A Husband for Margaret Read online

  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 hav
e 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.