The Widows of Braxton County by Jess Mcconkey Read Free Book Online

her body ached in ways she’d never felt before. They’d cooked two big meals and, after each one, cleaned the kitchen until it gleamed. They also weeded the garden; swept and dusted the downstairs; and washed, folded, and ironed two large loads of laundry. Thinking of the latter, Kate grimaced. The woman ironed pillowcases, of all things. Didn’t she understand the meaning of permanent press? At supper, she’d caught the gleam in Trudy’s eye when she’d asked her if she’d ever “put up” sweet corn. That was Trudy’s plan for her tomorrow, and she couldn’t wait to see what it entailed. Kate’s vision of spending lazy summer days, swinging in a hammock, seemed foolish. There was too much work to be done.
    But what Kate regretted most about the last twenty-four hours was the lack of time she’d spent with her new husband. Not counting the time they’d spent sleeping, they’d been together less than three hours, and those hours had included his mother. The only time they’d been alone was in the privacy of their bedroom—and when he’d wanted to make love, she hadn’t had the energy.
    A bitter tear slipped down the side of her face. She wanted to be a good wife and make Joe happy, but the truth was she didn’t know how. If today was any indication, years of nothing but endless work stretched before her.
    She dashed the tear away. No, that was unacceptable. She loved her husband and she loved her unborn child. She would create a life in this place and she wouldn’t allow it to be measured by the amount of work she accomplished each day. She’d find joy and she’d find happiness.
    If Trudy thought to break her and make her feel that she wasn’t a fit wife for Joe, Kate would prove her wrong. She’d work harder, longer, faster until Trudy was forced to accept her. She’d had to deal with her grandmother for years, and if now she had to handle her mother-in-law, then so be it.
    She would not fail.

 
    Chapter 6

    T he next two weeks seemed like nothing more than unremitting work as Kate tried to carve out her place in her new family. She had learned to let Trudy handle the cooking. She’d attempted making one meal by herself and the results had been dried-out ham, overdone potatoes, and gravy the consistency of paste.
    Joe had laughed and said he hadn’t married her for her cooking and to, please, in the future, let his mother teach her how to cook.
    She had agreed with everything Trudy said and performed her assigned tasks exactly the way her mother-in-law expected. Finally, she felt Trudy’s grudging acceptance.
    Joe was also pleased with her. She had acceded to his wishes and seen old Doc Adams, who had pronounced both her and the baby well. And she’d agreed to the prenatal vitamins. To her surprise, her energy level increased.
    Another surprise—how much she enjoyed working in Trudy’s garden. There was something about being close to the earth that made her happy. Her arms tanned and strands of dark gold appeared in her brown hair from the hours spent in the sun. It also gave her a bond with her husband. When the rains didn’t come and each day was hotter than the last, he grew anxious over the crops wilting in the field and Kate fretted over the garden shriveling in the heat. The shared worries brought them closer.
    She established a routine—rising every day before her husband and mother-in-law and using the time to wander the farmstead with coffee cup in hand. Kate was even close to achieving one of the wishes she’d made. On one of her morning strolls, she came across the ugliest cat she’d ever seen. An old yellow tom with golden eyes, he wore the scars of many battles and one ear was missing a piece, yet his lean body spoke of speed and toughness. The cat was a survivor. Fate had dumped him in the middle of nowhere and he’d made the best of it. Kate felt an immediate kinship.
    Now every morning she brought him a treat that she’d filched from Trudy’s leftovers. At first he’d