A Heart Made for Love Page 4

  Eleanor raised one eyebrow, cocked her head to the side, and smiled. “Are you about to give me some competition, young lady?”

  Mae was shocked. “Oh, no, ma’am,” she stammered. “I’ve never sewn for anyone except myself and my family. I wouldn’t begin to know what to do with all this wondrous material you have here.”

  “It’s all right, dear, I was just teasing you. However, don’t sell yourself short. That is a very stylish dress, and from the looks of it, a very well made one. Come sit down and you can tell me how you did that.”

  They spent a couple of hours over cookies and tea. This was the height of joy for Mae. She’d had no female companionship for much too long. And to sit and listen to these two wise and beautiful women converse about things like church socials and education and even politics was pure joy to Mae.

  Occasionally a well-dressed lady or a lady’s maid would pop in to see what new fabrics had arrived or to pick up a finished order. Mae was in heaven. At last she worked up her nerve for the task at hand.

  “Mrs. Taylor, I will be needing a job while I am at school. I cannot expect my papa to keep me in spending money while I am here. If there is ever a time that you may need some help with anything here in the shop, I would be humbled to work for you.”

  Eleanor’s face softened as she looked at Mae. “Are you saying you would be willing to come here for a few hours a week and help with the shop?”

  “Oh, yes, ma’am. As long as it does not interfere with my studies, I would be thrilled,” Mae exclaimed.

  Eleanor and Mrs. Finch laughed in unison. “Mae, honey, we have been having a little joke on you,” Mrs. Finch said, as she caught her breath. “When Martin wrote me about you, he said you might need a tutor for some classes, as you had not had any formal schooling. He also told me you did all the sewing for your family. I was delighted beyond belief. Eleanor was a schoolteacher before she married. She was the first person who came to mind when I considered finding you a tutor. She can prepare you for university tests while you work for her. She had spoken of needing someone part time, and voilà, there you were!”

  Mae looked to Eleanor. The soft smile on her face was all the agreement Mae needed. Hallelujah! She had a beautiful tutor and a job she was going to love. She would remember all this in her prayers tonight, because surely the Lord had blessed her.

  The remembrance of that meeting brought a smile to Mae’s face as she drifted off to sleep. Papa would be here tomorrow, and Mae couldn’t wait for him to meet Eleanor.

  Chapter Six

  Garth glanced across the seat of his new truck. Samuel was looking through a catalogue of furniture Doc had brought him last month. The boy was becoming the talk of the north end of the state. Samuel had created some stunning pieces of woodwork, with Hansu’s guidance. Each piece held a little secret as a tribute to Mae’s lost locket. Samuel had included a hiding place in each one, a small hidden drawer or recess behind a carved flourish.

  Cyrus had his own little enterprise going. He was breeding chickens. He was keeping a detailed ledger on which varieties laid the most, and the size of their eggs. He had narrowed his preferences down to three. He said the Rhode Island Reds laid the most eggs, at about two hundred and sixty a year. They lived longer than most breeds. However, so far, the Dominicker was his favorite. They weighed in at six to eight pounds at maturity. When he butchered one for meat, Cyrus used the feathers for stuffing pillows. The trait that made them his favorite was their calm disposition and the fact they were meticulous mothers. At the first sign of trouble, they would spread their wings and herd the little chicks up under them. He told Garth he remembered Mama had always been partial to them for that very reason.

  Garth considered it a testament to Ruth that both her boys still remembered their mother. They often spoke the little sayings Ruth had scattered throughout her speech, like Samuel’s “good golly Moses,” or Cyrus’s “God bless a milk cow with green and yellow spots on it.” Ruth hadn’t been a woman to curse, but her peppered speech had let you know what she meant.

  As the truck rattled down the road, Garth realized he did not speak to Ruth quite as often as he used to. While Ruth had colored every part of his life long after her passing, Garth recognized he was moving on now. He was beginning to see life through his own eyes. He imagined Ruth would be happy about that. She was the kind of woman who would want each of them to remember her with kindness but not hold back anything from the life the Lord had given them. He decided this was the day he would begin to move forward and make the most of the rest of his life.

  ****

  Mae was so happy. Papa and the boys had been here for two days now. They had spent hours catching up: laughing at Cyrus’s stories about his “babies,” Mae oohing and aahing over Samuel’s jewelry boxes, and just enjoying being together.

  Today, though, they each had separate plans. Mae was taking Papa to meet Eleanor so he could see where she was spending so much of her time. Samuel was going to deliver several of his furniture pieces to Mr. Nordstrom’s store, and Cyrus was spending the day with Mr. McDougal, who took care of the Finches’ horses and the house garden. Cyrus wanted to pick his brain about the differences in the liniment and the herbal rub the horseman had been using for a swollen hind hock on one of the carriage horses.

  As Mae and Papa made their way across town, she said, “Oh, Papa, I can’t wait for you to meet Eleanor. She has helped me so much these last few months. It took me a while to get over being so impressed with her, but I soon came to realize she is a lot like me. She also had an event in her life, one that set her on a course of action. The murder of her husband left her with two choices. She could retire to a small cabin and try to make ends meet while raising her son, or take what little she had and just barge into the world to make a life for her and the boy. It is true, the ladies of the church supported her quite a bit the first few months by using her services, but it was no time at all till the word got out. Now she is busier than a bee, which has been great for me. I have learned so much from Eleanor, and not just about being a dressmaker. Once I was comfortable enough with her, I explained what I wanted to do with my life.”

  This took Garth by surprise. He wouldn’t have believed Mae would be able to discuss her event with anyone outside the family. This woman must be someone special, to work her way into Mae’s heart so soon.

  “So what other things have you learned from this paragon?” Papa teased.

  Mae laughed and said, “All right, maybe I do go on a bit, but it has been wonderful to talk with a woman who knows what it’s like to have a dream.”

  Garth’s heart contracted with regret. Mae had lost the most of all with her mother’s early death. She had been forced to grow up, almost overnight, without the support of another woman to lean on. If for nothing else, he owed this Eleanor a debt of gratitude for helping ease Mae into self-awareness. It was plain to see the confidence Mae had gained over these past six months. “So,” he said, “what else have you learned?”

  “Oh, I’ve learned a lot about bookkeeping. You know a store has to run on a profit. You have to keep up with the prices of things and always be on the lookout for new resources that might have better prices. You also have to know your competition. You have to keep up with what others are doing and see if you can beat their prices while still making a profit. But you don’t want to lower the quality of your work or you’ll soon lose business.”

  Mae was positively glowing as all this business savvy spilled out of her. It never occurred to her these were all principles to be applied to any business, including a sawmill. Garth was not going to burst her bubble of happiness. He was just glad to see her enjoying this new experience.

  Garth was impressed with Taylor’s. He eyed the place as the carriage pulled to the front curb. The building was modest, the exterior neat and clean, with the windows giving a suggestion of what might be hidden inside this female fortress. A small bell tinkled above the door as they entered. When the door closed behind them, G
arth was aware of the smell of roses. He could see small vases of lush blooms scattered about the room. A quick look at the interior told him the owner was indeed a sharp businesswoman. This room was designed to draw a woman in. From the lavish, upholstered furnishings to the dainty teacups and colorful assortment of hats on display, this room was designed to grab and hold a woman’s attention.

  “Good morning, Mae. How are you this morning?”

  Garth turned his attention toward that soft voice. He was stunned. He was not sure what he’d expected, but he was sure it wasn’t this vision in front of him. He was standing there gawking at a petite redhead. She had the clearest gray-green eyes he had ever seen, and her complexion was like a peach warmed by the summer sun. It took a moment before he became aware that Mae was speaking to him.

  “Papa, I said, this is Eleanor Taylor, my employer and mentor.”

  Garth found himself holding a small, soft hand. Those magnetic eyes were filled with humor as they looked up at him.

  “How lovely to meet Mae’s papa. From all the wonderful things she’s said about you, I had begun to think you must be just a dream, not a real flesh-and-blood man. Thankfully, I see I was mistaken.” Eleanor smiled as she gently removed her hand from Garth’s grasp.

  Garth found himself blushing, something he couldn’t remember ever doing before.

  Eleanor said, “Won’t you please have a seat? Then we will talk about this amazing daughter of yours.”

  Garth found himself seated, with a cup of tea in hand, as he watched Eleanor move among the hats on display.

  “I cannot tell you how surprised and delighted I was,” she said, “to find a young woman of Mae’s age with the talent to create something as well made and sophisticated as these hats. With just a few lessons on construction, she was off and running, putting her special touch on every creation. My customers have been delighted.”

  He looked at Mae as he spoke. “My daughter is a constant joy and surprise to me. I have yet to see her take on a task she did not put her whole heart into.”

  “Thank you, Papa.” Mae smiled, her face glowing with a sweet pride.

  “I commend you, sir. A man who will love and encourage a daughter is a man who recognizes the importance of women in this world. I have found that to be a rare quality in men.” Eleanor turned to give Garth her warmest smile. “When Mae told me about her dream, I was at first skeptical, to say the least. After these months of watching Mae put her whole self into learning, I can see it’s not a case of if she will able to pull this off, but when she will be able to open her house. After accepting she is going to do this, we took another look at the direction her education would need to take to make it happen. After all, ancient history and French lessons would be of little help in trying to train young women to find their place in this world. I would, of course, want your input in this conversation. Mae very much respects your opinion, and I, too, would want to be sure you feel I’m giving Mae the proper preparation for the task she is going to undertake.” Eleanor set her cup on a side table. With one graceful movement, she dropped onto a stool and gave Garth an expectant look.

  Garth looked out across the room, taking in all the displays of fabrics, hats, and laces. The dresses hanging on the mannequins could have come off the pages of the ladies’ magazines lying on the tables. It was clear a shrewd businesswoman ran this place. To do this, she would have to know how to make her way in a man’s world. To do this effectively, and still retain her grace and femininity, a woman would have to be very confident and strong; it was obvious to Garth that Eleanor was all this and more.

  He turned his attention back to Eleanor. “Ma’am, from what I’ve seen so far, I can’t imagine a person more capable than you to prepare my Mae to meet the world head on.”

  Somehow, the lowering of her eyes and the blush on her cheeks made Garth feel warm inside, and as he glanced at Mae he observed an ear-to-ear grin.

  ****

  Across town, Mr. Nordstrom was speaking with Samuel about future business. He’d been very pleased with the items Samuel had brought him this morning. His customers were the well-to-do of Tallahassee. They liked the idea of owning something that couldn’t be found elsewhere, such as the one-of-a-kind items this young man was producing. Just as Mr. Nordstrom handed over the check for the current shipment, a young clerk stuck his head in the door.

  “Excuse me, sir, there is a gentleman here looking for something special as a gift. I thought you might want to show him one of the new items.”

  “Very good, Nelson. Tell him I’ll be right out.”

  As they stepped out of the office, Samuel observed a gentleman standing by one of his pieces. It was a two-drawer standing chest made of burled pecan wood. He had used the burl of the wood as the focal point and then enhanced this with his carvings.

  The man turned as Mr. Nordstrom approached him. “I’m looking for something as a gift for an elderly relative. This is a beautiful piece, but too large. Perhaps you have something smaller, like a jewelry or trinket box?”

  Mr. Nordstrom smiled. “Well, sir, this is your lucky day. I have just accepted a shipment of items from this young man. I’m sure there is something there that will fit your needs.” Nordstrom motioned to Nelson, the clerk. “Nelson, bring one of those jewelry boxes in from the back. Perhaps the one with the magnolias carved on it.”

  As Nelson took off to fetch the box in question, the gentleman turned to Samuel. He observed the boy to be dressed like a farmer, complete with callused hands. He smiled in a condescending manner. “Never say you built this cabinet, young man.”

  Samuel considered a moment before answering, “Well, sir, I guess I can say it, seein’ as how I did build it.”

  Nelson had returned with a jewelry chest. It was made of black walnut and had been oiled and polished to a beautiful sheen. Mr. Nordstrom took the chest and turned to the gentleman. “Not only does he do beautiful work, sir, but all are originals, no duplicates, and they all have little secrets. Each one comes with a sealed envelope holding the instructions to locate a secret compartment.”

  Mr. Nordstrom now had the gentleman’s full attention. He handed the small chest to the man. The gentleman turned to Samuel and looked him up and down before he spoke. “This carving is superb, young man. The flowers appear too delicate to touch. Where did you learn such a trade?”

  Samuel had always been a little slow to warm to folks, but there was something about this man that made him a little more cautious than usual. “I learned this technique from an old Chinese gentleman, sir.”

  “Have you ever done anything in ivory? I recall once seeing a much smaller box, similar to this, but in ivory.”

  The hair on the back of Samuel’s neck bristled. He looked the man in the eye and said, “And where might that have been, sir?”

  There had been a thread of steel in Samuel’s voice. Both Mr. Nordstrom and Nelson turned to look at him. The gentleman managed a cold smile and gave Samuel a long stare before answering, “I’m sure I couldn’t say. I travel a lot.”

  After a long moment, Samuel turned to Mr. Nordstrom and said, “Thank you, sir, for the order. I’ll be in touch.” He turned and left the store.

  Mr. Nordstrom, thinking Samuel may have offended the customer with his curtness, said, “Nice young man, but not used to the city.”

  The gentleman replied, “Really? Where is he from?”

  “I believe his family runs a sawmill in Trenton, south of Lake City.”

  It would have taken a very observant person to see the tightening of the gentleman’s jaw.

  ****

  Garth and Mae were at the shop door. Mae said, “Now remember, Eleanor, Mrs. Finch is expecting you tomorrow evening. It will be a wonderful dinner, and I can wear my new dress for Papa.”

  Eleanor smiled at the young woman and said, “Well, I won’t want to miss the premier of this gown, dear. So I will see you both then, and thank you again, Mr. Hinton, for meeting with me today. I am relieved to know your thoughts
on Mae’s curriculum.”

  “Please, ma’am, call me Garth.” He smiled.

  “Only, sir, if you will call me Eleanor.”

  Garth took her hand. “Till tomorrow, then, Eleanor.”

  Samuel and Cyrus were on the porch when Garth and Mae got home. Cyrus was excited about all he had learned that day. His mind was full of oil of clove, iodine, and herbs like arnica to be used for bruising and swelling. He was sharing all this with his brother Samuel, who had not heard a word. Samuel was carving a small piece of maple, but his mind was on a tall, well-spoken man who said he’d seen a small intricately carved ivory box.

  Chapter Seven

  It was the second week of March, and Easter was five weeks away. Mae had six hat orders to complete. Keeping up with her schoolwork would be a challenge, but you would hear no complaints from her. She loved the excitement of showing a finished hat to a customer and seeing her eyes light up when she put it on.

  Eleanor had sent up a prayer of thanks many nights since Mae had arrived. The young woman was not just a hard-working, talented, and valuable employee; she had become a good friend, as well.

  Both women were busy when the bell tinkled over the front door. Mae looked up from the confection of butter-yellow chiffon she was working with to see that Eleanor was almost buried in yards of rose-colored lawn. Mae laughed and volunteered, “I’ll get this one.”

  As Mae entered the showroom she observed a tall, thin woman in elegant attire. She was leaning on an ebony cane covered in elaborate carving. The lady gasped when she looked at Mae.

  Mae smiled as she stepped closer. “I’m so sorry, ma’am. I didn’t mean to startle you.” She could see the poor soul had paled and was trembling. “Please, ma’am, have a seat, and I’ll get you a glass of water.”

  Eleanor listened to this exchange and moved to check on the customer. She was surprised to see Lady Wellington sitting in a chair with her eyes glued to Mae as she poured a glass of water for the frail woman.