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“Sounds good to me.” He wiped off his mouth and stood. “You finished yet?”
She stared at the big pot of food and nodded. “But let’s get the food into the ice box. We’re going to want to eat it for our noon meal tomorrow. And possibly for supper.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “I’ve gotten into the habit of returning immediately after church and changing into my britches again. It’s so much easier to work in pants.”
He grinned. “I can see that. You go change, and I’ll chat with Walt.”
Charlotte looked at her son. “Do you mind staying with Earl?”
The boy shook his head.
Charlotte hurried away and put on one of her day dresses. They were in perfect condition because she hadn’t worn them in a full year. She liked the idea of being able to wear dresses again.
While she was in her room, she brushed her hair from her face and put it back into a simple knot. She’d taken to just tying it back with a ribbon and going on with her day. On a more difficult day, she’d just shove it all up under her hat and fight with the tendrils that framed her face all day.
Stepping back into the kitchen, she saw that Earl had put on a shirt, and was sitting at the table talking to Walt, who was smiling slightly. She hadn’t seen Walt react so well to a stranger since…well, it had never happened.
“I’m ready,” she said softly, loathe to interrupt them. But it was already seven on a Friday night, and she knew the pastor went to bed early.
“Walt and I will hitch up the wagon.”
“I can help,” she said. “It’s not like I’ve never done it in a dress.”
“You won’t today. You just sit and rest a bit. Right, Walt?”
The boy nodded emphatically, following Earl out the door. As she watched them leave, Charlotte knew that even if Earl wasn’t the right man for her to marry, he was the right new papa for Walt. The boy was already doing as he said and seeming happy to be around him. It was more than she could have asked for.
She sat on the sofa in the parlor, watching out the window as they hitched up the wagon. Earl had a way with her boy that really surprised her. Walt was doing everything he was told and running to get whatever Earl needed. It was a joy for her to watch.
When they were ready, she went out and Earl politely handed her up into the wagon. She hadn’t used the buggy since Howard’s death, but she was happy using the wagon. The buggy seemed like too much, and even the thought of hitching it herself was overwhelming. The farm wagon was just what was needed for any trips to town.
Charlotte directed Earl in which way to go the entire way, but really, it was only a few turns. “The parsonage is right next to the church,” she told him as soon as the church’s steeple came into view.
At the parsonage, he helped her down, and then lifted Walt, making the little boy giggle when he tossed him in the air and caught him so easily. The three walked up to the house together, and Charlotte knocked.
The pastor himself came to the door, and Charlotte smiled as his welcoming grin became less pronounced. He’d never approved of her. Not one little bit. “What is it you need?” he asked, obviously looking down on Charlotte.
“I’m here to get married,” Charlotte said, becoming no-nonsense even as the pastor did. Why couldn’t people believe she wasn’t the evil they’d come to think of her as.
The pastor’s gaze landed on Earl. “And who are you?” Charlotte noted that the pastor didn’t open the door wider to let them inside.
Earl put his hand on Charlotte’s shoulder and another on little Walt’s head. “My name is Earl Miller, and I’m here to marry Charlotte. I’m sorry for the lateness of the hour, but we both just finished doing our work for the day, and we’d like to be married immediately.”
The pastor hesitated, but then he opened the door wide. “Come in. I’ll get my wife to witness it.”
Charlotte wanted to kick the man, but she didn’t bother. She was a member of his congregation after all, and her reputation didn’t need to have violence added onto it.
The ceremony was performed quickly with no frills. When the pastor pronounced Earl could kiss his bride, Charlotte froze. She hadn’t been thinking about that part of the ceremony. Earl turned to her with a slight smile, and to her surprise, he seemed reluctant to kiss her as well.
He brushed his lips right beside her mouth, touching her in no other way. No one watching would realize it hadn’t been a real kiss, but Charlotte did. It was odd that he wouldn’t kiss her when given the opportunity, and she was sure she’d ask him about it as soon as Walt was in bed—if not before.
They thanked the pastor and headed out to the wagon when a thought occurred to Charlotte. “Were you married before?” she asked.
Earl shook his head. “No, I was supposed to marry two years ago, but my fiancée died.”
“I’m so sorry. What happened?”
He took a deep breath, as if talking about it was extremely difficult. “She was a victim of a kidnapping and sold by some bad men in our town. When she returned, we began courting, but her reputation was ruined. Everyone knew she’d been sold for her sexual favors.”
“Oh, that’s terrible!”
