Chapter Five
A week. Seven days she was trapped inside the house without being able to go further than the back porch, that was kept snow free thanks to a side wall. Other than going in the back to check on the chickens and collect eggs, there was little to do.
Since their talk, she and Trevor had settled into a routine of sorts. After a few lessons, she braved cooking dinner. For supper so far they’d relied on the staples of beans, potatoes, eggs and the ham.
They’d tried on several occasions to make bread or biscuits and had failed each time. The flat dough, whether hard or without much flavor, had been eaten as they preferred not to waste any food.
Ruby walked around the front room considering what she could do to add a woman’s touch to the definitely masculine space. Difficult when she couldn’t go anywhere and there was little in the way of items to reuse in the house.
More days of the forced isolation would surely drive her mad. Unlike her husband who seemed to relish the quiet time, spending hours pouring over his medical books, which were now spread all over the kitchen table, she found herself idle without even needlepoint to help pass the time.
Once again as she’d made a custom of doing, she donned her coat, scarf and gloves and stepped out to the back porch. The coop was not as smelly as she would expect since Trevor had a strict routine of cleaning out the space, sweeping the interior with a short broom he’d fashioned specifically for the coop. When she approached, several birds hurried to the side expecting to be fed. Ruby dipped a can into the chicken feed and sprinkled it onto the floor of the coop. The happy birds proceeded to eat, clucking with pleasure.
“I doubt they are very hungry, I just fed them.” Without her hearing, Trevor had walked out. “We have to be careful with the feed, don’t want to risk running out.”
Although his tone was level and he didn’t seem upset, Ruby tensed at the reprimand. She whirled about, rushing past him and straight into the bedroom just as tears spilled over and onto her cheeks. This situation would not do at all. She was trying to be helpful.
Earlier, she’d been unsuccessful in cooking. The eggs had burned and her attempt at biscuits was another failure. Then when she’d asked about washing clothes, Trevor had taught her how at the same tub they used for bathing. He’d constantly corrected her when she’d scrubbed the clothes and ended up doing most of the chore himself while Ruby stood by feeling quite awkward.
It was horrible. Her life here would be unbearable, especially if they were to spend the entire winter locked up in the house without any ability to get away from one another.
She fell onto the bed crying, too tired and upset to care if he heard her or not. No doubt he’d come and instruct her on how to cry properly. How to dab the tears just so.
“Ruby,” Trevor said, his voice taut. “Why are you crying?”
“Go away.” A loud sniff followed, and she wiped at her face, wishing he’d leave her be.
Instead, footfalls came closer. “What made you so upset? I didn’t say what I said to upset you, but to let you know a fact.”
Ruby sat up and glared at him. “I don’t wish to speak to you right now.”
Instead of leaving, he leaned a shoulder on the doorjamb with his arms crossed over his chest. He studied her with the infernal eyebrow lifted in question. “I won’t know what I did to upset you if you don’t explain it to me.”
He was lucky to have such a sparse home, otherwise she would’ve been tempted to pick something up and throw it at him. Not one prone to violence, Ruby was shocked by the direction of her thoughts. “I’m growing impatient asking that you leave, so instead I will go to another bedroom and remain until I am calm enough to speak to you.”
Anger surged through her at the need to have to leave the bedroom. The man obviously was too rude to give her some privacy. She marched to the door only to stop when he took her arm.
“Ruby, speak to me.”
Her lip trembled and Ruby bit it to keep from showing how close she was to sobbing again. One of the things that annoyed her was when angry her first reaction was to cry.
Fortifying herself, Ruby met his gaze. “Why won’t you listen to me? Is it because I can’t cry the way you deem I should? Add this to the list of other things I am unable to do properly. I doubt anything I do is up to your standards and frankly at this moment, I am very close to kicking your leg if you don’t release my arm.”
His eyes widened but he released her, taking a step backward. Ruby took advantage, and shut the door in his face.
Too furious to sit or lay upon the bed, she paced back and forth while mumbling what she’d like to say to him in person. “No here do it like this. Hold the handle in your left hand so you can use your right hand. Ruby watch how I do it. Place everything here where it makes sense.” She ran out of steam and collapsed onto a chair. How in the world was she going to spend the rest of her life with a perfectionist who would find fault with everything she attempted.
With a long sigh, Ruby wondered how her friends were faring. They’d all been fortunate in finding husbands who were attractive and seemed to hold dependable jobs. However, they’d not considered the men’s faults while discussing their prospective husbands.
No matter how handsome Trevor was, his need for everything to be just so could lead her to want to smother him in his sleep.
If only she could talk to someone, discuss the situation and get advice on what to do. There was no one to speak to and the last thing she wanted was to argue with her husband so soon after marrying.
There were three discreet knocks on the door much later when she’d moved to a desk and began writing a letter to her mother. Ruby wasn’t sure how she’d feel when he entered. However, she did like that he’d been thoughtful enough to knock.
“Yes,” she called out.
The door opened and Trevor peered in. “Are you feeling better?”
Ruby looked to her letter, a tear-smeared mess that would never be mailed. “A bit, yes.”
He stepped inside. “Do you wish to cook supper?”
Straightening, she looked directly into his eyes. “I will. However, I ask that you leave me alone to do it.”
After nodding in agreement, Trevor turned and walked out.
The kitchen was silent as Ruby got to work. She went to the pantry and gathered cornmeal, flour and eggs. She beat the eggs and poured them into the meal and flour mixture. After, she added salt and a bit of water along with a bit of sugar and melted fat from the ham. She then poured the mixture into a cast iron skillet and set it into the oven to bake.
She turned her attention to the onions and potatoes that were set in baskets near the window to keep them cool. Peeling two onions she sliced them and plopped the contents into a small pot half filled with water. She then salted the water, added chopped ham and covered it to simmer. Ruby had no idea what she did, but knew what every item tasted like. Hoping for the best, she then went back to the larder and inspected the contents.
There was plenty of food stored, each item neatly set in its own place. Her husband obviously had a penchant for neatness. Not that she didn’t, but it seemed a bit strange for someone to go to such lengths to maintain order.
There were two jars of some sort of jam in the cupboard. She’d keep that in mind for the morning.
After inspecting the larder, she went back into the kitchen and set the kettle atop the stove to make tea.
Trevor was shocked by the aromas coming from the kitchen. Whatever Ruby did seemed to be progressing well. As much as he wanted to check on her progress, he remained sitting at the table reading over notes he’d scribbled onto the margins of each page of the medical book he held.
“Supper is about ready,” Ruby announced, placing silverware on the table. She set two places on the opposite end from where he worked.
A few moments later, she emerged with a covered plate that she placed on the table. Next she returned with a bowl that she placed in front of him, and again a few seconds later with a second. She then sat down and looked to him with expectation.
He got up and went to sit at the end of the table. She was on his left.
“I’ll say grace,” Ruby said in a quiet voice and proceeded to give thanks for their meal. As always, the sound of her southern lilt was soothing. There wasn’t a hint of anger or aggravation, but then again she wasn’t mad at the Lord.