WOMEN OF SURPRISE 03: Making Over Maggie

by Tracey J. Lyons

  "What is the meaning of this?" Samuel sputtered.

  Shuffling his feet nervously from side to side, Walter replied, "They've gone off together."

  "For three days?" Sam shouted.

  "It's not that long, Samuel. They're going to Albany."

  "I know where they've gone!" Crumpling up the stationery, he tossed it on the floor. "My mother and Maggie alone for three days," he mumbled, pacing in front of his brother. Good God, what kind of trouble would they get in to? More importantly, he thought, what secrets of his would they share? Oh, he didn't like this one bit, not one bit. It was never good when women got together, especially when one was his mother and the other-well, the other was Maggie.

  "Why did they need to go shopping in Albany? Can't they get what they need right here at the mercantile?" he wanted to know.

  Since Walter didn't know a thing about women, he didn't reply, just shrugged his shoulders.

  "This is just dandy!" Stomping out the door, he was tempted to march right up to the big house and find out what Miss Margaret knew. She probably put the two women up to their little sojourn.

  "Walter, did they say anything other than what was in the note?" Samuel turned around to find Walter right at his heels.

  "Nope. Just handed it to me and told me when to give it to you"

  Samuel resumed pacing on the walkway in front of the dance hall. Every few minutes he'd stop to glance up at Miss Margaret's house, wondering if he should go up there.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of their father coming down the pebbled path leading from Miss Margaret's place.

  "Good day, boys"

  "Hello, Father," he muttered.

  "Been standing around here long?"

  "Not too long, Pa. I gave Sam the note from Miss Maggie and Ma"

  His father's brows shot up. "I see. Nice the way Miss Maggie's befriended your mother isn't it, Samuel?"

  Scowling at his father, he almost didn't reply and then said, "No. I don't think it's nice." Raking his hand through his hair in frustration, he stepped away from them.

  Behind him he heard his father tell his brother he'd like a word with him. As Walter walked off in the direction of the mercantile, Sam felt his father's touch on his arm.

  "If you're so worried about the womenfolk, why don't you go after them?"

  Spinning around, he looked into his father's eyes as sheer panic gripped him. Going after those two would be far worse than staying put.

  Laughing in a knowing way, his father said, "I didn't think the notion of doing that would sit too well. There's nothing worse a man could do than come between two women on a mission. And from what I saw this morning, those two were on one. Been a long time since your ma has been able to purchase new things. Since we made a nice profit on our land, I guess she's entitled to spend some of the money"

  "You saw them?" Sam wanted to know about every word spoken and every glance exchanged.

  "Samuel, you've got to trust them. Those two weren't going off to tell each other about you, they were going shopping."

  Stubbornly he refused to believe it was a simple shopping trip, but he knew if he were going to keep his sanity over the next three days, he'd best let those thoughts go.

  Looking at his father, he asked, "Can I buy you a root beer? We just got some new kegs delivered."

  "I'd like that, son"

  They settled at a table near the windows where they could see people passing by. A silence fell between them and Samuel toyed with his glass, wondering who would be the first to break the silence.

  "How long you been here, son?" his father asked, sipping at the drink while he watched the world go by on the other side of the window.

  "Going on four months."

  "When are you planning on leaving?"

  The question caught him off guard. Staring at his father, he realized that leaving Surprise had never occurred to him. The fact of the matter was that he liked the town and was growing fond of the people in it.

  Therefore his reply was simple, "I'm not leaving."

  "So you're staying on with Miss Maggie?"

  Shifting uneasily in his seat, Sam tried to put his feelings for the woman in perspective. She was stubborn, outspoken, and had a darn good business sense about her. She scared the life out of him.

  "Maggie and I are business partners"

  "She's pretty enough"

  "Very. And I love her." Pushing the half empty glass to the center of the table he continued, "I told her so today. And then instead of staying here with me, she goes running off with my mother!"

  "Women can be funny sometimes." Gazing out the window, his father said, "I'd like for us to start fresh. Right now, today. We can't change our pasts, son, but maybe we can make the future better."

  He thought about Maggie and the things she'd said to him right after his family had shown up here out of the blue. Everyone made their own choices in life, his had just been different from what his parents had wanted.

  You can't change your past, he thought, but he sure could do something about the future. Did he really want to continue on with the rest of his life not having a connection to his family? Sighing, he knew he didn't.

  For years he'd thought otherwise and now he knew the time had come to make amends.

  Laying his hands on the table in front of him, he studied his father. He looked tired. The life he'd left behind had taken its toll on his father. Suddenly Sam was ashamed by his actions of so long ago. He'd left a struggling family to seek out his own fortune, never caring one way or the other how their lives ended up.

  "I'm sorry for leaving you with so many burdens" It was as simple as apologies came, yet it was all he could bring himself to offer this man.

  "I know you are."

  In this world forgiveness didn't always come easy, but today for Daniel and Samuel Clay it did.

  "You've got a nice establishment here"

  Relaxing a bit, he leaned back in his chair. "That we do. Maggie is great with keeping the business organized."

  "Did you ever think you'd find yourself in business with a woman?"

  He shook his head. "Not one like Maggie."

  "You could do worse in life." Winking at him, his father added, "I think you'd best ask her to become your wife before some other man snatches her away from you"

  He darn near choked on the swallow of root beer he'd just taken. The man sure didn't beat around the bush. "I wasn't thinking that far ahead"

  "Well, you should be. From what I've seen, there are a lot of eligible men walking around this town. Might be just a matter of time before another one catches her eye"

  He had to hand it to his father; he was a sly one. He'd easily planted the seed in Samuel's mind. Now he had to figure out a way to convince Miss Maggie that they should spend the rest of their lives together without making himself crazy.

  The women stepped off the train and onto the platform loaded down with parcels. Behind them the conductor followed with more packages. It looked as if they'd bought out an entire store. Thankfully, Maggie had had the foresight to wire ahead to have Mr. Wagner meet them at the station with one of Aunt Margaret's carriages.

  She could hardly wait to unpack all the pretty skirts with matching blouses. She'd also bought her cousins and aunt some pretty things too. The soft quilted blanket and the perfect christening dress she'd purchased for Cole and Abigail's new baby were simply the cutest.

  Looking about as they stood in the shade under the platform roof, Maggie searched the road for any sign of Mr. Wagner. Knowing how easily distracted the man could become, she thought perhaps he'd forgotten to come get them.

  "Oh, look, there's Samuel. He's coming our way."

  Craning her neck around for a better view, Maggie looked in the direction Emma was pointing. Sure enough, coming down the crowded street was Samuel, seated on one of Aunt Margaret's carriages.

  "I wonder if he's coming to get us. I thought your aunt's friend Mr. Wagner was going to pick us up."r />
  "He was" The parcels were growing heavy in her arms and she was quite certain that Mrs. Clay would be relieved to be rid of hers. Shifting the weight around, Maggie watched as Samuel pulled the carriage to a stop at the curb.

  Tipping his hat to them, he said, "Good afternoon, ladies. Looks like you bought out every shop in Albany" Walking to his mother, he quickly relieved her of the bulk of her packages.

  Kissing him on the cheek, Emma Clay looked up at her eldest son in adoration. "We would have done just that, except Maggie kept reminding me we had to carry all of this stuff on the train."

  After helping him stow the remainder of the boxes, Maggie allowed him to help her into the carriage. Since his mother was already settled in the back seat, Maggie sat up front with him.

  "I'm glad you came to get us"

  Pulling away from the platform, he looked out of the corner of his eye at her. "I had to fight with John over the carriage."

  "Yes, he is rather proprietary when it comes to Aunt Margaret's belongings."

  Slapping the reins against the horse, he asked, "Did you ever wonder if there was something more between them than just this friendship?"

  "On more than one occasion my cousins and I have discussed the matter."

  "And what conclusion did you come to?"

  "It was none of our business."

  "I see, so you don't think they would ever get married?"

  "I don't know. My aunt loved her husband deeply. I suppose she might stay single to honor his memory"

  "What are your thoughts on the institution of marriage?" He was smiling rather broadly, she thought, much like the cat who'd swallowed the canary.

  Her heartbeat quickened and her stomach began to flutter. If what she was hoping came true, Sam was going to propose to her!

  "I hired my brother to help out with cleaning and odd jobs" Turning his head a little to the side, he looked at her. "I hope that's all right with you."

  His mother spoke up from the back seat. "I think hiring Walter is a wonderful idea. It will be good for him to get to know his older brother again. He was so young when you left, Samuel"

  "We needed some extra help and I'm glad your brother can help us out" Maggie was having trouble keeping up with him. One minute he was talking about marriages and the next he was discussing business.

  "Father has been looking for a place for you to rent. I think Mr. Jules-he owns the mercantile," he explained to him mother, "will have some rooms to let by the end of next week"

  "This is wonderful news, Samuel!"

  Maggie kept glancing at him. She couldn't help it; any minute now she expected him to come back around to the subject at hand, which was their relationship!

  The carriage slowed as they started the ascent up the curving drive to Aunt Margaret's house. They jostled about and Maggie bumped against Samuel's shoulder.

  Smiling apologetically, he said, "Sorry. The reins slipped from my hands"

  "Samuel, is everything all right? You seem a bit ... I don't know, distracted."

  "You drive me to distraction and I'm just delighted you're home"

  "For goodness sake! I was gone for three days, in Albany of all places. Not too far and certainly not long enough for you to have missed me"

  A feeling of unease began to work its way up her spine. Something was definitely amiss here. First he spoke of marriage and then he went on and on about the hall. This could only mean one thing-trouble, and she knew in what form. "Are those flashy dancing girls coming back here? Because if you've gone ahead and scheduled them without consulting with me first, I'll . . she huffed. "Well, I'll be angry at you."

  Crossing her arms over her chest, she added stubbornly, "We had an agreement, Samuel"

  Calmly pulling the carriage to a stop in front of the steps, he said, "Yes, we did, Maggie, and I haven't done anything to break it."

  Quirking an eyebrow at him, she asked, "Are you sure?"

  "Cross my heart" He ran his finger lightly over his chest, marking his heart.

  "Then tell me why you look so .. " Sweeping her hand in the air, she finished, "so happy"

  Throwing his head back, he began to laugh.

  "Stop that right this instant."

  Settling down a bit he finally said to her, "Is there something wrong with being happy, Maggie? I mean it, have you ever been so happy with your lot in life that you thought you just might burst from the feeling of it?"

  Glancing over her shoulder she saw Emma leaning forward in the seat. She was watching the two of them with keen interest.

  "Must we have this conversation in front of your mother?" Two could play at this little game.

  He looked surprised to be reminded that she was still in the carriage. Jumping down from the seat, he offered, "Here, Mother, let me help you down and then I can bring in these packages for you"

  Accepting his hand, she smiled up at him. "Thank you dear, such a gentleman you are"

  Maggie stayed in the carriage, watching him squire his mother and all those bundles into the house. They'd had a great deal of fun together. She found out that it had been years since Emma had been in Albany and even longer since she'd had the means with which to buy new things for herself.

  Of course it soon became apparent that Emma Clay had a penchant for buying. She was generous to a fault with her husband and younger son, even managing to find an outrageously colorful vest for Samuel.

  Maggie had fully intended to limit her own purchases to three new outfits. However, Emma's enthusiasm was contagious and she soon found herself with five brand new, ready-made dresses, complete with all the accessories right down to matching shoes.

  Both women were proud of the fact that there wasn't a brown or black piece of fabric to be found in either of their wardrobes. They were so alike and yet they had their differences too.

  Maggie was far more stubborn and set in her ways than Emma Clay was. Emma could forgive a person anything, even going so far as to absolve her eldest son of wrongdoing for leaving them behind all those years ago.

  She could learn a thing or two from the woman. Like how not to hold on to a grudge and perhaps how to be more giving and loving when it came to relationships with the opposite gender.

  So lost was Maggie in her musings, she hadn't even heard Samuel approaching, and looked up to find him standing by the side of the carriage.

  "Might I help you down?"

  Taking his hand, she allowed him to help her to the ground. When she went to pull away, he took hold of both of her hands, pulling her in close to him. She bumped against his broad chest.

  "Samuel?" He was going to ask her right here, right now, to marry him, she just knew it!

  "Maggie, I've missed you"

  "I've missed you too." There was a look in his eyes she'd never seen before, a warmth which seemed to spread from his eyes across his face, making her feel all tingly inside.

  Taking her hand, he started to lead her away from the front steps. They were heading in the direction of the bridal path which wound around the house, trailing off into the woods.

  Her knees quivered in anticipation. How romantic was his proposal going to be, here along the beautiful pathway so aptly named.

  Squeezing her hand in his, he grinned. It was becoming clear to her that he'd undergone some sort of transformation over the past three days. It was almost as if he'd finally come to terms with his past and all that brought him here to Surprise in the first place.

  "I have some news. Alexander has some land that he's willing to sell me at a reasonable price to build on"

  Pulling him up short, Maggie's heart pounded in her chest. "You're going to build a house?"

  He shrugged. "Sometimes things like this strike like lightening. I was talking with my father and he helped me see that all the things I want and need in my life are right here."

  "I'm so glad you want to stay here"

  "I have a business here, Maggie, and then there is you."

  They'd stopped walking amidst a patch of dai
sies. The tall thin stalks of white blooms swayed in the afternoon breeze. Looking past his shoulder way off in the distant horizon she could glimpse the end of the Catskill Mountain range.

  Slowly she worked her gaze back to him, waiting for the question. "Is there anything else you wish to tell me?"

  "I love you" He brought his face in close to hers, his penetrating stare reaching into her soul and capturing her heart.

  Sighing against him, she swayed slightly. "I love you, Samuel. You've waited a very long time to find a home"

  "I want the house to be built before I take a wife."

  Those certainly were not the words she'd been longing to hear. "I see" Stepping away from him, she felt the moment sliding away.

  "I've been thinking about a lot of things while you were away. For one thing, I never imagined myself having a woman for a business partner."

  "I think it worked out well for both of us. We found each other."

  "Yes, we sure did."

  "Samuel, isn't there something you'd like to ask me?" she prompted.

  "You aren't very patient, are you?"

  Shaking her head, she waited with bated breath.

  He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, looking uneasy and nervous, like a man who was having second thoughts or getting a severe case of cold feet.

  The bottom fell out of her stomach. He wasn't going to pop the question after all.

  Embarrassment for even daring to think he might propose marriage made her pull away from him. Casting her eyes to the ground, she impulsively gathered up her skirts and ran back down the path toward the house.

  He called out to her. Ignoring the sound of his voice, she let herself in the back door and raced up the servants' stairway into her bedroom.

  Anna had seen to emptying the carriage of her belongings. All of the wrapped and tied boxes were placed neatly on her bed. Thinking it would be oh so satisfying to throw them all on the floor, Maggie had to clasp her hands together to keep from doing just that.