“Just coffee, please.”
She poured him a cup. “We’ll sit in the parlor where it’s more comfortable.”
He took the cup when she held it out to him and followed her to the spacious room.
After they sat down, she turned to him. “You said you wanted to talk to me?”
Stan nodded but hesitated to say anything. It seemed like a simple matter when he decided to come out here, but now he was in front of the woman who’d given birth to him.
“Does this have something to do with Harriett?” she softly encouraged.
“Yes,” he admitted. He’d come here to talk to her, and that was exactly what he was going to do. “I’d like your advice.” When her eyebrows furrowed, he quickly added, “On what I can do to make her happy.”
“You don’t think she’s happy now?”
“I know she’s not happy.” He let out a long sigh and placed his cup on the table. “She spent all night crying, and it’s my fault.”
She leaned toward him. “How so?”
“I dumped Maggie on her. Then when she asked me leave her alone, I wouldn’t.”
“You dumped Maggie on her?”
“As soon as we got married, I let her do everything for her.”
“I’m sure she expected that. A woman naturally takes care of the children. I had no problem caring for Emily as soon as I came to live here.”
“Maggie’s a handful, Ma. You know that.”
She took a sip from her coffee and smiled at him. “Yes, I know that, but Emily wasn’t exactly thrilled to have me here at first either. It took time before she accepted me. Maggie was abandoned by her mother. The same thing happened to Emily. Your father was the one who did everything for Emily. Believe me, she made it clear that I was never going to be her mother.”
“Even so,” he began as he shifted on the couch, “I should have done more to help Harriett with her. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was so glad not to have to worry about Maggie, I was more than happy to let Harriett do everything.”
“Most men leave the childrearing to the women. That’s not uncommon.”
Maybe, but he had asked Harriett to marry him because of Maggie, and that being the case, he should have stepped in more to help her.
“Alright, we’ll put that aside,” she said then put her cup down. “What is this about her asking you to leave her alone?”
“Well, we started out eating meals together, and I thought everything was fine. But she asked me to stop eating at the same time she and Maggie ate.” When he saw her furrow her eyebrows, he explained, “There was one supper where Maggie was giving Harriett an especially hard time. She wanted a biscuit, but Harriett told her to eat something else and she wouldn’t. I could tell Harriett was at her wit’s end, so I gave Maggie the biscuit to quiet her down. Before you say it, I know it was wrong for me to do that. Harriett had told her no, and I should have abided by it.”
She waited for a moment then asked, “It was after this she asked you to leave her alone?”
He nodded.
“Was this only to leave her alone at meal time or did she want you to leave her alone at other times, too?”
His face warmed. “The only time I got to see Harriett was when we ate. That’s why I told her no.”
“What were you both doing during the day?”
“I was taking care of the animals, and she’d take Maggie somewhere or she’d be with her in the house.” He shrugged. “I don’t know what women do all day.”
At that, her lips curled up into a smile. “A lot more than you’d believe if I told you. I assure you, Harriett wasn’t sitting in the parlor with nothing to do. She was busy working. The house and clothes don’t clean themselves, and meals don’t cook themselves.”
“I realize that. I just meant, I don’t know the details of what she did with her time. I know she liked to go visit her family.” He took a deep breath to get ready for why he came. “But I want to spend more time with her. I want to get to know her better.”
“So what are you doing here talking to me?”
Noting the amusement in her tone, he relaxed a bit and chuckled. “I want your advice. You’re a woman. You know what women want. What can I do to be a better husband to her?”
“It’s really not that complicated, Stan. What every woman wants is for her husband to be sincere in his care for her. If you do that, she’ll want to spend time with you.”
“You make it sound easy.”
“It is easy.” She picked up her cup and took another sip. “What is she interested in?”
As much as he hated to admit it, he needed to be honest. “Besides her family, I don’t know.”
“You’ll have to ask her, and when you find out, suggest doing those things with her.”
Her answer was so simple. It felt like there should be more to it than that.
“Stan, there is no substitute for sincerely caring about her. You can do the same things with her and go to the same places, but if your heart isn’t in it, she’ll know.”
“Is that what your first husband did? Did he do things with you?”
She hesitated for a moment, staring at the cup in her hands, then finally turned her gaze to his. “He never pretended to care when we were alone. He was cordial enough, but he wasn’t warm. He kept me at a distance. When we were in front of others, he played the devoted husband. It was so he could look good. He only cared about himself. Your father might not have a perfect past, but he cares about people. He was interested in me, and he treated me the same whether we were alone or in public. That’s why I’m telling you to care about Harriett. It really is that simple.”
“Thanks, Ma.” He grabbed the cup and finally drank the coffee. When he was done, he stood up. “I think I’ll find pa and help him out, if you don’t mind watching Maggie?”
“Your pa will appreciate the help.” She took his cup. “I’ll be happy to watch Maggie.”
On impulse, he gave her a hug. “Thank you.”
She returned his hug. “It’ll be alright, Stan. Every woman will soften to a husband who cares about her.”
He wasn’t exactly sure how he was going to show Harriett that, but he was determined to do his best.
***
Harriett wasn’t sure what to do with her time. Ever since she was old enough to pitch in and help her mother, she couldn’t remember a time when she had an entire day to do nothing for someone else. After she ate a breakfast that was surprisingly good, she cleaned up around the house, a process that didn’t take nearly as long as she anticipated.
She spent about an hour walking outside. It was the perfect day for it, and there wasn’t a cloud in sight. A nice warm breeze allowed her to go without a shawl. But she couldn’t recall a time she’d ever taken a walk by herself. Usually, she’d go with Adam or Rose. Occasionally, she’d go with her mother or Eli. But today, she went by herself, and that was more difficult than she thought it’d be.
However, by the time she returned to the house, she was ready to read Rose’s missive. It’d been a month since she’d had a good talk with her sister, and even if it hurt to know Stan preferred Rose over her, it wasn’t Rose’s fault. Rose had never encouraged him, so she shouldn’t be blaming Rose.
When she reached her bedroom, she pulled open the drawer and retrieved the neatly folded piece of paper. She sat on her bed and took a deep breath. Unfolding the paper, she caught sight of Rose’s familiar script, and as silly as it was, tears filled her eyes. Despite her inner turmoil, she missed her sister. They’d been closer to each other than anyone else their entire lives. Rose had always been there for her, and she’d always had a way of making her feel better when no one else could. If there was one person she needed to see more than ever, it was Rose.
My dear Harriett,
I understand you’re going through a difficult time. Marrying Stan must have been a hard decision to make. It’s just like you to sacrifice what you want for the sake of others, and in this case, it�
��s a little girl who has no mother. I wish I could say I’m as selfless as you, that I’d do the same if it hadn’t been for Kent. But we both know that’s not the truth.
Of all the people I’ve ever known, there has never been anyone as giving and caring as you. I miss you. I know you need time away from me, and I’ll wait for as long as it takes for you to be ready.
I still believe once Stan gets to know you, he’ll realize you’re much better for him than I could ever be. Be your wonderful self and give him time. Getting Kent to see that I was perfect for him wasn’t easy. Just because something is hard, it doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing.
Love,
Rose
Wiping more tears from her eyes, Harriett folded the letter and returned it to the drawer. Rose hadn’t given her a hard time about pushing her away. Harriett had feared Rose might be upset with her for intentionally ignoring her, but she hadn’t. And that made Harriett feel much better about seeing her again.
Chapter Fourteen
“I’m so glad to see you,” Rose greeted as the butler led Harriett into the house.
Rose engulfed her in a warm embrace, and Harriett wished she hadn’t stayed away for so long. Being with her sister brought back all the things she’d missed by not seeing her every day.
Pulling away from her, Harriett dabbed the tears from her eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner.”
Rose took a handkerchief from her pocket and handed it to her. “I understand, Harriett. Did Ma give you my missive?”
“She did, but I couldn’t bring myself to read it until today. I’m not sure why. I…I…” At a loss for words, Harriett shrugged. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright.” Rose slipped her arm around her shoulders and led her to the informal parlor. “You don’t have to say it. I’m your sister. I know you’ve been going through a difficult time.”
After Rose encouraged her to sit on the settee, she asked the butler to bring them some tea and scones. Harriett finished drying her cheeks and waited for Rose to sit next to her before she turned to face her.
“I feel like such a fool,” Harriett softly confided. “I know you think I’m selfless, but I think a part of me married Stan in hopes he’d come around to falling in love with me. Only, I didn’t realize it at the time. I kept telling myself I was doing it for Maggie.”
“I’m sure you would never have said yes if it hadn’t been for her.”
Harriett considered her words and nodded. “You’re right. I wouldn’t have. But she gave me an excuse to say yes without making him think I was doing it to be with him.”
“I know you, Harriett, and the main reason you said yes was because you felt sorry for her. No child should be without a mother. A man can’t do the same job a woman can. When a child is sick or scared, they want their mother.”
The butler brought the tray into the room and set it on the table. With a bow, he left and closed the door.
Rose poured tea into their cups. “You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself. You’re only human.”
Staring at the expensive handkerchief in her hand, Harriett sighed. “Some decisions last a lifetime.”
“Yes, and you’ve given Maggie a mother she wouldn’t have had otherwise.”
“Maggie doesn’t like me. She knows I’m not her real mother, and she resents me because of it. She intentionally says no to everything I want her to do, and she won’t eat anything I make unless she can get a treat afterwards. I feel like everything I do is for nothing.” Using the handkerchief to catch more tears, she added, “I can’t please her no matter how hard I try.”
Rose scooted closer to her and put a comforting arm around her shoulders. “Oh Harriett, how awful.”
“I had no idea one little girl could be so hard to win over. I knew Stan might never love me, but I thought Maggie would let me in. I’m not much more than a maid. I could have suggested doing that instead of marrying him.”
“That wouldn’t have been any better. You’d still be spending a lot of time with him. At least this way, you get him to think of you as a wife.”
Harriett let out a wry chuckle. “A lot of good that does me.” Taking a deep breath to steady her resolve so she wouldn’t burst into a fresh wave of tears, she forced out, “How can you resist him, Rose?”
Rose released her and handed her a cup of tea, but Harriett wasn’t in the mood to drink anything. Still, she held it because the heat from the cup was oddly soothing.
“I don’t know,” Rose said. “He just never interested me that way.”
Harriett wished she could say the same thing.
Rose drank more tea then set the cup on the tray. “I don’t know why I was never attracted to him. He’s attractive enough, I suppose, and he was pleasant when he talked to me. But,” she picked up a scone, “I didn’t have much in common with him. He was always just…there. I didn’t care whether he was around or not. Maybe it’s like you and Kent. You were never interested in him. What’s the difference between Stan and Kent?”
“Well, Kent used to be brooding,” Harriett reflected as she thought over the days shortly after their father had found him unconscious and beaten up in an alley. “He didn’t smile or laugh. He seemed to have a dark cloud hanging over his head. Stan seemed happier, and he was hopeful about the future.” She shot her sister a wry grin. “Adam believes it was because Kent didn’t fall at your feet in utter adoration that made you take an interest in him.”
Rose giggled. “If that was true, then I would have lost interest in him as soon as he started to adore me.”
“By the time he fell at your feet, you knew he was rich. Of course, you wouldn’t lose interest in him.”
“I won’t say it’s not nice to have someone else to cook and clean for me, but it’s not why I married him.” She hesitated for a moment then continued, “I liked the fact that he was serious about life. He wasn’t a boy. He was a man.”
“Stan’s not a boy.”
“I know, but he wasn’t like Kent. I don’t know how to explain it, Harriett. I think there are just some people you’re attracted to and others you aren’t.”
“And Stan isn’t attracted to me.”
As if realizing her error, Rose gasped and put down her scone. “I didn’t mean that the attraction could never develop over time. Sometimes the right person is right in front of you and you don’t know it until you give it a chance. The thing is, I never wanted to give Stan a chance. I could have. Maybe I would have fallen in love with him. But I didn’t want to. But if I had married him, I would have made the effort because marriage is forever. Stan has a reason to give you the chance I never gave him.”
“How can I get over him?”
Offering a sympathetic smile, Rose said, “I don’t know.”
“What about all those books you read? Isn’t there some piece of advice in one of them?”
Rose shook her head. “I’m afraid not.”
Then Harriett was doomed because being with Stan only made her love him more. Perhaps if he didn’t insist on being kind and helpful, she could have, but he wasn’t that way.
Even if he’d left her and Maggie alone most of the time, he’d helped her collect the dishes after their meals and gave her freedom to take over as Maggie’s mother. Then this morning, he completely surprised her by bringing her breakfast and looking at her in a way that made her foolish heart believe there might be some hope for them after all.
“I’m sorry I can’t help, Harriett,” Rose said after she finished her scone. “More than anything, I want you to be happy.”
Harriett smiled at her. “I know.”
“I realize I have a lot of things to be thankful for, but my life is much better when you’re in it.”
“My life is better when you’re in it, too.”
And it was. Harriett was glad she’d made the trip to see her sister. It’d been long overdue. In the future, she wouldn’t wait so long to do it. No matter what happened, she’d be able to get through it with her si
ster’s help.
***
When Harriett came home, she saw that Stan had returned because the horse he’d taken that morning was back. But in its place, he’d taken another horse, and she guessed he’d gone out to the pasture to take care of the cows.
After she unhitched the horse from the buggy, she went to the house and found a note waiting for her on the table. It was from Stan, and he’d written that he would take care of supper when he returned from the pasture.
She held the note longer than necessary. Not because there were any endearments in the missive, but because he had written her name. She’d dreamed of receiving a letter from him when she was younger. She’d imagined how her name might look when he wrote it out. Silly, schoolgirl fantasies.
But even if it wasn’t a love letter, she couldn’t resist neatly folding it and slipping it into the same drawer as she’d put Rose’s missive. She was a lost cause, that’s what she was. It was good no one else was there to see what she’d done. They would have laughed at her if they’d known.
With not much else to do but wait for him and Maggie to return, she cleaned under the beds, washed the windows, and did other small jobs she didn’t normally do. She had to keep busy. Yes, she figured Stan wanted her to sit and relax, but that’d never been her way.
By the time she finished dusting for cobwebs along the corners of the room, she heard Maggie, speaking in an excited tone, from the kitchen. Harriett straightened up, put the rag in a basket, and started down the stairs. Her steps slowed as she came toward the bottom of the staircase.
“We’re making something she’d like,” Stan told Maggie. “I’m willing to make something you want, but it can’t be a dessert. It needs to be something that’s good for you.”
“Why?” Maggie asked.
“Because it’s what your ma wants, and we’re going to start doing things for her. Now, what do you want?”
“Um…dinner roll?”
“Alright. I’ll make a dinner roll. But if you don’t eat it or anything else on your plate, then you’re choosing to go to bed hungry. Understand?”
His Convenient Wife Page 12
