Mail Order Motherhood (Brides of Beckham)

by Kirsten Osbourne

  He shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t care what you do as long as you don’t cause problems in my house.”

  He walked to the table and sat down, still holding Robert. “What did you do today?” he asked the boy.

  Robert shrugged. “I had breakfast and lunch, and I practiced writing my letters and counted a lot. Mama made me take a nap again.” He made a face.

  Albert smiled, hugging the boy close. “Mama was right to make you nap. You have to nap everyday if you want to grow up to be a big strong cowboy.”

  “And eat all my supper!”

  “Yes, you need to eat all your supper.” Albert saw Clara was pouring the gravy into a bowl. “Let’s wash our hands so we can eat.”

  Clarence was still standing in the doorway, holding his hat in his hands. He was obviously uncomfortable about the situation. Albert noticed him standing there and he smiled. “Wash your hands, boy. Your mama has supper almost ready.”

  Clarence nodded. “Yes, sir.” He rushed to the basin and washed his hands as soon as Albert and Robert were through. He took his normal seat at the table, even though it was beside the stranger.

  Mary smiled at him. “I’m your new aunt, Mary.”

  “Hello.” He said nothing else.

  Clara put the dishes on the table. “Clarence? Would you run upstairs and tell your sisters that it’s supper time, and they can come down? They can finish their task after supper.”

  Albert leaned against the sink, looking at Clara. “What do you have them doing?” he asked.

  “They’re moving all of Gertie’s things into Natalie’s room. Natalie’s room is bigger, and the girls can share it, while Mary takes Gertie’s room.”

  Albert shook his head, not liking the situation. Mary had once pulled the wool over his eyes, and he wasn’t her biggest fan, but he couldn’t see tossing her out on her bottom like he wanted to do. He had loved his wife too much to treat her sister that way. “That’s fine.” He put Robert into the seat beside him, knowing that the young boy didn’t want anything to do with his aunt. He took his place at the head of the table, and figured everyone else could take care of themselves.

  Clara put all the dishes of food onto the table and then took her seat at the foot. The children came barreling down the stairs a moment later, and they all looked at the stranger. “I didn’t think. There’s an extra chair in our room.” Clara stood to get the chair. “Excuse me.”

  Albert shook his head. “I’ll get the chair. You start serving the children.”

  Robert usually sat beside Clara so she could fix his plate easier. With him down on the other end of the table, it would be harder. She stood and walked down to him, fixing his plate. “Do you want more carrots?” she asked.

  Robert nodded. “I love carrots!”

  “And they’re good for you. I’m glad you like them.” She finished fixing his plate and hurried back to her place just as Albert came back with the chair. He placed it beside Clara at the table and Natalie slipped into the seat, because Mary was in her normal place.

  After Albert prayed, while they passed the food around, Clara told the children, “This is Aunt Mary. She’s going to be staying here for a while.” She pointed to each of the children as she said their names. “That’s Robert, Gertie and Natalie, and Clarence is sitting next to you.”

  Mary smiled sweetly. “I’m sure we’re all going to get along just great.”

  All of the children watched her warily while they ate, and there was no real conversation. “Did you girls get most of Gertie’s things moved?” Clara asked.

  Natalie nodded. “We had just finished when Clarence came up to get us.”

  “Oh, good. I’ll go up and change the linens on Gertie’s bed while you girls do the dishes,” Clara said.

  Albert shook his head. “If Mary’s going to be staying here, then she needs to do it herself. She can’t expect you to wait on her, Clara.”

  Clara sighed. “I was just thinking it would be okay for tonight, because she obviously traveled a long way.”

  “I am very weary from my travels,” Mary interjected.

  “Mary needs to do it herself,” Albert repeated. “When Clara first arrived she’d been on a train with two children for a full week, and she came home and started cleaning and cooked supper without a single complaint. I expect you to do your share.”

  He said nothing else until Mary said, “I’ll do it, Albert.”

  As soon as supper was over, Mary disappeared upstairs with her carpet bag and the sheets Clara gave her. Clara sat down beside Albert while Clarence started to work on his schoolwork. “I’m sorry if I shouldn’t have invited her to stay,” Clara said.

  Albert shook his head. “No, I won’t turn her out.” He sighed heavily. “Mary was Sally’s twin. I courted her, and she ran off to marry someone else, because I wasn’t ready to settle down yet. She had no children. I married Sally, because as soon as Mary left, I realized she was the one I’d loved all along.” He pulled Robert into his lap again. “I guess Mary decided that since both of our spouses were deceased, we should get married. I never encouraged her to think that. I don't really want her here.”

  Clara bit her lip. “But you courted her once, and she looks exactly like your first wife. Don’t you wish you’d waited to marry her?”

  Albert shook his head. “No, I really don’t.” Nothing else was said about the matter, because Mary came back down the stairs.

  Clara hurried over to get the dress she was hemming for Gertie and spread it out on her lap. Her fingers picked up her sewing where she’d left it off the night before. Each of the girls would have new dresses for Christmas, and the boys would have new suits. She’d been working hard on them, and wanted them to wear them to Christmas morning services. They weren’t able to go to church often, because of how far out they lived, but she really wanted to attend service on Christmas, and Albert had agreed.

  Albert picked up his whittling, and the girls finished the dishes before settling down with their crocheting. Both girls were trying to make some fine lace for pillow cases for their hope chests.

  Mary plopped down in a chair with nothing in her hands, and once again tried to entice Robert to come to her. Instead, he sat at the floor at Clara’s feet, playing with a small wooden train his father had made for him. “Robert, I look just like your mama did. Come play with me.”

  Albert looked at Mary. “We use the time after supper to work quietly, because Clarence is doing his schoolwork. He’s out on the range with me all day and needs to keep up his book learning.”

  Mary sighed heavily, but didn’t say anything else. Instead she leaned back in her chair and looked around the room. After a moment, Clara asked, “Would you like to use some yarn and my crochet hook? My knitting needles? You’re welcome to work on something quietly yourself.” She couldn’t imagine how it would be to sit completely idle with nothing to do.

  Mary shook her head. “Oh, I don’t do those things.” She sighed. “I prefer to talk to the people around me and get to know them.”

  “We have plenty of time for that during the day after the girls finish their schoolwork,” Clara said with a smile, bending back to her task.

  They worked silently for two hours with Mary just looking around her. By the time they were finished, Clara was ready to kick the other woman. She didn’t want her girls to think that idleness was okay.

  Finally, Clara stood, the dress hemmed. “We’ll try that on you in the morning, Gertie. I think it’s going to look beautiful.”

  Gertie smiled. “Thanks, Mama. I can’t wait.”

  “Time for bed, everyone.” Clara watched as Clarence closed his book and returned all of his schoolbooks to their place on the bookshelf in the corner of the room. Both girls gathered up their crocheting and put them into the work basket Clara kept. Robert stood and started climbing the stairs. Clara followed closely behind Robert, hoping that Mary would take the hint and go to bed as well. She didn’t want the other woman there during her quiet time with
her husband.

  She met with the children in the boys’ room as always. She told them one bedtime story, and tucked each of them into bed. Natalie had always joked that she was too old to be tucked, but Clara found the girl still loved the individual time it got her with her mother.

  Once all the lights were off upstairs, Clara started down the stairs, knowing Mary had stayed down with Albert. “I can’t believe you married her. She couldn’t look less like Sally. What were you thinking?”

  “I marry who I want to marry, and you have no say over anything I do. You gave up those rights. I’m glad you’re finally meeting the children after all these years, but I’m not going to put up with you not helping out around the house. You will be productive or you will get out. My wife has enough on her with four young ones to feed and clothe. She doesn’t need you to add to her work.”

  “Four hands are better than two, Albert. You’ll be shocked at how much more gets done with both of us here!”

  Clara stepped into the room from the stairs, and went over to take down her knitting. She’d finished the Christmas gifts for everyone, but they all still needed some new socks, and that was her next task. She badly wanted to do the best thing for her children.

  “I think it’s so quaint how you use all of your free time to make things for the children, Tara. That’s really nice of you.”

  Clara didn’t correct the other woman’s pronunciation of her name, because she knew she’d done it deliberately. “I enjoy doing things for my family.”

  Albert smiled at her, his knife slicing through the wood quickly and efficiently. He’d made more train cars for Robert’s train and some small woodland creatures for Gertie. He hadn’t known what to do for Natalie, so she’d suggested he make her a small bed to put her dolls on. She no longer played with dolls, but she liked to have them sitting out nicely.

  He’d made Clarence a tool box and would slowly fill it with tools of his own. Clarence was proving to be a huge help around the house.

  “What are you making tonight?” Clara asked Albert as she eyed the piece of wood.

  Albert smiled. “I want to do just a couple more animals for Gertie’s collection. She loves animals so much. I think this one will be a bunny.”

  Clara smiled. “She’ll love it.”

  Mary looked at them both. “So I guess it’s okay to talk now that the children are in bed?”

  Clara nodded. “The only reason it wasn’t before is Clarence really does need to study in the evenings. He spends every day helping Albert work, and I don’t want him falling behind in his studies.”

  Mary looked at Albert. “It’s nice of you to teach a boy who isn’t even yours how to do hard work like that. I’m sure he slows you down a lot.”

  Albert shook his head. “Clarence doesn’t slow me down at all. He’s a huge help to me. This is the first winter that I’ve felt like I had a good handle on all the work.”

  “It’s really nice of you to say that. I guess I never realized what a very nice man you are, Albert.”

  Clara watched the byplay between the two, disgusted. What was Mary trying to do?

  “I honestly enjoy it. Clarence really does help. We’re having to feed the cattle on the open range. I can slowly drive the sleigh through the field, and Clarence stands on the back, pitching hay to the animals. Before, I’d have to jump down and do it myself, and then drive a little further and do it again.”

  Mary shrugged. “I suppose.”

  Clara was done. She’d heard enough for the night. “I’m really sleepy. I think I’ll go on to bed.” She stood up and went to the shelf to put her hand work down.

  Albert stood as well, putting his knife and wood on the top shelf as he did every night so there was no danger of Robert trying to play with it. “I’ll join you.” He looked at Mary. “Good night. We have breakfast at 5:30.”

  He didn’t wait for her reply, and instead followed Clara into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. As he undressed, he said, “I’m so sorry she’s being so difficult. I hope she leaves soon. I just can’t kick her out, though. She’s too much like Sally.”

  Clara nodded. “I do understand. I’ll do my best to be pleasant to her.”

  He sighed. “She’s not the most pleasant person in the world.”

  “I’ve dealt with worse.” She quickly undressed and reached for her nightgown. His hand stopped her.

  “I don’t think you’ll need that tonight,” he whispered against her ear.

  She laughed softly. “You don’t?”

  “No, I really don’t.” He pulled her into his arms to demonstrate how she’d stay warm without it.

  *****

  Clara fixed breakfast by herself and had the table set before anyone came down the stairs. Mary wasn’t up. Clara sighed. “It’s time for breakfast. Natalie, would you run upstairs and wake Aunt Mary?”

  Natalie nodded. “Why didn’t she get up and help with breakfast, Mama? If she’s going to live here, she needs to do chores.”

  “Just wake her, Natalie.” Clara wasn’t up to explaining how some people didn’t care enough to help others, but she’d have a long discussion with her daughter about it soon.

  Albert and Clarence came in from milking the cows and collecting eggs. They stomped the snow off their feet. Albert leaned down to kiss her good morning. “You have snow on your eyelashes,” she told him.

  He laughed. “I guess I do. It’s cold out there!” He looked around the room. “Where’s Mary?”

  “I just sent Natalie to wake her.”

  Albert let out a loud sigh. “You’re going to have to ask her to do specific chores.” He shook his head. “I don’t think she’s going to do anything around the house otherwise.”

  Clara nodded. “I can see that. I don’t even ask the girls to do their chores. They know to just get up and do them.”

  “I know. They’re both good girls.”

  He and Clarence washed their hands for supper, and they all took their places. They didn’t bother to wait for Mary who still hadn’t come down. As soon as Natalie was back they ate. Mary still wasn’t down when Albert and Clarence left for the day. “We’ll be here at noon.”

  Clara nodded. They came home for lunch most days, but occasionally Albert asked her to pack a lunch pail for them. “Lunch will be ready.”

  The dishes were done and the girls had finished two subjects of schoolwork, while Albert practiced writing his letters before Mary came down. She looked around. “When is breakfast?”

  Clara looked up from rolling out a pie crust. “About two hours ago. We’ll have lunch in another four hours or so.” She said nothing else as she continued to roll out the crust.

  Mary glared at her. “What about my breakfast?”

  Clara shrugged. “You’re welcome to make yourself something and do the dishes when you’re done if you’d like. Otherwise, you need to wait until lunch time.”

  “I’ll fix my own breakfast, but I won’t do the dishes. That’s what the girls are for.” She pointed to the two girls who were sitting at the table silently watching the exchange.

  “The girls do dishes three times per day. They’ve already done the breakfast dishes. If you cook for yourself, you’ll need to clean it up.”

  “Why didn’t you save me a plate?” Mary demanded.

  “Albert told you breakfast was at five thirty. He told me not to do any extra work for you.” Clara put the crust into a pie plate and carefully trimmed the edges. She then took a jar of apple pie filling she’d put up in September and opened it pouring it into the crust and quickly putting the top on, fluting the edges expertly.

  She put the pie on top of the stove to be baked later. She had on a pot of beans for lunch, and she’d make corn bread to go with them. Supper. She had to figure something out for supper. She completely ignored her guest while she worked to get all the meals for the day in line for her family.

  “Are you really not going to cook for me?” Mary asked.

  Clara looked at her for
a moment. “I’ll cook for you when I cook for the rest of the family. If you want to eat food I’ve cooked, then be here for meals.” She went down into the cellar to see what they had for supper. A pot pie sounded good, and she knew that Albert loved them. She grabbed the vegetables she’d need along with some of the salt pork.

  She got to the main room in time to see Mary slamming her pots around. “What are you going to make?” she asked.

  “I guess I’ll make some eggs and bacon.” She glared at Clara. “Where’s the bacon?”

  Clara smiled. “It’s in the cellar. It stays colder down there and keeps longer.” She pointed to the lantern she’d just used. “You’re welcome to go get some.”

  Mary shook her head. “You can’t ask me to go down there. Albert will be furious when I tell him.”

  “Albert won’t mind a bit.” Clara carefully peeled the potatoes and carrots she’d brought up.

  Mary turned to the girls. “Which one of you girls wants to go fetch me some bacon?”

  Natalie looked at the back of Clara’s head for a moment. “I’ll do it if my mama tells me to.” Clara grinned at the words. Obviously Natalie realized Mary was playing games, and wasn’t going to give in to her.

  Gertie followed her older sister’s lead, knowing she understood more about what was happening than she did. “I’m not going to do it unless Mama says.”

  Both girls continued to do their schoolwork. She didn’t try to get Robert to go. Instead she stormed back up the stairs, leaving the pots strewn all over the kitchen. Clara sighed. She’d have to get that taken care of quickly before Albert came back.

  She got everything chopped for their dinner and then put the beans she had soaking on to boil. She took the bacon she’d brought up earlier and cut it into pieces and dropped it in with the beans.

  She was finished with the lunch preparations by the time Mary came back downstairs. “What are you making for lunch?”

  Clara indicated the pot. “Beans with bacon and cornbread.”

  “When will it be done?”

  “At noon.” Clara moved to the sink and washed the few things she’d dirtied. She preferred not to leave everything for the girls to do after meals. Sitting down at the table, she asked, “How are your studies going this morning? Do either of you have any questions?”