Thomas

Thomas kept tabs on Sophie out of the corner of his eye while he spoke to Terrance and Charlie. She was sitting with the other ladies and holding Elizabeth's newborn. He had a momentary realization that she looked really good with a baby in her arms. He shook the thought out of his mind. He thought it was probably all the time he spent with Jeremiah that put those thoughts in his mind. Those last few days, or weeks even with Jeremiah, was nothing but continuous nonstop speculation about Sophie. All that thinking about Sophie had an effect on Thomas. It was irritating and unfulfilling. He would have felt a lot of satisfaction to witness their union and introduction. He felt a hole in his heart having that anticipated event taken from him. He explained all his weird feelings for Sophie with that.

"You are spending an awful lot of time with Sophie," Charlie said breaking his concentration.

"I'm just showing her around. Trying to do right by Jeremiah you know," he said casually.

"Sure sure," he said with a grin. "That, and maybe you're thinking you might score yourself a free wife," he waited for Thomas' reaction. As per his usual, Thomas hardy reacted.

"No, just helping her out."

"Well maybe you should try for it. Just ask Terrance here how great it is to have a wife," he rubbed his brother's scruffy hair, teasing. Terrance playfully punched him back.

"I'm not going to deny it, I do like having a wife," Terrance said bashfully.

Thomas could appreciate the brother's silly relationship and that they were both lucky to have such lovely wives.

"You know I have no business with a woman like Sophie," he protested trying to put a stop to the teasing.

"I don't know Thomas," Terrance said. "She seems like she might be a little keen on you. You should give it a go."

Thomas shook his head. He really wished the brother's would just answer his question and tell him which gates he wanted him to put the hinges and locks on.

"Point me in the right direction boys," he grumbled.

They did eventually point him in the right direction and tell him which gates they wanted him to install the hardware he had made. But they didn't give it up without a few more jabs.

"Sophie," he called her after he finally got what he needed. "Are you ready to go?"

She looked at him a little wide eyed and warry he almost wondered if she had overheard some of what the brothers had said.

"Be right there!" she called back to him. He didn't care to stick with the boys so he decided to join her. Sophie was leaning over the baby to be close to Elizabeth and whispering something. He was able to catch part of what she was saying.

"Please Elizabeth, tell me why give me a reason," he heard Sophie say urgently.

Elizabeth smiled and shook her head as she let her eyes look up at Thomas as he approached.

"Sophie, I think that you're going to have to figure it out for yourself and not take my word for it," she smiled again, she was amused. Sophie still hadn't noticed Thomas behind her.

"Yes, but a little help or direction. You must see what an impossible decision this is for me. I need all the insight I can get."

"I think it isn't just your decision to make, is it now?" She smirked at Sophie.

Thomas didn't want to overhear anything he shouldn't so he decided to make his presence known.

"Would you like to stay here instead?" he asked. She jumped at the sound of his voice so close. He didn't think he would ever tire of frightening her like that. It was very amusing. She quickly checked that she didn't disturb the baby who was still sleeping peacefully.

"No," she protested. "I want to come. But Elizabeth, if you would allow me to come back I could hold this babe all day."

"Please do come back," Elizabeth said. "We are harvesting now too, come back and help."

"I will!" Sophie said. "I look forward to it." She gingerly handed the baby back to his mother and gave Sarah a hug goodbye before rejoining Thomas in the wagon.

"Sounds like you had a good conversation with Elizabeth," he said as Maddox led them away.

"I did," she said quickly. Was she nervous? "She was very kind. I am sincere about coming back. I've never harvested tobacco before I would love to see it."

"Are you prepared to help?" He was very curious to hear her answer.

"Of course," she said. "I won't be much help of course, but there is only one way to get better at it, right?"

"I appreciate very much that you are trying so hard," he said. He wondered if it was a mistake to reveal so much.

"Thank you Thomas," she said flashing that beautiful smile. Nope, he thought. Not a mistake if she was going to smile at him like that. He couldn't believe that Terrance and Charlie thought he could even consider Sophie to be his wife. It was laughable, to consider himself an option for her.

He led the wagon towards the gate the brothers told him he wanted to attach the hinges to. He unloaded the metal and started laying it out to attach them. He was fumbling with the heavy metal, trying to hold it in place and clamp it down when small pale fingers took hold of the iron holding it for him. He smiled at Sophie standing beside him as he clamped the hinge in place. They repeated it four times affixing all the hinges and then the levers. He was sweating and grunting as he went. Sophie worked quietly alongside him. She walked to the wagon and retrieved the metal pieces and brought them to him. It was peaceful to work beside her. She knew when to talk and she knew when to be silent. That was a rare quality that he didn't remember women of her status having.

"I have to tighten everything up, you can sit and rest a bit if you would like."

She was breathless from carrying the last heavy iron hinge so she just smiled and sat on the ground leaning against the fence post. He watched her whip the sweat from her forehead and exhale as she settled against the post.

"So, what were you talking to Elizabeth about?" he asked conversationally. She looked up at him with big wide eyes. It was very evident that she didn't want to answer the question.