realized the futility in that, she’d packed up and moved on.
Well, Kate doubted she could fix her problems with Cole. But she could fix up the saloon. That’s why Nora’s generous offer to help with the curtains had come at just the right time. “Nora, thank you for all your help today. The curtains are going to be real pretty when we’re through.”
Nora agreed. “They are coming out so lovely. I can’t wait to finish them off with those tassels.”
“You’ve done nearly all the work. I wish I knew more about sewing.”
“You’ll catch on, Kate. And you did a fine job of stitching today.”
“I poked a hole in my fingers three times.”
Nora smiled. “I know. But it just takes practice. I’ll come by again later in the week and we’ll finish them.”
“You practically did all the work yourself. I’m going to have to help more next time. How’d you learn so much about sewing anyway?”
“Oh, well, when I was a girl, we were very poor. My mother took in sewing to put food on our table. The farm wasn’t doing too good, and then my father took sick. So, all of us girls helped with the sewing. With my mother, there were four of us helping out. We worked into the night sometimes and we’d often compete to see who’d get the surest, most straight stitching.
“I always made my own clothes. That’s why, when I married Abe, he insisted on buying me new store-bought dresses.” Nora’s face beamed with happiness. “To own a ready-made dress had always been a dream of mine when I was young.”
“And now, you have store-bought dresses, a wonderful man, a nice house to live in and a new little babe on the way. I can’t think of another soul who deserves it more.”
“I can. You do, Kate. You deserve all the happiness in the world.” Nora cast sympathetic eyes her way. She bit her lip, before asking, “What’s wrong? We haven’t been friends all that long, but I believe Iknow you fairly well. You’ve been quiet and…sad today.”
Kate sighed and shook her head, taking her mother’s advice. She couldn’t fix what was wrong, so she wouldn’t dwell. And she certainly didn’t want to burden her new friend with her troubles. “I’m a little anxious, is all. And I haven’t been sleeping too well, lately. Don’t worry, Nora. It’ll pass.”
Nora took her hand and squeezed gently. “I’m sure of it, too. But if you need a friend, you know where to find me.”
Kate nodded. “I appreciate that, Nora.”
They had reached the livery and were ready to part when an amazing sight struck them. Jethro Cable rode up on his horse, wearing the biggest darn frown Kate had ever seen, and directly in front of him on the saddle in all of her riding finery sat Patricia Wesley. Her mood appeared equally sour.
Kate and Nora both giggled at the sight. “I’ve never seen my brother-in-law looking so irritated,” she whispered. “If anyone can put Jethro in such a mood, it’s that girl.”
Kate watched Jethro dismount then reach up to help Patricia down. She swatted his hands away as soon as her high-priced shiny leather boots hit the ground. “Leave me be, Mr. Cable. Haven’t you done enough damage for one day?”
Nora spoke up, stepping forward. “What happened, Jethro? And where is Miss Wesley’s horse?”
Jethro was collecting his thoughts, ready to answerwhen Patricia ranted, “The horse is gone, thank goodness! He nearly killed me.”
Jethro ignored Patricia and answered, “We were out for a riding lesson, when Miss Wesley’s horse got spooked. It took off running and, well, Miss Wesley didn’t know how to hold up on the reins—”
“I held up on the reins, Jethro. That horse wasn’t about to stop, no matter what. I was lucky enough to hold on for dear life!”
Jethro’s face contorted. “I caught up to you right quick, didn’t I? Got you onto my horse safely. You didn’t get so much as a speck of dirt on your fancy suede riding suit. And the horse will be back on his own
Well, Kate doubted she could fix her problems with Cole. But she could fix up the saloon. That’s why Nora’s generous offer to help with the curtains had come at just the right time. “Nora, thank you for all your help today. The curtains are going to be real pretty when we’re through.”
Nora agreed. “They are coming out so lovely. I can’t wait to finish them off with those tassels.”
“You’ve done nearly all the work. I wish I knew more about sewing.”
“You’ll catch on, Kate. And you did a fine job of stitching today.”
“I poked a hole in my fingers three times.”
Nora smiled. “I know. But it just takes practice. I’ll come by again later in the week and we’ll finish them.”
“You practically did all the work yourself. I’m going to have to help more next time. How’d you learn so much about sewing anyway?”
“Oh, well, when I was a girl, we were very poor. My mother took in sewing to put food on our table. The farm wasn’t doing too good, and then my father took sick. So, all of us girls helped with the sewing. With my mother, there were four of us helping out. We worked into the night sometimes and we’d often compete to see who’d get the surest, most straight stitching.
“I always made my own clothes. That’s why, when I married Abe, he insisted on buying me new store-bought dresses.” Nora’s face beamed with happiness. “To own a ready-made dress had always been a dream of mine when I was young.”
“And now, you have store-bought dresses, a wonderful man, a nice house to live in and a new little babe on the way. I can’t think of another soul who deserves it more.”
“I can. You do, Kate. You deserve all the happiness in the world.” Nora cast sympathetic eyes her way. She bit her lip, before asking, “What’s wrong? We haven’t been friends all that long, but I believe Iknow you fairly well. You’ve been quiet and…sad today.”
Kate sighed and shook her head, taking her mother’s advice. She couldn’t fix what was wrong, so she wouldn’t dwell. And she certainly didn’t want to burden her new friend with her troubles. “I’m a little anxious, is all. And I haven’t been sleeping too well, lately. Don’t worry, Nora. It’ll pass.”
Nora took her hand and squeezed gently. “I’m sure of it, too. But if you need a friend, you know where to find me.”
Kate nodded. “I appreciate that, Nora.”
They had reached the livery and were ready to part when an amazing sight struck them. Jethro Cable rode up on his horse, wearing the biggest darn frown Kate had ever seen, and directly in front of him on the saddle in all of her riding finery sat Patricia Wesley. Her mood appeared equally sour.
Kate and Nora both giggled at the sight. “I’ve never seen my brother-in-law looking so irritated,” she whispered. “If anyone can put Jethro in such a mood, it’s that girl.”
Kate watched Jethro dismount then reach up to help Patricia down. She swatted his hands away as soon as her high-priced shiny leather boots hit the ground. “Leave me be, Mr. Cable. Haven’t you done enough damage for one day?”
Nora spoke up, stepping forward. “What happened, Jethro? And where is Miss Wesley’s horse?”
Jethro was collecting his thoughts, ready to answerwhen Patricia ranted, “The horse is gone, thank goodness! He nearly killed me.”
Jethro ignored Patricia and answered, “We were out for a riding lesson, when Miss Wesley’s horse got spooked. It took off running and, well, Miss Wesley didn’t know how to hold up on the reins—”
“I held up on the reins, Jethro. That horse wasn’t about to stop, no matter what. I was lucky enough to hold on for dear life!”
Jethro’s face contorted. “I caught up to you right quick, didn’t I? Got you onto my horse safely. You didn’t get so much as a speck of dirt on your fancy suede riding suit. And the horse will be back on his own
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