CHAPTER SIX
Benjamin was relieved as the shadows got longer and more of the folks in town began to say their farewells and promised to see them both on Sunday. The dancing and visiting had lasted for hours. The tables were eventually emptied of food earlier and everyone continued to mingle, just enjoying the time to be together. Soon, everything was cleaned off and children and teen girls were herded off toward home while the men and older boys hauled the benches back inside the church to set it up for Sunday’s meeting.
It wasn’t long before everything was cleaned up and the church was locked while Amelia and Benjamin stood side by side at the top of the stairs looking out at the now empty area.
“I suppose we should head to the house,” Benjamin said knowing he couldn’t put it off any longer.
She took the first steps alone, then he joined her quickly and offered his arm. It felt right and when she smiled at him, it did his heart good to know he was at least learning a little on how to make her happy.
The walk to the house was quiet as neither of them spoke. He had lived here alone for years, and now that it would be their shared residence, he felt a little odd walking there.
The door was unlocked since Mrs. Howard had insisted he leave it open to allow folks to drop off gifts to their house and when he opened the door he was surprised at what was there.
“Goodness,” Amelia said. “What is all this?”
“Folks from the area have given us some gifts. Looks like quite a lot.” He moved into the room a little more and lit a lantern, allowing them more light to see by.
“Is this something they do for all the couples?” Amelia asked.
“I believe so,” Benjamin said. “I’ve given each family a Bible when they’ve been married by me. I had no idea everyone else gave so much.”
“A Bible is a wonderful gift. It will keep giving throughout their lives.”
Ben nodded and looked around at the different items. The kitchen table had some bottled preserves as well as some bags with sugar and flour. There were some candles, some cloth for washing and drying, and other various items.
“Do you want me to put this all away?” Amelia asked.
Benjamin looked at it, then at her. “I suppose we could do it together, unless you wanted to rearrange things in the house to suit you.”
“I would love to have help,” Amelia said. “It will be good to see where you store most of your things, then I’ll be able to keep most of it in the right location.”
Benjamin turned to face her. “If you feel like something would be better in a new place, feel free to move things around to your liking. The house will be mostly in your care and you’ll have free reign of it.”
Amelia nodded and moved first into the kitchen. She opened the cupboards and started to look through them. Once she seemed familiar with things, she put some of the smaller items away while he took the bags of flour and sugar and placed them in the pantry.
“There is a cold room in the cellar just under here,” Benjamin pointed out. “The milk and cheese do well down there.”
They worked in companionable silence, only speaking on occasion as he pointed out where he usually kept things when she asked, or when she checked to be sure he was okay if she moved some things around.
Soon, it was all put away and Amelia turned to him. “Would you like anything for dinner?”
“I ate plenty this evening and I think I’d be fine to wait until tomorrow morning.”
“Do you need any help with anything else?” Amelia asked.
“I do need to spend another hour or so going over my plans for the sermon on Sunday. And since all my books are in the study, I was thinking I could just sleep in there tonight and you can have my bed.”
Amelia’s eyes widened a little. “But I thought you would have me take that room?”
Benjamin cleared his throat a little. This conversation would be one of the more delicate he’d have to have. “Since I don’t have a second bed right now, and the one I have is rather small, I will take the floor.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t mind taking the floor. I feel awful taking your bed. You’ve already had to make so many adjustments in your life with me even being here. I saw there was a blanket here I could use.”
Benjamin took her hand and turned to face her. “I will take the office for now. It wouldn’t be very gentlemanly of me to make you sleep on the floor.” Benjamin shook his head and led her toward his room. “Besides, I purchased a second quilt from Annabelle Howard. She has a shop where she sews all kinds of things. And I hope it wasn’t wrong of me to place an order with the Howard’s Mercantile for a bed frame and mattress that would accommodate the two of us eventually.”
Amelia blinked a few times, but didn’t seem terrified or bothered by his request. “I think that will be nice to get a larger frame.”
“I’m not sure how long it will be before it’s delivered. Until then, or longer if you wish, I’ll sleep in my study. I will be spending a lot of time reading and writing in the evenings and that will allow you to get the rest you need anyway.”
Amelia nodded and Benjamin squeezed her hand. “I’m glad that’s settled. Now, I’ll help you get your trunk into the room. You can get settled in there. Feel free to hang any of your items where you need to. That room will be yours as much as it is mine, but for now, I want you to get comfortable and settled here in your new home.”
“Thank you, Benjamin.”
Her soft words and the way her sweet voice said his name sent a pleasant shiver down his spine. Though he would have never gone looking for a wife himself, he was actually kind of pleased she’d been sent his way.
***
Amelia closed the door to Benjamin’s room — their room — after he’d placed her trunk in the corner and left the room to return to the study where he would be working on his sermon.
The small bed really would only hold one person and it was incredibly kind of him to offer her the place to herself until the new bed he’d ordered would arrive.
Amelia’s heart fluttered. He wasn’t going to require her to stay in the other room by herself for their marriage. She wasn’t going to be just a cook, cleaner, and companion to him. She would be his wife and they would be a true family someday.
She opened her trunk and began pulling out her personal belongings. There was a wardrobe with a second set of clothes for Benjamin. They looked nice, as if they were the ones he wore on Sunday. She took a few of her nice skirts and blouses and jackets and hung them inside the wardrobe, then took off the dress she’d worn for the wedding and hung it as well.
She would hang her common working clothes on the peg to the side of the wardrobe so it would be easy enough to get to each day. There was no need to hang it in the wardrobe since she’d be wearing the same skirt for her work in the garden and house. She would change her shirt on occasion.
She would need to do some washing tomorrow since her clothes from the train ride needed some refreshing. She could see a shirt and a pair of his trousers on a stool to the side that looked like they’d need to be washed as well. Hopefully he had a wash basin and a scrub board. If not, that would be something she’d need to talk to Mrs. Howard about getting.
There was a chest of drawers that would work for her to hold some of her underclothing and she moved a few of his items to allow her to take one of the drawers. Hopefully he wouldn’t mind. Of course, when it came time to wash any of the clothes, she’d be the one to dry them and put them all away. He would adjust, she was sure.
Benjamin seemed a very reasonable and laid-back kind of man. He had adjusted to the news of them marrying quickly enough. While last night she had feared this marriage would be lonely and difficult, after spending the day dancing, laughing and talking with him, she knew it would be all right. Not that it would all be perfect. There would definitely need to be some adjustments on both parts, but he was planning to share this room with her later. That didn’t sound like he disliked her.
Soo
n, she was finished putting things away, and she had nothing more to do besides put herself to bed. She slipped under the covers and was surprised at how comfortable it was. The smell of Benjamin on the pillow both enticed and comforted her.
She was asleep before long and when a nearby rooster crowed in the morning, her eyes opened and she smiled at the ceiling above her. She’d slept better than she had expected to and waking up in her new house with her new name just sent a thrill of excitement through her.
She dressed quickly and went into the kitchen, expecting to see some sign of Benjamin. The house was quiet and undisturbed so she peeked into the study. One quilt on the floor was what he laid on while another quilt covered him and he still remained sleeping. She wasn’t sure how late he had stayed up, but his desk was scattered with all sorts of books and papers so she quietly closed the door and went back to the kitchen.
She went out to the chicken coop he’d shown her the other night and gathered the eggs there. Once back inside, she set about making some bread since it would take a while for it to rise enough to bake. Then once the dough was mixed and in the pans to rise, she whipped some eggs together to scramble in the pan with a few slices of salted bacon.
By the time she had it on the table, it was nearly seven o'clock. She walked over to the study and knocked softly.
“Benjamin?” Amelia said, then knocked again. She opened the door a crack and was greeted with a bleary-eyed man sitting up on the quilt on the floor and looking at her in confusion.
“Good morning,” Benjamin said after a moment.
“I have breakfast ready, if you’re hungry.”
Benjamin nodded and climbed out of the blankets. He still wore his shirt and pants, though he’d removed his boots and jacket. His shirt was unbuttoned part way and he looked so human and so handsome all disheveled like that. Amelia closed the door to give him privacy since it felt so personal to see him that way. By the time he entered the kitchen, he had tucked his shirt in, buttoned the top buttons again, and had his boots back on.
His hair was still sleep rumpled and his eyes looked tired, but he smiled wide at the sight of the food on the table.
“This looks incredible,” Benjamin said. “I usually just do a cup of coffee and a simple egg, or on occasion a bowl of oatmeal. Oh, that reminds me, did you get the milk?”
“No,” Amelia looked out the window, hoping she hadn’t missed a cow somehow.
“Mr. Johnson usually leaves a jug on the porch for me.” Benjamin moved over to the door she’d already been out to gather the eggs and returned with a jug that hadn’t been there before. “Fresh milk?” he asked, then his eyes caught sight of the bread pans on the counter. “You’re making bread?”
Amelia smiled at the joy in his voice. “Yes. It’ll be done in time for lunch. I’ll make bread a few times a week.”
“Really?” Benjamin said, sounding like a child excited for a gift.
Amelia nodded and when he hugged her from the side then kissed her cheek. she nearly dropped the plate she had picked up to dish up his food.
“I’m glad you’ll like it,” Amelia said. “Here, sit down and eat. Then let me know if there is anything you need help with today. Were you able to get your sermon done?”
“Not quite,” Benjamin said. “I still need more time on it, but everything should be ready by Sunday.”
“That’s good.” Amelia dished herself up some eggs as well, then sat down and waited for him to say grace. Once the blessing and thanks for the food had been said, the two ate and Amelia asked him what kinds of foods he liked or if there was anything she should avoid cooking.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been served a meal I didn’t like,” Benjamin said. “I’m always just grateful that someone was kind enough to cook for me. The things I don’t like to eat are the burnt attempts at a meal I’ve done.”
“I can’t promise I’ll never burn a meal, but usually I can avoid something like that.”
“Perfect,” Benjamin said. “Already I’m better off than I was two days ago. I guess I’ll have to send my grandparents a letter thanking them for sending you my way.”
Amelia smiled, though she hoped there would be more between them than just the food aspect. As they ate and talked of their plans for the day, she began to feel better about things. She couldn’t expect him to fall in love with her right away, and if feeding him and keeping his house cared for was what she started with, that would be all right. Love could come. Eventually.
***
Benjamin sat at his desk and wondered for a moment on whether he should send a letter to his grandparents first, or continue working on his sermon.
Thoughts of Amelia kept coming forefront to his mind so he decided the letter would be the best option. Knowing it wouldn’t do him any good to state that he hadn’t actually been planning on marrying the girl, or even asking his grandparents if they had purposely planned to fool him, he began his letter with the regular salutation.
In a few short pages, he detailed her arrival and the introduction to the Howards while they waited for the preacher from the nearby town to arrive. His grandparents would be pleased to know they’d been married in the church. He made sure to tell them about the kindness and welcoming behavior of the entire town and the celebration they had after the wedding.
He also told them about how happy he was that he no longer had to cook for himself and that Amelia was a perfect companion in his life. Hopefully that should be enough for them to know she was well received and she would be cared for. He wished them well, hoped they were in good health and continued to do good in the sight of God then closed his letter with his love and respect.
At least he could say he honored and respected his elders, even if their initial means of getting Amelia here weren’t completely forthcoming.
He once again turned his attention back to his sermon and found himself wondering more often than not what Amelia was doing. The scent of fresh baking bread sneaked into the room and he knew he would struggle to stay focused today. Hopefully his congregation would be forgiving.
Benjamin tucked his notes inside his Bible and headed out to the main part of the house. Amelia was nowhere to be found so he walked outside and into the front yard, then around the side of the house and saw her in the back garden looking things over. She had pulled out the weeds in the carrot patch and was studying the leaves of the potatoes.
“Need any help?” Benjamin asked.
“I just figured I’d come see what I might do in the garden. Most of this looks familiar to me. These are potatoes, aren’t they?”
“Yes,” Benjamin said. “I didn’t plant as much corn this year as I have in the past. Didn’t have enough seed, but there will be some to dry and then we can grind it for corn meal. We’ve got some sugar beets over there. Looks like the beans will need to be picked soon.”
“Do you bottle them?” Amelia asked.
“Not myself. The families in town usually help me. They’ll bottle mine up and keep some for themselves for their work. Most I’ve ever been good for is to just cook them up and eat them when they’re ripe.”
Amelia moved over to the green beans and looked them over. She plucked a few of the long ones. “I can cook these up for lunch today. They’ll go great with the bread and the cheese. Then I wondered about going to the butcher to see what they have there.” She looked up at him. “I don’t have any money though, do you have an account with him? I know Mrs. Howard had one for you. She told me while I was there.”
“I haven’t needed to purchase much from the butcher. I’ve gotten the salt bacon from him, but that’s about it. Most of the time we’ve done some bartering, but later today we can talk with him and see what we can work out.”
***
Amelia was surprised when Benjamin stayed out in the garden with her. They didn’t talk much as they worked, but he got to pulling out some of the little weeds that had poked up between the rows of beans and beets and carrots. She tucked some of the beans and
peas she found in plump pods into her apron as she continued working her way up and down the rows.
“Looks like you have kept the weeds down,” Amelia said.
“I find working in the garden helps me think when I’m stuck in my working.”
“Do you get stuck a lot?”
Benjamin looked up and down the rows in the garden. “Sometimes. Then after spending an hour or so out here, I’ve usually thought of something that helps me get past my block.”
“Besides doing the weekly sermons, what else do you do?” Amelia turned toward him while holding the small harvest from the garden in her apron. “What kinds of things can I help with to make your life easier?”
“I usually go visit with the folks and I’ll often stop and help someone with their garden or milking their cow if I’m there at the right time.”
“Would it be best for me to go with you on those visits, or better if I stayed home?”
Benjamin gave her a considering look. “I think many of the visits would be fine for you to join me with. And from how well everyone received you yesterday, I’m sure they’ll be happy to have you come by.”
Amelia smiled at the compliment. “I must admit I was surprised that everyone was so friendly right from the start. No one seemed surprised at all of my arrival. I had worried that since you were surprised to marry me…” She paused, not sure if she should have brought that up. She still wasn’t certain how he felt about the whole thing.
“I doubt anyone would be surprised anymore to learn someone had decided to get married on short notice. Not even the young couples who grew up here wait all that long once they decide to marry.”
The Preacher's Bride: A Golden Valley Story (Brides of Birch Creek Book 6) Page 6