The Marriage Agreement Read online

  “You didn’t listen to me when Elsie was alive. If you had, we would have stayed back East. She wouldn’t have had to endure that long trail while carrying Elliot, and she wouldn’t have gone into labor well before she was due.”

  Ignoring her, he left the barn. The woman persisted in blaming him for Elsie’s death, and God knew there were some days he felt the weight of guilt bearing down on him. He should have waited until after Elliot was born to bring Elsie out here. If he had, she’d still be alive. But how was he to know she’d give birth so early? The doctor had said she seemed well enough for the trip before they left, and Elsie had never murmured a word of complaint.

  No one could have known things would play out the way they had. Some things were beyond anyone’s control. What he did know was that Elsie wouldn’t have blamed him for the way things turned out. She’d always been happy, and her desire had been for others to be happy as well.

  He went into the house and locked the door. Never again would Fanny get in here without permission. And never again would she bring in one of her kin to try to take Elliot from him. He’d made sure to secure the house as soon as Burt left. Elliot was the last thing of Elsie’s he had, and no one was going to take him away.

  Jesse went to Elliot’s room to check on him. On this particular night, he picked up the sleeping child from the crib, went to the rocking chair, and settled the boy in his arms. Elliot let out a contented sigh and continued sleeping. Jesse, in turn, rocked the chair in a slow rhythm, thinking that this probably did far more to soothe him than it did his son.

  Sometimes when he held Elliot, it felt as if Elsie was right there beside him. He knew what she would say. She would tell him to do what was best for their son, and he knew the best thing to do was to give Elliot a kind and tenderhearted mother.

  She wouldn’t want Elliot to grow up with the constant bickering between him and Fanny. It wasn’t healthy for a child to be subjected to it all the time. When Laura was here, things were much more manageable because Fanny would retreat to her own home. Only then was there a sense of normalcy.

  He kissed the top of Elliot’s head and then rested his cheek against the boy’s hair, still rocking in the chair, the gentle motions calming him from his confrontation with Fanny. It would be nice to have Laura here to help with everything.

  Soon Elliot would be walking and getting into everything. Already, it was hard to keep him still while he held him unless he was asleep. And Laura was right. Jesse had to work. He couldn’t watch Elliot all the time. He needed good, reliable help. Marrying her was the most sensible thing to do. He only hoped he wasn’t confining her to something she’d later resent him for.

  Chapter Three

  “Laura, your father and I will not tolerate any more of your defiance,” her mother said from the doorway of Laura’s bedroom. “You will come down and have dinner with Bernard this evening.”

  Aggravated, Laura almost threw down the gown she’d been sewing. It was only because the material was expensive that she was able to restrain herself. “Mother, I am working on my wedding dress. I will not marry Bernard, just as I won’t be marrying any of the other men you’ve brought for dinner over the past week. I’m going to marry Jesse.”

  Her mother’s lips formed a thin line. “I have never seen such insolence in all my life!”

  “I’m not trying to be insolent,” Laura argued for what had to be the hundredth time since she’d told her parents about her marriage agreement. “I should have the right to choose my husband.”

  “What if you’re making a horrible mistake?”

  “Then it’s my mistake to make.” Before her mother could argue, she continued, “All of my life, I’ve done what you and Father asked of me. I even left everyone I’ve ever known and loved back in Pennsylvania because you wanted me to come to Omaha with you. This is the one time I’m doing something I want, and as a grown woman, I have the right to marry the man I choose.”

  “Being out there at the Palmer farm hasn’t been good for your senses. All you’ve learned is rebellion. When I was your age, I never would have spoken to my parents this way.”

  “But didn’t you want to marry Father?”

  When her mother didn’t reply, Laura gathered the gown she was sewing and the basket holding her sewing supplies. She put them on the bed and then went to grab her carpetbag.

  Her mother gasped. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m leaving,” Laura said, her tone much bolder than she felt. In fact, her hands trembled as she opened the carpetbag.

  “I forbid you to leave,” her mother said in alarm, stepping toward her.

  Laura forced her gaze to her mother’s. “You can’t keep me here forever. I’m growing up, and I have a right to make my own decisions.”

  It was a shame she had to fight her parents so hard on this issue. She hated arguing with anyone. There was little she could do, however, to change their minds. Sure, they didn’t approve. Maybe they never would. But that didn’t mean she had to live the kind of life they wanted for her.

  “You’re going to give your father a heart attack by the way you’re behaving,” her mother said. “Is that what you want?”

  “No, I don’t want to hurt him.” Laura went over to her dresser and retrieved her undergarments. “But I have to do what’s right for me. I wish you would come around to accepting this. I can’t stay here forever.”

  “You should at least meet Bernard before you reject him.”

  “I told you I’m not marrying anyone but Jesse!”

  “You shouldn’t raise your tone when you’re talking to me.”

  “I wouldn’t have to raise my tone if you weren’t so impossible.”

  Her mother seemed as if she wanted to respond, but, for once, she was left speechless. Laura took this as her opportunity to finish packing as fast as she could. After she was done, she secured her bag and turned to grab her gown and basket.

  “Please move aside so I may pass you,” Laura forced out despite the underlying shaky tone in her voice.

  A long moment passed between them before her mother finally stepped aside. Afraid she’d lose her nerve—and her ability to ever make her own decisions ever again—Laura hurried out of the room. The entire way down the stairs, she expected her legs to give out from under her. They felt so wobbly she thought she’d end up tumbling down the rest of the way.

  But she made it to the front door, and just as she turned the knob on the front door, her father stomped into the entryway, muttering something under his breath about women taking forever to get ready for dinner. When he saw her, he stopped and stared at her in shock. Deciding to take this as her chance to get out of there, Laura swung the door open and hurried out of the house.

  “Laura! What do you think you’re doing?”

  “Leaving home,” she called over her shoulder, hoping she wouldn’t trip over the edge of the gown that was hanging dangerously low over the basket.

  “Laura? Laura!” her father yelled. “Where are you going?”

  Laura decided not to respond. Doing so would only slow her down, and if she was going to get out of there, she had to do it now. If she stopped, if she turned back, it would be the biggest mistake of her life. She would lose her freedom to choose anything else ever again. This was her only chance.

  And that was why she continued running. She didn’t look back, nor did she slow down. She made it several blocks from her parents’ home before she dared a look over her shoulder. As she’d expected, her father had followed her.

  She quickly dodged behind one of the buildings and raced down an alley, trying not to lose her balance as she jumped over a stray cat that darted in front of her. By the time she made it to the other side, she glanced down the other side of the alley and saw that her father hadn’t followed her.

  She darted around a building and went down another alley until she felt confident she had escaped. Coming to a stop, she took a moment to catch her breath.

  Afterwards, she tried to
figure out where she should go. Amanda and Richard’s was the obvious place, but her parents would expect that. They’d also expect her to go to Jesse’s. So it was in her best interest to avoid those. What she needed was a place they wouldn’t expect.

  But she had to make sure she’d be welcome there. Too late did she consider whether her act of rebellion was too hasty. Who was she kidding? Of course, it was too hasty. She should have known her parents would never stay quiet while she prepared for her wedding. She should have realized they would do anything to stop her. Having to sit through yet another evening with a man twice her age who was eyeing her like an object he was thinking of purchasing had been the final straw.

  “Laura?” a woman called out.

  For a moment, Laura thought it was her mother, but then she remembered her mother’s voice didn’t have that soft quality to it.

  Laura turned in time to see Sally Larson waving at her. From beside her, Sally’s mother pulled the buckboard wagon to a stop.

  Laura couldn’t believe her luck. She glanced heavenward, mouthed a “thank you”, and hurried over to them. “I’m sure glad to find you in town. I thought you lived in the country.”

  “We do,” Mrs. Larson replied. “We came into town to get some staple items from the mercantile.”

  “Yes,” Sally added. “It does no good to send men to buy food supplies. They don’t have the slightest idea what to get.” Glancing at Laura’s carpetbag, she said, “I thought you weren’t marrying Jesse Palmer for another two weeks.”

  “I’m not,” Laura replied. “I…well…” Now that she was about to plead her case, her mind drew a blank.

  “Are your parents giving you trouble?” Sally guessed.

  “They aren’t trying to,” Laura said. “I know they’re only trying to do what they think is in my best interest.”

  “Richard told us Amanda asked him if you could stay with them while you wait for your wedding,” Sally informed her. “We just saw him and Amanda after we left the mercantile. But Laura, that apartment is small. It barely fits the two of them. Wouldn’t it be better if you stayed with us?”

  Mrs. Larson’s eyes grew wide as she looked at her daughter. “You do realize I should be the one to make the offer since I’m the head of the house.”

  Sally snickered. “I thought Pa was the head of the house.”

  “That’s what we let him believe,” Mrs. Larson said with a chuckle. “I don’t care what men say. Women do the cleaning, the cooking, and the laundry. The house is our domain.”

  “God knows if we don’t do the cleaning, it’ll turn into a barn,” Sally agreed. “Trust me, Laura. You don’t want to smell that.”

  Mrs. Larson got down from the wagon. “You’re welcome to stay with us until the wedding. We have plenty of room. But, since I am a mother, we will have to let your parents know where you’re staying.”

  Laura’s grip tightened on her things. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. They’re insistent I don’t marry Jesse.”

  “Well, they have to know you’re safe,” Mrs. Larson argued.

  “Have Richard tell them she’s somewhere safe. He doesn’t have to say where she is,” Sally offered.

  Mrs. Larson thought it over for a moment and nodded. “Alright, we’ll have him tell them.”

  “Thank you,” Laura told them as Mrs. Larson helped her put her things in the wagon. “It’ll only be for two weeks. After that, I won’t be in your way anymore. And I’ll help out with all the chores.”

  “Don’t say that in my brothers’ hearing,” Sally said. “They’ll have you mucking out the stalls or milking the cows.” She shuddered. “Believe me, you don’t want to do either of those.”

  “Having a farm is your father’s dream, and he’s much happier than he was in New York,” Mrs. Larson replied.

  “I’m happier in Nebraska, too,” Sally said, helping Laura onto the seat. “But I’m not spending the rest of my life on a farm. I’m going to find a man who’s living in town and marry him.” When Laura settled next to her, she whispered, “I don’t care what people say. The air doesn’t smell good on a farm.”

  Mrs. Larson got into the wagon and sighed. “Please have a better attitude when you’re around your pa,” she told Sally. “He saved up for years to do this, and I can’t remember a time when he’s been happier.”

  “Your ability to hear the slightest of whispers is absolutely frightening, Ma,” Sally said.

  “It comes from years of raising children.”

  “I’ve been cheering nonstop about the farm when I’m around him. You’d never know I miss living in town.”

  “Keep it that way. I don’t want anything to dampen his excitement.”

  “I will. I promise.” With a glance at Laura, Sally mouthed, “Ma is so demanding.”

  Laura smiled but managed to hide her urge to giggle. Whether Sally knew it or not, she and her mother had a wonderful relationship. The two were more like friends than mother and daughter. Laura wished she and her own mother had shared the same carefree relationship, but alas, they didn’t. Her mother didn’t believe in joking around. For her, everything was serious.

  Mrs. Larson released the break and urged the horses forward. “I need to stop by Amanda and Richard’s on the way out, but I won’t stay long.”

  Laura nodded, praying neither one of her parents would be there at the same time they were. She’d come so far in making her escape. If anything stopped her at this point, she didn’t think she’d ever get another chance.

  As it turned out, her worries were for nothing because her parents didn’t show up while Mrs. Larson talked to Richard and Amanda. She, however, couldn’t bring herself to relax until they were out of town. This might be a good sign. Maybe it meant from here, everything would be smooth sailing.

  Chapter Four

  A week later, Jesse dreamt of heavy footsteps that resounded off the floorboards in a large, vacant house. Fanny was searching for Elliot, stomping through hidden passageways that took her from one room to another. The thing was more of a maze than a home.

  “He’s mine,” Fanny was telling Jesse in his dream. “I’m taking him, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.” Then she lifted a rifle and pointed it at Jesse’s head.

  Jesse bolted up in bed just as she pulled the trigger. Someone was pounding on the front door. He jumped out of bed and hurried to answer it. If Elliot woke up, he’d have such a hard time getting back to sleep.

  “Fanny, I don’t care what you say, he’s staying here,” he muttered under his breath.

  The old coot had nagged him one too many times. He was going to drag her back to her own house and tie her to the bed so he could get some peace for once. He opened the door, surprised when he didn’t see Fanny on the other side. Instead, he saw Laura’s father.

  He blinked the sleep from his eyes to make sure it really wasn’t Fanny, and sure enough, it wasn’t. “Mr. Rufus, what are you doing here?”

  “Looking for my daughter,” he said, his expression dark. “Is she here?”

  “No.”

  “You wouldn’t be lying to me, would you?”

  “What? No, of course, not.”

  Her father brushed past him and came into the house. “If you’re not lying, then you don’t mind if I check.”

  “What is this about?” Jesse demanded, slowly overcoming his shock.

  “This is about my daughter. If you took her virtue before her time, I’ll take you out and shoot you.”

  “If I what?” Was the man serious?

  “Laura!” her father yelled.

  “Shh!” Jesse glanced at Elliot’s closed bedroom door. “My son’s asleep.”

  “You’ll have more to worry about than your child if my daughter’s here.”

  The man stormed into Jesse’s bedroom, his footsteps so loud there was no way Elliot could sleep through all of it. And sure enough, Elliot started crying.

  Gritting his teeth, Jesse hurried to Elliot’s room and picked him up. What a d
ay. First, since Laura hadn’t come out, Fanny had to watch Elliot, and she’d made it a point to track Jesse down every time he made it to the barn.

  Then she’d say things like, He’s too fussy today. What’ve you been feeding him? Or, Do you let him sleep in late? He won’t take a nap.

  He ended up taking Elliot with him after she complained he wouldn’t stop crying. Laura rarely had problems with the boy. Couldn’t the old coot see he preferred Laura to her? Jesse hadn’t realized how much Elliot had grown attached to Laura until she hadn’t been able to make it to the farm.

  Jesse had assumed she was busy getting ready for the wedding since he hadn’t heard from her. They had agreed to marry in two weeks, and she had warned him she didn’t think she could come out during that time because of everything she needed to get together for the wedding. At the time, two weeks hadn’t seemed like a long time, but after one week, it seemed like forever. He honestly didn’t know how he’d manage through the second one.

  Laura had become a bigger part of his life in a short time than he’d realized.

  Her father stumped into Elliot’s bedroom, carrying a lit kerosene lamp in his hands. “Where is she?” he barked.

  Elliot jerked and broke into a fresh wave of tears. “She’s not here,” Jesse snapped. “Now, stop yelling. You’re scaring my son.”

  Her father glowered at him, the shadows flickering across his face making him look more like a devil than a man worried about his daughter’s virtue. “She’s not with Amanda Larson. That means she has to be here. And when I find her, I’ll have your hide.”

  By now, Jesse had had enough. “She’s not here. You can search through here all you want, but you won’t find her. And when you don’t find her, I demand you give me an apology before you head on out of here.”