Amelia's Arrangement (Madame Matchmaker Book 2) Read online

  Felix noticed the concerned look flickering across Amelia’s face. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

  Amelia shook her head. “No. I don’t want to talk about anything negative. There’s no good that can come from dwelling on it.”

  Felix nodded. “I agree with you for the most part. I like to keep a positive attitude. But there’s one exception.”

  “What’s that?” Amelia asked, wondering what Felix was talking about.

  Felix’s expression became serious. “If you ever think you’re in danger for any reason—or that our family is in danger—will you tell me right away?”

  Amelia bit her lip. She wasn’t sure if she was truly in danger, and she didn’t want to worry Felix if it was all just a big misunderstanding. After how she’d been treated after her parents’ death, it made perfect sense that she was skittish. “Of course,” she agreed. “But I don’t think that will be the case. After all, we live in Nowhere. This seems like such a quiet town, filled with good people. What could happen here?”

  Felix smiled at his new wife’s logic. He was being overly anxious and concerned for Amelia’s wellbeing because he had never had a wife before. Yes, Amelia was probably right. They were safe, and nothing bad was going to happen to them in Nowhere.

  Five

  Amelia spent the next few days around the house, not wanting to venture into town again. At home, everything was neat and orderly, just the way she wanted it. The last time she had left, things had seemed unsure, dangerous.

  She enjoyed her days at home, waking early, taking a brief walk around the house, talking and joking with Felix. She cooked elaborate meals for him and loved seeing the expression on his face as he ate them. She started to make the house truly feel like a home, with little touches here and there, like a quilt she sewed together with scraps of old fabric.

  One morning during breakfast, Felix looked up. “I forgot to ask you, is it all right if my parents come over for dinner this evening?”

  Amelia’s eyes widened. “Tonight?” Surely he would have asked her before now if he wanted them over that night.

  Felix immediately could tell Amelia wasn’t keen on the idea. “Would you prefer a different evening?”

  Amelia sighed. “No, it’s fine. I am looking forward to meeting them. I just wish I had a little advanced notice. I’m not sure if I have everything I need for a big dinner.”

  “My parents don’t need anything fancy,” Felix assured her. “And if you need to go to the mercantile, it sounds like you found your way just fine last time.”

  “I don’t want to go to the mercantile today,” Amelia blurted out.

  “Why not?” Felix asked, perplexed.

  “I just have too much to do around the house. Cleaning and cooking. I won’t have time to go to the mercantile and cook dinner and get the house ready. I’ll just make something simple,” Amelia rambled, thinking out loud. She was nervous that the men who had asked about her might still be around, and she didn’t want to encounter them. But she wasn’t comfortable admitting that to Felix.

  Felix frowned, still confused. “The house looks fine to me.” In his eyes, it was spotless. Amelia kept things tidy all the time. It seemed to him that Amelia had some problem with the mercantile. “Did you have any issues when you bought groceries before?”

  Amelia shook her head. “No, not at all. Everyone at the mercantile was very kind.”

  Felix looked at the clock. “I should get to work. Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

  Amelia smiled brightly. “Of course. You have a good day, and I’ll see you this evening. I’m excited to meet your family.”

  “You’re really wonderful, Amelia.” Felix kissed her on the lips and prepared to leave for work.

  “Goodbye!” Amelia called as he walked out the door. She began to clear the dishes from breakfast. She was looking forward to meeting Felix’s parents. Anyone who had raised such a hard-working and kind son must be good. She did worry a bit about having enough food on hand to prepare a meal, but she would figure something out.

  Once she had finished washing dishes, Amelia opened the pantry door and took stock. There were plenty of potatoes, which would be helpful. When she checked the ice box, she found some chicken she could use. If she fried up a bit of chicken and mashed the potatoes, she’d have enough to feed Felix’s family.

  She peeled the potatoes first as she watched the sun rise. It was shaping up to be a beautiful day, and she felt lucky to be at home and preparing for a visit from her in-laws. She hoped they would all get along and enjoy each other’s company. Why, she was getting a new set of parents, and she hoped they would look at her as a new daughter.

  Once she was done peeling, she took a break from dinner preparation and got the house ready for company. She pulled an extra chair from the living room up to the kitchen table and set it with plates, linen napkins, and silverware. Amelia wasn’t sure if Felix’s sister was coming or not, but she assumed that she was, so she put out five place settings. She couldn’t wait for the day when there were even more chairs around the table.

  The day passed quickly, and by the time Felix returned home from work, Amelia had almost finished frying the chicken.

  Felix inhaled deeply when he walked through the door. “Amelia, that smells truly incredible.”

  Amelia grinned. “I’m glad you think so. I hope it tastes as good as it smells.”

  Felix walked up to her and enveloped her in a hug. He kissed her forehead. “I’m sure it will. Your food is always top-notch. I know my parents will love it, too.”

  “I hope we get along,” Amelia said nervously.

  Felix burst out laughing.

  “What?” Amelia asked, dismayed.

  “You’re the perfect daughter-in-law, Amelia. You want a big family, you’ve shaped up our home, and you cook delicious food. What more could they possibly want?” Felix pointed out.

  Amelia appreciated the compliments, but she was still anxious. It was always a challenge to meet new people. Some people instantly bonded while others did not. She hoped she and her in-laws were in the former category and not the latter.

  “Can I do anything to help?” Felix asked. “Looks like you’ve got everything pretty much taken care of.”

  Amelia nodded. “I'm almost done here. But if you’d like to watch the chicken for a moment while I freshen up, that would be nice.”

  “Of course,” Felix replied. “But you look perfect just the way you are.”

  Amelia blushed and walked into the bedroom. She took off her apron and smoothed her skirt. She brushed her hair, hoping she looked presentable enough to meet her new in-laws. She knew first impressions were important, and she wanted to look her best.

  She took a few deep breaths to try to relax, then joined Felix in the kitchen again.

  Felix pulled Amelia in close for another kiss. “They’re going to love you. I know it.”

  Just then, there was a knock at the door. Amelia and Felix both walked to the entry.

  Felix opened the door. “Hello, everyone. This is my wife, Amelia. Amelia, please meet my mother, my father, and my sister, Cora.”

  Adele Gardener bounced into the room first, her tall, plump body bursting with excitement. She threw her arms around Amelia. “I have another daughter! I’m so thrilled!”

  Her husband, Harold, stepped inside next. He gave Amelia a polite, firm handshake. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  Finally, Cora Gardener, Felix’s sister, entered the house. She, too, wrapped Amelia in a warm hug. “Hello, Amelia,” Cora said quietly.

  Amelia felt overcome with emotion. She hadn’t expected Felix’s family to be so instantly kind and welcoming. “It’s nice to meet all of you, too. I hope you're hungry!”

  “Felix, I love her already!” Harold joked, and everyone laughed.

  Amelia led everyone to the kitchen table. Her in-laws took their seats, and Felix and Amelia brought out the serving dishes for the green beans and mashed potatoes. Felix scooped
mashed potatoes onto all of the plates while Amelia got the fried chicken ready to be served.

  Within a few minutes, everyone was seated and chewing happily.

  “This fried chicken is excellent,” Adele remarked. “You’ll have to give me the recipe.”

  “Of course, I’ll write it down for you before you leave tonight,” Amelia replied.

  “You mean you have it memorized?” Adele asked. “Cora, you should pay attention to Amelia.”

  Cora giggled. “I’m not very skilled in the kitchen,” she admitted to Amelia.

  “I don’t know what we’re going to do with her,” Adele lamented, but Amelia could tell she said it fondly.

  “Cora is a very gifted fiddle player,” Felix said.

  “I wish she spent less time with her fiddle and more time helping me around the house,” Adele teased.

  “Oh, wow. I don’t have any musical talent. I’d love to hear you play sometime!” Amelia exclaimed.

  “Yes, that would be fun!” Cora agreed. “I’ve never had a sister before.”

  “Me either,” Amelia told her.

  “What about your folks? Are they still in Boston?” Harold asked as he bit into another piece of fried chicken.

  Amelia’s fork clattered to the table, and her face grew pale.

  “Oh!” Cora gasped. “Are you all right?”

  Felix put his hand over Amelia’s. “Amelia’s parents have both passed on,” he explained.

  Harold stopped eating. “I’m awfully sorry to hear that, Amelia.”

  Adele looked like she was about to burst into tears. “You poor dear. Did you have any aunts and uncles who took you in?”

  Amelia shook her head, hoping she could speak without her voice cracking with emotion. “No, I’m afraid not.”

  “Well, we’re very glad to have you as a part of our family now,” Adele said. “We have enough family members to go around.”

  Amelia steadied her resolve again. “Is that so?”

  “Oh, yes!” Cora smiled. “We have twenty-three first cousins on my mother’s side alone. On my father’s side, I think it’s even more.”

  Harold nodded. “And counting. I’m the oldest of six. My youngest brother isn’t even married yet. All the rest are girls, and it seems like one of them is having a baby every other week.”

  “He’s exaggerating,” Adele said. “Enough about us, Amelia. We’d like to hear about you. What was your life like in Boston? What did you like to do?”

  Amelia looked to Felix for help. There was nothing about her life in Boston that she would feel comfortable saying in front of her in-laws. She didn’t want them to know how destitute she had been after her parents’ death or how her father had gambled away all of their savings. And she especially didn’t want them to know about the debt collectors.

  Felix tried to think of another topic. “These mashed potatoes taste delicious. What’s your secret ingredient, Amelia?”

  Amelia shrugged. “I made them with a little butter and salt, nothing special.”

  “They’re fantastic,” Felix continued. “They taste very . . . they taste like butter.”

  Amelia nodded. “As they should.”

  His family stared at Felix, wondering why he was going on and on about the potatoes. He tried to think of something else. “Amelia and I would like to have a baby!”

  Adele’s mouth dropped open. “Are you pregnant, Amelia? Oh, my goodness, I’m going to be a grandmother!”

  Amelia glared at Felix.

  Felix shrugged. “I was trying to change the subject,” he whispered.

  “I’m not pregnant, Mrs. Gardener,” Amelia explained. “We’ve just talked about starting a family; that’s all Felix was trying to say.”

  Harold leaned over to his son. “Felix, you know you need to do more than just talk to a girl to get her pregnant, right?”

  Felix blushed. “Yes, Dad! Of course I know that.”

  Harold cleared his throat. “Good. Just checking.”

  “Well, whenever you two do become parents, your children will be lucky. I know Felix is going to be a great father, and Amelia, he can’t stop raving about you,” Cora said sweetly.

  “Thank you,” Amelia said, grateful for Cora’s tact.

  “Oh, no!” Adele suddenly shouted.

  “What is it?” Felix asked.

  “I forgot my lemon meringue! I baked it so we’d have a dessert, but I left it at the house.” Adele sighed.

  “I’ll run back and get it,” Felix said dutifully. “It’s not like you live very far.”

  “Oh, thank you, dear,” Adele said, leaning over and kissing Felix on the cheek. “He’s always been a dear boy.”

  Amelia laughed. She loved how Adele teased her children in a loving way.

  “I’ll keep you company,” Harold volunteered.

  As soon as the men had left, Adele and Cora stared at Amelia.

  “Tell us everything!” Adele ordered.

  “We want to help,” Cora said.

  Amelia’s heart pounded. How did they know about her horrible secret? “Excuse me?” She asked, hoping she had misunderstood them. To her surprise, Adele and Cora broke out laughing.

  “Felix is awful at picking up after himself. Is he driving you mad?” Adele questioned.

  “And in the evenings, he can be such a bore. He’s always going to bed early. He probably puts you to sleep with how calm he is!” Cora added.

  Amelia exhaled. Thank goodness. They weren’t talking about her family’s debt or the men who were possibly looking for her. They were just teasing her husband. She demurred. “I honestly haven’t noticed either of those things. He’s been a perfect gentleman.”

  “He has?” Adele clasped her hands in front of her chest. “I’m so glad to hear that. Maybe he was listening all those years!”

  Cora grinned. “I hope he sticks with it and it’s not all an act for his new bride. If he gives you any trouble, Amelia, just remember, we’re right across the property.”

  Amelia chuckled. “Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “Let me help you with these dishes,” Adele offered.

  “No, I’ve got it!” Amelia said, jumping up to start clearing the plates. “And thank you for making the meringue. You shouldn’t have.”

  “Don’t thank me yet. You haven’t tasted it!” Adele said and laughed at her own joke.

  Cora shook her head. “Don’t worry, Amelia, she’s just teasing. Her lemon meringue is a favorite around town. Everyone has had it.”

  “Sounds delicious,” Amelia said. She found small plates in the cabinet and set one at each spot at the table for the meringue, then continued to wash the larger plates.

  “I remember these dishes,” Adele said, commenting on the smaller plates. “They belonged to my great-grandmother. Amelia, do you have any family heirlooms?”

  Amelia was so startled by the question that she dropped one of the plates she was washing. It fell to the floor, shattering into hundreds of tiny pieces. “Oh, no!” Amelia suddenly burst into tears.

  Adele leapt to her feet. “Watch your step, dear!” She carefully walked to the closet and pulled out a broom and a dustpan. “Let me get that.”

  Amelia slumped into a chair, avoiding the pieces of glass on the floor.

  “What’s wrong, Amelia?” Cora put an arm out to comfort her new sister-in-law.

  Amelia shook her head, still sobbing. “I just feel so silly. I’m sorry for breaking an heirloom.”

  “Don’t you worry your pretty little head about that for a minute,” Adele commanded. “My great-grandmother always said plates were for using and not for looking at. You were using it, and it broke. It’s not an issue.”

  Amelia didn’t have the heart to tell her mother-in-law the real reason why she was crying. She knew that the Gardener family would probably be kind and accepting about it; they had already been so welcoming and generous to her. She didn’t want them to associate her with her parents’ mistakes. She wanted a chance to pro
ve to them who she was without having to overcome her past. “Thank you for understanding,” she told Adele.

  “Don’t mention it,” Adele replied warmly. “Now, what else can we do to help you settle in? You know about church on Sundays, and I know you’ve met Edna Petunia. Don’t worry, everyone in town isn’t like her.”

  Amelia smiled. “Yes, Edna Petunia certainly seems like a good person to know. It seems she’s related to half the town.”

  “Yes!” Cora agreed. “And her daughters are some of the sweetest people you’ll ever meet.”

  “I’ve met Ruby and Sarah Jane,” Amelia explained. “You’re right—they were both so kind.”

  “Have you been to the mercantile yet?” Cora asked. “We go at least once a week.”

  “Yes, that’s where I met Ruby,” Amelia replied.

  “What about the bank?” Adele asked.

  Amelia frowned. “No, I haven’t been to the bank yet.”

  “You’ll want to go there, get your name onto Felix’s accounts,” Adele advised. “Just makes everything simpler whenever you need anything in town.”

  “I see. Thank you,” Amelia said. She felt nervous thinking about bank accounts and ledgers. She had never gone into a bank before, and thinking about money made her remember her parents’ debts and the men who wanted to collect their money. A shudder ran up her spine as she thought about it.

  “We’re boring you, aren’t we?” Adele asked, misreading Amelia’s expression.

  “No! Not at all!” Amelia insisted.

  Just then, Felix and Harold returned with the lemon meringue. It smelled incredible, and Felix went around and served everyone a piece.

  As Amelia bit into it, the lemon meringue practically melted in her mouth. The sweet, sugary filling was the perfect way to end a meal. “Adele, this is magnificent.”

  Felix nodded. “Mother, you’ve really outdone yourself!”

  Adele waved their compliments away. “It was nothing.” But Amelia saw Adele beaming with pride.