Martha Read online

  “Plus,” Martha added, “I don’t even know if I want to marry him yet.”

  Penny turned to stare at Martha. “Why would you not want to marry Andrew? When he first arrived, you blushed like a schoolgirl around him!”

  “There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” Martha admitted. “One day, I hope I can tell you more about it. It’s painful for me to talk about, but it makes it hard for me to get close to others. I’m worried that . . . if Andrew and I did marry, I’d be a terrible wife and mother.”

  Penny’s expression changed to one of sympathy. “Oh, Martha. I can see that you’re very troubled over this. But you have nothing to worry about. I know you’ll be a wonderful wife and mother.”

  Martha frowned. “How do you know?”

  Penny smiled. “I see the way you take care of Robby. You’re so good with him. You’re kind and patient, but you also set limits and make sure he follows the rules and isn’t spoiled. You take time to explain things to him to make sure he understands and can make good choices.”

  “But I’m the one who was watching him when he got hurt,” Martha pointed out.

  Penny put a hand up. “No, Martha, you are not allowed to blame yourself for that! If I had a list of how many times my boys have hurt themselves on this ranch, I could fill a book.”

  “No,” Martha gasped. “That can’t be true.”

  “Unfortunately, there are no schoolbooks that can teach you how to be a mother. No one can prepare you for it. But you’ll figure it out. One thing you’ll learn is that children—boys especially, it seems—love to climb and explore and have adventures. That means there will be accidents and injuries. All we can do is be there for them and pick them up when they fall down, take care of them when they fall ill. Does that make sense?” Penny concluded.

  Martha nodded slowly. “I think it does.”

  Just then, Tom came into the house. “Mm, what’s for dinner? It smells delicious! And a little . . . burnt?”

  “Oh, dear!” Penny took the pork chops out of the pan. “I’ll eat the burnt one.”

  Tom came into the kitchen and kissed Penny on the lips. “I can eat the burnt one. You and Martha have been cooking and cleaning all day. It’s no problem.”

  “I should eat the burnt chop,” Martha said. “I’m the one who distracted Penny from the stovetop!”

  Tom turned his eyes toward Martha. “Hm, that’s quite interesting. Care to tell me what you two ladies were talking about?”

  Martha blushed and clamped her mouth shut. “Not right now.”

  “Martha told me in confidence,” Penny said playfully. “I suppose you’ll have to wait and find out when everyone else does.”

  Chapter 10

  That evening as she lay on her cot in Robby’s cabin, Martha couldn’t sleep. She kept thinking about the conversation she’d had with Penny. Maybe Penny was right. What was she waiting for? She cared for Andrew and knew that he cared for her.

  Plus, she knew her work had suffered because she had been so distracted lately. If she and Andrew could finally be together, maybe she wouldn’t have to daydream so often.

  Martha also remembered Edna Petunia’s words. Knowing that her mother believed in her made her feel like she could do anything.

  Martha slipped out of the cabin and knocked quietly on Andrew’s door. A few moments later, he answered it, his eyes bleary with sleep.

  “Martha!” Andrew exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”

  Martha suddenly felt shy. She spun around. “It can wait until morning!”

  “Wait a minute!” Andrew stepped out of his cabin and grabbed Martha’s hand, turning her around to face him again. “You can tell me anything. What is it?”

  Martha took a deep breath. “I’ve been thinking about what you said.”

  Andrew felt hope swelling inside of him. “And?”

  “And I want to be your wife.” Martha knew as she said the words that she had never been more sure of anything.

  Andrew picked Martha up and twirled her around. He let out a whoop.

  “Sh!” Martha hissed. “You’ll wake the others!”

  “This is a happy occasion,” Andrew exclaimed. “We need to celebrate!”

  “But it’s the middle of the night,” Martha pointed out.

  “I can think of a few ideas,” Andrew said and bent down to press his lips against hers. They kissed under the moonlight for a long time, and when they finally parted, Martha gasped to catch her breath.

  “That was . . . really nice,” Martha remarked once she could speak again.

  “Just wait until we’re married, Martha. There are so many things I have in mind,” Andrew said with a wink.

  Martha swatted him. “You’ll have to be patient until then.”

  Andrew sighed. “I know. I hope we can marry quickly. How’s tomorrow?”

  “Tomorrow?” Martha couldn’t believe her ears. “I assume you’re joking.”

  “Actually . . .” Andrew looked sheepish. “I wasn’t joking. But if that’s too soon for you, I’ll wait until you’re ready.”

  Martha smiled. “I’m flattered. But I’ve always thought that Cletus would give me away and Edna Petunia and my sisters would help me fix my hair and sew a dress for me. That could take some time.”

  “Of course, Martha. I want you to have the wedding you’ve always dreamed of,” Andrew told her.

  Martha felt her heart soar. She had never expected that Andrew would be so kind and understanding. Hearing him explain that he would wait for her as long as she needed gave her another idea. “On second thought, maybe your first idea was a good one. Let’s get married tomorrow.”

  “What?” Andrew thought he was imagining things. “But you just said . . .”

  “I know, but talking to you about it has made me realize that a wedding isn’t about what dress I wear or what the flowers look like. It’s about you and me starting the rest of our lives together as man and wife,” Martha explained. “And I don’t want to wait a minute longer than I have to!”

  “Trust me, Martha, I don’t either!” Andrew picked her up again and twirled her around, then pulled her in for a long, dizzying kiss.

  Martha took a few deep breaths to steady herself. “I want to be married to you right now!”

  “Too bad we don’t have a minister here on the ranch. We have a cook, ranchers, horses, but no minister,” Andrew joked.

  “You’ve given me a great idea!” Martha cried.

  “What is it?” Andrew asked. He wasn’t sure if it was the moonlight or the kiss they’d just shared, but his bride-to-be seemed positively giddy. He loved seeing her like this, so happy and carefree.

  “Normally, we’d have to wait at least a day or two to find a minister to marry us. But I have a brother-in-law who happens to be a minister!” Martha explained.

  “You do?” Andrew scratched his head. He thought he had been introduced to all of the sisters and their spouses, but now he wasn’t sure.

  “Yes,” Martha giggled. “Micah Barton, the minister for the church in Nowhere. I just know if we ask him, he’ll perform the wedding ceremony for us.”

  “Oh, yes! I remember meeting him and his wife, Sarah Jane. I don’t think I put two and two together that she is your sister and he is your brother-in-law. That’s a great idea. Do you want to marry in that church as well?” Andrew asked.

  “That would be convenient, since we’ll already be there,” Martha said. “Sarah Jane can be our witness. But . . .” She looked up at Andrew.

  “What is it, Martha?” Andrew asked, grabbing her hand.

  “This is going to sound silly, but I would love to get married here, in Robby’s cabin. I know that probably sounds strange, but in a way, I feel he’s the one who brought us together. What do you think about that?”

  Andrew kissed Martha again. He loved how sweet and thoughtful she was. “Martha, I’d marry you anywhere at all. I think getting married in the cabin so Robby can be there would be fantastic. I can ride a horse to Nowhe
re at dawn and ask Micah to come back here with me.”

  Martha nodded excitedly. “In the meantime, I’ll talk to Penny and see if she has anything that I could wear. Oh, I’m so excited I can hardly stand it.”

  Andrew grinned. “I know exactly what you mean. There’s no way I’ll get a lick of sleep tonight. And if I have my way, neither of us will get a lick of sleep tomorrow.”

  Martha blushed and swatted at Andrew. “Do I need to remind you that we’re not married yet?”

  “Trust me. I’m aware of that fact,” Andrew said sadly. “Fortunately, in less than a day’s time, we will be.” He pressed his lips to hers again. “Now, it’s nearly midnight. It’s bad luck for us to see each other before the wedding. I’ll leave at first light to get Micah. Should we plan to meet around noon in Robby’s cabin?”

  Martha worked it out in her head. “Yes, that should give me enough time.”

  Andrew kissed her one more time. “Goodbye, my love. The next time I see you, you’ll be walking down the aisle! Or at least through the entryway to the cabin.”

  Martha laughed. “Perfect. I’ll see you then.” She rushed back to Robby’s cabin, where she tried to get some rest. She tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable. She was excited but also a little nervous. Andrew clearly had many plans for what they would do once they were man and wife. She was excited to engage in marital activities, but she was also scared. What if she didn’t know what to do? What if Andrew wasn’t happy with her?

  Martha tried to tell herself that everything would work out for the best. The most important thing was that she and Andrew had been honest with each other and both wanted to get married. She fell asleep dreaming about saying “I do” with a simple bouquet of bluebonnets in her hand.

  When she awoke, the day’s first light was streaming in through the window. Robby was still fast asleep. She dressed in a hurry and ran to the main house. She found Penny in the kitchen, boiling water for coffee.

  “Penny! I need your help!” Martha panted.

  “What is it? Is everything all right?” Penny asked, concerned.

  “Everything’s more than all right. Everything’s wonderful!” Martha gushed. “Andrew asked me to marry him, and I accepted. We are getting married at noon.”

  “Whoa. Slow down a minute! What’s happening?” Penny tightened her robe around her body. She could hardly keep up with Martha’s announcements. “Where are you getting married?”

  “Actually,” Martha said sheepishly, “we were thinking we’d get married here. In Robby’s cabin.”

  “Robby’s cabin?” Penny stared at Martha as if she’d lost her mind. “What on earth’s so special about Robby’s cabin?”

  Martha fidgeted. “I know we should get married in a church, and I’d love that, but I really want Robby to be there. After all, he helped bring us together. If Andrew hadn’t been so considerate after Robby’s accident, we never would have gotten closer.”

  “I see,” Penny said, but her head was still spinning. “Who’s going to perform the service?”

  “Micah,” Martha replied.

  “How does Micah know you’re getting married?” Penny scratched her head, trying to think. The coffee couldn’t be ready soon enough.

  “Andrew’s on his way there now to ask him to marry us. I think he’ll agree,” Martha explained. “Now, what shall we make for breakfast?”

  A few hours later, a small group had assembled in Robby’s cabin to witness Andrew and Martha’s wedding ceremony. Penny had lent Martha a simple white dress, and a few of the orphans had presented the bride with a lovely bouquet of bluebonnets, which she held in one hand as she and Andrew stared at one another lovingly.

  Robby watched eagerly from his bed as Micah explained each step of the custom. As Micah began to talk about the marriage vows Andrew and Martha were about to exchange, everyone heard a loud ruckus from outside the cabin. Penny rushed to the window and looked out.

  “Stop the wedding!” a muffled voice screamed.

  “What are you doing here?” Penny cried in disbelief.

  Martha’s heart raced. Who was trying to interrupt her wedding?

  Suddenly, Edna Petunia burst into the cabin. “Stop the wedding! Stop the wedding! I need to be seated!”

  “What are you doing here?” Martha repeated Penny’s question. She was stunned that Edna Petunia had found out about the wedding ceremony.

  Tom pulled out the cot Martha usually slept on and helped Edna Petunia take a seat. Edna Petunia panted for breath. Everyone in the cabin stared at her.

  “Don’t look at me! I’m not the one getting married!” Edna Petunia said indignantly.

  “Edna Petunia, how did you know to come here?” Andrew asked, bewildered. Micah had followed him directly to the ranch, and they’d spent the morning discussing the service. Micah hadn’t had time to alert anyone about the wedding.

  Edna Petunia took out her flask, unscrewed the lid, and took a long, slow sip. “Ah, very good . . .” she breathed in relief, “. . . cough syrup!” Edna Petunia hastily added when she realized everyone was still staring at her. “Really, you don’t all have to keep looking at me! Sarah Jane overheard Andrew and Micah’s conversation. She knew I’d be heartbroken if I missed one of my bastards’ weddings.”

  “But how did you get here so quickly?” Martha didn’t understand.

  “Sarah Jane took a horse to get me first thing in the morning, and then Cletus dropped me off. He’s parking the wagon as we speak,” Edna Petunia explained nonchalantly.

  Sure enough, Cletus poked his head through the cabin door next. “What’s this I hear about a wedding?”

  “Grandpa!” Robby cried, thrilled. It was the most people he’d seen since the day of his accident, and he was having the time of his life.

  Micah looked around the room nervously. “May I proceed? Or are there, um, any other guests who will be joining us?”

  Again, everyone looked at Edna Petunia. She shrugged. “I don’t know!” After a long pause, she added, “But I don’t think so.”

  Micah cleared his throat. “Andrew and Martha will now exchange wedding vows.”

  As Andrew and Martha recited their vows to one another, Martha reflected on how lucky she was to have found the man of her dreams, and to be getting married in front of so many people she loved. Although she wished all of her sisters could have been there, she was also happy for the small crowd because she felt much more comfortable in a smaller group.

  Before Martha realized it, the ceremony was practically over.

  “I now pronounce you man and wife,” Micah declared.

  Andrew leaned in for a long, deep kiss. Martha’s lips curved into a smile as she kissed him back. She heard Tom and Robby whooping in the background. She had never been so happy in her entire life.

  Once the wedding was over, Cletus and Edna Petunia surrounded Martha and hugged her fiercely. “We knew this day would come,” Edna Petunia said, fighting off tears.

  “We’re very proud of you, dear,” Cletus said.

  “Thank you,” Martha whispered, feeling tears of her own welling up in her eyes. She couldn’t believe how lucky she was that her fate had brought her here to Nowhere and the loving embrace of the Sanders family.

  Now, she and Andrew would start their own—family. The future was truly limitless.

  Epilogue

  Martha finished setting the table in the small cabin she now shared with Andrew. She couldn’t wait until her husband arrived home. Now that Robby was back in his old bedroom, she and Penny had gone back to their regular cooking and cleaning assignments. Instead of sleeping in Robby’s cabin each night, she slept in the cabin she shared with Andrew.

  She heard the door creak, and soon Andrew was inside, covering her in kisses and hugs. Even though the wedding had been two months before, Andrew still couldn’t keep his hands off her. Martha didn’t mind the attention. She was learning a lot about how to be a good wife to Andrew, and she was enjoying it.

  “Hello, h
usband” Martha greeted her husband once he had paused for a breath.

  “Hello, wife!” Andrew said, one of their standard exchanges.

  “How was your day?” Martha asked. She uncovered the pan she’d brought over from the main house. Martha still helped Penny with dinner for the main house, then took a small portion of the meal back to the cabin, where she shared it with Andrew. Now that he was married, he took his meals with her instead of at the bunkhouse. Both were very happy with this arrangement.

  “It was fine. Tiring, but good work. How about you?” Andrew asked. “Is there any news yet?” Andrew knew that Martha had seen Dr. Harvey that morning. He was hoping that Martha would tell him she was pregnant.

  Martha looked down at the floor. “No. I’m not expecting.”

  “Oh. That’s too bad. But hopefully soon,” Andrew replied.

  “Yes,” Martha said, still looking down at the ground.

  “Martha, is something wrong?” Andrew asked. “Have I made you unhappy?”

  “Oh no, not at all!” Martha exclaimed.

  “Something seems to be troubling you, though,” Andrew remarked.

  Martha scooped some of the pot roast from the pan onto Andrew’s plate, then a little onto her own. As Andrew began to eat, Martha sighed. “You’re right. I’ve been a little blue lately, because . . . I’m nervous and scared.”

  Andrew stopped eating and stared into his wife’s eyes. “Martha, what are you nervous and scared about?”

  “I’m very happy with you and our life together. But I’m worried that when we have children, I’m going to make the same mistakes my mother did. I can’t do that to a child! Maybe I’m not cut out to be a mother,” Martha admitted.

  “Come here,” Andrew said, motioning toward his lap. Martha walked around the table and sat down on his thigh. He wrapped his arms around her.

  “Martha Ford, I chose you to be not only my wife, but the mother of my children. Do you know why I did that?” Andrew asked.

  Martha shook her head.