“What’s that?”
He hated to ask because it was clear her mind was on other things. “Would you have time to go over another stack of letters?”
“Huh? I thought you were going to write Raquel Tobias. Did you change your mind?”
“Praying about that still. Need to ask her a few questions first, too. Meantime, I’ll keep reading the posts I get.”
“How many more did you get?”
“Eight.”
“Eight!” Her eyes widened. “Sweet twinkling stars above. You sure are well liked.”
“Nah. Just a lot of desperate women.”
Her brows pulled together. “Is that how you see me? Desperate? Because I placed an ad looking for a groom?”
“What? No.” He took a step backward, raised his hat and pushed his hand through his hair before placing the hat back on his head. “Didn’t mean it that way. Just meant there are a lot of women out there desperate to marry.”
Her head dipped sideways again, sending that spiraling curl down her cheek. How he wanted to brush it away, but when the palm of her hand rose, the urge skittered with it.
“Forget I said anything. So. Think you’ll have time to come by? If not, it’s okay. I know you have things to do.”
“I can do it. No, make that I want to do it.” She smiled. “This afternoon would work. I know Abby isn’t doing anything. We can come to your place, if you want?”
Jake wondered why they didn’t just go over them here, but he would do whatever worked for her. “Sounds good. Well, best get this wagon unloaded and get home. See you there.”
The only way to describe the smile she flashed his way just now and how it affected him was sweet summer sunshine. “Looking forward to it.”
So was he. So was he. And that wasn’t good.
* * *
Leah ran to the house with more excitement about going over to Jake’s than meeting Mr. Barrington. How strange was that? Nerves. It had to be nerves.
“Where are you running off to in such an all-fired hurry?” Abby caught up to her.
Leah stopped and had to catch her breath before she could get anything coherent out. “Boy, am I glad to see you.”
“Why?”
“Because I need to see if you can go over to Jake’s with me this afternoon.” She hooked her arm through her sister’s and nudged her forward but away from the house and any listening ears.
“Sure. I love it there. Besides, I don’t have anything better to do.”
“Thanks. You sure know how to flatter a girl.”
“I didn’t mean it like that.” Abby nudged Leah with her hip, knocking her off balance.
“I know you didn’t, but I have to tease you to keep you on your toes. Oh, and if you don’t mind, I would really appreciate it if you’d be there with me when I tell Mother.”
“Tell Mother what?”
“About my advertisement.”
Abby stopped walking and unhooked her arm. “I don’t want to be there when you tell her. She’s going to be so upset with you.”
“Surely you wouldn’t abandon me now, would you, Abbs? Come on,” she pleaded. “I really need you there for support.”
“Why don’t you ask Jake?” Abby did a little hop and a skip beside her as if she’d just given her the perfect solution, then she tugged Leah forward, resuming their walk.
Leah waved her off as if that wasn’t even important , though her heart leaped with the sweet memory of Jake’s thoughtful offer. “He already offered, but after my talk with Rainee, I didn’t think it would be wise to have him there.”
“What talk with Rainee?”
“Nothing of significance, really. But while I was there she wondered if I would be making an announcement soon about me and Jake.”
“No.” Her sister’s blue eyes widened. “She didn’t.”
“Yes. She did. All because she said she saw us together so much.”
“Well, yes. But I thought everyone knew you two were just friends.”
Leah twisted her mouth and shook her head as if the whole idea was ludicrous. “Apparently not. And I know if I walk in with Jake, Mother will wonder, too. She already basically asked me if I would marry him.”
“She did?” Again with the wide eyes. “When did all this happen? You never said anything about it.”
“It was the other day. Anyway, forget all that. It’s
really not important. Would you please be there with me when I tell her?”
“I wouldn’t miss any of this for the whole wide world.” She flung her arm out with a flair. “So, have you heard from any of the gentlemen yet?”
It was then that Leah realized they should have been walking much slower, but it was too late. The boards creaked under their feet as they made their way up the porch steps and into the house.
“I’ll tell you more about them later.”
“You’d better.” Abby’s warning look belied her smiling smirk.
“Mother! We’re home,” Leah hollered.
Mother stepped out from behind the laundry room door. Her dress was soaked, and some of her hairpins had come out. She ran the back of her hand over the sweat beads pooling on her forehead.
“What are you doing?” Leah asked.
“Laundry.”
“Why didn’t you say you needed help? Where’s Veronique? Isn’t she here?”
“Oui. I mean, yes. Am right here.” Veronique peeked around from behind Mother. Strands of brown hair with gold highlights stuck to the moisture on Veronique’s oval face. The five-foot-ten, stocky Frenchwoman was hard-working, honest and a great cook. A real blessing to have around.
“Do you need us to help?” Leah waved her pointed finger between her and Abby.
“No. I just got tired of sitting around so I thought I would help Veronique for something to do. What time is it?”
“Eleven forty-five. We thought we’d come in for a bite then Abby and I are going to go for a ride.”
“A ride. That sounds like fun.” Mother’s face brightened.
Leah swallowed down the dread that rose up inside her. Was her mother hinting that she’d like to go? What would Leah do if she did?
“I wish I could go with you girls, but I promised Michael I would stay with Selina for a couple of hours this afternoon. He had some errands to run.”
Whew. Leah let out the breath she was holding slowly and quietly so as not to draw attention. “You mean he’s actually going to leave her for that long?”
They all chuckled.
“Tell Selina hi and kiss the babies for me,” Leah said.
“For me, too,” Abby added. “Hey, what’s for lunch, Mother? I’m starving.”
“You’re always hungry,” her mother teased. “Veronique made venison stew earlier.”
Leah suddenly wondered if Jake had eaten. Maybe he ate in town. He did that sometimes. If so, had he run into Annabelle? The poor woman had a mad crush on Jake. Everyone in town knew it. Annabelle didn’t even try to hide her feelings for him. Leah smiled at the thought. Of course, Jake had been gentle with her when he let her know he wasn’t interested in marrying someone who was ten years older than he, but that didn’t stop her. Poor Jake. The smile in her heart increased. He was such a kind man.
“Did you hear me, Leah?”
Leah snapped her attention onto her mother’s. “What? Oh. No. I’m sorry, Mother. I didn’t. What did you say?”
“I asked if you would get us some bowls.”
“Oh. Um. Sure.” She scurried to the cupboard and gathered the bowls. After they were all filled, she set them, glasses of tea, biscuits, butter and pear preserves on the table. She, Mother and Abby sat down, bowed their heads and prayed. Leah added her own silent prayer that her mother wouldn’t be too upset and that God would give her the words she needed to say.
Leah buttered her biscuit, smeared a dollop of the homemade pear preserves on it and took a bite. Cinnamon and nutmeg filled her taste buds as she chewed slowly, enjoying the sweet fruit and
putting off the inevitable. Knowing she didn’t have much time before she headed to Jake’s, she put her biscuit down and drew in a long breath. “Mother?”
“Yes?” Mother put a spoon of stew into her mouth.
“I’m not sure how to tell you this, so I’m just going to come right out and say it, okay?”
Mother stopped chewing and looked at her. She nodded.
“A while back I placed an advertisement in the New York Times.”
Mother swallowed with a gulp and reached for her water. “What kind of advertisement, sweetheart?”
Leah looked over at Abby, who nodded to keep going.
“For a husband.”
“What?” The glass clattered to the table and barely stayed upright. Mother closed her eyes and shook her head in a jerky motion. She opened her eyes and stared at Leah. “Did I just hear you say you placed an ad for a husband... in New York?”
“Yes, Mother. That’s what I said.”
“Why? Why would you do that, Leah? And why wouldn’t you ask me first?”
Abby picked up her spoon, suddenly finding interest in her stew. Leah wished she could do the same.
“Because I was afraid you’d say no, that’s why, and I have my heart set on moving back to New York.”
Her mother set her spoon down and wiped her mouth off with a napkin. “Why, Leah? Why would you do such a thing?” The anguish on her mother’s face flooded Leah with guilt.
“Because I miss New York.” She couldn’t tell her that she hated this place and why. Mother wouldn’t understand. No one would. So she dived into the other part of the story. “I knew the only way you and the boys would let me go is if I were married. So, I placed an ad, and I’ve received an answer.”
Abby’s spoon hit the table and she stared openly at her sister, soup forgotten.
“You—you have? From whom?” Mother’s face paled and she suddenly looked sick.
Even more guilt assaulted Leah. She honestly hadn’t thought her mother would take the news this badly. Yes, she knew she’d be upset but not to where it made her ill.
Bad as she felt, there was nothing she could do about it now, anyway. What was done was done. The man was already on his way. Besides, Leah didn’t want to stop him from coming. She might be a tad scared and a bit apprehensive, but she still couldn’t wait to meet Mr. Barrington and hopefully marry him. If she had to, she’d deal with consequences of that decision later. She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. “His name is Fitzwilliam Barrington, Mother. And he’s from England.”
“England!” Mother gasped. “You’re moving to England?” She waved her hand in front of her face, looking even paler.
“Mother? You okay?” Leah pressed her fist into her belly, which was twisting with torment for what she was putting her mother through.
“England?” Abby asked in horror. “You can’t move to England, Lee-Lee!”
“Mother? Are you okay?” Leah jumped from the table to assist her mother should she pass out, which was looking like a very real possibility at the moment.
Mother raised her hand to wave her daughter away. “I’m—I’m fine. Just shocked is all.”
Leah looked over at Abby, who didn’t look much better than her mother but still managed to send Leah a sympathetic shrug.
“Don’t worry, Mother. Abby.” Leah eyed both of them for a brief moment and resumed her seat, thankful she no longer had to stand on her shaking legs. “I’m not moving to England. Mr. Barrington moved to New York City recently and saw my ad.”
“So, you’re going to New York to meet him?” Mother’s words were spoken as if they were shards of broken glass.
Leah didn’t think her mother’s complexion could get any paler, but it had. More guilt dumped on her. “No.”
The tension in her mother’s face softened. “Oh, good. I’m so relieved to hear that.” She patted herself above her heart.
“He’s coming here with his sister. We’re going to get acquainted first to see if we are compatible. Then we’ll take it from there.”
Mother remained quiet. She pushed her half-filled bowl away from her and rested her folded hands on the table.
Leah didn’t know if she was praying or thinking. No longer hungry herself, she pushed her own bowl out of the way and laid her hands over her mother’s. “Mother.” She waited until her mother looked over at her. “Please don’t be upset. I’m sorry I didn’t say anything to you. I never meant to hurt you. But I am twenty-four years old. It’s time I found a husband. Everything will work out. You’ll see. I tell you what, Mother. If you don’t approve of him, then I won’t marry him. How’s that?” Leah couldn’t believe she was saying that. But she couldn’t stand to see her mother so upset.
“Leah, I know everything will work out only because I have just now given it over to God. But I am hurt that you didn’t discuss this with me first.”
Leah opened her mouth to respond, but Mother held up her hand. “I understand why you didn’t. I just don’t understand why you would want to leave me. Leave your family.”
She didn’t want to leave her mother or her family—just this place. The idea of leaving them hurt, but when she considered the nightmares and the guilt that haunted her, leaving her family was her only option. “Mother, this has nothing to do with you or with the family. It has to do with me. I’m sorry if you feel I’m doing this to you. I never meant it to be that way. I’m doing this for me. It’s something I’ve dreamed of for a long time. Besides, I’ll come back often. Mr. Barrington wants to travel, too. I’m sure he won’t mind traveling back here. Okay, Mother?”
Mother said nothing— She only stared at her. The minutes ticked by agonizingly slow until Mother finally spoke. “God’s will be done.” That was all she said. But it was the way she said it—with so much confidence and assurance— that made Leah nervous.
Judging from past experience, when her mother prayed, things happened—and not always the way her children had wanted them to. Mother prayed fervently for Haydon, and he’d done something he said he’d never do again—get married.
Mother prayed for Michael to love Selina, something he said he could never do, and then Michael fell deeply in love with her. Both were wonderful answers to prayer. Still, Leah couldn’t help but wonder how or what Mother was praying for her and why she had that knowing smile on her face.
“Oh, before I forget, girls—” Mother dropped a glance onto her and then one to Abby “—I won’t be here for dinner this evening. Mr. Barker’s invited me to dine with him.”
“You sure have been seeing a lot of him, Mother,” Abby said with a wide smile.
Her mother returned the smile with dreamy eyes. “Yes. Yes, I have.”
“Do you like him?” Although Leah hated the idea of her mother with another man, she had to know the answer to the question.
“Yes, I do. Very much so. In fact—” her mother picked up her coffee and took a drink before setting it down again “—I’m hoping our relationship will develop into something more very soon.”
Why did it suddenly feel like the situation reversed? Leah’s head spun with the thought. “You mean marriage?”
“Yes. I mean marriage.” Mother’s face glowed.
“That’s wonderful, Mother!” Abby jumped up and threw her arms around her.
Leah wished she could share her sister’s enthusiasm. Seeing her mother on Mr. Barker’s arm at Phoebe’s wedding had been hard enough, but to actually hear her mother say the m word... That she couldn’t bear.
Chapter Nine
Jake sat on his front porch listening for the sound of horse’s hooves, but only the creaking of the rocker and an occasional bee buzzing by filled the quietness around him. That is, until Meanie started that frustrated bleating she so often did when he locked her in a stall to keep her out of trouble. Trouble. That was all the little critter had been since he’d taken her in. He could do nothing short of letting Meanie loose to fix that situation, but he’d never do that. Truth is, he’d gro
wn kind of fond of the ornery goat.
He glanced at the copy of Pride and Prejudice sitting on his lap. Curious about what type of man Leah was interested in, he began to read. It was slow going, but determination prodded him on. The more he read, the more he wanted to slam the book up against the wall, to burn it, to do anything but read about some prideful, arrogant man who only cared about position, power and money.
All the things Jake despised in a man.
How could Leah be attracted to that? He shook his head in disbelief and bewilderment. Knowing Leah like he did, nothing about the kind of man she said she wanted or anything else was adding up or making any sense. Jake sent up a silent prayer for her, then glanced down the road to see if there was any sign of her yet. When there wasn’t, he continued reading to see if Mr. Darcy had improved any.
Ten pages later buggy wheels crunched on gravel and Banjo barked. Jake turned his attention to the road. Leah. He glanced at the book in his hand. Not wanting Leah to know he’d purchased Pride and Prejudice, he darted into the house and shoved the book under his pillow. Outside and down the steps he dashed, arriving just as Leah pulled her carriage in front of his house.
“Hi, Jake.” Abby greeted him with a smile and a happy wave. Before he had a chance to help her down, she jumped down from the buggy, crouched and rubbed her nose on Banjo’s.
“Howdy-do, Abby.” Jake turned his attention to Leah and offered her his hand. She shifted the reticule onto her wrist and laid her hand on top of his.
“Hi, Jake.” Those dimples made an appearance again.
He helped her down and released her hand. “You ready for this?”
“I sure am.” She looked pretty, all gussied up in her dress with the curly-tailed teardrop design. Paisley. That’s what he’d heard someone call the pattern, though he didn’t know much about material or dresses. It didn’t matter what it was, she looked beautiful in it. Of course, as far as he was concerned, she’d looked pretty in just about anything. Even an old, worn-out grain sack. Leah was a beautiful woman. A woman any man would be proud to have on his arm.
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