i chuckled at the manure smell, having once owned horses i can relate to the smell

and i loved the thoughts about randy and allie

then i was moved by the grave scene

cath

Oh, the last part is sooooo tender!!!! I love their relationship, their love, their tenderness to each other....

I am not surprised Luce doesn't let Randy's behaviour to discourage her... I can't wait to see how will Myles and Luce's relationship develop...


Restie

Myles trying to stay out of the way of Jessica is priceless!! I liked his attention to Lucy to try to sidestep Jessica's obvious interest!!! Now, Myles, why don't you continue down that path???

The manure scene had me falling out of my chair!! Then, direct opposite, I have tears in my eyes over the graveside scene!!!

Wonderful writing as always, Rosa!!!

Joy

WOW. Such a touching scene there Rosa!!



*sniffs whilst reaching for a tissue* Oh dear, the tissues are in the other room. The smeel was funny but the last part was so heart wrenching. How do you do it?? You fit so many emotions into one post!!!

Jenny

Wonderful post, Rosa! Like everyone else said, the manure bit was funny. The graveside scene was so sad, beautifully written.

and

jack all smelly

sweet scene at the little graves

Thanks, just a little snippet tonight.

At the end of her first week Lucy came into the kitchen and presented Sue with part of her wages from the bank.

“What’s this?” she asked

“For you”

“But why, you don’t owe us any money”

“For my keep me and Alice” Lucy insisted

“No Lucy, you still help here even if you are working for Mr Pitts, I can’t and I won’t take it”

“Yes you will Sue. I need to be able to pay my way. I help because I enjoy being with your children, it’s not a chore or a job, my job is with Mr Pitts not here. Here is my home” and she thrust the money into Sue’s hand “Please, it’s not all of it”

“I hope it isn’t” she replied and with a sigh gave in and put it in her apron pocket “Thank you but it isn’t necessary, but if you feel that it is I’ll take it”

“Good” said Lucy “So it’s settled”

^^^^^

Jack and Sue sat on the log in the yard watching the setting sun, their fingers were entwined and Jack's fingers were playing with hers.

“Lucy gave me money today” she said

“Why?” he asked and Sue proceeded to fill him in.

“I thought maybe we could keep it to one side until maybe she needs it. Maybe if she decides to leave us or she might want to get married we could put it towards something like that, for her”

He sighed, smiled and replied “Okay, we sure don’t need it, whatever you want to do is fine with me”

His hand left hers as his arm snaked across her shoulders pulling her close to his side and he kissed her softly on the nose before they focused their attention on the setting sun.

i love their generous hearts, they are such a beautiful couple, this whole story is just so beautiful

cath

Are you predicting the future, Sue? Do you think Luce will get married soon?

Not to Randy Pitts, I hope!

Another wonderful post, Rosa!

Nah, probably Myles. Great posts Rosa!!!!!

Jen

I was so touched when Luce told Sue that there was her home!!! I think it's the most beautiful reward for Sue... and I love Sue's idea about keeping the money aside for Luce!!!!


Restie

very gracious.......both the giving and the recieving

Thanks a little tinsy bit tonight as I move time forward a bit from the POV of Myles.

Before everyone knew it harvest had begun, Myles didn’t know what hit him, he was expected to begin work at the crack of dawn and keep going until the sun set, Jack had not joked when he had said it was exhausting, even Lucy was dead on her feet as she would muck in with everyone else when she returned from town, saying that after being stuck indoors with Randy all day she was glad of some fresh air. And at least three or four occasions when he had been sent back to the house he had found Sue almost asleep in the rocking chair with Lydia, Sue and Lydia being the only two who hadn’t helped in the field, not that Isaac was help, Myles would have used the word hindrance. Myles found that as soon as he fell into bed he was awoken by Howie shaking him telling him it was morning. No soon as the corn was gathered it seemed time for the apple crop. Myles could honestly say that even Jack had been too tired to spend much time with his wife, everyone did something and everyone worked all day, from sun up to some of them well after night fall.

I loved how you captured their life so wonderfully Rosa!! Great!!

Jen

LOL! Poor Myles. he'll get used to the time though! LOL! And a good idea from Sue to keep the money for a rainy day kind of thing for Lucy!

poor myles, i'm sure after a few more weeks he'll be used to it

cath

Thanks a little bit more

The little church was crowded thought Myles as he sat squashed between Lucy and young Tom Hudson. He had never been in this church before although ever since Ruth took him down to the graveyard he often chose the route for an evening stroll. The alter was filled with the fruits of the harvest and Myles had to admit that he had never been to a service quite like it. Where the people were so grateful for the success of their crop.

He recognised most of them but there were some there who were obviously not as successful as Jack, or as Bobby or D for that matter. One family sat on one of the wooden pews, a man, his wife and their eleven children, the parents and the elder children having younger children on their laps. Their clothes were almost rags, Myles knew that these would be their best clothes and wondered what their every day attire was like. He had thought Alice and Lucy badly dressed when he had first me them but this family must be no better of than they had been. But despite that this family were happy, the light of happiness shone on their faces and Myles wondered not for the first time why he couldn’t be happy for the simple things in life, he was happier than he had been before but he couldn’t honestly say he was happy as they were, or as Jack and Sue were. Sneaking a glance to his side even Lucy seemed happy.

Lucy sat next to Myles and felt his solidness beside her comforting, thankful that Mr Pitts would be attending the church in town this morning it was bad enough to see him six days a week without having to see him on her day off too. Life was better, had changed so she almost didn’t recognise that it was hers. There was one thing though, working for Mr Pitts, she had to find something else to do, there had to be something that was more her line of work. Than being employed my the mean, penny pinching, nit picking man called Randy Pitts, he was the pits and his name suited him right down to the ground.

I loved how you pictured the congregation here Rosa!!! So emotional and cleverly written!!!

Jen

Great posts, Rosa!

Yep, I have to totally agree with her there! I've always thought it was the perfect name for him!

Okay, Rosa, I fell so behind that I am unable to catch up in one reading...I'm only on page 13 but I wanted to tell you how much I love the way you write everyone; Jack and Sue devotion to each other and Myles and Lucy growing relationship...I hope I can catch up soon...you're doing a wonderful job!

the way you painted the congregation was beautiful, so glad myles is seeking more meaning to his life

cath

Rosa, I don't have a whole lot of experience with farming, but with the little bit I do know, you have really shown the emotion and hard work needed to bring in a harvest!! And, the thankfulness for the harvest being good!! In my little corner of the world, our day is very sad when the corn gets drowned out or, worse still, dried out because of lack of rain and the rest of the garden gets lost too!! I can just imagine how bad it would be if your whole life depended on the crops!!!

I'm glad to see Myles thinking more about his surroundings and the people he is living with!!

Jack and Sue have such huge, giving hearts!! It's beautiful to see them decide to keep the money Lucy is giving them to give back to her in some way!!!

This is a beautiful story, Rosa!!!

Joy

Thanks,

It was after Lydia had just celebrated her first birthday and had taken her first tentative steps alone that Myles who still didn’t know what to do with his life, planned to join Jack on his trip to Mason’s Ridge. He found contentment with Jack and Sue but he knew it wasn’t where he was destined to live out the remainder of his life. He had also deduced that he didn’t want to spend his life running a store with Allie despite the fact she was obviously interested in him and he found her pleasing to the eye.

And so he planned at trip into Mason’s Ridge, with Jack, but they found to their amazement that Lucy wanted to accompany them having some ambitions and unresolved yearnings of her own. They travelled in silence for most part, Myles had asked her what Mr Pitts thought about her taking a vacation.

“I just told him, he could let me have a few days off or I would hand in my notice and as no one else wants to work for him he didn’t have much choice” she had said and Myles had to smile, he was proud of the woman who had emerged from the nervous shell of a person that Jack had rescued many months ago.

They spent the first night camping rough, Jack lit a fire and they slept around it, using their bed rolls for comfort and warmth. Myles looked at Lucy through the flames when he thought she was sleeping and later in the night when a howling wild animal woke Lucy she watched Myles in slumber his face highlighted by the dying embers of the fire. While Jack silently and unobtrusively watched the interactions between them and smiled.

hehe i bet

just readin' 's got it pretty much covered!!!! A lovely post Rosa!!!!

Jen

Lovely post, Rosa! Love seeing how much Lucy has changed since the beginning!

loved luce standing yup for herself and putting randy in his place

is jack planning on doing a bit of matchmaking here?

cath

Hopefully, Jack is going to just watch and smile - he hasn't had a whole lot of luck (at least in other fanfics) with matchmaking!!!

Joy

I am so glad, Jack noticed the attraction between them too... it means we were right

I can't wait to read more!!!


Restie

Jack and matchmaking well.....I don't think he'll be doing any of that, you will be pleased to know.


Mason’s Ridge had one hotel and to the trio’s dismay at the reception desk alongside the male clerk was Miss Saunders.

“I’m not sure we have any spare rooms for you” she said icily and haughtily before serving the couple behind him and offering one of the best suites

“I can assure you I have the funds to spend a night in the top hotel in Paris, France and so a room in your pleasant but small establishment is not out of my status, except maybe beneath it” he replied arrogantly as she was annoying him already and she had only uttered one sentence.

“Alright I can offer you one room, you, Mr Hudson and your maid will have to share”

“Lucy’s not my maid, she’s my…my”

“I’m his fiancée” said Lucy extending her hand

“Yes that’s right” said Myles

“I still cannot offer you three rooms, the best I can do is offer you a small suite, Cameron room 214” she said the last part to the bell boy beside her. “Take Mr Leland and his companions up there” she gave him a sugary look followed by an appreciate glance at Jack which was totally lost on him.

“Thank you” said Myles with a unreadable expression

Lucy swallowed this was not what she had been expecting at all, and she hadn’t helped the situation now she was practically married to the man beside her, what on earth would Jack think? Not knowing that Jack if anything was slightly amused by the whole thing.

Luce sure has come on in the last few months

jack slightly amused, i love the way his shoulders shake when he laughs in the drties, so cute

when will allie learn that there is no point in her gazing at jack.......... he's taken

cath

Lucy is really getting bold, isn't she?? Jessica is going to make Myles pay for rejecting her!! But I don't think she's going to get far with Lucy around!!

Jack being amused is so Jack!!!

Joy

go lucy

myles seemed to protest not at all hummm

so pointless give jack any sort of look hehe

Well, I like this run of events!!! AND I am sure Myles likes the thought Luce is his fiancée

I can't wait for more!!!


Restie

Since we didn't read any objection from Myles, dare we venture a guess that he didn't mind being Lucy's husband?

Ya know Rosa, jack's not the only one who is amused. Heck, amused???? I'm laughing my socks off!!!! That was a great post!!!

Jen

Thanks

The three of them stood in the suite which compromised of two rooms, each with a bed.

“Lucy” said Myles “You take the inner room and then Jack and I can’t walk in on you when you’re not in your full attire, Jack…”

“Take the bed Myles, you paid for the room and wouldn’t let me help pay for it, I can sleep on the floor”

“The floor?” said Myles horrified

“Yeah we slept on the ground last night”

“I know but that was necessity”

“Myles” said Jack patiently “The only other option is for me to sleep in the bed with you and while I guess we could do that, I have a tendency to turn over in the night for a cuddle and I don’t think that’s something either of us really want to do, with each other and then I might call you Sue by mistake” he said trying not to smile as a look of horror crossed Myles's face.

Lucy also tried to keep a straight face, especially when Jack winked in her direction.

“You’re right” said Myles after a beat. “The floor, I can spare a blanket or two from the bed”

“That would be appreciated, but I can use the blankets from the bed rolls”

^^^^^

And so it was settled, Myles noticed that despite Jack sleeping on the floor he still woke him in the middle of the night with his mutterings to Sue. Myles had forgotten in the time since they had been at the farm that Jack had often done that when they were fighting in the war, more often than not after a stressful and fraught day. He remembered what Howie told him that Sue usually came with him on his visit to Mason’s Ridge, but this year had declined as the pregnancy although going okay as far as Myles could tell, but what did he know of pregnancy? Still rendered her sick most days.

I think Jack is really having a very good time flustering Myles!!!

Joy

i love jacks opennes about turning over for a cuddle and how he woke myles muttering about sue, that is so cute

cath

Great posts, Rosa!

Looks like we have our spitfire Lucy back! Jack muttering about Sue...somethings never change in fanfic land!

Yup!!!! Great writing Rosa!!!!!

Jen

I love Jack's reason why he should sleep on the floor


Restie

Thank you.

Jack and Myles had gone off on their individual business the next morning and so Lucy took a walk down the street, it was bustling and noisy after the tranquillity she had become used to at the farm. There were streets and streets of stores although Myles would have told her that this in his opinion was still a small town by his standards. It was only about twice the size of the town near by which the Hudson’s lived and boasted more shopping opportunities and a wider range of establishments, such as a choice of banks, a barbers, a couple of separate clothing stores, a candy store, a lawyer’s office, a laundry, a handful of eating houses and saloons, the railroad which generated a lot of business and lastly but not least a telegraph office to which Lucy found herself drawn.

She had read about a proposed telegraph office being built next to Allie’s store but the town had no idea who could run it, the surrounding area was filled with farmers and no one seemed to have the inclination to want to learn the skills involved for such a position as that. Lucy could read well now, thanks to the small selection of books in the Hudson study and the boring material that she had to work with at Randy’s bank. She knew one thing and that was she couldn’t stand working for the demeaning little man much longer, after all hadn’t the war granted her, her freedom and independence.

Lucy running a telegraph office - perfect!!!

Joy

Luce running a little business of her own has all sorts of possibilities, maybe Myles could join her

cath

she is a saint for lasting as long as she has

hummm telegraph not a bad idea lucy