The Courtship by Lynna Banning

Author:Lynna Banning
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-10-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Jane looked up from the sewing machine when Rydell entered her shop. Despite the skip of her heartbeat at his unexpected appearance, she managed to keep her voice neutral and disinterested. Odelia had advised her to “jes’ be honest with the man,” but surely that did not mean telling him how flustered she grew in his presence?

“Oh,” she said with studied calm. “It’s you.” She went back to her basting. Perspiration made her hands so slick she could barely hold on to the needle. Mercy, it was scorching hot in here, and she hadn’t stopped for lunch or lemonade since breakfast. She felt a bit dizzy.

Rydell scanned the tiny room for something to sit on. “Are you busy?”

“Of course I am busy. There’s a big to-do coming up, and I am sewing a party dress just as fast as I can.”

“For yourself?”

Jane flashed him a look. “No, not for myself. It’s for a customer. How can I possibly make one penny of profit sewing dresses for myself?”

“Got a buyer?”

She bit her bottom lip. “Not yet, no. But I will have as soon as I finish it and slip it onto my dress form.” She waved her hand at the window, where the apron-swathed bust form stood. “As you can see, I am rather occupied, Mr. Wilder. Was there something in particular you wanted?”

“Well, yes.” He shifted his weight, leaned his long frame against the wall. “I have a question for you.”

She bent her head over the blue cambric skirt pieces in her lap. “I am listening.”

“Hot this afternoon, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“You thirsty?” he said without a pause.

“Yes.”

“Will you go to Jensen’s barn dance with me on Saturday?”

Jane raised her eyes. He had thought to trick her. “No. I have no time for such gatherings, now that I am a businesswoman. I intend to work all day on Saturday, making up another new design.”

Rydell again shifted his weight. “The dance is in the evening.”

“I will be tired by evening.” She continued basting a side seam. “I plan to retire early.”

“Olaf Jensen’s one fine fiddle player,” Rydell offered. “All the folks in the county will turn out for one of his shindigs.”

“I am happy to hear that, Mr. Wilder, but I will not be one of them.”

“Everybody brings pies and cakes,” he went on. “Older kids learn to dance, younger ones bed down in the hayloft.”

“Still, I must refuse.”

Rydell shot her a glance. “All the ladies wear their prettiest dresses, and—”

“I thank you kindly, but…Dresses?” Jane’s darting needle faltered. A whole barn full of ladies in their best outfits? Dresses she could copy? She licked her lips. Ideas she could adapt and embellish.

“Jane? Miss Davis, would you do me the honor of accompanying me?”

She studied the tall man who now eased himself off the wall and came to stand before her. He would surely not mind if she brought her sketchbook, would he?

The blue cambric gown was finished at last. Jane heated the sadiron and pressed the ruffles one last time, then arranged the garment over the dress form.

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