Amaryllis tilted her head to the side. “I don’t think so. What are you thinking?”
Lily shrugged. “Buy him gifts. Things that he needs for his business, but doesn’t have the money for. Help him get it going faster, so that you can enjoy the benefits of it. Buy him gifts like clothes, so he doesn’t have to spend his hard earned money on them. Take him out to dinner occasionally. Maybe come home with food one day so he doesn’t have to worry about buying it. That kind of thing. Get him to see that your money is just as good as his.”
“I could do that…Do you think it would make him angry?”
“I don’t know him as well as you do, of course. He was in Rose’s class in school not mine, but he didn’t seem to be the type to get angry really easily, unless someone was bothering you.”
Amaryllis smiled. “He really did defend me even back then.”
“I think he loved you from the moment you showed up at school. Must have been the spectacles.”
Amaryllis laughed. “All the other boys made fun of them. Not Alex. He didn’t let anyone say anything mean to me about anything.” Her eyes lit up as she remembered how he’d taken on boys bigger than he was, just to get them to stop teasing her. She was the only child in school with spectacles, and it had made it hard for her. She didn’t mind now, of course, but it had been very difficult when she was a child.
Lily grinned. “He really did have a soft spot for you even back then.” She took her sister’s hand in hers. “The biggest thing I learned about getting along in marriage is to be yourself. Don’t change who you are just to please him. If you think that you should use your money to help support the two of you, then find a way to do it.”
Amaryllis smiled. “You’ve given me some good ideas. Thank you.”
“It’s my job as an older sister.”
Amaryllis stayed for a while longer, joking with her sister. Lily had one of the servants get tea and the two of them ate cookies and sipped tea while Daniel made himself scarce.
*****
Alex tried at her parents’ house first, hoping she would have gone there. The puzzled look on her mother’s face told him she wasn’t there as soon as she opened the door. “You came without Amaryllis,” she asked.
“Amaryllis went for a walk a while ago, and I was wondering if she came here. I guess not.”
Mary shook her head. “No. She may have gone to Rose or Lily’s houses though. She’s close to her sisters.”
He sighed. “I’ll try there then. Thank you.”
He rushed away from the door and drove to Rose’s house next. As soon as Rose saw him, she grinned. “Lose your wife?”
“Something like that. Is she here?”
“No, but come in and talk to me. Are you two still not getting along?”
He shrugged. “I’m trying. Your sister is very stubborn and opinionated.”
Rose’s laughter filled the air. “Well of course she is. Do you have any idea how many books she reads? They fill her head with all sorts of ideas.”
He sighed. “I’m going to go back home and see if she’s there.”
Rose smiled at him. “She can take care of herself, you know. She’s a strong intelligent woman.”
“That’s what worries me,” he said with a sigh. Rose’s laughter followed him back to his wagon.
*****
It was after ten when Amaryllis glanced at the clock. “Alex is going to be frantic. I’d better get home.”
Lily nodded standing up with her. “I’ll have Daniel drive you. I don’t want you walking home this late at night.”
Amaryllis started to protest, but she agreed with her sister’s worries. “That sounds good. I don’t think Alex is going to be happy with how late I’ve been out.”
Lily called Daniel, and he went outside to hitch up the horses. “The first few years of marriage are the hardest. It’ll get easier. I promise.”
Amaryllis sighed. “I hope the first week is the hardest. I don’t want it to get worse than this.”
Lily laughed and hugged her sister. Daniel opened the door then. “You ready, Amaryllis?”
“Thanks again,” Amaryllis said to Lily. “I appreciate the advice.”
Amaryllis hurried from the house and accepted Daniel’s help into the buggy. “Thanks for driving me home.”
“I was going to offer if Lily hadn’t suggested it. Where to?”
She gave him the address. “Does it really not bother you that Lily wears pants all the time?” she asked.
He laughed. “I fell in love with her when she wore pants all the time. Why would I expect her to change?”
Amaryllis grinned. “What do you think about women voting?”
“I haven’t given it much thought either way, but I certainly think you and your sisters are smarter than most men I know, so I guess I think that women voting is something that is just right.”
“Did you know that Daisy is all for women’s rights?”
Daniel turned to her in surprise. “Daisy? Women’s rights? She’d be the last person I’d expect, but she’s certainly smart enough to make a difference.” He stopped the buggy in front of her house and started to get down to help her when he saw Alex open the door. He decided to let her husband help her instead. “Alex.”
Alex nodded at him. “Thanks for bringing her home.”
“I wouldn’t let her walk at this time of night.”
Alex helped Amaryllis down, slipping an arm around her waist. “See you at church on Sunday.” He walked toward the office, opening the door for Amaryllis to precede him. “I’ve been really worried.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you, but I had to walk. I don’t know how I ended up at Lily’s house, but we had a good talk.”
He nodded briefly. “Feeling better?”
She shrugged. “Somewhat.” She looked at him. “Daniel doesn’t mind that Lily wears pants all the time.”
He laughed. “Of course he doesn’t. He knew Lily wore pants all the time before they ever started courting. He wouldn’t complain now.”
“Would you mind if I wore pants?”
He considered the question. “I don’t know. I never really thought about it. Probably not.”
“So you don’t mind if I do things that are ‘manly’ as long as I don’t contribute to our family’s income?”
He sighed. “You’re still upset about that?”
“I just don’t understand it. I would think you’d be pleased to have me help until your practice is established. It just makes sense to me.”
“It makes me feel like I’m not man enough to support us.”
Amaryllis shook her head. “You are, though. Everyone has to start somewhere. You’ve spent years in school, spending everything you made just to survive. I took a job because it was something I would enjoy, not because I needed the money. It makes sense that I have extra money and you don’t.”
“Maybe it does, but that doesn’t mean that I want to let you support me.”
She nodded slowly. “I guess I can understand that.”
He pulled her to him and hugged her tightly. “I was really worried about you. Please don’t leave at night again without telling me where you’re going.”
She nodded against his shoulder. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you, but I needed to think. Talking to Lily helped me a lot.”
“I’m glad.” He tilted her chin up so he could look into her eyes. “We’re going to work through all this, you know. We’re going to be very happy.”
She nodded. “I hope so.”
*****
On her way home from work the following afternoon, she stopped at a carpenter’s shop and asked the man if he would make a sign for Alex. “I want to give my husband a wedding gift,” she explained. She described exactly what she was looking for, and he promised to have it ready for her the next day. She smiled to herself the whole way home. She was going to make a difference for him whether he liked it or not.
When she arrived home, he wa
s sitting at his desk with a client across from him. She quickly hurried through the room and into the apartment, making a mental note to start using the backdoor when she got home from work. She didn’t want to interrupt his work anymore.
Since he was still working, she decided to surprise him by making the pancakes his mother had taught her to make. She carefully measured the ingredients and heated up the pan. Her hands were sweating as she worked, because she was certain she’d mess up the meal, and she so badly wanted the first meal she made for Alex to be perfect.
When she’d made enough to feed them both, she left them on a plate to warm and sank onto the bed to read while she waited for him. He took his time with his client, which she knew was good for his business.
When he finally came in the door, he sighed happily. “I have five paying clients now, and one pro bono.” He slipped off his jacket and tie and rolled up his sleeves turning to the stove when he noticed the pancakes waiting for him. “You cooked?” He turned to her with a pleased smile. “Thank you!”
She laughed. “Don’t thank me until you’ve tasted them. They might be terrible. It’s the first time I’ve ever made them. Your mother showed me how on Sunday.”
“I’m sure they’ll be wonderful.”
“You sit down, and I’ll serve us both. Can you tell me about your client?”
He shook his head. “I can’t. I have to keep everything confidential.” He rubbed the back of his neck while she put the plate in front of him. “I’m really glad that I’m getting some work, though. I worried that it would take me a long time with another lawyer already practicing here.”
She took the seat across from him and poured a small amount of syrup onto her pancakes. “But the other lawyer in town charges so much. He only has a few clients, because he won’t take anyone on who won’t pay him a fortune.”
“I know. All of my clients so far are average men who make an average wage.” He shrugged as he ate his first bite of pancake. “This is really good!”
She smiled and tried a bite herself. They weren’t as fluffy as she was used to, but they were definitely edible. “Hey, they aren’t bad.”
“I’m impressed.” He took a sip of the coffee she’d made before adding, “I like that my clients are ‘normal’ people. I think everyone deserves a fair shake with the law, and this town has needed a lawyer for the average man for a long time.”
“You’re right about that.” She reached out and squeezed his hand. “You’re exactly what this town needs.”
He spent some of the evening on paperwork for one of his cases, and she spent her time reading. She was pleased that they were finally able to be in the same room without arguing again. She watched him work at their little table for a minute, wondering if he ever planned to tell her about killing his father. She felt that it was the only thing keeping them from having a good marriage.
He felt her watching him and looked up at her. “Everything all right?” he asked.
She nodded. “I just like watching you sometimes.” She looked back down at her book, embarrassed to have admitted that.
He smiled, feeling for the first time like their marriage could actually work.
Chapter Eight
Alex had just shown another new client to the door the following day when he saw a man coming down the street with a big sign tucked under one arm. He stopped in front of his office and started to hang it. Alex walked around, a frown on his face as he looked at the sign, which said, “Alex Anderson, Attorney at Law.”
The sign was huge and well-made. It was just what he’d planned to buy for himself as soon as he’d saved enough money to do it. He watched for another moment while the man finished hanging it, before walking up to him. “Who bought this?”
The man shrugged. “Didn’t give her name. Pretty little blonde with spectacles.” He glanced over at Alex. “Looks good, don’t it?”
Alex nodded, as the rage slowly built inside him. “It does. Thank you for your hard work.” He stared at it for another moment, thrilled to see the sign there, but feeling a burning need to say something to his young wife about it. “Did she already pay you?”
“Wouldn’t have made it if she hadn’t. Enjoy.” The man walked away down the street, unknowing of the anger building in Alex.
Alex went inside and checked his schedule. Two hours before anyone else was set to come. He locked the door and walked toward the library, his anger building with each slow step he took.
When he reached the library, he opened the door and walked to the front desk, finding Amaryllis sitting behind it doing paperwork. He didn’t see anyone else in his cursory glance around, so he said exactly what was on his mind. “Did you by chance buy me something?”
Amaryllis’s eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands together. “Is it finished? Did he hang it? How does it look?” She couldn’t believe it was already done and was excited to see it when she got home from work that evening.
Alex placed his palms on her desk and leaned his weight on them so he was closer to her eye-level. “I asked you not to spend any money on me. I told you that I would support us. What the hell were you thinking?” He was yelling by the time he got to his question.
She stared at him, having a hard time believing he was that angry over her gift. “I thought you’d like it. I thought it would help your business!”
“You betrayed me! You knew it was something I was completely against, and you did it anyway! What makes you think that was all right with me?” His voice carried through the building, and he just didn’t care. Amaryllis needed to listen to him for a change.
“Keep your voice down! This is a library,” she hissed at him.
“I will not keep my voice down! Do not ever go against me like this again. I will support us. Your money is for you!” He turned and left the library as quickly as he’d come, standing outside the door with his fists clenched. He couldn’t return the sign, because it had been custom-made for him. He’d have to keep it and have a constant reminder that his wife didn’t listen to a word he said.
As he walked home, he was still bristling with anger. What really had the woman been thinking to do that to him?
Amaryllis put her head in her hands, glad she was alone in the library. As soon as Alex left, all the wind left her sails. She felt the tears leaking from her eyes. How could he yell at her for giving him a wedding gift? Yes, she’d deliberately gone against him and found a way to help him, but couldn’t he see it was her right to give him something?
She looked up at the sound of footsteps, her eyes going to Lawrence’s face. “I forgot you were here,” she said, as she hastily brushed the tears from her face.
“You have every right to buy things that will help his business. You have every right to buy whatever you want to buy. You work hard and your money is important.” He didn’t say another word as he left the building.
Amaryllis stared after him, hoping he wasn’t going to try to follow Alex anywhere. She didn’t need the two of them to break out in a fight.
Alex got home and slammed the door to his office. The fact that she’d had the sign made exactly as he would have wanted made matters even worse as far as he was concerned. What was wrong with the woman?
He went to the apartment and started a chicken stewing for their supper, still shaking with anger over her defiance.
*****
Amaryllis worked methodically for the rest of the day. She was pleased that only one of two people came into the building needing help finding books. Every time she opened her mouth she was afraid she’d yell at whoever was in front of her, but she knew she couldn’t take her anger on Alex out on anyone else. No, she wanted that anger to build, so when she saw him, she could give him a piece of her mind he’d never forget.
When she locked the library and headed home, she was still seething with anger. She stopped and looked at the sign before walking around to the back door so she wouldn’t disturb Alex if he was with a client. Even in her anger, she knew not to distur
b his work place. It was too bad he didn’t afford her the same consideration.
She saw he wasn’t there, but smelled the chicken in the pot and sank down onto the bed. Instead of reading as she usually would, she picked up a piece of paper and a pencil, and made a list of the reasons he infuriated her.
1. He wouldn’t let her use her money.
2. He refused to trust her.
3. He had gotten angry when she didn’t trust him, when she had evidence not to.
4. He’d acted like a deranged imbecile in the library.
She had the end of the pencil in her mouth thinking about what she would put as number five when he walked into the apartment, the anger still palpable between them. She put the pencil and paper down and stood up to go face him. He needed to understand that she would not back down. She had a right to her own opinions and emotion, and if he was going to show up at her place of business and yell at her during the day, he’d better expect her to return the favor at night.
She moved to mere inches in front of him, cranked her head back and gave him her opinion. “You had no right to come to the library today and yell at me. What were you thinking? That’s my place of work! You could have cost me my job!”
“There was no one there!”
She started shaking in her anger. She couldn’t help it. She wanted to kick him and call him every name in the book. “There was someone there, but it doesn’t matter if there was or not! You don’t have a right to come to my work place and yell at me!” She poked him in the chest to emphasize her opinion. “Do you want to know why I ‘defied’ you and bought you the sign? Do you really want to know?”
“Because you don’t think I’ll ever make enough money to be able to buy it for myself?”
She closed her eyes to try to control her temper. She wanted nothing more than to stomp on his foot, and she had a feeling he wouldn’t appreciate that at the moment. “No, I did it because I wanted to give you a wedding present. Do you remember getting married on Saturday? Well, I do, and I realized I hadn’t given you anything to celebrate the day except a lot of grief over not wanting to marry you. I thought giving you a gift would show you that I’m happy to be your wife and I’m willing to work through any issues so we could be happy!” The word happy was shouted at the top of her lungs. “Don’t you feel happy now?” She turned away from him and walked over beside the bed facing the wall, so frustrated she knew she shouldn’t say another word or keep looking at him.
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