The Widowed Bride

©2019 by Stella Clark

All rights reserved. No part of this may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are a product of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, events or locales is completely coincidental.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14
Chapter 15

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Chapter One

The streets of Philadelphia were laid out with colorful shops and happy travelers. Virginia Hartwell clutched her arms to her sides, protecting the little money purse hidden within the folds of her skirt. It was a lively place, but these days, everything felt dangerous. The horses could step on people, the carriages could run people over, and the people were risky. They could lie and cheat and steal and hurt.

Her heart jumped into her throat as she recognized a man in the streets. It was the top hat that singled him out, one of the few men on the east side of town who could afford the silly object. And he had noticed her.

She turned away quickly and hurried home. Virginia didn’t want to talk to him. Don’t look back, she told herself, just don’t look back and get inside. Hurriedly, she placed a chair against the door and sat, clutching her hands anxiously. Had he followed her all this way?

Virginia jumped as he pounded on the door.

“Mrs. Hartwell!” Gary Pell shouted on the other side. “I know you’re there. Come out at once.”

Just as she considered not answering the man, Mr. Pell pounded again. She flinched.

“I want my money back. One way or the other, you’re going to get it for me. I don’t care what has to be done. But if you can’t come up with the funds by the end of the month, I’ll find recompense in another form. Mrs. Hartwell! I want my money. And I’m going to get it.”

Virginia swallowed hard, curling over as though to make herself smaller. She hiccupped and clapped a hand over her mouth. Had he heard?

He pounded the door once more for good effect. It was another minute before she heard his footsteps move. Her eyes flitted around the house. There was another window on the back wall, but this was the only door. This had only been home for the last year when her husband had fallen on hard times and moved them here. They had made do, just as they had done for the first five years of their marriage.

Things had been fine until nine months ago when Samuel Hartwell had died during a carriage accident, one that she hadn’t seen, but which everyone had been more than happy to tell her about. Now they all stared. Virginia knew they’d whispered about how she couldn’t afford a black veil and hadn’t cried at his grave.

Just like when she was sixteen, she’d been left to fend for herself again. At sixteen, she had married the first man who could provide a home for her, Samuel Hartwell, a domineering man more than twice her age with a sharp tongue. It had not been a happy or peaceful marriage. But it had kept her off the streets.

The silence sank in. Pell had left. Gary Pell had once been a good friend to them, a business partner. But now he had turned into a sour man who continuously demanded money. Where was she to get that? A widow in a dank little home had nothing. She’d just sold off her wedding band though the money would only feed her for a few weeks.

“What am I going to do?”

Rubbing her face, she tried to think. Pell had a reputation, one she had no interest in being linked with. Just the thought of him made her shudder. He was a man who followed through with his threats, a man worse than her husband. She had to be careful.

Swallowing hard, Virginia pushed back the nausea.

***

The next day she went into town to try and sell her kitchen table. But no one was interested.

Leaning against a building, Virginia watched the crowds. One very young newspaper boy ran along in a hurry. Her eyes trailed him as she wondered if he still had parents. As she lowered her gaze, it fell upon a newspaper that he had dropped. She picked it up curiously. The pictures had always fascinated her. A fresh pamphlet slipped out then, showing a man and a wife smiling on the pages.

Her curiosity got the better of her. “Excuse me,” she called the boy over. “Can you read this to me? I’ve a nickel if you do,” she added when he narrowed his eyes.

“You can’t read?” he asked curiously.

“Just tell me what it says,” Virginia insisted.

Chapter Two

The items gathered on the counter were bright and bountiful. Surely this purchase alone would put the mercantile in a better spot. Jake Benson offered a smile to the mayor’s wife, Margaret Connell, before glancing down at his papers to tally up the items. “Here you are,” he provided her total. “And that’s just the amount for today. Would you like to settle some of your store debt as well?”

As she waved a hand in the air, his stomach sank. “Just add it up. My husband, the mayor, will take care of that.”

Glancing down at the numbers, Jake hesitated. “Ma’am, there’s more than twenty dollars on here. It’s been going back for nearly three months, you see, and it’ll need to be paid soon. Sooner than later.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t handle the financials. You’ll have to talk to my husband. Now, could you be a dear and help me to the cart?” She headed to the door without waiting for an answer.

Jake scooped up the items to follow Mrs. Connell out the door. He gritted his teeth and tossed the purchases into the nearby wagon. She could organize them herself. “There you are. Have a beautiful day, ma’am.” And he left before she could ask for more.

Thankfully, other customers paid in full. Once the shop emptied out, Jake avoided looking at the numbers by cleaning up. He started on the ground floor before working his way up to the second. It was a warm day and warmer there. But it was his favorite place to be when he had a moment to spare.

At first, it had been a single-floor mercantile in San Paulo, California. As the final stop before Los Angeles and the surrounding towns, San Paulo could be busy. While small towns had popped up all over, it was San Paulo that connected with the travelers in stagecoaches. Those passing through made it a central hub in which they could travel as necessary.

Jakob Benson had initially gone west for the gold but then, having lost interest, had come south instead for the better weather. He’d come here and met Libby. Sweet Libby Gerber, San Paulo’s sweetheart. She had the prettiest brown eyes and the kindest smile. She’d picked him. In less than a month, they had been happily married. Then he’d trained in this very mercantile while apprenticed to her father, Walter.

He had been a good man who, unfortunately, soon passed away. Jake hadn’t known what else to do other than to take over the shop. His wife had been so proud and hopeful. One of their first moves had been to build the second floor and move there together. The attic held so many memories. Most of them were of Libby.

A sigh escaped his lips. She had meant everything. Even more since the fever had taken her away. This store was all he had left of her. Sometimes he swore he could still hear her humming.

“Is anyone here?”

Jake straightened. “Yes! I’m here. We’re open!” He hurriedly turned back to the shop.

Myrtle Biggins was waiting for her usual supply of tobacco. The woman gave him a look with her beady eyes, offering a grim smile as he put the container on the counter. “Good. I’ve already put the San Paulo News by the door. Someone’s got to do the work around here.” Then she glanced around as he put the money away. “Looks like that’s just you.”

He managed a smile. “Yes, it is just me. Is there anything else I can get for you?”

Her arthritic hands clutched the tobacco. “No. If anyone needs help, it’s you. The bags of oats are crooked, you know.”

“No need to tell me twice,” he mumbled once she’d gone. Glancing down, he saw the accounting sheet he’d been trying to avoid. It was not going to look good. He wasn’t ready yet. Leaving the counter, he went to pick up a newspaper.

A pamphlet fell out, The Matrimonial Times. Jake thumbed through it curiously. Strangers setting up marriages? That sounded like a terrible idea. But the couple on the front looked happy. He read it again, even though he wasn’t sure why he bothered. He’d already had the perfect marriage with the perfect woman. There was no need to try again.

But then again, he needed help.

Chapter Three

She had never been in a stagecoach before, and now, suddenly, she’d spent several days in one. It was a bumpy road, no matter where they were, and usually it was hot and stuffy no matter the weather. Virginia glanced around at the other travelers, wondering if they thought the same thing.

At least she had a window, she tried to console herself. Her eyes roamed the scenery. Tonight they would be riding through the night with a change of horses and drivers. Virginia doubted she’d get any rest.

The land was wild. There was no other way to explain it. Untouched mountains and trees and bushes. She had never seen so many shades of green. If only the stagecoach wasn’t so bumpy. Another dip in the road slammed her shoulder into the wall. The young boy beside her had been dozing and bumped her elbow, waking up with a groan. She didn’t blame him.

California. She’d never thought she’d go that far. No one in Philadelphia had known anything about the land, just gold and natives and wild deserts. It was all anyone seemed to know. She wished she could have found some newspaper or book that mentioned more.

But that would warrant reading. She bit her lip. She’d hired the boy, Thomas, to help her write the letters and read them. It had been a tiring process that had taken months. She’d spent more nickels on his help than on anything else. By the time she sold the little house and sent Gary Pell what she could, Virginia had close to nothing. Just enough to get a bag for her journey. After that, she’d be at the mercy of her new husband.

That made her dizzy. After she’d reached out to four men, some who, it turned out, were definitely not gentlemen, Jakob Benson had finally accepted her letter. His ad had been simple, asking for a marriage of convenience. He needed help running his mercantile and she needed a roof over her head.

Mr. Benson had paid for the stagecoach. It was the cheaper option, which she understood. Samuel would have done the same thing whether he had the money or not. The man hadn’t liked to use his money on much, preferring to hoard it over anything else. Just recalling the times when she had begged him for enough money for supper or the leaking roof made her nauseous. Samuel had not been an easy man.

Closing her eyes, Virginia prayed. She prayed to the Lord for His guidance on how to act and she prayed for His help that Mr. Benson was not like Samuel. If he could just be kind, that’s all she would ask for. A dry roof, food when she needed it, and a little kindness. Someone who didn’t treat her like dirt would be nice.

“Momma,” the boy interrupted her silent prayer as he leaned over and poked the other woman. “Momma? Are we there yet? I want to see Papa.”

It was the same conversation ever since they had first stepped in the coach. “No,” the woman offered a tight smile, apologizing with her eyes to the others, “not yet. We have four more horse changes and then we’ll be there. You can’t keep asking the same question if you’re not thinking about the answers I gave you. We put you in school, Jessop. Didn’t you learn anything?”

“Just how to spell some words,” he grumbled. “I keep forgetting. We’ve been here forever.”

Virginia’s lip twitched. So, she wasn’t the only one that felt that way. “I know the feeling,” she agreed. Her eyes flitted to the mother. “But it helps to look out the window. Have you seen it? It looks flat now, but you can see that we’re headed closer to some mountains. Do you see them?”

He leaned over her, but she didn’t mind. Children had never bothered her. “Oh, look at those! Momma, you see those? They’re awful big!”

“Oh really?” His mother settled back into her seat as they shared a glance. “Well, keep an eye out and let me know when it changes.”

Now that he had been given something to do, the boy was determined to succeed. Trying to help, Virginia leaned out of the way of the window so he could focus. There were moments where he would open his mouth like he was ready to talk, but hesitated, and closed it again. It made Virginia smile.

Most women her age were mothers by now, after all. She was a twenty-three-year-old widow without children. Samuel hadn’t cared for children, and it was something Virginia had had to accept. When she’d married the man at sixteen, she hadn’t been sure what she wanted. And with him, it never mattered. He didn’t care for her opinion.

She managed some restless sleep on the road, but while she was awake, she made friends with the nine-year-old boy beside her. He liked maps because they always led to treasure, and he didn’t like babysitting his little sister, Martha, who sat beside their mother. He was very bright and hopeful, and it helped pass the time. Before they knew it, they had arrived in sunny San Paulo.

Inhaling deeply, she stepped out. “Well, Jessop, I wish you well in Los Angeles. I hope you find your father and your buried treasure.”

He beamed, his wide grin revealing two missing teeth he said had been punched out during marbles. “Thanks, ma’am! Thanks for the games.”

She took a deep breath and glanced around as she clutched her bag closely. The child had kept her distracted from her nerves, but no more. She prayed again for a safe and quiet life. She was desperate for that now, knowing she couldn’t turn back. There was nothing in Philadelphia.

Glancing down at her dusty things, Virginia tried to hold back the sigh. She was dirty and exhausted. Hopefully when her fiancé saw her, he didn’t walk away.

Chapter Four

It had not been easy leaving the shop. As he walked down the street, Jake was already tallying up everything else he needed to do such as restacking the newspapers, checking in with the stables about their feed, reorganizing the fabric, bringing out more buttons, and sweeping. It was past noon and he hadn’t swept once.

Jake’s eyes caught sight of the stables and he invariably took a step in that direction. If he just stopped by, then he would have one errand completed. It would only take a moment.

“But I’m already late,” he reminded himself.

The stagecoach would have arrived by now. Most likely his bride-to-be was wandering around, confused and waiting. He hoped she was patient. Virginia Hartwell had appeared nice enough through her clumsy scrawl. She had agreed to marry him and had accepted a marriage of convenience. They each needed someone, she had written, and hoped this marriage would help them both.

There wasn’t a lot of praying going on in his life. To get where he was now meant that someone wasn’t listening to his prayers, so why bother? He had more than enough on his plate. At this point, he needed to focus on finding his mail order bride and following through with the wedding.

He wondered if she would have eaten and how much she might have brought with her. There was only so much he could carry, and he didn’t have his cart. A horse could be hitched to it, but there was never the money for any animals. Whatever they couldn’t carry would have to be left behind. Surely she wouldn’t mind.

Before he knew it, Jake had reached the town center. He had to find Mrs. Virginia Hartwell, sure, but he wasn’t sure how. Two handlers were leading the horses around the stagecoach, exchanging them to continue their journey Scratching his chin, he glanced around at the people and tried to decide who might be his bride-to-be.

There were the two handlers with the horses. Three children across the street watched, pointing and chattering. Then there were two women gathered near the stables. He squinted before realizing one of them was the mayor’s eldest daughter, Catherine Connell, and the other one looked vaguely familiar. Most likely a sister or a friend. Jake continued his search before, finally, he noticed a figure standing alone, making her way around the stagecoach.

A fine-looking young woman, wandering around. That was the giveaway. The only person standing alone, with a bag in her hands. It was not a very big one. As she continued her search, he had a chance to study the woman he had spent so much of his savings on. But it was an investment, one that he felt determined would pay out.

Her bonnet was wrinkled and limp, revealing dark curls that framed her oval face. She squinted, bunching up her nose as she bit her lip. That was a bad habit, but one he could live with. And she was young, very young. He hadn’t thought about that. Twenty-three had seemed a fresh age compared to his near thirty. But he’d never considered what it might be like.

The girl looked like she belonged in finishing school. Her bag hung loose in her arms, possibly meaning that it was heavy. He was just considering the idea that she didn’t have long arms when he realized that she was quite short. That felt like a potential problem. He pondered on whether or not he would need more assistance from someone tall when he realized that he was still staring at her. And she was looking back.

Jake choked on a dust cloud. There he was, all up in his head again. Coughing, he headed over and tried to dust off his clothes. He’d committed to this endeavor, after all.

“Mrs. Hartwell,” he called.

It was good, he decided, when she smiled back. It was a charming smile. And she was most definitely short. His wiry six-foot-three frame towered over her by several inches, if not an entire foot. He wasn’t sure if it was the height or lack of familiarity that left him silent as he tried to think of something to say when he reached her.

Chapter Five

“Mr. Benson?” She piped up. Shifting her grasp on her bag, she prayed that it was him. The stagecoach was preparing to leave, meaning she would be on her own. And that meant she wouldn’t know where to go or what to do on her own. The thudding of her heart was so loud that it gave her a headache.

He blinked. “Ah yes. Yes, that would be me. I’m Jake Benson. Right. And you’re Virginia Hartwell.” She nodded as he glanced around them. The man appeared rather distracted and she wondered if there was a problem. If she was the problem. “Good. You’re here. If you don’t mind, we’ll be going straight to Preacher Thomas for the ceremony. Then we can return to the shop. Your bag. If you would allow me?”

It took her a moment, keeping track of everything he was saying. They had swept past the pleasantries, so she tried to adjust. “Hm? Oh. Oh yes, thank you.”

He accepted the load. “Good, good. This way, then.” He gestured down the street and then hesitated. She was about to ask if something was wrong when he cautiously offered her his arm. Virginia inhaled. It was a polite gesture and nothing else, she told herself.

She took his arm and allowed him to lead the way.

“The shop has been busy, so it took a while to step out,” he offered by way of an apology. “You didn’t have to wait long, did you?”

There was dust everywhere on her dress. But she offered a smile, wishing she’d thought to wash her face before he had arrived. “Of course not. You arrived just in time, Mr. Benson. Now, you said we’re going to see a preacher?”

Nodding, he rubbed his chin before leading them across the lane. He walked quickly. Virginia struggled to keep up, taking three steps for his every two. The man was quite tall, taller than Samuel had been by several inches. Licking her lips, she wiped the sweat off her brow with her free hand and took a deep breath of fresh air.

Her intended was nodding. “Right here. It’s not much, but it’ll do.”

There was a church up ahead. She was led through a side door, finally out of the sun. As he had hinted, the building was small. There was the chapel with several pews and a small room towards the back. A man on a mission, Mr. Benson directed them over and rapped his knuckles firmly on the door.

“Thomas? Preacher Thomas, it’s Jake Benson. Do you have a moment?”

She heard some shuffling over the pounding of her heart. There was so much happening that she didn’t know what to think. A strange new place, dust everywhere, and a tall man too distracted to talk to her. But there was the slight comfort of a church, even if it was half the size of the one back home in Philadelphia.

No, Virginia told herself. Pennsylvania was no longer home. That was in the past. She swallowed and managed to share a nervous smile with the portly man in spectacles as he opened the door to peek at them.

“Ah, Benson. Well, well. Good to see you. And you, miss.”

“Hello,” she offered politely. She hadn’t been called ‘miss’ in many years. If anything, it was flattering to hear she still looked young. “How do you do?”

“Quite well.” He opened the door wider. “Benson, what can I do for you two today?”

Virginia felt faint. He didn’t know? Was this how wild the West was, with no planning? The room was too warm. Everything felt so sudden with this stranger about to officiate a wedding for someone he had never met. Inhaling deeply, she forced herself to keep a smile on her face.

“Payson Thomas, this is Mrs. Virginia Hartwell from Philadelphia. We’ve held correspondence for some time, and she’s just arrived by stagecoach. Mrs. Hartwell, this is San Paulo’s preacher, Mr. Payson Thomas. Now, Thomas, I was hoping you would do the honors of marrying us.”

The man fixed his glasses as he tried to think. “Well, I … I mean, I suppose … if she doesn’t … Hm. What of Rudolph? You need a marriage certificate from the justice of the peace.”

“Ah!” Mr. Benson nodded, releasing Virginia and setting the bag down to pat down his pockets. Finally, in his vest, he found a folded-up piece of paper, which he handed over. “I handled that yesterday. Even showed Rudolph our correspondence for proof. He wanted to be here today, but he has a case over in Bernardino.”

Preacher Thomas nodded. After studying the page, he appeared satisfied. “Splendid. Yes, we’ll get this signed in a moment then. I’ll just grab my pen. Roger, my boy?” he called to a nearby boy. “Come see this wedding. Come now.”

Before Virginia knew it, she was getting married again. Mr. Benson stood across from her, impatiently fiddling with his hands as Preacher Thomas talked. She clutched her hands together in front of her, holding them tight. Thinking back to the stagecoach, she had thought she would feel much more trepidation in this moment. But now it felt like a mere transaction. One new husband after the old. One new wife after the old. They didn’t kiss at the end.

“And the certificate.” Preacher Thomas pulled it back out with a flourish, attempting to smooth out the wrinkles. The young boy, Roger, offered a pen, and Thomas cleared the podium so that it could be signed.

Mr. Benson went first, carefully writing his name. Virginia hesitated only a moment with the pen before carefully scripting a single letter, just like she had done in her first marriage. An X.

The preacher shook his head. “No, dear. You write your name there.”

Her face turned pink. “I know, sir. I’m afraid I was never … I’ve never learned my letters. That’s my signature.”

“Ah,” the man paused and then shrugged, setting the pen down.

The new husband, however, was confused. His brow furrowed. “You wrote letters to me, didn’t you?”

“Yes,” she nodded hurriedly. “That is, I dictated them. And had yours read to me. Truly, it’s been me all along. But I’m afraid that I did have help in maintaining our correspondence. While I can recognize my name when written, well, I don’t think that I could …”

He waved a hand in the air. “No matter. We have more important things to attend to. I have to stop by the stables and open the shop. Where’s your bag?” Mr. Benson found it, picked it up, and gestured towards the door. “Preacher Thomas, Roger, thank you for your time.”

“Will we see you Sunday?” the preacher called after them.

“Perhaps,” her new husband responded, shouting over her shoulder.

It was right in her ear, but she didn’t flinch. Yelling was nothing new to her. Virginia kept her hands clenched together, rubbing them anxiously as he guided her back to the street.

Chapter Six

“And here’s the shop.” He stepped aside to let her enter first. “I’ll put your bag in the back and let you get familiar here. When you’re ready, just meet me at the counter,” he offered and kept on walking past her.

A moment to herself. Virginia liked that. Fascinated by the items in his mercantile, she started to explore. It was a good-sized shop for a place like this. There were ribbons and cloth, oats and flour, newspapers and more. Even little peppermints. It made her smile, wandering about to get a good look.

The second floor was nice as well, a little cleaner and a little smaller. There was something charming about it, she decided, with its slanted roof and round windows. Virginia stood there to breathe it all in. After a few minutes in the silence, she was ready. Walking back down, she found Mr. Benson talking to a little girl whose mother nearby.

He was playing with the child, waving peppermints around. It was the first real smile she had seen on her new husband. Virginia paused to watch. Though she’d been too anxious earlier to think straight, she had just married a handsome man. He was some years older, much taller, with a wiry build that hadn’t stopped him from handling heavy bags in the stables. His shirt and vest were tidy, though his boots were beginning to fall apart. His pants needed mending and his curly hair was getting long. She suddenly wondered what it would be like to run her hands through it.

Immediately she shook her head at the foolish thought. Of course not. It was a marriage of convenience. Her cheeks flushed at the silliness. Virginia had not expected love in her first union, and she wasn’t expecting love in this one either. He had mentioned his first wife, that he still loved her, that he was dedicated to her still. He had proposed a convenient union for them both and she was fine with that.

She had to be fine with that.
                                         ***
          Jake looked up, catching her by the stairs. She looked lost in her thoughts, and he considered giving her another moment. It had been a busy afternoon, leaving her looking rather harried. But then Mrs. Hartwell—now the new Mrs. Benson—put on a polite smile and came over.

“Where shall I get started? The honey?”

He opened his mouth to say the honey was fine, but it turned out little Evangeline Werner had rearranged all the jars. So, Virginia was observant. That was going to be helpful. “Yes,” he nodded. “That would be perfect.”

The afternoon passed in a blur. At least for Jake, it did. Everyone needed something. He made conversation, introduced Virginia to customers, and tried to get her started on understanding the workflow. While she didn’t know her letters, Jake discovered, she knew her numbers and could do everything in her head before he was finished writing anything down.

He kept the shop open late, leaving them to walk home in the dark. “It’s not far,” he assured her, the guilt slowly but surely creeping in. After the day he’d had, every limb ached, and he knew she had to feel the same. And this was after her arrival in a stagecoach.

“You never went to school?” As he looked at her, he found himself asking the question he’d been wondering the entire day. There had been plenty of distractions, but now it was just them. She carried a basket of items never purchased and no longer good to sell as he carried her heavier bag. Jake glanced at her again and realized she was struggling to keep up. Right, the short legs. He slowed down.

Soon she caught her breath. “For a short while,” she spoke up. “I don’t remember much, however, and my parents moved us often. They struggled to find work, particularly my father. He had a temper and … and he had a hard time of it.

“Not every town we went had a school. Some of those that did were too far, or they were too busy with the younger children to help me as I grew older. I remembered the numbers. Those were easier for me to piece together. By the time I was twelve, I was working, and then I was married at sixteen. And now I’m here.” She fell quiet again. It was the most she had said all day.

He thought for a moment. The look on her face reminded her of little Evangeline when her mother had said they would not be purchasing honey. “Do you want to learn?”

As quickly as he could snap his fingers, he saw a spark in her eyes as she looked over at him. But she hesitated, dropping her gaze. “I’d hate to be a bother, Mr. Benson.”

Jake stopped in front of his house and looked at her. No, it was their house now, he reminded himself. The way she addressed him was so formal. “Please, we’re married. Mr. Benson is fine in public, but you may call me Jake. Or Jakob, if you prefer. This is home, by the way.”

They stepped inside and he paused to let her look around. “It’s lovely,” she offered politely. “Jakob,” she added after a heartbeat.

“It’s home,” he shrugged and lit a candle. For a minute, he had to think. Often when he came home this late, he just dropped off to sleep. What did other people do? “Suppose we should eat before we turn in. The bedroom is right over …”

Jake stopped. Right, bed. This was not something he had thought through. A perfect marriage like the one he’d had with Libby had meant them sharing one. But a marriage of convenience, he wondered, did it call for the same? He only had one bed. He couldn’t afford another. “I … I’ll sleep on the floor, I suppose. You can take to the bed.” He sighed as they reached the kitchen. There wasn’t much. “Here’s some bread and … here we are. Cheese. It’s not much, but it will do.”

 “That sounds perfect,” Virginia murmured. “As for the floor,” she cleared her throat, “that’s unnecessary. One bed will do. I-I understand the parameters of our marriage, which we have discussed. But we both need our rest.”

Candlelight flickered. Their faces were light and dark at once. Jake handed over bread and cheese after breaking some off for himself. She accepted it. After they ate, they set down their things and went to the bedroom. They changed with their backs turned toward one another and slipped beneath the blankets.

Jake closed his eyes, trying to make sure they didn’t touch. Too long he’d had the space to himself. It was going to be a long night.

Chapter Seven

Virginia fell asleep more quickly than she had expected but struggled to stay that way all night. By the time morning came around, the young woman was wide awake. It was nervous energy, she told herself. Left to her own devices as her husband slept, she took a better look around.

It was a small home, but bigger with light shining everywhere. The home was cozy and simple. And very dusty. Virginia hummed softly as she cleaned. There was so much to do. And then her stomach grumbled. He had made mention of wanting to open early, but surely she had time to prepare something to eat, she decided.

So she pulled out the eggs they had brought home from the store and found a few other vegetables that were unused. He had mentioned a garden, so she went out the back door where she found tomatoes and sweet onions that looked beautiful and ripe. It had been a while since she’d had so many options to work with. Grinning, Virginia pulled some of the best-looking vegetables and took them in for a quick wash. Her stomach growled just thinking of the delightful food she could break her morning fast with. Hopefully Jake would feel the same way.

“What smells so good?” He came out yawning. His hair stood everywhere and Jake stared at her for a good minute. Most likely remembering who she was.

Straightening up, Virginia offered a short wave. “I hope you don’t mind, but I used yesterday’s eggs from the mercantile. Thought we could use a good meal to get us started. It’s a quiche. You know, like a pie. But mostly eggs.”

“It smells delicious,” he offered. Then there was a moment of silence before he glanced around. “Well, I’d best straighten up then.”

When he returned, he looked like a real shopkeeper with combed hair and a tucked-in shirt. She put away a smile as she nodded in his direction. After he had poured himself a cup of water, he glanced outside. “I’m going to have to head out soon. I’m late enough as it is.”

Virginia gulped. “Oh. Oh, I didn’t even think …” she glanced outside the window and then rushed back to the pan. “It’s done! I’m sorry, I should have considered that. Here we are.” Moving quickly, she set the pan down and scooped out a steaming piece of quiche. Passing it over to him, Virginia was about to ask if he wanted to pray, but he stabbed it with a fork. Maybe next time.

He ate extraordinarily quickly. Before Virginia finished hers, he had finished his second slice.

“Very good,” he remarked. “I’ve never had anything like it. We might have to bring eggs home more often.” Jake grinned before his eyes again turned toward the windows. “I’d best be getting to the shop.” He hesitated as she started up, nodding, only to look at the dirty table. “I can go to the shop and you can follow after. Do you remember the way?”

It had been dark. But it was close, so she felt certain she’d be able to find the mercantile again. Virginia swallowed with a nod. “Yes, yes I’ll be as quick as I can. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make a mess. I …” He waved a hand and she closed her mouth.

“Soon,” he suggested. Then he left.

Her cheeks burned as she cleaned up. What had she been thinking? Virginia stood alone in the house as she stared at the meal. It had started out well enough, but her face still felt warm. With a sigh, she shook her head and started moving.

“Next time,” Virginia murmured to herself, “next time I’ll be ready. Dishes cleaned, too.”

But then she thought of their noonday meal. Had he mentioned wanting to return during the day for something like that? Most likely, from what she could tell of his work ethic so far, that appeared unlikely. It didn’t look like he ate often. For a minute she stood there as she tried to decide. Finally she gave in and prepared a quick meal for them later.

“This should do,” she nodded to herself. Now that Virginia was ready, she stepped outside into the bright sunlight and squinted.

Everything looked fresh in the daytime. San Paulo looked like a lovely little place, she decided. Already nicer than Philadelphia. Virginia simply hoped she wasn’t thinking prematurely. While the town was definitely dusty, there was a charm to it that one didn’t find in the city. Something more natural, perhaps. And a lot more blue sky, without any factories nearby.

No wonder he had settled down in a place like this one. Closing the door carefully behind her, Virginia gazed around with wide eyes, trying to take it all in. For the first time in a while, she felt real hope rise within her chest.

But that was silly, she tried to tell herself. She had only just arrived. A blue sky didn’t mean good fortune or promises of the future. Trying to think clearly, Virginia shook her head and turned towards the street. She had things to do. A shop to learn about, and a husband to support. Right, her husband. She swallowed, finally realizing how high the sun sat in the sky. She was late. Hopefully he thought a noonday meal was worth the wait. But she had to find the shop in order to learn his reaction.             

Gripping the basket tightly, she thought quickly and headed down the street. Their walk home had been in the dark while they were tired, but Virginia was determined to find the shop. After all, San Paulo couldn’t be that big. She had to turn around twice, but soon she located it.

Just before opening the door, Virginia paused. The reflection of the glass door reminded her that it was a warm day. The sweat was wiped off, the dress was straightened, and she shifted the basket into her other arm. No matter where she was, she still wanted to be presentable. Especially with her new husband. And she walked in.

“We’re open,” Jake called.

She furrowed her brow, trying to locate him. He was standing on a ladder in the back corner of the shop, trying to rearrange some large and potentially heavy cans. His back faced her, clearly not aware of who had just walked in. Virginia opened her mouth, heading over to talk.

“Oh!” Virginia raced the last five steps when she saw his fingertips graze one can that started to fall. With the basket still in one arm, she caught the can against her chest. She let out a small grunt as he glanced down. It was heavy, most likely filled with beans or something.

“Virginia.” He sounded surprised. Then he grinned. “Well met.” It was then that she realized he had dark green eyes. Had she not noticed them before? They were a lovely shade, and she found herself smiling in return. Well met indeed.

Chapter Eight

“And here’s your change,” Virginia offered the change to Roger as he turned pink under her gaze. Jake watched the interaction after he finished his notes in the ledger. She was very clever with numbers. As for the letters, in their spare moments without customers or pressing concerns, he’d started helping her learn to read.

Roger disappeared and his new student turned back to him eagerly. “What’s next, Mr.—I mean, Jake?”

He tried to think back to his school days. Everything felt a lifetime ago. But how had he learned the first time around? “Let’s use the chalkboard,” he decided, turning around. He usually posted changes in price or items in the shop for the customers, but they could go without it for a while. Taking the board down, he wiped it clean. Virginia found his bowl of chalk and handed him a piece when he started to look for it.

She was handy like that.

Jake carefully wrote each letter of the alphabet, trying to write as clearly as he could for her. Taking it slowly, they walked through the alphabet. Virginia recognized most of the letters and studied the board carefully, trying to memorize each of them with their names and sounds. He had just finished quizzing her when customers came through the door, so he went to help them.

Virginia’s attention was diverted as she turned back to the ledger, looking at the accounts on credit. “Those aren’t good, are they?” She cocked her head at him curiously when he returned. She had one hand straightening the jar of peppermints and one hand on the pages. Jake paused, wondering how she managed to get so much done all at once.

“No,” his eyes fell to the mayor’s account she was looking at. “It means they owe the shop that much and haven’t paid since spring. I reminded Mrs. Connell just yesterday, but I’m afraid it may be a while longer until they pay off the debt.”

Wrinkling her nose, she shook her head. “Well, what is the shop’s limit?”

“What limit?”

“Well …” Virginia faltered in case she was wrong. “I just supposed that, perhaps, you might have a store limit. It simply means that once someone has borrowed enough or … or hasn’t paid off their debt to a certain limit, I’m not sure … but then they can’t complete any future purchases until at least a portion has been paid … so that it doesn’t keep building, you see. Otherwise eventually your accounts will fall into default if everyone is borrowing.”

“Ah.” Jake paused. In the empty shop, silence reigned. She was biting her lip again as though she were embarrassed. “That is smart. Business-wise, it’s something I definitely should have realized a long time ago.” Stumped, he tried to digest this. “What sort of limit is usually prescribed?”

The young woman swallowed loudly. “I don’t know. It varies per shop, I suppose. Depends on the accountability of the customers and the ability of the shop to keep up and afford a continuous revenue and purchase of supplies. You have an average debt of nearly ten dollars per customer on credit, however. I’m not sure I understand your supply ledger yet, but—but I think limiting it to ten might be best.” She started confidently, but her voiced faded as she went.

He didn’t mind as he turned back to the pages and tallied up numbers. The more he tested out some ideas, the more he realized she was right. Jake gave a short laugh as he shook his head. “That’s clever,” he admitted. “Ten-dollar limit then, it is.”

When he looked up, she was beaming. It made him grin. Organized and clever, even without being able to read. For the first time in a while, he felt real hope in his chest. Perhaps he could pick up his shop from the ground.

But how to implement it?
                                       ***
          The next day, Mrs. Margaret Connell arrived in the shop to purchase a few more items, chattering with her friend, Elizabeth Wells. Jake realized it was time to share the new store rules but hesitated. He compared the new number to what was currently owed and glanced up at the woman.

“Don’t worry,” she said exactly what he had anticipated, “my husband will handle this.”

He cleared his throat and fixed a number to the bottom. “Actually, if you’d like to make any purchases today, we’re asking for this. My mercantile has set a limit on accounts that haven’t been paid, and I’m afraid this is the debt that needs to be paid off now.”

The woman stared in disbelief before she let out a short laugh. “That’s ridiculous. It’s how it’s always been done, Mr. Benson. Surely you won’t deprive a poor woman of her goods.”

“Just as surely you wouldn’t want to deprive a shopkeeper of his goods either.” Virginia popped up from behind. Jake managed not to jump, but the two customers did. With their hands over their hearts, they narrowed their gazes as they looked her up and down. “Good afternoon,” she added politely. “I’m afraid these limits must be set in order for our shop to serve the community. If everyone purchased on credit, madam, then how would we purchase more supplies?”

Mrs. Connell stammered. “I, well I never … and who might you think you are?”

Jake frowned at the tone. “That is my wife, Mrs. Virginia Benson. And what she said is true. If you’d like to make a purchase, we’ll need this percentage paid.”

She grumbled but grudgingly pulled out several silver dollars. He had to bite back a delighted grin. Jake added everything up carefully, not wanting to make a mistake. After a quiet moment, he offered the change. “Here you are. Thank you for your purchase, ma’am.”

“And have a beautiful day,” Virginia added. “May I help you with your items? I’d hate to see your lovely gown ruined.”

Jake was surprised to see the frown disappear. “Oh, that is kind of you. It’s new, you see, straight from New Orleans.”

His wife beamed, clasping her hands together. The tension in the room disappeared. “I thought it looked French. My, you must be so fortunate. Is there anywhere I can put your merchandise? In a cart, perhaps?”

Just as he was about to open his mouth, the woman shook her head. “Not today. I think I can handle this. Well, aren’t you a dear? And where are my manners? I’m Mrs. Margaret Connell, the mayor’s wife. And this is my good friend, Elizabeth Wells. You’re new in town? Where has Mr. Benson been hiding you? We simply must have you over to tea.” The three of them chattered happily on the way out.

“That was very well done,” he managed when Virginia returned. “Not only did she pay, but you’ve been invited to tea. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

As her smile grew wide, she bit her lip shyly. “Thank you,” she murmured. But he couldn’t stop staring. She was already making changes that he would have never considered. Credit limits, kindness, and a persuasiveness that had already convinced half their customers to walk away with an extra jar of honey which he had mentioned they had too much of in stock.

The moment lasted too long. He took a step back, trying to wrench himself free. Jake bumped into the wall, breaking eye contact. “Well, I …” His throat constricted. There was the sudden need to be alone, and he tried to think. “Thank you for your help today. You can go now. That is, home. The house. For supper, if you like. To prepare supper.”

“Oh.” Her eyes widened in surprise and she hesitated. “Will you be closing up?”

Sunlight was fading. “I’ll be home in a bit,” he managed. Jake didn’t want to offer her any promises. He swallowed again. They were shop partners. A marriage of convenience. Not quite friends, and definitely nothing more.

Chapter Nine

Once she disappeared, Jake leaned against the counter and tried to get his thoughts straight. He appreciated her help, that was all. It was nothing more and nothing less. She was just helpful. Sort of like Libby had been. He squeezed his eyes shut. Libby. He could feel her touch on his hands even now. Jake tried not to move, remembering the sound of her laughter.

It hurt. That was something he accepted. Everything hurt. And now he had added a new pain in his life, bringing in another woman to take his late wife’s place at the store. He hadn’t thought of that. He hadn’t expected it. Taking a deep breath, Jake tried to calm his heartbeat. What was done was done, and it was okay if he felt a little fond towards her. It was friendly affection at most, which they would need in their marriage. Friendship. Nothing more.

“Store’s looking good, Mr. Benson.”

He jerked his head up. Mr. Tate Werner from the bank had walked in. How long had he been standing there? Straightening up, he glanced around and swallowed. “Good afternoon, Mr. Werner. How can I be of service? Do you need honey?”

“No, but I could use something sweeter.” The tall banker came and leaned on the counter. Jake invariably took a step back, gritting his teeth. He didn’t like being made to feel small in his own shop. “You haven’t paid off your loan. And it’s been a while.”

Don’t look at the register, he told himself. Last time he’d paid right out of there, he’d had issues offering change to his customers for the rest of the week. It had been a mess. “I know, I know. I’m coming up with the money. I could have a payment soon.”

“Tomorrow,” Tate corrected him.

Jake opened his mouth, but the hard line was set on the other man’s brow before he left. It was going to have to be tomorrow somehow. Jake tried to sort out how he could make that happen. He was close to having a full payment ready, but they were still short. His thoughts turned away from Virginia as he tried to think of how to save the store.

Virginia knew little enough about the loan, and he didn’t want to worry the woman. She could concentrate on other things.

***

Virginia’s own thoughts focused on Jake Benson as she strolled home. He was an awfully nice man.

She knew it was still early, but her hopes were high and soaring. The man hadn’t yelled once, and he listened—mostly—when she talked. And he was trying to help her learn to read. As she passed the shops, she tried to practice, hoping to impress him before their next lesson. Twenty-six letters was a lot to memorize, but she was familiar with most. Some of them had odd sounds or too many sounds to them, but she didn’t mind. He was a patient teacher.

And on top of that, he was good-looking. Two girls had dropped by the shop shortly after she arrived. Much too young for him, but they had clearly seen what she had begun to notice. Though Jake’s frame was wirier than that of many men, his shoulders were still fairly broad, and he was incredibly strong. Time and time again he’d helped customers move heavy items. And he’d hardly broken a sweat.

Those green eyes were just as pretty as a May morning, too. Just thinking of them made her heart skip a beat. When he had smiled at her, she’d wanted to sing to the rest of the world that all was well. It was a beautiful thing, not being hated or ignored. Virginia had forgotten what it was like to be treated well. And she loved it. And she loved—well, maybe not yet. But she most assuredly liked Jake.

She paused at the door. Was that too soon? They’d only just met.

But they were married.

Her cheeks heated up, so she hurried inside where no one could see the blush. What a silly idea, she told herself. Already liking her husband. Virginia shook her head and looked for something to distract herself with. Making a casserole would help her focus. Being in the kitchen always did that.

As she cooked, Virginia hummed and found herself imagining what it might be like to have a real marriage between them. She set out two plates and two forks. When she found a tall cup, she went out back and pulled a few flowers that she then set in the middle of the table.

It looked downright lovely. She beamed, hoping he might be impressed.

When she heard voices in the street, Virginia hurried over, wondering if that might be him. But it was only their neighbors. Her hopes were much too high. She forced back a sigh and glanced at the curtains. The rest of the house needed some real cleaning, more than the dusting she had done that morning. After finding a few rags, she started to tidy up.

As she cleaned, Virginia dreamed. They could watch the sunset from the front porch, see the beautiful colors streaming in the sky. In the parlor, they could invite guests like the mayor and his wife, talking and laughing the way all couples do. In the kitchen, she would prepare their meals and he would be impressed every time. And in the bedroom, well, he wouldn’t keep such a wall between them.

Her cheeks pinked. Now she was just getting to be too silly.

The door opened behind her, making Virginia jump in surprise. “Jake!”

He paused, hat in hand. “Yes?”

Inhaling deeply, she tried to think. “It … it’s good to see you.”

Silence reigned for five seconds too long. “Right,” Jake nodded. “And yourself as well. Something smells delicious. How are you making such good meals out of the same material I had when nothing good turned out anytime I tried?”

Virginia grinned. Maybe she wasn’t too far off the mark.

Chapter Ten

Jake had to turn over the payment to the bank.

It was always difficult to recover from giving up the funds that he needed not only for his home but to invest back in the business and purchase more. Even as Virginia reviewed the numbers, they hardly discussed it. He found himself not wanting to worry his young wife who was so eager to clean this, tidy that, and learn everything. She was doing more than enough. She didn’t need this on his shoulders as well.

As Jake reviewed the numbers again, he had to admit that this wouldn’t be as bad as the last payment he’d made. He could actually offer a complete payment. It had been a while since he’d been able to do such a thing, and he knew it was all because of her.

Virginia beamed when he returned from his errand to the bank and the stables. It was the first time he’d left her to run the shop alone, and he’d been anxious the entire time. She showed him the three receipts for the purchases made in his absence. Everything tallied up correctly. Jake shook his head in disbelief. A subtle warmth began to fill his chest whenever he was around the charismatic young woman.

He told himself he was being ridiculous. But he found himself distracted when he was around her. The following day, he avoided her and reorganized the attic. Virginia offered to help, but Jake said she could handle the counter alone. Jake just needed some time alone with what was left of his wife. Of Libby. He did the same on Saturday as well.

On Sunday, they made their way to church.

Virginia looked nice wearing the better of her two dresses. It was the curls, he decided. They’d each bathed the night before so that must have been the trick. Her dark hair shone.

He had to stop thinking about her. Glancing around, Jake remembered that church made him uncomfortable. It was only when she’d asked about it that they’d decided to attend. Usually he needed the day to work. But together they’d cleaned and restocked yesterday so everything looked good. They shuffled in to take an empty bench in the back.

Staring at the hymnal in his hands, Jake tried not to let the stares get to him. They hadn’t stopped staring since Libby’s death. Virginia’s arrival only made it worse, but she didn’t notice. Her eyes wandered as she chewed on her bottom lip. They turned redder. Jake turned his gaze back to the little book, finding himself regretting the choice to attend church. A day at home sounded nice.

They sat very close as they shared the bench with the newly-wed Jamisons. Virginia had offered a kind smile their way before Jake found himself touching knees with her. It was mighty distracting throughout every song and the sermon.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Virginia offered the newlyweds afterward. She stood by Jake, shaking hands with them.

“We’re happy to have you in town,” the other woman grinned before parting ways.

Jake watched them go before turning back to his wife. He gestured towards the lane between the benches, wanting to get out from his corner. “You don’t need to stand so close, Virginia.”

“What? Oh.” Her smile faded as she glanced between them. He could feel her skirts brushing against his boots before she took a step to separate them, and then made her way forward.

After that, to his relief, she stayed a foot away. It gave him space to breathe. Though he meant to leave, everyone now wanted to greet him. Jake found most of the townsfolk stopping by to say hello, acting friendlier than ever before.

While they had been on good terms before, this was different. Everyone was smiling. And everyone wanted to get a look at Virginia. The young woman kindly greeted each person, even remembering their names as they spoke.

“It’s a pleasure to see you again, Mrs. Connell,” she offered the mayor’s wife. “And your bonnet! My, you are the angel today. You must share some of your secrets.”

The woman nodded, her face breaking out into a hopeful smile. “Oh, I shall. In fact, you and your husband must join us next Sunday for supper.”

Before Jake could escape the church with his wife, she wound up getting them invited to Sunday meals for the next two months. How had this happened? Some were friends, some were acquaintances, and some had tried not to speak with him even when they made their purchases. He had a feeling that things were changing. And who knew? Maybe it could be good.

Soon enough, they headed home. Jake stepped inside the house and considered some housework but found everything tidied. So he went to the garden, finding only a little weeding was necessary. After that, he studied the scriptures at the table until supper was served.

Jake glanced up from the delicious potatoes, finally realizing there was silence. Virginia was moving the food around her plate listlessly. He furrowed his brow. Usually she found stories to regale the two of them during supper. Now, he heard the wind rustling the curtains.

“You’re quiet,” he pointed out. “Don’t you have any stories you’d like to share? We talked to plenty of folk today.”

“Hm? Oh.” She tried to bring a smile to her face. “I apologize. I don’t think I feel well. The dishes are washed. Could you please cover the pan when you’re done? I think I’m going to retire for the evening.”

Surprised, he didn’t know what to say and watched as she pushed her chair back. Her movements were slow and deliberate as she pushed her food back into the pan untouched and set her utensils down in the sink before disappearing into the room.

When he went to join her later, Jake paused to listen, wondering if she was growing ill.

She breathed deeply in the bed, already asleep. The woman was curled up, facing the wall. In the candlelight, he found her curls hiding her face from him. He hesitated. Tension gripped his insides, but he didn’t know why. Was something wrong or was he being paranoid?

He blew out the candle. He could think about that in the morning.

Chapter Eleven

Their first week was focused on adjusting to live around one another. Their second week was spent learning how to adjust to the constant company, and the next two weeks were spent in creating a rhythm. Virginia woke early in the mornings to prepare breakfast, and Jake worked in his garden. Then they headed to the shop, organizing and selling goods. In the evenings, he’d run the final numbers while she took home anything they could no longer sell to have supper ready by the time he went home.

After supper was cleared, Jake turned his scripture study into reading lessons with her. Neither of them was quite certain how that came about. She was struggling with some words, and he decided he was comfortable enough to spend more time together. Before they knew it, it was something that they both looked forward to during the days.

“Cor—corun—oh, is it Corinthians?”

He grinned at her when she offered a sweet smile that she usually reserved for customers. “You’re guessing, aren’t you?”

“Everyone knows there is a First and Second Corinthians in the Bible,” she pointed out.

Jake narrowed his gaze. “Are you certain it’s not Chronicles?”

That made her hesitate, her brow furrowing. Virginia bit her lip and turned back to the page, trailing a finger across each letter. “C-O-R … That’s Cor, isn’t it? Not the ‘ch’ sound. That has an H,” she pointed out before offering a winning smile. “I’m certain. It’s Corinthians.”

“All right,” he put up his hands in surrender with a smile. “I believe you. Set the bookmarker in and we’ll start there tomorrow.”

Still smiling, Virginia obeyed and closed the book, looking at it carefully. She traced the faded gold letters, proud to finally being able to read passages herself. It changed the way one saw the world once they could read everything in it. While it was a struggle, she could do much more now than she could before. “Tomorrow, then.”

It triggered a yawn in Jake. Leaning back, he stretched his long arms out. “Ah! Yes, I think I’m ready for tomorrow. It’s been a long day. And there’s yet more to do tomorrow. I’ll need to stop by the stables again, and perhaps the bakery before it closes.”

Hurriedly, she stood to match him. But her eyes skirted the evening sky, sparkling through the windows. There had been something she had thought about the other day. Virginia had been looking for opportunities where they might try something different. Where maybe he might consider her in a different light. “Indeed. Although, I thought I might watch the stars for a while. Just on the porch. Would you like to join me?”

Jake appeared to consider it and that raised the hope inside her heart. “No, I’d best turn in. And you should as well. Soon.”

“I only thought,” she swallowed hard, “it might be nice to sit. Do something new, and just … talk. We haven’t really had a chance to do that. There’s just so much to do at the store.”

The hope faded when she saw the look on his face. Immediately Virginia realized she had gone too far. “Yes, the store,” Jake nodded carefully. “That’s what we need to concentrate on. While we’ve found a way to live with one another, I shouldn’t have to remind you what this is really about.”

A chill seeped in under her bones. She clutched the book tighter to her chest as she tried to erase the unease with a smile. “Right. Of course, no, I—I know. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean …” Heat drenched her face as Virginia turned away, too abashed to continue coming up with excuses.

He wasn’t interested in them, anyway. Jake blew out a loud breath and marched towards the bedroom. Their door slammed and she jumped. The undercurrent of the conversation stung, blasting away all hope. Biting her lip hard, Virginia stood there as she breathed lightly, too scared to do anything more until she felt certain Jake wasn’t coming back out to yell at her.

But no, he never yelled. The man never raised his voice to anyone. Virginia felt the nerves begin to strangle her so she set the book down and hurriedly swept out of the house. She needed fresh air. Just as she used to do in her first marriage, the young woman stepped out of the house to look at the stars. There were so many of them in the night sky, twinkling to say hello. To say everything was fine.

What had she been thinking? Virginia scolded herself as she sat on the steps, craning her neck up. Everything had been going so well. Why did she now want something more? There had been so much time spent trying to build up the courage to invite him to do just this that she hadn’t thought about how he might respond. Somehow, she’d set her hopes much too high.

The emotions inside her were in utter and complete turmoil. Hurriedly, she wiped away a stray tear, trying to laugh it off. She was just being silly. Everything was silly now. It made no sense. Her first marriage with Samuel had not been a happy or united front. They had never communicated well, and he had preferred to shout and throw things. He had never cared for her and paid little heed to what she did.

Here with Jake Benson, everything was vastly different. They had a cheerful home and an exciting shop. He taught her to read and they kept each other company in the quiet moments. They usually got along well. There was no shouting, nothing being thrown, and little discomfort.

But somehow Virginia had found a way to be as miserable as before. The peace she had thought would come here was not available. Not as she found herself watching her husband from afar, wishing he saw her as something more. The days began to pass them by. No matter what she invited him to do, Jake managed to keep to his stubborn nature and wouldn’t do anything more with her if it didn’t relate to work. Her frustration grew, but she forced herself to bury it away. She just wanted him to take her seriously

So, she tried to think of other options. There had to be something she hadn’t tried. Perhaps, she decided, if she tried harder, something might happen. More smiles, more hard work, more learning, more everything … perhaps they could both be happy and be happy together. Perhaps.

Chapter Twelve

“Virginia? Virginia, where—” Jake squinted as he saw the curls bounce behind the fabric section. Then she stood up on her toes and he could see her face. He waved and hurried over.

“I’m still counting the yardage,” she furrowed her brow. “We came up with mismatching numbers yesterday. Is something wrong?” Her fingers moved smoothly and speedily along her yardstick, only glancing down when she needed to. He’d have to ask her to show him how she did that sometime. It always took him twice as long.

He glanced back up, trying to think. “Oh yes. I mean no. The Connells wanted to check about Sunday’s supper. I thought we were going to see Preacher Thomas this week?”

Virginia shook her head, offering him a charming smile. “That’s the Sunday after this one. We’re with the Connells this week. I’ve already promised to bring them their eggs along with a pie.”

That made his heart skip a beat. Or rather, his stomach. “Butterscotch?” he asked hopefully.

“Sure,” she giggled. “I can make a butterscotch pie. Tell them I said hello.”

Tipping an imaginary hat, Jake nodded and returned to the counter. The mayor and his wife talked for another minute, added a few peppermints to their purchase, and left. As the rest of the customers wandered about, he took the time to refill the peppermints. Virginia had been right. By placing them closer to the counter, more people purchased them as a last-minute decision. He wondered if he could try that with the honey or ribbons as well. He would run out of peppermints before the next batch’s arrival, otherwise.

He found his gaze wandering back towards her, curious about what she might be up to. From behind the counter, if he stood against the wall, he could just see Virginia as she leaned over the cloth bundles. Her hair looked more curled than usual, he decided. She looked very nice.

For a shopkeeper, anyways, he added after a moment. Because that’s all she was. All they were. Together or separate. Jake took a deep breath and raised his gaze upwards, towards the attic and towards God. There were so many thoughts going on inside his head that he didn’t know what to do about them. Like too many voices crying for attention. The less important ones needed to be cut out so he could focus on the main ones. Like God and Libby.

Shaking his head, he pulled the ledger back out. Flipping to the back, he glanced at the payments he’d been able to make on the loan. They were looking all right, but he was still far behind on his payments in general. They were wanting him to make up the difference, and Jake knew what a tough banker Werner could be. He had already refused any further offers of leniency. Scratching his head, Jake tried to think of other options. But he was running short of any new ideas.

“Jake?”

He jolted, lifting his gaze to find Virginia studying him. “Oh, Virginia. I didn’t see you there.”

She shook her head. “No, you didn’t. Is everything all right? You looked troubled.”

The woman was observant in more ways than one. He shook his head since she had more than enough to worry about. They both did. But he thought if he could keep this off her plate, then she could keep that charming smile on her face. For the customers. “No, don’t you worry about it.”

“So, there is something,” the woman noted as she made her way around the counter to reach his side. They both leaned one arm against the counter, looking at each other thoughtfully. Her light eyes, the color of sweet chocolate, swept over him. “Jakob, just know that I support you. Whatever it is, we’ll handle it together. Loans and troubles, I’m here for it. I’m here for you. And I care …” She took a deep breath, as though she were swallowing the words.

Cared about what? Jake shifted, more curious than he wanted to admit. The girl had paused like she didn’t want to continue. And she’d turned away. Surely they’d put everything behind them, hadn’t they? The two of them were a partnership. He meant to put that into words but couldn’t seem to open his mouth. When he did speak up, the curiosity won. “What were you going to say?”

Virginia’s curls bounced as she turned back to him. She opened her mouth and then closed it. The tension built between them, and he took a step forward. Then Virginia smiled and reached out her hand. “There’s ink on your cheek,” she murmured, her brow furrowing in concentration.

He bent down to meet her, surprised at her cool touch. As she rubbed his cheek with her thumb, he wondered if this was the first time they were actually touching one another. Not in the way of a shrug or brush of the arm. Not in the polite manner of guiding her across the street or up the steps. But touching one another like … he swallowed. Her eyes looked so big now that he was closer. Had she always had freckles on her nose?

Virginia stopped moving to look at him. As she held his cheek in her hand, she bit her lip like she wanted to say something. To do something. Jake wondered what it was.

He didn’t have to wait long. The young woman leaned up and pressed her mouth against his. Jake’s heart made a funny skip. Their lips met first gingerly and then eagerly. As he tried to process what was happening, he found himself wondering if she really tasted like sunshine or if he was just imagining it. How did someone really know what sunshine tasted like?

Then Libby came to mind and Jake realized what was happening. Dread filled his heart at the betrayal of his beloved late wife. Something was wrong. The tender moment ended as he reeled back, shaking his head as though to reject what had just happened. It couldn’t have. It shouldn’t have. Jake shook his head in disbelief.

“I—we shouldn’t,” he stammered.

When he looked up, Virginia’s cheeks turned bright red and she turned away. She wiped her face and then clutched her hands tightly. “I—I didn’t mean to … I’m sorry, Jake.”

“Just … go.” He took a step back into the wall. The chalkboard knocked him against the head, but he caught it before it fell. Grabbing the board with both hands, he glanced at her again. This time he avoided looking at her eyes.

He thought he heard her sniff. “Of course, I’ll … I’ll start on the pie. I just—goodbye.” Then she hurriedly picked up the basket of old goods and headed for the door. Virginia’s head was bowed as she went. A knot filled his stomach. Something told him she had been wiping away a tear.

Guilt began swimming in his stomach. “Virginia.” He set the chalkboard down before heading towards the door. “Just wait.” The words were too late. He walked past Roger, who was coming in, to look for the young woman in the street. The young woman who was his wife. He hadn’t meant to shove her off like that; he hadn’t intended to be rude.

She was gone. Unease churned his insides as he tried to figure out who he needed to apologize to. Libby or Virginia. Libby and Virginia. Roger. Someone. No, Libby. That’s who. Her beautiful face came to mind, especially the pout she teased him with whenever he grew too distracted. And he’d definitely been too distracted. The church stood just down the street and he wrinkled his nose. That’s not what he needed.

“Hey,” Roger started as Jake turned back into the shop. “Do you …”

But he waved his hand. “In a minute.” He needed a minute in the attic to think.

Chapter Thirteen

Virginia kept her head down to hide the tears from passersby. The light bubbling feeling that had kept her feeling so happy dissipated when Jake had stepped back. Every time she blinked she could see his ghastly expression. He looked so hurt, so upset. That wasn’t what she had expected.

What had she expected, then? She didn’t know. Just not that. After all that time, after days and days together, she had thought things were getting better between them. He’d almost joined her for stargazing just the other night. And in the mornings, he’d started asking her about the constellations that she looked for in the sky.

Everything between them had been going so well. Or so she had thought.

Shaking her head, Virginia tried to toss the frustration away. It was too soon. She was too desperate for his attention, too eager for his affection. The poor man was still in love with his first wife. Just because she had moved on from her first marriage didn’t mean he had. He’d told her before he wasn’t interested in anything but a marriage of convenience. Why did she think that would change?

Her cheeks heated up again just thinking of that moment. She could feel her heart pound. It had been so nice. His lips had been warm and almost inviting. Though Virginia had hardly been kissed before, she thought she had done it right. And it had felt right to her. Up until the very moment he’d pulled away.

She shook her head, trying again to get that pained look out of her mind.

Dust swirled around her boots as she walked along the lane, carrying the basket of eggs as she went. The idea of another quiche had come to mind when he’d told her they would most likely be taking them home. She hadn’t made one since that first morning. Baking another one for him had sounded promising but now, she didn’t know if she had the energy.

Sighing, she glanced up.

This wasn’t her house. Virginia glanced around, realizing she must have missed a turn. Or she had made too many turns. It was difficult to tell. Swallowing, the young woman went around in a circle as she wondered where she had wound up.

San Paulo wasn’t a very large town, nowhere the size of Philadelphia. But it was still big enough to get lost in if one didn’t know all the streets. And she had yet to explore much since her arrival. All she needed was to go from the house to the store or the church, both of which were in the same direction. This street looked similar to her own, but clearly her house was not here.

It was not her day, Virginia realized. Sighing, she hefted the basket up and decided to try retracing her steps. Surely it wouldn’t be too complicated. How far could she have gone in such a short amount of time? She could only have been walking for a few minutes. Back around one corner, and down a block, but that didn’t look familiar either.

Swallowing, she frowned and tried the next block after a moment of indecision. After studying the street for a minute, Virginia realized something was at the far end. It was just near the outskirts of town where she recognized the stagecoach stables. That meant she must have made a long and complicated circle. But if she walked past the stables, she could reach the church, which meant she could reach the store and go home that way. Virginia sighed in relief, shaking her head at her silliness. Perhaps baking in the kitchen would help her focus.

“Hello,” she nodded to two women who passed her on the street. They waved politely in return. The two of them looked familiar, but she couldn’t recall their names. Perhaps she’d noticed them in church or the shop. Virginia started towards the stagecoaches.

There was one already in the center, horses getting hitched for the road. Seeing an anxious horse rearing its head, Virginia decided to walk on the other side of the road. She clutched her basket tighter when the creature bucked, attempting to get free. But the man holding the reins stood firm, not giving in.

The creature just wanted to be free, so she didn’t blame it. With one eye on the lane, Virginia watched the horse settle down and agree to the harness. They were just getting ready to tighten one of the buckles, however, when it sprang forward, catching everyone off guard. She stopped in surprise, her eyes wide as the carriage tipped.

Luggage fell and there were shouts, but there appeared to be no one inside the coach. Her heart skipped a beat, finding the horse still tethered and standing. Two more hands came forward, trying to hold him down. But after a minute, the wild creature decided it wasn’t interested in them and tried to head down the lane, dragging along the heavy stagecoach.

Virginia heard the two women gasp, throwing their hands up. The motion caught her eye as she found them pointing to a moving figure in the horse’s path. The creature was headed out of the street and nothing stood in its way.

Except for a little child. Her heart lunged and the rest of her body followed.

The basket clattered to the ground as she picked up her skirts, begging the Lord for a spare moment. Then the rest of her thoughts were swept away as she tried to race the animal towards the child. She ran straight ahead whereas the horse went back and forth, terrified of the stagecoach it was dragging behind it. Already, two wheels had come off, and it knocked against the road noisily.

But the child. Virginia panted, trying not to think of the horse. Just the child. A little girl not four years old. She looked familiar, but she didn’t know her name.

Virginia was almost there. Almost. Panting, she tried to run faster. Though she thought she heard someone yelling, nothing made sense. Just the clatter of hoofbeats. As she grew closer, she saw the girl bend down for a pebble. When the child looked up with wide eyes, she held out the stone for Virginia.

Chapter Fourteen

Jake eventually came back down from the attic to ring Roger up. The boy glanced at him curiously but said nothing, accepting the ink and offering his payment before hurrying out the door. With no other customers around, he found himself alone again.

The front door slammed only minutes later, and Jake jumped in surprise. Looking up, he found Roger again. But this time the boy was wide-eyed and breathing hard.

“Roger? Are you all right?”

But the boy shook his head and hastened over, tugging at him to follow. “You have to—I said … I said I’d get you, sir.” He gulped in air. “You gotta come. It’s … Mrs. Benson.”

Jake thought of Libby and was confused. But then Virginia came to mind. His heart dropped. “What—” his voice cracked. Still unable to talk in full sentences, Roger gave up and tugged them into the street.

The knots in Jake’s stomach only tightened as they arrived at Dr. Finnegan’s house.

“There you are.” Finnegan nodded when Roger opened the door. “Come in, come in. I’ve just set it.”

Nausea filled Jake’s stomach. “What? What happened? Where’s my wife?” As he looked around the room, he tried to find her. Something had happened, but no one could tell him what. “Where is she?”

Dr. Finnegan came over when he didn’t budge. “Thank you, Roger. Now Benson, calm yourself. I don’t need you disturbing my patient.”

The word made Jake flinch. This wasn’t his first wife to have as a patient. And everyone knew about Libby. The memory tore at his heart. Was he about to lose another woman in his life? “Deep breath, man. She should be fine. If she can make it to Sunday, she’ll be fine. But she needs her rest, and I won’t have you disturbing it.”

Jake hesitated as the doctor opened a familiar door. The last time he’d been here was to say goodbye to Libby. He stood stiffly as the door revealed the still figure of his wife. Forcing the nausea down, Jake stepped inside the room. This wife was smaller with dark hair and more bandages. He saw the rise and fall of her chest, and swallowed hard. That was surely a good sign.

The doctor tugged him into a chair close to the cot. “You have a brave wife here,” the man murmured as he reached out to check Virginia’s pulse. “They tried to put an untrained horse on the line for the stagecoach. It escaped by dragging the coach around. She ran right in front of it to save a child from being trampled.”

Jake buried his face in his hands. To think of his last words to her, of the way he had treated her. She was only ever being kind. To him, to everyone. Of course she would have done something like that. He wanted to laugh and cry. What had she been thinking?

The doctor continued. “Her leg was badly broken. I set it immediately, but she’s lost a bit of blood. I believe she’s bruised a rib or two, but I won’t know for sure until she’s awake. A few cuts, a few stitches. My main concern is the head wound. Looked like the horse got a kick in, and I don’t know if there will be lasting damage. If she makes it through Sunday, then the prognosis is promising.”

Sunday. Two days. How was he going to manage without her?

Finnegan left him with Virginia. The quiet gave Jake time to think. Too much time. Falling to his knees, he began to pray. He didn’t know what else to do. Virginia had helped him return to church and he found himself needing someone who would listen. “Please, God,” he murmured, “I know we haven’t talked much since Libby. But I need Virginia here. I’m not ready to let her go.

“And it’s not just because of the store,” he added. Jake paused. If it wasn’t just about the store, then what was it about? Searching his feelings, the man slowly began to let the truth sink in. That he cared for her. He liked starting the day with her in their home and enjoyed the moments they had alone on their walk or in the store. He loved hearing her stories during supper and always looked forward to their evening scripture study. Dropping his head, Jake shook his head. “I’ve been a fool,” he muttered. “Such a fool.”

The store could burn down for all he cared. They would figure something out. He had clung to it for too long. If he lost the shop, then so be it. As long as he had Virginia. Warmth flooded his chest as he took her hand. He rubbed her fingers gently, trying to bring warmth back. Swallowing, he focused on her face. On the pert nose and the pretty freckles. The plump lips that had been bold enough to kiss him. Thinking of how he had reacted, Jake sighed. If only he had listened to his heart before this. There were a lot of changes he had to make. But the first one was being here for her.

***

Jake stayed for the next couple of days, attentive to Virginia during her restless sleep. When she finally regained consciousness, it was just for a minute. But it was enough to see those beautiful brown eyes. After a talk with Dr. Finnegan, they carefully loaded her into a carriage and took her home to rest in her own bed.

They had just settled in, Virginia tucked neatly beneath the covers, when there was a knock at the door. Jake hesitated only a moment before remembering they were supposed to have gone to the mayor’s for supper that evening. Realizing they had most likely come to see what was the matter, he hastened to the door.

But to his surprise, it was Tate Werner.

“Benson,” the banker nodded grimly.

Jake took a step back as his back stiffened. He hadn’t had time to worry about yesterday’s payment. Before he could say anything, the man invited himself inside. That wasn’t too surprising since Tate had shown little to no sympathy when Libby had passed. But Jake was confused when the man began to pace.

Closing the door, Jake frowned. While he knew he hadn’t shaved or washed in a few days, the other man looked nearly as terrible. He swallowed. “I don’t have the payment.”

“Yes, yes, I know.” Tate shook his head, and then yanked his hat off. “Is Mrs. Benson well?”

He wasn’t sure what the man was getting at. Jake hesitated. “She is recovering in a timely fashion.”

The banker stopped moving back and forth to shuffle in his coat pockets. He pulled out a familiar looking folded-up document. That was the deed to the mercantile. Jake froze. “Take it.” Mr. Benson cleared his throat before stepping over and putting it in Jake’s vest pocket. “It’s yours. I’m canceling the loan.” And he went to leave.

Flabbergasted, Jake stared. “Wait, what? Why?”

Werner hesitated, unable to look him in the eye. “Your wife,” the banker said gruffly. “Saved a child the other day. My child. Evangeline. I … don’t know what I would do if I had lost her. Thank your wife for me. Good day.”

Chapter Fifteen

A lot of things hurt. But it wasn’t as bad as before, she thought vaguely. Her body groaned as she forced her eyes open. There was light flooding in, so much that Virginia could no longer ignore it. She squinted and brought a hand to shade her eyes. She found a thick bandage on her forehead. Right, the injury. That’s where the pounding stemmed from.

Finding herself back in her bedroom, she took a deep breath and tried to get comfortable. Even blinking required effort, however, so Virginia soon gave up. She was certain she’d been somewhere else, but her mind felt fuzzy. What had happened? There had been lights and voices. A child. But whose child?

The memories were sparse, however, so she mostly only remembered Jake.

Before she could wonder why she was alone, the door opened to reveal her husband. There was the strangest look on his face. Her heart leaped anxiously, remembering their last conversation. How long had she been unconscious? What about the shop? All of their hopes and plans for the shop would be ruined with her still in bed. There was no time to rest. The blood drained from her face as she tried to sit up. “Jakob.”

He hurried over, wrapping his arms around her. “Virginia, you’re awake.” His warmth enveloped her as she paused, trying to comprehend what was happening. Yes, her body ached terribly. She couldn’t figure out how to move her leg. The pounding in her head wouldn’t go away. But Jake was there. “I was so worried,” he murmured with his lips pressed against her head.

“It’s all right.” She closed her eyes, inhaling his scent. Sawdust and ink and honey. “How long? The store, Jake, I’m sorry I …”

Pulling back, he shook his head and knelt as she lay back down. At eye level now, she tried to read his expression. Jake took her hands in his and gave her a serious look. She blinked, wondering why his touch felt so familiar. But he spoke, distracting her. “No, Virginia. I’m sorry. You’ve been nothing but helpful and kind and generous. I’m the one who needs forgiveness, not an apology. I’m sorry I treated you the way that I have.

“You’re beautiful and brilliant, everything I need and more. I didn’t even realize that until I nearly lost you. Please forgive me. I want to be your husband, truly. You mean everything to me. I love you.”

Her heart hammered. Virginia searched his gaze earnestly, praying that she wasn’t still dreaming. This was too lovely to be true. Even in her dreams he hadn’t said anything like that before. And there hadn’t been this pain. She bit her lip. “What about the store?”

That wasn’t what she had meant to start with, but fortunately Jake laughed, throwing his head back. “It’s the craziest thing. You’re a miracle worker, Virginia, an angel. The loan is over and done with. I closed the shop for a few days to help you get better. Everything is good and well.”

“Truly?” She tried to understand everything that was happening.

Jake touched her cheek. It was warm and tender. “Truly. We—I—let’s concentrate now on getting you better. It’s all about you. Whatever you need, I’m here for you. What can I do for you? Anything? What do you need?”

She squeezed his hand. It didn’t feel real, any of it. Virginia tried to think. “I don’t … you, Jake. I just need you. I love you.” A soft laugh escaped her lips as she tugged him closer for a kiss. This time he didn’t pull away. It was better than she had hoped, and so was the next one.

The healing was slow and gradual, but they were patient. Jake left to open the store for the mornings, returning to her side often before she’d ever left the bed. There were nervous touches and shy glances, but for the first time in a long time, Virginia felt happy. She was in a warm, safe home, with someone who cared. He listened to her and he held her. Sleep came easily and the worries faded away. Slowly the weeks passed as they adjusted to something new.

***

Jake could hardly believe how everything had evolved. It was incredible how time had changed things for him. He finished cutting the pie. With the front door open, he could hear Virginia. Her laughter was music to his ears. Hurrying over so he could hear more, Jake grabbed both plates and returned to the porch to join his wife. Virginia was resting on the front steps, the crutch nearby, with a book in her hands.

“What’s so funny?” he asked as he took his seat again beside her.

She pulled out a letter from within the book. There were several letters from well-wishers that she had placed in there. “Would you look at this? Evangeline is quite the artist.”

Squinting, Jake leaned forward to look at the child’s picture. “Is it a rabbit or a horse?”

The woman giggled again. “I don’t know.”

Jake joined her in laughter, shaking his head in disbelief. Every day there was something new to laugh at or smile at with Virginia.

Two months had come and gone since her recovery, and she was doing very well. The bruises were gone, and she had told him it was the last day she would use the crutch. Even the scar on her head was healed and was rather charming.

Finding a tear on her cheek that she had missed, Jake wiped it away. He tried to find something to say, wishing he could explain the tightness in his chest to her. Even as Libby came to mind, Jake paused for a moment, just wishing that the two women could have met each other.

Virginia would have loved Libby. Just like he loved Virginia. It felt right now, like he was finally letting go of his first wife to appreciate and love his second wife. All the pain and guilt had faded away into something incredible.

“You’re wonderful,” he told her. Jake couldn’t remember if he had said that yet, and he couldn’t tell her enough. “Absolutely wonderful, Virginia.” Any words were lost on her as she smiled up at him; the book was set down as they kissed. The stars and the pie could wait.             

The End