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Jessica nodded, wondering why he was talking to her as if she was an actual person. It was the first time. “That works beautifully. I do enjoy a nice garden.”
“Just let me know what you need.”
“A trip to the store would be most welcome right now. I have meat for tomorrow night in the ice box, but nothing past that. I have this strange feeling that the children will want to continue to eat through the weekend at least.”
His smile was slight, but it was there. Jessica wanted to dance, seeing that smile. It did make him look awfully handsome. “I’ll take you to the store on Friday morning once the children are off to school.”
“I’ll enjoy that,” Jessica said, smiling at the handsome man sitting at the head of the table.
After supper, Jessica worked on the dishes, thrilled when Nancy appeared beside her. “I’ll wipe them.”
“That would help me a lot,” Jessica said.
“I love berries. Blueberries are my favorite.”
“It’s well past blueberry season, I’m afraid.”
“I know. I picked a bunch when they were ripe, but Grandma said she was too busy to make a pie from them.”
Jessica frowned. “I’ll make you a blueberry pie next year.”
Nancy tilted her head to one side. “Will you still be here next year?”
“Of course, I will. I married your pa. I’ll be here forever.”
Nancy was silent after that as she thought about the situation.
When the dishes were done, Jessica thanked Nancy. “I really appreciate you coming in here and wiping the dishes without me even asking.”
Nancy nodded solemnly. “I always wiped the dishes for Ma.” Then she was gone.
George disappeared into the parlor while Jessica got the children ready for bed. He always read his farmer’s almanac in the evenings, so there was no doubt in Jessica’s mind that that’s what he was doing.
Jessica took down the fabric she had noticed before leaving the baby’s room and carried it downstairs. Nancy was still awake, reading a book. “Will this work for you?” she asked, holding up the fabric. There was more than enough for a dress for Nancy, and Jessica thought she could also make a dress for the baby from it.
Nancy nodded. “I need a new church dress too. Nothing fits anymore.”
Jessica smiled. “That’s because you’re growing. I’ll find more fabric at the store on Friday. We’ll make the dresses together.”
Nancy threw her arms around Jessica. “Oh, thank you, Jessica. I love to sew!”
Nancy said her goodnights and headed upstairs for bed, leaving Jessica alone with George.
“I plan to pick more apples with the children on Saturday. I can pay back some of the vegetables we get from your sisters with applesauce and apple pie filling.”
George looked at her over the top of the almanac. “You’ll can them?” he asked. At her nod, he continued. “That’s a lot of work.”
“It is, but I do it every fall. I was a little disappointed to leave before we harvested the last of the kitchen garden back home.”
He frowned, putting the book down. “Why did you come here, Jessica?”
She was a little impressed that he even knew her name. “Because there was no future for me back east. I want to raise children and have a home of my own. I—” She stopped short of telling him she’d been hoping for a love-filled marriage.
“Do you want to be a wife?”
She nodded. “I thought I was coming here to be a wife and mother, as well as cook and clean.”
“I’m not ready for a wife yet. I lost the love of my life just six and a half months ago.”
