Jim crossed his arms over his chest. “So why not let her stay on the ranch and not worry about the trust? Or wait until she’s been here longer to see if she falls in love with you? Is there some sort of timeline on the money?”
“One year from her grandfather’s death, and we’re coming up on six months now. We’ll have to go to California to stand before a judge there before the funds can be released, and that judge will have to agree with Judge Coin regarding children. I did make sure she knew she was welcome on the ranch regardless. She wants to have some control over something in her life, and I believe she deserves to have it.”
The man let out a long sigh, studying the lush green pastures despite the winter season. His breath frosted the air, but if he was cold, he didn’t let on. “I reckon you two made the best choice you could under the circumstances. You take care of her, all right? Don’t push her into anything she’s not ready for.” He stared Micah down, his gaze tough and assessing, but kind.
“You know me, Pastor Jim. You know the kind of man I am.” He’d had a flash of hurt at his brother’s suspicion, but Pastor Jim’s didn’t feel the same. Rather than accusatory, it felt protective of both of them. “I’d never hurt her.”
Pastor Jim clapped a hand on Micah’s shoulder and squeezed lightly. “I know you won’t, son. You’re a good man, as good as any I know, and I have the privilege of knowing many. Make me one promise.”
“Yes, sir?”
“When things start to get rocky, come see me. You can’t expect smooth sailing in a marriage pushed out to sea during a storm. It can make your future years stronger, your ability to weather future storms more manageable, but it won’t be calm waters at first. Don’t try to handle it alone.”
He was right. Even though it was only a marriage of convenience, Micah couldn’t help but hope it would one dayturn to more. If they had any hope of that, they’d need help. He’d need the help of the Almighty, the One who apparently did care about the lives they led there on earth. They’d need the community of those around them, especially Ellie, who’d finally gotten the friends she’d longed for. “You’ve got a deal.”
Chapter Eight
“Okay,” Louisa said as she rolled out the dough for the cinnamon rolls she and Ellie were making while Callie dried the freshly washed dishes after lunch. It was Callie’s engagement party, but Callie insisted she never did well with idle hands. They sent the cowboys and the children outside, but Ellie knew good and well they did so simply to talk to her. “Tell us what’s going on, El. Did you two really get married today?” Louisa studied Ellie, her eyes appraising in the light from the kitchen window.
Louisa didn’t sound judgemental about it, though Ellie wouldn’t have blamed her if she did. She was simply curious, probably confused, and a little concerned for Ellie’s well being. Honestly, it was nice. She hadn’t ever had a sister, and the only woman who’d looked out for her after her mother died was Miss Lutken. Friends, ones who noticed and cared about her, had been her prayer for longer than she could remember.
“We did. It wasn’t planned exactly, but it was necessary.” How much could she tell them? Where should she start? Well, thebeginning felt like as good a place as any, and they’d need all the support they could get to move forward with their plans.
“It all started with my trust…” Ellie went into the whole story of her taking the terms of her trust to Mr. Goddard, his meeting with Judge Coin, and where they’d have to go from there. “We’ll have to plan a trip to California this spring, though Micah is hoping early March so there’s less chance of winter weather issues on the way back. Of course, we could get there and the judge would hold up Grandfather’s stipulations, especially if he allows his business partner to pay him off, but it’s the only chance we have.” In Cartwright, California, their chances weren’t great, but they were better than if they stood by and did nothing.
Callie dried a spoon, placing it in the pile next to the rest of the silverware. “What will you do then? Is this marriage temporary, with the intention of being annulled?”
The thought didn’t sit right with Ellie. She’d not grown up with any example of happy marriages to look up to, but the idea of leaving Micah behind anywhere had her stomach turning uncomfortably. “I guess it’s up to him. I won’t trap him into a lifelong marriage in name only, but I don’t have any plans to leave.”
Callie studied her thoughtfully for a moment. “Do you think there’s a chance the marriage will be more than in name only one day? The two of you have an undeniable connection, and I don’t believe it’s because he’s the one who found you in the woods that day.” Callie noticed everything, and she’d spent more time with the two of them than most when he was visiting her at the clinic, but was she off the mark?
It was a good question, one Ellie had barely allowed herself to ponder. The idea she could allow herself to trust a man, even Micah, felt like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Still, every interaction with him left her wanting more, and everytouch left her wishing for another kiss. The peck he’d barely brushed against her lips in the courthouse had lasted less than a second, but she knew she’d carry it with her all her days.
“I…I honestly don’t know.” It felt shameful to admit. “I know you two probably think that quite sinful, blasphemy against the covenant of marriage, but-”
“We think no such thing,” Louisa scolded. “Many couples get married for convenience, and the details of their marriages are none of our business. What matters is you’re our friend Ellie.”
“He’s our brother-in-law,” Callie added. “Which makes you our sister-in-law,” she shrugged. “Soon enough, anyway.” From Ellie’s understanding, Louisa and Isaac planned to marry in the spring to give her family time to arrange passage to come back to Texas from Massachusetts, while Callie and Jacob had no reason to wait. It wouldn’t surprise Ellie a bit if they married within the month. They’d waited long enough. “We care about you both.”
“You did what you could with the hand you were dealt,” Louisa said softly as she wiped her hands and pulled Ellie into a hug she hadn’t realized she needed. Maybe it was Louisa being the oldest of so many younger siblings, or maybe it was her role at the ranch, but she seemed so much older than her twenty years. Ellie was a couple of years younger than her friend, but in some ways she felt both younger and older. “No matter what happens, we are here for you. You’re not alone here, and you never will be.”
Callie moved slowly toward them, wrapping her arms around both of them. As Ellie felt a tear track down her cheek, the doctor spoke. “The Lord has all this well in hand, Ellie. I know you’re still learning about the things of God, but I can promise you He will be with you wherever you go.” She held the same confidence and conviction in her voice Ellie heard when dealing with patients, the one which made a person trust her.
“Just like Gideon,” Louisa said as she pulled back. “Gideon had the odds stacked against him when he went to battle, butyou and the children will all find out on Sunday how powerful God is.” She grinned, a twinkle in her eye. “Which is good, because I have absolutely no idea how we’re going to get all those children to stand still long enough to perform at the Founder’s Day Festival, and I’ll never hear the end of it from Lorna Parsons if it’s a flop.”
Micah stood in the pasture a few hours later, trying to give Ellie as much time with the women as she needed before talking with her again. She’d had quite the day, and he knew how badly she’d craved the fellowship of other women who cared about her. She’d need their support, as he’d need it from his brothers.
As though his thoughts had summoned them, the sound of three pairs of boots in the grass drifted his way on the wind. It was chilly, with it still being winter, but not as chilly as he might’ve thought. The boots, combined with the wind flowing through the grass, were the only sounds until Isaac spoke. “I owe you an apology.”
Micah turned, facing his brothers rather than the spot on the ranch he’d loved all his life. There were a few shade trees, and it was close enough to the stream to easily go for water. “You don’t owe me anything. It was a surprise, and you were concerned about Ellie. She needs people looking out for her.”
Isaac closed the distance between them. Jacob and Abe followed behind. “That’s exactly why I do owe you one. You’ve looked out for her from the beginning. I shouldn’t have ever implied you’d do anything but put her best interests first, especially without having all the information.”
“Isaac’s right,” Abe agreed. “We all owe you the respect of hearing you out, and I think Ellie’s busy telling Callie and Louisanow. Jim’s watching the kids, so if you’re agreeable, I think we’d all like to hear how this came about.”
A few hours later, after Micah and his brothers had discussed everything leading up to his and Ellie’s marriage and they’d finished their evening chores, Micah moved back to the front porch of the ranch house with a stiff neck and a tired body. Still, no matter how exhausted he was from the day itself, it was as though his mind wouldn’t turn off. As he climbed the steps Ellie had tripped on earlier, questions bombarded him. What would become of their marriage? Could it ever grow into one of love? Would Ellie leave as soon as she got her money, or would she want to stay? He didn’t care about her money. Did she understand that?
“Penny for your thoughts?” The voice surprised him from the porch swing, as he hadn’t seen Ellie there when he first walked up in the low light.
