Raising an eyebrow she asked, “Got any likely candidates for her?”
John laughed, but then said, “If she’s serious, I’m sure there would be lots of fellows lined up to marry her. If there’s one thing this part of the country needs, it’s more women.”
“I’ll have to keep working on her then. John, if she did decide to move out here, could she stay with us for a while until she got to know her husband-to-be?”
John’s face clouded for a moment, wondering if there would even be a place for her to stay, and then he said brightly, “Of course, Betsy.”
John’s worried look hadn’t escaped Betsy’s notice. Something was wrong. She just knew it. But not wanting to spoil the day, she didn’t say anything. Sooner or later, she’d find out what was bothering John so much.
Chapter 8
The next few weeks passed quickly, far more quickly than John wanted them to. He was working on neighboring farms as many hours as he could to try to save up as much money as possible. He insisted on being paid in cash, which earned him less than if he had taken part of the harvest in trade for his time. Even so, he knew it was going to be too little, too late.
As far as Betsy was concerned, he told her that he was going to get a share in the harvest rather than cash, so he wouldn’t have to account for the money. She watched him with worried eyes. He was working himself to exhaustion every day. When she questioned him, he brushed off her concern. If she tried to press the matter, he grew angry and stalked out of the house, coming back in only when he thought she would be asleep.
Finally one day Betsy had had enough. John was out in the barn cleaning stalls. She grabbed a shovel and joined him.
“What are you doing Betsy? I can handle this on my own.”
“I know you can John, but you never seem to have time for me anymore, so I thought I’d come help you so we could spend some time together.”
“Suit yourself, but this isn’t the way I want to spend time with you.”
“Well, how exactly do you want to spend time with me, and more importantly when do you plan to start spending time with me?” said Betsy. “Because from where I’m standing it doesn’t seem like you want anything to do with me anymore.”
John angrily dug his shovel in. “Don’t start Betsy. I have a lot on my mind right now and your questions aren’t helping.”
“I know something is bothering you, John,” said Betsy leaning her shovel against the stall door and crossing her arms. “What I don’t understand is why you are shutting me out. I’m your wife. We’re supposed to be in this for better or for worse, so why won’t you tell me what’s going on?”
John kept shoveling, ignoring Betsy.
She shouted, “Don’t you dare ignore me!”
He stopped and looked at her.
“John Masterson, you are the most stubborn man I think I have ever met. But I can be just as stubborn as you and I will not give up on you,” she said with tears in her eyes.
John sighed and put down his shovel. “Fine.”
But before anymore could be said, the sound of a horse and wagon approaching reached their ears.
“I wonder who that could be?” asked Betsy.
As they walked out of the barn to check, John stopped short. He looked like he’d seen a ghost. The man driving the buggy pulled up in front of them. Climbing down he approached John with his hand out.
“Hello John. It’s good to see you again.”
Reluctantly, John shook hands with James Calder.
“I see you made it out here all right,” said John.
“Aren’t you going to introduce us John?” asked Betsy.
“Sorry. James, I’d like you to meet Betsy, my wife. Betsy, meet James Calder from California.”
“I’m very pleased to meet a friend of John’s,” said Betsy.
James tipped his hat and said, “Nice to meet you too, ma’am. John, you didn’t tell me you were married.”
“I wasn’t at the time. Betsy and I have been married for just a few months.”
“Mr. Calder, please excuse our rudeness. I was just about to make some lunch. Won’t you join us?” asked Betsy.
“Why thank you Mrs. Masterson. I’d like that very much.”
“Betsy, you go on in and get started. Mr. Calder and I need to have a chat first. We’ll be in shortly,” said John.
After Betsy went inside, John asked James to follow him into the barn so they could talk in private.
“Look John. I know I took you by surprise just showing up out here today. Let’s leave our conversation for another day. I plan to stay in town for a few days, so we can work out the arrangements then.”
“James, I haven’t told Betsy about the note. So please don’t mention it to her. I need to tell her myself.”
Clapping John on the back James said, “Sure John. I understand. Why don’t we join your wife inside now?”
As they sat at the table eating lunch, John was obviously on edge. He knew he would have to discuss their predicament with Betsy as soon as James left. There was no way out now.
Betsy kept glancing curiously at John. He was so silent, which she thought was a strange way to act with a friend you hadn’t seen for a long time. She kept the conversational ball rolling though, asking Mr. Calder numerous questions about himself as well as about gold mining in California.
After they’d eaten, he thanked her for lunch and asked John to walk out to his buggy with him.
“How about meeting me in town the day after tomorrow? I’m staying at the boarding house.”
John agreed and stood rooted to the spot long after James had gone. Finally he turned and walked slowly back inside. Betsy had been watching from one of the windows and was greatly alarmed. When John turned to make his way inside, she went and sat at the table to wait for him.
She could tell it was bad just by looking at John. He seemed to have the weight of the world on his shoulders.
When he sat down beside her, she took his hand and said, “John, please tell me what’s wrong. Why has seeing Mr. Calder upset you so much?”
Looking down at the table, unable to meet her eyes, John told her everything. When he finished he looked up, and with tears in his eyes said, “I’m sorry Betsy. I know I should have told you long ago, but I just couldn’t do it. I hoped to be able to save enough money to pay him back by the time he showed up. But with the hail destroying our wheat crop and James showing up six months ahead of time, I don’t have nearly enough money put aside to save our farm.”
Shaking his head, he said, “I don’t know how I’m going to tell Emily that I’ve lost ma and pa’s farm. It’ll break her heart when she hears. And I don’t know what you and me are gonna do either.”
“Now John, let’s try to think this through. Mr. Calder seems like a nice enough man. Maybe he’ll take less now and more later.”
“No Betsy, I already told you. In his letter he was pretty clear about his terms. He didn’t really have to give me the chance to buy back the note at all.”
“How much is the note worth, John?”
When John told her the amount, she thought ‘No wonder you’ve been so tense.’
“And how much do you have put aside to pay the first half?” she asked.
The amount he indicated was nowhere near how much he needed.
“See what I mean, Betsy. It’s hopeless.”
“Not so fast John. I still have some of the money my mother gave me.”
“Absolutely not Betsy. You can’t use that. It was a gift.”
Betsy walked over to her trunk and opened it up. Digging around to the bottom she found the box containing the earrings and necklace that her mother and grandmother had given her.
She held them out to John and said, “These were gifts and I will always cherish them. But let me tell you John Masterson, they are not as important to me as you are. And I would sell them in a heartbeat if it meant that doing that could save our home.”
Sitting down she took his hand, �
��I don’t consider the money my mother gave me a gift. I’m happy to give it to Mr. Calder if it means keeping the farm.”
Sighing she said, “I recognize that look of stubbornness on your face. Let’s compromise. How about if we use the money I have to pay off the first half of what is owing? And then you can be totally responsible for coming up with the rest by next year.”
“I don’t know Betsy.”
“Come on John. This way Emily doesn’t ever have to find out what happened, I won’t miss out on enjoying my new windows and we won’t lose our home. What do you say, John? Please.”
After thinking about it for a minute, John shrugged and said, “I guess we can do it your way. But I intend to put back all of the money you’re using no matter how long it takes.”
“You know that’s not necessary, John.”
“I know,” smiled John, “But at least that way we’ll have a rainy day fund set aside, just in case.”
John and Betsy went into town together to see James Calder. The arrangements were made to pay off the note.
“Thanks for holding that note and giving me the chance to buy back my parents’ farm. I’d never have been able to live with myself if I’d lost it.”
James shook hands with John and said, “You’re very welcome. It’s like I told you. What am I going to do with a farm in Kansas? Good luck with things. I’ll see you in six months.”
James nodded at Betsy. “It’s been a real pleasure meeting you Mrs. Masterson. I hope John knows how lucky he is.”
John looked over at Betsy and said, “I sure do.”
As they walked back towards their wagon, he leaned over and whispered, “And I intend to spend the rest of my life proving it to you.”
A Message From Maggie McCloud
Thank you for downloading my book. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I have always been fascinated by the stories of women who traveled so far to become mail order brides. Their stories are the inspiration for my books.
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Other Books By Maggie McCloud
Kathleen’s Dream: Mail Order Brides Of Prairie Meadows – Book 1
Annie’s Chance: Mail Order Brides Of Prairie Meadow – Book 3
Bonus Chapter – Annie’s Chance
Annie’s Chance:
Mail Order Brides Of Prairie Meadow – Book 3
Chapter 1
Footsteps pounded behind Annie as she hurried down the stairs and hid under the stairwell. Her father, drunk as always, stumbled down the stairs behind her. “Where are you girl?” he slurred. “You better not be planning on leaving. I got things for you to do.”
Even though Annie had hidden the letter proposing marriage that she’d received from the farmer out west, her father had unexpectedly discovered it stuffed under the mattress in her bedroom. He’d been searching her room for money. After that he’d torn her room apart and waited for her to come home. She knew she had to get out before he caught her, or she would be sorry.
He had it all lined up for her to marry old Mr. Wagner. In exchange, Wagner was going to pay him a good amount of money plus forgive his gambling debt. Her father tripped as he neared the bottom of the stairs and landed in a heap on the floor. Annie saw her chance to escape and took it. He reached out to try to grab her ankle as she ran by, but she managed to shake him off and get out the door.
“Darn you Annie, get back here!” her daddy yelled. Annie ran as if the devil was on her heels and maybe he was. She’d gotten out with just the clothes on her back. Fortunately she had stuffed some money and the train ticket the farmer had sent, into the pocket of her coat before she left for work that morning. It would have to do. She couldn’t possibly go back and try to get anymore of her things. She knew her daddy would be waiting for her.
She hadn’t been scheduled to leave for another two weeks. So it was lucky that she’d been able to exchange her ticket for the train leaving this very night. Now all she had to do was get through the next few hours until the train left the depot. She was holding her breath hoping her father wouldn’t think to go and check there. Since he didn’t know when she was planning to leave, she figured he would probably just be waiting for her to come back home.
Her only regret was that she would not be able to say goodbye to her best friend, Margie. She was worried that her daddy might be lying in wait for her there too, so she didn't want to take the chance. A letter would have to do when she arrived at her destination.
Oh, if only Margie had decided to become a mail order bride at the same time that she had, then they would be going together. But by the time Margie started to write to her farmer, she didn’t feel that she knew him well enough to leave home just yet. Annie couldn’t blame her. It was a big step and a lot to give up, especially since Margie’s family was so nice. Annie sighed.
Daddy had always been a handful, but Mama had always been able to control him easily when she was around. She wasn’t one to put up with any nonsense and daddy had towed the line, not daring to come home with the smell of liquor on his breath. The card playing too had come to an end when they got married.
But things had changed for the worse when Mama passed away a couple of years ago. Daddy had fallen apart and hit the bottle hard, something he wouldn't have dared do when Mama had been alive. He eventually got fired from his factory job, and when the money ran out, he sold practically everything of value that they owned, and lost the rest in card games.
The last straw had been when Daddy told her he’d arranged for her to marry old Mr. Wagner so he could pay off his gambling debts. She had been so stunned she hadn’t known what to say, but once Daddy got something in his mind there was no swaying him from his decision. Annie knew she had to do something quick, and had heard about mail order brides, so she’d stopped at an agency and filled out an application right away.
A couple of months of exchanging letters with one fellow had led to a proposal of marriage and a train ticket. Anything was better than what her daddy had planned. Now if she could only get away before he found her.
Annie had left a few things at Margie's house including a new dress to get married in and her mama's Bible. But with her narrow escape, she couldn’t chance going back to retrieve them.
As Annie sat on the bench at the train station waiting for her train, she heard her name being called. Looking back over her shoulder, she saw her friend Margie waving and running in her direction.
“ Yoo-hoo, yoo-hoo, Annie is that you?” Margie ran up puffing and out of breath.
Bless her, thought Annie. She had Annie’s carpetbag and Mama’s Bible in her hands.
The girls embraced, then Annie pulled back and asked, “What are you doing here Margie?”
“Annie, I had to come tell you. Your daddy came looking for you at my house earlier. I think I threw him off the trail though,” she giggled. “I told him we had plans to go to the church social tomorrow evening and that you were going to meet me there. So I think he’s planning on going there to find you if you don’t come home first.”
&n
bsp; “Margie, that’s wonderful news. Thank you so much. And you’ve brought Mama’s Bible and my dress to me,” Annie said with tears in her eyes.
Well, a girl needs a new dress to get married in doesn’t she?” said Margie. “And I know how much your mama’s Bible meant to you, so I had to bring them to you. Plus I couldn’t let you leave without saying goodbye.”
“Margie, what am I going to do without you?” Annie asked sadly. “We were supposed to have this big adventure together.”
“Well,” said Margie brightly, “You’ll just have to write me every last detail about everything that happens. It’ll be almost like being right there with you that way.”
“Oh yes I will, I promise,” said Annie. “And you must promise to write me too, so I don’t get too homesick.”
The girls chattered on until it was time for Annie to board her train. Annie found a seat by the window and as the train pulled out of the station, Margie waved and called out, “Be sure to write me as soon as you get there. I’ll miss you!
CONTINUE READING ……
Betsy's Hope (Mail-Order Brides Of Prairie Meadow 2) Page 5