Chapter 2
Audra continued to visit Emily's shop for fittings and discussions of details and embellishments. Emily found Audra a bountiful source of information and insight to the social dynamics of Stockton's younger residents. Yes, it was gossip but Emily determined that Audra didn't have a malicious bone in her body and also Emily did not have to ask a lot of questions to get a lot of information from her.
Emily learned that Sarah and Heath were sweethearts and everyone who knew them hoped there would be a wedding soon. She learned that Carl was sweet on Audra and that Audra was seriously considering a courtship but had some wanderlust of her own to explore before she was willing to make a commitment.
Audra continued to tell Emily about her brother, Jarrod, the attorney with an office in San Francisco, and about his wife and her tragic death.
Emily asked after Mrs. Barkley and the mustangs and Audra kept her apprised of all the social events in the valley.
Standing in the private dressing area of Emily's shop, modeling a petticoat, Audra stated, "There's a dance this Saturday at the Cattlemen's Association." Then she asked, "Are you going?"
Emily was kneeling on the floor, carefully pinning another row of lace to the petticoat and was so taken aback by the question that all she could say in response was "No." She busied herself with her task, giving it far more focus than it needed.
"Well, why not?!" Audra asked, staring down at the slight woman on the floor.
When Emily didn't give an immediate response, Audra added, "You don't have to have a date to go to these dances. Most people just show up."
Emily knew that was something she would never do and it wasn't out of social convention but her own shyness which made simply being at parties difficult for her, never mind showing up alone. She would sooner lay herself down on a bed of nails than be at a party by herself.
"You can come with me and Carl if that would make it more comfortable for you," Audra offered. She had a kind heart and Emily was touched by the offer.
She rose to her feet and felt blood warming her cheeks. "Audra," she explained, "I'm afraid I'm just not one for parties these days." She added the "these days" to give weight to her reluctance.
Audra felt terrible and apologized profusely, assuming Emily was still too grief-stricken to engage in anything as happy as a dance.
Emily said nothing and went back to pinning her handmade lace to Audra's new petticoat.
As Audra's garments were completed, they were kept at Emily's small shop until such time as Audra, or another Barkley or Barkley hand, stopped by to bring them back to the ranch.
There had been another dance, this one at the community church Emily sometimes attended and a few days later, Nick stopped in to see if there was anything to deliver to his sister.
Emily noticed that he didn't seem as ill-at-ease as other men who came into her shop. Not that she had ladies' underpinnings on display but there was a lot of delicate lace, ribbon, frills, and pale, pretty, fabrics filling the space.
Emily opened a cabinet under the counter and brought up two packages which she placed in front of him. They were wrapped in white paper and tied to each other with pale pink satin ribbon.
She expected Nick to grab the bundle and leave but instead he lingered a moment, looking down while he smoothed the white paper under his black glove.
"I didn't see you at the dance. You have something against dancing?" He asked.
She shook her head and laughed a little. "Not at all,' she said, looking directly at him. "Truth is, I am not comfortable in large groups of any kind. I never have been." For some reason, she felt comfortable being forthright with the man.
He considered her response for a moment and remembered how prim and proper she was at Audra's luncheon and how relaxed and happy she became when riding Blackie out to the corral with him.
"Well, maybe we'll have you out to the ranch to go riding again," he offered, expecting her to jump at the chance.
"I would like that," she said without much conviction.
He was about to name a day and time but saw her cheeks flame red and decided not to force the issue for now.
"I'll talk to my mother and you can make arrangements with her," he said, thinking it would ease Mrs. Powell's discomfort if the offer came from his mother instead. It did.
"That would be lovely, Mr. Barkley," she said, smiling.
"Nick," he offered.
"Emily," she countered.
"Emily," he repeated.
Nick gathered Audra packages and headed to the door, turning to say, "I'll speak with Mother about getting you and Blackie back together, Emily," and he smiled and left.
Emily was cross with herself for blushing and being so awkward at Nick's invitation to go riding. Of course, she'd love to go riding but realized she had felt awkward because she didn't know if the invitation came from Nick, representative of the family, or from Nick the man and she chided herself for presuming it may have been the latter.
Nick had no intention of asking his mother. He wanted to go riding with Emily alone and he wanted to know more about her, this beautiful young widow whose father was a judge, who rode as well as any cowboy, and who, from what Heath had told him, knew horseflesh very well. And who, Nick noted, was so painfully shy.
An uncommonly mild February gave way to a windy early March which changed itself into a warm and calm early Spring.
Emily lingered at the church's Easter picnic to talk with an expanding circle of acquaintances, the Barkleys included, especially Mrs. Barkley. Nick and Heath were nowhere to be seen and Emily had left by the time Audra could bring Jarrod over to meet her new friend.
Mrs. Barkley stopped by the shop a few times, to add to Audra's order or collect a completed one. She was always warm and friendly and Emily was happy to see her but Mrs. Barkley never once mentioned having Emily out to the ranch to go riding.