He seemed unsure. “Really?”
“Yes. I mean, sooner or later, she’s bound to leave you alone. Someday you’ll die. For sure, she’ll give up then, even if she does stalk your tombstone. At least you’ll be dead and unaware of it. Or I could die. Then you could either post an ad for another wife or search for one like you found me. You know how well moving to another town works. Go for that. Maybe next time, she won’t follow you.”
Grimacing, he consented, “You win. Bob’s right. You win.”
“Good.” She exhaled, feeling her tension subside. Now that this matter was established, she could go about her plan. “You don’t need to fret so much. I won’t be that far away.”
“Exactly what is the plan?”
Her plan had been to tell Debra she needed to make an emergency run to help her ailing mother, but when Margaret caught sight of Debra heading their way and Doug and Bob waiting outside the mercantile with a handful of candy, a better one came to mind.
“Get back to work.” She shot Bob a meaningful look. “Get your pa back in there.”
“I can do that without your help,” Joseph muttered. Even if he agreed to it, it was evident he wasn’t thrilled with the idea.
Bob stopped sucking on a piece of hard candy and yelled out, “Mr. Lindon, Pa’s not working!”
Margaret saw that Debra was in hearing distance. “Play along,” she whispered to Joseph. In a louder voice, she said, “I just can’t take it anymore! I’m moving back home to my parents.” She let go of Charles’ and Ben’s hands and threw her hands up in the air. “You don’t need a wife. You need a maid!”
Ralph stepped out of the mercantile and called out, “Connealy, I’m paying you to work, not gossip.”
Debra, Margaret noticed, had stilled her steps and watched them with open curiosity.
“Fine,” Margaret told a bewildered Joseph, “I suppose you’re strapped to your job.” Then she turned to Debra and gasped. “Oh, what a God send!” She reached for Charles and Ben and hurried them over to the startled woman. “I’ve decided you’re right. You can have Joseph. It’s ‘Hannah this’ and ‘Hannah that’. It’s enough to make a woman scream.” She glanced at the children.
Bob stuck his tongue out at Margaret. “We don’t want you anyway.”
Debra brought her hand up to her mouth and gasped.
“I don’t know what kind of woman Hannah was, but she didn’t teach those children any manners. They’ve been flippant ever since the wedding.” Margaret nudged Charles and Ben toward the other woman. “I hope you mean it. You know. About being able to discipline them and all. I give up.” She wiped her hands and gave a loud sigh. “What a relief! I feel so free.” She patted Debra on the back, purposely using more force than necessary but not hurting her. “Good luck. You’ll need it.”
“Margaret-” Joseph began.
“Enough dilly dallyin’. I need you to deliver those barrels for me. Pronto,” Ralph ordered.
Margaret glanced at Ralph who winked at her while Bob snickered. Debra was too busy watching Joseph to notice the silent messages exchanged around her. Margaret hid her smile. That particular kid was much too clever for his own good. She didn’t know how Bob got Ralph to join in, but she could ask later.
Joseph gave Margaret a wary look before he stepped toward the mercantile entrance.
Debra made a move to get close to him, but he edged away from her like a scared little mouse and scurried into his safe hole—the mercantile. Margaret rolled her eyes. If that was how Joseph and Hannah handled Debra—by always running from her—it was no wonder Debra wouldn’t leave.
Bob yanked on Debra’s dress with his sticky hand. Debra yelped but Bob didn’t let go. “We want the park, new Ma.”
“Yeah! We sure do!” Doug chimed in. “Please take us.”
“Please!” Bob added.
Soon, Debra was surrounded by a chorus of pleas to go to the park.
“Better you than me,” Margaret enthusiastically said and headed off down the boardwalk.
She breathed a sigh of relief. Good. Joseph hadn’t stopped her. The plan was still in motion and now she could enact the next part.
Chapter Fourteen
Margaret made her way to Connie James’ residence but didn’t go up to the porch. Instead, she sat on a bench nearby and waited for Jessica to finish her brief visit with Mrs. Lonny. She rehashed exactly what she planned to say when Jessica lured the woman out of her house.
It wasn’t too long before Jessica rounded the corner of the block. Margaret stood and hurried to the house next to Connie’s so that Connie wouldn’t see her. Jessica knocked on the door, holding a quilt that Mrs. Lonny wanted to give Connie. Even if Connie could grieve some people, she managed to be popular. Margaret would never understand it, but then, this served her purpose for this particular moment and she’d use it.
When Connie opened the door, Margaret took a deep breath, straightened her shirt, and got ready for her part. She slipped back onto the sidewalk and pretended to be surprised to see Jessica and Connie.
“Good afternoon, ladies,” Margaret called out as cheerfully as she could manage. Without waiting for an invitation to join them, she walked up the steps of Connie’s porch and gave a contented sigh. “Isn’t it a wonderful day? It’s just the right day for a nice stroll in the park.”
Connie slowly took the quilt from Jessica and said, “Where are those children?”
“What children?” Margaret asked, adjusting her hat. Folding her hands, she looked pointedly at Connie and waited for her to respond.
“The four boys you’re now a mother to,” Connie reminded her, as if she couldn’t believe she had to spell it out.
She laughed and waved her hand. “Oh, those little hellions? I decided that Miss Potter can have them.”
“You what?” Jessica asked in feigned horror.
Margaret shrugged. “It just didn’t work out. I’m going to post an ad for another man. This time, if one comes off the train with a child, I’m going to send him right back home.”
Connie clucked her tongue and shook her head. “I must say that is in poor taste. You made your vows, and now you’re stuck.”
Margaret shrugged. “Vows are made to be broken.”
Jessica sighed. “That’s horrible.”
Connie nodded. “A woman doesn’t shirk her responsibilities. It’s up to you to be their mother, even if they aren’t as good as my Peter.”
“Speaking of which,” Jessica began, “how is he doing these days?”
“Oh, he’s managing. You broke his heart, you know. The poor man doesn’t come out and say it, but he needs a good woman to cook his meals, clean his house, and have his children.”
Margaret took that as her cue. “Where could such a woman be?”
Connie narrowed her eyes at her. “Certainly not you.”
Margaret scoffed. As if she’d ever be with Connie’s son! She might have been desperate, but she wasn’t stupid.
“I heard that Debra Potter is available,” Jessica chimed in. “She cleans Mrs. Lonny’s place.”
Connie’s ears perked in interest. “Mrs. Lonny let her clean her home?”
“She sure did. I had tea with her just a few moments ago, right after Miss Potter left that house. They seemed to get along well.”
Connie seemed to consider Jessica’s statement.
“Debra Potter is dreadful,” Margaret argued. “Any woman who follows a man across state lines isn’t right in the head.”
“Come now, Margaret,” Jessica admonished. “Mrs. Lonny has nothing but good things to say on her behalf, and you know how particular Mrs. Lonny can be. Why, if she approves of Debra, then Debra would make an excellent addition to someone’s family.”
Margaret and Jessica turned their gazes to Connie at that moment, and Margaret wondered if Connie would take the bait.
“Mrs. Lonny’s opinion carries a lot of weight in this town,” Connie said, studying the patterns on the quilt.
�
�That’s the truth of it,” Jessica agreed. “She wanted that church painted a nice pearly white and that’s the color it is today.”
Margaret shrugged. “I suppose Miss Potter would make a fine wife and daughter-in-law to the right family. However, this is not my concern. She is with Joseph’s boys at the park, and I’m sure that she’ll be a wonderful wife and mother to that chaotic group.”
Connie placed the quilt down on the small table by the front door and grabbed her hat. “I hate to rush you two young ladies, but I need to run an errand.”
“Oh really?” Jessica looked disappointed. “Well, I’m sorry about Peter.”
Margaret shot her friend a ‘that’s overboard’ look, but Jessica ignored her and watched as Connie put the hat on her head.
“Peter will be fine,” Connie said as she walked onto the porch and shut the door behind her. “Things work out for the best.” She patted Jessica’s hand. “Don’t you trouble yourself. You made a mistake, but there’s nothing to be done about it now. I hold no ill will toward you and neither does he.” Turning to Margaret, Connie asked, “Which park did Miss Potter go to?”
“The one right across from my house,” Margaret replied. When Connie appeared as if she had no idea what Margaret meant, she added, “It’s the one closest to the mercantile.”
“Oh! That one. A lovely spot.” Connie patted both women on the shoulder. “I don’t mean to keep you. Go on ahead and do whatever it is you two do.” Then she bounded down the steps and walked toward the park in long, purposeful strides.
Jessica tapped her foot on the porch. “I don’t know whether to feel sorry for Connie or Debra.”
Margaret rolled her eyes. “They’ll be fine. In fact, they’re going to be very happy. A pair could not be more happily matched.”
“But it’s Peter that Debra’s supposed to be marrying.”
“He’s already married to his mother. This will be an extension of that. I’m telling you Jessica, Peter will like this too. Now, he’ll never have to choose between his mother and another woman again. They’ll work together and decide what he’ll do. It’s perfect.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
“I am.” Margaret tried to decide when she should head on over to the park to make sure the final pieces fell into place. “I think I’ll go around this block two times and head on back home.”
“You’re not picking up any grocery items like you originally planned?”
“No. I opted for a change in those plans,” Margaret replied. “Thank you for coming through, Jessica.”
“Now we’re even,” Jessica said, smiling.
“Even.”
Then, without a look back, Margaret headed for the sidewalk.
Chapter Fifteen
By the time Margaret made it to the block the outskirts of the park, she didn’t know whether to be amused or upset. Joseph had taken it upon himself to hide behind a large tree so he could watch Debra try to talk to Connie while the four boys gave her a hard time. Ben and Charles were crying. Debra held Ben in one arm and bent to pat Charles on the back. Margaret didn’t see Doug or Bob right away but quickly noticed that they were in a tree not too far from where Debra sat. She hoped those two knew what they were doing. She made them promise to stick to trees with low branches, and this one seemed safe enough.
But she had more pressing matters to attend to with the man hiding behind another tree. She glanced around and saw that the mercantile wagon was conveniently parked down another street. She shook her head and quietly snuck up behind Joseph before she tapped him on the shoulder.
He jerked around, looking like a kid stuck with his hand in the cookie jar. “It’s not what it looks like.”
Crossing her arms, she glared at him. “Really?”
Straightening up, he cleared his throat—probably trying to save the last shred of male dignity he had left—and said, “I wanted to see what you had planned.”
“Um hmm,” she replied, not believing him.
He sighed. “Fine. A part of me doesn’t trust Debra with the children. I want to make sure they’re alright.” He glanced over his shoulder at Doug and Bob who were calling out to Debra as they swung from the low branches and kicked at each other. “You’re fine with them being in a tree like that?”
Margaret shrugged. “If they fall, the most they’ll get is a couple of bruises.”
“Hannah wouldn’t let them up there, but I always thought that they should. Boys need to climb and feel a sense of danger.”
“Are you avoiding the topic?” She lowered her arms, feeling some of her annoyance settle at the compliment he’d given her, even if it was a roundabout one.
“I really am curious about what you’re going to do. You never told me what it is.”
She studied him, trying to determine his level of sincerity.
Debra shrieked when Bob kicked Doug and Doug fell to the ground, wailing and clutching his arm.
Margaret forced back the laugh as Charles clung to Debra’s dress and Ben grabbed her hat and flung it to the ground. Ben stopped crying and giggled. Connie rushed to retrieve the hat as it blew across the grass. Bob ran off from the tree before Debra could reach Doug who continued to howl as if he were mortally wounded.
“Was that part of the plan?” Joseph asked.
Margaret decided to reveal that much to him. “I told Charles to stay with Debra. As for Ben, he clings to anyone if there’s a new person around, so I knew she’d have to hold him. Doug and Bob asked if they could climb a tree as long as they stayed on the lower branches. Then Doug and Bob thought it would be fun to scare Debra by falling and getting hurt, though Doug is really overdoing it.”
“And the other woman?” he pressed.
“That’s Connie James. She happens to have an available son who is Debra’s age.”
“Oh.” His eyes lit up with understanding. “I see. That’s not a bad plan.”
“Thank you.”
Debra bent down to console Doug, but he only wailed louder and cried for Margaret.
“Those boys have grown attached to you,” Joseph commented, pleased.
“I’ve grown rather fond of them as well.” She gave him a pointed look. “I’m dismayed you didn’t trust me in doing what’s best for them.” When she realized Bob was carrying something she didn’t recognize, she patted him on the arm. “We’ll discuss this later. I need to go.”
Margaret emerged from behind the tree and slipped onto the pathway lining the park grounds. When she realized Bob carried an empty wasp’s nest, she stopped for a moment to dumbly watch everyone.
Connie returned with the hat just as Bob reached Debra. Holding out the nest, he asked, “Can I take this home?”
Debra glanced at him, saw it, and screamed.
Bob dropped it in her lap and threw his hands up in the air. “Sorry!”
Debra quickly set Ben on the ground and bolted to her feet as she shook her dress that was marred with streaks of purple and red candy.
Biting her tongue so she wouldn’t burst out laughing, Margaret made her way to them.
“It’s empty!” Bob called out above Debra’s shrill screams. “There’s nothing in there.”
“Yeah,” Doug added, standing up. “And I’m alright. See? I can move my arm just fine.”
Debra grunted in disgust and scampered away from the nest which remained on the ground.
“Ma!” Charles and Ben said as soon as they saw Margaret.
“I am not your mother!” Debra hissed. “I would never be a mother to the likes of you boys.”
“We knew you didn’t like us,” Bob replied.
“Insolent children,” Connie told Debra.
“So I gather you’re not interested in Joseph then?” Margaret asked Debra, stepping right up to everyone. She bent down to pick up Ben and held onto Charles’ hand.
Debra’s face was flushed and she anxiously tucked in stray strands of hair under her hat. “No man is worth all this trouble.” She glanced at the boys and
shuddered. “I don’t know how you put up with this, but they obviously need someone to...to...”
“See them to adulthood with as few scrapes as possible,” Connie inserted.
Sighing, Debra nodded. “I’m not up for the task. Perhaps if I had them one at a time... But not like this!”
“That’s the only way to do it,” Connie agreed. “These children are already set in their ways. Margaret, it’s not in my nature to intrude on the affairs of other women, but you did make your vows before God, and it would be wise to keep them.”
“I agree. I’m sorry, Margaret,” Debra said. “I won’t bother you or Joseph ever again.”
Margaret’s eyes grew wide in surprise. Debra Potter was apologizing to her?
“Apparently, my ways are too refined to handle these children,” Debra added.
“A truer statement has never been said,” Connie agreed. “You know, I raised my Peter to be a most upstanding citizen of this community, and he never did dastardly things like climb a tree or get his hands sticky with candy.” She glanced at Bob who held his hands up and grinned. Shaking her head, she said, “Those children are beyond refinement, Debra. What you need is a man who doesn’t have any yet. Then you marry him and when you do have them, you can start to train them from the very beginning on how to properly behave.”
“Yes, Mrs. James. I gather you’re right.”
“I am. I’m a mother. I know these things. I have a feeling there are better things in your future.” Connie smiled and patted Debra’s hand. “You know, I would be honored if you’d come by my house for a nice dinner tonight.”
Debra looked at her dress and shook her head. “I couldn’t possibly come tonight.”
“Then tomorrow?”
“Yes. That will be fine.”
Grinning from ear to ear, Connie turned to Margaret and said, “Now, you do what’s right and take care of these children.”
Margaret pretended to think about it. “Well...alright. You’ve convinced me. I’ll stay with Joseph.”
Connie nodded. “Good. Do your duty.”
A Husband for Margaret Page 10
