Donners Bend (3 page)

Jon
rode straight over to
Ellie
’s house to tell her the wonderful news
. 
The two now sat in her parlor next to the fireplace
. 
Sipping on lemonade and munching chocolate chip cookies
,
they discussed the matter.

“Why do you suppose the old nanny quit?” asked
Ellie
.

“I’m not certain, but I’m guessing the kids can be quite
a
handful at times
. 
There are four of them and they’re all under the age of ten
,
”
said Jon.

“Do you think they’ll be too much for me though
? 
I mean, I love kids but will they be too tough for even me to handle?”

Jon
shook his head, “I doubt it
. 
I’ve met the kids, and they’re not that wild or anything
. 
They’re like any other children I’ve ever met.”

“And have you met the parents,
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Rhodes
?

“Yes, and as far as I know they’re kind people and I’m sure they’d be fair employers
. 
They’re one of the wealthier families in
Donners Bend
too, so I’m sure you’d receive a respectable income
. 
Robert
works as a surgeon over at the hospital in the nearby city of Rutherford
. 
And
Louise
, though one would expect her to stay home and rely on her husband’s occupation for money, is the only well-off wife I know that works
. 
She owns a florist shop
. 
It’s also in Rutherford, so
she
and
Robert
travel there together each morning and return home each night
. 
That’s why they need someone to watch the children
. 
They’ve got another son, Jamie, but he’s away at some university now
. 
I doubt he’ll be there long though
. 
Jamie can never hold a school for longer than a few months or so.”

“Is that so
? 
Well I hope the other children won’t be too difficult to teach.”

“I’m sure they won’t.”

It was quite hard for
Ellie
not to notice how quickly
she
and
Jon
had become friends and how much more they seemed to be together each day
. 
When she hadn’t been searching for a job,
Ellie
would stop by
Ol’ Smith’s
and just talk with
Jon
or help him out with little odd jobs around the shop
. 
He was so kind and
sweet to her, and basically her only friend in town, that she couldn’t help but hope their friendship lasted
. 

Ellie
knew though that
Marcelle
probably wouldn’t be too happy that
Ellie
was closer to
Jon
than she was, so she made a little promise not to mention anything about
Jon
to
Marcelle
for the time being and hope if
Marcelle
did find out she wouldn’t be too bothered by it.

In a way, even though she and
Marcelle
were best friends, she hoped that this time
Marcelle
wouldn’t win over
Jon
. 
Jon
seemed too sweet for the flirty
Marcelle
, and in a way
Ellie
felt like she needed to protect
Jon
. 
Even though she and
Marcelle
were friends and had been so for a long time,
Ellie
felt like they were only friends because of the convenience
. 
Since they’d been companions for so many years, finding a replacement wouldn’t be easy
. 
She didn’t agree with
Marcelle
’s opinions on many things, including men, and she sometimes found
Marcelle
’s constant flirting tiresome and irritating
, but
she’d never tell
Marcelle
any of this for fear she should lose her only friend.

Luckily for
Ellie
, the next day
Mrs.
Thompson
,
Jon
’s original source for the
Rhodes
’
need for a nanny, stopped by
Ol’ Smith’s
when both
Jon
and
Ellie
were present and confirmed that her suspicion was true
:
Louise
Rhodes
had already begun searching for a replacement governess.

Jon
proposed the idea of
Ellie
working for the
Rhodes
,
and
Mrs.
Thompson
promised them both she’d stop by her neighbor’s that afternoon and tell them she’d found a possible choice
. 

She sent a letter to
Ellie
the following afternoon that ensured her a meeting with
Mrs.
Rhodes
for the next morning
. 
During this meeting
Louise
would decide whether she found
Ellie
suitable for the position or not
. 

Obviously nervous for her first job “interview”,
Ellie
found herself in a sweat over what dress to wear just an hour before she and
Louise
were to meet
. 
First she thought the green striped
would be best, but after a few turns in the mirror she thought it made her look a little too mature than she’d hoped
. 
When she found that dress unsuitable,
Ellie
threw it on the bed, laced her corset a little tighter, for her next choice was slightly smaller in the waist, and pulled on a deep violet gown with a lace-edged collar and sleeves
.

It seemed appropriate until
Ellie
realized that when she leaned down, because of the low neck
line
more of her chest was bare than she’d thought and that definitely wasn’t what she imagined
Louise
would find acceptable for a child’s eyes
. 
So, throwing it also onto the bed,
Ellie
tried on about four more dresses before deciding.

She wore a soft yellow and olive green plaid gown with a sweetheart neck
line
and sleeves that reached just slightly past her elbows
. 
With it, she tied her hair into a ponytail with a yellow ribbon and carried a cream-colored
,
small silk purse
. 

The
Rhodes
’
carriage arrived precisely at nine o’clock in front of
Ellie
’s home
. 
The driver, a man by the name of Matthew, helped her inside and then, almost immediately, they were off
. 
Ellie
looked around herself and determined that
Jon
had been right when he’d said the
Rhodes
were wealthy
. 
Their carriage was one of the finest she’d ever seen
. 
The outside, black and shiny, looked as though it had never been riding around the dusty roads of
Donners Bend
and the inside was large and luxurious
. 
Creamy white velour covered the seats and
Ellie
lounged on it comfortably
. 

Through the hills and around a lake they went, before stopping in front of an amazingly huge and beautiful home
Ellie
could only assume belonged to the
Rhodes
. 
With four large white marble pillars it certainly wasn’t something one could avoid gazing at
. 
Porches surrounded the white brick home on three sides and overlooked a variety of beautiful trees and yellow dandelions
. 
Black shutters sat beside each of the many windows and a fairly large balcony came off a pair of doors in the center of the second story.

Behind the mansion, if
Ellie
had been fortunate enough to see them, stood hundreds of rows of apple trees making up an orchard that
Robert
Rhodes
owned
.  Because
it was only one of his side projects, he had hired a manger to overlook all its smaller details
,
but he always checked back in on its financial status
. 
The products of the orchard were sold around town for a moderate amount, which only added slightly to
Robert
Rhodes
fortune.

Matthew opened the carriage door and led
Ellie
up to the front door
. 
Leaving her, he returned to the carriage to take it and the horse leading it over to the stables that
Ellie
could see off in the distance to the left of the house
. 
Far off to the right was what
Ellie
assumed to be the
Thompson
’s home
. 
It, too, was very statuesque indeed
. 

After only a moment, a young maid opened the door
. 
She dressed plainly in a gray dress and black apron and a long, red braid ran down to the middle of her back
. 

She gave a small smile and said in her meek voice, “Good morning, miss
. 
We’ve been expecting you
. 
Miss
Henderson
, I presume?”

“Yes, that’s me,”
Ellie
answered with a nod.

“Please come in, miss
. 
The mistress is waiting for you in the parlor.”

Ellie
followed her in and tried to stop from gaping at the classy interior and exquisite paintings and furniture as she asked quietly, “She hasn’t been waiting long, has she
? 
I hope I’m not late.”

“Oh no, you’re not
. 
She hasn’t been waiting long.”

They reached the parlor and the maid left after whispering a quick, “Good luck, Miss
Henderson
.”

Ellie
didn’t know what she was to do
. 
She could see
Louise
Rhodes
’
back as she sat on a lavender settee, but
Louise
obviously didn’t see her
. 
After looking around at the room’s cream and white striped walls, beautiful black piano, lit fireplace, and accommodating seating arrangement of plum and lilac colored furniture,
Ellie
walked in further and came to stand before
Mrs.
Rhodes
.

“Hello,
ma’am
,” she said politely, “I hope I’m not intruding on anything.”

“Of course not,” the beautiful
Mrs.
Rhodes
said as she rose from her seat, “Allow me to introduce myself
. 
My name’s
Louise
Rhodes
. 
As I understand it, you’re new to
Donners Bend
?”