A Husband for Margaret
Ruth Ann Nordin
Ruth Ann Nordin’s Books
Springfield, Nebraska
A Husband for Margaret - Smashwords Edition
Published by Ruth Ann Nordin at Smashwords
Copyright © 2010 by Ruth Ann Nordin
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Chapter One
April 1869
Two weeks after Tom and Jessica got married
Margaret Williams adjusted her hat for what seemed to be the hundredth time. She took another good look at her reflection in the mirror before she glanced at her newly married friend, Jessica. In no way, did she share the blond’s outstanding beauty.
Jessica Larson lifted the pearl necklace from Margaret’s jewelry box. “This will look nice with the white ribbon in your hat.”
“It’ll do.”
She turned so that Jessica could slip it around her neck and fasten it. Afterwards, she spread Margaret’s brown hair around her shoulders. “You look perfect!”
Perfect? Not quite. But she did look pretty. At least, she thought so. Hopefully Paul Connealy would think so. She wondered if it was wise to ask Jessica to join her and her parents when he was due to come into the train station. What if he saw Jessica and was disappointed when he realized he’d be marrying Margaret instead? But Jessica was her dearest friend, and there was no way she could face this day without her.
Margaret’s mother knocked on her bedroom door.
She glanced at the clock on her wall. Was it time to leave already? Wiping her sweaty hands on the skirt of her dress, she said, “Maybe posting an ad for a husband wasn’t a good idea.”
Her mother opened the door while Jessica offered a reassuring smile. “You’ll be fine. We’ll be there.”
“Will Tom be coming?” Margaret asked. Maybe if Tom was with Jessica, Paul wouldn’t pay her much attention. Then he wouldn’t be busy comparing Margaret to her friend.
“I already told you he can’t. He’s planting corn. It’s busy this time of year.”
Of course. Just her luck. Jessica should have married after planting season. But she couldn’t fault her friend for wanting to marry sooner rather than later. Margaret had been anxious to meet Paul. He seemed like a nice man from the two letters he’d sent. Now that the day was here though, she had the urge to hide back in her bed and forget this whole thing.
Her mother came in and picked up the two letters from the dresser. “You may need these.”
Margaret directed her gaze to her. “Oh, I told him I’d be wearing blue, and that I’d be with my family and friend.”
“Alright.” The older woman set them back on the dresser. “It’s up to you. Your father, sister and I will be out front.”
Margaret nodded and picked up the brush to make her hair look just a little bit better.
Jessica laughed. “I know what you’re going through.”
She glanced at her friend. “You knew Tom before you married him.”
“Fine. So I don’t know exactly what you’re going through, but you’re not marrying Paul today. You’re going to meet him.”
“Yes, that is true.”
“Everything will work out.”
“It’s easy for someone who’s not in the situation to say that.”
“Well, we already know he’s got great taste. He had the sense to answer your ad.”
She chuckled. It was no wonder why she wanted Jessica there. Her friend knew the right words to make her feel better. “And he does sound like a nice man, don’t you think?”
“I sure do.”
“He’s a farmer too. Is it hard to be a farmer’s wife?”
“I don’t think so. They work hard, but then again, what woman doesn’t?”
Margaret nodded. Being married was good for her friend. Jessica seemed to blossom under the love Tom gave her. Did love do that to every woman? But did asking for a husband in the unconventional way she had promise love? She glanced at the letters. Paul seemed like the kind of man she could fall in love with. But would he love her?
Things would be much easier if one of the better men in Omaha would have simply taken note of her. Then she’d at least know that she’d be marrying someone who loved her already. She pushed aside a flicker of irritation and turned to the door.
“I suppose we should go,” Margaret said.
Jessica smiled and gave her a quick hug. “It’ll be fine. Try not to worry too much.”
With a slight eye roll, she joined her friend and departed from her room.
***
Joseph Connealy grunted as his three-year-old son jumped on his lap to slap one of his brothers across the head.
The wounded brother, of course, let out a high pitch wail.
Brother number three promptly smacked the three year old, and the youngest brother barely stirred from his slumber, proving that two year olds could sleep through anything as long as they spent most of the night running up and down the aisle.
A very tired Joseph barked out, “Enough!” and the three boys immediately stopped their bickering. Joseph had no idea the train ride would be this long. Sure, it didn’t seem like it’d be much when he packed their things and lugged them all to the station in Dayton. But now that they’d been traveling for what seemed like years, he was ready to get off the train, hand them to Margaret Williams, and hightail it right back to Ohio.
Of course, he wouldn’t do that to the poor woman. They were his children, after all. But they sure did need a mother in the worst possible way. And he needed them to have a mother as well. He could only pray she’d be willing to marry him instead of his brother.
“Are we there yet?” Doug, the seven year old, asked.
“Almost,” Joseph mumbled, closing his eyes. His head hurt.
“But you said that an hour ago,” Doug whined.
“Compared to when we started, we were almost there.”
“And now?”
“We’re even closer.”
“How much closer?”
“Five minutes,” he guessed. At least, based on the itinerary, they should be ready to pull into the Omaha train station. Dear God, let the itinerary be right. My sanity depends on it.
“How long is five minutes?” Bob, the six year old, asked.
“I don’t know,” Joseph said.
“How come you don’t know?” Doug asked.
“I do know. I just don’t know how to explain it so you’ll understand,” Joseph clarified.
“Is five minutes long?” Doug asked.
“No.”
Then Charles leaned his head back and knocked his father in the jaw.
Joseph grumbled and rubbed the sore spot. “Alright. Five minutes is long.”
“Longer than an hour?” Bob pressed.
The train finally—mercifully—began to slow, and Joseph breathed a loud sigh of relief. God did answer prayers!
“We’re here!” Doug cried out and jumped up on the seat.
“Sit down!” Joseph yanked on the boy’s collar until the lad obeyed. “The train hasn’t stopped yet. And remember what I said. Stay with me. You can’t go running off with all these people. I might lose you.”
Doug groaned but stayed seated.
Bob shook a sleeping Ben. “We’re here!” he yelled in his brother’s ear.
“He’s not deaf,” Joseph said, pressing his hand over his own ear to get it to stop ringing. How a little kid could manage that high of a pitch, he’d never understand.
“I can’t wait to meet our new ma,” Bob told Doug. “You think she can make cookies?”
“Course she can. All mothers make cookies,” Doug said. “And pies.”
“Ooh! Pies. Pa, is she gonna bring a pie?”
Joseph shook his head. “She’s not even expecting us. She’s expecting your uncle Paul. Now, I want you all to be on your best behavior. If you act up, she might not want to go through with this.” Good Lord, the last thing he needed was to scare the woman off.
“Don’t she know we’re coming?” Doug asked, his eyes wide.
“No.”
“Why not?”
He glanced at the child who, in many ways, looked just like his mother with his blue eyes and blond hair. He was curious like her too. Joseph shrugged. “I don’t know. I thought it was best this way.” Which wasn’t entirely true, but he saw no sense in explaining that to a child. The situation was complicated enough without trying to go into detail about it. “Look, your uncle can’t be here.”
“Cause he’s dead,” Bob said.
“Right. So I figured if this nice woman is looking for a family to care for, who better than you boys?” He really hoped she’d understand and be willing to go through with this because if she didn’t... He glanced at his four boys who were busy shoving at each other and laughing. One, predictably, got hurt in the play and started bellowing. If she didn’t marry him, he might go insane. There was no way he could keep raising these kids by himself. One year was one year too many.
The train came to a stop and Doug bolted out of his seat, nearly tripping a man who was walking down the aisle.
“Stay with me, boys,” Joseph ordered.
Doug’s shoulders slumped as he returned to the seat.
“Take your toys.” He pointed to the floor and seats which had ‘Kids were here’ written all over it. “And watch out for other people,” he added.
The other passengers struggled to squeeze around the seven and six year olds who scrambled to get in the aisle to grab the toy trains that had rolled under the seat. Well, he couldn’t blame the boys for trying. He set Charles next to Ben who looked as if he could easily go back to sleep. Except, Charles wouldn’t let him. He sat on Ben’s face and giggled.
Margaret Williams is going to take one look at these kids and order me back on the train. I just know it.
He grabbed the bag which contained enough clothes and supplies for the kids and a change of clothes for himself. Then he pulled Charles off of Ben and set him on his feet next to Doug and Bob whose arms were full of toys.
“Watch Charles so he doesn’t run off,” he told Doug and Bob. With the travel bag in one hand, he scooped a still sleepy Ben into his arm and motioned down the aisle. “Go.”
The boys turned and, probably because they were eager to be off the train, actually walked in single file to get off.
Well, here goes nothing, Joseph thought as he followed them down the aisle.
Chapter Two
Margaret’s heart beat refused to slow down as people were quickly coming off the train. Paul would be among them...unless he decided not to come at the last minute. And if he did that... She didn’t want to think about it. Finding a husband had been hard enough without something like that happening. No. She would be positive. Paul would be coming off that train. She’d marry him, and they’d start a life together. They’d have children and grow old with their grandchildren coming to visit. The plan was simple. There wasn’t anything that was going to mess it up.
She took a deep breath as the station filled up with a sea of unfamiliar faces. “I didn’t realize it got this busy,” she whispered to Jessica.
Jessica shrugged. “Me neither. My pa once said that it was the hub of railroad activity, but I thought he was exaggerating.”
“I’m bored. When is he going to get over here?” Margaret’s thirteen-year-old sister asked.
Margaret glanced at her parents. “Why did we have to bring her?”
Her mother sighed. “This young man you’re going to marry should meet everyone in the family.”
“But all she’s done since we left the house is complain,” Margaret said.
“Your sister has a point,” her father told Charlotte. “This is a big day for Margaret. Be good.”
Charlotte rolled her eyes but stopped whining.
Jessica nudged Margaret in the side. “Maybe that’s him. He looks like he’s searching for someone.”
Margaret turned her attention to a good looking man holding a child. “No. Paul doesn’t have any children.” Her gaze swept the room. A part of her got dizzy from the swarm of people buzzing around them.
To her surprise, a boy ran over to her. “Are you Margaret Williams?”
Her eyebrows furrowed. “Uh...yes. Do I know your parents?” She didn’t recall ever seeing him before. Not that she made it a habit of being around children.
The boy waved to someone in the crowd. “Pa! She’s over here!”
Her eyes grew wide. Pa? She’s over here? Whatever did that mean? Paul made it clear that he had no children. So who was this child and why did he pick her out? She glanced at Jessica who looked equally uncertain about this.
The man holding a child saw the boy and motioned to two children before heading in their direction. As soon as he reached them, he said, “Doug, I told you to stay with me.”
“Sorry, Pa,” he replied, appearing to be appropriately contrite. “I saw the blue dress and hat. It’s her.”
A knot twisted in Margaret’s stomach. This couldn’t be Paul. He decided not to come. She just knew it! Even her parents and sister seemed apprehensive about this.
The man focused on Margaret and offered a smile. “Pardon me, but are you Margaret Williams?”
“Well...” She took in the four boys who stared at her with a mixture of hope and curiosity. The knot grew tighter. Just what did this man and these kids want with her?
“Yes, she is,” Jessica finally said.
The statement startled Margaret so she gave a slight jerk. Clearing her throat, she added, “Yes.” She took a deep breath. Something wasn’t right. Did Paul lie to her? “I’m her.”
“My name is Joseph Connealy. I’m Paul’s older brother. You see, Paul was going to come but-”
Oh great. Here it came. Margaret braced herself for whatever excuse he’d give her.
“Paul’s horse got spooked and he fell off.” He glanced at the children. “I’d rather not go into detail, but we had to bury him two weeks ago.”
It took a moment for his words to sink in, and when they finally did, her countenance fell. So Paul couldn’t come, even if he wanted to. She supposed she should feel better. It wasn’t like Paul rejected her or anything. He died. There was no way he could come now.
Joseph cleared his throat.
Breaking out of her thoughts, she directed her attention to him.
“Anyway, my wife passed away a year ago, and I knew Paul was coming out to meet you so I thought maybe you’d be willing to marry me instead.”
The first thing she did was lower her gaze to the children. There were four of them—if she counted right—and they were all staring at her with wide smiles on their faces. She couldn’t be sure, but it seemed as if they had rehearsed this moment.
“What adorable boys,” Jessica said, breaking the awkward silence. “What are their names?” she asked Joseph.
“This is Doug,” Joseph began. “He’s seven. That is Bob, and he’s six. Then Charles is three, and Ben is two.”
“Those are fine names,” Jessica replied. “It’s a shame they had to lose their mother.”
Margaret caught Jessica’s sad expression and knew her friend was pleading with her to marry this man. Margaret broke eye contact with her friend and glanced at her family who looked equally sorrowful over his story. She wasn’t sure what she should do. True, Joseph losing his wife who left him with four boys was heartbreaking in its own way, but there were four boys he was asking her to be a mother to. Being a mother right away wasn’t something she anticipated when she posted the ad. And even if these boys seemed well behaved and friendly, she didn’t know the first thing about being a mother. Not really. Though her sister was considerably younger than her, she didn’t raise her sister.
“Oh, do it,” Jessica whispered in her ear. “Those poor boys need a woman to care for them.”
Margaret gave her friend a ‘hush’ look before she studied the boys who remained quiet and still. She wasn’t sure what to make of them. They just kept smiling at her, and as innocent as they seemed, she sensed that she was being set up for something. Surely, kids didn’t behave this well on a regular basis. She wiped the sweat off her forehead. Was she really up for this?
“Maybe you should think about it,” her father told her. “After all, you didn’t plan to marry Paul today.” He looked at Joseph. “We were going to arrange for the wedding first. We figured we’d wait a week.”
A flicker of disappointment crossed Joseph’s features but he nodded. “That’s fine. What do you think, Margaret?”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. A week. In that time, she could possibly adjust to this situation. Maybe. She examined the four boys. Or maybe not. Then she looked at Joseph who was a handsome man who obviously cared for his children and would probably make a good husband. So maybe. Then one of the kids named Bob or Doug—she couldn’t remember which—sneezed into his hand before he wiped it on his brother’s shirt. She cringed. Or maybe not.
“Well,” her father interrupted, “we don’t have to make a decision right now. We should give Margaret time to think about it.”
“Yes,” Margaret quickly said. Her eyes grew wide when she realized they might misunderstand her to mean that she’d marry Joseph and take on the responsibility of four—four!—boys. “Yes, I’ll think about it.”
It wasn’t the answer he wanted, Margaret realized when she looked from the boys and back to their father, but in no way was she prepared for this. Beside her, Jessica smiled at the boys. Had this been Jessica, Jessica would have married Joseph right away—if for no other reason than to be a mother to the children. Well, there was no doubt about it. Jessica was, and always would be, better than Margaret. Margaret simply did not have it in her to embrace this right away...if ever.
Her father turned to Joseph and the boys. “You all must be tired after the long trip. Let’s go find your luggage and get you settled into a motel. I can’t have you sleeping under the same roof as my daughter unless you’re married to her.”
Jessica shook her head. “You can’t confine children to a motel. I know! They can stay with Tom’s parents. They have enough room for all of you, and since they live on a farm, there’s plenty of room to play.”
“A farm?” one of the older boys asked. “Uncle Paul had a farm. Are there horses out there?”
“There sure are,” Jessica replied.
“I don’t know,” Joseph said. “There’s a lot of us.”
Jessica laughed and waved her hand. “The Larsons are used to a lot of people. Why, there are six kids in that family, except most of them are grown up and have their own places. And they are planting beans and corn. If you want to do something in return for food and lodging, I’m sure they could use the extra help.”
Joseph relaxed. “If we can earn our keep, then it’d work. Doug and Bob used to help their uncle in the fields.”
She clapped her hands and laughed. “Then it’s settled.”
One of the boys jumped up and down. “We get to stay on the farm! Can we ride horses too?”
Jessica nodded. “After all the work is done, Bob.”
It was official. Jessica was better than her, Margaret thought. She even knew which kid was which. No wonder all the men wanted to be with Jessica instead of her. Jessica was more likeable, more attractive, more... Well, just more everything!
But she couldn’t compare herself to Jessica. No matter how tempting it was, especially at times like this.
“We got to meet Tom’s parents at the wedding,” Margaret’s mother told Joseph. “They adore children. They have a couple of grandchildren. I believe their oldest son has twin boys.”
“Richard has two boys and one girl. The twins are three and the girl is only five months old,” Jessica clarified. “Tom’s sister, Sally, just found out she’s expecting her first child.”
“No older kids?” one of Joseph’s boys asked Jessica.
She shook her head. “I’m afraid not. But you’re seven and Bob is six, so you already have someone close to your age to play with.”
As much as Margaret liked her friend, she was starting to wish she hadn’t brought her along. The boys were already falling in love with her. She sighed in despair. It was a sign. Paul’s death, Joseph coming out with a bunch of kids, and Jessica getting along wonderfully with them... It was all a sign. And it pointed to one conclusion: Margaret wasn’t meant to get married. Most women married and went on to lead very happy lives. But not every woman got married. And apparently, Margaret was doomed to be one of them.
As she watched the two older boys animatedly talk to Jessica who led them all to the luggage area, she knew there was nothing she had to offer children. Joseph would just have to find another woman in the area, go back home or post his own ad for a wife. Because nothing was convincing her that she was the right one for him and his children.
Margaret rolled her eyes. Why fight fate? She was just meant to be single forever, and she was sure that before long, Joseph would realize it too.
Chapter Three
Margaret picked up the letters Paul had written her and read them in the privacy of her bedroom. Why did he have to fall off his horse? Why did he even have to ride a horse? Because that’s what farmers do. Riding horses is part of their job. With a heavy sigh, she settled back on her bed and stared at the ceiling.
It didn’t seem fair. In fact, the more bad things happened to her, the more convinced she was that she was cursed. Paul seemed like a nice man. He’d made her laugh with some of his comments, so he obviously had a great sense of humor. Her big worry had been that he’d see her with Jessica and find her lacking. Not once did it occur to her that he’d suffer a fatal accident. She knew she should feel sorry for him. He was dead after all. But the selfish part of her couldn’t help but wonder why he couldn’t have been more careful on the dumb animal.
Why me? Of all the men out there, why did the one who actually wanted to come out and marry her have to die? Well, she supposed that wasn’t entirely true. His brother had come out asking to marry her. Because he has four boys who need a mother. It had nothing to do with her.
She picked up Paul’s second letter and read the part where he told her that she sounded like someone he could enjoy being married to. He liked how sensible she was. He hadn’t seen her but already liked her because she was straight forward. What other man had taken the time to find out anything about her? None.
It was enough to make her want to cry, even though she wasn’t one to give into tears. Tears were far too impractical because they didn’t solve anything.
Giving another heavy sigh, she rolled over and stared out her window. She didn’t feel like meeting Joseph tomorrow but knew she would. He came all the way out here. It wouldn’t be right to not open the door when he came. But did she really have to marry him just because he arrived? She had no idea he was coming. He didn’t even write to let her know for goodness’ sakes! She didn’t owe him anything. Just because Jessica would’ve married him, it didn’t mean she had to.
Surely in good time, he’d find a woman like Jessica and get her to take on the responsibility of four boys. Margaret was certain that most women would readily agree to it. He wouldn’t have to wait long before he found one. Maybe she’d offer to help him find one. Yes, that would work. Then she wouldn’t have to feel guilty when she told him there was no way she could handle four children. It was one thing to have one child at a time and slowly adjust to a full house, but being thrown into it all at once was way too much of a shock.
She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Such was life. Not everyone was meant to be happy.
“Margaret?”
She turned her head so she could see her mother standing in the doorway. “What?”
“Today didn’t go as you thought it would.”
That was stating the obvious. Margaret bit back the sarcastic comment. She shouldn’t let her foul mood affect her behavior.
Her mother came into the room and sat on the edge of the bed. “Sometimes life doesn’t turn out the way we think it will, but it could mean that better things are at the door.”
Rolling her eyes, Margaret stared back at the ceiling. Like she needed a pep talk right now! What she needed was to go back in time and warn Paul not to ride his stupid horse.
“I know this is hard for you,” her mother continued. She reached out and lightly rubbed Margaret’s arm. “I certainly didn’t expect a widower with four children to come off that train either. It caught us all by surprise.”
There her mother went again—referring to the surprise. Margaret figured by now, her mother had done that a good ten times. Mostly on the way home and now in her bedroom. Well, she might as well add to it. “Yes, it was a surprise.” One huge, gigantic, colossal surprise! She dared a look in her mother’s direction. “Do you think I’m mean for not wanting to marry him?”
“I think you should get to know him before making that decision.”
“What’s there to know? He wants a mother for his kids. Did you see how many there are?”
She chuckled. “Of course, I did. I’m not blind.”
“I’m not heartless, Ma. I feel sorry for him. I can’t imagine trying to take care of four children all by myself. He does need a mother for them.”
She smiled. “He’s been married before so he knows there’s more to a marriage than taking care of children.”
“Oh, I know. There’s having a woman who’ll cook and clean and do his laundry too.”
“Paul would’ve asked you to do the same thing.”
Margaret groaned and threw the pillow over her face. “I don’t want logic right now. I just want to wallow in misery.”
“I know.” She lifted the pillow from her daughter’s face. “And I’ll let you enjoy every second of it for the rest of today. But—” she gave her a pointed look—“I expect you to wake up tomorrow with the notion that you will at least get to know Joseph when you see him. Marriage isn’t all about chores and children. It’s about the sharing of your life with someone else.”
“I knew you wanted grandchildren, but I didn’t realize you wanted a whole lot of them at one time.”
Laughing, she gently placed the pillow back over Margaret’s face. “It’s more than children or grandchildren. It’s about seeing my daughter happy. I think Joseph is a nice man.”
“He’s old.”
“Thirty isn’t old.”
“He’s ten years older than me.” She gasped and sat up. The pillow fell to her lap. “His oldest child is seven. I was thirteen when that kid was born.”
“That means you’re still older and able to provide a stern look of authority over the youngster.”
Grumbling, Margaret laid back in the bed and returned the pillow to her face. She was beginning to wish she hadn’t posted an ad at all. This was a mess. Her mother wouldn’t be happy if she decided not to marry Joseph. But so what? It was Margaret’s life, not her mother’s.
“Give it a good night’s sleep,” her mother advised.
Margaret felt the bed shift, notifying her that her mother stood up.
“Things always look better after a good night’s sleep.”
When her mother left the room, Margaret pulled the pillow off of her face and let out a sigh of despair.
***
The next afternoon, Margaret glanced at the clock above the fireplace and cringed. Joseph was due any minute. She turned her gaze to the window and peered out of it. There was no sign of him yet. She exhaled, relieved.
Her mother entered the parlor. “It’ll be a nice day to go for a walk.”
Margaret turned from the window and asked, “Will you come along?”
Her mother chuckled. “Of course not. You need to get to know him, and that isn’t going to happen unless you two can talk alone.”
Margaret fought the urge to groan and sat down in a chair. She put her face in her hands. She had no idea what she could say to him that might be of any interest. After all, she had no experience with children. What in the world could she possibly have to offer him? Well, except for being a mother to his brood of offspring. She shuddered. Four boys. Not even a girl among them! She knew absolutely nothing about boys—or men for that matter.
“He’s here,” her mother called out.
She didn’t look up right away. Instead, she listened as her mother opened the front door and greeted him. This, she was sure, was going to be a disaster. The only saving grace was that he didn’t plan to bring his children with him. She looked up then, making sure no kids came running into the house. It was just him. Good. At least that would make things less awkward.
She cleared her throat and stood up. “Ma thought it’d be a good idea if we went for a walk.” She glanced at her mother and shot her a pleading look to join them.
“I need to get down to the mercantile,” her mother said. “Take your time.”
Margaret inwardly groaned. Too bad her sister was in school because if she wasn’t, Margaret would ask her to come along. It’d be much better if one other person was there to help break the tension.
“It is a nice day for a walk,” Joseph said, offering a tentative smile.
Perhaps this wasn’t any easier for him than it was for her. As strange as it was, that actually made her feel better. “Alright.” She followed him out to the porch.
“Have a good time!” her mother said.
Margaret knew her mother meant well but was too nervous to respond. Instead, she shut the door and crossed her arms because she couldn’t figure out what else to do with them.
“Where do you usually go for a walk around here?” he asked.
“Umm...” She debated whether to go to the park or through town. “I think the park will be good since the weather is nice.”
He nodded and followed her down the porch steps.
She glanced back once and saw her mother watching them from the parlor window. “I need to go to the mercantile” my left foot, Margaret thought. Her mother had done her weekly shopping two days ago. Reluctant, she turned her attention to Joseph. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him as they strolled down the sidewalk that led to the park. Clearing her throat, she got ready to speak. She had to tell him the truth, and the sooner she did it, the better.
With a heavy sigh, she said, “I’m not the kind of person who believes in wasting her time. I agreed to meet with you today because my parents insisted on it. But to tell you the truth, I don’t think I have what it takes to raise four boys. I mean, if I was their mother, it would be different. I’d be able to get used to them one at a time. This whole thing with all of them at once... Well...” She shrugged. “It’s too much.”
There. She said it. Stopping, she waited to see if he would want to continue the walk—and listen to her go into more detail on her decision—or if he’d want to stop wasting his time with her and find a woman who would be happy to take on him and his children.
“It’s been nine years since I courted a woman, so I’m a bit rusty at this. But I got a chance to read your letters, and I thought you sounded like a woman I could get along well with.” He shifted from one foot to the other. “It’s true I could use a mother for my children, and I do want her to be good to them. I also want a woman who’ll make a good companion.”
She lifted her head and took a good look at him. So it did matter to him who he married. Then he wasn’t just hoping to settle for her. That made her feel better about everything. “Well, I suppose we could talk.”
His body relaxed. “I like your straightforwardness,” he admitted with a smile.
As they resumed their stroll down the sidewalk, she replied, “I don’t see the point in not saying what I mean. Too many people can take advantage of someone who’s afraid to say no.”
He chuckled. “That’s especially true of children. And don’t think saying ‘no’ once is enough.”
“I don’t know the first thing about children. My sister might be eight years younger than me, but I didn’t do much with her.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to do everything yourself. I didn’t realize how much work it is to take care of them until my wife passed away.”
As they crossed the street, she asked, “How did she die?”
“She got sick and never recovered.”
There was a hint of sorrow in his voice, so she ventured, “You must have loved her.”
“I did. We grew up together. I think we always knew we’d get married.” He looked at her. “I don’t mean to ramble on about her. I am interested in learning about you and having you learn about me.”
Maybe her mother was right. Maybe he did know there was more to a marriage than taking care of the children. “What do you want to know about me?”
He put his hands in his pockets and studied the ground for a moment. “I read the letters you sent Paul. When he told me he was coming out here, he showed them to me,” he quickly explained, as if he expected her to be upset.
“I assumed you read them if you knew I was looking for a husband.” As soon as she said those words, she wished she could take them back. She sounded desperate. What woman worth marrying had to post an ad for a husband? None of her friends had to stoop to such measures. They had men to choose from. How she wished the same had been the case for her. Refusing to look at him in case he picked up on the frustration and shame in her eyes, she added, “I just figured you had to find out about me that way. You don’t seem like the kind of man who searches through the paper looking for a wife.”
“It never occurred to me.”
Of course not. He was gorgeous.
“You see, I assumed that all the ads were men looking for women,” he continued. “So Paul happened to find your ad and told me about it. I thought he had a good idea, so I went and looked through the other ads but didn’t find any others.”
Her cheeks grew even warmer, something she didn’t think possible since she was embarrassed enough as it was. No other woman in the country had the problem she did. Terrific. Wonderful. Perfect. She crossed her arms and tried not to groan.
“When your first letter came, he brought it out for me to read, and I thought he’d do well to marry you,” he said.
She examined him to determine whether he was just telling her this so she’d agree to take on the task of raising his army of children, but he seemed sincere.
He shrugged and glanced at her. “In fact, there was a part of me that envied him. He saw your ad first. It wouldn’t have been right to intervene, so I stayed out of it.”
“Really?” she asked in a hopeful tone. She wanted to slap herself for saying that. Could she sound even more eager for a man to be interested in her if she tried?
He grinned. “Is that so hard to believe?”
She decided not to answer that in case she made an even bigger fool of herself.
“I didn’t want Paul to die. It’s a shame a man has to go before he has a chance to live and see what life has to offer. I thought you’d make him happy.”
Her unease was starting to ebb. She realized that they had already traveled half the length of the park. Spotting a bench, she asked, “Would you like to sit for awhile? It’s such a nice day that it’d be a shame to hurry back inside.”
He nodded and waited for her to sit before he sat beside her. “I’m sorry I didn’t write. I wanted to ask if you’d allow me to come in Paul’s place, but I knew that I’d get here before the letter did.”
“I understand.” Paul’s death was unexpected. Who could have seen it happening, especially when he was twenty-two? He should have had many more years left. “I’m sorry that happened to him. He seemed like a nice man from what I read in the letters.”
“He was.”
“It must have been a rough couple of years for you. First your wife...then your brother...” Here young people were dying, and she spent her time complaining because she didn’t have a group of men wanting to court her. In reality, her problems were insignificant. At least she was alive to have those problems. And here was a man who’d seen more than his share of sorrows. Though the task of taking on four boys still made her head spin, she figured he could use some help with them. A man trying to support children while being the sole parent had to be rough. Praying she wouldn’t regret this, she said, “I’ll marry you, Joseph.”
He blinked as if he couldn’t believe it.
A smile tugged at her lips. “Is that so hard to believe?”
“Actually, yes. I know I shocked you by coming out with four boys.”
“And you said you will help me with them? You won’t leave me to do all the work?”
“No. I know how difficult it is to raise them alone.”
“I’ll hold you to your word.”
Now he was the one who smiled. “I have no doubt of that.”
Her body relaxed. Perhaps this would work out after all. Yes, he wasn’t Paul, but he seemed like someone she could enjoy spending her life with. And he had said some of the nicest things a man ever said to her. “Should we plan on a week from now?”
“That should give me enough time to find a place. I’m a journalist, so we’ll be in town.”
“I’d prefer living in town. In fact, you see that house over there?” She pointed to the white house with blue trim not too far from where they sat. “When I was a child, I had this dream of living there.” She giggled. “I don’t know why. There are better houses in town, but it just seems like a cozy place.” Clearing her throat, she continued, “I recall Paul writing that you worked at a newspaper office. Was it hard to leave?”
“More so for the boys than for me. I suspect it’ll take them time to adjust.”
She nodded. Even if she agreed to marry him and be their mother, it was still a frightening prospect. She wondered just what, exactly, she was getting herself into.
Chapter Four
Joseph put on his tie and adjusted it. He examined his reflection in the small mirror above the dresser. After all these years, he had to go through something of a courting process. He forgot how intimidating the whole thing could be. Hannah might have been his childhood friend, but the minute he realized that friendship had grown into something more, he experienced the anxious excitement of being with her. Having been married to her, however, made those memories fade.
And now that he was meeting another woman with the same intent, all those past sensations came crashing down on him with full force. He decided that he wasn’t an enthusiast of this stage of the relationship. Yes, it was exciting, but it was also downright agonizing.
He combed his hair—again—and wondered if there was anything else he could do to look his best. He glanced at his travel bag sitting in the corner of the room he shared with the two and three year olds. He was looking forward to finding a house in town. As much as he appreciated the Larson’s hospitality, he wanted to get back to living in his own home.
Today, Margaret was coming out. He’d thought of taking the children into town to see her, but he didn’t have the desire to travel alone with them ever again. Maybe if the time to get to town didn’t take more than a good hour, but after being on the train for days on end with them, he’d had enough. Nope. Next time those boys went to town, it’d be when he married Margaret.
Thankfully, she agreed to be his wife. He didn’t know what he said that convinced her to do it, but he was glad she changed her mind. Margaret seemed ideal for him. Practical, honest, dependable... In some ways, she was like Hannah, but in other ways, not so much. He didn’t expect her to fill Hannah’s shoes. No one would replace her. But he had no doubt she’d carve out her own special place in his heart.
He couldn’t see himself having a future with Debra. Debra might have made a good mother. Certainly, she was willing, but he meant what he told Margaret. He didn’t want to marry anyone. He wanted to marry someone he could enjoy the kind of friendship and love he had enjoyed with Hannah.
All he had to do was get through the awkward stage of not knowing exactly what to say. Taking a deep breath, he steadied his nerves and turned his attention to the screaming children downstairs. Those children, of course, were his. The Larson children were all grown up. They might have had grandchildren who were as full of energy as his own kids, but those kids went home with their parents. Sometimes, Joseph missed the quiet.
He went down the stairs and saw that Mrs. Larson was playing with his youngest two. His older two boys helped Jenny Larson, the fifteen year old, with breakfast.
Mrs. Larson looked over at him and motioned to the chair. “I was just getting ready to call the men in. It’s going to be a busy day again.” She ruffled Charles’ and Ben’s hair. “I just love being a grandmother. I can’t wait for Jessica and Tom to have their first child.”
Jenny rolled her eyes. “Ma, you already have grandchildren.”
“I know but what’s the harm in having more?” She winked at the boys. “A woman can never have too many grandchildren.”
Jenny let out a low groan before she turned back to the skillet.
“You have some fine boys,” Mrs. Larson told Joseph.
“Thank you, ma’am.” He saw that Doug and Bob were setting the dishes out. “Good job, boys.”
“Pull up a seat,” she said as she set Ben and Charles in their chairs.
Ben squealed with glee and banged the tray on his highchair.
Charles climbed onto Joseph’s lap and grabbed a fork from Doug before he could set it on the table. “Ork!” he proudly stated while he waved it around.
Joseph dodged it and took it from him. “The fork goes on the table until we eat, Charles.” He set it next to the plate.
“This brings back so many memories.” Mrs. Larson dabbed her eyes with the edge of her apron. “Jenny, don’t you remember the time when Joel was a baby and you taught him the word ‘fork’?”
“That’s when I was thinking of being a teacher,” Jenny said, her exasperation evident in her voice. “Ma, this is ridiculous. Everything these kids do remind you of when the rest of us were little.”
Bob sneezed and wiped his nose on the back of Doug’s shirt.
“Gross!” Doug pushed him back.
Jenny motioned to them. “I saw Joel and Tom doing the very same thing last month. You don’t have to worry. Your sons will always be little kids.”
Mrs. Larson sighed. “It’s been awfully quiet in this house since Tom left.”
“He still comes by.” Jenny clapped her hands. “Oh, Jessica’s bringing Margaret out. Jessica will want to see the new pattern for the shirt I want to make her!”
Joseph’s ears perked up. Did that mean he’d get some time alone with Margaret? He hadn’t had that opportunity since he walked with her at the park. The other times he’d seen her, her parents had been there. He hoped the others would find something else to do while Margaret was there. Of course, the boys would be with them, but it would be the six of them after they got married. And as long as the boys played nicely, then it might happen.
Glancing at Doug and Bob, he said, “You remember what I told you about being on your best behavior when Miss Williams is here?”
Doug nodded. “Course we will, Pa. We want a ma.”
“Good. That means there’s no fighting, and you have to help keep Charles and Ben out of trouble.”
“We can do that.”
“We want a ma so she can make pie!” Bob said.
“Your new ma isn’t only there to make you pies,” Joseph replied.
“Oh, we know that.” A sad look crossed Doug’s face. “We remember our real ma. Will Miss Williams be like her?”
“Not exactly like her,” Joseph told him. “Some things will be the same. Others will be different. No two people are alike.”
“But she does make pie, right?” Bob asked.
“Yes, she does.”
Doug’s mood brightened. “Can she make cookies?”
“Well, yes, she did mention making those too,” Joseph said.
“And I bet she won’t burn ‘em like Pa does,” Bob told Doug.
“That wasn’t my fault,” Joseph inserted. “If I hadn’t been changing a diaper and trying to break up you two fighting, those cookies would’ve been just fine. Now sit down and get ready to eat.”
They obeyed him.
“We’ll be real good, Pa,” Doug assured him. “Don’t you worry none.”
Joseph could only hope they would follow through on that promise. The last thing he wanted to do was scare Margaret off.
***
Margaret got out of Jessica’s buggy and scanned the Larson property. The men were hard at work in the fields with their horses and plows. She looked at her friend who set the brake. “Do you like being out on a farm?”
“It’s alright,” Jessica replied. “It’s more work than being in town was, but it’s good work. It certainly beats having to be with Peter and his dreadful mother.” She smiled and looked out in the distance. “I do enjoy being with Tom.”
She rolled her eyes but grinned. “I know. He’s all you talk about.”
“Oh, I talk about other things.”
“Really?”
“Sure. Didn’t I just mention working on a farm and Peter and his mother?”
“Because I asked a question.”
“Well, not everyone hides their enthusiasm as well as you do.”
Margaret waited for Jessica to get out of the buggy before she said, “I show my feelings.”
“Yes, but no one would know you’re excited about today.” Jessica nudged her in the side. “It’s alright for you to look excited.”
She shrugged.
“I hope you let Joseph know you enjoy being with him. Men need to know we like having them around.”
Margaret sighed. “I don’t know.”
Jessica gave her a good look. “You don’t know what? Are you having doubts about him?”
“No, it’s not that.” Unable to look her friend in the eye, she studied her fingernails. “He almost seems too good to be true, that’s all. I can’t help but feel that something bad is going to happen.”
“Well, there are four boys.”
“It’s not even that.” She took a deep breath and set her hands at her sides so she’d stop picking at her nails. She hated that nervous habit. “It’s just... It’s going too smoothly, don’t you think?”
“Seriously, Margaret.” Jessica chuckled. “You are the only person I know who can’t accept the fact that something good is happening to her. You need to lighten up. Not everything is gloom and doom. Why, you have me for a friend, and we’ve known each other since kindergarten.”
“Yes, but everything good happens to you. You’re like a good luck charm. You smile and the sun shines.”
Jessica laughed even harder.
Breaking into a sly smile, she pointed to the sky. “Oh look. That cloud is leaving. Jessica laughed, so it’s time to make more room for the sun.”
“So that’s why I’m your matron of honor at your wedding. You want to make sure it doesn’t rain.”
They paused while Joel approached them. “I came to take care of the horses,” he said.
“Thank you,” Jessica replied.
They watched in silence as he unhitched the steeds.
He glanced over at them with an uneasy expression on his face. “You weren’t talking about me, were you?”
Jessica blinked. “Of course not, Joel. We were just discussing some personal things.”
Still looking uncertain, he nodded and took the animals to the pasture.
Margaret raised an eyebrow. “You know he’s going to spend the rest of the day wondering if we were talking about him.”
Jessica’s eyes widened. “I assured him we weren’t.”
“He didn’t believe you.”
She sighed and shrugged. “I can’t help what he does or doesn’t think.” She waved her hand in his direction. “He’ll be fine.” Taking her friend by the elbow, she led her to the porch. “Aren’t you glad we’re here? You’ll get to see Joseph.”
She cleared her throat. And the next time she saw him, she’d be walking down the aisle to be his wife. It was happening much too fast. But what could she expect? When she posted the ad, she knew it’d be a week after the man got there that she’d be marrying him. It wasn’t like any of the other bachelors in the area were asking to court her for a good year before they wanted to be her husband. Nope. She was left to unorthodox methods to secure her future.
But did that really matter? The point was she was finally getting married. Jessica was right, of course. She needed to learn to stop second guessing everything. Things were going to be fine. Nothing bad was going to happen. She was going to meet Joseph and the boys today and get ready for her wedding tomorrow. Then the next day, she’d get married and have a family. A house full of boys and a man to take care of.
She wiped her hands on her skirt. Five men. Sure, it was a lot—a lot more than she expected—but she could do it. She could. At least, she was sure she could.
“Come on.” Jessica prompted her forward. “I’m going to be in the house. That means only good things will happen in there.”
Margaret chuckled and put her foot on the first step. Here goes nothing.
Chapter Five
The front door burst open and two boys came barreling toward Margaret. “Ma! Ma!”
She turned to see who in the world they were talking about for a split second before she remembered that she was going to be their mother in two short days.
Joseph showed up in the doorway, holding the youngest in one arm and held the door open with his free hand. “Doug, Bob, remember what I said.”
Doug and Bob immediately stopped bouncing around her and clasped their hands behind their backs.
“We’re glad you’re here,” one of them said.
“Thank you,” she replied and tried to remember who was the oldest. “Bob?”
“No, I’m Bob,” the other said.
She gave them a timid smile. “I’m sorry. I’m afraid I’m not very good with recalling names.”
“That’s alright.” Bob took her hand and led her up the steps. “Sometimes we forget things too. Don’t we, Doug?”
“Sure do,” Doug said as he took her other hand. “I forget to put my toys away all the time.”
“Shh...” Bob told his brother. “You know what Pa said.”
“Oh, right.” Doug’s cheeks grew pink. He peered up at her. “We won’t forget to be good today.”
Bob groaned.
They made it to the front door.
“Here she is, Pa,” Bob unnecessarily stated.
“I see that.” Joseph moved aside so they could enter the house. He smiled at Margaret. “I’m glad you came.”
Margaret’s face flushed. He really was a good looking man. She wondered why none of the women back at his hometown were lining up to marry him as soon as he became available.
“We’re glad too,” Doug said.
“You already said that,” Bob replied.
“So?”
“It’s fine.” Margaret squeezed their hands. “I don’t mind hearing it again.”
Doug grinned at her. “We miss having a ma.”
“Do you make cookies?” Bob asked.
She nodded. “From time to time.”
The boys giggled.
Joseph sighed but smiled at her. “They don’t care much for what I can make.” He motioned to the couch. “Would you like to sit? I can get you something to drink if you want.”
“Oh, I’ll do that,” Jessica intervened as she brushed past Margaret to get inside the house.
Margaret glanced at her friend. In all the excitement, she forgot Jessica was behind her.
“Besides,” Jessica added as she took off her bonnet, “this will be a good excuse to see Jenny. I’ll be back.” She patted Margaret on the shoulder. “Enjoy yourself,” she whispered.
Margaret turned to Joseph and smiled. Every time she was near him those crazy butterflies wrecked havoc on her stomach. She didn’t know how she was supposed to get used to being around him.
“Will you have a seat?” he asked.
“Have a seat!” Bob pulled on her hand and led her to the couch.
Before she knew it, the two boys pushed her onto the couch. The fourth boy, who’d been quietly playing with some blocks in the corner of the room, stopped building his tower and stared at her. Uncertain of what to do about being watched with such intensity, she shifted her gaze back to the others in the room.
“Did you have a good ride out here?” Joseph asked as he sat beside her.
“Yes, I did. The weather is perfect this time of year,” she replied, aware that Bob and Doug stood by her. She looked at them and saw that they were content to watch her and smile. She blinked. Somehow, this didn’t seem like normal childhood behavior. “Don’t you two want to play?” Isn’t that what children did? Play?
“We’re fine,” Bob replied, rocking back and forth on the heels of his feet.
“They’re excited to meet you.” Joseph shifted on the couch so that he could put the boy he was holding on his other leg. “Ben is shy.”
She knew the feeling, so she had one thing in common with the boy. She didn’t remember Ben’s age, but since he was the smallest, he was the youngest. Ben is the youngest. Then there’s Doug, the oldest, and Bob, the next in line. She glanced at the boy still staring at her. She’d have to pay attention to what the others called him because she didn’t remember his name either.
“I got hired at the paper in town,” Joseph said. “I start work on Monday. It’s not a full-time position, so I picked up a second job at the mercantile making deliveries. I’ll make enough to support us, but I’m afraid things will be tight, at least until I can find a better second job.”
“But we can still have cookies and pie, right Pa?” Bob asked, looking startled.
“Yes.”
Doug and Bob visibly relaxed.
She couldn’t deny that this aspect of the children amused her.
“However,” Joseph continued, directing her attention back to him, “I did purchase that home you said you liked.”
Her ears perked up at this announcement. “The one on the edge of the park with the blue trim?”
Smiling, he nodded. “I thought you might like to hear that.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful!” She turned to Doug and Bob. “It has a nice backyard for you to play in.”
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