Groom by Arrangement

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“That is an anvil. See how close it is to the forge?”

“Yep.”

Jackson waited until the boy looked up at him again. “Never run or walk between the anvil and the forge. You can trip and fall into the fire. As a rule, you are never to run in the smithy. There are sharp pieces of metal in here, and you have to be very careful not to get cut.” As he talked he wondered at the wisdom of having a child so young in the blacksmith shop. From his experience most apprentices were closer to the age of ten, not six.

“I’ll be careful, Jackson. My pa taught me to be a good boy. He said I should listen to grown-ups so that I don’t get hurt.” His eyes moistened and he dropped his head.

Did the boy mean grown-ups would hurt him? Or that they were giving good advice? Jackson continued to study Peter as he swung his feet and avoided looking at him. He cleared his throat. Peter looked up.

Jackson felt his heart open for the boy, and he knew he’d never let anyone or anything hurt the child. Earlier he’d questioned his decision to apprentice the little boy, and now he was thankful that he’d decided to do just that.

“I have only one more thing to say to you, young man, and I expect you to listen.” He waited for the child’s response.

Big green eyes studied his face, and then Peter nodded and answered, “All right.”

Jackson moved to stand directly in front of the little boy. He placed his hands on each side of Peter and leaned down until they were eye level. “I will never hurt you, and if I can prevent it, neither will anyone else. If you get scared or think a grown-up is going to harm you, you come tell me.”

Peter stared him in the eyes. His green ones filled with tears and then he flung his arms around Jackson’s neck and hugged him tight. In a small voice he asked, “Does that mean you are going to be my new pa?”

Chapter Seven

Eliza stood in the doorway watching and listening. She’d heard the sincerity in Jackson’s voice as he’d promised the boy his protection. She held her breath as she waited for him to answer Peter’s plea to be his new pa.

Jackson gently pulled the boy back and looked him in the eyes once more. “Where is your pa, Peter?”

She continued to wait with bated breath. Would Peter tell him? Both she and Sally had tried to get the child to tell them where his pa was.

“I don’t know.” He dropped his head back onto his small chest.

Eliza released the oxygen in her lungs. She’d thought maybe Jackson could get through to the little boy.

Jackson gently raised his chin. “You really don’t know?” he asked.

“I really, really don’t. Pa left me just outside of town and said to come and ask the blacksmith to teach me, and then he left.” Peter’s chin quivered.

Jackson pulled the little boy into his strong arms. “When was this, Peter?”

The little boy wrapped his arms around Jackson’s neck. “I don’t know. A long time ago.”

He hugged the small body close to his chest. “Well, then I guess you will just have to stay with me. ’Course, I’ll have to get us a house.” Jackson pulled out of the little boy’s embrace. “It might take a while, though. Do you mind staying with Mrs. Kelly?”

Peter smiled. “Really? I can come live with you when you get a house?”

“Sure can.” Jackson ruffled the child’s hair.

“Then I reckon I can live with Eliza until then. She’s a nice lady.”

“Yes, she is.” Jackson picked the boy up and placed him on the floor.

Eliza slipped out of the shop. She didn’t want Jackson to know she’d been eavesdropping on their conversation. After several long minutes, she reentered.

“Eliza!” Peter called. He started to run to her but then looked to where Jackson stood beside the anvil and slowed to a walk. “Guess what?” he asked, walking as fast as his short legs would carry him.

She smiled at his desire to run and his willingness to obey Jackson. “What?”

He stopped right in front of her. “I’m going to live with Jackson.”

“Oh?” Eliza looked at Jackson. This was information she already knew, but she didn’t want to spoil the little boy’s pleasure in telling her.

“Yep. He said as soon as we can get our own house, I can live with him and he’ll be my new pa.” Peter smiled up at her. His big green eyes sparkled with joy. “And you can be my ma!”

Eliza didn’t know how to answer the boy. She looked to Jackson, who, with studied interest was beating a piece of iron on the anvil. He seemed to either not have heard them or was deliberately ignoring them. She looked down into Peter’s hopeful face. “But what about your parents? Won’t they be sad if you call us Ma and Pa?”

“My Pa left me here. He said I was to find a better life. And Ma went to live with Jesus when I was born, so I don’t reckon she’d mind. Pa said sometimes he could hear her singing with the angels, but I never heard her. You sing real pretty, though.” Peter grinned up at her.

Jackson walked over to them. His gaze met Eliza’s. “Maybe we can be Ma and Pa to him, at least until Seth decides what we should do.” His blue eyes met and held her own.

A huff behind them caught Eliza’s attention. She turned to see Mrs. Walker standing in the doorway. “Playing house now, are we?” She didn’t wait for an answer but turned on her heels with the pan she’d brought for Jackson to repair.

Eliza sighed and chose to ignore the woman. Mrs. Walker and her husband owned one of the general stores in town. She and her friends were the local gossips. They’d been horrible to Rebecca when she’d first arrived as a mail-order bride, and even though they were trying to change, it was a long process for them. She could only imagine what the talk of the town would be by afternoon teatime.

“I think that’s a good idea,” she assured a frowning Jackson and Peter. “I’ve made lunch if you two would like to come eat.” She studied both of the males in front of her. One appeared oblivious to the awkwardness of the situation they found themselves in and the other ready to fight.

Jackson’s eyes were glued to the empty doorway. A scowl covered his handsome features. What must he think? She tried to get his attention by clearing her throat.

“I’ll have to pass on lunch,” he said absently. “I need to get some work done around here.”

“I’m hungry, Eliza.” Peter grabbed her hand and held on. “Can I call you Ma now?”

Once more Eliza felt at a loss as to how to respond. She didn’t know how Seth would feel about the boy being homeless and what liberties she and Jackson would be permitted. Could she simply adopt him? Did Jackson plan on adopting the boy? His earnest eyes looked up at her.

She remembered Jackson’s earlier words and decided to humor them both. “Yes. I don’t see why not.” After all, Seth had allowed Rebecca to adopt Janie after her parents had been murdered last year. As for Jackson adopting Peter, she would have to tell him her plans and then see what his were. But, not until Seth gave his approval.

“Yay! I have a new ma and pa.” The little boy hung on to her arm and jumped up and down.

Her gaze moved to Jackson once more. A soft smile touched his eyes and mouth as he looked down at the excited boy. Charlie had had that same look; it meant the man was hungry for a child. Eliza wondered if all men wanted children of their own someday. If so, she knew Jackson could never consider her for a wife. Not that he’d ever acted as if he were interested.

She sighed and told Peter, “Go get your lunch pail, and I’ll put an afternoon treat in it for you and Jackson while you eat lunch.” If Jackson wanted the little boy, too, they were going to have a problem because Eliza knew she would never give Peter up.

* * *

Over the next couple of days, Jackson fell into a routine with Eliza and Peter. He arrived at the shop early and Peter came in a little later. Eliza picked the boy up each day around noon and returned him midafternoon. Jackson made sure Peter went straight back to Eliza after work.

“Pa, Ma says you should come for supper tonight. She’s making chicken potpie. I think that sounds good, don’t you?”

Jackson smiled down at the boy. “Sure do.”

He and Eliza hadn’t spent time together since she’d taken over the Tuckers’ house, and he found that he was looking forward to having dinner with her and the boy. Jackson handed Peter a small bucket. “See that box over there?” he asked Peter.

“Yes, Pa.”

“Your job this afternoon is to fill it with coal. Do you think you can do that?” He ruffled the boy’s hair, something he’d gotten into the habit of doing.

Peter nodded. He didn’t look nearly as cheerful as he had when he’d come back from lunch. Jackson suspected that the newness of working in the smithy had worn off for the little boy.

Bart Hamilton came into the shop. He was a small man with a big nose. “Afternoon, Jackson.” His wife, Judith, had him doing repairs to their house. He’d already been in once for a bag of nails.

Jackson answered, “Afternoon, Bart.”

“Do you have another sack of nails I can buy? Judith’s nagging me about putting shutters on her windows. You’d think the woman was rich or something.” He chuckled.

Jackson walked over to a shelf and pulled down a sack of nails. He’d made up several bags over the past couple of days and was glad to see these sell. “Sure do. How’s the family?”

Bart dug in his pocket to pay for the nails. “Doing good, although Judith seems to think Millie’s coming down with something. The girl hasn’t had much of an appetite the last few days.”

He took the money. “Millie took care of Mrs. Kelly’s shop before it burned, didn’t she?” Jackson asked, trying to put people and names together. He felt sure Eliza had called the girl Millie.

“Yes, it’s a shame about her house. I’m thankful Millie wasn’t there when it happened.” Bart shook his head. “Judith says if she hadn’t changed her mind about letting her spend the night, she might have been.”

Jackson had to agree; things might have turned out much worse. “Well, I hope she gets to feeling better soon.”