by Barbara Goss
“It’s fairly recent news.”
“How did that come about?” Miles asked.
“He and Zoe are best friends. He went to live with Jonas and Ivy when his aunt died. Things went well, but now that they’re growing up, Jonas and Ivy were worried about them living together because they're so fond of each other. She thought it best to separate them, and we have no children, so I offered to take him. I really love him, and he and Zoe can still play together—all they have to do is run through the fields to each other's house,” she said. “We enjoy him so much that we decided to adopt him; his name is now Alfred Armstrong.”
“So, where is he?”
“With Caleb. He never leaves his side.” Julia laughed. “We call Alfie, Caleb’s shadow.”
“I can tell by the way you speak about him, that you love Alfie. God did bless you, Julia.”
“Yes, I suppose He did. If everyone were gifted with children, then who would adopt the orphans? That must be my way to serve Him,” she said.
“Well, I’m now a full-fledged minister and I’m looking for a church,” Billy announced. “I stopped at the livery to rent a horse, and Quinn told me that Grace Church has an opening. How providential. I can’t wait to apply.”
“That would be wonderful. You could stay near to me and Miles and our families. Reverend Martin is leaving us for the mission fields of South America,” Julia said. “Caleb and Jonas will be on the panel to select the minister,” she said with a wink.
“Do you think I should change my name to William? I think I’ve grown a bit mature for Billy.”
“Yes. Reverend William Croft does sound more distinctive, but to us, you’ll always be Billy.”
When Caleb came home, they exchanged warm greetings and sat down in the sitting room. Billy excitedly announced his plans to apply for the job at Grace Church.
“Since you graduated with honors from one of the best seminaries in the country, Caleb said, “you’d be perfect, except…you know, Billy, unfortunately, I don’t think the church wants a single man as the minister. Both Jonas and I are on the panel for the hiring, and one of the qualifications is that the minister be married.”
Billy felt his face and heart drop. “That’s disappointing, since I’ve had my heart set on the job. I want to be close to my family. I have all of the qualifications, and I even took a course in psychology, and marriage counseling to better help people with problems,” he said. “I was so excited when I heard about the opening.”
Caleb shook his head. “You wouldn’t happen to have a girlfriend or fiancée hidden away somewhere, would you?”
“No, that’s just it. I’ve made up my mind to stay single. I have no wish to marry. I’m all right with what Paul says in Corinthians, that a celibate man can please the Lord and his parishioners, while a married man’s thoughts are more on pleasing his wife and family. So his interests are divided. If a church leader is free from spousal and familial responsibilities, he can better focus on ministering to others,” Billy said. “I’m really surprised that a church would prefer a man who can’t focus totally on his parishioners.”
“When you put it that way,” Caleb said, “I agree. However, you’ll never convince the elders. You see, what they worry about is that a single man might prefer other men, or seduce a woman who comes to him with problems, or that the church will have to deal with a minister who courts women. What if a woman decides to get even for some reason, and yells rape? They feel that a happily married man, is the best and safest candidate.”
“I know I’d never do any of those things. I’m ready to serve the Lord with my body, heart, and soul,” Billy said. “I’m truly disheartened. All those years of studying and I’m sure no other church will hire me unless I’m married, either, and I’ve no desire to do so.”
Caleb frowned. “Can I ask you a personal question before Alfie and Julia come in?”
“Sure.”
“Are you attracted to women? I mean, you like women, don't you? Darn it—what’s the problem? All men are attracted to women, unless—”
“I am most certainly attracted to women. I appreciate looking at them, but when I get impure thoughts I try to switch my thinking to spiritual things. Intimacy and women aren’t all life is about, Caleb.”
“No, but…” he stopped, because Julia and Alfie had joined them.
“So,” Billy said, “this is Alfie.” He shook Alfie’s hand. “Nice to meet you, nephew. I’m your uncle Billy.”
“Nice to meet you too,” Alfie said, with a big smile.
After supper, Caleb went out to do his chores. Of course, Alfie was two steps behind him. That left Billy alone with Julia to relay what Caleb had said about the church not wanting a single minister.
“How ridiculous!” she said. “Your qualifications should be enough.”
“I’m so disappointed. When I heard about the opening, it was like an answer to my prayers to have my own church and be near my family.” He shrugged. “What depresses me most is that most churches will probably feel the same way, so I’ve wasted years of my life, studying for a career that will never happen”
Julia gave him a look that Billy recognized as a mischievous one. “What if we get you a wife before your interview with the elders? Martin isn’t leaving for a few weeks yet. We’d have to move fast, because interviews start in just two weeks,” Julia said.
“Julia, I’ve no wish to marry. I want to fully concentrate on my job— if I'm ever fortunate enough to get one.”
“That’s just it, Billy. You're not likely to find a job as long as you're single. You have to find someone who will marry you—even if it's only in name, someone desperate for a home,” she said.
“Desperate? Julia, how many desperate single women do you know?” he asked. “And who would settle for those ridiculous terms?”
“Well, a few years ago we had Martha. She would have married just to get a home. It’s worth a try,” she said. “There are women who, like Martha, find themselves in difficult circumstances. Anyway, if God wants you to get the job, He’ll make things possible. If all the doors to this idea open, will you take that as a sign, and marry?”
Billy shook his head. “You make it sound so simple, Julia. I can’t marry just anyone. She’d be the minister’s wife, and would have to have ladylike qualities, a certain degree of Bible knowledge, and be willing to enter into a sham of a marriage. I can’t see that happening or any doors opening any time soon, so I’ll agree to it. If all of that happens, I’ll do it.”
“Where’s your faith, Billy? We don’t have time to go the mail-order bride route.”
“Dora!” Julia suddenly exclaimed. “She was a saloon woman, and she would have been perfect, but since everyone already knows her, she doesn't qualify. She’s also a bit too old for you, but…wait! She still has contacts from her previous life and she might know someone that the church doesn’t know about. It’s worth a try.”
Julia got a piece of paper and a pencil from the desk, wrote down an address, and handed it to Billy. “You’ll find Dora here. I know she still has connections. Promise me that you’ll at least go to see her. Maybe there's a new saloon woman that would be willing. Billy, some saloon women take these jobs because that’s all they're trained to do, but it doesn’t mean they aren't good people. Almost all of them took the job out of necessity. Most have had sad family lives.”
“So what you’re saying, Julia, is that I’d be helping them as much as they’d be helping me, right?”
“Exactly,” she said.
“When you put it that way, I’d be doing someone else a favor in doing this,” he said.
“Will Caleb agree to this plan of yours?” Billy asked.
“Why wouldn’t he? It’s not illegal. I think he wants you here, too, and he’ll go along with it.” She smiled. “He gives me everything I want. God surely blessed me with Caleb.”
Billy climbed the stairs to the apartment over the general store and knocked on the door at the top. When it opened, he
could do nothing but stare. She was a tall woman with a figure to die for. She had on a flowered kimono, belted to show her small waist to perfection. She wore her flaming red tresses on top of her head with the help of colored combs.
Just looking at her drove Billy to pray for help with his thoughts. She was certainly attractive.
“Well, hello! Looks like my prayers have been answered,” the redhead said, looking at him from head to toe, several times.
He held out the paper with her address on it. “Are you Dora?” Billy swallowed hard. “My sister told me to see you because I…I need a big favor.”
“Come right in and have a seat. You look a bit young for me, anyway." She pointed to an overstuffed sofa. "So, who’s your sister?” she asked.
He sat down and crossed one leg over his knee. “Julia Armstrong.”
“Oh, yes! Lovely lady. What can I do for ya?” She sat in the armchair across from him.
“I need to find a wife, and quickly. She has to pass the scrutiny of the church elders. You see, I’ve applied for Reverend Martin’s position, but they want a married man for the job.”
“So,” Dora said, putting her finger to her chin, “you need a sweet, innocent young woman, and that would hardly be me,” she said with a sigh.
“That would be perfect.”
“Sweet and innocent is hard to come by in Abilene these days, but let me ask around. I still have a few friends from my old life. I was once a saloon woman, you know, but I’m now a Christian, thanks to Quinn and Rose who got me the job with Reverend Martin, but I had to find another position, since he’s leaving. Now I’m a server at Pete’s Restaurant.” Dora sighed again. “I’d love to see you up on the pulpit each week, so of course I’ll help you.”
“I’d appreciate it,” he said. “I’m hoping by doing this I’ll also be helping someone else in need. I just have a few minor stipulations: she has to be fit to be a minister’s wife—you know speak good English, and have manners—and she needs to know this will be a marriage in name only. I don’t want to have children, or anything romantic to interfere with my concentration on serving the Lord.”
“Well, that is a strange request. So, not only do I have to find an innocent young lady, but she also has to be willing to agree to be married in name only, and be suitable for a minister’s wife. Whew! I don’t know if there is such a person, but I’ll see what I can do for ya. Come back tomorrow about this time and I’ll let you know if I found anyone,”
“You won’t tell anyone it’s for the future minister, will you?”
She winked. “It just between us.”
Once again the next evening, Billy found himself in Dora’s sitting room, awaiting her answer. She poured them tea. When she finally set the teapot down, she smiled at him.
“I think I’ve found your needle in the haystack,” she said. “My friend Lucy, has an innocent, sweet girl at her boarding house, but her boarding house is more than a boarding house, if catch my drift. This girl has been cleaning for her. Lucy is trying to talk her into working doing—you know what, but Lucy claims the girl hasn’t worked upstairs yet. So if you chose her, you’d be saving her from becoming a…a fallen woman.
“Lucy claims a virgin will bring in about a hundred dollars if the girl agrees to…you know, being the first time, and all. She claims some customers will pay extra for someone untouched like her. So she said if you wanted her, it will cost you a hundred dollars.”
“I’ve got the money. When can I meet her? Do you think she’ll agree to marry me on my terms?”
“That depends on how desperate she is, although, you are rather cute. I think she’d be loco if she didn’t agree.” Dora smiled and winked at him.
“I’ll be right back with the money. Can you fetch her then?” he asked.
“Sure thing, sweetie,” Dora said. “Come back here in two hours and I’ll have her here.”
Lucy approached Anna as she was ironing dresses. “Anna, how would you like a secure home, and a handsome husband with no strings attached?”
“What’s the catch?” she asked.
“No catch. Just marry him. He needs an innocent wife. That’s all. My old friend, Dora, assures me he is on the level—no tricks. He just needs a wife to keep house, and doesn't expect any intimacy.”
“Heck, I can do that,” she said. “Is he an old codger or somethin’?”
“Actually, he is a very young, good looking man, but he needs a wife in order to get a job. The management wants a family man for the position he’s seeking. I think he might be well-to-do as well.”
“So I’ll get a home, and not have do what the girls upstairs do? All I have to do is to keep house?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll do it!” What a stroke of luck, Anna thought. She’d been nearly ready to give in and work upstairs. Even with a train ticket she had no idea where she’d go or what kind of a job she could get when she got there. This offer was amazingly good luck.
Later that day, Lucy, took Anna into her bedroom and brought out a nice, white, cotton dress, shoes, and a modest bonnet. She pulled Anna’s long, chestnut brown hair into a bun at the back of her head.
“There. You look good enough to go to a church service,” Lucy said. “Now come along to meet your husband.”
Lucy walked her down Main Street about two blocks, before stopping at the general store, and leading her up a steep flight of stairs. Once at the top, Lucy knocked.
Anna suddenly felt nervous. She wondered if this deal was on the up and up. A handsome man, and a home, and all without intimacy? That seemed too good to be true. Who would ever make such an arrangement? What could she be walking into? She prepared herself, if needed, to bolt if this was some sort of trick.
The door opened and an attractive redhead greeted them. “Come in,” she said. Anna was led, or rather pulled, into the sitting room by Lucy. A young man stood as they entered, causing doubts to once again flood her mind. Why would he need someone to find him a wife?
“Miss Anna,” I’d like you to meet, William,” Lucy said.
Anna nodded at the young man. She thought him very handsome, with his dark hair and big, blue eyes. She doubted a man that good-looking would let her remain a virgin.
“William meet Anna.” Dora said, with a smile that gave Anna the impression she was enjoying this entertainment.
“My real name is Louisiana, but I prefer Anna.”
Dora and Lucy had wandered into another room.
Billy smiled, “Mine’s William, but everyone calls me Billy. I’m happy to meet you Anna,” he said, examining her from every angle. “You’re perfect! Has Lucy explained to you the stipulations? The marriage will be in name only, and you will just need to be a refined minister’s wife. Are you willing to do that?”
The man seemed honest. He had sincere, blue eyes, and for some reason, she trusted him. “No intimacy?” she asked, just to be sure.
“No intimacy, but you must act like a lady, and if you need help with that, my sister has agreed to help you.”
“I can be a lady,” she said, with her head held high.
Billy couldn’t believe his eyes. She was beautiful, and perfect looking for a minister’s wife. Her voice was a bit loud and bold, but Julia would be able to work with her. Her dark hair and eyes were charming and she was just a tiny, little thing, but he saw that her fists were clenched at her sides, and her jaw was set firm, and he knew that, despite her size, she was a tough young lady—and she’d help get him the job.
“What now?” Anna asked.
“Now I’m going to take you to my sister’s house where you’ll stay until we iron out all the details, and then we’ll marry. You do understand and agree with the terms, right?”
She nodded, “As long as I don’t have to—you know.”
“Absolutely not. This will be a marriage of convenience for us both. I will provide for you, and you can sit at home and just be a minister’s wife. There may be some social duties later.”
�
�Social duties?” she asked.
“Yes, as my wife you will stand beside me after church and shake hands with the people, attend church dinners, picnics, and so forth,” he said.
“Church?” she said. “I ain’t never been to one before.”
Billy cringed at her use of a double negative. “My sister will teach you, don’t worry. Shall I introduce you as Louisiana, or just Anna?”
“Anna. Most people laugh at Louisiana.”
Chapter 3
“Billy,” Caleb said, “I’ll go along with this plan of yours, but only because it will help another homeless person, as well as keep my wife happy, who wants this more than anything.” He rolled his eyes. “She has me wound around her little finger, but I love every moment of my marriage to her, so I don’t mind.
“There are some things you need to do, though,” he said. “Make sure this woman knows exactly what to expect, and that even though there would be no love in the marriage, that she’d be bound by it forever. Make sure she had no desire for marriage, children, or romance, ever. If she agrees, then you should both have a manageable arrangement. God knows I could never do anything like this, but I know you well enough to know that you’re a man of your word. You’ve grown up so much since I first met you.” Caleb slapped his wife’s brother on the back. “We’re proud of you, Billy. You’ll make a fine minister of Grace Church.”
“Thank you, Caleb. I’ll talk to Anna as soon as my sister is finished remaking some of her dresses to fit her. They’ve been upstairs for hours. How long will this take?”
“Get used to waiting—it’s a prerequisite for being a husband.”
When Julia finally brought Anna down, she was wearing a mint green dress and Julia had fixed her hair in a higher bun—she looked every bit the proper, minister’s wife.
“Can I have Anna for a while?” Billy asked. “I need to be sure she understands our arrangement.”
