A Begrudging Bride (Kansas Crossroads Book 11) by Adams Amelia C

Author:Adams,Amelia C.
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2016-09-25T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Camille gave her bread dough another thump, covered the bowl with a clean towel, and set it on the shelf to rise. That was the eighth bowl she’d contributed to the collection, and her arms were exhausted. Amazingly, they’d go through all that bread before the day was over, and they’d have to mix up more before her arms had recovered. She’d have the strongest arms of anyone she knew at this rate.

Mrs. Dupree came into the kitchen from outside, followed by Harriet. They both took off their wraps and then claimed seats at the table in the corner. Camille had liked Mrs. Dupree instantly when the woman arrived that morning. She was no nonsense, to the point, and beautiful all at the same time. She’d looked around, expressed her satisfaction with how well everything was being run, and then she’d stepped out of the way and let them get to it.

Now she and Harriet had placed a bowl of potatoes between them and were working while they talked.

“I plan to stay until the baby is a week old,” Mrs. Dupree was saying as she peeled one of the potatoes. “I’ve told Wallace to stop in here for his meals when he’s on shift, and so we won’t be entirely separated that whole time.”

“A week, and even longer? Oh, I can’t ask you to make such a sacrifice,” Harriet protested. “That’s too much.”

“Let me give you a little perspective on this,” Mrs. Dupree said. “I’m home alone every other night depending on where Wallace is on his shift. He picks up the train in Wichita and conducts it past Topeka as far as Kansas City, where he spends the night. Then he turns around and comes back home to me. The house is very quiet, and I don’t have much to do—all the housekeeping is done in an hour, and frankly, I’m bored. Being here will give me something to do. You must let me stay.”

Harriet laughed. “All right. It sounds like I couldn’t stop you even if I wanted to. Honestly, though, I’m glad you’re here. It’s so good to see you—you’ve been missed.”

Tom opened the kitchen door just then and stepped inside after knocking the snow off his boots. “Miss Waterford?”

Camille looked up from the carrots she was chopping while she’d been eavesdropping. Well, she supposed it wasn’t eavesdropping exactly—the conversation she’d been listening to didn’t seem to be private. “Yes?”

Tom swept his hat off his head. His blond hair was stuck down like he’d dipped it in paste. That was what happened when one worked hard in the winter. It reminded Camille so much of her father that for a moment, she didn’t hear what Tom was saying. “There’s a certain gentleman who requests your presence for a buggy ride.”

Camille blinked a few times. “I beg your pardon?”

“Mr. Baxter wonders if you would accompany him on a buggy ride. The horse is all hitched up and ready to go.” Tom held his arm out toward the door.

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