Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Miss Emmett held a hand over her mouth after she gasped as if he were a frightful creature. Robert didn’t think he was that ugly. Many times ladies flirted with him until they found out he had a sister who took all of his time and care. Then they politely disappeared.

But not one of them widened their eyes and cried out when he gave them a smile. “Is something wrong?” he asked, not knowing what else to say.

She looked terrified at first, then shook her head as if she were trying hard to pull herself together. “I, uh, I’m sorry! It’s just that your face was hiding under all that soot earlier and I had no idea what you looked like. I thought maybe you were an old man. I can see that you are not one. It took me by surprise.”

They were both distracted by Violet’s outburst of laughter. She bent over like someone told her the funniest joke and when she straightened herself, her cheeks were bright red. Blue eyes the same color of Robert’s stared back at him. “Did we say something funny?” he asked, grinning.

Violet shook her head, then burst out in laughter again. “She thought you were an old man! That’s so funny!”

When he looked back over to Miss Emmett, her shoulders were shaking. She tried to cover her mouth, but then all at once she began to laugh too. “I think it’s catching,” she told him.

He had to agree. If there was one thing Violet could do, it was put smiles on people’s faces. She never tired of that. Even at his expense. He didn’t let anything she said or did ruffle his feathers since he understood that she was a little slow thinking. Even so, he’d protect her with his life no matter what. She was his family.

“This is my sister, Violet. She is fifteen and the reason you are here.”

He waited for Miss Emmett’s reaction to the girl. He knew that Violet would hug her instead of putting out a hand or nodding politely. He was right. She bounced towards Miss Emmett and flung her arms around her shoulders.

“I’m so happy to meet you,” his sister told the woman.

Robert was surprised at Miss Emmett’s reaction. She wrapped her arms around the girl and pulled her even closer, then stood back and placed her hands on both of Violet’s cheeks. “I’m so happy to meet you too. Did anyone ever tell you that you have the prettiest eyes ever?”

Violet nodded. He grinned. Everyone told her that. They told him the same thing, too. He usually brushed it off his shoulders, but not Violet. He laughed out loud when she began to bat her eyes at Miss Emmett.

“My, oh my, look at you,” she told Violet. “I brought someone with me. Would you like to have a friend here?”

At Violet’s nod, Miss Emmett pointed to the window that leads to the back yard. When Violet saw the boy out in the yard, she began to jump up and down, her arms still around Miss Emmett and took her with her and she didn’t seem to mind, she just bounced along.

He was shocked. Should he discipline Violet for being too presumptuous with her new caretaker? Or, let things ride out to see what happens? He chose the latter since Miss Emmett wasn’t getting upset like all the others had done.

Miss Emmett looked at him. “Would you mind if Violet goes outside to meet Elijah?”

“Not at all. She can be out there by herself since I have a fence up and the gate locked. Plus, she loves to sit on the bench and watch the birds in the trees. I built her a few birdhouses that she likes to watch.”

Miss Emmett nodded and turned back to Violet. “Supper is almost done. Would you also tell Elijah that we will be eating in five minutes. Can you come back in to eat supper then?”

“Yes. I can!” She gave Miss Emmett one last hug, then turned to her brother and ran to him, catching him off guard. Or, maybe not, as he picked her up and swung her in a complete circle before setting her back down and tousling her hair.

She pushed his hand away. “Don’t mess up my hair!” Then she laughed and ran out the back door.

He was still smiling when he looked at Miss Emmett, who was watching him with guarded eyes. “You are very good with her,” she told him.

“She’s always been that way, from birth. I tried to send her to school but she distracts the class and usually gets bored and tries to leave. After sneaking out of the classroom several times, the teacher was worried she wouldn’t be able to keep a good enough eye on her.”

Miss Emmett pulled a stack of plates from the shelf above the stove and handed them to him. She turned back to the stove and lifted a lid from one of the frying pans. The smell hit him so hard, he groaned. “That smells delicious. Thank you for making supper.”

“I figured it was my job. It is my job, isn’t it?”

“I guess so. I’m not going to refuse any meals you make. I mainly wanted you here to help me with Violet. She’s a handful and since I can’t send her to school, and every single person I hired to help me has left town.”

“What? That can’t be right.”

“Well, the last girl that I hired actually went to New York to become a nurse. There’s a new hospital there that is opening a school for women to learn how to become a nurse.”

Miss Emmett sounded impressed. “I think learning to become a nurse is a wonderful vocation. We need more trained nurses.”

He wanted to be up front and honest with her. The last few helpers that he had hired, he didn’t actually explain that his sister innocently wandered off and could be disagreeable at times. What she saw of Violet was on one side of her. But he was hungry and wanted to eat. “Can we talk after supper? I want to explain your duties without the children hearing.”

She handed him a large plate filled with pork strips. His mouth watered. “Can you please set that on the table?”

As she turned to get another pan off the stove, he was about to grab a slice of the meat when she turned quickly. “Aha! Almost caught!” Then she laughed and turned back to her stove.

He was overwhelmed. The woman made herself right at home, taking over his kitchen, bringing along a child who he now knew was an orphan and now treating his sister as if she didn’t have any physical or mental issues.

Was he looking at an angel in his house? He looked up to the ceiling then realized he was about to trip with the plate of meat in his hand and paid attention to the job she gave him.

As he set the plate in the middle of the table, he swung around to head for the next one when she cried out. She had been right behind him and he didn’t realize it. He caught the plate that almost flew out of her hands by placing his own hand over the top of hers. It was warm and he got a tingling feeling in his gut.

Their eyes met. She was startled and yet she didn’t turn away. Curiosity, that’s what he saw. He wondered if she had ever been kissed? Robert shook himself. Why in the world would he do this to himself? Miss Emmett was here to take care of his sister and that’s the end of it. No wishing for more than that. He tore the plate from her hands, apologizing profusely. “I’m sorry, Miss Emmett. Let me get this for you.”

As he turned to the table, he heard a giggle and swung back around. Too late. Her back was now to him and he wasn’t sure if it had been her laughing or if he imagined that musical sound.

She brought the last dish over and set it down, moving away from him this time. He didn’t blame her. He was being a klutz and she knew it. If he were a man that embarrassed easily, he’d have a red face, but he shrugged it off like he did most things. Robert had learned a long time ago that life was too tender to worry about every little thing.

The back door opened up and the children came through, ready to sit at the table. Miss Emmett went to them, put her hands out and stopped them both. “You both march right over there to that basin and wash your hands with soap and water. When you are finished, you may sit at my table.”

My table! Robert didn’t know whether to smile or be surprised. She was taking this job very seriously. In a way it gave him some relief to let someone else take over for once. He was mentally and physically exhausted. There were some evenings he fell asleep on the rocking chair by the window after getting Violet to sleep after a long struggle of reading books and telling stories to her.

She was fifteen, but her mind was much younger. He had always been protective of her and would always be, and yet he was exhausted by the time his head hit the pillow each night. Hopefully, Miss Emmett could take some of the burden from him. If she stuck around long enough.

He was amazed at how Violet listened to her. She took Elijah’s hand, then pulled him along and made sure he washed his hands first before she placed her own in the water. They were both laughing hysterically by the time they dried their hands and sat down at the table. Robert stood at the head of the table staring in bewilderment.

He turned his head when Miss Emmett sat down at the other end of the rectangular table, placed her hands together and looked at him expectantly. He shook himself, forcing his feet to move as he sat at the head of the table. Violet sat in the chair on one side and Elijah across from her. They both clasped their hands and stared at him.

Why was everyone staring? What were they waiting for? He closed his eyes and let the aroma of the supper dishes overtake him. He leaned his head back a moment until he felt little feet under that table moving back and forth. His eyes came open as the two children were kicking each other and giggling.

“Children!”

They both stopped, caught in the act. How did they think they could get away with that? He gazed at Miss Emmett, who had her chin down, her hands clasped and her lips pursed as if she’d burst out in laughter at any moment.

He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “You all may as well get the giggles out of your system right now before we eat. I’m starving and don’t want to be disturbed while I devour my supper.”

Miss Emmett sobered up. “He’s right, children. Let’s stop our silliness and say Grace. Mr. Adams, would you like to begin?”

The children listened to her, once again placing their hands in prayer form. As Robert spoke in prayer, the children stayed quiet without giggling or kicking their feet. He was relieved since all he wanted to do was eat!

The moment the prayer was over, and he made sure to make it short and sweet, he reached for the first dish. Spooning out a large portion, he passed it to his guest next, reaching across the table. Miss Emmett smiled, then served the children as he picked up another dish. Within a minute, his plate was packed full and he heartily dug his fork in, trying to refrain from moaning at the taste of a hot meal that he hadn’t hurriedly made.

“This is so good,” Violet mentioned.

He knew that was directed at his cooking, but all he did was nod and continue eating. Miss Emmett spoke to the children softly, but he wasn’t paying too much attention. His focus was on the food going into his belly. Finally, he sat back, removed the napkin on his lap and sighed. “That was the best meal I’ve eaten in months.”

“Years,” Violet told him. “I love you, big brother but your food is not that good.”

He laughed.

Miss Emmett tapped Violet on the arm. “Would you like to help me with the dishes?”

Violet’s eyes became huge. “I want to help!”

After the meal, the two went to the sink and began to do dishes. Violet was a little sloppy with the water but Miss Emmett didn’t seem to mind at all. Robert noticed Elijah yawning and asked him if he was ready to go to bed.

The boy nodded. “I just want to go to my room. I never had a room of my own before.”

“I bet Miss Emmett doesn’t mind if you go on up a while.” He turned to see if she was listening. She was. A quick nod and the boy scooted off his chair and ran up the stairs faster than he’d ever seen anyone go before.

He had some paperwork to do, so he moved to the desk by the back door, turned up the oil lamp since the sun was starting to fade and sat down. According to his service ledger, he still had to catch up with a few customers that he had not gotten to yet. It wasn’t emergency work, but he had to finish it in order to be paid.

Now, from what he’d seen in just a few short hours, Robert was positive that he could catch up by the end of the week. At least while Violet was in such good spirits. He made a note to himself to ask the man upstairs to keep his sister from those nightmares that always had her angry and sullen for days afterwards.

He worked for another half-hour and was surprised that Violet hadn’t bothered him this whole time. He’d never have been able to get any paperwork done while she was awake.

He pushed his chair back and stretched, then leaned back on the chair, shoving the ledger into the middle drawer. He yawned, then stood. When he turned, he heard soft footsteps coming down the hall. He shoved his hands into his pockets.

When Miss Emmett came around the corner, she brought her smile along. Why was she so upbeat and happy all the time? He couldn’t imagine having so much emotion that it shone through wherever she was.

“Are you ready to have our talk?” she asked.

“Yes. Would you like to go out on the porch? I’d rather not worry that Violet may be listening to our conversation since it is about her.”

Miss Emmett gave him a smile and nodded. “I understand, however, she is fast asleep. It took less than five minutes and she was snoring. Did you know that she snores?”

He pushed the chair in its place and began to walk across the kitchen. “I never heard her snore.” He wasn’t about to talk about the nightmares until one happened. Maybe that was selfish of him, but he wanted Violet to have some more days like she had today before they lost Miss Emmett and Elijah. No one ever stuck around for long.

“I made a cup of tea for myself. Would you like one?”

“That would be nice,” he told her, surprised at her hospitality.

“Let me get the tray I prepared and I’ll be outside in a moment.”

“I’ll wait for you.”

“That’s kind of you. Thank you.” She went to pick up the tray holding two cups of tea with a sugar bowl and creamer she probably found on a dusty shelf when he realized he was being rude.

“Let me get that for you.” He didn’t wait for her approval, just picked it up and carried the tray to the front door. He balanced the tray on the palm of one hand, then opened the door for her to go outside. It was a warm evening so they didn’t bother to get a wrap.

“I was worried it would be too cool out here, but it actually feels nice from being in the hot kitchen most of the day.”

The glow of the moon’s rays danced across the porch, catching her profile. He almost dropped the tray when he caught his breath. She was so beautiful.

She had no idea how much he wanted to drop the tray and pull her into his arms.