Mail Order Match Maker (18 page)

“You can be my favorite!”
  Along with the other seven of course.

“For as long as I’m the only one in the room with you?” Lily asked knowingly.

“I think I’ll plead the fifth amendment on that one.”  Harriett grinned.

“What’s the fifth amendment?”

Harriett took another sip of her tea.  “The fifth amendment says that you don’t have to say anything that could be incriminating against yourself.”

Lily sighed.  “It’s just as I thought.  Tomorrow Iris will be your favorite.”
  She rolled her eyes.

Harriett turned to Mary, struggling to find a topic she could switch to without hurting Lily’s feelings.  “I heard that hoop skirts are becoming all the rage in the East again.”

Mary grinned, hiding her smile behind her teacup.  “Oh, I certainly hope not.  They’re so difficult to wear.”

As soon as the two women began talking about fashion, Lily jumped up and left the room as quickly as she could.  She didn’t want them finding her
ignorance of fashion lacking, and she knew they would.

Harriett stood up with a smile.  “I need to get home.  I want to be there when Max gets home tonight.”
  She struggled to her feet.

Mary stood hugging the taller woman.  “Is your leg up to the walk today, or should I have someone drive you home?”

“The walk is good for me.  I need to be as active as possible.”  Harriett headed for the front door, opening it and started the walk to their home.  It was on the other side of town from where Mary lived with her children, but Harriett didn’t mind.  She enjoyed walking as long as it wasn’t raining.

She pulled her coat more tightly around her, the cold November breeze chilling her more than she would have liked.  She realized about halfway home that she should have accepted the ride, but by then there was no point in going back, so she plodded on.

When she arrived home, one of the maids was waiting in the entryway and took her coat from her.  “You look chilled to the bone, Mrs. Farmer.  I’ll get you some hot tea.  Why don’t you go wait in your parlor for it?”

Harriett nodded gratefully, going into the parlor and picking up a book she’d been reading.  She couldn’t wait for Max to get home and hear the news she’d been all but bursting with all day.  The maid brought the tea and she heard the front door open just after that.  Harriett called out for Max to join her for some hot tea.

He walked into the parlor and greeted her with a kiss on the cheek like he always did.  “Your cheeks are red.  Were you out in the cold today?”  He had been concerned that she was spending too much time at the battered women’s house.

“I spent the afternoon with your sister and nieces.  Mary has asked me to help her find suitable husbands for the girls when the time comes.”  Harriett rubbed her leg unconsciously.

“It’s not time yet?  I thought Rose was ready to marry next week.”  Max slipped his arm around her shoulders and leaned against the back of the couch.

“I convinced her that it’s better if she waits until she’s eighteen.  She’s going to present me with a list of her ten favorite men.  I’ll sort through them and give her three choices.  She’ll choose from those three.”

Max smiled at the simple solution.  “That sounds good to me.  She’d make a terrible choice if left to her own devices.”

Harriett nodded, agreeing with him.  She turned to face him on the couch, a secret smile playing at her lips.  “I have news.”
  She knew she should prepare him better, but she was all but bursting with excitement.

Max looked at her with a smile.  “What kind of news?”  It was obvious that whatever it was, she was pleased with it.

“You’re going to be a father,” she whispered.

Max’s smile slowly spread until it had overtaken his face.  “You’re certain?” he asked.

“I saw a doctor this morning.”  Harriet was thrilled to know she was pregnant.  She had worried that the damage done to her body in her fall would keep her from being able to have a child.  “And I haven’t told Higgins yet.”

He hugged her tightly.  “I couldn’t be happier.” 

She smiled up at him.  “Neither could I.  I want at least four children.”

Max smiled, stroking her cheek.  “Four is fine, but I feel like I’m surrounded by girls.  Would you try to have at least one boy in the mix?”

“I don’t know how much control I have over that, but I’d be thrilled to have a little boy.”  She rested her cheek against his shoulder, feeling more secure and protected than she had since she was a child.  “Have I mentioned how much I love you?”  She knew she’d never said the words, but she finally felt like she’d burst if she didn’t.

Max went totally still for a moment, staring down at her.  “I didn’t think you’d ever say that to me.”

“I just couldn’t before now.  I’m not sure why, but every time I tried the words just stuck in my throat like a giant chunk of cookie.”  She reached up to stroke a strand of hair out of his eyes.  “I’ve felt it for a long time, though.  Since before I ever left Massachusetts.”

“I could see it in your eyes, but it makes me feel so much better to hear you say it.”  He dropped a kiss on her lips.  “I love you, too.  More than I ever dreamed I could love anyone.”  He studied her for a moment.  “Are you going to keep working at the battered women’s house?”

She nodded.  “I’ll cut back the hours I’m there, though.  I talked to your sister about letting Rose and Lily volunteer some time there today.  I think they would learn a lot, but also do a lot to help the residents there.” 

“I think that’s a really good idea.  I don’t want you doing too much.”

Harriett laughed.  “You’re not going to be one of those husbands who thinks their wife needs to be wrapped in cotton while they’re pregnant, are you?”  She hoped not, because she would go insane with boredom.

Max shrugged sheepishly.  “I didn’t think I would, but now that the time has arrived, I might just have to be.”

Harriett shook her head with a laugh.  “I’ll be fine.”

“What about your leg?”

Harriett frowned.  “What about my leg?  The baby isn’t growing in my leg, you know.”  She shrugged, certain her leg would be fine.

“I’m worried it will make it harder for you to walk.  Will you be okay?”

“I’ll be just fine.  I promise.” 

“Did you talk to the doctor about it?”

She couldn’t keep the smile from crossing her lips.  “Yes, I talked to the doctor about it.  He said there was nothing to worry about unless I gain a great deal of weight.”

“Good.  I don’t want to have to carry you everywhere for the next nine months, but I’ll do it if I have to.”
  He winked at her, letting her know he’d really do it happily.

She laughed out loud.  “I think you would.”  She stroked his face, staring into his eyes.  “I really do love you, Max.”

He hugged her close.  “I love you, too.  I’m so happy we’re having a baby.”

She grinned.  “Me too!”  Secretly she hoped this baby would be a little boy who looked just like Max.  She could think of nothing she wanted more in life than a child with the man she loved more than life itself.

Epilogue

Harriett leaned back on the couch and went through the pile of papers Higgins had brought her.  It was just one month before Rose’s birthday, and she was getting more than a little
impatient as she waited for Harriett to give her the three men she had to choose from.

She sorted the papers in the order she thought they should go in.  Five of the boys had been thrown out immediate
ly, because Higgins had found problems.  One had a drinking problem, another had killed a man in a fist fight, yet another had a gambling problem.  The other two were obviously after the money Rose’s parents had offered as a dowry.

Harriett looked through the remaining five.  She’d have to sit down with each of them and discuss their interest in Rose and see if it seemed genuine.  Her niece wasn’t going to marry any man who only wanted her for her money.

Anna, her son’s nurse, walked into the room carrying little Simon.  She took him from his nurse’s arms and held him close, absently unbuttoning the front of her dress so she could nurse him.  The doctor had told her that morning to stop nursing soon, because she was already carrying again.  She didn’t want to give up her closeness with Simon, but she’d do just about anything for his younger brother or sister.  She smiled at the thought of how Max’s face would look when she told him. 

She heard the door slam open and looked up to see Rose rush into her parlor.  “Aunt Harriett.  I found another man.  He’s perfect for me.  We have to add him to the list!”
  She held up a sheet of paper with a single name on it.

Harriett sighed.  “This is the last addition.  I’ve already gotten back all the information on the others, and was about to narrow it down to the best three.”

Rose looked sheepish.  “I’m sorry, but I was walking in the park today, and I saw him.  He’s beautiful and has the nicest teeth.”  Rose had a dreamy look on her face that reminded Harriett of how Hyacinth often looked.

Harriett blinked.  “Teeth?”

“They’re the most beautiful shade of white.  He’s a dentist.  Not a barber, but a dentist!  Do you believe?”  She sank down onto the sofa beside Harriett.  “He can fix my teeth anytime.”

Harriett laughed softly.  “I’ll have Higgins check him out, Rose.  I’m not making any promises, though.  And are you sure he’s interested in you?”
  Rose was so used to every man she met falling at her feet, that she would be surprised if a man wasn’t interested in her.

“All the boys are interested in me.”  Rose sat up straight and gave her aunt a scathing look.  “You know they’re all interested.  Even this one!”

Harriett just shrugged.  “I’ll do what I can, Rose.”  And she would.  She’d do her best to find the best man for Rose no matter what it took.

Rose stood and walked toward the front door.  “You’re on Mama’s side.  You don’t ever want me to marry.”  She slammed the door behind her.

Harriett sighed, looking down at the name on the paper that Rose had given her.  Higgins would be happy to check out one more man for Rose, but he was busy these days.  The house was full to capacity, and Alex was about to graduate and was trying to find just the right university.  Everyone was busy.  Didn’t Rose see that?

Max came in a few minutes later.  “What’s with Rose?  She just rushed past me and told me that all adults in her life are out to get her and never want her to be happy.”
 

Harriett laughed.  “She added a new man to her list.  He’s a dentist.  He can work on her teeth anytime.”

Max sat beside her on the sofa, chuckling.  “That certainly sounds like Rose.”  His finger went out to stroke Simon’s cheek before kissing hers.  “How are my favorite people doing today?”

“We’re good.”  She played with a curl of Simon’s hair as she nursed him.  “Higgins finished his investigations of the possible suitors for Rose.  I had to discard five of them, and then as soon as I’d done that she came in with another.  I’ll have to have Higgins check him out tomorrow.”

“Anything else exciting happen around here?” 

“Simon got his first tooth, and the doctor told me we’re having another baby.”
  She said the words as calmly as she could, hoping he would be shocked to the core.

Max smiled at Simon for a moment, “A tooth!  That’s great, Simon.”  He turned to look at her stunned.  “Wait.  You’re pregnant again already?”

She nodded, her eyes lit up with excitement.  “I want a girl this time, who I can raise to be independent and not have to marry the first man who makes eyes at her.”

Max shook his head.  “No girls yet.  I want to have three boys before we have a girl.  I need someone to help me fight off the boys.  We need big sticks!”

Harriett just laughed.  “I don’t think you have a lot of say in the matter, Max.  It’s up to God.”  She looked down at Simon as she wondered if he would be a man to fight for his sisters alongside his father.  It seemed so far away.

She finished nursing Simon and put him to her shoulder, patting his back gently to try to get a burp from him.  Max held out his hands and expertly took the little boy and put him to his own shoulder.  Harriett loved to watch Max with Simon because he was such a good father.  He was as gentle as he needed to be.

Max looked down at his son.  “If you get a sister this time, you’re going to have to be ready to help me.  Do you think you can do that?” he asked.

Simon turned his head to look at Max, seeming to understand every word, and then he let out a loud burp.  Max met Harriett’s eyes.  “Do you think that was a yes or a no?”

Harriett shrugged.  “I have no idea.  I’ve long since given up trying to understand baby belches.” 

Max sighed.  “I wish I could give up on it.  It plagues my every thought.”

Harriett giggled softly.  “You’re crazy, you know.”

He nodded.  “I do know.  And I’m going to be a father again.  Have I told you yet how much I love you?”

“Not in the last few hours.”

“Maybe I should remedy that.” 
His lips settled against hers, content with the woman he’d waited so long to marry.