Ilsa: Read online

  “Tony, stop teasing,” Caterina said, smacking her brother’s arm and pointing to Ilsa. “Can’t you see you scared the poor girl half to death with your silliness?”

  “But, I…” Tony started to argue that he wasn’t being silly. He was dead serious. More serious than he’d ever been in his life.

  An undeniable spark shot up his arm when their hands connected. He had no explanation for it, or the runaway pounding of his heart as he took in the gorgeous girl from the top of her fashionable coral-toned hat to the tips of her expensive leather shoes. All he knew was that the delicate, petite woman would someday be his bride.

  He’d enjoyed living in Pendleton where he had the opportunity to do as he wished and see whomever he pleased. He liked being free and unfettered. However, something about the tiny blonde glaring at him with wide blue eyes let him know his days of being single were numbered.

  Aware of the looks both Garrett and Kade shot him, he took a deep breath and bowed toward Ilsa. “My apologies, lovely lady. No disrespect intended. As my sister said, I like to tease.”

  “Oh,” Ilsa said, uncertain if she could believe him. The look in those honey-colored eyes, ringed with thick dark lashes, as he kissed her hand held something more than just friendly interest. They glowed from some inner light that flickered to life when he gazed at her.

  Convinced she was overly tired from the long trip, overwhelmed by the enormity of all that had happened, and overheated from the summer heat, she decided she was being fanciful.

  “Apology accepted,” she said, giving Tony another glance before she turned her attention to something Aundy and Caterina discussed. The two women flanked her as they walked to the wagon Dent brought to town. Garrett sent a telegram letting him know what day to expect them and to bring a wagon to haul all of Ilsa’s belongings out to the ranch.

  “Will you come eat at the restaurant before you go home?” Caterina asked as the men loaded trunks and bags into the wagon. Ilsa studied the two huge workhorses hitched to the wagon with a mixture of fear and fascination. She’d never been so close to such big animals.

  “I appreciate the offer, but we should probably go home. I’m sure Nora will have something for us to eat when we get there,” Aundy said, patting Caterina’s arm.

  Ilsa recalled Aundy writing about her friend opening an Italian restaurant. The few times she had Italian food, it had been very good. She hoped to visit Caterina’s establishment sometime soon.

  Glancing down the street while the men finished loading the baggage and Aundy chatted with Caterina, Ilsa observed people from all walks of life mingling on the boardwalk. She could see Chinese men dressed in dark shirts and pants with their long braids hanging down their backs. A few miners, covered in dust, ambled toward a saloon, and two Indians stood looking in a store window.

  The people of the town were just as colorful as Aundy described them.

  “Ready to go to Nash’s Folly?” Aundy bumped Ilsa’s arm and gave her an encouraging smile.

  “Yes, I am. I can’t wait to take a bath and feel clean again.” Ilsa glanced down at her limp traveling suit. Although the color was cheery, the ensemble had lost much of its appeal for Ilsa several hundred miles back when the heat on the train became almost unbearable.

  “Home it is, then,” Garrett said, walking her to the back of the wagon.

  She gazed up and wondered if they actually expected her to climb into the back. Dent sat on the seat, holding the reins while everyone else seemed to be watching her.

  Hesitant to lift her skirts so she could reach for a foothold, she caught her breath when strong arms swept her up and set her in the wagon.

  Shocked, she glanced down as Tony smiled at her. “Thought you could use a hand.”

  “I… oh, um… thank you,” she finally managed to say, befuddled by the feel of his muscular arms lifting her. She’d never had such an unsettling and yet altogether exhilarating experience.

  “We can take it from here,” Nik said, leading Ilsa toward the front of the wagon where a bench sat behind the wagon seat.

  Ilsa fought back a smile at Nik’s proprietary behavior. She hoped he’d get over his infatuation soon, or she’d have to ask Aundy to speak with him.

  Garrett helped Aundy onto the wagon’s seat and climbed up beside her. Ilsa smiled at Caterina as the wagon rolled forward, purposely ignoring Tony Campanelli and the affable look on his unbelievably handsome face.

  “Come visit us soon,” Caterina said as Dent guided the horses down the busy street.

  “We will!” Aundy called over her shoulder, giving their friends a final wave.

  As they drove out of town into the rolling hills of farmland, Nik kept her entertained talking about the farms and ranches they passed, and the people who lived at each place.

  “Nora and J.B. live there,” Nik said, pointing toward a lane as they drove past it. “That’s the original Nash’s Folly.”

  “I see,” Ilsa said, although she didn’t. She recalled Aundy mentioned something about combining her farm with the Nash family ranch, but Ilsa didn’t understand what it meant. All she knew was that her sister appeared to be deliriously happy in her new life and that was what mattered.

  “Those are our sheep,” Nik said, pointing to a pasture as Dent guided the team up a lane off the main road.

  “All of them?” Ilsa’s eyes grew wide as she took in the sea of wooly animals. “There must be hundreds of them.”

  “Yep. Aundy’s the reason the sheep, and me, are here.” Nik glanced up at Aundy’s back with pride.

  “So the sheep belong to her?”

  “Not exactly. She bought them and Garrett calls them hers, but they’re part of the ranch now. I used to be the shepherd but then they decided I needed to go to school and hired someone else to stay with my sheep.”

  “Do you like school?” Ilsa asked, recalling how Aundy used to help her and Lars, their brother, with school lessons.

  “I love school and learning. Aundy and Garrett think I should go to college when I graduate next spring. I’d like to go, but I’m not sure I want to leave here.” Nik stood and waved as some of the hands came out of the barn and machinery shed to greet them.

  Ilsa stared at a Chinese man who ran out of the bunkhouse and stood waving at them. She could hear him saying, “Welcome home, Missy!”

  She’d heard Dent refer to her sister as Missy, too. Apparently, Aundy had a nickname she’d failed to mention, along with many other details. Then again, Ilsa had been the one who rarely responded to Aundy’s letters. Once Louisa held her prisoner in her room, she’d only been able to send a note in December, along with the trunks that held the sewing supplies she hoped would give her a start in building her own business.

  Ilsa gazed at the house, bearing what appeared to be a new coat of paint. Flowers bloomed along the front of the house and in pots on the large porch. Despite the heat, green grass covered the fenced yard.

  Two black and white dogs ran toward them, barking and wagging their tails. A lone sheep followed along behind them.

  “Butter! Look, it’s Sam and Ralph!” Nik jumped over the side of the wagon and dropped to his knees before Dent brought it to a stop. The sheep pushed against his side while the two dogs licked his face and yipped out a happy greeting. Nik grinned up at those in the wagon. “I think they missed me.”

  “You hit the nail on the head, Nik,” Dent said, setting the brake on the wagon and climbing down. “Butter wandered around here like he’d lost his last friend. The two dogs weren’t much better.”

  “Nik has a pet sheep?” Ilsa asked as Aundy turned around to smile at her while the men stepped down from the wagon.

  “Yes. It was just a new baby when I bought the sheep. Nik walked up to the house carrying it in his arms the day the sheep arrived. I named him Butter because his wool is so soft. After we got Sam and Ralph, Butter decided he wanted to be a dog instead of a lamb and he’s been running around with them since.” Aundy motioned for Ilsa to stand. “Walk back
to the end of the wagon and one of the men will help you down.”

  Aundy started to climb down from the wagon, but Garrett caught her waist in his hands and lifted her down then kissed her cheek before walking around the wagon and hefting one of Ilsa’s trunks.

  “Lead the way, wife of mine. I know you two ladies can’t wait to get clean and out of those traveling clothes.” Garrett grinned at Aundy as she sashayed up the walk and opened the front door.

  Ilsa accepted the hand Dent held out to her and jumped down from where she sat on the tailgate of the wagon. Nik hurried to offer his arm and take her inside. They only made it halfway down the walk when the hands hurried into the yard, wanting to meet the sister Aundy had spoken about with such affection.

  Garrett returned outside to find them all staring at the lovely girl.

  “Ilsa, let me introduce our crew. You’ve already met Dent. Meet George, Bill, Fred, Glen, Lem, and Hank. Li Hong is the bunkhouse cook and makes a mean pot roast. Sal is our shepherd but he’s still out with the sheep. You’ll meet the rest of the hands when Aundy takes you over to Ma and Pop’s place.” Garrett gave the men a look filled with warning. More than one of them appeared to have already caught a case of lovesick over the girl. “Fellas, this is Ilsa Thorsen, Aundy’s sister, just in from the big city of Chicago.”

  All the men doffed their hats and offered words of welcome before Aundy returned outside and hurried Ilsa in the house.

  Garrett looked at Dent and rolled his eyes, wondering if having a single, seemingly helpless female like Ilsa at the ranch would mean trouble.

  Chapter Five

  Ilsa pulled the sides of her still damp hair back from her face and held it in place with two combs. Although she would have preferred it neatly styled on top of her head, her weariness combined with Aundy’s assurance only family would be present for dinner left her feeling a little unkempt but oddly free.

  She wrinkled her nose at the image in the mirror. Looking decidedly better than she had with dirt and soot streaking her cheeks, she felt refreshed after a soak in Aundy’s wonderful bathtub.

  Realizing her sister was fortunate to have conveniences like indoor plumbing and a telephone, Ilsa never imagined how remote the ranch was, at least to her. She’d never been anywhere there weren’t busy streets and hordes of people.

  Leaving the bathroom, she followed the sound of voices to the kitchen where Aundy laughed with a small dark-haired woman and an older cowboy who bore signs of age and weather on his face.

  “Ilsa, I want you to meet J.B. and Nora, Garrett’s folks,” Aundy said, offering her sister a warm smile as she walked in the kitchen.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you both.” Ilsa held out a hand in greeting to J.B. He enfolded it in his large, callused hand, offering words of welcome.

  As soon as he let go, Nora engulfed her in a friendly hug. The woman was close to her height and immediately made Ilsa feel at home.

  “My gracious, Aundy, you said she was beautiful, but I had no idea.” Nora pulled back from the hug and gave Ilsa’s cheek a motherly pat. “You look like some lovely little bird with those big blue eyes and all that lovely golden hair. You’re just a picture, honey. A beautiful picture.”

  Ilsa blushed at Nora’s praise.

  It seemed like a lifetime ago that her own mother passed away and from the day Aundy left Chicago, there hadn’t been anyone to give her motherly hugs or make her feel special. When Nora placed an arm around her waist with an encouraging squeeze, Ilsa wanted to put her head on the woman’s shoulder and cry.

  Instead, she smiled at both of Garrett’s parents. “Thank you for your kind words.”

  “Nothing kind about them, honey,” Nora said with her silvery eyes glowing. “Just telling the truth. Aundy said you two don’t look a thing alike, but I see the family resemblance. You are both lovely, lovely girls.”

  Ilsa never thought she and Aundy looked alike, either. Her sister was tall and stately with beautiful wavy hair and an independent confidence. Ilsa always thought of herself as a shadow of Aundy. She was short and tiny and looked like she might break in two at any moment. Aware that many men found her beautiful, she assumed it was her perceived helplessness providing the attraction.

  Aundy looked at Ilsa and winked as she set plates on the kitchen table. “Nora brought a cold supper for us to share. As soon as Garrett comes in, we’ll eat.”

  “What can I do to help?” Ilsa asked, knowing she was about as capable in the kitchen as she would be out plowing. Other than her talents with designing and creating fashions, she was woefully inexperienced in the domestic arts, as her mother always called them. She wasn’t even sure she could make herself a cup of tea, should the need arise.

  “If you wouldn’t mind filling the pitcher over by the sink with water, it would be a help.” Aundy pointed to a large crystal pitcher on the counter. She and Nora set out a platter full of sandwiches along with a bowl of potato salad and a bowl filled with sliced fruit.

  Ilsa picked up the pitcher and almost dropped it, realizing it was much heavier than she expected. Struggling to lift it up to the sink, J.B. came to her rescue, holding it while she turned on the faucet.

  “I’ll get it for you.” J.B. grinned as he carried it to the table. “The lead in the glass makes it heavy.”

  Ilsa once again felt inadequate as she stood watching Aundy and Nora bustle around the kitchen.

  Aundy opened the refrigerator and sighed. “I forgot we’re out of ice. I guess we’ll just have to drink the water a little on the warm side.”

  “It’ll be fine,” Nora said, glancing up as Garrett came in the door followed by Nik.

  “Dining with us this evening?” Aundy asked, raising her eyebrow at Nik. The boy had long ago gotten into the habit of asking what she and Li were making for dinner before he decided where he wanted to eat. Sometimes he joined them in the house, the rest of the time he ate at the bunkhouse.

  “Yep,” Nik said, tossing his hat toward the pegs by the door and catching one. Ilsa looked at him, impressed, before taking the seat Aundy indicated at the table.

  Nik sat beside her and gave her a happy-go-lucky grin. The energy rolling off the boy was a force Ilsa could almost feel. She was surprised he sat quietly while J.B. gave thanks for the meal. He seemed to be in constant motion.

  “I forgot we’re out of ice. I’ll have Tony bring some tomorrow,” Aundy said as Garrett took a drink of the tepid water.

  “Tony?” Ilsa asked, not sure she wanted to see the handsome Italian man again. He seemed larger than life to her and was another one who appeared to be full of energy and motion, much like Nik.

  “Did someone say my name?” Tony asked as he opened the screen door and stepped inside carrying a dripping burlap bag.

  Ilsa tried not to stare at the muscles bulging in his arms as he carried what looked like a heavy block. With his shirtsleeves rolled up past his elbows, exposing his forearms and a hint of his muscled upper arms, she marveled at the defined sculpture of his physique. She’d certainly never seen anything like it in Chicago.

  Feeling her cheeks heat, she looked back down at her plate.

  “Tony, you’ve got perfect timing, as usual.” Garrett stood and helped Tony set the ice in the refrigerator. “Thanks for bringing this out tonight.”

  “My pleasure. I’ve got more in the wagon.” Tony hurried outside and soon returned with some smaller pieces of ice, setting them on the counter.

  Aundy quickly broke off a few pieces and added them to everyone’s glasses. She pressed her cool hands to her cheeks and sighed in relief. “That does feel good.”

  “It is hot, isn’t it?” Tony looked directly at Ilsa as he asked his question. As she fastened her gaze to her plate, he wondered why she felt the need to avoid him.

  “Terribly so,” Nora said, passing the platter of sandwiches to Tony as he took a seat beside Ilsa then leaned around her to grin at Nik.

  Aundy handed him a plate and glass filled with ice and water. “I thin
k we say it every year, but it seems even hotter than normal.”

  “Just a few degrees,” J.B. said, joining the conversation. “Nora and I had only been here a year when we had the hottest summer I can remember. There were many days when the heat was just blazing. It was miserable for what seemed like weeks. And we didn’t have a friendly neighborhood ice man then either.”

  Tony grinned and tipped his glass to J.B. “I’m happy to be of service.”

  “Tony started an ice business last year. He keeps us all supplied year-round. Those of us with iceboxes and refrigerators really appreciate the service,” Aundy explained to Ilsa.

  “How do you make ice in the summer?” Ilsa asked, glancing quickly at Tony before returning her gaze to her half-eaten sandwich.

  “I use chemicals and a deep cellar,” Tony said, giving Ilsa the abbreviated version of his business. A deep cellar with thick insulation, carefully constructed boxes and a mixture of chemicals as well as the knowledge of how to use them made his business successful. When the temperature climbed above the hundred-degree mark, customers practically lined up at his door. In fact, he had a hard time keeping up with the demand this time of year.

  Assuming there was much more to his business than his brief explanation, Ilsa took a drink of her icy-cold water. Regardless of how Tony created ice, she was grateful he’d delivered some to them.

  “I could show you sometime, if you’d like,” Tony offered, focusing his gaze on the top of Ilsa’s head since she seemed inclined to keep her eyes on her dinner rather than him.

  He’d nearly dropped the heavy block of ice he carried when he walked in the door and saw her sitting at the table with her hair falling down her back like a sheet of golden silk. She wore a turquoise-colored dress highlighted with frothy white lace and her cheeks glowed from a thorough scrubbing.

  At least he assumed that was what brought pink blossoms to her face.

  Her subtle, soft fragrance nearly overwhelmed him as he sat beside her. Taking a deep breath, he decided she smelled like violets. Working all his growing up years in his parents’ store in New York City, he was familiar with most perfume scents and was sure Ilsa favored English Violet.