As Aurelian paused his work and turned toward her, Lucinda took a moment to look at him, handsome man that he was. Her gaze lingered on his forearms, but she focused on his face (which was just as pleasant to look at, if not more) and smiled.
"I'm glad it's a pleasant one. Do you have time to stop for a while? I made some cornbread." She glanced over at the trees, shifting the blanket under her arm. "We could sit over there in the shade."
Even if her appearance was a pleasant surprise to Aurelian, he still might not want to stop working. And she wouldn't blame him if that were the case. Farmwork had to be done at certain times. But this didn't appear to be time sensitive. Maybe she could help him out a bit and make the work go faster so he could sit down for a while.
"I'm glad it's a pleasant one. Do you have time to stop for a while? I made some cornbread."
Aurelian seemed impressed,"Cornbread? Well, I'd be delighted to stop for some cornbread." How did you get here? The farm I mean?"
Lucinda glanced over at the trees, shifting the blanket under her arm. "We could sit over there in the shade."
"Yes, the shade would be nice, let's do that," he led her to the tree line and both sat down.
"How did you get here? The farm I mean?" he was curious.
Lucinda followed Aurelian over beneath the trees, spread the blanket out ,and sat down, arranging her skirts underneath her. "How? Oh, I rented a horse for the day."
It was so nice being able to have a little bit of money coming in so she could do things like this in addition to paying for her room at Mrs. Wigfall's. When she married Aurelian, she wouldn't really need the money anymore. What would happen to Clara and the diner, then? Capable as the young woman was, running the diner was not just a one-woman job.
She opened up the cloth that covered the cornbread and jerky and broke off a small piece for herself before pushed the basket across the blanket to Aurelian. "Help yourself. I think some of Clara's talent is still left in your kitchen, because this is the best cornbread I've ever made."
She looked out across the field, taking in the open space that Aurelian had worked to fill with crops. "How is the farm work going?" Although she knew next to nothing about farming, she could listen, and learn as she did. If she was going to be a farmer's wife, she needed to learn.
"Rented a horse? Hope that didn't cost you too much? It's too bad you have to pay for the golden opportunity to see me," Aurelian smiled, "Not to mention the trip out and back. Leastwise you won't need to do any of that when we're married."
He was thinking they probably should discuss the details of such a thing fairly soon. It was his opinion women cared more about the myriad things involved in a wedding than men did so he would leave much of that to her - gladly. Clara's wedding had been quite basic, simple but then the situation was quite different and, let's face it, Clara was never one for foppery as she called it. Hard headed and practical.
They headed for some shade then sat down for a lunch.
"Help yourself. I think some of Clara's talent is still left in your kitchen, because this is the best cornbread I've ever made."
"Cornbread - don't believe that's so difficult is it?" he grinned, "Of course I'd have probably messed it up. Lemme taste it."
He took a big bite, chewed, seemed to think on it, "Yes, indeed tasty! I think this is the best thing you've ever made for me!" He was having fun teasing the woman. Well, she had better have a sense of humor to live on this farm what with him and Wyatt.
She looked out across the field, taking in the open space that Aurelian had worked to fill with crops. "How is the farm work going?"
"Well, I'm clearing this here field so it's gonna be fallow next season. Let the soil rest and replenish ya see. But overall this was a good summer for the farm. I got some good yields. I'd be happy as a clam in broth if I can repeat that again next year. Of course a farmer is dependent on the weather so one never knows."
"No, it wasn't too expensive. And it was worth it to see you. But I'll be glad when the only riding back and forth to town I have to do is go to church or the general store." She leaned over and nudged him gently. It was so easy to talk about trivial things with Aurelian. It made her feel young again, like she had been when she'd first married Francis.
She held her breath as Aurelian tested the cornbread and exhaled dramatically at his reaction. "Well, hopefully it won't be the last thing I make for you." Although she responded to Aurelian's teasing with a grin, Lucinda really was pleased at his assessment of the cornbread. This was high praise coming from Clara's father, who probably had enough experience with good food that he could be a restaurant critic back east.
She listened as Aurelian talked about the farm and the yield he'd had this year. She nodded slowly, searching for the words to her next question. "And what about Lost Lake and Evergreen? Any 'bad weather' on the horizon there?"
If she was going to marry Aurelian, she deserved to know what was going on with the ranches and if it might affect her new life. It wasn't so much the potential danger itself, but the knowing what she was getting herself into.
"So not much of a traveler then, are ya?" Aurelian grinned at her declaration. Could well be a good thing though as living outside of town could at times be considered somewhat of a drab lonely existence to some folks. Not that Lucinda would really be alone - she would have him and Wyatt too. Aurelian figured Lucinda and the boy would certainly get along easily enough. His son was a happy go lucky sort, no troublemaker other than the occasional mischief any boy his age might stumble into.
"And what about Lost Lake and Evergreen? Any 'bad weather' on the horizon there?"she asked suddenly changing the subject. But it was a fair question, she had a right to know.
"Well, I won't lie to you. Everybody knows there is real bad blood between the two families. Can't see it going away either. In fact the potential is it could explode at any time. There has been a few deaths in the past couple years. Now I get along fine with Lost Lake, Shade Thornton in particular. Clara even worked for him at his ranch for a time, caring for Shade's nephew and niece, just young ones."
"As for Evergreen, well I've never had a face to face run in with Mr. Steelgrave of Evergreen. But the man is unpopular with the vast majority of town for a reason. And Clara did have a run in or two with a few of the Evergreen hands. But two of them are dead now. Killed in a gun battle by Quentin Cantrell, from the Lost Lake Ranch."
"There's been rumors that Steelgrave would like my farm property but he's never approached me on buying it. I have no plans to sell anyhow. I don't know how to be anything other than a farmer, it's all I ever done except for being a soldier in the late war. Sure ain't planning on signing up for the army at my age. I had a bellyful of fighting."
"So....that's about where it sits right now," he shrugged.
"
"I only travel when it can't be avoided," Lucinda said with a grin. And it was true. The only reason she'd come out west was because she'd married Francis.
She watched Aurelian's face as he gave her the rundown on the relations with the two ranches he was sandwiched between. Maybe when they got married, she could help smooth things out, or strengthen the relationship with Lost Lake. As for Evergreen...trying to do anything with that ranch sounded like a lost cause.
"Oh, yes, Wyatt was telling me about that unfortunate incident with Clara. I was shocked to hear about the brawl at the festival. I hadn't imagined things got so lively around here." She broke off a small piece of cornbread and popped it in her mouth. "I wish I'd been there to see it," she added after a moment.
She reached over to take Aurelian's hand. "If it's not too soon to ask, when do you think we should get married? That is, if you haven't changed your mind about me," she said, her dimple showing as she smiled.
Knowing how determined and sometimes impulsive Aurelian was, she didn't think it was too soon to talk about setting a date. She was ready to not have to deal with the Wigfalls on a daily basis.
Aurelian had to chuckle when Lucinda boldly admitted she wished she had been there to witness that brawl.
"And here I thought you would be scandalized. Well, at least you wanted to watch, Clara was right in there swinging in the middle of it all. Do not get my daughter angry," he grinned.
The discussion grew more serious then.
She reached over to take Aurelian's hand. "If it's not too soon to ask, when do you think we should get married? That is, if you haven't changed your mind about me," she said, her dimple showing as she smiled.
He placed his other hand upon hers, "It's not too soon. Depends on what sort of wedding you want, I reckon. I'm all for marrying ya any time you're ready to say 'yes'."
"We could do it next week even. Again unless your heart's set on some big fancy wedding? I will confess I'm not much for such big and fancy events. Even my first marriage to Katherine, it was a very simple affair. I couldn''t afford more than that."
"I'm ready to say 'yes' now," Lucinda admitted, grinning. "I don't want anything fancy. Which is something I never thought I'd hear myself say."
Having been brought up wearing frilly, lacy dresses and raised with easy access to the finer things in life, she was surprised at how much her thoughts on life had changed with her move out west.
"Let's wait just a while longer so we can make arrangements. Not that there are many to be made, but I'll need to let Mrs. Wigfall know I won't be boarding with her anymore, help Clara find someone else to help her at the diner, and we'll need to ask Pastor Evans when he can marry us. And we need to tell Clara and Wyatt."
She ran a hand over her hair, suddenly overwhelmed with giddiness. "Aurelian, kiss me so I know this is really happening!"