The Bride Price: An African Romance (Chitundu Chronicles) by Suzanne Popp Page B

for her parents and family to come and stay. I will build it close to you so you can walk between houses. Family should stay close. I also expect to provide for my extended family as we will always have supplies and provisions for them. I keep a close eye on the markets and buy before there is famine. My plan is to open my own warehouses once I have a partner to share with me. I want that partner to be your Violet.” Joseph let out his breath after this long and practiced appeal. Beatrice handed him a cup of tea with a smile. He drank it and thanked her for her hospitality.
    “I will put in a word for you with Mr. Chitundu, but only after I have a chance to talk with Violet. Thank you for coming, Joseph Leibitsang”
    Joseph had made his case, and Beatrice had agreed that she would put in a word with Mr. Chitundu.  As he left, he recalled the fragrance of mangos and the immaculate polish on the traditional floors, the vase of lilies on the table, and the colorful yellow antimacassars on the arms of the chair.  The clock on the wall said 11:00 when he arrived, and 11:00 when he left.  Somehow, he liked the lack of punctuality in the household, where natural rhythms took precedence.  Most of all, he appreciated that Dodge was nowhere in sight. 
    As he walked back down the long, dusty driveway, Joseph thought over the conversation.  The ground had been laid for staging an understanding.  There could be no formal engagement until the father determined that the girl would be adequately supported, that a bride price was negotiated, and that nothing was rushed.
     
    Beatrice had been resigned to her daughter Myrna leaving the area because she had already been away at boarding school, and her absence had become a reality.  The possibility that Myrna was pregnant and that the father of the child had paid a hefty bride price made acceptance of Festal more palatable, also he was of their tribe and knew the customs.  They would always be welcome in his home, even if he lacked some of the social polish of an educated man.  For Violet, a child who had always been close to her mother, the biggest argument in favor of this young man Joseph was that he was direct.  He intended to keep close ties with the family and not live far from them.  Violet would be cared for, he had shown the mother his plans for a house with room for her mother and father to come and stay with them whenever they wished.  He wanted a family,  He had made a success of his business and was just waiting for a partner in order to become an independent merchant.
    He had served his apprenticeship and could aid the family with the products he had access to.  He did not mind having a wife that had little formal schooling.  He said he recognized in their home that she had been trained in what mattered.  Joseph was in good health, he was not a womanizer, and he wanted children.  He said he was not the owner of the store where he worked, but he was the owner of his future, and he wanted to marry for affection and stability in the family.
    Beatrice Chitundu had five sons and two daughters. She wanted husbands who would support their children and keep the family ties. The case put forward by Joseph met with her approval.  Now, she would hear what her daughter Violet thought, before presenting the situation to her husband.  She knew not to ask her husband a question unless she had the answer.  And for her, the answer, at this point, was a qualified “Yes.”
     

 
     
     
    CHAPTER 9
WELLINGTON TAYLOR VISITS CHITUNDUS
     
    Beatrice and Violet, sat on the verandah watching the afternoon sun dry up the rain.  They discussed the suitor Joseph and his strong points, the conversations he had had with Violet, and the love Violet felt towards him. They were waiting for her father to return home, when a young man stepped into view.  He was slim and athletic, with a tweed hat on his blond, wind-tossed hair.  He introduced himself.
    “Hello and good afternoon.  I