"Yes, Dear"
She twisted the towel in her hands as she answered Jacob. "Well, I've been here almost a month now. But I suppose that's still relatively new, so yes."
"Oh!" Jacob and then before he could stop himself "Oh, you're not the lady who dropped all the prayer books in church, are you?!" Jacob might not have seen her before, at least not to notice her, but he'd certainly heard all about her from a certain source.
He was circumspect enough not to repeat the other thing he'd heard from the same little dickie bird - that 'the strange new lady' had been 'all over' his father-in-law, the much-hunted eligible widower, Aurelian Redmond.
She looked at Clara now, not wanting to intrude any further on the couple's reunion. "I can come back around dinnertime, if you'd like? I've washed enough dishes that you should be fine for a while."
"Please don't go on my account, Mrs... er, Dietrich, I'm going to have a quick wash and then hit my bed for a couple of hours, I've been on the trail all night." he turned to Clara "Had to go right up to Eureka this time, I was nearly in Canada." he told her.
He had meant, atone time, to get a map and mark on there all the far flung places he took telegrams to, Kalispell being the end of the line as far as Western Union wires went North in this part of the Territory. But most places he went to weren't on any map yet: so fast was the area developing.
He shook his head, just contemplating how far he'd ridden on this jaunt. "Had to ask some friendlies for directions, Siksika Black Foot."
To be honest, he'd thrown that in to impress Mrs Dietrich a little with the dangers his job entailed, he knew Clara hated to hear about Indians, and especially him having to have dealings with them.
"Well, I've been here almost a month now. But I suppose that's still relatively new, so yes." Lucinda glanced to Clara, "I can come back around dinnertime, if you'd like? I've washed enough dishes that you should be fine for a while."
Before Clara could answer, Jacob was faster.
"Please don't go on my account, Mrs... er, Dietrich, I'm going to have a quick wash and then hit my bed for a couple of hours, I've been on the trail all night." he turned to Clara "Had to go right up to Eureka this time, I was nearly in Canada."
Clara nodded, "Oh, I see." She didn't frankly but smiled at her beloved before throwing in her own two cents, "Well, if you really must go I shall not keep you..."
She was torn, she wanted to go up with her husband but the diner hours weren't over yet. And if Lucinda left....
"Had to ask some friendlies for directions, Siksika Black Foot," stated Jacob.
Clara hated even hearing about his contacts with Indians, hopefully these were at least mostly friendly. She was truly afraid one day the same Indians that massacred Custer would come upon Jacob and she'd never hear or see him again. And she would be a widow and their child would not have a father. All for a few extra dollars. She did not agree with Jacob's job choice.
Just then.............
The front door opened and in came none other than Clara's father, Aurelian Redmond wearing a big smile too on catching sight of them.......to be honest on spotting his beloved daughter. The house wasn't the same without her. And to be blunt, his life and Wyatt's too was that much harder.
"Hullo, hope it's alright for me to drop in?" he asked, "I can order something to make it an official visit, favorite daughter of mine."
"Father, it is always good to see you, do not be so silly. Though if you want to spend some money, I have your favorite Dutch apple pie available, " Clara replied.
"That sounds good, I've always got room for Dutch apple pie. Wrap up a slice too to take back to Wyatt or he will be grumpy all night," Aurelian approached in a fine mood apparently.
"Jacob," he acknowledged his son-in-law. He actually had come to like the boy but also shared his daughter's disapproval of the career choice.
But though he had not spoken a word yet to her, Aurelian had indeed noticed the pretty blonde woman with the pair. He well remembered her from their lone meeting that time in church.
"And it is good to see you again, ma'am. You are looking very well I must say," he complimented the lady as he desperately attempt to recall her exact name - Diederich or something....L.....Lucy...no...more elegant...Lucinda...Lucinda Dieter...something.
"Oh, dear. You've heard about that, have you?" Lucinda's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but she smiled so neither Jacob nor Clara could see how awkward she felt about the event. "Yes, that was me."
She turned around and began stacking the clean, dried plates on the counter to give Clara and Jacob some time to talk, but turned around abruptly at something Jacob said. "Black Foot...as in...Black Foot Indians?" What she'd heard of the Black Foot did not make it sound as if they could have an ounce of friendliness in them, but apparently she was wrong.
There was not much time for Jacob to answer her, because the door opened and in walked none other than Aurelian Redmond. Lucinda's eyes widened, and she smoothed her dress self-consciously, turning back to the counter as Aurelian and Clara greeted each other.
That didn't mean she wasn't listening, and made a mental note that Aurelian liked Dutch apple pie. That would have to be the first thing she learned to make at the diner, if she ever got beyond washing dishes or taking orders.
She turned around as Aurelian actually spoke to her! And...complimented her? Why, she wasn't sure. She wasn't dressed in anything fancy, and was standing in front of a stack of dishes. But he seemed sincere, so she smiled at him.
"Thank you, Mr. Redmond." She remembered, just a minute ago, even though it seemed like a long time that she'd been standing there with Aurelian, that he had mentioned Wyatt. "How is Wyatt?" She went back to stacking plates, and when the last of them was stacked, moved on to arranging the silverware all in one direction, glancing at him from the corner of her eye.
She could have said something slightly flirtatious instead, but maybe asking about Aurelian's son would be more endearing at this point.
"Yes, Dear"
"Oh, dear. You've heard about that, have you?" Lucinda's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but she smiled so neither Jacob nor Clara could see how awkward she felt about the event. "Yes, that was me."
Jacob gave his lazy, shy smile "Sure we heard. It's a small town Mrs Dietrich. I'm just surprised the story didn't make the front page of the of The Union." Indeed, the local paper sometimes had recourse to featuring equally mundane stories: although somehow or other, the skilled editor of the publication had a knack of making them sound both interesting and important.
Talking of dropping things...
"Hullo, hope it's alright for me to drop in?" he asked, "I can order something to make it an official visit, favorite daughter of mine."
It was Clara's Pa. Jacob immediately straightened and felt the need to be on his best behaviour. The man had never been anything but friendly and decent toward him, even on the day he had found out the Jacob had put his unmarried daughter in the family way: but Jacob always felt a little 'on trial' in his company.
"Father, it is always good to see you, do not be so silly. Though if you want to spend some money, I have your favorite Dutch apple pie available, " Clara replied.
"That sounds good, I've always got room for Dutch apple pie. Wrap up a slice too to take back to Wyatt or he will be grumpy all night," Aurelian approached in a fine mood apparently.
"Jacob," he acknowledged his son-in-law. He actually had come to like the boy but also shared his daughter's disapproval of the career choice.
He gave Aurelian a respectful nod and greeting "Sir."
But though he had not spoken a word yet to her, Aurelian had indeed noticed the pretty blonde woman with the pair. He well remembered her from their lone meeting that time in church.
"And it is good to see you again, ma'am. You are looking very well I must say," he complimented the lady as he desperately attempt to recall her exact name - Diederich or something....L.....Lucy...no...more elegant...Lucinda...Lucinda Dieter...something.
"Oh er, my sister said to give you her best wishes next time I saw you, Sir." said Jacob, butting in to this little tête-à-tête, suddenly remembering his Lee's express entreaty last time he bumped into her. To be fair, he had no more idea that his sister held a torch for the handsome widower than he had that Mrs Dietrich did. All he knew was that, according to Arabella Mudd, Jemima Wigfall had 'got the vapours real bad' for his father in law.
"Thank you, Mr. Redmond," the woman smiled, "How is Wyatt?" She went back to stacking plates, and when the last of them was stacked, moved on to arranging the silverware all in one direction.
She seemed to be quite the worker? He hadn't even realized Clara had hired anyone for the place, wasn't that Mrs. Pike's decision to make?
"Wyatt is fine. Growing like a weed, thank you for asking," Aurelian smiled.
"Oh er, my sister said to give you her best wishes next time I saw you, Sir." said Jacob.
"Certainly, the same to her then," Aurelian nodded.
Then he returned his focus on Lucinda, "I hope you're getting paid by Clara for all of your work? Either that or you are the best customer any business could ever have."
"Since you are being nosey, I have taken on Mrs. Dietrich for some temporary work and it might well turn into a more steady employment," Clara explained.
"Well, all I can say, ma'am, is you have a hard taskmaster to work for, my Clara," he grinned.
"Keep that up, father dearest, and there will not be any Dutch apple pie for you," Clara responded deadpan.
Lucinda continued aimlessly tidying things, listening to Jacob and Clara and Aurelian. When Aurelian spoke to her about getting paid for her work, she glanced back and smiled, but let Clara answer. And now that Aurelian and Clara were joking - yes, the solemn Clara was joking with her father! - Lucinda decided that a little flirting might not be amiss.
Or, at the very least, some return humor.
"After wintering alone, washing dishes seems easy," she said with a smile. Even though wintering alone had been a result of Francis's death, she had survived, and had grown from the experience. Not so much that she'd ever want to spend another lonely homestead winter, but enough that washing dishes felt like nothing.
She waited for an opening in the light-hearted conversation and then jumped in.
"Oh, dear. No Dutch apple pie for Mr. Redmond?" She grinned at Aurelian. "Whatever will you do? I'm sure no one else in town can make a pie to rival Clara's...except Mrs. Pike, and she's out of town."
"Yes, Dear"
"After wintering alone, washing dishes seems easy," she said with a smile. Even though wintering alone had been a result of Francis's death, she had survived, and had grown from the experience. Not so much that she'd ever want to spend another lonely homestead winter, but enough that washing dishes felt like nothing.
She waited for an opening in the light-hearted conversation and then jumped in.
"Oh, dear. No Dutch apple pie for Mr. Redmond?" She grinned at Aurelian. "Whatever will you do? I'm sure no one else in town can make a pie to rival Clara's...except Mrs. Pike, and she's out of town."
Jacob witnessed this... what? Flirting?! With a distaste that almost made his lip curl: they were older than Clara and himself by far, it just seemed, well, sort of distasteful! He caught Clara's eye and gave her a 'what the heck's going on?!!' look. What would be next - Amos Conroy and Granny Miggins necking in the street. He felt like a gooseberry. Well, this prayerbook-dropping Mrs Dietrich seemed to be doing all the running so far: he waited to see if his ancient Father-in-law Mr Redmond would give this mushy stuff the short shrift it deserved or turn out to be a masher, too.
"After wintering alone, washing dishes seems easy," the woman said with a smile.
Aurelian nodded sympathetically, "Wintering in Montana is never easy."
He then engaged his daughter in a bit of light hearted banter. Frankly Aurelian was quietly amazed at the growth in Clara in just these past months. The girl of even a year ago had not been one to be light hearted about pretty much anything. Lucinda jumped right in now too.
"Oh, dear. No Dutch apple pie for Mr. Redmond?" She grinned at Aurelian. "Whatever will you do? I'm sure no one else in town can make a pie to rival Clara's...except Mrs. Pike, and she's out of town."
Aurelian gave a diffident shrug, "I will survive. Who knows I might have to search for another source of pies? Or just wait for Mrs. Pike's return. Speaking of her, when is she and her husband supposed to return? It's been quite some time has it not?"
Clara nodded, "It has been longer than I expected, true, but they had big plans I suppose."
Clara had also caught the look Jacob gave her and was not sure what that was all about? Was something bothering him? She would soon find out.
"Father, I will let Mrs. Dietrich cut you a slice of pie and then perhaps you can keep her company while I go upstairs a while with my husband?" she requested.
Aurelian nodded, "That is a hard task you are giving me, daughter of mine. Eating apple pie while chatting with this fine lady here. But I will do it for you."
Clara just dramatically rolled her eyes then took Jacob by the arm and shepherded him up the stairs.
Aurelian waited until the young people were upstairs then smiled at Lucinda, "Seems you have decided to stay in Kalispell then? Good choice, it's a decent place to live. Good people...terrible winters...but good people."
Lucinda watched the banter between Clara and Aurelian with a smile, inwardly rejoicing at the thought of being alone with Aurelian, but also having misgivings. Was it right to flirt with her employer's father?
The moment came when Jacob and Clara left arm in arm and the two older adults were left together. Aurelian asked if she had decided to stay in Kalispell, and she had to answer in a way that made sense.
"I'm staying for the time being," she clarified. "My intent was to go back east, but now..."
She looked away, not sure how to talk about what had changed her mind. It wasn't just meeting Aurelian. It was something about realizing that if she went back, she'd be dependent on her family again. She'd longed for that all winter. And now she wasn't sure if she wanted that.
"Now I think I might stay. Everyone here has been so kind to me. Like you said, good people."
She went over to the pie plate and uncovered it, glancing back at him. "You said a slice for you, and a slice for Wyatt, didn't you?"
She knew very well what he'd said, because everything he said seemed to be magnified in volume so that if there had been five people talking at once, she'd have been able to focus on Aurelian's words, and only Aurelian's words.
"Yes, Dear"
The moment came when Jacob and Clara left arm in arm and the two older adults were left together.
Or, in another universe, Jacob was manhandled toward the door to the stairs and dragged up by Clara without a by-your-leave. "What's going on?" he whispered urgently on the stairs.
"Isn't it a little rude to leave poor Mrs Dietrich to talk to your Pa all on her own?" he asked, innocently. The notion that Mr Redmond was a little taciturn in his conversational habits was implicit in this question.
"At least they're old, so they can't get up to anything!" he joked, the very idea being quite absurd to him.