Chapter 5

She didn’t seem too surprised by his proposal, although the look on her face, which could only be described as utter dismay, did nothing to assure Jesse that she’d accept his offer. Rather than love and adoration, expressions he would have liked to see in the woman he hoped to marry, he saw disappointment and sadness. But what more could he expect, given the circumstances? No woman would jump for joy at a marriage offer like this.

But what set him back the most was the shame he sensed in her. She’d done nothing wrong. Sure, Miss Estelle had told him of the trouble Leah had gotten herself into, but, wanting the facts, Jesse learned the details for himself. He found no crime and saw no shame in what she’d done.

However, he figured Leah Hermaning was a woman who needed a man’s protection, especially out here. She needed a place to call home. He needed a wife to run his homestead, a help meet, as the Bible called it. He liked her a whole lot already, and he could tell she liked him, too.

Sounded like a perfect fit to Jesse.

And then there was the upcoming election. Being a family man would undoubtedly give him a leg up, although it surprised even him that his intentions went beyond the immediate future. Even if he lost to Welton, Jesse knew that he and Miss Hermaning would have a happy future together. The peace he felt inside told him so.

Now, if only she’d see it that way.

“But, Uncle …” She swiped her eyes with the back of one hand. “I can’t marry a man I don’t know just because it’s convenient.” She glanced Jesse’s way. “No offense intended, Sheriff.”

“None taken.”

“Now, Leah, in time you’ll see that marrying Jesse is the best you could hope for, all things considered. He’ll take care of you. And it will be good for him, too.” Reverend Hermaning hesitated. “You might have heard that an election is coming up next week.”

“I heard.” She sounded so hurt that Jesse could have kicked himself with his own spurs for springing marriage on her this way.

But there wasn’t time for courtship—not if she wanted her aunt and uncle present at the wedding.

“Miss Hermaning, believe me. The election is not the only reason I’m proposing. I need a wife. I want a family.” Jesse rather enjoyed the pink blooming in her cheeks. Real sweet.

“Leah, dear, your aunt and I would have failed in One Way without Jesse. At first, we had no success at all. Sunday after Sunday, we set up church under that tree by the river, and each week for the first three months, we sang hymns alone, and I preached only to your aunt.”

“And that got old in a hurry.” Miss Estelle rolled her failing eyes. “Wouldn’t you agree, Jesse?”

He cleared his throat and worked the smile off his face. Since the day they’d met, he’d found Miss Estelle’s childlike candidness amusing.

“We called on every home in town and a lot of them outside the town, but nobody wanted to come to church or hear our message of salvation through Jesus,” the reverend continued. “We were so discouraged, we wanted to move on.”

Miss Estelle sighed. “I did everything I could to get Robbie to quit this town. I didn’t understand why we couldn’t seem to bear fruit here. We’d been successful everywhere else we’d lived.” She pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve and dabbed the sudden tears. “I thought we were out of God’s will. It was a hard time for me.”

It was the first time Jesse had ever seen sadness in the older woman’s eyes. But when she pulled a second hanky out of the other sleeve and handed it to Leah, he realized his intended was all teared up, too—

Well, she was almost his intended.

What could he say to make her understand there was no shame in his proposal? Sure, there’d been no flowers or sweet words of love, but he could easily make that part up to her in the future. And who knew whether deep love could come from this awkward beginning?

“Miss Hermaning, I’m sorry you’re taking my offer of marriage so hard, but—”

“Jesse, you’re a smart man, but you don’t know much about women.” Miss Estelle blew noisily into her hanky. “She’s upset about my hard times, not your marriage proposal.”

“Oh?”

Miss Hermaning gave a bob of her head. “I had no idea you suffered so, Auntie.” She sniffed.

“Dry your tears, ladies.” The reverend peered at his niece, his thick dark brows pinched together. “Leah, the reason I told you this story is because I thought it’d make a difference to you. You see, one Sunday morning, Jesse showed up under that tree. After hearing the Gospel, he repented of his sins and became a Christian. Word got around, and the next week we had three families at church besides Jesse. Since that day, we’ve seen his faith tested and grow.”

“So you see, dear, why your uncle and I are so fond of him. He’s a product of our ministry—the ministry we thought was dead. However, if Jesse isn’t reelected, there’ll be no church building.”

“Why can’t the church meet in the schoolhouse?”

“We don’t have one. School will meet in Luther Welton’s barn. He’s the man with the money in this town, and he’s the only man with the space. We’re still a pioneer town, and everybody besides Luther built as small as they could with high hopes to expand later.” Jesse sat back on the settee. “Unfortunately, the town board has to approve all construction, and its members are waiting on the election results. Building the church will have to wait until spring—and to see who wins next week.”

“What does a sheriff have to do with the town board’s decision?”

“Here in One Way, Miss Hermaning, the sheriff sits on the board and has the deciding vote.”

A spark of understanding lit in her gray eyes. “And let me guess—Mr. Welton is dead set against the idea of a church, but his plans for his hotel and gaming facility will be approved if he’s elected sheriff.”

“You hit the nail squarely on the head.” Jesse grinned, pleased to see the light of concern in her gaze. Another woman might not care about anything but herself.

Miss Hermaning rubbed her temples as if combating an oncoming headache. “It’s too much to think about. I’ll need time to make a decision.”

“I’m afraid we have no time, my dear.” The reverend clasped his hands together as if the decision had been made, and Jesse’s heart went out to Miss Hermaning.

Sitting forward, he took her hand and stood. “Will you come for a short stroll with me as you think about my offer?”

The Yellowstone River couldn’t run as deep as Leah’s feelings of humiliation. At least there was some dignity and acceptance in spinsterhood. But this sort of marriage—one arranged for a purpose and without love, without friendship even—that was a sham. She wanted no part of it!

And yet she had no viable options. No job, no money, and soon, no family to help support her.

Jesse held her hand all the way outside to the porch. There he pulled one of the ladder-back, rush-seat rockers close to the other. As they sat together, she shivered, even in the heat of summer. She should say something, at least answer his proposal, but words wouldn’t come.

If only she were back in Newport, secure in her home and happy with her position—

Leah stopped that thought cold. To say she happily taught school children each day didn’t accurately describe her life up until now. Certainly, she enjoyed her vocation, but being a spinster didn’t make her happy. A family—a big family—now that would make her happy. Mother used to say that she prayed Leah would find happiness with a loving husband.

Was God answering Mother’s prayers? Through a stranger’s marriage proposal? Through Uncle Robert and Aunt Estelle?

“Miss Hermaning, may I call you Leah?”

He may as well. “Yes.”

“I’m real sorry for dropping this marriage proposal on you the way I did. I’m sure that, like any young lady, you’d rather have a regular courtship. But my only chance at courting you is right now, and all I have to offer is myself and my homestead.”

His humble words, spoken softly with his lazy, subtle twang, charmed her the same way his smile did.

“Is there no one else in this town for you to marry, Sheriff Waite?” It seemed preposterous that he’d have no prospects. But wasn’t that what he’d said to his sister? No prospects?

“Call me Jesse. And no, there aren’t many available young ladies in this town—in the county. And I can’t marry just anyone. I need a woman who’s heading in the same direction as I am, a woman of faith and prayer. Your aunt and uncle told me of your salvation experience, and after meeting you, I’m sure there’s not another woman for me. Only you.”

She should feel flattered. Instead she felt trapped.

As the sun began to turn the Yellowstone River to burnished copper, Leah’s destiny became crystal clear.

“Can I pray for you, Leah? For us? Right now?”

Touched by the request, she nodded and allowed him to take her hand again. As he started his prayer, clearly confident in the Lord, his words touched a place in her heart that she hadn’t known was there. A place of discontent that needed to be filled with—what?

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Leah knew that passage from the Proverbs as well as her own name.

Was the Lord directing her paths even now? Surely she wasn’t the first female thrust into an arranged marriage—Queen Esther came to mind. Esther’s decision to follow her relative’s instructions saved the Jewish people from certain destruction. Her marriage to the king fulfilled a greater purpose than her own.

“Sheriff Waite … I mean, Jesse, are you sure you want to marry me? Perhaps you’re feeling pressured by my aunt and uncle—or the upcoming election.”

“Yes, I’m sure.” Another charming smile. “I’ve spent many sleepless nights thinking it over and committing the matter to prayer.”

“But I haven’t had the luxury of praying about it.”

“That’s why I brought you out here, to sit awhile and pray.”

Leah wanted days to pray about it, not just a few minutes.

“You could always stay here at the boardinghouse.” He gazed off in the distance. “Maybe respectable employment will open up somewhere. The Bigelows will welcome your help with their ministry, although I’m sure they can’t pay you. They came from a large church in Billings, answered the call out here. Any money they have comes from their own savings, which they’ll likely need to pay expenses in One Way until our church grows.”

While an alternative, it seemed like more of a gamble. What if no employment opened up? What if Mrs. Rigley insisted on charging Leah rent? And to live in such a tiny place as that closet sounded like a death sentence.

Jesse’s offer, on the other hand, had the promise of life. New life.

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding …”

Yes, God was here, directing her path. However, the one thing she’d gleaned from this time of prayer was that her life would never be the same—she would never be the same.

For Leah, there was only one way to find possible happiness. “Yes, I’ll marry you, Jesse.”