He did not meet her gaze, again, as she and Eva put the food on the table. A pot of beans with a bit of meat, tortillas, and pitchers of water comprised the simple fare.
Matt rose from the bench and went to the chair at one end of the table. He finally glanced up at her. His expression was unreadable, but he gestured her toward the chair at the other end. It was a small peace offering, and she was stupidly grateful for it.
“Sit, hija, sit.” Eva pulled the chair out for her and helped Hannah sit. It was something a gentleman would do, but she had already realized her new husband wasn’t necessarily trained to act as a gentleman should.
After they all sat, everyone dug in, filling fresh tortillas with beans. Hannah hadn’t had such delicious food before and hoped Eva would show her the secrets of the spices. The flavorful beans danced on her tongue, while at the same time filling her belly quickly.
The family chatted throughout the meal, mostly about things to do with the ranch. Hannah was an observer, not really part of the conversation. No one spoke directly to her and Olivia continued to treat Hannah as a very unwelcome visitor. At least she was safe and warm, and accepted by two members of the family.
Catherine sat beside her, her legs swinging on the bench as she gobbled up her supper. With a bite still in her mouth, she looked at Eva. “May I be excused please?”
“Yes, hija, you go wash up and get your schooling books ready.” Eva appeared to be the person who kept everyone on schedule.
“Can I read to Hannah tonight instead of you?” Catherine directed her question at Matt. It surprised both him and Hannah.
“You want to read with her?” Olivia snorted. “We don’t even know if she can read.”
Hannah flinched at the animosity in her sister-in-law’s voice. “I can read. As you know, I went to school until I was seven. Afterward, Granny taught me at home.”
“No need to be like that, Livy.” Matt’s tone was not very firm, even if he said the right words. “Are you sure, Catherine?”
Hannah didn’t know whether he didn’t trust her or whether he was jealous that Catherine had changed their routine. Either way it wasn’t good for such emotions to be between them.
“It’s okay. We can do it another time together, okay?” Hannah wanted to avoid the conflict and try to find a compromise with Matt.
“I don’t want to do it another time.” Catherine pouted her lip. “I want Hannah.” She pointed at Matt. “Besides, you were mean to her today.”
“I was not mean.” Matt’s brows slammed together. “I had chores to do after being away for more than a day.”
“Is that why you went riding on Winston all afternoon?” Nicholas smirked at him.
“If you didn’t want to marry her, you shouldn’t have.” Olivia apparently couldn’t keep quiet any longer.
“Jesus please us, will you all just shut up?” Matt’s face was flushed with anger.
“Don’t use the Lord’s name like that, Mateo.” Eva sounded as mad as he was.
The supper that had started with the fun of making tortillas had turned into a family argument. And Hannah was squarely in the center of it.
“Listen, all of you, Hannah and I are married now, and you all have to accept that. You’re embarrassing me and yourselves in front of her.” He glared at each of them in turn. “This is hard enough without all of you acting like spoiled idiots.”
Hannah could not bear one more second of the arguing. She got to her feet. “I’ll start heating water for the dishes.” The water could never be as hot as her cheeks felt.
Her departure seemed to defuse the situation, because the Grahams were suddenly quiet. All she heard as she pumped water into a bucket was chewing and breathing. Eva appeared at her elbow and touched her shoulder. It was a wordless gesture that meant a lot.
After the pail was nearly full, she picked up the handle and swung it over to the stove. She stoked up the fire and got the blaze
Matt rose from the bench and went to the chair at one end of the table. He finally glanced up at her. His expression was unreadable, but he gestured her toward the chair at the other end. It was a small peace offering, and she was stupidly grateful for it.
“Sit, hija, sit.” Eva pulled the chair out for her and helped Hannah sit. It was something a gentleman would do, but she had already realized her new husband wasn’t necessarily trained to act as a gentleman should.
After they all sat, everyone dug in, filling fresh tortillas with beans. Hannah hadn’t had such delicious food before and hoped Eva would show her the secrets of the spices. The flavorful beans danced on her tongue, while at the same time filling her belly quickly.
The family chatted throughout the meal, mostly about things to do with the ranch. Hannah was an observer, not really part of the conversation. No one spoke directly to her and Olivia continued to treat Hannah as a very unwelcome visitor. At least she was safe and warm, and accepted by two members of the family.
Catherine sat beside her, her legs swinging on the bench as she gobbled up her supper. With a bite still in her mouth, she looked at Eva. “May I be excused please?”
“Yes, hija, you go wash up and get your schooling books ready.” Eva appeared to be the person who kept everyone on schedule.
“Can I read to Hannah tonight instead of you?” Catherine directed her question at Matt. It surprised both him and Hannah.
“You want to read with her?” Olivia snorted. “We don’t even know if she can read.”
Hannah flinched at the animosity in her sister-in-law’s voice. “I can read. As you know, I went to school until I was seven. Afterward, Granny taught me at home.”
“No need to be like that, Livy.” Matt’s tone was not very firm, even if he said the right words. “Are you sure, Catherine?”
Hannah didn’t know whether he didn’t trust her or whether he was jealous that Catherine had changed their routine. Either way it wasn’t good for such emotions to be between them.
“It’s okay. We can do it another time together, okay?” Hannah wanted to avoid the conflict and try to find a compromise with Matt.
“I don’t want to do it another time.” Catherine pouted her lip. “I want Hannah.” She pointed at Matt. “Besides, you were mean to her today.”
“I was not mean.” Matt’s brows slammed together. “I had chores to do after being away for more than a day.”
“Is that why you went riding on Winston all afternoon?” Nicholas smirked at him.
“If you didn’t want to marry her, you shouldn’t have.” Olivia apparently couldn’t keep quiet any longer.
“Jesus please us, will you all just shut up?” Matt’s face was flushed with anger.
“Don’t use the Lord’s name like that, Mateo.” Eva sounded as mad as he was.
The supper that had started with the fun of making tortillas had turned into a family argument. And Hannah was squarely in the center of it.
“Listen, all of you, Hannah and I are married now, and you all have to accept that. You’re embarrassing me and yourselves in front of her.” He glared at each of them in turn. “This is hard enough without all of you acting like spoiled idiots.”
Hannah could not bear one more second of the arguing. She got to her feet. “I’ll start heating water for the dishes.” The water could never be as hot as her cheeks felt.
Her departure seemed to defuse the situation, because the Grahams were suddenly quiet. All she heard as she pumped water into a bucket was chewing and breathing. Eva appeared at her elbow and touched her shoulder. It was a wordless gesture that meant a lot.
After the pail was nearly full, she picked up the handle and swung it over to the stove. She stoked up the fire and got the blaze
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