The Marriage Agreement Page 18
“I’ll do everything I can to help you. Somehow, we’ll get through this.”
She loved him. He didn’t know why he hadn’t realized it before, but now, as he looked into her eyes, he knew she loved him so much she would give up everything for him. And that made him love her more than he’d ever loved anyone or anything.
“I love you, Laura,” he whispered.
Then, cupping her face in his hand, he lowered his head and kissed her to show her how much she meant to him.
Chapter Twenty
Laura held Elliot as she and Jesse stepped into the jailhouse. To her surprise, her mother was already there, standing in front of her father who was in one of the cells. The sheriff was next to her, probably to lend support as the two talked.
Her father scowled at her mother. “You’re my wife. Your duty is to obey me.”
Her mother stared at him for a long moment, and Laura could only guess what was going through her mind until she said, “I gave up everything else for you, but I’m not giving up our daughter.”
“No daughter of mine would persist in defying me.”
“Well, she is your daughter, and yes, she would. What you were demanding was too much. A woman has a right to be happy.”
Laura’s father glanced over at Laura and Jesse then frowned.
Her mother, in turn, looked at them and ran over to hug Laura. “Oh, my dear, I’m sorry,” she whispered in her ear. “I thought I was careful, but he found out I went to your place yesterday. This whole thing is my fault.”
“No, Mother, it’s not,” Laura said. “You aren’t responsible for what he did.”
The sheriff came over to them. “Mr. Rufus admits to burning your crops,” he told Jesse. “There won’t be a need for a trial.”
“What’s going to happen to him?” Jesse asked.
“He’s going to stay in jail. What he did was a crime, and he’ll have to suffer the consequences of it.”
“Good luck paying off the debt you owe on the place,” Laura’s father told Jesse.
Jesse approached the cell. “We’ll find a way through this. I’ve been at the point where I barely had anything left, but I made it through because Laura was there. I love your daughter. If I have to give up everything to have her, I will.”
Her father shook his head. “All the love in the world can’t put a roof over your head and food on your plate. Come back in a few months when you’re out of a home and tell me how important love is.”
Laura’s mother went up to the cell, a steely expression on her face that Laura had never seen before. “No such thing will happen to them. You owe them for what you did.”
“That might work if I didn’t have all of my money tied up in investments,” her father replied. “Those aren’t due to cash in for another year, at which time the boy will have lost everything.”
Her mother’s lips formed a tight line, and then her eyes lit up and she smiled. “I have money in my account.”
“You can’t touch that money without my approval. You know very well you need a male relative in order to take out any money.”
Her mother turned to the sheriff. “In light of what he’s done, can’t I get around that?”
The sheriff thought about it for a moment then said, “Jesse’s your son-in-law. By law, he’s a male relative.”
With a satisfied nod, she turned back to her husband. “I’m going to have Jesse take the money out of the bank, and I’m going to put all that’s in there on his debt.”
Her father stiffened. “Don’t be a fool. You will be left with nothing if you do that.”
“That’s not true,” Laura spoke up. The others turned to her, and she cleared her throat. “We have a little home right there on our property that isn’t being used ever since Fanny left. Mother can come out there.” She looked at Jesse. “What do you think?”
Jesse smiled. “Yes, of course.” He turned his gaze to her mother. “You’re more than welcome to stay with us.”
“There you go,” her mother told her father.
“I worked hard for that money,” her father snapped. “You have no right to go in and take it.”
“You want to talk about hard work?” her mother asked. “I cooked your meals, cleaned your house, washed your clothes, and did everything you told me to for twenty-five years. I earned that money. It’s rightfully mine, and I’m going to use it to make things right with Jesse and Laura.”
“You do this,” her father began, “and I will have nothing else to do with you.”
“I realize you mean that as a threat,” her mother said, “but considering how miserable I’ve been all this time, it’s the best thing you’ve ever done for me.” She turned to Jesse and Laura. “Let’s find out how much money is in that account.”
***
As it turned out, Laura’s mother had just enough in her account to pay off the entire debt, so that was what they did with the money. Afterwards, they moved her into Fanny’s old home, and Laura developed the close relationship she’d never had with her while growing up. In late August, Jesse received a letter from Fanny’s brother. Although he wasn’t too happy to have his sister back, he said he couldn’t blame Jesse for getting fed up with her. The matter turned out to be of little consequence anyway since two weeks later, Jesse received word that she died of natural causes.
In late September, Joe came to Omaha, and Jesse invited him to stay with him and Laura. Upon seeing him, Laura ran out to the porch and gave him a hug. “It’s good to see you,” she told him.
“It’s good to see you, too,” Joe replied, smiling at her warm welcome. “You better watch out. If Jesse catches you hugging me like that, he might get jealous.”
Noting the teasing tone in his voice, she laughed. “Oh, he knows he has nothing to be jealous of. I love him and only him.”
“Well, there’s no denying he loves you. All the way over here, he couldn’t stop talking about you. He kept saying that she’s the best wife in the world. Wait until you taste the new fried chicken recipe she has. She put in a new garden. And then there’s the biggest news of them all. You’re due to have a child next year?”
“Yes. In May. We’re excited.”
“I’m excited for you both. It’s nice to see you two doing so well.”
She sensed something was on the tip of his tongue, but since he seemed to be reluctant to bring it up, she encouraged, “What is it?”
“I was wondering how Amanda and Richard are doing.”
“They’re doing well. Richard’s business is picking up, and Amanda just found out she’s expecting.”
“That’s good. I’m glad they’re happy.”
“Are you still in love with her?” Laura asked.
He shrugged. “I often wonder how things might have been if we had married, but I know she belongs with Richard. He’s a good man, and I know he’s doing a good job of taking care of her.”
It was on the tip of Laura’s tongue to tell him there had to be someone out there waiting for him, but her mother came out of the house, holding Elliot in her arms.
“Joe Otto?” her mother asked. “Is it really you?”
“The one and only,” he said.
“I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”
“I manage to stop by Omaha once in a while, and Jesse was nice enough to offer me a place to eat and sleep whenever I do.”
“We’re glad to have you,” Laura said. “Where are your things?”
“Jesse said he’d bring them in after he’s done taking care of my horse,” he replied.
“Come on in and sit for a while.” Laura’s mother gestured for him to follow her into the house. “Laura and I are making pot roast. I hope you saved room for supper.”
“I did.” Joe patted his stomach. “It’ll be nice to have a home cooked meal for a change, though I heard so much about your daughter’s fried chicken I can’t help wondering when I’ll get to see if it’s as good as Jesse says.”
Chuckling, Laura said, �
��I’ll make that tomorrow. Then you can decide for yourself.”
The women led Joe into the house, and soon after, Jesse joined them. They ate their evening meal as Joe told them all about his trip to western Nebraska and back, and listening to the things he’d seen and done along the way reminded Laura of the trip she’d taken across the country only a year ago.
It had been a big risk, venturing into the unknown, taking a chance that what was waiting for them would be better than what they’d left behind. But, as she looked around at her mother, Elliot, and Jesse, she couldn’t help but think the pain had been worth the reward. Only, she appreciated it more because she had experienced the hardships along the way, and when Jesse glanced her way, she could tell he agreed.
Once her mother went to her home and Laura had put Elliot in the crib for the night, she made some hot chocolate and brought it out to the porch. After she gave it to Joe and Jesse, she sat next to Jesse.
“I don’t know if I should do it or not,” Joe was telling Jesse. “It seems like an easy way to make money, but I always thought when I married, it’d be for love, not because someone made a business arrangement with me.”
Surprised, Laura almost coughed on her sip of hot chocolate. She quickly swallowed the drink and asked, “What’s this about you getting married?”
Jesse glanced at her and smiled. “He hasn’t decided whether he wants to do it or not. He’s asking for my opinion, and I told him he has nothing to lose by doing it.”
“Doing what?” she couldn’t help but ask.
“Marrying a man’s daughter so she can go all the way to California,” Joe said before Jesse could do it. “An unmarried woman can’t go on the wagon trail unless she’s traveling with family or is married, and this particular young woman will be by herself. When we get to California and she’s with her aunt and uncle, I can dissolve the marriage.”
“I think he should do it,” Jesse said. “I mean, what does he have to lose? He’ll be on the trail anyway, and better yet, he can make extra money.”
“I don’t know,” Joe argued. “It just seems deceitful.”
“What’s deceitful about it? You’re not marrying her under false pretenses. She knows this is a business arrangement as much as you do. The two of you are only making this agreement for a short time. When it’s over, you’ll get money and she’ll get to her aunt and uncle’s. Both of you will get something out of it.”
“I’ll have to think about it.” He drank his hot chocolate and stood up. “It’s been a long day. I’m going to head in and get some sleep. Thanks for letting me stay here.”
“Any time,” Jesse told him.
After Joe went into the house, Laura turned to him. “You really think it’s a good idea that he marries a woman he doesn’t know just so she can go to California?”
“I wouldn’t have told him to do it if I didn’t think it was a good idea.” He reached for her hand and squeezed it. “The worst that can happen is that he’ll end up dissolving the marriage. But, maybe they’ll end up falling in love and decide to stay married. I mean, we started our marriage as a mutually beneficial arrangement, and it worked for us. Who’s to say it won’t work for him?”
Touched, she smiled. “Why, Jesse, I had no idea you were a romantic.”
“My life turned out much better than I thought possible because of you. I’m glad you’re in my life, and I’m looking forward to giving Elliot brothers and sisters he can play with.” With a grin, he let go of her hand and patted her stomach. “And starting in May, we’ll bring him the first one. Sometimes the best things that happen do so when you least expect it.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Then she leaned toward him and kissed him, looking forward to every day they would share together.
Coming December 18, 2016
Groom for Hire (Pioneer Series: Book 3)
When asked to lead another wagon train West, a man makes an unusual request of Joe Otto. He offers Joe money to marry his daughter so she won’t have to go on the trails without the protection of a husband.
Once she reaches her destination, Joe’s free to annul the marriage. Since Joe can’t imagine loving anyone by the young lady he left in Omaha, this seems like an easy arrangement. But as in other areas of life, few things are ever so simple.
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***
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Coming Soon: Groom For Hire
More Excellent Reads at Parchment & Plume