January 28
Despite having a cheerful ending to their day, Rosemary had slept fitfully thinking about her darling, Lee, sleeping out in the cold. By the time she finally did manage to nod off, her sleep was peppered with a barrage of bad dreams varying from Lee getting shot at the stake out to the lost look of absolute betrayal in his eyes when she finally confessed her secret upon his return. After the last nightmare jolted her awake, she desperately tried to shake herself of the ominous feeling by getting up and ready for her day, even though the clock in Elizabeth's guest room barely registered five a.m. After getting dressed, she wandered to the window, where nearly four inches of fresh snow had fallen the night before. The edge of dawn was bright with no evidence of the storm clouds from the day before. Perhaps it would be a delightful day for an outing after all, anything to keep her mind off the struggles that warred in her soul. She struggled to lace her boots and then ventured down the stairs where Elizabeth was clattering the pans together in a horrid fashion.
"Whoa, whoa. What is this?" Rosemary called out and Elizabeth turned around, her countenance flustered.
"Oh just making some breakfast. I usually don't cook, but—"
"Let me. I have this just wondrous omelet that Lee swears should be apart of the breakfast special at Abigail's. Do you have any eggs and fresh vegetables?"
Elizabeth nodded, walked over to the icebox and started to pull out ingredients one by one.
Rosemary oiled the pan and with a few quick movements had the eggs cracked and scrambled. A moment later, with the eggs beginning to fluff with the heat, she flipped the pan and the omelet landed perfectly in the pan, sunny side up.
"Wow." Elizabeth commented with a look of awe on her face.
"All it takes is a bit of practice." Rosemary sprinkled cheese and fresh cut veggies on top of the eggs and then flipped the omelet onto a plate where she cut it in half.
"Wa-la." She said, her smile big.
After enjoying the omelet with a side of toast and jam and a cup of tea, Elizabeth pushed back from the table, wiping her mouth with a napkin.
"I couldn't eat another bite if I tried. Thank you."
Rosemary waved her off.
Just then the clock donged signaling it was precisely seven.
"Oh, I had better get a move on. School starts shortly."
"You wouldn't by any chance need an extra hand at the school?" She tried to keep the desperation out of her voice. Elizabeth stopped collecting the dishes and looked sorrowfully at her.
"It's just a testing day for the children and they all need to be focused and ready for their tests."
Rosemary fidgeted with her napkin, still in her lap.
Elizabeth's eyes softened. "What are you up to today? I'm sure Florence or Dottie would love a visit. Or, perhaps you have a project to tend to?"
"Oh, yes. I'm sure I do." Rosemary responded absently, still twisting the napkin in her lap.
Elizabeth nodded and reached over and patted her hand before gathering the pile of dirty dishes. "You can stop by the schoolhouse during lunch if you need some company."
Rosemary nodded. Perhaps she would. But for now she needed to come up with an excellent project to keep her mind off of all the worries that plagued it.
A Little Later that Morning
Rosemary walked into the cafe near lunchtime and spotted exactly who she had been looking for. The perfect project had come to mind while she had rinsed the last of the dirty dishes after her breakfast with Elizabeth. And here he was. She couldn't believe her luck! Dewitt sat with a group of men, obviously on lunch break, near the stove. The cuffs of their shirts were worn and dirty. She shuddered thinking of handing her precious project over to someone covered in such filth. Thankfully she had thought to put it in a box and tie it closed with twine. She approached the table.
"Mr. Graves."
He looked surprised. "Oh, Mrs. Coulter, what may I owe the pleasure to?"
She motioned him away from the men at the table and held up the box. "I finished the order you put in."
Dewitt's cheeks colored, but he looked pleased. "The dress?"
She nodded.
"There's still two weeks until the dance. I didn't pay you for a rush delivery."
"No, no you did not. I just found myself with some extra time these past few weeks and got it done for you, err… Mary. Would you like to see?"
His cheeks flashed red and he scratched the back of his neck. "I am mighty obliged to you and of course I want to see it, it just may not be the ideal time."
Just as he finished speaking the whistle went off signaling it was time for the men to get back to work at the sawmill.
Her face dropped. "Okay."
She retied the strings she had loosened in hope that he'd take a peek.
"I'm sure it is the most gorgeous thing we have ever laid eyes on and I am beholden to you for all your work, Mrs. Coulter. Would you mind bringing it by to Mary today? She's quite under the weather and would appreciate a friend and a surprise."
Rosemary's mouth formed an O. "Oh, but Dewitt, this is your gift to give, I wouldn't want to spoil it."
"Oh no. I'm the one who would spoil it." He motioned to his dirty arms and fingers.
She pursed her lips. Perhaps he was right.
"Besides, you will know much better how to get her all dolled up in it. Tell her I want to see her in it when I return home from work today."
With that Dewitt placed a few coins for payment for his lunch on the table and tipped his hat her direction.
"Good day, Mrs. Coulter."
"Good day."
And with a surprisingly light step, Rosemary walked the distance to Mary's house in record time speed, for at last she had a project to occupy her time.