Bride of Second Chances Read online

  When he glanced up from his notes, he blinked. “I didn’t hear you.”

  She smiled as she leaned against the doorway. “I’m sorry. I got caught up in watching you work. I always wondered how a preacher prepared for his sermons.”

  With a chuckle, he shrugged as he motioned to the Bible beside his papers. “There’s not much excitement in it. I pretty much sit here, read, and think about what to say.”

  “I enjoy listening to what you come up with.” Straightening up, she continued, “I thought I’d take advantage of this beautiful day and visit Edith. Afterwards, I’ll make a stop by the butcher and pick up some steaks.”

  “With the promise of steak, I’m not sure I’ll be able to focus on my work,” he teased.

  Amused, she rolled her eyes. “You’ll manage. Anyway, I shouldn’t be too long. Perhaps a couple hours.”

  “Jane, you don’t need my permission to go somewhere. Take as long as you want.”

  She nodded and headed for the closet where she got her shawl and hat. She didn’t realize how much she’d gotten used to reporting to Susie and Will every time she wanted to do something. Once she slipped the shawl around her shoulders, she set her hat on her head. She got enough money from the jar to make her purchase and put it into her purse.

  She left the house and traveled down the path that would take her into the heart of town. It was really a perfect day. The leaves were beginning to change color, and the two squirrels crossing her path seemed to enjoy playing with each other. She smiled as they ran up a tree and jumped from one branch to another. It was unfortunate Rebecca wasn’t here to share the moment with her. They used to go for walks whenever the weather was nice enough, and she’d gone with her on this path several times. There was no denying the emptiness Rebecca’s absence left. Jane didn’t give it much thought, but in moments like this, she couldn’t help but think of her sister.

  When she reached the main street, she scanned the area for Will, Susie, and Micah, and she was greatly relieved to see that none of them were in sight. She knew she’d have to come across them sooner or later but later was fine with her. She passed several people and called out a greeting on her way to the street where Edith lived. As soon as she headed up the pathway that led to Edith’s front door, the door flung open and Edith bounded down the steps.

  “Oh Jane, is it true? Did you marry Preacher Graham?”

  Jane wasn’t sure if she should laugh or not, considering the way her cousin leaned forward in interest as she waited for Jane’s answer. Placing one hand on her hip, she replied, “That no-good brother of mine sold me to Micah.”

  Edith stared at her for a good moment before she shook her head. “What?”

  “It’s true. Will came home yesterday, happy as could be, and announced that I was going to marry Micah. Do you know why I was going to marry him? Not because I wanted to, but because Micah gave him money for me. I’ve never been so insulted in my entire life.”

  Edith followed her as she marched up the porch steps. “Oh, Will didn’t! Micah didn’t!”

  Jane stopped in her tracts and turned to face Edith. “They did. It was horrible, Edith! I’m nothing but a commodity. First, Will took my inheritance and dumped it into the hole he calls an investment, and then he turns around and sells me to Micah. I don’t know who I’m mad at more.”

  Edith pressed a hand to her cheek and shook her head. “That’s awful.”

  “You’re telling me! Will was ready to haul me right over to Micah’s so we could get the preacher. And that’s not the worst of it. He was ready to say I was caught doing something I shouldn’t with Micah to force the marriage.”

  “He wasn’t!”

  “He was!”

  “So what happened? How did you end up with Jeremy instead?”

  Jane sighed, went over to a rocking chair, and sat down. “He came over for supper and heard enough of the conversation to figure out what was going on. Then he made the offer to marry me so I wouldn’t have to marry Micah, and I agreed.”

  “Really?” Edith sat next to her and leaned in her direction.

  “It’s nothing. I mean, it is. He was terribly nice to step in the way he did, but it’s not a marriage in the sense that you and Wilbur have a marriage. This was done to get me out of a tight spot.”

  “You’re disappointed.”

  “Jeremy’s Rebecca’s husband, not mine. I feel like I betrayed her on one hand and denied myself a real marriage on the other. If Will wasn’t ready to head me on out the door, I would’ve been able to think long enough to come over here. It all happened so fast. I’m still not sure how I ended up married to Jeremy.”

  Edith reached out to clasp Jane’s hand. “I’m sorry. Who would have thought Will would do such a thing?”

  “I sure didn’t. He’s had his moments, but never in a million years, would I have believed he’d stoop this low.”

  “It’s a mighty shame he did that. I hope he has enough sense to go to another church after this.” Edith let go of her hand and sat back. “So, what happens now?”

  Jane shrugged. “I continue on as before, except instead of living with my brother, I live with my brother-in-law. It’s an odd situation, isn’t it?”

  “I doubt Jeremy would marry anyone for the sake of saving her from marriage to someone like Micah. He must care for you.”

  “We’re friends. I’m not saying we don’t get along. We do. We did ever since he began courting Rebecca. I expect the marriage will be amiable, and maybe that’s good enough. You know how poor Rhonda suffers with her husband. The man dictates everything in her life. She can’t even sneeze unless he approves it. At least Jeremy lets me make my own decisions.”

  After a moment of silence, Edith smiled at Jane. “It’s true. You could do worse.”

  “And even if I went to Omaha to look for a husband, there’s no guarantee I’d find one.”

  “Jeremy’s a good man. He’ll do right by you.”

  “I know.” He would be good to her, and as long as she focused on what she’d been saved from, she wouldn’t have time to pay attention to what she might have had if she’d been able to go to Omaha instead.

  Chapter Seven

  The knocking on his front door interrupted the final thoughts on the sermon Jeremy was preparing for Sunday. With a sigh, he finished his notes and left his informal parlor.

  When he answered the door, he didn’t hide his surprise. “Micah?”

  Micah narrowed his eyes at him and crossed his arms. “I went over to Will Syas’ residence and learned that you married his sister.”

  Great. Just what he wanted: an unpleasant visit. Bracing himself for an argument, he said, “Will had no right to promise Jane to you. You should have known better than to strike such a bargain.”

  “I don’t recall this being any of your business, Preacher. It was a family matter.”

  “Regardless of whether you agree with it or not, Jane decided she’d rather marry me than you. We got married yesterday evening, and there’s nothing you can do to change that.”

  Grunting, he spit a bit of tobacco juice onto the grass and glared at him. “I paid Will for her, and now I’m out a good sum of cash because Will already spent the money.”

  “Is that what this is about? You want money? Fine. I’ll give you money. How much did you give Will?”

  “$5.”

  Now Jeremy was more insulted than he’d ever been in his entire life. He hoped Jane never discovered how cheap her brother was willing to sell her for. Biting back a lecture on the true value of a woman, Jeremy went to the jar on the kitchen shelf and took out $5, surprised that Jane hadn’t taken more before she went shopping.

  After he screwed the lid back onto the jar, he set it back where it belonged and handed Micah the money. “That should settle things as far as Jane is concerned.”

  “I ought to ask for an extra dollar since you stole her from me. She was my property, you know.”

  “The last time I checked, women were people, not
things to be bought and sold. I’m under no obligation to give you any money. The only reason I did was so her brother wouldn’t come around here to give her grief over it. Now that I’ve paid you what Will owes you, the matter concerning Jane is over.”

  Micah grumbled but slipped the money into his pocket. “Very well. But don’t expect me to come to your church anymore.”

  “Where you attend church is between you and God.” Personally, he was relieved. He didn’t want to have to look out over the congregation and see Micah twiddling his thumbs and staring out the window as he was prone to do.

  Micah let out a slight belch before he turned and headed down the pathway.

  Jeremy shut the door, glad to be done with that conversation, if indeed one could call it that. He returned to his informal parlor where it took him a good fifteen minutes to get back to his work.

  By the time he put everything away, the front door opened, and he heard Jane enter the kitchen. He went to see her and found that she had set a box of food onto the table. “Did you have a good morning?”

  She glanced over at him while she took out a package of flour and yeast. “Yes. But did you? You look upset.”

  “Do I?” He hadn’t meant to let what happened with Micah sour his mood.

  “Did you have trouble finishing your sermon?”

  “No. I managed through it fine. It should be a lot better than last week’s.” He hesitated to say anything but then figured he might as well. “Micah stopped by.”

  She gasped and dropped the wrapped steaks back into the box. “Oh no!”

  “Don’t worry about it. I took care of the situation. He shouldn’t be giving you any more problems.”

  “He never did, really. I mean, I didn’t enjoy spending time with him, but I can’t say he was rude.” Drumming her fingers on the side of the box, she asked, “What did he want?”

  “To express his displeasure.” He decided to leave it at that. Even he would like to think Micah wanted more than a woman to clean his house and feed him meals, which was all Will had seen her as. With a shrug, he said, “I’m just glad you didn’t run into him on your way back here.”

  “Thank heavens, I didn’t,” she replied, breathing a sigh of relief. “I’ll be happy if I never see my brother and Micah ever again, though since it’s a small town, I don’t suppose it can be helped.”

  “You’re safe from Micah at church. He told me he won’t be going to mine anymore.”

  “Is it wrong to be glad for that?”

  “Probably not. Besides, tomorrow is the christening for Jonathan’s daughter, and I’d rather it be a pleasant experience for all in attendance.”

  She smiled and took out the rest of the items in her box. “It’ll be a lovely ceremony. I’m looking forward to it.” Once she emptied the box, she took some coins out of her purse. “I got the lard and sugar on sale, so I was able to save three cents.”

  Noting that she seemed especially proud of this, his lips turned up into a smile. “Alright, but you don’t need to report how much you save. I know you’re not a spendthrift.”

  She shrugged and placed the money in the jar. Her eyebrows furrowed as she inspected the jar’s contents. “Wasn’t there another five dollars in here?”

  “Oh that. Yes, I needed the money so I took it out.” Eager to change the subject, he turned to the steaks. “You really got steak while you were out?”

  “And ingredients to make the cake you were supposed to have yesterday.”

  His eyebrows rose in interest. “Cake?”

  Laughing, she put the jar on the shelf and went to the table where her supplies were scattered about. “I thought you might like that.”

  “Hmm… It’s dangerous to start your first day off in a marriage with a cake. A husband is likely to expect it all the time.”

  “Cakes are easy to make. I used to make them all the time for Hank and Irene.”

  “Knowing how often you’re used to making one, I’m really going to expect it all the time.”

  She laughed harder and shook her head. “I don’t mind making you one every week.”

  He grinned. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  Another round of knocking came at the front door, so he excused himself and went to answer it, hoping it wasn’t Micah or Will. As it turned out, it was a woman who wanted him to pray over her sick child. After he promised to be there, he found Jane at the table as she set out the food items to make a cake and already knew he would look forward to coming home now that she was living here.

  “Jane, I have to pray over Mrs. Benjamin’s child. It’s nothing serious, but she has a tendency to fret over every sniffle.”

  Jane smiled as she set the cake pan on the table. “She has a good heart.”

  “That she does.”

  He stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do or say. With Rebecca, it’d been easy. He’d give her a kiss, tell her he loved her, and be on his way. Finally, he settled for saying, “I’ll be home soon,” and grabbed his suit jacket and hat. Soon enough, they’d settle into a routine, and then the little day to day activities wouldn’t be so awkward. Content with the reminder, he headed on out.

  ***

  A month later, Jane helped Edith pack. She tried not to cry as she placed her cousin’s things in boxes, but she caught herself wiping a couple of tears that slid down her cheeks.

  Edith walked into the bedroom with another empty box. “Jane, you have to stop crying. It’s making me want to cry.”

  Jane laughed even as her eyes filled with more tears. “I can’t help it. Besides Rebecca, you’re the person closest to my heart.”

  Edith went over to her and hugged her. “I’m going to miss you more than anyone else in Lincoln.”

  “I’m going to miss you, too.” Rebecca had a way with people that endeared her to them, so she never lacked a friend. For Jane, however, it’d been different. She didn’t make friends easily, and though she knew enough people, those closest to her were now being removed from her life. Rebecca through death, and now Edith who was moving to Omaha. “We’ll have to keep in touch.”

  “Definitely.” Edith pulled away from her and sighed. “Leaving didn’t seem real until I started packing.”

  Jane nodded her agreement. It hadn’t. “It’s for the best, though. This will mean good things for Wilbur, and he won’t have to worry about how he’ll provide for the little one.”

  Edith pressed her hand over her abdomen and smiled. “I still can’t believe I’m expecting. Wilbur and I have been married for six years without conceiving and suddenly, we have one on the way.”

  “It’s the timing of it. The baby knows you’ll be ready financially and decided this is as good a time as any to come into the world.”

  “Oh, Jane. I know you jest, but it seems that way.”

  “Good things are in your future. It’s a sign.”

  “I’m not one given to superstition.”

  “It’s not superstition. It’s a fact. Children are a blessing.”

  Edith giggled and hugged her again. “True.”

  Jane glanced at the many things that still needed to be packed. “We won’t make any progress if we don’t get to work.”

  “Always the practical one,” she teased. “But you’re right. We need to get back to work. The house won’t pack itself.”

  And so they returned to their task until almost everything was packed.

  ***

  When it came time for Jane to leave, she confirmed that Edith and Wilbur would be coming to her house for supper before she left Edith’s to go to the general store to pick up some groceries for the meal. It would be the last one she would share with Edith for a long time, so she wanted to make something special.

  As she scanned the shelves and tried to debate what type of dessert she should make, a child called out to her. She turned and smiled as Irene ran in her direction. Kneeling down, she hugged her niece. “How have you been doing, sweetheart?”

  “Good. When are you c
oming home?”

  “Didn’t your parents explain that I got married?”

  “Yes, but when are you coming home?”

  Jane brushed the girl’s hair away from her face. “I have a new home now. When I got married, I moved out of your house and into someone else’s.”

  “Preacher Graham’s?”

  “Yes. Your parents did explain it to you then?”

  She shrugged. “Ma says it wasn’t worth it. She says it means she has to work hard.”

  That didn’t surprise Jane, but she figured it wouldn’t hurt Susie to assume the role she was supposed to have as a wife and mother. She often wondered how Susie managed before they moved into the house and she became their unofficial maid. To Irene, she said, “Your ma will be just fine.” And probably better off.

  “Pa says he wishes he’d gotten you for ten dollars instead of five.”

  “What?” Jane asked, the color draining from her face.

  “Ma says you were worth more than that. She said he could have gotten a month’s wages for all the work you did.”

  Jane couldn’t believe this! So her brother had sold her for five dollars? That was all she was worth to him?

  “Irene?” a familiar voice called out from the other side of the store.

  Jane stood up and got ready to face her brother. She crossed her arms and waited until he approached, her foot tapping the hardwood floor.

  Her brother jerked but smiled. “Jane! What a small world it is.”

  “Yes. In fact, it’s much too small,” she replied, aware her irritation made its way into her voice.

  He cleared his throat and laughed. “You’re probably wondering why we haven’t been to church. Well, you see—”

  “No, I wasn’t wondering that.”

  “Oh?”

  “Nope. I don’t care where you spend your Sundays as long as they’re not near me.”

  “Don’t tell me you’re still upset over the whole marriage thing.”

  “Are you aware it costs more than five dollars to buy materials to fix a roof?”

  He gulped and ran his finger under his collar. “So you know how much Micah gave me.”