Love Is Patient Romance Collection

by Vetsch, Erica; McDonough, Vickie; Barton, Janet Lee

  Cal cleared his throat and brought her attention back to him. “Mrs. Evans, I think I may have come up with a plan to help you and myself in the process. I … uh … I have a proposition I’d like to put to you.”

  Liddy felt color flooding her face. Another one? What was wrong with the men in this town? She was a widow, not a year yet, not to mention, she was with child. She started to stand.

  Cal got to his feet once more and held out his hand. “Oh, no, Mrs. Evans. Not like that. What I meant to say was … a business proposition. Nothing like Harper. Please. Stay and hear me out.”

  Chapter 3

  Liddy looked into Calvin’s eyes and saw the earnestness in his expression. Maybe she had jumped to the wrong conclusion. She hoped so. She settled back in the chair.

  “All right, Mr. McAllister. I’ll hear you out.”

  He sat back down and let out a sigh. “I’m sorry. I don’t always think before I speak.” Liddy’s heart did a little flip at his smile. He looked like a little boy trying to talk his way out of a jam.

  “First, I talked to my banker. He’d like to help, but you were right. His board of directors wouldn’t consider you a good risk.”

  Liddy felt her heart drop. She knew that, but still she’d allowed herself to hope. She nodded. “I expected as much, Mr. McAllister. All the same, I thank you for trying.”

  “He did have another idea, though. He suggested that you lease part or all of the land.”

  Liddy’s eyebrows drew together. “Lease it?”

  Cal leaned back in his chair and grinned at her. “That’s where you let someone else farm your land. They pay you for using it, usually after harvest, from the profits off the crops.”

  Liddy spread her hands out and shook her head. “That’s something I wish I’d known earlier, Mr. McAllister. It won’t help me now. I don’t have time to wait for harvest.”

  Cal leaned forward and pushed his plate out of the way, propping his forearms on the table. “I realize that, but what if someone paid you half up front and the balance at harvest?”

  Liddy leaned back in her chair and chuckled. “That would be wonderful, but I don’t think that’s likely to happen.”

  “If you’ll agree to let me lease your land, it will.”

  “You? But, well, I—”

  “I had a really good crop last year, and I’ve wanted to expand for some time now. I’d appreciate it if you would lease to me, Mrs. Evans. I’d give you a fair price.”

  Liddy could only gape at the figure he gave her. She wasn’t sure she could believe her ears. This was the way out. With the advance on the lease, she could pay ahead until harvest, and with the final payment from Mr. McAllister, she would be able to pay the balance for the year.

  “Mr. McAllister, I don’t know what to say. Of course I accept your offer. I … thank you.”

  Cal rubbed the back of his neck and smiled at her. “I’m glad. I do have another favor to ask you.”

  A favor to ask her? After what he was offering to do for her? “Of course; what can I do for you?”

  “You know I have two daughters? Grace is the little one and Amy is my oldest.”

  “They are very pretty little girls, Mr. McAllister.” Liddy wondered where he was leading with this.

  “Well, I’m not a very good cook. And I don’t know how to teach them how. Wouldn’t want to teach them to cook like I do, anyway. I tried to get a housekeeper. Even ran a few advertisements in the paper, but got no answer.”

  Did he want her as a housekeeper? He wasn’t suggesting anything more, was he? After Douglas Harper’s proposition, she was more than a little apprehensive.

  “You want me to be your housekeeper?”

  “No. No! I just want you to teach Amy a little about cooking and both of them how to help me keep house. I don’t expect her to cook five-course meals or anything like that. Just maybe learn a few things that would help me out. And I don’t expect them to do heavy cleaning, just maybe how to dust and pick up?”

  Liddy couldn’t contain the burst of relieved laughter that escaped. “Oh, that’s it? That’s all you want me to do?”

  “Seems like quite a lot to me. I don’t have the first idea how to go about teaching them the things their mother would have been teaching them.”

  Liddy’s heart went out to the man. She wasn’t going to have any idea how to teach her child, if it were a boy, all the manly things he needed to know.

  “I’ll be glad to take your girls under my wing, Mr. McAllister. It will be a pleasure.”

  “I’ll pay you extra—”

  “No, sir, you will not.”

  “Yes, ma’am, I will. With teaching the girls those things, you won’t be having time to take in that laundry anymore. And I won’t take charity from you any more than you would take it from me.”

  “But—”

  “No arguments.” Cal shook his head. “I’ll not ask you to take on more work and give up income to do that, without paying you.” He held out his right hand. “Do we have a deal, Mrs. Evans?”

  Did they have a deal? Did he think she was crazy? Or was he crazy? Either way, there was only one answer as far as Liddy was concerned. “We have a deal, Mr. McAllister.”

  Her hand was swallowed by his larger, work-callused grip in a shake that sent little splinters of electricity up her arm. The jolt was an unwelcome surprise. Liddy quickly pulled her hand back.

  “When, ah, when do you want me to start with the girls? After school today?”

  Cal shook his head. “Not today. You need time to let the people you’ve been doing wash for know that you’ll no longer be available. Why don’t we start Monday? That will give you several days to get things in order and get some rest.”

  Dear Lord, thank You. I don’t know why You sent this man into my life, but I thank You for this blessing.

  “That will be fine, Mr. McAllister. I’ll be looking forward to meeting your daughters.” Liddy took a sip of tea, not sure what to say next. How did you say thank you to someone for saving your life?

  “I think this is going to work out well, Mrs. Evans. I’ll have my lawyer draw up the lease agreement, unless you’d prefer to have yours—”

  “No, that’s fine. I trust you, Mr. McAllister.”

  “I’ll have a bank draft drawn up and bring it to you. Will you be in town for a while? If not, I can drop the draft by your place.”

  “I have some supplies to pick up. I’ll wait, if you don’t mind. Then I can take the payment to my bank and get that debt off my mind.”

  Cal grinned at her. “And I’ll even accompany you, if you’d like. I wouldn’t mind getting a look at Harper’s face when you make that payment.”

  Relief replaced her dread of facing Douglas Harper by herself. “Thank you. I think I’ll take you up on that offer. I don’t like …” How could she say she didn’t like the way the man leered at her? There was something about Harper that made her heart grow cold each time she was in his presence. She’d be glad for the company.

  “I don’t like him much myself. I’ll find you around town and we’ll go over together.” Cal stood up and put coins down for his bill. He put his hat on and lowered the brim at Liddy.

  “Ma’am, I’ll see you a little later.” With that, he turned and walked out the door.

  Liddy willed her heartbeat to slow as she looked around for Emma, wanting to share the news with her.

  Emma appeared at her elbow almost immediately. She poured them both a fresh cup of tea and set between them a plate of sweet rolls from the batch that Liddy had baked and delivered yesterday.

  “Oh, Emma.” Liddy felt dazed. She still couldn’t believe what was happening. She shook her head, and then threw it back, her laughter filling the dining room.

  “You said yes! Oh, Liddy, I’m so glad. This is the answer to your problems.” Emma reached out and clasped Liddy’s hands with her own. “I told you Cal would find a way.”

  “I can’t believe it, Emma. Why didn’t I think of leasing my la
nd?”

  “Well, there’s not a lot of leasing done around here. I did hear that Douglas Harper has been buying up all the land he can. I guess some people would rather sell than lease, but for you it seems to be an answer to a prayer!”

  “Oh, Emma, it is. Do you realize that I can pay several months ahead with the bank payments, and with the earnings from the harvest, I might be able to pay up until next year?”

  Emma nodded at her. “And, what’s even better, Douglas Harper will have to leave you alone.”

  “Praise the Lord! Oh, Emma, He does know our needs and finds the best ways to fill them. You’re a very lucky woman, you know.”

  “Me? I’ve got a lot of blessings, to be sure, but I’d think you are the lucky one today, Liddy. To have Calvin McAllister taking up your cause …”

  “Emma, are you upset that he’s helping me?”

  “Upset? Liddy, I’m delighted! You should know that.”

  “It won’t cause problems between the two of you, to have his girls at my house, and him letting them off and picking them up?”

  “Liddy, the day’s events must have scrambled your mind.” Emma looked confused for a moment, then burst into laughter. “So that’s it? You thought Cal and I were interested in each other?”

  Liddy grinned and nodded her head.

  Emma wiped tears from her eyes and shook her head. “Oh, Liddy, you are such a goose. Cal is a wonderful man, but, no, we are not interested in each other that way. He’s just become a good friend.” She leaned closer to Liddy and whispered, “Besides, I have my sights set on that new deputy in town.”

  The relief Liddy felt was more than it should be, considering her current condition. Yet, knowing that fact didn’t keep it from washing over her, just the same. “Well, when are you going to let the deputy in on how you feel?”

  Emma snorted delicately. “Not until I’m certain the feeling is mutual. He’s about as dense as a horse, that’s for sure.”

  Liddy laughed again and, as she did, she realized that she hadn’t done much laughing in a long time. It felt really good to join her friend in shared fun.

  She gathered her purse and stood up, brushing crumbs from her dress. “I’d better get my shopping done. Cal—Mr. McAllister—is going to bring me a draft to take to the bank before I leave town. He’s even going to go with me when I make the payment.”

  Emma stood, too, and began to clear the table. “Oh, wouldn’t I love to be a mouse in the room. Douglas Harper isn’t going to be very happy today.”

  “I know. But I surely am!” Liddy grinned at her. She waved to Emma and, though she felt like twirling out the door, she forced herself to step sedately out onto the boardwalk.

  Chapter 4

  Liddy took a deep breath and pondered how much brighter the day had become. The sky was a cloudless blue, the sun warm. Her heart was singing for the first time since Matthew’s death. She would be able to keep the farm he’d worked so hard to start, and she would be able to take care of the child that grew in her womb. God was so good. Over and over again, she silently gave thanks as she made her way to Jaffa-Prager Company.

  Letting herself relax, she wandered across the store selecting her purchases, and was only half-finished when Cal found her.

  “Are you ready to take a load off your mind, Mrs. Evans?” He handed her the bank draft.

  Liddy looked at the amount and her spurt of laughter brought curious looks from the other shoppers. “I’m ready, Mr. McAllister.” She took the arm he offered and told the storekeeper that she’d be back shortly to finish her shopping.

  The walk to the bank was short, but not too short for Liddy to feel protected in a way she hadn’t in months. She missed the courtesies of having a man to guide her across the rough and dusty streets, to open a door for her.

  They entered the bank, and it took a moment for Liddy’s eyes to adjust from the bright outdoors to the dimness of the interior. She walked up to the teller.

  “I’d like to deposit this into my account, please.” She handed him the slip of paper. “And then I’d like to write a draft out to the bank for the balance of my note payment this month and also make next month’s payment.”

  The teller looked at her and shot a nervous glance at Cal, before looking toward the back of the building. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll … I’ll get the amount of that payment and be right with you.” He quickly hightailed it from behind the teller’s cage to the door of Harper’s office.

  He’d barely entered before he reemerged, Harper shoving him out of the way as he headed toward Liddy and Cal.

  “What’s this, Liddy? You’ve come to pay your note? After our talk yesterday, I thought—”

  “You thought there was no way I would be able to meet my obligations, Mr. Harper. But here I am.”

  “Yes, well, why don’t we talk about it? If you’ll just step into my office …” His pudgy hand motioned to the room he’d just left.

  Liddy shook her head and smiled. “There’s no need to talk. I have the payment right here. If your clerk will be so kind as to deposit this draft into my account and let me write my own out to the bank, I’ll be on my way.”

  “But, Liddy, I’d be interested to know how you came into this money. Have you sold your land?”

  Calvin stepped up. “No, Harper, she hasn’t sold out. She’s agreed to lease her land to me.”

  “Lease? To you?”

  “That’s right.”

  “I didn’t know that you were wanting to expand, McAllister.”

  Cal cocked an eyebrow. “No reason I can see why you should know.”

  “Yes, well …” Harper looked away and glared at the teller. “Deposit Liddy’s draft and let her write her own to the bank, Nelson.”

  Cal smiled at the clerk. “And please make sure Mrs. Evans gets a receipt for her payments.”

  Harper blustered. “Yes … well. Nelson, see to it.” He turned on his heel and scurried back to his office.

  Cal watched as the clerk finished the transaction and Liddy had the receipt firmly in hand. He crooked his arm and smiled down at Liddy. “I’ll see you back to the general store, Mrs. Evans.”

  Once out into the bright sunshine again, Liddy turned to Cal and released a huge sigh of relief. “Mr. McAllister, again, I thank you. I believe I’ll sleep well tonight.”

  Cal inclined his head. “I hope you do. If you’re feeling up to it, we can walk over to my lawyer’s office. He should have the contract ready by now.”

  Suddenly, the realization struck Liddy that he’d put his trust in her by giving her the draft before they’d even signed the contract. She wanted to honor that trust as soon as possible. “Let’s go get those papers signed.”

  The attorney’s office was light and airy compared to that of the bank. Cal’s lawyer saw them both into his office and went over the simple contract. Liddy had no reason to feel apprehensive about anything. The agreement was for a year at a time, with options for her to agree or not, to each renewal.

  After being asked if she had any questions, she signed over the right to farm her husband’s land to another man. But she didn’t feel the least bit bad. It was what Matthew would have wanted her to do, to keep the land for their child.

  The lawyer shook their hands, and Cal took her elbow to lead her outdoors once more. He saw her back to the general store as promised, then turned to her. “Thank you for trusting me with your land, Mrs. Evans. I promise to take good care of it.”

  Liddy shielded her eyes from the lowering sun. “I know you will, Mr. McAllister.” She smiled at him. “And I promise to take good care of your girls.”

  “Speaking of whom, I’d best be picking them up from school. I know they’re going to be excited about having you teach them.” He tipped his hat and smiled down at her. “I’ll be talking to you, ma’am.”

  Liddy watched him walk toward the schoolhouse before she turned into the store. The realization that she no longer had to pinch her pennies quite so hard made her feel quivery on the ins
ide. She still couldn’t quite take it all in. She might actually buy a length of material to make another dress. She’d let out what she had as far as they would go. And she still had weeks to go before the baby was due.

  However, as she looked at the colorful bolts of material, she realized how exhausted she was from the day’s events. Or was it just the lifting of the worry that made her feel ready to drop? No matter. She just wanted to get home, to think about all that had happened, and to enjoy the knowledge that she wouldn’t have to move.

  She hurriedly gathered up the rest of her purchases, adding a tin of her favorite tea to the pile. The boxes were totaled, loaded into her buckboard, and she was on her way home.

  Liddy passed the school on her way out of town and saw Cal helping his daughters into his wagon. They were both talking to him at once, and she could tell by the smile on his face that he was enjoying their excitement.

  In her haste to get back home, she forgot to tell the hotel that she wouldn’t be doing the wash for them anymore. Oh, well, she thought, the matter can wait. She had to deliver fresh linens to them tomorrow.

  She grinned to herself. They would simply have to find someone else to wash their dirty laundry.

  At home, she carefully unloaded her purchases. She must ask Mr. Carmack to make the packages lighter for a while. Her back was aching by the time she finished, but she knew if she sat down, she’d never get her afternoon chores finished.

  After putting the kettle on for tea, she changed into her everyday dress and a fresh apron. She made a cup of tea and let herself pause to look out the front door at the land that she would now be sharing with Calvin McAllister. Things might not be working out the way she’d thought they should, but they were working out.

  She hoped his daughters would be open to learning what she could teach them, and she prayed that the Lord would show her how to be sensitive to their feelings. They might possibly resent being taught by someone who wasn’t their mother. Her heart filled with compassion for them. After the last few days, she was sure Calvin was a good and loving father to them, but still, he could only do so much.