His Lily of The Valley

Determination

When they reached the cabin Lily pulled the wagon up to the barn. Toby was right beside Lily offering his hand before she could blink. Lily blushed deeply and placed her hand in his. She was thankful for the gloves she was wearing. At least he can't see or feel how work worn my hands are; Lily thought to herself. "I take care of this Miss Lily." He said as he helped her down. "Can I help?" Daniel asked excitedly. Toby turned to Lily waiting for an answer. "If you behave and do as you're told." Lily said to Daniel. He smiled broadly as he walked up to Toby. Lily could hear Toby telling Daniel to open the stall door. His voice was like the sweetest music in her ear. Now where did that thought come from? Shaking her head she went straight to the kitchen to start dinner.

Just as Anne had finished setting the table Toby and Daniel came in. Daniel started talking about what Toby had taught him. He chatted on and on about how to feed and brush and care for the horse and that the mules should get the same care. As he continued Toby gently guided him to wash his hands before Lily could even say a word. When they were all seated at the table Toby bowed his head and said grace. Lily was shocked that she didn't have to say a word to this man about anything. It was as if he could read her mind. Already Daniel seemed to like Toby. Anne was a little weary, though not as much as Lily. Lily knew that men could be nice and charming at first then become someone else entirely. She would keep her guard up.

That night Toby went out to the barn and slept in the small loft. He would need to do a lot of work on the barn if he was going to live in it this winter. Before they had left town he had asked Uncle John to put the word out that he need a man or two to help get his barn read for the winter. John said he would gather who was able to help and come out the following Thursday. I need to let Lily know we will have guests who will need to be fed. She sure can cook too.

Toby tossed and turned half of the night thinking about Miss Lily. She was a beautiful woman. He could tell that she didn't trust him, but that Betty and John's praise of him was the only reason she was willing to even think about living on the property alone with him. Uncle John had told him that she mostly kept to herself. He also let Toby know that some of the men have taken notice of her. Many of them asking her to dance at the Harvest Festival. Miss Lily had kindly refused, John told him. Though he could tell that Sam Taylor, a local farmer, had not liked that she had turned him down. Toby finally fell asleep thinking about Lily dancing with him at next year's Harvest Festival. That is if she would stay.

Over the next week Toby worked on chopping as much wood as he could. He hunted each morning, trying to fill the smoke house as much as he could before winter set in. The hog Lily had purchased would be a great help. He quickly learned that she had some traps set up for rabbit. She had come walking out of the woods holding two rabbits. He watched quietly from the side of the barn, where he had been chopping wood, as she prepared them for supper. He was glad she didn't know he was watching, for his eyes roamed her body. She was so beautiful. Her petite frame belied her capability. She always wore her hair up in bun and he wanted so badly to let it down to run his fingers through it.

He couldn't believe he was having these thoughts about her.He promised his aunt and uncle he would look after her and her children. He needed to do that and only that. He could not become anything more to her. He had fallen for a woman once and that had turned out badly. She had married another man. Toby would not forget the pain of loss he felt then. He would have to keep his distance form this woman as much as he could. For if he was around her too much he would surely fall in love. Unfortunately part of his body want ready to accept that he couldn't have her. He watched Lily walk into the cabin, her skirts swishing around her legs. Her hips that flared out and her lovely bottom moving to and fro made him forget everything for a moment. His pants tightened and he groaned.