An Inconvenient Marriage

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  For Sue, The performance last night was wonderful. I would love to hear how your brother came up with the idea. Ben York. That was old man York’s grandnephew who was thirty-two.

  My Darling Miss Lewis, You are more beautiful than any other woman in town. I will stop by the library to congratulate you on directing such a delightful play. I will by tomorrow at noon. Larry Martin. Jake decided he would have to tackle Mr. Martin first.

  Dear Sue, After your annulment, you shouldn’t have to go back to being a spinster. I would be much obliged to relieve you of that fate. Your admirer, Tim Blacksmith.

  To my sweet Sue, Age is just a number. Consider my courtship after your annulment. Wilbur Vance. Jake knew Wilbur was twenty-five.

  He wrote each man’s name on a piece of paper before ripping up the cards and throwing them in his rubbish bin. It was December 22. He had to go to the Lewis farm from December 24 to January 1. He could probably wait until he got back to take care of Donald Cline, Ben York, Tim Blacksmith, and Wilbur Vance, but he needed to do something about Larry Martin the next day. He considered what would best make Mr. Martin decide not pursue Sue. He didn’t know the man well enough to make a reasonable judgment.

  He stood up and went to see Ralph who was replacing a cabinet in the kitchen.

  “Good day, sir,” Ralph warmly greeted. “Is there something I can do for you?”

  “Are you familiar with Larry Martin?” he asked.

  Ralph stopped what he was doing and turned to him. “I know his butler. Larry is a good man. He volunteers his weekends to help the orphans, owns a restaurant in town, cares for homeless animals and attends church every Sunday.”

  Jake hid his disgust at the man’s impeccable character. “Is there anything he doesn’t like in a woman?”

  He chuckled. “Was he one of the men who sent those flowers?”

  He frowned. “I don’t want Sue hearing about any of this.”

  “Duly noted, sir.” He sighed as he considered Jake’s question. “He is a mild mannered man who prides himself on being a peacemaker. If a woman were to be brass, he might take offense to her.”

  Jake smiled as an idea came to him. “Do we still have those clothes that Sue didn’t want?”

  “Yes. They are in the baby’s room. Mrs. Parker won’t pick them up for another two days.”

  “Good. Get me the pinkest dress with as much lace, flowers, sequins, or bows on it as you can find.” He left a very stunned and curious butler and went back to the den to work on his plan.

  Thirty minutes later, Ralph came in with the dress and set it on the desk. “I hate to be rude but Lydia’s in labor.”

  “Really?” Jake jumped up and followed Ralph to their bedroom where Lydia was packing her suitcase.

  “My mother and the midwife will be coming by to pick us up. Ralph and I will be at her place for two weeks. Will you be alright without us?” she asked him.

  “I’m a grown man. I’ll figure things out,” he assured her. “Are you in a lot of pain?”

  “Not yet. My contractions just started, and they’re far apart and mild. I want to be sure I get to my mother’s so we can prepare for the birth. I made some meals ahead of time for you and Sue.”

  “Don’t push yourself too hard.”

  “I won’t.”

  Jake watched Ralph and Lydia leave as her mother came to the door. As soon as they left, he noted that the house seemed empty. He was actually relieved when Sue walked through the door.

  “Lydia’s going to have the baby tonight or early tomorrow.” She smiled. “What a great Christmas gift for them. I got home just in time to congratulate them.”

  “Speaking of which,” he began, “did anyone congratulate you today?”

  She thought about it for a moment. “Several people did. They were very thoughtful.”

  “Were any of them men?”

  She took off her coat and hung it up. “I think so. I didn’t pay attention.”

  He shook his head. She wore a light green shirt with a long black skirt. She took off her hat and he saw that her hair was pulled back with a black headband. She looked attractive, and that was suddenly a problem. How many men were out there trying to get her attention that he didn’t know about?

  “Would you like me to cook dinner?” she asked.

  “Lydia said she made some meals.”

  “Wouldn’t you like to try something I made?”

  Her effort to please him made him smile. “Alright. What are you going to make?”

  “I’ll figure it out when I see what you have in the kitchen. I’ll tell you when dinner is ready.”

  He nodded and returned to the den where he inspected the dress. It was gaudy. It had so many sequins that he almost had to squint when he looked at it. The lace on the edges of the sleeves were the perfect touch. Lace would definitely get Sue mad since he had put it on her wedding dress and she specifically made a fuss about it. He grinned. He couldn’t wait to see Mr. Martin’s face when he stopped by at noon the next day.

  He quickly put the dress away so she wouldn’t see it when she came into the room to read after dinner. He was learning that she loved books more than just about anything else, and she had already become attached to sitting in the chair by the fireplace.

  When she called him to dinner, he was surprised to see meatloaf and mashed potatoes. He hadn’t eaten such a simple meal since he was a kid.

  “It’s my fanciest dish,” she said as she sat in her seat. “Hot chocolate is my favorite drink, and I’m actually good at making it.”

  She did put a lot of effort into the meal. “Thank you, Sue.”

  She smiled widely.

  Did she ever get complimented for anything? She seemed so happy at the slightest good word someone spoke to her. It must be because she got clowned for being a nag so much. “You are actually nice company to have. I’m sorry I called you a nag.”

  She grinned. “I’ve been called worse. I know I can come on a little strong. If you knew my family, you would understand. My brothers make it impossible for me to be a demure woman. If I didn’t stand up for myself, I’d get walked on all the time.”

  “Did you get a new ring?”

  “It’s right here. Didn’t you notice it?”

  He blinked at the small gold band with a single diamond in it. It hardly looked impressive.

  She sighed. “If it makes you feel any better, I told people that you gave me a large diamond but I didn’t like it so I insisted on this ring instead.”

  He appreciated the fact that she did that. He almost hated what he was about to do to her the next day but reminded himself it was for her own good. She didn’t need men pawing all over her before she got annulled from marriage.

  He took a bite of the meatloaf and nearly gagged on it. He quickly picked up the napkin and spit it out. That’s the worst thing I ever tasted!

  “Is it that bad?” She took a bite of her own and frowned. “I added too many breadcrumbs and overcooked it.” She tasted the mashed potatoes and grimaced. “Don’t eat the mashed potatoes.”

  He glanced at the drink. Was it safe?

  As if she could hear his thoughts, she tasted her own. “This is actually alright.” She took the plates, apologized and went back to the kitchen to get one of Lydia’s meals.

  Despite her poor cooking skills, he chuckled to himself. She was trying so hard, but there was no way he’d eat another one of her meals again. It’s a good thing I can afford a maid. He took a sip of the hot chocolate and shuddered. She obviously wasn’t used to decent meals if she thought the drink was acceptable. He dumped the drink into the plant that sat in the corner of the room. He didn’t want to disappoint her anymore than he already had.

  ***

  He took an early lunch from the bank so he could get to the library a little before noon. He carried the dress in a brown paper bag so no one would know he was carrying it around. He had to ask the woman at the front desk where Sue was, and the woman directed him to the children’s room
. He quietly entered the room and stood behind a bookshelf so he could watch Sue without her noticing him. She still wore her hair down, except today she had it pulled back with two barrettes. She wore a navy blue dress that showed off her hourglass figure. It was a good thing he was here to stop Mr. Martin before he got started.

  A group of about thirty children and their mothers sat in a semi-circle to listen to her. He didn’t recognize eight of the women. Mrs. Monroe, Mrs. Hawke, Mrs. Evans, Mrs. Edwards, and Mrs. Gregory were the women he recognized because of their husbands who did business with him. He shook his head in amazement when he noticed Mrs. Parker sitting with three children. Mrs. Parker had been furious with her at the wedding because Sue had made her take off the lace she had sewn on her wedding gown, and now Mrs. Parker looked very happy to be in Sue’s presence. She certainly has a way with people, or at least the women. He considered the fact that women enjoyed Sue because Sue entertained their children at the library. The children were excited to listen to Sue as she told them a story about Jack and the Beanstalk. A ten and eight year old boy were standing next to her while a three year old girl sat on the floor.

  Sue was narrating the story while the children acted it out. “Jack saw that the goose was laying golden eggs.”

  The eight year old boy took a plastic yellow egg from the girl.

  “What do you think Jack said?” she asked him.

  “This is my goose!”

  “You’re right,” she replied. “So he took the goose, but the giant saw him running off with his goose. What do you think the giant said?” She turned to the ten year old.

  “Give me back my goose,” he said.

  “Go ahead and get that goose back,” she instructed.

  She backed away while the eight year old grabbed the girl’s hand and ran from the ten year old boy.

  “Fee Fi Fo Fum! Give me back that goose, you bum!” the ten year old yelled.

  The children in the audience giggled at the scene.

  “Do you think Jack made it down the stalk with the goose?” Sue laughed.

  “Yes!” the children answered.

  “And then he chopped down the stalk.” She handed the eight year old a fake axe so he could pretend to chop the stalk until the ten year old voluntarily fell off the chair he was standing on. “And so Jack gave his mother the goose and they never had to worry about money again.”

  The women and children cheered.

  Jake smiled. It was nice to see Sue at work. He didn’t realize she could be so much fun. And she didn’t even have to seek out the women. The women came to her and liked her because their children liked her. Sue was a marvelous businesswoman and she didn’t even know it.

  As the women and children left the room so Sue could put the chairs, wooden eggs, and axe away, he decided it was time to get down to business. He peered around the door and saw Mr. Martin. Glancing at his watch, Jake saw that it was exactly noon. I’ll give him credit for punctuality.

  He walked up to Sue and cleared his throat.

  She turned around. Her eyes lit up when she saw him. “Hello, Jake. What are you doing here?”

  He suddenly felt guilty for the way he was about to treat her but as he watched Mr. Martin approaching the doorway, he strengthened his resolve. He took the pink dress out of the bag and threw it at her.

  She blinked in surprise.

  “Put it on,” he ordered, his tone firm.

  “Pardon me?” She looked stunned.

  “You heard me, woman. Put it on.”

  She gasped, her shock quickly wearing off.

  He lowered his voice so that Mr. Martin wouldn’t hear what he was saying. “Are you deaf?”

  “You’re ordering me to put this horrid thing on?” She looked at the dress in disgust.

  “You got it, woman. So get going.”

  She threw it at him. “You put it on since you like it so much.”

  “What?” he whispered so she would have to raise her voice.

  “You put the dress on,” she said in a louder voice. “I can’t believe you have the audacity to come in here and tell me to do something you know I can’t stand.”

  “Believe it,” he said in a low voice. “I am your husband and you will do what I say.”

  “I will not!”

  Good, she was yelling. He quickly glanced at Mr. Martin and noted that he was in perfect hearing distance. He stood in the room and waited for them to finish their argument.

  He’s good to orphans and animals, well mannered, considerate of women and rich. He’s the perfect bachelor. He makes me sick.

  “I am going to undress you and put the dress on you myself unless you obey me,” he hissed.

  She gasped. “You wouldn’t.”

  He loudly said, as if he were deeply hurt, “Nothing would make me happier than to see you enjoy the gift I bought you.”

  By now she was fuming. “I don’t know what sick game you’re playing but you will never get me to wear one of those monstrosities that you call a gift.” She angrily put the rest of the chairs away. She walked back over to him and ripped the dress. The sequins flew all over the place. “There is your precious gift. Do you still want me to put it on where people can see me in it?”

  “But I bought it for you because I care about you.” He pretended to look rejected.

  “You don’t care about me! The only person you care about is yourself. I see right through you, Mr. Mitchell.” She turned and saw Mr. Martin. “All you men want to do is control women. You disgust me,” she spat as she left.

  “Are you alright?” Mr. Martin asked him.

  “I’ll manage.” He sighed sadly. “I try so hard to please her, but she gets mad no matter what I do.” He put the dress back in the bag and threw it in the trash can on his way out the door.

  “I’m glad I missed that mistake,” he heard Mr. Martin mumble.

  He grinned. His plan worked perfectly. As he walked toward the front entrance, he caught sight of Sue glaring at him from one of the bookshelves. Or maybe things didn’t as well as I thought. He walked over to her. She walked behind the bookshelf, and he followed her. He had to make things right with her or who knew what else she would do to his home. Clothes might not be the only thing she would be willing to throw down the stairs.

  “Get away from me,” she quietly snapped as he followed her between the bookshelves.

  He caught up to her and gently took her hand in his and kissed it.

  “What are you doing?” she demanded, too bewildered to pull her hand away.

  “I just wanted to say thank you for standing your ground. I find your determination to stand true to your values extremely refreshing.” He meant those words.

  Her expression softened. “Why would you test me like that?”

  “Because some men have wives that don’t, and I want to make sure if you tell me anything, you’ll stick to your word. I don’t like weak women.” He meant that too.

  “Don’t do that to me again. I don’t like it.”

  “I know, and I’m sorry.”

  She sighed. “Alright. I’ll let it go this time.”

  “Thank you. Can I take you out to dinner tonight?”

  “Where?”

  “Any place you want.”

  “I do like Italian food.”

  “Luigi’s?”

  She nodded. “That would be nice. I’ve never been there but always heard great things about it.”

  “Done.” He was happy to do it since he instigated their argument.

  “I’ll see you after work then.”

  He felt much better as he left the library. He took the sheet of paper out of his pocket and crossed Mr. Martin’s name off the list. “One down, four to go.”

  Chapter Eight

  Sue finished packing her suitcase. She added the new pants and flannel shirts she asked Mrs. Parker to make for her so that she could help her brothers with some of the farm work. She included a couple of her new dresses, which she had to admit, she enjoyed wearing. S
he was very satisfied with her bedroom now that the bed had thick dark blue blankets and hunter green pillows on it. It didn’t look exactly like Jake’s bedroom, but that was fine with her. It held a small lamp on her oak night stand which she used to read a book late at night. The new oak headboard provided ample support for her back and the large pillows were comfortable so she could sit all night reading if she wanted to. She didn’t bring many personal belongings. There was a picture of her family and a couple of worn out books she owned, one being her childhood Bible. From the wedding gifts, she took a gold and oak clock so she knew what time it was, a crystal musical jewelry box so she could keep the diamond necklace and earrings Jake had given her to wear at the wedding, and a bouquet of ceramic red and pink roses which was a gift from Belinda. She had to admit that she didn’t mind Belinda’s gift. Flowers were better on a dresser than on a dress.

  Since it was December 24, she wore a red dress and a small gold cross necklace, which had been a gift from her parents. She still wore her hair down. She was surprised by the number of compliments she received from this simple action, and the more she got used to wearing it that way, the more she liked it.

  She was about to close her suitcase when she remembered that she would need a pair of boots to go with the pants and flannel shirts. She couldn’t exactly do farm work in dainty shoes. She zipped her suitcase and carried it down the stairs. She slipped on her coat and hat and waited for Henry to arrive with his buggy. She marveled that he would willingly give up Christmas Eve to drive her to her family’s farm. The trip wouldn’t be long but it was still a special day. Jake’s employees were loyal to him.

  As soon as she saw Henry’s buggy approaching the house, she grabbed her suitcase and walked outside to wait for him.

  A good looking thirty-seven year old bachelor happened to be walking down the street and smiled when he saw her. He tipped his hat and said, “Good day, Mrs. Mitchell. Or should I still call you Miss Lewis?”

  She wondered why so many men were asking her that ever since she got married. “In six months, it will be Miss Lewis, so I suppose it doesn’t matter.”