Felix’s head spun as he considered the possibilities. He always felt like he was right where he belonged when he was with Amelia, but whenever they were apart, he could feel the doubts creeping in. He would never admit it out loud, but there was a small, nagging voice in the back of his head that wondered if they were truly meant to be together. Felix pushed the thought out of his mind. Amelia was his wife, and if nothing else, he was determined to do right by her. He would do whatever he could to get these men to leave her alone for good.
Felix dismounted as he arrived at the McClain property. He fed his horse some carrots and tied him to a post. He headed into the work area.
To his surprise, Abner was giving orders instead of Tom. He spoke to a large group of men. When he finished speaking, the group scattered to begin their work.
“Where’s Tom?” Felix questioned.
“He’s seeing Cletus this morning,” Abner explained.
Felix suddenly remembered Tom’s promise the night before that he would speak to Cletus and see if the older man could use any of his connections to help get the men out of Nowhere. Felix was surprised that Tom had gone during working hours. He appreciated that his employer cared so deeply that he was willing to lose some of his work time.
“What are you waiting for?” Abner asked. “Didn’t you hear my assignments? Time to get to work!”
Abner raced off, leaving Felix in the field, scratching his head. He hadn’t, in fact, heard Abner’s assignments. He stood there for a few moments, rubbing his eyes. Although he’d downed two cups of coffee that morning, they hadn’t seemed to have had any effect.
A few minutes later, Felix walked off in the direction of a group of men. He saw his friend Kent stacking piles of firewood.
“Kent, did you by any chance hear which group I was assigned to work with?” Felix tried to sound nonchalant.
Kent laughed. “You weren’t paying attention to Abner?”
Felix sighed. “I’ve been a little distracted lately.”
Kent’s expression grew solemn as he stacked another piece of wood. “You’re on barn duty with Bryce,” he explained. “Felix, please let me know if there’s anything you or Amelia need.”
Felix nodded. “Thank you, Kent. I will.” As he began to walk toward the stables, he turned to Kent again. “Have you heard anything more about the men? Did anyone see them last night?”
Kent shook his head. “So far, we’re trying to put the word out so everyone knows. As far as I’m concerned, they’re not staying anywhere in this town. No one would have the likes of them!”
“Thank you, Kent,” Felix said gratefully. He set off for the stables. When he got there, he greeted Bryce, who was shoveling manure out of the stalls. “Morning, Bryce!”
“Don’t just stand there!” Bryce commanded. “Grab a shovel and help out!”
Felix laughed. He knew his good friend was only teasing, and it felt good to laugh. It helped take his mind off his anxiety and concern for Amelia.
Felix had no doubt that it would be a long road ahead. He would need all the help he could get, and in the end, he had no idea if he and his friends would be successful in driving the debt collectors away from their close-knit town. But he had Amelia, he had his family, and he seemingly had the support of the entire town of Nowhere. He picked up the shovel and started digging. It would be tough, but he would do absolutely everything in his power to protect his wife and family.
Nine
The following day, Edna Petunia knocked on the door to a small, cheerful cottage near the Nowhere church. Everyone had told her this stop was a waste of her time, but she thought it was important to get to every home in and around Nowhere. “Hello? Is anyone home?” Edna Petunia called from the porch. “I’m going to melt out here!”
She heard some shuffling inside. A few moments later, Henrietta Patterson opened the front door. “Yes, dear?” Henrietta was far older than Edna Petunia. No one in town knew exactly how old she was, but they knew that her family had been in Nowhere since the town was first settled. Henrietta walked slowly, used a cane, and had tiny eyeglasses perched on her nose. Other than that, she seemed to be in perfect shape. “Do come in. I’ll make you some tea.”
“Heavens, no, I don’t have time for tea!” Edna Petunia exclaimed. She accepted Henrietta’s invitation and barreled into the house. “Henrietta, I need to speak with you about something important.”
“Do go on, my dear,” Henrietta instructed as she led Edna Petunia into her sitting room. Henrietta took a seat in a magnificent turquoise armchair, and Edna Petunia sat on the sofa directly across from it.
“There are bad men in town,” Edna Petunia began. “One of our newest residents, Amelia Appleton—er, now she’s Amelia Gardener—came from Boston originally. Apparently, her parents owed money to a dangerous debtor. Now, the collector has followed her all the way to Nowhere.”
Henrietta gasped and put a hand to her heart. “They followed her all the way here from Boston? My word!” She paused and frowned. “What does this all have to do with me, my dear?”
Edna Petunia pulled a peppermint stick out of her bosom. She inspected it, rubbed it with her handkerchief, and held it out to Henrietta. “Peppermint stick?”
Henrietta frowned. “No thank you, my dear.”
Edna Petunia shrugged and stuck the peppermint stick into her mouth, crunching it noisily. “I’m going door to door and spreading the word. If these men—here’s a picture someone drew—come here, seeking a place to stay, you must send word to Felix and Amelia Gardener immediately. You can’t let them stay here. Do you understand?”
Henrietta nodded. “Of course. And I would never allow strangers to stay here. You have nothing to worry about with me.” She inspected the picture closely. “I haven’t seen either of these men. Or at least, I don’t think I have. My eyesight’s not what it used to be. But I would have remembered meeting unfamiliar men of this size. I don’t think I’ve encountered either of them.”
Just then, a litter of terriers ran into the room, yapping at Edna Petunia’s feet. She petted them on the head, beaming. “Well, aren’t they lively!”
Henrietta smiled. “Yes, my little ones bring me so much joy. Piper, Harper, and Scoop will keep me safe if anyone tries to harm me.”
Edna Petunia didn’t want to contradict the older woman, so she kept her mouth shut. But as she eyed the tiny dogs, she wondered just how helpful they would be in a dangerous situation. Still, she wasn’t about to start a disagreement with Henrietta Patterson. “I’d best be on my way,” Edna Petunia told Henrietta. “I need to get around to all the houses in Nowhere before these men try to sweet talk their way into someone’s hen house!”
“Thank you for coming to alert me to the situation, Edna Petunia. No one ever visits old Henrietta,” the older woman said sadly.
Edna Petunia felt sorry for Henrietta. She didn’t have a husband or children who Edna Petunia was aware of. She resolved to visit Henrietta’s house occasionally so the woman wouldn’t be so lonely. “Goodbye, Piper!” Edna Petunia bent down and rubbed the top of a terrier’s head.
“That’s Scoop!” Henrietta corrected.
Edna Petunia laughed. “Goodbye, Scoop! Goodbye, all of you!” Edna Petunia glanced at the clock in Henrietta’s house before she went back outside. It was a dusty, humid summer’s day, and she stood in the shade of two big trees on Henrietta’s property, trying to regulate her body temperature. She had a lot of ground to cover if she wanted to make it home by nightfall. But it was important that they spread the word about the men causing trouble for Amelia.
Edna Petunia and her adopted daughters had quickly come up with a game plan to contact every person who lived in Nowhere. Even though all of her daughters had children and responsibilities of their own, each one was willing to pitch in and help out while Amelia needed help. Some of them were scheduled to stay with Amelia during the day while Felix was at work. Penny was taking the first shift, and the other women would help out when they coul
d. The rest were, like Edna Petunia, going around to all of the houses in Nowhere, showing the picture of the men who had threatened Amelia and warning everyone that these men were dangerous and not to be trusted.
Edna Petunia sighed as she set off for the next stop. It was going to be a long day. She hoped that the men would be caught and run out of Nowhere so they couldn’t bother Amelia or Felix again. She was proud of her work as a mail order-bride matchmaker and wouldn’t stand for anyone who got in the way of one of her couples finding happiness.
Edna Petunia made her way through the town, fanning herself in the dry heat. She knew she should probably have volunteered for a shift at the house, but she loved getting out and talking to people in Nowhere that she hadn’t had a chance to catch up with in a while. Truth be told, she would have felt bored sitting in Amelia’s house all day.
At the next house on her list, no one was home, so Edna Petunia wrote a note with a description of the men for them and slipped it under their door. She would have gladly left a picture, but the person who had sketched it had only made a few copies, and she didn’t want to give one up. She frowned as she peered at the paper. She wasn’t sure if she would recognize the men if they walked in front of her. The sketch was good, but it was hard to imagine what they looked like face to face.
Still, Edna Petunia knew that if she did come across them, she would want to give them a piece of her mind. Cletus had made her promise not to do anything foolish, but she knew that if presented with the opportunity, she would say exactly what she wanted to say.
It was almost lunchtime, and Edna Petunia was starving. She decided to walk into town and see if Cletus was available for lunch. When she knocked, Timothy Parker, one of her sons-in-law and Cletus’s associate, answered the door.
Timothy’s face brightened. “Edna Petunia! What are you doing here?”
Edna Petunia rushed into the law office, fanning herself with her papers. “I needed to break for lunch after a morning of rushing around.”
“My bride!” Cletus exclaimed. He rushed up to his wife, grabbed her around the waist, and began kissing her passionately.
Timothy looked away politely. He loved his in-laws, but at times, they were a lot to take in.
“Are you hungry? I have enough to share,” Cletus told Edna Petunia.
“You read my mind. I’m starved!” Edna Petunia replied. They sat down at the small table in Cletus’s office. Cletus opened the tin he always carried his lunch in. Edna Petunia had made her famous fried chicken a few days ago, and he had been enjoying the leftovers. He began to set out the meal, and Edna Petunia found plates and cutlery in one of his cabinets.
“I’ll let you two catch up,” Timothy offered. “I could use some fresh air.” He exited the building to take a walk.
“How is it going, dear?” Cletus asked as they began to eat.
Edna Petunia bit into a piece of chicken and chewed as she considered the question. “Fine, I think. I just saw Henrietta Patterson and her silly little dogs.”
Cletus grinned, amused. “Wonder how old those dogs are.”
Edna Petunia laughed. “I’m glad we’re getting out and spreading the word. Have you made any progress?” She knew her son-in-law Tom had been by the day before to ask for Cletus’s help as a town official.
Cletus shook his head. “Not just yet. I had Timothy send a telegraph to our colleagues in other towns. We haven’t heard back from anyone yet.”
“Hmph.” Edna Petunia finished a piece of chicken and licked her lips. “I can’t believe these men. Who do they think they are, coming into our town? They have no right to be here.”
Cletus shrugged. “Legally, we don’t have many options. Right now, it’s hearsay. People allege these men made threats, but there’s no proof.”
“Isn’t that your job, dear?” Edna Petunia asked.
“Isn’t what my job?” Cletus questioned, puzzled.
“To find the proof,” Edna Petunia replied matter-of-factly.
Cletus chuckled. “That’s one way to look at it. Now get over here.”
Edna Petunia stood up and sat in Cletus’s lap, embracing her husband. She could get used to lunches like this!
* * *
Over at the McClain ranch, Felix felt anxious. Each moment he was away from Amelia, he was sure that something bad would happen. He knew that the whole town had pulled together to help, but that didn’t give him much comfort when he thought about what the man had said and done. He chastised himself for not teaching her how to use a gun.
Instead of eating lunch with the other men who worked for Tom, Felix rushed home. Even though he usually let himself into his home without knocking, he didn’t want to frighten Amelia or Gertrude, the woman who was staying with her that morning. He rapped on the door. “It’s me, Felix! I came home for lunch.”
Amelia opened the door a few moments later. “I wasn’t expecting you!” She checked around nervously to make sure Felix was alone. She held the door open so he could walk inside.
Felix stepped into the house. “Hello again, Gertrude.”
“Felix, you didn’t have to come home for lunch,” Amelia clucked. “You’re going to have to turn right back around in a few minutes so you can get back in time!”
Felix sighed. “I know. But I was worried about you and wanted to see you with my own two eyes.”
“Felix, Amelia is safe with me,” Gertrude said. “I promise.”
“It’s not you I’m worried about,” Felix replied.
“Come on, let’s get some food in you before you have to get back to the ranch!” Amelia commanded.
Felix opened his mouth to protest, but he was too exhausted. Plus, it felt nice to simply take orders for a change. And he really was hungry.
“I’ll let you two speak privately. I’m going to sit on the porch. I’ll let you know if I see anyone coming,” Gertrude told them, taking her book with her.
Amelia quickly fixed some leftovers so Felix could eat them before he had to leave. “Felix, I know you’re worried about me, but to be perfectly honest, I'm more worried about you.”
“What do you mean?” Felix asked sharply. He took a bite of the roast chicken and carrots in front of him.
“You didn’t sleep at all last night or the night before, and now you’re running yourself ragged trying to protect me,” Amelia explained. “You can’t continue like this. You’ll burn out, and then you won’t be any good for anything.”
Felix wasn’t sure if it was the lack of sleep or the stress of the situation, but he jumped up, feeling like Amelia had attacked him. “Everything I’m doing is for our family!” He slammed his fork down onto the table and stormed out of the house. On the porch, he waited for Gertrude to go back inside.
As soon as Gertrude saw Felix’s face, she didn’t ask any questions, simply returned inside the house. Once she had shut the door again, Felix mounted his horse and headed back to McClain Ranch. He couldn’t believe what Amelia had said to him. Didn’t she understand how hard he was working to protect his family? He felt disappointed and betrayed.
Frustrated and sad, he spurred his horse to go faster. At least once he got back to work, he could be distracted by tasks and responsibilities around the ranch. Thinking about his relationship and the threat to his family was making him too angry.
Meanwhile, inside the house, Amelia felt badly about what she’d said to Felix. She had only been trying to help, but he had seemed offended by her concerns. Amelia wasn’t sure how to make him see where she was coming from. Amelia glanced up at Gertrude. Her new friend, another one of Edna Petunia’s adoptive daughters, had come into the house quietly and resumed reading. “Gertrude, do you and Jed ever have disagreements?”
Gertrude looked up from her work. “Of course. Jed and I are very different, so sometimes, we see the world differently. But we try to get that resolved as quickly as possible, especially for the children’s sake.”
Amelia nodded. “That makes sense.” She bit her lip. “I’m worr
ied about my marriage to Felix.”
Gertrude set her book down. “Why do you say that?”
“He seems very stressed with everything going on. I feel badly because it’s all my fault, and I’m trying to help him,” Amelia elaborated. “But every time I try, he seems to blow up at me.”
“I see. That sounds very difficult. I'm sure he is very scared, though. He wants to help, and he probably doesn’t know how,” Gertrude replied.
“That’s a good point. I hadn’t thought about it that way,” Amelia remarked.
“This is a stressful time for you, too, Amelia. I’m sure you and Felix will find a way to work it out,” Gertrude told her.
“Thank you, Gertrude.” Amelia felt better talking to Gertrude. She wasn’t sure what would happen to her and Felix, but it helped a lot to have friends around to help keep her safe. She hadn’t had anyone to support her in Boston after her parents died. Now it seemed like she had a whole team of people helping her and Felix.
There was a loud knock at the door, and Amelia felt her heart begin to race. Gertrude stood up and motioned for Amelia to stay quiet. “Who is it?” Gertrude asked confidently.
“It’s me, Jed,” came the voice from the other side of the door.
Gertrude opened the door a little bit, checking to make sure he was telling the truth. She hadn’t been expecting her husband, and she would know his voice anywhere, but she was on high alert given the situation. When she saw it really was him, she opened the door wider and allowed him to come in.
Jed took Gertrude’s face in his hands and planted a big kiss on her lips. Amelia smiled and felt the tips of her ears turning pink. “Sorry about that,” Jed said in his casual, easygoing way. In her head, Gertrude and Jed seemed like perfect opposites, but somehow, their marriage obviously worked. Jed cleared his throat. “I came here as a reinforcement. We got word from Lewis at the mercantile —the men are still in town and have been asking about Amelia. They were seen heading this way. We’re afraid they’re going to come here next.”
Amelia’s Arrangement: Madame Matchmaker Page 7