“I have no idea what to expect. I didn’t think anyone would dig up a grave in the daylight either even in a remote place like home.”
Arms crossed, Zeke leaned against the wall of the tavern. His right leg eased as his left leg took the majority of his weight.
“Zeke.” He turned to find his sister in the doorway.
“Tirzah, what are ye doing here?” He pushed down his annoyance. He hadn’t come to comfort his sister. He was here to protect Beti and Aggie. He couldn’t afford to be distracted. Not if the two men who followed her showed up.
“Ye mustn’t leave me here with our mother and uncle.”
“She is ye guardian, besides it is safer here.”
She grabbed his forearms. “I do not want to be safe, Zeke. I want to explore. I want to live!” She drew out the last word as if she’d just given the stage performance of her life.
“Tirzah. I do not have time for yer theatrics.”
While he’d been focused on his sister, Beti and Aggie emerged from the tavern. Beti tugged a small table down the tavern steps. Aggie hoisted a couple of chairs.
“Excuse me.” He set Tirzah aside and headed up the steps. “Allow me.” He took the table and set it down in front of Aggie’s two chairs.
“Thank ye.” Beti nodded her thanks with a bloom of pink high on her cheeks.
A few men straggled into the yard. And made their way to the table. Zeke took up his place behind Beti. Gordon slipped in beside him to stand behind Aggie.
Beti swung around to Zeke. “What are ye doing here?”
“Helping.” He grinned.
“Where are your boys?” Aggie asked Gordon
“With Isaac and Mose.” She spun back to the table. Gordon shot him a grin. Then they positioned themselves behind the women with arms crossed.
“What are they doing here?” Beti whispered to Aggie as if the men couldn’t hear.
“Ye heard, they are helping.”
“Helping with what?”
Aggie shrugged. “Just humor them. They’ll get bored and go away after a while.”
“We can hear ye,” Gordon answered.
Aggie leaned in to Beti and said in a course whisper. “They can hear us.”
The women didn’t say any more probably because the dirtiest man Zeke had ever laid eyes on shifted up to the table. Dust eddied up when he removed his sorry excuse for a hat and looked at Zeke, bypassing the ladies all together.
“I come for the job.” The stench of black stumps of teeth and a healthy dose of brandy wafted across the table. Zeke shook his head.
The man shuffled away.
Zeke leaned down to Beti’s ear. “That was helping.” But the heavenly scent of lemon assailing his nose was not. It was fresh and clean and made his heart think of a refreshing drink on a hot day on the beach. And how if she was his he could lean in and smell her anytime he wanted. He straightened he had no business thinking such thoughts.
Beti stiffened but said nothing. She may not have approved of his actions, but she agreed with his decision. Not a bad beginning.
Beginning of what? Now was not the time to entertain such questions.
“Toby.” Beti stood to offer her hand in a shake before Zeke could respond to the man’s inquiring look. So this was Toby Abbott. He’d heard Polly’s nephew had come to work for her.
“Miss Sigrisdotr….” He stumbled. “I have come to inquire the particulars about this job. Miss Polly says she can spare me. When do ye leave?”
Not much older than Moses, this one might just fit the bill. Fit it too well, now that he had a chance to think about it.
“Did I hear ye was a freighter?” Zeke asked over Beti’s shoulder, which was fairly easy for him given she only came up chest high.
“Yes, sir.” Toby bobbed his response.
Still, a bit young. Zeke rubbed a hand across the stubble forming on his chin.
“When do ye think ye’ll be leaving?” Toby asked.
“One week hence,” Aggie answered.
“If ye are agreeable then I will take ye on,” Toby offered.
“Not so fast.” An older man standing behind Toby pushed up to the front. “She ain’t talked to me yet. Ma’am, I served with the Continentals as a freighter. Before that I worked as a carpenter. I can build anything ye’ll need when ye come to Kentucky.”
“And I fought Indians in Ohio.” Another man shoved in on the other side of Toby. The crowd compressed till they were standing in a small circle threatening to knock down the table. Both women stood to make way for the collapse of their table and chairs.
