“I do like it,” she agreed. “It sounds right.” It felt right, too.
Her musings were quickly interrupted. “Hattie, we’ll need to get you into town.” Charlotte came to the wagon. “Abner wants you and the little one to stay at the hospital tonight.”
“Yes, of course.” She didn’t care where she slept. The thought of a soft bed, warm covers, and a pillow for her head were heavenly.
But Willie wasn’t so willing. “Why would that be necessary? Is something wrong? Does he expect any problems?” The nervousness in his voice was apparent.
“No, nothing’s wrong. It’s just that Hattie’s been through quite a difficult time. So has the babe.” She turned to Hattie again. “We’d feel better if you stayed the night and we could keep a watch.”
“I’d like that.” So tired she could barely lift her head, she looked toward Willie. “I really haven’t any other place to go,” she reminded him. “I’ll have to find somewhere to stay, and…” Her voice trailed off as Willie placed a hand at her cheek.
She lay shivering beneath the woolen blanket. Her body trembled and her pulse raced, but those physical discomforts were insignificant compared to the emotional havoc going on inside of her head and her heart. Hattie braced herself, knowing what would come now. Willie would propose again. This time, she would accept. So why was she so nervous?
He cleared his throat. “Hattie Mae, I’ve never been happier. I’ve never been prouder than at this moment.” He stroked her cheek with his big, warm hand. “I’ve put you through so much. Will you ever forgive me for causing you such pain?”
No need for forgiveness. That pain had brought forth a new life, a precious child to love with all her heart and soul. She looked forward to watching the boy grow. Would he someday be as tall as his father, as strong? Would he be as handsome? As loving?
Dr. Kellerman came to stand beside Willie. He clapped a hand on his shoulder. “If you’re going to do it, do it right.” He nodded toward the ground. Willie’s gaze followed.
“Yeah, I know. I’m supposed to get down on my knee, but it’s cold, it’s wet, and it’s awfully muddy.” He glanced down at his ruined clothes. “I guess that wouldn’t make any difference, really.” Willie chewed at his lower lip. “But I can’t get down on bended knee, Hattie. You know I’ve got a bad leg, and besides, I couldn’t hold your hand if I did that.”
Nervous energy surrounded him. Despite the chill in the air, sweat beaded on Willie’s brow. Hattie nearly laughed to see him so befuddled, but she knew what he was about. A woman should never laugh when a man was proposing, no matter how comical. Willie was doing his best.
“I’m not an eloquent man, Hattie. In fact, I’m not much of a man at all, but—”
Hattie tried to protest but couldn’t. Too weak to utter a word, she closed her eyes. Huge tears spilled out and rolled down her cheeks.
“There, you see, I’ve upset you now.” Willie squeezed her hand. “I try my best, I really do, but somehow I seem to always do the wrong thing.”
“No, no…” She yearned to say all the things in her heart. Willie deserved to know how much she loved him. Hattie heard his deep sigh and realized he’d taken her words as a rejection. She must find strength. “I love you,” she gasped out, although the effort cost her dearly. But the pain didn’t matter. Hadn’t she endured worse for Willie? “I want to marry you. I want to be your wife.” True, yes. But together they could have so much more. “We’ll be a family now.”
A family…of sorts. She and Willie could be husband and wife, parents to their child, but what of his mother? Would she ever accept Hattie? She thought, too, of his father, of the estrangement that had kept them apart so long. Willie had consented to see his father, but had he truly come to terms with all that had happened?
Willie bent down and kissed the tip of Hattie’s nose. “Yes, we’re a family. Forever.”
Hattie could only nod. Somehow they would deal with all the problems and find a way to make their lives together work. They would make their marriage work.
* * * *
Judge William Howard Morse died peacefully in his sleep on the same rainy afternoon when William Howard Morse III entered the world. Willie learned of his father’s death after he and Hattie returned to Sunset with their new son. The funeral was held a few days later.
As he stood in the cemetery beside his sobbing mother, he thought back to those moments when he’d gone alone into that grove of trees, when he’d bowed his head and asked for strength and courage. God had granted him the desires of his heart and so much more. Willie had asked for strength, and he’d been given understanding. He’d prayed for courage, and he’d found peace. The Lord had somehow seen fit to bless him with far more than he deserved. Willie knew why.
It was all because of Hattie. Because she believed in him. God had to make a good man of Willie because Hattie deserved no less.
He stood tall, remaining stoic and dry-eyed as his father was laid to rest. It was how the man would want it, Willie thought. No needless emotions, no excessive displays of grief. Men were made to be strong, to bear up their sorrows, and get on with the business of living.
And, oh, so much living awaited Willie now.
* * * *
Willie and Hattie were wed two weeks later, as soon as Dr. Kellerman considered her strong enough to get out of bed. Most of the women in town were still busy spreading gossip, so few of them saw fit to attend the short ceremony. Betty Gilman came only because her husband officiated. No other members of the Ladies Charitable Society were present.
The Kellermans sat beaming from the front pew. Willie’s mother held her grandson on her lap, rocking the bundle in the gray blanket and cooing as the infant slept contently through the exchange of vows.
Benjamin Brooks and his wife acted as witnesses, and in a matter of minutes, it was done. Willie had taken Hattie to be his lawfully wedded wife, and they’d promised to love, honor, and cherish one another until the time when death at last parted them.
Following the service, Letitia rose and came forward. She held tight to the precious bundle in her arms. Again, his mother stood sobbing beside him. This time, he hoped, the tears glistening in her eyes were happy ones.
But he couldn’t be sure. He drew Hattie close in a protective embrace.
“I want to welcome you to our family. Will you let me do that, Hattie?”
“Mother, please.” Willie shook his head. “Not now.”
“It’s all right.” Hattie said. She turned to her mother-in-law. “Thank you.”
“I need to apologize. You’ve been kind to me, Hattie, letting me have time with this little one.” She gazed down at the cherubic face peeking out from the folds of the swaddling blanket. “I treated you so badly, it would serve me right if you hated me.”
“I’d never—”
“I was hurting, Hattie. I was so scared, so unsure of how I would get through the future. I’ve never been alone before.”
“You’ll never be alone again,” Hattie assured her. “We are family now. We’ll always be here for each other.”
Willie wasn’t sure whether or not he should say anything or simply stand aside. He stood close, yet kept silent, hoping his mother didn’t somehow spoil the festive occasion and put a damper on the light-hearted mood. His heart swelled as he listened to Hattie’s words.
“You spoke your mind,” his wife remarked, “and it’s never wrong to say how you feel. Some of the things you said were hurtful, but that’s all in the past. I know I said some very unkind things, as well. I should be asking for your forgiveness.”
“No need, Hattie. We’ll make a new start, and I’m sure we’ll come to love each other.”
“I’m glad to be part of your family. I accept your gracious welcome.”
“Thank you.” Letitia cradled William III close, then extended an arm to draw Hattie into a smothering embrace. “We’ll get along fine, I’m sure.”
“Yes, we will. We’ve got a lot in common, you se
e.” Hattie smiled. “We both love this big brute of a fellow.” She jerked a thumb toward Willie.
“I heard that.” Willie stepped forward. “A brute am I now?”
Hattie reached up and smoothed his shirt collar. “Yes, dear, but a very handsome one.”
“A very eager one, too, wife,” he whispered, bending so close to Hattie’s ear that only she could hear.
Damn, but it sounded good to call her his wife.
“No more so than I, husband.”
Willie intended to put her to bed as soon as they reached home. Of course, there would be no love-making on their wedding night. Hattie’s body still needed more time to heal. Willie meant to see that she got all the rest she needed. There were other ways to show his love. He wanted to hold Hattie in his arms, tell her again and again how much she meant to him, and promise her happiness a thousand times over. He wanted to kiss her forehead, hold her hand, and sit beside her as she slept.
His mother would be watching the baby. Willie would be watching over his wife.
For now, they would continue to stay in the rooms he rented from Tansy Godwin, but not for long. He and Hattie had talked about the future. They had plans. Life wasn’t at all how he’d once expected it to be, but it was good. Good enough he could put aside his old dreams and begin living this new one.
Chapter Twenty
October, 1881
Willie picked up the baby and hefted him into the air. At six months, his son—affectionately dubbed King Willie III—was the apple of his father’s eye.
Hattie’s words, of course.
“Want me to put him down for his nap now?” Willie asked, turning to his wife. She stood near the topmost rung of the ladder she used for stocking books in their little store. Willie couldn’t resist moving close enough to steal a glance under her skirts.
“Stop that,” she scolded when she realized what he was up to. “You’ll teach him another bad habit, and goodness knows, he’s picked up enough of them from you already.” The words might have sounded harsh had Willie not seen the amused look on her face.
“You’re probably right. I should set a good example for the boy. God forbid he grows up to be like me.”
Hattie huffed out a breath and climbed down the ladder. “Please, don’t talk like that. You’re a fine fellow, Willie, and don’t ever forget it. I’ll be quite proud if he grows up to be as good a man as you,” she said, reaching to take the child from his father. “He’ll need a feeding before his nap. Will you watch the store, please?”
“I’d rather watch you,” he said with a wicked grin as she slipped into the small private room at the side of the bookshop. “Little Willie, you’re a lucky one, all right.” Big Willie made drooling noises, his tongue lolling out. “I’ll take my turn later,” he teased. As his wife and son disappeared behind the curtain, he resolved to get his mind off Hattie’s delicious breasts and concentrate on work.
Willie enjoyed helping at the shop, although if the truth were told, it did leave him somewhat unfulfilled. Of course, he cherished the opportunity to spend time with his own little family, and working alongside Hattie was pure pleasure. Still, he sometimes looked back and wished things had turned out a bit differently.
“No regrets,” he muttered as he opened a box of books that had arrived by stage that morning. Dwelling on the past did nothing but make a man miserable. He had no need for glumness and no room in his heart for any unhappiness.
With renewed effort, he set to work unpacking the box. He’d nearly finished putting away its contents—a fancy leather-bound set of encyclopedias—by the time Hattie returned.
“He’s sleeping like an angel,” she said.
“Not for long.” Willie groaned as the bell above the door jangled. He groaned even louder with Betty Gilman walked into the shop followed by several other ladies from the Charitable Society. They always wore black, as if they were in a state of perpetual mourning.
He wanted to shoo the flock of them away, but of course, he wouldn’t. He was a proprietor now. Learning to put up with people he didn’t like was a valuable skill, although a difficult one to master. Dealing with lawbreakers would be easier than handling customers, he often thought. But again, no regrets over how his life had turned out.
“Good afternoon, ladies,” he said, going so far as to give them a slight bow. “Is there something in particular you’re looking for? We have a fine selection of Bibles…” They weren’t listening. Instead they were looking around. Their gazes lighted on Hattie. Like crows, they took off in her direction.
“Hattie Mae, you’re looking lovely.” Mrs. Gilman’s strident voice filled the little shop. Sure enough, as Willie had suspected would happen, a squall came from the back room.
“I’ll go tend to him.” Grateful for the opportunity to slip away, Willie headed toward the curtained doorway to the side. He immediately felt bad for leaving Hattie to face the women alone. Only the sight of her reassuring smile set his mind and heart at ease once more.
The women remained at the store for only a few minutes. Willie heard them speaking—in surprisingly quiet voices—but he couldn’t make out the conversation. He really had no interest in anything the women of the Ladies Charitable Society might have to say. They’d treated Hattie so unkindly in the past.
When he heard the bell above the door ringing again and the sound of the door closing as the good ladies exited the store, he poked his head out from around the heavy curtain. For a moment, he remained quiet. So did the child in his arms. Willie contently gazed at his wife. She stood in the center of the store, her arms folded, her demeanor calm, and a serene smile upon her face. Hattie looked radiant, almost beatific.
Despite his efforts to be still, his wife must have sensed that he was watching. She turned toward him. “It’s all right, you can come out now,” she said with a laugh. “They’re gone.”
“What did they want?” He came forward. Little Willie stretched his arms out toward his mother who quickly took him. “From the way you’re smiling, it must have been a pleasant encounter.” He could hardly imagine it.
“Oh, I suppose you could say that. I did enjoy speaking to them.” Hattie’s gray eyes lit up. “Would you believe it, Willie, they actually asked me to join their society. Now that I’m a respectable married woman, I’m apparently worthy enough.”
Willie knew how strong Hattie’s need for acceptance had always been. She’d spent a lifetime being rejected, first by her own mother and father, then, through the years, by potential families who found her too quiet or too timid to adopt. More than anything, Hattie wanted that all-important sense of belonging. She wanted to know that she had a place and a purpose.
“I’m glad, Hattie.” He bent forward to peck a kiss to her cheek, surprised when she drew back. “What’s the matter?”
“You don’t really think I’d accept their offer, do you?” Hattie burst into a fit of laughter. “Do you really think I’d want to join their little flock and go flapping around into everybody else’s business the way they do?”
“Well, no, not exactly.” Flummoxed, he didn’t know what to say. “But they do good work, too. They are a charitable society.”
“In name, yes, quite charitable. And, yes, they do some good deeds. I don’t mean to disparage all of them. Some of the ladies are quite kind-hearted. I know they mean well.” She rolled her eyes. “Even Mrs. Gilman and Mrs. Bittiker.”
“You turned them down.” He broke into a grin. “I wish I could have seen the looks on their puckered faces.”
“I was quite nice about it, of course. I was very polite.”
“I’m sure you were.”
“I told them I was rather busy tending to my husband, our son, and our bookshop. I graciously thanked them for extending the invitation. I suggested perhaps they should spend less time socializing and more time doing charitable works, and I bade them a very good day.”
“They’ll come back, you know.”
“Probably so.” Hattie bounced the
baby on her hip. “And who knows? Maybe someday I’ll want to join them. Not for the gossip, of course, but for the friendships and for the good work they do. But for now, I’ve got you, Willie, and we’ve got our son. We’ve got a store to run. It’s all I need.”
* * * *
It was all Willie needed too. Before he could speak the words aloud and share his thoughts with Hattie, the bell above the door clanged again.
“Afternoon, George.” Although he managed to keep the smile on his face, his body tensed when his former mentor walked into the shop. “The books you ordered came in earlier today. I was about to pack them up and take them to your office.” As a businessman, Willie had learned to keep his emotions in check. Ordinarily, he could, but in that moment, for some inexplicable reason, self-control deserted him. As he stood face to face with George Whitmore, ready to hand him the new law books he’d purchased, disappointment overwhelmed him.
Damn it, but he wanted to practice the law. He had worked hard to prepare for a legal career, and he, perhaps more than anyone, understood the power knowledge conferred. He knew, as well, the devastating consequences that resulted when power was abused. Willie would have made a fine attorney, and he knew it.
But that right had been denied him.
He looked away from Whitmore. “Give me a minute. I’ll get the books ready for you.”
“Before you do,” the man said, taking a step toward Willie and Hattie, “I need a word with you. What happened wasn’t fair, and what the committee did to you was wrong. You passed the examination.”
“I know I did. No, it wasn’t fair, but that’s how life is. Excuse me.” Unwilling to listen to more meaningless apologies, Willie turned and headed for the storeroom.
“The committee has reconsidered.”
Willie stopped but didn’t glance back at the man. “Yes?”
“It’s been unanimously agreed that a license to practice law should be issued.”
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