Love's Enduring Promise (Love Comes Softly Series #2) by Janette Oke Page B
Authors: Janette Oke
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she had herself somewhat under control, she poured the men another cup of coffee and then went to her room where she leaned against the cool window ledge and prayed God to please forgive her lack of faith and to please help Clark in the battle he was presently engaged in.
A few moments later Clark came in, gave her shoulder a quick squeeze, and rummaged in a drawer, then was gone.
Marty heard the men leave the house, and in a short time Jedd's team was on its way out of the yard.
Clark returned to the bedroom and gently turned Marty to face him. Her tear-filled eyes looked into his and she hardly dared voice the question.
"Did he--?"
58
"Did he agree? Yeah, he agreed."
Her tears started again.
"Oh, Clark, thank ya," she said when she was able to speak. "I never, ever thought thet I'd be able to have the girls right here." She sniffed and Clark pulled out his handkerchief. It was man-sized, but Marty blew. "Thank ya," she said again. Suddenly her eyes snapped, "At first I was so mad, you a talkin' thet way to thet--thet conceited--" she sputtered, knowing that she should not voice the words that she was thinking.
"I couldn't imagine why ya'd say sech things 'til--'til I began to see--. An' he believed it all, didn't he? Believed thet a woman--a young woman--in her right mind would take to him."
She was getting angry again at the very thought of it all, so she decided to change the subject before she worked herself
up.
"An' he said thet we could take the girls?"
"Yep."
"To keep?"
"Well, he didn't exactly say fer how long, but I'll be very surprised iffen Jedd Larson ever wants his girls back. He'll git hisself all tied up in this or thet, an' his girls won't enter much into his thinkin'."
Marty had a sudden thought that she knew she shouldn't express, yet she felt that she needed an answer.
"Ya didn't make 'im pay their keep, did ya?"
Clark grinned at that.
"Well--not exactly," he said slowly.
"Meanin'?"
"Jedd said thet we could keep the girls iffen we gave 'im ten dollars a piece fer 'em."
Marty pulled back. "Well, I never!" she snorted. "I never thought thet I'd live to see the day thet one had to pay fer the privilege of feedin' an' clothin' another man's young'uns."
Clark pulled her back against him and smoothed the long brown hair as though by so doing he could smooth her overwrought nerves, but when he spoke there was humor in his voice.
59
"Now, now," he said as though to an angry child, "ya wanted yer prayers answered, didn't ya? Who are we to quibble as to how it be done?"
Marty relaxed in his arms. He was right of course. She should be feeling thankfulness, not frustration.
"The girls will be here tomorrow. It's gonna be strange fer us all at first, an' will take some gittin' used to. Seems thet all of our energy should be goin' into makin' the adjustment of livin' one with the other."
He lifted her chin and looked into her eyes.
"You've got ya a big job, Marty. Already ya have yer hands full with yer own young'uns. Addin' two more ain't gonna lessen yer load none. I hope ya ain't takin' on too much. Yer tender heart may jest break yer back, I'm a thinkin'."
She shook her head.
"He answered our prayer, Clark. Iffen He thinks this right, what we're doin', then He'll give the strength thet we need too, won't He?"
Clark nodded. "I reckon He will," was all he said.
60
Chapter 12
Nandry an' Clae
True to his promise, Jedd arrived the next day with the two girls. Their few belongings were carried in a box and deposited in the bedroom that would be theirs. Marty wondered if the parting would be difficult for them, but there seemed to be no emotion shown by either side.
Jedd was anxious to be off. He had packed his possessions in his wagon, and with the money from the sale of the farm lying heavy in his pocket, he was hard-put to hold back, even for a cup of coffee. He did fill up on fresh bread and jam, however, and with the food barely swallowed announced that he must be on his way. He
A few moments later Clark came in, gave her shoulder a quick squeeze, and rummaged in a drawer, then was gone.
Marty heard the men leave the house, and in a short time Jedd's team was on its way out of the yard.
Clark returned to the bedroom and gently turned Marty to face him. Her tear-filled eyes looked into his and she hardly dared voice the question.
"Did he--?"
58
"Did he agree? Yeah, he agreed."
Her tears started again.
"Oh, Clark, thank ya," she said when she was able to speak. "I never, ever thought thet I'd be able to have the girls right here." She sniffed and Clark pulled out his handkerchief. It was man-sized, but Marty blew. "Thank ya," she said again. Suddenly her eyes snapped, "At first I was so mad, you a talkin' thet way to thet--thet conceited--" she sputtered, knowing that she should not voice the words that she was thinking.
"I couldn't imagine why ya'd say sech things 'til--'til I began to see--. An' he believed it all, didn't he? Believed thet a woman--a young woman--in her right mind would take to him."
She was getting angry again at the very thought of it all, so she decided to change the subject before she worked herself
up.
"An' he said thet we could take the girls?"
"Yep."
"To keep?"
"Well, he didn't exactly say fer how long, but I'll be very surprised iffen Jedd Larson ever wants his girls back. He'll git hisself all tied up in this or thet, an' his girls won't enter much into his thinkin'."
Marty had a sudden thought that she knew she shouldn't express, yet she felt that she needed an answer.
"Ya didn't make 'im pay their keep, did ya?"
Clark grinned at that.
"Well--not exactly," he said slowly.
"Meanin'?"
"Jedd said thet we could keep the girls iffen we gave 'im ten dollars a piece fer 'em."
Marty pulled back. "Well, I never!" she snorted. "I never thought thet I'd live to see the day thet one had to pay fer the privilege of feedin' an' clothin' another man's young'uns."
Clark pulled her back against him and smoothed the long brown hair as though by so doing he could smooth her overwrought nerves, but when he spoke there was humor in his voice.
59
"Now, now," he said as though to an angry child, "ya wanted yer prayers answered, didn't ya? Who are we to quibble as to how it be done?"
Marty relaxed in his arms. He was right of course. She should be feeling thankfulness, not frustration.
"The girls will be here tomorrow. It's gonna be strange fer us all at first, an' will take some gittin' used to. Seems thet all of our energy should be goin' into makin' the adjustment of livin' one with the other."
He lifted her chin and looked into her eyes.
"You've got ya a big job, Marty. Already ya have yer hands full with yer own young'uns. Addin' two more ain't gonna lessen yer load none. I hope ya ain't takin' on too much. Yer tender heart may jest break yer back, I'm a thinkin'."
She shook her head.
"He answered our prayer, Clark. Iffen He thinks this right, what we're doin', then He'll give the strength thet we need too, won't He?"
Clark nodded. "I reckon He will," was all he said.
60
Chapter 12
Nandry an' Clae
True to his promise, Jedd arrived the next day with the two girls. Their few belongings were carried in a box and deposited in the bedroom that would be theirs. Marty wondered if the parting would be difficult for them, but there seemed to be no emotion shown by either side.
Jedd was anxious to be off. He had packed his possessions in his wagon, and with the money from the sale of the farm lying heavy in his pocket, he was hard-put to hold back, even for a cup of coffee. He did fill up on fresh bread and jam, however, and with the food barely swallowed announced that he must be on his way. He
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