Joan: Companion Book 7: The Cattleman's Daughters by Danni Roan

Author:Danni Roan [Roan, Danni]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-01-17T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Joan pushed open the door to a much quieter house than she had entered only the day before.

“Good morning!” Fiona greeted sweetly as Joan walked into the kitchen. “We wondered if you’d be over today. Cathleen stayed, and we’re planning on a sewing circle.”

Joan didn’t know what to say, so she simple lifted the bowl. “I came for flour,” she said lamely.

“What do you need flour for?” Nona asked, as she finished washing a large bowl and placing it on the drying board.

“I was going to make bread,” Joan replied.

“We’ve just finished mixing a batch,” the old woman said. “You can take a couple of loaves with you when you go today.”

“Nona, I just put the other pies in the oven,” Isabella said, coming around the work bench. “Oh, hello Joan,” she offered.

“Good, good,” Nona said. “Now we sew.”

Before she knew it Joan was being whisked off to another room and told to strip out of her old work dress. “I think this old thing of Katie’s will just about be long enough,” Fiona said. “You change and then we’ll get started.

In the cozy parlor a few minutes later, Meg, Bella, Fiona, Cathleen and Nona pulled chairs around the fire.

“I’ve got the measurements,” Cathleen stated, flourishing a measuring tape. “Let’s start with the brown,” she added.

Before she knew it Joan was busy stitching as Cathleen cut. While Meg stitched together a cuff, Joan, Fiona and Nona worked on the skirt, then Cathleen began on the bodice.

Joan was startled by the speed and precision in which Cathleen worked. “With all of us working, you’ll have a nice warm dress by tomorrow,” the heavy set woman said.

By lunch time, Joan’s new dress was half finished, and she had two fresh loaves of bread wrapped in cloth to take home with her.

She was headed back to her house when the raggedy mule approached her, brayed and nudged her with his nose.

“Hello Scooter,” she smiled, Fiona had been telling tales of when Eric was growing up including his adventures with his mule and Joan was developing a true affection for the animal.

“You going to walk me home?” she asked feeling silly, but enjoying the feeling.

Scooter tagged along all the way to the house, but when she started up the steps, he blocked her way and nudged her in the other direction.

“Scooter I don’t have time to play with you right now, I have to put this bread away and make lunch.” Joan tried but the mule persistently blocked her way shoving her with his nose.

Reaching up to the rail of the porch, Joan balanced the bread on it and turned to see what the mule wanted.

“All right."I’ll stay here and play with you if that’s what you want,” she chided, but the mule turned and started walking away, stopping to look back at her expectantly.

“You go on then,” Joan called, frustrated with the beast as she turned to start up the stairs but this time the mule grasped her sleeve and tugged.

Feeling frustrated Joan turned to send the animal off, but instead fell in to step with him.

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