the charred ones, I believe," Aurelian declared confidently, "Better than going without."
Lucinda laughed at Wyatt's eagerness to hear her embarrassing stories, but her smile became chagrined as Clara commented on how dry her meat must have been. "It was dry. I didn't know any better yet."
And then on to the story about the biscuits. Clara sympathized with Lucinda instead of looking at her with disdain, as Lucinda had been afraid she might. She even gave some advice for how to fix the problem.
Lucinda nodded. "Well, I tried. But I was so afraid of burning them again that I kept them to the edge of the fire. The middles were still slightly underdone, but it was better than eating the burnt ones." In answer to Aurelian, she shook her head. "Well, maybe you think that, but my husband didn't at the time. He was quite disappointed at having to wait for the underdone ones."
"But enough about me. Clara, how are things with you and Jacob?"
"Well, I tried. But I was so afraid of burning them again that I kept them to the edge of the fire. The middles were still slightly underdone, but it was better than eating the burnt ones." In answer to Aurelian, she shook her head. "Well, maybe you think that, but my husband didn't at the time. He was quite disappointed at having to wait for the underdone ones."
Aurelian shrugged, " Well, it sure seems me since his only job in that meal was waiting whilst you did all the work, it was the least he could have done."
"And not complained about it," Clara added.
"But enough about me. Clara, how are things with you and Jacob?" Lucinda asked.
Aurelian looked a bit surprised and glanced at his daughter.
Clara blinked, "Things are fine. We get along just fine. Why, have you heard something might be amiss?"
"
Lucinda smiled sadly, but was truly grateful for Aurelian and Clara's perspective. In the moment, she had been so concerned with pleasing Francis that she hadn't thought of it that way, but now, she certainly did think her husband had overreacted. It wasn't as if she had killed anyone with her cooking.
Poor Clara. Both she and her father looked surprised, and Lucinda mentally chided herself for her wording. "Oh, no, I haven't heard anything like that," she hastened to reassure the girl. "I only meant to inquire after you both. Besides," she started to grin, "if I'd heard something, I'd have asked your father about it on the way here. I'm not patient enough to wait to ask you in person!"
She turned to smile at Aurelian. "Have we discussed how impatient I can be? I don't think we have."
Oh, no, I haven't heard anything like that," the lady hastened to reassure Clara...well and also her concerned father.
Clara nodded, "Ahh, very well then. I misunderstood."
"I only meant to inquire after you both. Besides," she started to grin, "if I'd heard something, I'd have asked your father about it on the way here. I'm not patient enough to wait to ask you in person!"
Aurelian smiled, "You're assuming I'd have leveled with you on such a thing. Though more unlikely I would not have known a thing anyhow. Why I believe I was about the last person in all Kalispell to know that Clara was marrying young Jacob."
"Father, you exaggerate. Of course I was going to tell you. I mean the entire thing all happened rather quickly once Jacob and I determined it was what we both wanted," Clara responded.
"So then, if I had simply answered with a flat out 'NO', you would then have not married him?" Aurelian posed that question although he was quite sure he already knew her answer. Sure enough....he turned out correct.
"I would have been disappointed of course but then we would have made other arrangements to be married...there are towns other than Kalispell," Clara solemnly declared.
"Hey, you always tell me to obey Pa," Wyatt interjected.
"And so you should but then you are still a child. I am and was then an adult already," Clara corrected him. But then she had been saying such a thing at the tender age of fourteen already.
How could Clara be so young and so old at the same time? Lucinda listened to the exchange between the girl - woman, really - and her father. Aurelian certainly had his own share of wisdom, but Clara...if she lived back east, Clara could have gone to school for as long as she liked, and maybe even pursued a career...if society would have let her.
"And so you should but then you are still a child. I am and was then an adult already," Clara corrected Wyatt.
Lucinda smiled. "An adult, and a better one than many adults older than you." Her praise was not meant as flattery, because when Lucinda thought about how wise she was compared to how wise Clara was, she found herself almost envious.
"How do you manage without Clara?" she asked Aurelian. "I imagine the first few weeks must have been difficult, especially after hearing about the casserole escapade."
Without Clara to cook and take care of things around the house, Aurelian must be feeling stretched thin. If she'd been a more cynical woman, Lucinda might have wondered if Aurelian had practical reasons for paying attention to her and asking her out to the farm. But luckily, Lucinda was not cynical, and even if she had been, she'd have recognized the practicality of Aurelian remarrying.
Lucinda smiled. "An adult, and a better one than many adults older than you."
"Thank you, you are too kind," Clara nodded with a hint of a smile herself.
"How do you manage without Clara?" Lucinda asked Aurelian. "I imagine the first few weeks must have been difficult, especially after hearing about the casserole escapade."
"Oh of course I miss her, but she now has a husband and a job. I understand and it's not like I'm helpless. We do alright, don't we, son?" Aurelian answered.
"Yes, Pa. We sure do," Wyatt nodded agreement.
The meal continued then until all had had their fill. Aurelian now turned to Lucinda, "Shall we go take a short stroll, I can show you the property lines. I'm sure my dutiful and helpful children can handle the clean up and dishes."
Even Wyatt got that less than subtle hint and soon Lucinda and Aurelian were now alone for the first time. It was getting dark and a pleasant summer evening, a light breeze but no hint of rain.
"Well there you have it. You have now seen the Redmonds in action. I hope you enjoyed the meal and the company. I already know Clara likes you and I think you have made a most positive impression on Wyatt too."
She smiled at Aurelian and rose from her chair. "A walk would be wonderful."
After waiting until she had seen all the Redmond farm had to offer, Lucinda sighed contentedly, staring out over the countryside in the purple-orange light of the setting sun and gathering dusk.
"Well there you have it. You have now seen the Redmonds in action. I hope you enjoyed the meal and the company. I already know Clara likes you and I think you have made a most positive impression on Wyatt too."
"I can tell you've put a lot of work into the place. It's quite nice," she said honestly, surprised at how truly lovely the Redmond farm was. It was amazing; the difference between Aurelian's homey farm and her desolate former homestead.
She turned to face Aurelian then, showing her dimple. "This evening was wonderful, and I'm glad I made a good impression." Then she locked eyes with him, her smile fading slightly, although her eyes were twinkling. "Aurelian, why are you concerned about your children liking me?"
She felt that she knew the answer to that question, but wanted to hear it from him, spoken aloud. If he had been considering remarrying like she had, it would be better for them to be on the same page. And if he hadn't...well, it was better she know that now than after she had opened her heart to him more.