Chapter 15

"My goodness, it's wet!" Arthur exclaimed as he flung open the door. Behind him trooped in all four of his sons and his wife, all soaked to the bone. Puddles quickly began to form on the floor, and Cordia wondered if they might form a river, what with so many drippy people all entering at once. The three younger boys all ran to the fireplace, stripping off coats and hats as they went. They didn't see Frieda there at first and almost knocked her over, much to her chagrin. Julia scooted over to help her aunt get out of her wet things, and Will simply slid over to make room around the fire. Meanwhile, Jaris had yet to notice Cordia standing across the room. He was also trying to get out of his wet coat, hat, and gloves. It was Margaret's cry of surprise that first made him look up and realize that she was there. Cordia was beginning to wonder if their wagon hadn't floated away. Normally, people noticed when someone else pulled up and hitched in at their house.

"Why Cordia Pike! Look what the rain has washed in!" Margaret exclaimed. "I'd hug you, but I'm soaked."

Cordia smiled. "That's all right, Mrs. Adams. Frieda and I just came to drop some dresses off for Julia. Now, we better get going before the road gets washed out."

The whole family seemed astonished, even Jaris who knew she had planned on coming by. "You came all this way in this storm on a mission to deliver dresses?" Mr. Adams asked.

Cordia nodded, catching Jaris's eyes. Even though he was dripping wet, he was beaming with pride at Cordia's act of kindness.

"I do declare, you are an angel," Mrs. Adams said, crossing the room to take Cordia's hand in hers. "It is a wonder your mother ever let you leave the house," she added.

"She didn't want her to come," Frieda was explaining from her new position practically in the corner of the room. "But it ain't an easy thing to tell Miss Cordia Pike no and have her listen."

Cordia gave Frieda a harsh look but chose not to try to defend herself. She knew she had a reputation for being strong-willed, or mule-headed as her father liked to call her, but she wasn't about to back out on her word that she would be a bringing those dresses this day.

"At any rate," Cordia began, "Frieda and I had better be a getting on our way."

"Now, I don't know," Margaret began to protest. "It is mighty wet out there. Maybe you had best wait out the storm here."

Cordia felt very uncomfortable, all of a sudden, in the presence of Jaris and his cousin. She wasn't sure why. She didn't even know Will Tucker. Why should she be ill at ease in his presence at all, let alone with Jaris also nearby? Yet, she couldn't help but feel as if she had somehow wronged Jaris by simply conversing with Will. Maybe it was the way she couldn't help herself but to look at him that made her feel this way. All she knew for sure was that she wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. "Mrs. Adams, thank you, but we made it this far, and I think the rain has actually let up a little. We'll be okay—it's only a few miles."

Margaret opened her mouth as if to protest, but before she could say a word, Jaris stopped her. "Ain't no good to quarrel with her Mama, her mind's made up." His mother looked at him, as if she was about to argue with him, but she relented. Jaris promptly put his hat and coat back on. "I'll walk you ladies out to your wagon," he said.

Cordia had already picked up her things and was tying her bonnet back on. "No, that's okay, Jaris, you don't have to do that. We'll be all right."

But he was already halfway out the door. "Maybe there is someone I can't argue with," Cordia thought. Then, out loud she said, "Well, you all have a pleasant evening."

Before she could even say goodbye to Julia, the girl had crossed the room and taken her by the hand. "Thank you most kindly, Cordia," she said quietly.

Cordia pressed her hand in hers. "If there is anything I can do, please let me know," she said smiling. Then, before she knew what was coming out of her mouth, she yelled across the room, without really looking at him, "It was nice to meet you, Mr. Tucker."

Will was a little startled at first. He was not only surprised to hear her speaking to him again; he was more surprised to hear her call him Mr. Tucker. He wanted to say something, acknowledge her in some way, but the words got stuck in his throat, and before he could get anything out, she was through the door and out into the rain, Frieda following close behind.

Jaris took her arm and tried to lead her around the puddles that were slowly washing away the dirt path to the hitching post. "You sure you're going to make it back to town all right?" he asked.

Cordia could barely hear him over the wind and rain. "Yes," she yelled. "We'll be fine." The horses had gotten some shelter from the rain by a large tree that hung over the hitch. In retrospect, she probably should have untied them and put them in the barn nearby, but it wasn't too cold, and they seemed to be all right.

For the second time that day, Jaris helped her up into the wagon. "Be careful," he said. She nodded, the wind, blowing the rain almost directly in her face. Then, he shocked her again. He put one foot onto the carriage mount, pulled himself up, and kissed her lips. She was so astonished; she couldn't have kissed him back if she had had the presence of mind to even think of such a thing.

As Frieda led the horses down the path, Cordia sat in shock, wondering what had possessed him to suddenly become so bold. This world was becoming an awful surprising place.

She didn't know that Will had been watching from the cabin. If she had, she would have been even more astounded to know how much it bothered him to witness that kiss.