Cora did not deviate from her course. She couldn’t.
Her father and mother back home in their beds, depending on her to provide them with food. With them both ill with fevers and wracking pains, it was left to her to provide.
Luckily, they had always been careful to save any extra money they earned for such times as this when Father wasn’t able to sell his furniture and wood-carved figures. Yet she hadn’t dared take more than a few pennies to buy a few vegetables at the market with the hope that the extra nourishment would hurry their recovery. There was no telling how long it would be before Father could get back to his own stall at the market. She might have to make the money stretch.
She kicked at the dirt. If only they would let her sell the wares. It wasn’t as if she would be exerting herself. However, her mother had been insistent that she not, so father had listened.
Reaching the market she stopped to catch her breath. She hated being away for long, in case her parents needed her for something.
It didn’t take more than a few minutes to gather what she came for; some tomatoes, fish, and flour. Had her purchase been any bigger though, she would have had a hard time carrying it all the way home.
She had only been walking a few minutes when she heard a wagon approaching from behind, from the direction of the market. Glancing back, she gave a happy wave at the young man in the front seat, driving his team.
“Miles!” She called as he drew closer.
He nodded her way as he pulled the horses to a stop beside her.
“Miss Shaw.” His voice had deepened to a marvelous low baritone over the past few months and it never failed to cause a thrill to shoot along her spine.
“How many times have I asked you to call me Cora?” She put her hands on her hips and pretended to glare. “It’s not as if I am some elderly matron.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “More times than I can count Miss Shaw. But my mama would scold me for days if I allowed myself to not address you properly.”
“Then I guess it’s about time I had a talk with your mama.” She laughed. It was good to see him. After the achingly lonely days of tending to her parents and nothing else, she was longing for such friendly and pleasant company as Mr Miles Tuckett. He never failed to make her feel special.
His presence lightened her day out of the bleak mire she had been wallowing in as she trudged home.
Miles hopped down from the wagon seat and leaned back against it. “We noticed that you and your parents had not been at the market for several days. Pop has been remarking on it. Everything ok?”
Her eyes and shoulders dropped. “They’ve been sick.”
“Anything I can do?”
“I wish I could ask you to try selling some of my father’s finished pieces but I know that would be impossible. Neither of our parents would allow that.” Cora shook her head. “I am just hoping that they will be feeling better soon. Even if it is just well enough for Father to sit on a chair in his stall at the market.”
“Do you have enough fire chopped to keep warm and are the animals needing some attention? I could spend a bit of my time coming to help sort through the gap your father’s being sick creates.”
Cora’s head popped up. “You’d be willing to take time away from working at your father’s farm to come help me with my father’s chores?”
“For you, Cora? Indeed I would.”
She beamed up at him.
“What?” Her joy had him shifting from foot to foot.
“You said my name. You said Cora, not Miss Shaw.”
He blushed.
She didn’t give him time to apologize because she didn’t want him ruining her delighted moment with a sorry and him retreating home. “I have to be honest. I haven’t given thought to all the things my father hasn’t been able to do other than his woodwork. Keeping them comfortable and well tended has taken up all my attention.”
“Well, lucky for you I have a bit of free time right now. If you want, I can give you a ride home and take stock of what needs doing. It’s possible that an hour of work can set it to rights well enough.” He climbed back up and held out his hand for her.
She motioned at the back of the wagon. It was covered with a tarp.
“I wouldn’t want to interfere with your deliveries.” She gave a helpless shrug. “I can walk. It isn’t too far to go.”
“Nonsense, Miss Shaw. Just climb on up and I’ll see you home.” Miles patted the seat next to him and waited.
She swallowed a giggle before it could slip out. “If you insist.”
“I do.” He squashed his wide brimmed hat back over his eyes. “Now let me get down and help you up. I completely forget my manners when I am around you.” Immediately he was jumping back down and reaching out to assist her.
“Much obliged Mr Tuckett.” She gave him a small smile.
His laugh rolled out from him like a deep wave. “Since when are you so formal with me?”
“Since you retreated back from calling me Cora. I admit to rather enjoying hearing you say my name. So I feel I must deprive you of the same pleasure. Maybe then you can get up to courage to inform your mother that you will be calling me Cora from now on.”
“You know I can’t do that.” He moaned, a pleading look in his eye. “Once Mama gives her opinion on a subject, there is no changing her mind. You shoulda heard how furious she was the last time I called you by your first name. Livid.”
Cora whispered as she looked straight up at him. His face was so close to hers. “I won’t tell.”
