The next morning Beth woke to find herself lying on her husbands lap in front of the dieing fire as the sun rose over the sand duns. Jack was asleep with his arm around her. She stood up and went to the window, looked out and saw a little shepherd there grazing his sheep about ninety feet from the house. The boy look young and frail a little tired but he burned for some excitement inside.
Beth ran back and got dressed in a royal blue satin gown with gold buttons. As she walked out of the room her gown flowed along with her. She opened the door and the breeze blew in she walked out to the little boy.
“Hi, I am Beth potter I live in the house over there and I was wondering if you watched some goats.”
“Yeah I look after a few goats. Let me guess you want milk well I am sorry that is all the food I get while I am on the job so no.” said the little boy in an evil tone.
“Oh I do not want to take from you I want to trade maybe milk for some ham and bread.”
“Really you would do that for me?”
“Yes, I would I want milk you need food. How old are anyway?”
“I am thirteen years old my name is Colton Jackson but every one calls me Cole. I work for Gregory Smith a mean old man.”
“Well nice to meet you Cole.” She put her hand out for him to shake and he did. “So it is a deal?”
“Yes, I think it is.”
“I will go get a bucket and then make you some food.”
Beth briskly walked over to the house grabbed a bucket and took it to the boy. By this time Jack was up and in the back. Beth started heating some bread and ham over the fire witch she reignited. Jack slowly walked out and sat on the couch as he put on his leather boots.
“Beth you understand that I will need to go in town and do my job that means you will stay here or walk to town,” Said Jack.
“Yes Jack I understand. I will be fine. Maybe I will bring you lunch and go visit Jeremy,” said Beth.
“Sweetheart that sounds nice. Be careful and go see your parents they want to see you I bet.”
“Jack that is smart I will go see my parents.”
“Why are you making ham and bread it is seven in the morning?”
“Well I am making a trade with the shepherd boy out I give him meet and bread for some milk.”
“Well ok I best get going I will be back as soon as my jobs are done.”
Jack left the house and Beth finished cooking the ham and bread. She rolled it up in a cloth and took it out to Cole. He gave her the milk and thanked her. Beth walked in the house knowing that she felt uncontrollably unsafe and scared. The house creaked and the wind blew.
Beth decided to go to town where she thought she would feel safer. She rode one of Jack’s fine horses. The horse was black and beautiful. She enjoyed her ride to town. Then she got to town.
Beth walked off to “Old Bills Outdoor York” where you could buy outdoor furniture and supplies. There she bought five packs of twenty seeds for squash, peppers, corn, black eye peas, beets, and radishes. Then she got a lemon tree and rosemary plant all she had left was twenty five cents which she spent over at Bells Food on peppermint candy.
After her shopping she went over to the New York dress shop to talk to Jeremy. She walked in to see him drawing a design for a beautiful wedding dress. The dress was off-white with a corset front. The waist was low and in the back was a bow.
“Hey Jerr, I love the dress. For some one special?”
“No not really just another design for a young lady not marrying me.”
“I am sorry for you romantic difficulties but I was wondering if you could make that dress for me and Jack’s wedding?” Beth said with a smile.
“Yeah I guess I could. I thought ya’ll were married. Is there something you need to tall me my little Bethy?”
“No but if there was why would I tell you? We are by the justice of the peace but I want to have a ceremony and make it a surprise to jack.”
“Well I might be able to pull a few strings to get it for you at a low cost.”
“Oh that would be great thank you. Do you know anything about a Shepard boy named Cole?”
“His parents moved away and could not afford to take him so they left him with a big sheep owner to work for free milk and warm clothes.”
“I can not believe people could do that to a little boy. What does he eat?”’
“Mostly milk and bugs or wild plants. He has a lot of spunk.”
“Wow that is sad. Well I need to go see my parents. Bye Jeremy.”
