“I think you should take that time. I wish you hadn’t committed to teaching because I would be happy if you wanted to stay at home and write.”
“Maybe someday. The children in town really do need an education, and I’m qualified to give them one. Without the sciences of course.”
Bob smiled. “Of course. Who needs science anyway?”
“Anyone who wants to be a doctor. Or an inventor. Or a scientist. I would love to have one of my students become an inventor someday. It would make me feel like I’d really accomplished something.”
“What if one of your students becomes a best-selling writer? Would that satisfy you?”
Jessie’s whole face lit up at the idea, giving him her answer before she opened her mouth. “It would make me very happy.”
As they continued talking, they uncovered one another’s hopes, dreams, and true inner hearts, finding each other more interesting and attractive than they had before. It wasn’t a perfect start to a marriage, but it was as close to perfect as either had expected.
* * *
As they drove toward his childhood home the following day, Bob told Jessie a little more about his parents. “My father has always been a farmer. He owns the biggest farm in this part of Texas, and we were always better off than most. He has several farm hands, but we boys were expected to pull our own weight as well. My parents are immigrants and they have a strong work ethic. They expect each of their sons to have one as well.”
“Where are they from?”
“England. They moved here as newlyweds many years ago. I’m not sure why they thought Texas was the place to begin farming, but it has worked out for them.”
“Oh, I don’t think I can like you. My parents were Stewarts from Scotland. They would have hated your parents.”
He sighed. “I think we need to get past that and move on with our lives. English and Scots are all part of the United Kingdom now.”
“That’s true. I suppose I can stop hating you on principle then.” She grinned at him.
“That’s very kind of you.” He pulled into his parents’ yard, parking next to the house. “They’re going to be a little startled to meet you, because they didn’t know I was marrying. Don’t worry about it though. I just didn’t want them to feel like we needed a huge wedding.”
“Would they have insisted on something big?”
“Yes! And I would have been embarrassed and it would have been hard to get through it all. It’s better this way, but today might be just a little awkward.”
She wasn’t certain she wanted to be there when his parents found out they’d married without them knowing about it. There was obviously no choice, though, because she was already there with him. After he helped her down, she got the cookies and bread from behind the seat. She’d put them in a wicker basket and wrapped cloth around them, so they would keep.
“I think I can do this,” she said uncertainly.
“You can. I promise. We’ll do it together. They’re going to love you.” His father would love her cooking if nothing else.
He walked right into the house, calling out, “Mother! I’m here!”
His mother came out of the kitchen, her hands on her hips. She was a rather round woman, and she wore an apron that covered the entire front of her dress. “Why did I have to hear it from the neighbors that you married? What is wrong with you?” She glared at Bob, her English accent strong.
He shrugged. “I didn’t want a big wedding, and I thought this was the best way. Mother, this is Jessamine, my wife. Jessie, this is my mother, Sarah.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Samuels.”
“And you, Jessamine.”
“Please call me Jessie.”
“Where are you from, Jessie?” Mrs. Samuels accepted the basket of food she was handed, but didn’t even glance at it. She was too intent on learning about her new daughter-in-law.
“I was born and raised in New York. I came out here on Friday to marry Bob.”
Mrs. Samuels sighed heavily. “Come into the kitchen with me and help me fix lunch. Robert, you may go find your father. He’s in the barn.”
Bob slipped out the door without a backward glance. He knew his mother and Jessie would get along fine, and he didn’t want to interfere.
Jessie followed the older woman into the kitchen. “How can I help you?”
“Do you cook?” Mrs. Samuels asked.
“I do. I enjoy cooking a great deal. It was something my mother and I enjoyed doing together.”
“And how does your mother feel about letting you travel halfway across the country to marry a stranger?”
“I don’t think she would have been very happy about it, but she died seven years ago.” Jessie walked to the sink and washed her hands, not watching for the pity on the other woman’s face.
“And your father?”
“My entire family died in a fire. I’ve lived in an orphanage for the past six years. First as a student of the foundling home and school, and then as a teacher. I plan to start a school here in Nowhere.” Jessie turned back to look at her mother-in-law, wondering how she felt about having an orphan in the family.
“I think that’s a very noble pursuit. Welcome to the family, Jessie.” Mrs. Samuels opened her arms wide and enveloped Jessie in a hug. “Please, call me Sarah as my other daughters do.”
Jessie smiled, pleased that the woman thought of her daughters-in-law as daughters. She felt as if she was truly accepted. “Thank you, Sarah.”
As they worked together, Jessie could immediately see why Sarah wasn’t a good cook. She didn’t say anything to her about it, but the woman had no concept of measuring anything. She just threw all the food together into a pot. Jessie went behind her to add seasoning and do her best to make things taste better than they would have without her, but she knew there was no way she could completely salvage the meal.
By the time lunch was served, Jessie’s stomach was growling. She was just happy to know there would at least be bread good enough to eat.
As they were putting the stew on the table, Jessie hurried to the basket and unwrapped its contents. “I brought bread that will go nicely with the meal.”
Her mother-in-law looked at it and shrugged. “I’m sure my family will be pleased to have something that tastes good on the table.”
Jessie burst out laughing. “You know you’re a terrible cook?”
“Oh yes. I hate to cook. If I was good at it, I’d be expected to do it more. As it stands, my husband looks for every excuse to take me to the diner in town.” Sarah shrugged. “It’s better if I don’t even try.”
“Well, the next time I come over, may I make lunch then? I enjoy cooking.”
“I’m not sure I can keep liking you if you enjoy cooking, but I’ll do my very best.” Sarah smiled. “I would love it if you would cook when you come over. Just don’t tell my son that I know I’m a terrible cook. I love watching how hard he works at trying not to hurt my feelings.”
“Oh, I’ll do my very best.” Jessie couldn’t express just how much she liked Bob’s mother. She was something else.
They heard the men come in then and Jessie couldn’t help but giggle, knowing she knew something about Bob’s mother that he didn’t.
Bob walked into the room and pressed a kiss to her cheek. She was sure he was doing it for his parents, but it didn’t stop her cheek from burning where his lips had touched. “What’s so funny?” he asked.
“Oh, just something your mother said. She’s very amusing.”
“Mother?” Bob looked back and forth between the two women, obviously not believing her. He shook his head after a moment when neither explained and introduced her to his father. “This is my father, Robert.”
Jessie nodded. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Samuels.”
“Please, call me Robert. Everyone does.” Mr. Samuels looked at his wife, who nodded slightly. “It looks like you ladies have been having a nice time while cooking. I must say, that’s a pleasant surpr
ise.”
“She even brought bread. I love any person who brings food into my house.” Sarah smiled at Jessie.
“I do too!” Robert said. “Let’s eat!”
The meal was enjoyable with lighthearted chatter. Bob took a bite of the stew and though he didn’t look pleased, he did look surprised. “Mother, I think this is the best stew you’ve ever made.”
At his words, Robert took a quick bite. “This is better than usual.” He looked over at Jessie. “Did you help with the seasoning?”
Jessie shrugged. “I added a little of this and a little of that.”
Robert looked like he wanted to say something more, but he bit his tongue. “It’s tasty.”
Jessie looked down at the stew and she knew she couldn’t have improved it enough for it to actually taste good. When she took the first bite, she wanted to spit it out. It wasn’t nearly as good as the worst stew she’d ever eaten. She forced herself to chew then swallow it, surprised to see that Robert and Bob were eating it as if it tasted good. No wonder Bob was always happy to eat at the diner.
After the meal, Jessie washed the dishes while Sarah dried them. The men had gone back outside. “That stew was terrible, even with the extra seasoning I put in. How could you eat it?”
Sarah shrugged. “I guess I’ve gotten used to eating terrible food over the years. It makes me happy to eat at the diner so much.”
“I’m sure it does.” Jessie shook her head. “Have you thought about hiring a cook?”
“Yes, I’ve mentioned it to Robert every single year of our marriage. He just keeps telling me that my cooking will get better with a little practice. I have to say, I’ve deliberately gotten worse over the years.”
“And he’s still not willing to hire a cook?” With the way Bob had raved about her cooking, Jessie had a hard time believing his father didn’t want better food as well.
“No. I think he’s gotten used to how awful it is. When one of my sons married, his stomach was upset for months. Robert decided it was because he’d had decent cooking for the first time in his life. He decided he would keep things as they were with no cook.”
Jessie shook her head, laughing a little. “I’m starting to worry about the mental prowess of the men in your family.”
“Bob’s the smartest of the bunch. But don’t tell him I said that. It’ll go to his head.”
“I’ll be sure to keep it quiet. I have to live with the man.” For just a moment, Jessie thought about bringing up the fact that they were waiting to get to know one another before they made their marriage a real one. But as desperately as she wanted to talk to another woman about it, she knew his mother was not the right person.
“You do. Forever and ever. I’m keeping you whether Bob likes it or not.”
Jessie smiled. Someone wasn’t rejecting her. That was a good thing. She could be happy in this family for many years to come.
Chapter Six
Dear Journal,
Bob’s parents are absolutely amazing people. When I first realized they were immigrants from England, I worried they would automatically dislike me because of my Scottish heritage. But they are genuinely kind and good. I was very amused by his mother, and the two of us really got along from the first moment we met. She deliberately cooks poorly so her husband will take her out to the diner here in town and she won’t have to cook. I promised to keep it a secret, but it’s hard, because I’m terribly amused by the whole thing.
I felt as if they immediately welcomed me as a daughter, and that made me feel as if I hadn’t been rejected for the first time in years. I’m pleased to say that I belong here. Finally. Hopefully I will still feel the same when Bob and I make our marriage real. If that ever happens. He casually kisses my cheek, but he doesn’t seem to want to press the issue of consummating the marriage. I must not be attractive to him.
Jessie baked a chicken that night. While she cooked, she couldn’t stop thinking about Bob’s mother and everything she’d talked about. After supper, as they again did the dishes together, Bob mentioned helping his father mend one of the stalls in the barn. “I hate farm work, but there’s nothing I won’t do for my father. He’s made me into the man I am.”
“He must be a very good man then.”
Bob smiled at her. “I think so.”
When they went to sit on the sofa together to talk, Jessie decided to find a way to let him know she would be amenable to more from their relationship. She wasn’t sure how, because she didn’t want to come across as too forward, and there was still a good chance he didn’t find her attractive. Perhaps it wasn’t possible to let him know without putting herself in a position she didn’t want to be in.
As soon as they were seated she scooted toward him on the sofa, knowing that would at least tell him she didn’t mind his touch. She snuggled against him, resting her head on his shoulder. Surely that had to let him know something.
Bob sat stock still, wondering why Jessie was sitting so terribly close to him. She must not realize how her closeness made him feel. “I’m glad you and my mother got along so well.”
Jessie really didn’t want to talk about his mother, but she couldn’t ignore his statement. “We really did have a lovely time. I haven’t had the opportunity to cook with another woman that way since I first got to the foundling home.” Back then, Wiggie had made sure to spend time cooking with each girl, more to make sure they were competent in the kitchen than anything else.
“I was impressed you were able to eat the stew. It was better than anything I’ve ever seen her cook, but it still wasn’t nearly up to your standards.”
“That’s all right. I was warned going in and I wouldn’t hurt her feelings for anything. She made it clear that I was one of her daughters now.” She shook her head. “I haven’t felt that wanted by anyone in a very long time. Only my mother ever made me feel that she relished my company.”
He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I relish your company.”
“You do?” She wasn’t convinced. Surely if he had feelings for her that were strong, he would have at least tried to get her to consummate the marriage by now. She wasn’t sure what was keeping him from attempting to move things along.
He turned to her fully, dislodging her head from his shoulder. “Of course I do. Isn’t it obvious?”
She shrugged. “I have never been married before. I don’t know how it would feel to have a man show me he cared.”
Bob cupped her face in his hands, leaning down and pressing his lips to hers. “I’m sorry if I’m not doing a good job of letting you know that I’m happy you’re here.” He felt bad that she wasn’t sure of her place with him, but he didn’t know how to show her. “What can I do differently?”
Jessie didn’t want to come right out and tell him she was ready for their marriage to be real, but he didn’t seem to really understand anything less subtle. “You could touch me and kiss me more.”
He wanted to groan aloud. How could he possibly do that? He’d promised himself he would give her at least a month before he would try to claim his husbandly rights, and she was making things so much harder than they needed to be. “I can do that.” He leaned down and kissed her again, surprised when her arms went around his shoulders. He liked it, but he hadn’t expected it. She was always exceeding his expectations at everything.
“I start teaching in two weeks,” she reminded him. “I would like us to feel more comfortable with one another by then. More like we’re really married and not strangers sharing a bed.”
“I’ll do my best,” he said quietly, wondering just how to do it.
“I’m going to go get ready for bed and brush my hair.”
“Would you like me to do it for you?” he asked, surprising even himself.
“What do you know about brushing a woman’s hair?” she asked.
“Absolutely nothing. But I would enjoy brushing yours. If you’d let me, that is.”
“I would definitely let you. I’ll meet you in the bedroom in five min
utes.” She had always loved having her hair brushed. When her mother had done it for her, she’d felt tingles. Sometimes it even made her fall asleep. Having Bob brush her hair would be something else entirely of course, but she liked the idea of it.
After changing into her nightgown, she went into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for Bob. She held her brush in her hand, and took the pins from her hair, giving her long brown tresses a quick brush.
After a moment Bob came into the room and took the hairbrush from her, sitting behind her on the bed. “It might be better if you sat on the floor,” he suggested.
Jessie immediately moved to the floor and sat between his feet, knowing exactly what he’d meant. She’d sat the same way at her mother’s feet more times than she could count.
He slowly pulled the brush through her hair and she smiled, enjoying the sensation much more than she remembered.
He held out a piece of hair, looking at how it curled subtly around his fingers. “You have beautiful hair,” he whispered.
“Thank you. It’s just like my mama’s was.”
“And your eyes? Do you get those from your mama too?” She had the deepest brown eyes he’d ever seen. He felt like he could get lost in them.
“Yes, I do. And you look like your father. You have his features, but the blond coloring of your mother.” Truly he had the worst features of both his parents, but she didn’t tell him that. She found him more attractive every day and that’s what really mattered.
He worked on her hair in silence, enjoying the silky softness of the strands in his fingers.
When he finally set the brush down, she stood and turned, still between his feet. Standing over him, she leaned down and pressed a kiss against his lips. She was not usually so demonstrative, but she could tell it was what he needed so he’d know she was ready for whatever he wanted to do.
Bob was already aroused from being so close to her, and he pulled her down on the bed beside him, kissing her passionately. He wanted more. He needed more.
Jessamine’s Journal: The Alphabet Mail-Order Brides Page 5