The Miner's Lady by Tracie Peterson

Author:Tracie Peterson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC042030, FIC042040, FIC014000, Families—Minnesota—Fiction, Minnesota—History—19th century—Fiction
ISBN: 9781441262691
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2013-07-24T04:00:00+00:00

Chantel felt her heart skip a beat when Dante and Orlando Calarco stepped into her bedroom to see their grandmother. She had been reading from the Bible to Nonna Barbato when they arrived. She glanced up to find Dante watching her with decided interest and couldn’t help but feel all aquiver. The man’s dark eyes connected with her own, and she felt a tug low in her belly.

“You have visitors,” Chantel said, getting to her feet.

Nonna Barbato smiled and welcomed her grandsons. “You boys look tired. Was it a hard day at the mine?”

“Every day is hard there, Nonna,” Orlando declared. He kissed her forehead. “That’s why I don’t intend to make it my living.”

His grandmother eyed him with amusement. “Oh? And what do you suppose you’ll do instead?”

Orlando slipped into the chair vacated by Chantel. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll learn to bake bread like you make. I think I could be a good baker, don’t you?”

Chantel heard the older woman laugh, but her gaze was fixed on Dante. He stepped forward and kissed his grandmother’s forehead. “Orlando wouldn’t make a good baker at all. He has no patience for it,” Dante declared.

This brought a smile to Chantel’s lips, and she seriously wondered what Dante knew about the patience needed for baking. Nonna, however, thoroughly enjoyed seeing her grandsons and didn’t seem to care at all what the topic of conversation might be. She let the boys ramble on about their day and about the neighbors, all while Chantel stood near the door. She hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but for some reason she hadn’t thought to leave. When Nonna asked her a question, however, Chantel realized she had been deep in thought.

“I’m sorry, Nonna, what did you say?”

“I asked if you had some dessert left over for my boys. You know they are at each other’s mercy for food these days. Soon I will be well enough to return home, but I think they would very much like some of your Pesche Ripiene.”

“Stuffed peaches at this time of year?” Orlando asked. “What a treat.”

“We used peaches we canned last fall,” Chantel replied. “It’s not exactly the same, but they come out pretty good, if I do say so myself.” She smiled.

“It sounds wonderful,” Orlando replied.

“Then if you like, I’ll bring you each a portion.” She looked to Dante, and to her surprise he gave her an almost boyish grin of delight.

“It’s one of my favorites, I have to admit.”

She liked seeing the pleasure in his expression. Chantel hurried to the kitchen where her mother and Isabella were just putting away the last of the dishes.

“Mrs. Barbato asked me to give Orlando and . . . Dante some dessert. I hope you don’t mind.”

Mama pulled down two dessert plates. “Of course not. Take them coffee, too. It was probably a cold walk to come see their nonna.”

Chantel nodded, but Isabella was the one to take the plates. “I’ll help you. After all, it will give me an excuse to spend time with Orlando.

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