Love Comes Softly 02 - Loves Enduring Promise by Janette Oke

Author:Janette Oke
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781581651249
Publisher: Bantam Doubleday Direct
Published: 2010-07-20T04:00:00+00:00

up with. Scholars--he knew lots of scholars and some who would even be willing, just as he himself had been, to venture west to taste of the excitement of opening a new frontier. It had its drawbacks, he was willing to admit, but there were compensations. One of them, in his case, being Tessie LaHaye. Back East the ladies had the nasty habit of turning their backs when they saw him approaching. Tessie entertained no such coyness. True, she was barely eighteen, and he thirty-two, but in the West people seemed to quibble less about such details. He was willing to accept her as a very pleasant young lady, and she seemed equally willing to accept him as an eligible man. In fact he felt that she was rather impressed with his bowler hat and white spats. He planned to make a call on Tessie--he hoped very soon, for he was anxious to discover just where he stood. And this meeting had given him the added confidence he needed.

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Chapter 21

Marty Talks to Ma

Marty had put off the much dreaded visit to see Ma, but she knew that she must force herself to make the call. Tommie was counting on her and she had given her promise. Soon winter with its cold and snow would have them locked in its grip, and then she would find the trip difficult physically as well as emotionally.

"What can I use as an excuse?" she asked herself, and could come up with nothing. Finally she just decided to go.

Clark was heading for town for his usual Saturday trip and Marty decided that now was the time.

"Thought thet I'd trail along iffen it not be upsettin' enythin'," she informed him.

He looked pleased. "My pleasure," he said. "Isn't often enough thet I git to show off my wife in town."

"Oh, I'll not be goin' on into town," she quickly corrected. "I'm a plannin' on stoppin' off to chat with Ma while ya be gone."

His pleasure faded somewhat, but not altogether. "Well, at least I'll have me yer company fer a spell," he said.

Marty informed the girls of her plans. Nandry seemed almost happy to have the place to herself.

Marty put on her heavy coat and tied on her bonnet. Her coat wouldn't button properly, so she had to be content to just pull it about her.

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Clark eyed her as she crawled heavily up into the wagon, clumsy in spite of his helping hands.

"Ya sure this be the proper time to be a takin' a bumpy wagon ride?" he asked.

"Won't hurt me none," Marty assured him.

Still she noticed that he drove more slowly than usual. Ma's surprise at seeing Marty was quickly replaced by pleasure.

"I'm so glad thet ya came whilst ya still could," she said, and Marty was sure that Ma thought that her reason for coming was simply that this would be her last opportunity for a while.

They visited, both ladies working on knitting as they chatted. Marty kept one eye on the clock. She mustn't

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