Chapter Twenty-Five

Beth’s confession didn’t deter Cory’s admiration. She wanted to do something for her. She glanced around, saw no one, and voiced an idea she had considered since she found out about Beth’s abolitionist support.

“Is your role helping others why you didn’t accept Mr. Raymond’s proposal? He made it clear he believes in colonization.”

Beth looked started. “You know about his proposal?”

“Miss Adelaide said you turned him down.” She watched Beth’s expression closely. “She said he was looking for a wife.”

Beth gasped. “Has he proposed to you?”

“No.” Cory cleared her throat. “But I’m afraid he might.”

Beth frowned. “Don’t you want to marry him?”

Cory shook her head. “I don’t love him. I wish I knew someone who did. It might help him with any disappointment he might have when I tell him how I feel.”

Beth blushed. “Have I been so obvious?”

Cory took her hand and made up a slight fib. “He spoke highly of you. Was it politics that made you refuse him?”

She shook her head in denial. “His politics would have been a perfect cover for my own.”

Her confession surprised her. “You’re a sly one, Beth. He insisted I change my views to match his. I know couples should have a few things in common, but not everything.”

“Faith, morals, and how to raise the children,” Beth said. “That’s all I ask.”

“Did Douglas meet those requirements?”

She nodded.

Cory hesitated but needed to ask. “Then you didn’t love him?”

She shook her head, unable to answer as she choked on the words.

She had to be patient. Beth reminded her of Cass, who had to be gently coaxed to reveal her inner thoughts and feelings. She smiled kindly. “Why did you turn him down then?”

Beth looked up, tears brimming in her eyes. “I was a fool.”

Cory couldn’t imagine anyone as level-headed as Beth acting like a fool. “Because you said no?”

She nodded in agreement.

Cory guessed the reason. “Because you’re still in love with him.”

She nodded in the affirmative.

“If it wasn’t politics or lack of love, why did you reject his offer?”

Beth removed a handkerchief from her shirt sleeve and wiped her tears. “I didn’t think he loved me.”

Cory didn’t want to speculate. “Why not?”

“He was so analytical about marriage. You heard him the other night,” she said. “When he proposed he didn’t even say he loved me.” Beth blew her nose. “I always wanted a proposal of marriage to be romantic like in a Jane Austen novel. I know it was foolish of me, but I dreamed he would declare his undying love and promise to cherish me forever. Instead he said how practical marrying a preacher’s daughter would be. We could save money on the wedding ceremony.” She burst into tears.

Cory bit her lip to keep from laughing as she patted Beth’s shoulder. No wonder Beth had turned him down. “Maybe you’re better off without him. After all, you’d have to play mother to his students.”

“But that’s what I like,” Beth confessed. “I’d be part of his work like Mother is part of Father’s work. They say a woman marries a man like her father. Douglas may not be as loud as the Reverend, but he certainly believes every word he speaks is the gospel truth like him.”

Cory laughed. She looked to see if Beth was offended. She laughed with her. “Your mother seems happy enough.”

“Douglas is like pie dough.” Beth wiped up some pie crust crumbs. “He needs to be molded into a finished product. Someday he’ll do great deeds. I’m sure of it. He just needs a little help achieving them.”

“And you want to be the one to help him do it,” Cory deduced. “So how do we convince Douglas he loves you?”

“He’s above such base emotions. He thinks love is a mathematical equation. One plus one equals two.” She held her thumb and index finger an inch apart. “All I’m asking for is a little romance.”

“I don’t think it’s too much to ask for a man to declare his love before he marries you.” Cory was still waiting for Tyler to say the words that would erase all the doubts about their future.

“That’s why I said no. I love him now. What if he doesn’t learn to love me after we’re married? What if it’s all one sided?” Beth shook her head. “I wonder who he’ll court next?”

“Would you take him back if he courted you?”

“I had my chance.”

“You can’t give up so easily. Tyler said Southern girls make a man propose until they do it right.”

“I doubt if Douglas will try again.”

“Weren’t you flirting with Tyler to make Douglas notice you?”

She reddened. “It didn’t work.”

“How do you know? Have you talked to Douglas?”

Beth looked around at the dirty kitchen. “I’ve been busy.”

“Well if you’re going to act like an old maid, you’ll end up one. Go out, talk to people, and make Douglas notice you.”

Beth looked at her dull work dress and dirty apron. “Maybe you’re right. The dance starts soon, and I made a new dress. Why can’t I have fun like everyone else?” She removed her apron. “Have you told him you’re not interested?”

“I’ll go find him.” She pointed at Beth. “You better be ready to mend any cracks I put in his pride when I turn him down.” She finished off a small slice of pie left in a tin and headed outside. She prayed Douglas took her rejection graciously.

She crossed Church Street and looked around the square. The beer wagon had a new crowd around it. Where was Douglas?

“You looking for me?” Tyler cleaned raspberry pie from his face with his kerchief. “I didn’t win the pie eating contest, but my lips are all sweetened up for the kiss you owe me.”

She ignored his comment as she searched the crowd. “Have you seen Douglas?”

Tyler made a sour face. “What do you want him for?”

“I want him to propose.” She saw Douglas near a tree on the corner of Mill Street. “There he is!” She dashed past Tyler. “Wish me luck.”

****

If Cory had a plan, it disappeared the minute she saw Douglas looking so vulnerable. Maybe it was the sunburn on his high forehead or the way he kept spinning his mangled hat around with his fingertips. She didn’t like hurting others, but it was cruel to lead Douglas on with no hope of loving him. A quick severance was better than letting plans unravel over time.

“I haven’t seen you all day.” Cory tapped Douglas on the shoulder with her closed fan. “Where have you been?”

“I saw you with your family and Mr. Montgomery and hesitated to intrude.”

I love him, and I don’t love you. That might be too abrupt. Cory sat on a bench under one of the shade trees planted on the edge of the square. “You were honest and forthright about your plans for the future, and I wish to talk about mine.”

Douglas sat next to her and took her hand. It was sweaty. Cory opened her fan and waved it with her free hand.

“Then you’re not angry with me?” He lowered his voice. “About the kiss?”

Cory tried not to groan and moved her fan to block her face. “You were quite forward, Mr. Raymond.”

“You make me bold.” He knelt on one knee in front of her. “I will not jeopardize your reputation by hesitating to make my intentions clear. Miss Beecher, will you marry me?”

Cory had meant to gently coax his attention toward Beth, but a harsher voice would be necessary. She glanced around and saw only a few people nearby who might witness the scene she would create. She took a deep breath and launched her attack. “Is that it?” She snatched her hand from his.

Douglas fell back. “What do you mean? I asked you to marry me?”

“Without a declaration of love?” She stood. “Get up! You didn’t even say I was pretty. When other men have proposed to me, they at least compliment me. You didn’t even do that.” She fanned herself with quick, agitated strokes.

Douglas looked stunned. “I’m sorry.”

“Oh, don’t apologize!” she snapped. Douglas cowered as if she’d struck him. He looked so scared that Cory had to fight the urge to soften her words. She closed her fan and smacked it against her palm. “It’s too late. Why no self-respecting woman would say yes to such a proposal. A woman expects flowers, flattery, and a declaration of love from the man she marries. In fact, I don’t think you love me at all. I believe you’re still in love with someone else.”

Douglas shook his head. “No, that isn’t true.”

Cory raised her voice not only in volume but to an annoyingly high pitch. “Don’t lie to me, Mr. Raymond. I won’t be trifled with. I saw how you looked at Beth Davis when we were having supper the other night,” Cory accused. “You couldn’t take your eyes off of her. You still have feelings for her, don’t you?”

“I have the highest regard for Miss Davis but…”

“Don’t say another word.” Cory emphasized the words with a slap of her closed fan on his shoulder. “I could never take second place in a man’s heart.”

“But she turned me down when I proposed.”

“Proposed?” she gasped. “If you asked Beth to marry you the way you proposed to me, it’s no wonder she turned you down.” Cory lifted her chin. “No woman accepts a proposal of marriage with such callous calculation.” She softened her voice. “You should tell Beth how you truly feel about her and demonstrate your affection with words and deeds if you want her to accept a second proposal.”

Douglas looked confused. “Mr. Montgomery said something about Southern women not accepting the first time, but I thought Northern women were more practical.”

“A woman has pride,” she explained. “Not the same pride as a man. She has no career or is equal in education as a man, but she takes pride in little tasks. It could be the way she embroiders or the flaky crust on her pie. A woman cherishes these accomplishments. They make her life of hard work and drudgery bearable. Beth is an excellent cook, but did anyone compliment her on her pie crust but her father? Did you know she cut nearly all the pies for the contest on the square? She could easily handle the cooking and cleaning for a dozen men.”

Cory paused to make sure he comprehended the implication of her last words. “Those are skills overlooked by most. Skills a husband should cherish. A romantic like Beth longs for words of affection and kindness, and she expects them from a man who proposes marriage.”

“But to propose to the same woman twice doesn’t seem to increase the probability of acceptance,” Douglas said. “It’s illogical mathematically. The answer is either right or wrong. It doesn’t change the outcome by doing the problem over and over again.”

“But Beth isn’t a mathematical problem.” How could one man be so obtuse? “She’s a woman. She admitted she admires Jane Austen. She wants romance. Even Mr. Darcy had to ask Elizabeth to marry him a second time. I’m sure if you asked Beth, after a proper declaration of love, she would be tempted to accept your proposal.”

“I don’t think I could ask her again,” Douglas said. “What about my pride?”

“Mr. Darcy swallowed his pride,” Cory reminded him. “Any humbling on your part would be replaced by the proud announcement of your impending marriage.”

Douglas thought on her words. Cory was growing impatient. What did she have to do to convince the man to court Beth?

“You said a woman wouldn’t accept the first time. Is that why you turned me down?”

Good Lord. She was caught by her own words. She had given him hope instead of making it clear she had no interest in him. “I said no because I’m in love with another,” she confessed honestly.

Douglas was shocked by her words. “Who?”

“Why, the man I’ve spent the entire day with, Tyler Montgomery.” She raised her fan to mask her face. “I know we haven’t known each other for long, but he has all the qualities I admire.”

“But he spent the entire evening paying attention to Beth,” Douglas recalled.

Cory lowered her voice to a whisper. “She was flirting with him to make you jealous.”

“Why would she do that?”

“Because she still has feelings for you.”

Douglas looked surprised. “I guess I should go and propose to Beth.”

“You can’t do that!” Cory shouted.

He cringed under her outburst. “Why not?”

Cory rolled her eyes. “Haven’t you heard anything I’ve said about romance? You need to court her. Win her affection. Show how much you care. But first, you should ask permission to escort her to the dance.”

“But wouldn’t that be wasting time? I know the solution to the problem. I should act immediately.”

“A woman doesn’t like to be rushed.”

“But I wish to be married before fall term begins,” he said. “I don’t want to waste any more time.”

He was complaining about wasting time. Cory tried a new tactic. “But a dance accelerates your schedule,” she reasoned. “It’s the perfect opportunity to begin anew and show her how you feel, and it’s a public declaration of your intentions.” She put it in terms he would understand. “Dancing with Beth is equal to three Sunday visits.”

“Three visits,” he repeated. “Do you think she’ll go to the dance with me?”

“All you have to do is ask,” she prodded.

Douglas thought for what seemed like an eternity. “I’ll do it.”

Cory sighed when Douglas headed for the church. “Now he’s your problem, Beth.”