Farmer's Daughter Romance Collection : Five Historical Romances Homegrown in the American Heartland (9781630586164)

by Peterson, Tracie; Davis, Mary; Hake, Kelly Eileen; Stengl, Jill; Warren, Susan May

  Angie burst into the kitchen all smiles and sunshine. “Good morning.” She nearly sang the words. Glancing around for Tyler and Amy, she suddenly frowned. “Where is everybody?”

  “Well, part of us are right here,” Dora chided her daughter. “As for your sister and the pastor, I don’t know.”

  “Well, I do.” Charles stepped out of his wet boots. “They didn’t get back until late last night. Anna Beth and the baby died.”

  “Oh no, Charles.” Dora’s stricken expression matched her husband’s heavy heart. “Poor Carl. And poor Amy, having to deal with that alone. I should have been with her.”

  “She was pretty upset,” Charles agreed, “but you know Amy. She held her ground. I wouldn’t bother to wake up either one of them.” He turned his eyes meaningfully toward Angie. “They need their rest.”

  Angie’s lower lip threatened to quiver into a pout, but noting her father’s stern expression, she managed to shrug her shoulders and leave well enough alone. Dora quickly put her daughter to work making bread, lest Angie change her mind and go about some type of noisy task. Angie was unhappy about the arrangement, but in light of her father’s presence, she did as she was told.

  Much to her surprise and pleasure, Angie found her patience rewarded when Tyler popped his head into the kitchen doorway nearly an hour later.

  “Smells mighty good in here,” he said with a grin toward Dora.

  Dora was pushing bacon around the frying pan and looked up with a smile. “I thought you might be hungry. We’ve already eaten so you just make yourself comfortable at the table and tell me what you’d like to eat.”

  Tyler did as he was told and soon found Angie at his side. “Would you like some coffee?” she asked sweetly, eager to please.

  “Sure would,” he replied.

  Dora barely managed to find out what Tyler wanted to eat, because Angie immediately monopolized him. Dora thought privately that their conversation seemed more like an interrogation than a conversation, with Angie in the role of interrogator.

  At last Angie fell silent and sat looking dreamily at the man while he shoveled in forkfuls of Dora’s scrambled eggs and potatoes. He squirmed a little under her steady stare, wishing she would turn her eyes somewhere else, but he didn’t want to hurt her feelings. When she began her interrogation again, he tried to answer her questions when he could; if he didn’t know the answer, she seemed just as content to move on to yet another subject.

  At last, with hearty praise for Dora’s fine cooking, Tyler moved from the kitchen. He allowed Angie to lead him to the front room where he’d spent most of the night talking to Amy. He couldn’t help but think of her when Angie spread out her red calico skirt on the sofa and beckoned Tyler to join her there.

  Leaning against the mantel, Tyler laughed. “I swear, Miss Angie, you have more energy than a woman ought to have.”

  Angie giggled and took his words as a compliment. “I do believe,” she said, “that it’s the company of one particular circuit rider that brings out the best in me.”

  This was the comment that a bleary-eyed Amy overheard from the doorway. She had thought to greet them both, but instead she backed away. Going to the kitchen, Amy found her mother taking fresh baked loaves of golden bread from their tins.

  “Morning, Ma.”

  “Amy!” Dora set the pans aside. She hurried to her daughter’s side and embraced her. “I’m so sorry about Anna Beth. I wish I could’ve been there to keep you from bearing that alone.”

  “I wasn’t alone,” Amy replied softly. “But I wish you’d been there, too. I keep thinking that maybe it was my lack of experience that kept me from saving them.”

  Dora pulled back with a shake of her head. “No. You have no power over life and death, daughter. Only God has that. Besides, you’ve helped in more births than I can even name. Sometimes, no matter how skilled we might be, there’s just nothing we can do. Anna Beth was a mere girl. Obviously the whole thing was too much for her. We have to trust she and her baby are both in God’s hands.”

  Amy nodded. “Tyler stayed with me and helped. I was sure glad he was there. He helped me afterward, too.”

  “Oh?” Dora felt hope flicker once again. She noticed the underlying softness to Amy’s voice.

  Amy nodded. “We stayed up and talked quite a while last night. Pa had shown Tyler to his room, while I decided to sit a spell and think on things. Pretty soon, though, I was blubbering like a baby—and Tyler was there to comfort me.”

  Dora hid her smile. “I see.”

  “Oh Ma.” Amy had a look in her eyes that left her mother no doubt as to her daughter’s heart. “The best part was that he knew just what to say and then he prayed with me. Not just a short little prayer, but he really prayed. We must have talked to God for over an hour before we got it all said.”

  Dora squeezed Amy’s shoulder and offered her a chair. Saying nothing, the two women sat down to the table, and Dora reached out her hand to take Amy’s. Through the hallway drifted Angie’s laughter, causing a frown to form on Amy’s lips. Glancing up at her mother, Amy suddenly felt a kindred spirit with the woman who’d given her life. Dora smiled sympathetically, yet it was something more than just that.

  “You know, don’t you?” Amy questioned. “You know what I’m feeling inside.”

  Dora nodded. “I’ve waited long enough to see you feel it. I knew when love came to you it would come like a rushing wind that knocked you off your feet and took away your breath.”

  “That’s just how it is, too,” Amy agreed. She found comfort in the fact that her mother knew her so well. Angie’s boisterous laugh sounded again and Dora patted Amy’s hand.

  “Don’t give it a second thought,” she reassured. “If God is for you, who can be against you?”

  Amy nodded, finding comfort in her mother’s words.

  Hours later, the storm still showed no signs of abating. Tyler donned heavy boots and clothes to help Charles with the chores that wouldn’t keep, while the womenfolk worked to keep the house warm and made sure that hot food and coffee were waiting.

  Amy tried not to feel angry when Angie managed to control Tyler’s time. She even bit back an angry remark when Angie set the table for dinner and placed Tyler between herself and Charles.

  But by the time dinner was over, Amy had more than enough of Angie’s brazen behavior and blatant designs. After washing the dishes, Amy managed to slip unnoticed to the back parlor. She sat down and considered her feelings in silence.

  “I don’t mean to be jealous, Lord. It’s just that I can’t hold a candle to my sister. I wish I could have more confidence like Angie, but it’s just not me,” she whispered aloud.

  No, it isn’t you, a voice seemed to whisper to her heart. Amy sat back and closed her eyes. Was God trying to speak to her? She relaxed for a moment, listening to the gentle silence, before feeling the need to say more. “Forgive me, Father. I’m sorry for being so mean-tempered. Forgive me.” She felt a peace spread throughout her body. She wasn’t Angie and she’d never be as lively and vivacious as her sister, but that didn’t mean God hadn’t given her qualities of merit that were all her own. Qualities that she already knew attracted Tyler.

  “All right, Father.” She folded her hands in her lap. “What do I do now?”

  Chapter 8

  Are you avoiding me?”

  Amy’s head snapped up, surprised that Tyler had managed to get away from Angie long enough to seek her out. She tried to choose her words carefully before replying.

  “No,” she answered finally. “I just figured your attention was pretty well taken.” She bit her lip, immediately wishing that she’d said something else.

  “Your sister does have a way about her, doesn’t she?” He laughed and came closer to where Amy sat.

  “She always has,” Amy replied rather flippantly. The anger was starting to surface again, making her feel she was a miserable failure after all her efforts to put her bad feelings aside.

  Tyler suddenly
became aware of Amy’s feelings. She was obviously put out with the way Angie had monopolized his time. Why hadn’t he seen it before? Reaching out, he pulled Amy to her feet and encircled her in his arms.

  “Don’t you know yet?” he whispered.

  “Know what?” Amy’s voice was a bit breathless. His actions had taken her by surprise.

  “It’s you I care about, not Angie. It’s you who’s captured my heart.” Tyler’s eyes pierced Amy’s facade of strength. Her mouth formed an O, but no sound escaped her lips. The sheepish curl of Tyler’s lips widened into a full-fledged grin. “That’s what I like best about you, Amy. You’re unassuming and so innocent. You have no idea what you do to me. Why, just one look at those big brown eyes and my heart does flip-flops inside. I love you, Amy.”

  Amy was grateful for the arms that held her. Her knees felt like jelly and she was certain that she swayed noticeably at Tyler’s declaration. “I think I’d better sit down,” she said weakly.

  Tyler stared at her with concern. “Did I say something wrong?” His worried expression steadied Amy’s legs.

  “No,” she managed to say, her voice so hoarse that it sounded nothing like normal. “You said something very right.”

  “I had hoped you felt the same way. I know we’re moving things pretty fast, but I feel like we’ve lived a lifetime of experiences in the few short times we’ve spent together. After last night”—Tyler sighed—“after last night, I knew. I knew without a doubt that I loved you.”

  He’d said it again. Amy felt a wash of excitement and wonder flood over her. “I still think I’d like to sit down,” she whispered, and with a smile that lit up his eyes, Tyler assisted her back into the chair.

  Amy was elated by Tyler’s words, but in the back of her mind a nagging doubt crept in to spoil the perfect picture. Angie! Tyler immediately noticed the change in Amy and pulled up a chair to sit directly in front of her. “You might as well tell me what’s on your mind, ’cause I’m not going away until you do.”

  Amy grimaced and nodded. “All right,” she said with a sigh. “It’s Angie. She fancies that you’re the one man who can get her away from small town life. She’s set her cap for you, I’m afraid, and a more determined force you will never have to reckon with.”

  Tyler rubbed his chin thoughtfully and shrugged his shoulders. “I’m honored that she thinks so highly of me, but it doesn’t matter. She’s a nice girl and I realize you look a great deal alike, some might even say identical, although I’ve noticed some differences. Anyway, Angie’s not for me. I’ve no desire to live in the city. I’ve done that and it chokes the life out of me.”

  “But don’t you see,” Amy pleaded, “this thing will be between us. I love my sister and I don’t want to hurt her. She’ll think I worked against her, knowing what she had in mind for you, and that I stole you away from her. I can’t have that kind of rivalry between us. I’ve fought too long and hard to avoid it.”

  “Is that why you don’t have any other suitors?” Tyler asked softly.

  “Yes, I suppose it is. The one man in this town who’s paid me the slightest attention has only done so because his brothers forbid him to chase after Angie. You see, they both want her for themselves and refuse to have another rival for her attention.” Amy couldn’t believe she was sharing all of this with Tyler.

  “I just don’t want her hurt, Tyler,” she stressed. “Angie’s just being Angie and she really isn’t trying to hurt me. She’s just so used to me backing away from her conquests and leaving her to her designs.”

  “And what about this time?” Tyler asked with a raised brow. His face held a look of amusement that eased Amy’s tension.

  “This time, I’m not backing away,” she replied in a whisper.

  “Good,” Tyler countered, “because I wouldn’t let you if you tried.” He reached out to hold her hand. “I can deal with Angie.”

  “How, without hurting her and making this an issue between sisters?”

  “Leave it to me,” he answered lightly. “I’ve had to deal with hundreds of mommas and their daughters. All who have set their strategies toward seeing me married. I’ve fought them off this long, I reckon I can handle one very lively Angela Carmichael.”

  Amy shook her head with a sadness in her eyes. “I don’t think it will be that simple, Tyler. She’s got a tender heart, in spite of her outward appearance of invincibility.”

  “Trust me, Amy. I will work this thing out so that it’s Angie, herself, who loses interest. She’ll cast me aside quick enough when she learns that I’ve no intention of living in the city or even moving close to one. When I make it clear that the open Kansas prairies are my home, she’ll no doubt find a way to ease herself away from me.”

  Amy’s face lit up. For the first time since this problem developed, she saw a way around having to battle with Angie for Tyler. “It just might work,” she smiled.

  “Trust me,” Tyler said with a wink, “it’ll work.”

  Amy made herself scarce for the rest of the day so that Tyler would have time to speak with Angie. Because of the storm’s relentless tirade, the entire family was trapped inside the house through the whole long day; Tyler would surely have plenty of opportunities to get his message across to Angie.

  When suppertime came, Amy joined her mother in the kitchen to help prepare the meal. Angie wandered in, seeming rather dejected, and Amy felt certain that Tyler had made his plans known to her.

  “Angie, you can set the table while Amy cuts this bread,” Dora said, noticing that Angie was just moving about aimlessly.

  Angie did as she was told, setting the plates absentmindedly on the red checkered tablecloth they used for every day. Soon, Dora was calling the men to supper, and Amy found herself privileged to sit beside Tyler, while Angie quietly ate her dinner beside their mother. Apparently, Tyler’s plan had worked.

  After supper, everyone gathered in the front parlor to talk and share stories of days gone by. Charles and Tyler shared a game of checkers, while Amy and Dora worked on quilt blocks. Angie excused herself to her room, much to everyone’s surprise. Everyone except Amy, who knew that her sister had seen her dreams defeated in one swift blow. Her heart ached for her, and silently Amy prayed that God would send a man for Angie. One who would understand her needs and love her.

  The wind died down around eight-thirty, and Amy found herself so tired that she, too, decided to excuse herself. Dora put aside her sewing and, with a nod to her husband, expressed her desire to also retire.

  Charles stood and put a loving arm around his wife. “It’s been a real joy having you here, Tyler. I’d like nothing better than if we could find a way to keep you on full-time as our parson. I intend to speak to the townsfolk and see if they aren’t of the same mind. Do you suppose you might be interested in settling down in a tiny town like Deer Ridge?”

  Tyler cast a quick glance at Amy and then smiled broadly at Charles and Dora. “I might be persuaded.”

  Charles laughed. “Somehow I thought you might be willing to consider it.” With that, he and Dora went upstairs, leaving Amy and Tyler to follow.

  Amy took one of the oil lamps and handed it to Tyler. “In case you want to read,” she said and moved to extinguish the other lamps.

  With nothing more than the soft glow from the fireplace and the lamp that Tyler held, Amy turned to study him for a moment. “Thank you,” she finally said. “Thank you for caring and helping Angie through this.”

  Tyler moved forward and put an arm around Amy’s shoulders. “I simply told her the truth,” he answered. “I told her my heart could never be in the city.”

  Amy smiled knowingly and climbed the stairs with Tyler at her side. At the top, they stood for a moment before Tyler placed a brief kiss on Amy’s mouth.

  Amy felt a happiness like she’d never known, and her expression clearly revealed her heart. Without words, she went to her room, while Tyler moved in the opposite direction to the guest room.

  “Thank You, God,” she w
hispered against her closed bedroom door. She hugged her arms to her breasts and smiled, knowing that tonight’s dreams would be the sweetest of all.

  By morning the weather had cleared, leaving pale blue skies and sunshine against the snow-white prairie fields. Huge drifts of snow had piled up against the house, barn, and fences. Anything that stood out as an obstacle to the blowing snow found itself insulated in white.

  Tyler shared morning devotions with the Carmichaels before announcing his departure. Amy was happy to see that Angie was acting more like herself and smiled when her sister spoke of the Anderson brothers for the first time in weeks. Tyler was happy to see the recovery of Angie’s lively spirit, as well. He’d felt confident that he could disinterest Angie in him as husband material, but like Amy, he was worried that she might somehow place the problem between her and her sister.

  “When will you be back our way?” Charles asked, while Dora began clearing the breakfast dishes from the table.

  “I plan to spend Christmas here,” Tyler replied. “That is, if you think folks around here will approve.”

  Charles laughed. “I think they’ll more than approve. It’ll be our first Christmas with a real parson in charge. I’ll see to it that plans get made for a real celebration. We’ll have the kids put on a play or something and the ladies can all make those goodies we enjoy so much.”

  “I’ll look forward to it then,” Tyler said enthusiastically.

  “Where are you headed after you leave here?” Dora asked. “I’d be happy to pack you some food for the road.”

  “I’d appreciate that, Dora. I promised to stop by the Riggs’ place for the funeral. With this snow, I doubt many folks will be able to get away, and it will be difficult at best to make a proper grave. I want to offer Carl as much help as I can.”

  “Of course,” Dora replied. “I don’t imagine we’ll be able to make the funeral.” She glanced up to see her husband shake his head.

  “I don’t see how,” Charles agreed. “I’m still not sure what kind of damage the storm has done. If we can, we’ll go over later on and see what kind of help we can offer.”