“Mother, what in the world are you doing here?” She stopped at the edge of the table.
Harriet Oberlin, dressed in a very dusty green traveling suit, turned and looked at her daughter. “What do you suppose I’m doing here? I’ve come to retrieve you. How dare you run off and leave me to worry! I cannot tell you how it grieved me to find you gone.”
“It was important for me . . . and the children to leave New York.” Her mother glared at her, but Clara quietly stood her ground.
“Utter foolishness,” Harriet spluttered. “You simply made another of your poor choices, which is exactly why I’ve come to take you home. If left to your own devices, you would no doubt bring harm to yourself or the children.”
“The children and I are doing quite well right here.” Clara put her hands on her hips. “And I have no intention of ever leaving Montana again.”
Her mother turned a mottled red. “How dare you speak to me like that! I am your mother.”
“Yes, you are.” Clara felt emboldened from her previous confrontation with Curtis. “But you are not my keeper.”
“I should have hired someone to be,” her mother countered. “You have no consideration for others. I have worried myself half sick over you and the children. Poor Otto has been terrified that harm might have befallen you. He’s the one who hired someone to find you.”
“No doubt you would have done the same had he not.” Clara shook her head and drew a deep breath. She was no longer afraid of her mother. “I am sorry for the worry I caused, but not sorry for my actions. This is where I belong. It is where the children belong as well.”
“Nonsense. You belong in your beautiful house in New York City. You belong in opulence and luxury. I didn’t raise you to be a poor ranch hand. You have a place in society and a name to uphold. Honestly, you live like a pauper here.”
“I would soon enough live like a pauper there. None of those so-called friends in society would give me a second thought if they knew my husband had gambled away our home. Otto is the one who holds title to everything I had in New York.”
Her mother smiled and nodded. “But that’s the good news. Otto still plans to marry you. He told me so and explained how he has loved you from the first moment he saw you. You always complained that I had saddled you in a loveless marriage. Well, now you can have the love you desire. Although in time you are certain to realize that love holds little importance in such things. Marriage is more of a business arrangement.”
“Not for me.” Clara could see growing frustration in her mother’s expression. “Otto may well love me, but I do not love him, and I will not marry another man whom I do not love. Marriage is not a business arrangement to me. It is a covenant between two people and God. It is a covenant of love.”
“Bah! Don’t speak to me of God and covenants.” Her mother stormed past her into the hall. “Where is your aunt? I’m sure she’s filled your head with all this religious nonsense. It’s time I give her a piece of my mind for leading you to such ridiculous beliefs.”
“My aunt was outside when you arrived. I’m surprised you didn’t cross her path coming into the house. However, she has not taught me ridiculous beliefs, Mother,” Clara challenged.
Her mother turned and eyed her in stern consternation. “I must say I am shocked beyond my senses. This is so much worse than I had imagined.” She took up a fan that hung at her waist and began to fan herself in a most furious manner. “You have lost all of your comportment. Years of work have been undone in a few short weeks. I hate to think of what I’ll need to do in order to set things right again.”
“You needn’t do anything.” Clara squared her shoulders. “Why don’t you return to New York and explain to Otto that I am quite happily situated here.” She walked to the open front door. “I see your transportation and your maid are still awaiting you.” The sight of her mother’s maid almost made Clara giggle. The poor woman looked positively aghast at her surroundings. “If I’m not mistaken, that looks to be the town liveryman holding the reins to the wagon. I’m certain he will want to get back before darkness sets in, and while our daylight won’t be gone for some time, it would be best for you to go now.”
“I’m not going anywhere. My maid and I will take up residence here, and when I leave, you will be at my side. And until you come to your senses, I will stay right here and dog your every step. I will not leave you to be further influenced by these people.”
She moved past Clara, muttering something more, but the words were inaudible. It took a moment before Clara realized what her mother was doing as she opened each and every door to the various rooms. She was headed down the hall toward Curtis’s room before Clara could even think of what might happen when her mother discovered him here in the house.
“Mother, you have no right to do this. This is Madeline and Paul’s home. You can’t just go about sticking your nose into their business.”
Her mother whirled around and pointed her now closed fan at Clara. “You are my business, and they have usurped my authority in taking you in and turning your thoughts against me.”
“My aunt and uncle have never spoken ill of you even once. In fact, all those years you sent me to spend my summers here, they never spoke out against you.”
“Hah! I don’t believe you. Your father’s sister never had any use for me. She hates me and the feeling is mutual.”
Her words stunned Clara. “Mother, that is entirely uncalled for. Aunt Madeline doesn’t hate you at all.”
Her mother continued down the hall until she came to Curtis’s room. Clara knew she couldn’t prevent her mother from opening the door and drawing him into their argument, so she pushed past her mother and opened the door for her.
Curtis still sat in the same chair Clara had left him in. He wore a frown—almost a scowl at the sight of Clara’s mother.
“Mrs. Oberlin,” he said, nodding. “You needn’t have come all this way. I assure you I could hear you just fine from the front room.”
Her mother pulled up short and stared at the man in surprise. “Who are you?”
“This is Curtis Billingham, Mother.” Clara went to stand beside him. “The man I intend to marry. The man I should have married years ago.”
Her mother’s eyes widened and her face began to change colors. Clara wasn’t at all sure the woman was even breathing anymore until a roar came from her mother’s throat.
“You are quite mad.” She pointed her finger at Curtis. “This is your doing. You have corrupted my daughter’s mind. Hopefully, that’s all you have dallied with.”
“Mother!” Clara couldn’t believe her mother’s crass remark.
Curtis got to his feet without the aid of his cane. “Madam, I believe you should stop now before I decide to stop you myself.”
“This is outrageous.” She pointed again at Curtis. “I will not be spoken to in such a manner. Not even by some worthless Montana cowboy. I know all about you and how you tried to convince my daughter to give up a good life in New York to stay here with you.”
“Mother, please stop.”
The woman turned on Clara. “And you, you are the worst of hussies to come out here with your husband barely in the ground and take up again with this . . . this . . . reprobate.”
“What in the world is all this yelling about?” Madeline asked, coming into the room. She looked at Harriet and nodded. “I might have known.”
Clara watched her mother whirl on her heel.
“If I am yelling, it is because I am beyond enraged. What kind of place is this that a single man and widowed woman would live under one roof? It is a corruption of the flesh.” She shook her finger at Madeline. “You who always spout Bible verses and talk about spiritual matters as if it came from God’s mouth to your ear.” She gave a harsh laugh. “I should have known it was all a façade to mask the wickedness that went on.”
Madeline’s eyes narrowed. “Harriet, I’m going to forget you said that. As a Christian woman I am called upon to forgive you
. . . and I will . . . perhaps later . . . after prayer.”
Clara might have smiled had the situation not been so grave. She could sense that Curtis was about to do something and put her hand on his arm. They exchanged a glance, and Clara shook her head, hoping it would dissuade him from making matters worse.
“I care not one whit about your forgiveness,” Clara’s mother countered. “I came to take my daughter home, but she is already heavily influenced by your . . . your . . .” She threw her hand up and pushed past Madeline. “I intend to share my daughter’s room in order to keep her from further misconduct. Be so good as to have the driver deliver my bags accordingly and find my maid a room. I’m not leaving here without my daughter . . . and grandchildren.”
Madeline followed Clara’s mother out of the room. It was clear from their voices that they were headed for the front of the house, and Clara hurried after them. She had no intention of following them, however. She hurried into her bedroom and dropped to the floor. Reaching under the bed she pulled out a small valise. This is where she kept the money and diaries she’d taken from the bank box. If the case were to remain here, she was certain her mother would find it and confiscate the contents.
She hurried back to Curtis’s room and found him at the door. He was clearly about to come in search of her or the others.
“Wait, Curtis. I need for you to keep this for me.” Clara came into the room and glanced over her shoulder to make certain she wouldn’t be overheard. “It’s important my mother not find this. It has money that Adolph left in the bank along with his diaries. Mother won’t care at all about the books, but she will demand the money if she knows it exists.”
She looked around the room, then went to the far side of the bed. “May I hide it here . . . under the bed?”
Curtis nodded and very slowly walked back to his chair. Clara gave him a weak smile and nod before dropping to her knees with the valise. She tucked it under the bed, then sighed.
“Thank you.” She rose and let go another sigh. “I’m so glad Joe and Phil took the children riding. I would have hated for them to witness my mother’s behavior.”
Reaching out, Curtis took hold of Clara’s arm. She found him smiling at her. “What do you find amusing about this?” she asked.
He shook his head. “I’m not amused. I’m curious.”
She hadn’t expected that declaration. “What in the world are you curious about?”
“What you said.”
Shaking her head, Clara tried to recall what she might have said that had him so interested. “I don’t understand. What did I say?”
“You told your mother I was the man you intended to marry.” His grin broadened. “I just wondered why you said that.”
Clara felt rather sheepish. She hadn’t meant to make such a declaration and presume upon Curtis’s earlier kiss, but now that it had been said, it was too late to take it back. So instead she shrugged a little. “It sounded like a good idea at the time.”
Curtis threw back his head and laughed, causing Clara to put her hand over his mouth. “Curtis . . . stop laughing. My mother will hear you.”
He pulled her hand away from his face and held it close to his heart. His expression grew quite serious as he gazed into her eyes. “I don’t much care what your mother hears or doesn’t hear. I don’t care what she says or does, so long as it doesn’t hurt or involve you. I love you, and I’m going to do what I should have done fourteen years ago.”
“What’s that?”
He gave her a lazy grin. “I’m going to marry you, of course.”
Paul came into the house through the back door. He could hear the shrill voice of a woman who was quite distressed. He hurried through the house to find the source and was completely surprised to find Harriet Oberlin shaking her finger only inches from his wife’s face.
“You are to blame for all this talk of love. It’s all a part of that ridiculous religious nonsense.”
“It isn’t nonsense, Harriet. It’s the very heart of who we are—who God is. Clara is happy for the first time in fourteen years, and I won’t let you interfere with her or the children.”
“Those are my grandchildren!” Harriet caught sight of Paul. “You have subjected innocent children to examples of wanton lust and allowed my daughter to become a harlot.”
Smack!
Paul hadn’t expected his wife’s actions, but when she slapped Harriet Oberlin across the face, he couldn’t help but duck his head to hide his grin. He had always known Madeline could be a real ball of fire when the occasion called for it, and God knew she was justified this time around.
Harriet grabbed her cheek, her eyes wide in disbelief. Madeline was now the one who pointed her finger. “Your heart has always been filled with ugly, selfish thoughts. You believe everyone capable of the basest actions, because you practice them yourself. I have always tried to treat you with Christian charity, but, Harriet Oberlin, you have exhausted my supply.”
She didn’t give the woman a chance to reply. “If you can’t keep such evil thoughts to yourself, you won’t be welcome in this house. This is a home of decent, Christian folk, and I won’t allow for Satan to get a foothold through you.”
Paul felt it was time to put in his two cents. “Madeline is right. You have hurt a lot of folks over the years, and that isn’t something we take kindly to, especially when it comes to a girl so sweet as our Clara. You can stay with us for a few days, but only if you refrain from speaking ill of our family.”
Harriet finally found her voice. “You two have always hated me. You’ve never understood that I did what was best for Clara. My Clara. She isn’t yours. She is my child and I know what’s best for her.”
“Do you?” Paul asked softly. “Do you really suppose that taking her from a home where people love and admire her and forcing her into a life without love is what’s best?”
“Emotions are useless to people. The sooner Clara comes to realize that, the better off she’ll be. Her childish infatuation with that cowboy was better ended before she got hurt. Now I find she’s back here again, panting at his heel.” Harriet shook her head. “I will not allow her to throw her life away, nor that of my grandchildren. Those children deserve to be brought up in proper society, and if need be, I’ll take them back to New York without Clara.”
Paul narrowed his eyes. He’d had about as much of this woman as he could stomach. “I think it might be better after all if you were to take a room in town.”
Harriet opened her mouth to counter and then appeared to think better of it. She turned and stormed out of the house and down the porch steps, muttering all the way. Paul put his arm around his wife and pulled her close.
“You don’t think she’d really try to take the children from Clara, do you?” Madeline asked, looking at Paul. There was real worry in her expression.
“She better hadn’t try.”
20
The next afternoon Clara sat at the kitchen table sketching out the details of several pieces of jewelry while Madeline rolled out dough for pies. Clara found that her creativity had returned now that Curtis once again loved her.
“I can’t believe how many of those designs you’ve turned out,” Madeline said, smiling.
“I had all sorts of ideas, but no heart for it.” Clara carefully added the position and type of stones that were to be used on this latest creation. The image of an iris was to be a brooch, and Clara wanted the details to be exact. They were to use Yogo sapphires not only in the cornflower blue but also ones of a deep violet hue. The latter were rarer, quite beautiful, and perfect for this design.
“I don’t know how you come up with your ideas.” Her aunt glanced over her shoulder. “Nor do I understand how you decide the placement of the stones and which stone to use.”
“That’s a little trickier,” Clara admitted. “The light is critical. If the gem isn’t set in such a way to take in the light properly, then the stone will look dull. Adolph taught me a great deal when it came to ston
e placement.”
“But to see it in your head and then put it down on paper and then make it into jewelry . . . well, it amazes me.”
“Another aspect is that most of the Yogos aren’t that big. So I have to create designs that will show them off to their best advantage, even when they are small.”
“I suppose you know that they won’t be mining sapphires now that we’re at war,” her aunt said, turning back to the dough.
“I had seen that in the local paper. I know, however, that Otto has a great many stones on hand. He and Adolph were quite insistent that they procure as many stones as possible. Since Yogo Gulch is the only place in the world where these stones can be found, they always feared their supply would eventually play out. I’m sure Otto will be able to make a great many pieces of jewelry before the war is over.”
The sound of someone knocking at the door caused both women to abandon their duties and go in search of the source. Clara peered out the window to find her mother pacing back and forth on the porch as if she were searching for something.
“Oh no. It’s Mother.” Clara shook her head. “I had hoped she’d forget all this nonsense.”
“I’ll ask her to leave if you like.”
“No. If I don’t see her, she’ll just keep coming back to hound us.” Clara untied her apron and turned to face her aunt Madeline. “I know you’re busy with the pies, but would you do me a favor and take the children elsewhere? I don’t want them to witness my mother’s tirades, and I have no reason to believe she’ll behave herself. Maybe Joe and Phil could take them riding again. I know they’re very disappointed that my mother’s appearance might keep us from going camping. If the boys could take them for a ride, then you wouldn’t have to leave the pies.”
“The pies will wait.” Madeline wiped her hands on a dish towel. “But it’ll be hard to tear them away from that puppy. I know they’re still trying to figure out a name.”
A Love Transformed Page 19
