“Well, Patrick might tease, but Eliza will have my neck if I keep you from helping.” He gave her another quick kiss. “I’m going to put my bag away and shake a bit of the dust off me. I’ll be back.”
“Don’t take too long,” she called after him.
From their place in the corner of the public room, the musiciansooh’d andahh’d and laughed. Everyone in town was well aware that their doctor and their newest arrival were quite sweet on each other. Sophie didn’t mind them knowing. It made Hope Springs feel less like a “they” and more like a “we.”
She stepped back into the kitchen to see what else she could do. Eliza was washing dishes, so Sophie took up the task of drying.
“Thank you for your help today,” Eliza said. “We aren’t often this busy, but when we are, it’s a bit overwhelming.”
“I’m happy to help. I don’t have many skills, so it’s nice to have found something I’m good at.”
“The stage heading north arrived with a letter from the stage company,” Eliza said. “This area of the country is getting busier. They’re hoping to begin sending two additional stages each month. And this will be an overnight stay for them as well. The crowds will be spread out a little more, but we will be busier.”
“That’s good news.”
“Patrick and I certainly aren’t complaining,” Eliza said. “And we’re wondering if you might consider helping us on a more regular basis.”
“Of course.”
Eliza shook her head. “I don’t mean as a favor. We know you’re planning to stay in Hope Springs, but as far as we’ve heard you don’t yet have a place to live.”
“I don’t. I keep hoping something miraculous will happen.”
“Maybe it’s your prayers that convinced the stage company to add two more runs,” Eliza said. “We have a small room upstairs that we don’t generally offer as accommodations, on account of we’ve only ever used two of our four rooms up there, and the fourth one is the smallest of them. We realize it’s not luxurious, and we wouldn’t expect you to make it permanent. But, if you were willing to work here, at least on those days when the stage comes through, and maybe help in the winter when thecéilísare held here, you could have the use of that room. And, we’d include you in all our family meals, so you wouldn’t be hungry. We couldn’t offer you pay, which is a little embarrassing.”
“Don’t be embarrassed; I’m grateful. I had nowhere to go and no prospects for supporting myself. This is heaven sent.”
Eliza’s shoulders rose and fell with a deep breath of relief. “I can’t tell you how glad I am to hear that. I had so hoped you’d be willing, but I didn’t want you to feel we were taking advantage of your generosity rather than offering what little we could.”
“You and Patrick are like family to me. I’d never think so poorly of you.”
Eliza dried her hands on a towel and pulled Sophie into a hug, which she returned. “I’m so glad you’re staying, Sophie. The entire town is.”
“I never imagined when I first decided to travel here that so much of my life would change.”
“When I came here from New York, I had the goal of simply being able to support myself and my daughter. But this town changed my life too. This is a magical place.”
“So I am discovering.”
Patrick stepped into the kitchen in that moment. He eyed them both. “I’ll assume the smiles and the hugs means she’s accepted the position?”
Eliza nodded and took up her dishes once more.
“At least until a better ‘proposal’ comes around,” Patrick said with a mischievous smile.
Eliza flicked water at him. “Stop that. You’ll scare her off.”
But Patrick wasn’t deterred. He, too, gave Sophie a quick hug. “We’re glad you’re staying, Sophie. I’m glad you’ll be nearby. You’re a good friend to my Eliza.”
“And she’s a dear friend to me.”
Sophie stepped back out into the public room. Burke entered at the same moment. The musicians ribbed him again, but he’d proven himself a tremendously good sport.
The town had celebrated her decision to stay, continued to express their appreciation for him, while at the same time expressing sorrow as word began to spread that Emma Archer would be leaving. Mrs. Archer had been right about that. The girl’s family was heartbroken to see her leave, but she was hurting more deeply than even they had realized, and they wanted her to be able to heal.
Little Lydia ran over to Burke, and he lifted her into his arms.
“They’re going to play music,” Lydia said.
