done. I’ll make the best of the circumstances.”
“Are you sure?” Gloria asked. “You sure you don’t want to go home?”
“No. I don’t want to go home,” Julia said.
“Was it so bad there?” Flossie asked. “Some folks will gladly take the devil they know rather than the devil they don’t.”
“I’m twenty-seven. I’m the fat, unattractive spinster in a family of beautiful women. I’ve made some bad decisions and been an embarrassment to them all of my life. My plan to marry Mr. Snelling was an opportunity for me to do something on my own. I don’t want to go back. I won’t go back, especially with my head bowed in shame,” Julia said.
The confession said aloud was liberating for Julia. She had no idea why she was inclined to share these long silent burdens with strangers, but it felt good. She had been honest with herself and Jake’s sisters. She didn’t want to go home. They were staring at her intensely. She wondered if the women realized Julia would be taking a slice of their and their children’s birthright with her adamant declaration.
“I’m not sure why you’re willing to help me. My marriage will take your inheritance from your brother’s farm away from you and your family, but if you’re willing regardless, I’ll be happy to accept the help.”
“You said a mouthful there, and I’m pretty sure you don’t usually share your feelings,” Flossie said. “I can speak for Gloria though when I tell you we don’t give a damn about an inheritance. We got our share when we married, and Jake’s got the right to pass his share on to his wife or children or whoever he wants.”
“Why would we want part of Jake’s farm? We have our own,” Gloria added.
“Women have no way of gaining wealth unless it’s passed on. You can hardly say you don’t care you’ll be losing what could be a portion of a profitable property as well as the home you were raised in.”
Julia learned that lesson well from her sister. When her grandfather died, the only thing of interest to her was the broken gold timepiece he always carried with him, and that had fascinated her as a child. Jolene and her mother had the estate manager sell the grandparents’ gifts to the Crawford girls to increase the size of their dowry. Julia had been crushed.
Flossie sat down beside Julia. “What kind of family did you come from?”
Julia looked from Flossie to Gloria. “What do you mean? I guess a normal family. Not that I always agreed with them. But I know about losing a birthright. I’ll likely never see the inheritance I would have meant to receive once my family finds out I’ve taken a train to South Dakota and married.”
Gloria’s eyes widened. “Your folks don’t know you came out here to marry Mr. Snelling?”
Julia could have bit her tongue off. But the truth was out now. “Our maid, my friend, Eustace will give everyone a letter day after tomorrow. They think I went to visit an elderly aunt.”
“This is just like one of my books,” Gloria said. “The frightened girl sneaks out of the castle in the middle of the night. Jake can be your knight in shining armor.”
“Be quiet, Gloria.” Flossie turned to Julia. “So when your parents find out, they’ll be angry?”
“Angry and embarrassed but this is no less than they expect from me,” Julia said. She looked at her new sisters-in-law as the family she’d always hoped to have. “My father will surely send someone here to get me. Or maybe even come himself. Will Jake let them take me?”
“You’re his wife, Julia. What’s Jake’s stays Jake’s. If you don’t want to go back, he’ll not let your family bother you,” Flossie said.
Julia dropped her head. “My father can be very persuasive when he sets his mind to it.”
“There’ll be no persuading, Julia. If you want to stay, Jake can’t be bought if that’s what you’re implying. He’s the most honorable, honest man I know,” Flossie said.
“That’s twice today
“Are you sure?” Gloria asked. “You sure you don’t want to go home?”
“No. I don’t want to go home,” Julia said.
“Was it so bad there?” Flossie asked. “Some folks will gladly take the devil they know rather than the devil they don’t.”
“I’m twenty-seven. I’m the fat, unattractive spinster in a family of beautiful women. I’ve made some bad decisions and been an embarrassment to them all of my life. My plan to marry Mr. Snelling was an opportunity for me to do something on my own. I don’t want to go back. I won’t go back, especially with my head bowed in shame,” Julia said.
The confession said aloud was liberating for Julia. She had no idea why she was inclined to share these long silent burdens with strangers, but it felt good. She had been honest with herself and Jake’s sisters. She didn’t want to go home. They were staring at her intensely. She wondered if the women realized Julia would be taking a slice of their and their children’s birthright with her adamant declaration.
“I’m not sure why you’re willing to help me. My marriage will take your inheritance from your brother’s farm away from you and your family, but if you’re willing regardless, I’ll be happy to accept the help.”
“You said a mouthful there, and I’m pretty sure you don’t usually share your feelings,” Flossie said. “I can speak for Gloria though when I tell you we don’t give a damn about an inheritance. We got our share when we married, and Jake’s got the right to pass his share on to his wife or children or whoever he wants.”
“Why would we want part of Jake’s farm? We have our own,” Gloria added.
“Women have no way of gaining wealth unless it’s passed on. You can hardly say you don’t care you’ll be losing what could be a portion of a profitable property as well as the home you were raised in.”
Julia learned that lesson well from her sister. When her grandfather died, the only thing of interest to her was the broken gold timepiece he always carried with him, and that had fascinated her as a child. Jolene and her mother had the estate manager sell the grandparents’ gifts to the Crawford girls to increase the size of their dowry. Julia had been crushed.
Flossie sat down beside Julia. “What kind of family did you come from?”
Julia looked from Flossie to Gloria. “What do you mean? I guess a normal family. Not that I always agreed with them. But I know about losing a birthright. I’ll likely never see the inheritance I would have meant to receive once my family finds out I’ve taken a train to South Dakota and married.”
Gloria’s eyes widened. “Your folks don’t know you came out here to marry Mr. Snelling?”
Julia could have bit her tongue off. But the truth was out now. “Our maid, my friend, Eustace will give everyone a letter day after tomorrow. They think I went to visit an elderly aunt.”
“This is just like one of my books,” Gloria said. “The frightened girl sneaks out of the castle in the middle of the night. Jake can be your knight in shining armor.”
“Be quiet, Gloria.” Flossie turned to Julia. “So when your parents find out, they’ll be angry?”
“Angry and embarrassed but this is no less than they expect from me,” Julia said. She looked at her new sisters-in-law as the family she’d always hoped to have. “My father will surely send someone here to get me. Or maybe even come himself. Will Jake let them take me?”
“You’re his wife, Julia. What’s Jake’s stays Jake’s. If you don’t want to go back, he’ll not let your family bother you,” Flossie said.
Julia dropped her head. “My father can be very persuasive when he sets his mind to it.”
“There’ll be no persuading, Julia. If you want to stay, Jake can’t be bought if that’s what you’re implying. He’s the most honorable, honest man I know,” Flossie said.
“That’s twice today
Similar Books
