head and he scrutinized her in the dim light, then decided against lighting a lamp. âIâm not real hungry,â she said quietly. âBut Iâll be glad to dish you up some.â
âSit down, Ellie,â he told her, and she sat on the nearest chair, then glanced up quickly, as if his firm tones might give way to anger. Placing two plates on the table, he lifted the meal sheâd carried to his door and divided it, allowing himself the larger portion, knowing she would protest otherwise.
After retrieving two forks from the cutlery drawer, he approached her, then squatted beside her chair. His hand lifted to touch her swollen flesh and she flinched. âI wonât hurt you,â he said calmly. âI just want to see how much bruising you have.â
She nodded, sitting quietly beneath his touch, and hesilently cursed the man who had done this. âIs there more?â he asked as he rose and circled the table.
Ellie hesitated. âSome.â
Win picked up his fork and took a bite, savoring the flavor of chicken and stuffing. âWhere,â he asked after a moment.
Ellie looked up, startled, then replaced her empty fork on the table. âIn places you donât need to see.â
âIâm a doctor, Ellie.â He took another bite, and nodded at her. âEat now and weâll talk about it later.â
She sighed and obeyed his dictum, bending a bit, perhaps to hide the damage done her face, he thought. The next problem would involve coaxing her to allow him to examine the full effects of her fatherâs wrath.
The few bites of food left over from their meal were scraped onto a small dish on the back stoop for Winâs porch cat, and Ellie smiled as he described the stray whoâd adopted him, taking occasional meals from his hand, although he didnât allow her entry into the house. The dishes were washed with hot water from the reservoir on the side of the big black cook stove, and Ellie dried them carefully, putting them back in the cupboard.
âMrs. Dillard says you might want me to do some work for you,â she ventured as she emptied the small dishpan and wiped it out with the cloth sheâd used.
âThatâs right,â Win answered. âI need someone to do up my washing. Iâve had the woman at the hotel doing it, but I fear sheâs partial to bleach, and my best blue shirt has blotches all over it. Iâd thought you might take a hand and see if you could keep me in order.â
âYou need someone to cook?â she asked diffidently. âIâm pretty well able to keep a kitchen, and Iâve always been a good hand at housework.â
âI think we could work something out,â Win said quietly, watching as she wiped the table, then picked up the broom.âYou donât need to sweep right now,â he told her. âCome sit with me and weâll talk.â
Her eyes darted in his direction and then back to the darkness that had gathered as the sun settled beneath the horizon. âIâll light a lamp,â he offered. âItâs getting too dark to see in here.â
She nodded, settling in the chair across the table. Her hands were folded neatly before her, and he looked down as he lifted the globe of the lamp to light the wick. âWould you rather I lit a candle?â he asked. âI have a good supply of them.â
She shook her head. âThe lampâs fine. You can take a look at me and see for yourself Iâm not hurt bad. You donât need to worry about my eye,â she said with a wave of her hand âIâve seen worse on men after a Saturday night on the town.â
âMen from the ranch where you lived with your father?â he asked, sitting down again to face her.
She nodded. âI did a little mending when they got banged up. Used witch hazel and carbolic acid, and even stitched up a few cuts before you came to town.â
He smiled, admiring
Debbie Gould, L.J. Garland