Tom scrambled up, flushing. Yes, sir. Sorry, sir. After he left, Jake remained, filling the door frame in that way he had of making the kitchen seem smaller. The boy talks too much.
He's young. The young always talk too much. Margaret focused on rolling out pie dough, aware of his gaze, though sometimes talking helps. Keeps the silence from getting too heavy. Is that what you think?
That it's too quiet here? She looked up then, meeting those gray eyes. I think a man who asks for laughter with his meals might be tired of silence. Yes. He moved into the kitchen, going to the stove to pour himself coffee.
It was a new habit, these morning visits before the crew arrived. He never stayed long, but Margaret had come to treasure these moments of almost companionship. "My wife loved to sing while she cooked, " he said suddenly, staring into his cup. Sarah. She'd been gone 2 years before I came here, but sometimes I still hear her voice in the wind.
Margaret's handstilled. Wife? He'd had a wife. What happened to her? Cholera took her and our daughter both while I was away on business.
His voice was flat, matter of fact. But his knuckles were white around the cup. I was in Austin negotiating cattle prices. Thought I was building something important. Came home to two graves in a house that echoed Jake.
Margaret began, but he shook his head. It's history now, but Tom's right. You've brought something back to this place. Something I thought was gone for good. He set down his cup and moved toward the door.
Then paused. There's going to be a dance in town next Saturday. The harvest dance. The men are all going. How nice for them, Margaret said, returning to her pie.
She'd heard the cowboys talking about it, their excitement palpable. You could come. The invitation hung in the air between them. Margaret's heart did an unexpected flutter. Mr. Caldwell, that would hardly be appropriate.
I'm your employee. And you haven't left this ranch in 6 weeks. You need supplies from town anyway, don't you? Fabric for new curtains? Perhaps some proper dishes since you're always complaining about the tin plates.