Mary didn’t know what to think as she walked with this stranger. The old and faded blue shirt and brown pants didn’t detract from his strong masculine appeal. His dark blond wavy hair reached down to his collar, evidence that he didn’t visit the barber often. His new beard was rough and short, so he apparently took time to shave at least once a week. His easygoing and friendly demeanor drew her to him, so obviously, she wanted to marry him.
But why would he want to marry her? Surely, the qualities he mentioned that he liked about her weren’t enough to grab his attention. After all, didn’t most women, prettier ones, have the same characteristics? They didn’t belong together. While she was plain, he was handsome. Why hadn’t he found a wife yet?
The courthouse was filled with activity. People scurried around, doing whatever it was they came there to do. Some appeared happier than others, and a fat man who huffed by them looked annoyed. Apparently, he wasn’t having a good day. They passed a young couple, the tired woman holding a newborn. The man said a polite greeting which they reciprocated. Mary’s head spun as much as it had in the train station from all the unfamiliar faces. She knew more people lived in Omaha than in her small Maine town, but being swarmed by them unnerved her.
She sighed with relief when Dave held her arm to keep her safe by his side. He led her to the front desk where a middle-aged skinny man with glasses read a book.
“Good afternoon, sir. How may I help you?” The man folded the page in his book before closing it and looked expectantly at Dave.
“Good afternoon. Miss Peters and I wish to be married,” Dave replied. “Is Judge Johnson available? He’s my brother-in-law.”
The man grinned. “I’m sure the judge has time for kin.” He dug out several pieces of paper from a drawer under the counter and handed them to Dave. “Let me check and see what he’s doing. Go ahead and fill this out.”
Dave turned to her and winked as the man left. “We’ll be hitched soon enough.”
She anxiously wet her lower lip with the tip of her tongue. “Mr. Larson, are you hiding a deep, dark secret I should know about? Did you kill someone?”
He stopped writing on the paper in front of him and looked at her. “Did you just ask me if I committed murder?”
“Perhaps that didn’t come out quite right. It’s just that you are an eligible bachelor. You could easily find a woman.”
“I did. You’re standing in front of me. I think it took all of ten minutes. Of course, if I had gotten you to agree to my proposal the first time I asked, then it would have been done in two.”
She softly laughed. “You do have a way with words.”
“You have a great laugh. I think being married to you will be lots of fun.”
He had a way of unnerving her. No man had ever seemed sincere about even talking to her unless he wanted to find out about other women. She half-expected that he would tell her he was joking and leave but he returned his attention to the papers. She felt self-conscious, standing next to him and not knowing what to say.
She examined her surroundings with closer scrutiny than necessary. She counted the stars on the American flag, studied the picture of the president, and counted the number of people passing by the front door until she got bored of that. She turned her attention back to the counter, noting the title of the book the man had been reading. It seemed odd that such details should be of such interest to her when her entire life was about to change.
I came here for a change. I expected to get married today. I shouldn’t be surprised to be here. But I thought I’d be with Mr. Craftsman, not Mr. Larson.
The man returned with a smile on his face. “The judge said he’d be delighted to marry you, Mr. Larson.”
Dave smiled. “He probably wants to get a look at who I’m marrying.” He handed her the paperwork and pencil.
She gingerly held them in her hands. Glancing at him, she asked, “Are you saying that there aren’t any single women in town?”
“None that suit me. You’re doing me a tremendous favor. There are plenty of men who know a good thing when they see it. I’m just glad I got you before someone else did.”
He had no idea how wrong he was, but she realized, with surprise, he honestly believed it. Neil’s blatant rejection had been soothed by Dave’s kindness. She vowed that she would be the best wife she could possibly be for the wonderful man standing next to her. She turned to the papers and filled them out.
Dave gently took her hand and led her to the judge’s chamber where they would marry. She tried to swallow the nervous lump in her throat, but her mouth was too dry to obey her command. His hand felt warm and strong in her smaller, shaking one. When they were in the room, he turned to her and smiled.
“I hope this is as good as a church wedding,” he told her.
She struggled to respond but a wave of dizziness came over her. Giving up on a normal voice, she simply nodded, aware that he was still holding her hand. She’d marry him anywhere. No man as kind and sincere as Dave Larson ever crossed her path before.
Judge Johnson, a tall, slender man with neatly trimmed brown hair and a mustache, brought in two witnesses. “Dave, you sly devil, you.” He grinned as he reached to shake his brother-in-law’s hand.
Dave let go of her hand so he could oblige the older man. “Hello, Rick. This is Mary Peters. Well, she won’t be Peters for long.”
She marveled that he could be so casual about getting married. Her stomach flipped and flopped like crazy.
“Good afternoon, ma’am,” Rick warmly greeted. “These are Danny and Richard Smith. They’ll be here to witness the event in case you decide to run off and leave poor Dave high and dry out there on the farm.”
She realized he was joking since the other men chuckled. She wondered if they laughed because they knew there was no way she would leave Dave, though he might leave her. After all, he was too good looking for her.
“Now Rick,” Dave began, “Mary and I are going to spend the rest of our lives together. We’re going to be very happy.”
How Dave could know that, she didn’t understand. They barely knew each other.
“How did you two meet?” Danny asked him.
“I posted an ad for a bride and she was the best of the three replies I got,” Dave responded.
Her jaw dropped at his lie.
“Why didn’t you tell us you posted an ad for a wife?” Rick wondered.
He shrugged. “If she didn’t come, then it would be embarrassing. This way, it’s a joyous event with good news all around.”
His brother-in-law nodded and turned his attention to the vows.
She should thank Dave since he had just saved her from humiliation. Though no one knew Neil had been the one who sent for her, she was fortunate Dave happened to pass by, needing a wife to help him at the farm. She wouldn’t have been offered a marriage any other way, and she understood their marriage would be a partnership. In exchange for his protection and home, she would keep the house clean, care for him, and give him children. Love, at least on his end, would not factor into the equation, and she was content with that.
The judge’s words interrupted her thoughts. “Do you, Dave Larson, take Mary Peters to be your lawfully wedded wife from this day forward, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, for better or worse, forsaking all others, as long as you both shall live?”
Dave, who held her hand, widely grinned and said, “You bet I do,” which earned a couple of chuckles from their audience.
She realized that optimism and cheerfulness were his key personality strengths. Whether or not he would enjoy her company, she didn’t know, but she already enjoyed his. Being near him was akin to stepping out into the warm sun after a long, cold winter’s night.
Rick Johnson turned to her. “And do you, Mary Peters, take Dave Larson to be your lawfully wedded husband from this day forward, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, for better or worse, forsaking all others, as long as you both shall live?”
“I do,” she said.
The judge asked for the ring.
Dave glanced at her sheepishly. “I knew I forgot to buy something.”
Rick shook his head. “You’ll have to forgive him,” he told her. “Dave has a tendency to forget things.”
“It’s true. I forgot to mention that fact about myself.”
She shyly smiled. “It’s lucky for you that I have an excellent memory.”
“This is why I chose her,” he told Rick. “Can we still get married even though we don’t have a ring?”
“Here, Dave.” Danny handed him a piece of string that was tied in a circle large enough to slip on a finger. “My daughter handed me this today. It’s a ring she made for herself that she wanted to give me. You can widen it so it can fit her finger. It’ll do until you buy a real one.”
“It’s perfect,” she assured him, touched.
Dave slid the pink string on her finger and warmly pressed his lips to hers for a simple kiss. No man kissed her before. Her stomach fluttered and her lips tingled from the action. She reminded herself that this was not a love relationship.
“You are now man and wife,” Judge Johnson concluded. “Congratulations!” He patted Dave on the back. “I have to admit that your family will be upset you didn’t wait until they were all gathered together so they could witness the wedding.”
“Nonsense. Mary came in on the train today, and I won’t take her out to the farm without being legally wedded to her.”
“Sally will insist on meeting your bride.”
“Sally’s my big sister and his wife,” Dave informed her. Looking back at Rick, he thanked him and took the marriage certificate. “We’ll see you all another day.”
“It was nice meeting you, ma’am,” Rick smiled.
She returned his smile and accepted Dave’s arm so she could walk next to him on their way back to the wagon. Once he helped her onto her seat, he untied the reins. She clutched her purse. Suddenly, she didn’t know what she was going to say to him. Deep in her heart, she knew she was safe with him, but he was still a stranger and she had never been good at making conversation with men.
“Are you ready to go home, Mrs. Larson?”
The way he said her new name, as if he always called her that, shocked her. She cleared her throat and shifted as he urged the horses forward. She took a deep breath. “May I ask why you lied to the judge about how we met?”
“I thought that version was more romantic. It’ll make for better storytelling when the women in my family get together to talk.”
“Thank you for not telling them about Mr. Craftsman. I promise that I will be a good wife for you.”
“I have no doubt about that. You impressed me back there.”
She had no idea how she impressed him but she figured it didn’t matter. She straightened her back. “You need help delivering a baby horse?”
“Well, my mare is due to foal soon. The mare’s name is Susannah. I bought her at an auction a year ago. She is three years old and already proving to be an excellent riding horse, though the original owner didn’t think she’d amount to much when he sold her. It was the best deal I ever made. She’s worth triple the price I paid for her. It just goes to show you that you can’t judge a book by its cover. Fortunately, my stallion took a liking to her right off the back, and now she’s ready to give me another horse.” By the gleam in his eye, she knew he was proud of Susannah.
“Have you delivered a foal before?”
“A couple but none of my own.”
She nodded and, unable to think of anything else to say for the moment, she turned her attention to the remaining buildings as they left town. She noted that several people stopped to watch her and Dave as they passed by. Most likely, they were wondering what he was doing with her. She pushed the thought aside. Whatever his reason, he married her knowing full well what she looked like, so he already knew what he was getting himself into.
As the last house out of town slipped from view, she noted her surroundings. The afternoon would soon give way to evening, but the sun was brilliant in the sky, casting a warm yellow glow over the gentle rolling hills that splashed an assortment of greens that intrigued her. A peace settled in her heart as she contemplated her future, and that peace was all she needed to know that coming here was the best thing she ever did for herself.
Dave’s words interrupted her thoughts. “I came out here with my family on a wagon train when I was twelve. My father received 160 acres free and clear for establishing a home and working the land. It was ten years ago when I left New York, but I do recall that life was easier back east. It’s not always easy out here.”
“Are you trying to scare me?” She offered him a slight smile.
“No. I meant what I said back there. You’re doing me a favor by coming with me. I don’t want to disappoint you. I have very little money to my name and a humble home. I reckon it’s not what you’re used to, and it’s not like the ones you saw in town. Mine is made of sod.”
“I’ll be frank with you, Mr. Larson. I’m a simple woman, and I don’t frighten or dissuade easily. If you hope I’ll take to running for the next train ride out of here, you’ve got another thing coming.” Desire to be with Dave had already lodged itself in her heart, so if sleeping in a dirt house for the rest of her life meant she could stay with him, then she’d readily pick that option.
When they arrived on his property, she discovered that his house wasn’t the only building made of sod.
“Before I came here, I read about these types of buildings, but I’ve never seen one,” she commented as he pulled his horses to a stop in front of the rectangular barn that was larger than the house.
He hopped down from the wagon, went to her side and helped her down.
She approached the barn and touched it. She recalled what she learned about sod buildings. The prairie grass and dirt had been mixed together to form neatly stacked bricks that were two feet high, one foot wide and six inches high. A fine plaster made of lime, sand and water covered the outer walls.
“It’s sturdy,” she commented.
“The plaster is called stucco and it protects the sod from the rain and snow. Otherwise, it would turn into one muddy mess. I do have to deal with a leaking roof if it rains enough, but I try to keep the roof in good shape so that doesn’t happen too much. Some farmers carve out dwellings in the sides of the hill, but the section of land I bought is flat.” He stood next to her, watching her.
“I suspect that this building is practical out here on the prairie. It’s not like you have a lot of trees or clay bricks to build houses with.”
She turned to examine her surroundings. To the north and east stood tall grass though several trees dotted the landscape.
He followed her gaze. “The river cuts through the land in that direction. I made a pathway to it so it’s easy to get back and forth. The river is about a mile away and there’s a slope that dips down so you can’t see it from here. I get drinking water and bathe there.” As an afterthought, he slowly added, “Cow chips provide fuel for the fire when I cook.” He waited for her reaction.
She nodded. She expected life out here to be drastically different from Maine, so this news didn’t startle her. “Do you have a place where you store the cow chips?”
“In the bucket in the corner of the barn. I just take what I need, but I don’t cook often. Most of the time I eat raw food or jerky. I collect drinking water and put a barrel of it in here for the animals and one next to the house. I’ll bring a fresh supply of water to the house every day for you to use, and if you need more, say the word and I’ll bring it to you.”
“I’ll do what I can to help you.” She turned her attention to the corn that grew to the south and west. “Your crop seems to be flourishing. You manage this all by yourself?”
“I do the best I can. My family helped me build the house and barn.”
She smiled. “It’s amazing that you manage so well. You take good care of your things.”
He seemed pleased by her analysis. “It’s all in a day’s work.”
“This is a great place you have. Are you hungry? I could fix something for you to eat if you want to check on the mare.”
His eyes grew wide. “Susannah! I forgot all about her. I have some food in the wagon. I’ll take it into the house after I check on her.”
“Can I come along?”
“Of course.” He grinned and nodded to the entrance of the barn.
She returned his smile. “Back in Maine, I helped the midwife deliver a couple of babies, but I’ve never watched a horse give birth.” Mary felt a mixture of apprehension and excitement by the prospect of witnessing a new life entering the world in the next two weeks.
The first thing she noticed when she entered the barn was the potent smell of manure. She subconsciously held her breath, so she wouldn’t cringe. Realizing that Dave didn’t seem to notice the stench, she hoped that she would get used to it.
He opened the stall door and entered so he could check the horse. “Hi there, Susannah.” He patted the horse on the back.
Susannah neighed a greeting but kept her eyes trained on Mary.
“It seems that she’s aware of me,” Mary commented, her mind shifting from the stink to the pregnant mare.
“Animals are pretty smart. They pick up on things real quick. Don’t worry though. In a matter of days, they’ll know you well enough.”
“How many animals do you have?” she asked.
He led Susannah out of the stall. “I have two geldings, one cow, a stallion and a mare.”
She subconsciously backed up as Susannah approached her. She detected a hint of amusement in his eyes from her timid reaction to the large beast. “I didn’t grow up around animals. It’ll probably take me longer to adjust to them than it will for them to adjust to me.”
“Susannah’s a gentle mare. She wouldn’t harm anyone. Do you want to touch her?”
No, she didn’t, but she knew that the sooner she got used to the animals, the easier the transition from city to farm living would be, so she took a deep breath and braced herself for anything the horse with the bulging belly might do. She reached out and tapped the mare’s neck.
Susannah snorted, as if humored by her shaky fingers.
“We’ll get you more comfortable as time passes,” Dave assured her. “We should get your things into the house. I’m going to take Susannah to the field so she can walk around.”
She followed him to the field and watched as he opened the fence. Susannah, apparently used to the process, obediently went in and didn’t look back as he closed it. Mary saw the stallion glance in her direction, and despite the fact that this was an animal instead of a person, she turned away, feeling self-conscious. Her eyes drifted along the open field and she caught sight of a cow chewing the grass in another gated area.
Dave returned to her. “I’ll get the geldings in the fields after I show you the house. It’s not much but when it rains, it keeps dry. My parents warned me that plaster would keep the place from getting dirty, but I thought I knew better and didn’t worry about it until the dirt started turning into mud. Plaster’s on the walls now.” He chuckled. “Some lessons have to be learned the hard way, I suppose.”
She followed him to the wagon and reached for her travel bag.
“I can get that for you,” he offered.
“It’s not heavy. I can manage.”
“I know but I’d like to do it. It makes me feel useful.”
Startled because no man, besides her father, had ever carried anything for her, she didn’t know what to say.
He took the travel bag and said, “I’ll get the boxes next. Are you ready to see your new home?”
“Yes.”
As he walked beside her, he asked, “Why didn’t you bring a trunk? This bag doesn’t seem large enough to carry many clothes.”
“Oh, I wasn’t sure what to expect so I only packed the necessities and a dress. I figured that I should wait and see what it was like on a farm so I would know what type of dresses I need out here.” She shrugged. “I like to sew anyway, so it gives me a good excuse to do that.”
“Then I’ll take you back to the mercantile tomorrow so you can get supplies for that. If I had thought about it, I would have taken you there after we left the courthouse.”
She paused, her feet three steps from the front wooden door of the sod house. “Have I inconvenienced you?”
He stopped and shook his head. “No. I’m the one who didn’t think to ask if you needed anything before we left town. If anything, I’m the one who’s inconvenienced you.” He smiled and opened the door. “Well, this is it.”
How did she luck out in marrying him? He was the most caring man she’d ever met. Realizing that he waited for her to enter, she quickly went over the threshold, aware that he followed her into the dwelling.
She wasn’t sure what to expect from the house. The first thing she noticed was the smell of dry earth. Sunlight poured through two small windows, lighting the interior of the structure. One window faced the barn and the other faced the grassy fields that led to the river. The home consisted of a large room and a small room. The large room served as a kitchen and a bedroom. The small room, to the side of the bedroom, seemed to be a storage room. The complete structure could fit in her parents’ dining room and parlor, but the lack of space didn’t bother her.
He set her bag on the bed.
“The mattress is made of straw,” he explained. “My brother made the wardrobe. I don’t have a lot of clothes, so you have plenty of room on this side.” He took a good look at the bed. “I don’t have an extra pillow yet. For the time being, you can have mine.”
“If you have some old clothes or towels, I can probably sew a pillow for you.”
“Actually, I do have a couple of old shirts that I’ve been meaning to use as rags or burn.” He looked at her. “I burn my trash.”
She began to nod but stilled the motion to give him a good look. “Are you trying to scare me again?”
Perhaps he changed his mind about being married to her since he got a chance to look at her inside his home and near the marital bed. Neil’s words returned to her consciousness as if he’d slapped her in the face.
“No,” he softly replied. “The truth is that I keep expecting you to say you’ll have no part of this because it’s not exactly a setup for a woman. I do want you to stay.”
Relief flooded through her. “I’m happy with the place.” Just hearing him say that he wanted her to stay brought a newfound sense of devotion to the wonderful man who stood next to her.
“My old shirts are over in this pile.” He pointed to the bottom of the wardrobe. “I haven’t gotten a chance to deal with them yet.”
She knelt down and examined the soft cotton material. Two of the three shirts needed to be mended and could easily be worn again. The one that was beyond repair would do well for the beginning of a pillow. The flour sack she spied next to the shirts would help complete the task. “I can take care of these.”
“I’ll bring the boxes in while you put your things away.”
She went to perform the task, glad that he wouldn’t see her undergarments. It was silly to want to hide such things from him since they were married, but she had just met him. He returned as soon as she placed her bag in the bottom of the wardrobe.
“I have to warn you that these boxes don’t contain much for two people.” He set them on the table in the kitchen.
She strolled to the kitchen and looked out the window that gave her a view of the barn and cornfield. “It is a lovely view,” she noted.
“I’m glad you think so. My mother told me to put a window in the kitchen so my future wife could look outside while she cooked. I’m glad I followed her advice.”
She turned to the boxes and opened them up so she could examine the contents. It seemed to contain little else but jerky, though she noted a couple other items. At least she spied a bag of flour and baking soda on the kitchen shelf next to the window. Above it was another shelf which held two well-used pots, a pan, a coffee pot, dishes, and utensils.
“The cookstove is over here.” He motioned to it.
Next to it was another table to lay things on.
“I do have some hand towels for washing dishes.” He picked up two flour sack towels. “The bar of soap and towels for bathing are in the center of the wardrobe. Also, a wash copper, washtub and mangle for laundry are in the storage room. I don’t have much else in there. I suspect that will be the baby’s room.”
She didn’t know why talk of children should cause her to be nervous, but she couldn’t manage to look at him. Of course, it was natural that they would have children. There was more to being married than sharing in the tasks of maintaining the farm.
“Do you want to see the storage room?” he asked.
“I’ll check it out later. I thought I would get supper started.”
“I can’t wait to eat whatever you make. It’s bound to be better than what I usually put on my plate.”
“I’ll do my best.” She started taking out the jerky, vegetables, and fruits from the box in front of her. “Do you have a fruit and vegetable garden?”
“No. I started one but didn’t want to mess with keeping it up.”
“I used to have one back in Maine. I’d like to get one going here.”
To her surprise, he rested his hand on the small of her back. His touch was gentle but firm. Warmth flooded through her. The gesture spoke of familiarity and intimacy that came naturally to a husband and wife. She swallowed the nervous lump in her throat. She couldn’t help but be keenly aware of his soft lips as he kissed her cheek. His scent reminded her of the outdoors.
“I’m glad you’re here,” he whispered. Before she could respond, he said, “I should take care of a few chores. Just yell for me when supper is ready. I’ll be in the barn.”
Struggling to clear her head, she watched as he ran out the door and to the barn. Her trembling hands indicated her apprehension over losing her virginity. She knew it was a threshold that married women crossed, but she didn’t know what to expect. Part of her was curious while another part of her wished to flee. She took a deep breath and focused on making the meal.