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  Mother gave Jessa a slight push and she curtsied. “A pleasure, Miss Hopkins.”

  Claire returned the curtsy, though rather clumsily. “Likewise, Miss Poler.”

  Jessa turned to go anywhere but here. This girl—woman—could not be the woman Jason would want to marry. She remembered her from school. Poor, homely, friendless, and not at all interested in fashion or looking good because she always had her nose in a book or a perfect paper in her hand.

  “Jessa, could you please show Claire to the parlor?” Mother asked. “Jason, your father and I need to talk for a few minutes.”

  Jessa gritted her teeth. “Yes, Mother. Come with me, Miss Hopkins.”

  Jessa set a slow pace down the hallway and into the small room her mother called a parlor. “Have a seat.”

  Claire sat on a chair opposite her. “Thank you for welcoming me. I’m looking forward to getting to know you. I always wanted to be friends in school, but I never got the courage to go up and talk to you.”

  Jessa put on her best hostess smile while inwardly hating every word coming out of her mouth. “You’re welcome. Is Jason really courting you?”

  Claire’s face turned red. “Yes. Though I don’t know why. I know I’m not the most attractive girl in town and I’m also not the smartest. But Jason is such a good man, and I am honored to have him as my suitor.”

  Jessa schooled her face not to grimace. “Jason has always been nice to people who share similar beliefs. I must tell you, though, that he can be a bit of a stickler with those beliefs. If you have even one tiny difference of opinion, he will be all over you.”

  Claire’s smile faded slightly. “I haven’t ever seen that of him.”

  “I’m sure you haven’t. He’s probably trying to put on his good face every time you are around so you can’t see who he really is.”

  Jason and their parents walked in and Jason sat next to Claire. “Claire, did you tell Jessa what you found out today?”

  Claire ducked her head. “No.”

  “Why not?” Jason asked.

  “I couldn’t work it into the conversation,” she responded.

  Mrs. Poler picked up her embroidery. “You have certainly roused my curiosity.”

  Jason squeezed Claire’s hand and Claire cleared her throat. “My father has decided to run for mayor and he’s asked me to help him.”

  Mr. Poler smiled. “Jedidiah Hopkins for mayor. I do believe he would be a good fit in the office. And a better option than we have right now. My congratulations to you and your family. I hope the campaign goes well.”

  “Thank you.”

  The conversations continued, but Jessamine didn’t listen any more than was absolutely necessary. She loved being in society but hated not having it on her terms. Claire Hopkins was one person she would have never picked for her brother and one person she wanted to have nothing to do with. Nothing could be worse than to be forced into the company of people who cared nothing for their appearance. The evening couldn’t end soon enough.

  5. Claire

  The first time Jason noticed Claire was the first week he returned to the church where he had found Christ—or rather Christ had found him. Claire squatted on the ground surrounded by at least ten children. Her arms gestured in wide arcs and her voice rose and fell as she told a story to them. He crept closer and soon heard her telling the story of Noah and the ark.

  “Jason!” Jessa’s shrill voice interrupted his daydreaming.

  He shook his head and turned to her. “Yes, Jessa?”

  “You didn’t hear a word I said, did you?”

  He grimaced. “I’m sorry, no I didn’t.”

  She huffed. “What were you thinking about so hard?”

  “Claire.”

  Jessa wrinkled her nose. “Why would you want to think about her?”

  He chuckled. “Because I like her. A lot. Why do you like to think so much about Sidney DeBois?”

  Jessa’s mouth opened and shut a couple of times. “But why Claire? Couldn’t you have picked someone more attractive looking?”

  “She is.”

  “Ha. In your dreams, maybe, but not in real life.”

  Jason chewed his lower lip. “But she is beautiful. Her face lights up when she is around children and she uses her whole body to express herself when she is passionate about something. When the sunlight hits her hair, it makes her red curls turn into a brilliant gold color. She is also very talented and strong. I once saw her carrying a baby and two year old in her arms and she had another one—a little older—on her back. She’s also a very kind young woman who loves to help people, take care of and entertain children, and has a sweet disposition. She also loves God with all of her heart.”

  “And loving God helps her looks?”

  “I don’t see why her looks are so repulsive to you.”

  Jessa raised her eyebrows. “Have you looked at her? She has freckles all over her face, frizzy red hair that never stays where she puts it, she’s short and stout—”

  “That’s enough,” Jason said. “She may not fit your perfect model of a perfect woman, but she’s attractive in her own way and I happen to like her hair, freckles, height, and the fact that she has meat on her bones. You on the other hand look like you haven’t eaten a decent meal in the last five years you’re so thin. It can’t be healthy to eat that way. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do and I promised Grandma Beulah I would visit.”

  He didn’t wait for her answer, knowing he wouldn’t like it anyway.

  ***

  “I’m surprised your father is letting us walk to Grandma Beulah’s unchaperoned.”

  Claire cocked her head. “He trusts you and me. And he knows I can take care of myself.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean that I grew up with four brothers, so I know how to defend myself.”

  Jason started. “Four? Why have I only met two of them?”

  “Everett is in the army and off somewhere fighting Indians. Newton left five years ago and we haven’t heard from him since.”

  “Are they younger or older than you?”

  “Older. Everett is twenty-five and Newton is twenty-two. Everett and I have always been very similar. He’s the one who taught me how to defend myself. He didn’t join the army until about a year after Newton left, so when he decided to join, he knew I wouldn’t have any older brothers to protect me. Bennett and Hershel were only seven and ten at the time.”

  Jason smiled. “I’m glad he did teach you. I wouldn’t have thought to do something like that for my sister. Although, you do seem to be a lot closer to your brothers than I am to my sister.”

  “Why is that?”

  “Why is what?”

  “Why aren’t you and Jessa very close?”

  “I’m not really sure, but our relationship got worse after I became a Christian. Now she doesn’t like me at all. I try to get back to the way it was before, but she won’t listen to anything I say.” He looked around. “We’re here already. I guess time really does fly.”

  Claire laughed as they walked down the well-worn path.

  “Jason-dear!” Grandma Beulah exclaimed. “You came right on time. And with your lady-friend, too, I see. Come in, come in. I have some lemonade ready and waiting for both of you.”

  She ushered them onto the porch and Jason opened the door.

  “You two are a sight for sore eyes. I don’t like to complain, but my boys just don’t like to be around their ma much anymore. They’re either out in the field or in town. I don’t blame them any, of course. Keeping company with an old woman isn’t very interesting. My dear,” she looked at Claire and blinked, “what is your name again?”

  Claire smiled. “Claire.”

  “Ah yes, I remember now. My dear Claire, I suggest you never grow old. That way your children will want to live with you longer and stay around. Or at least raise ’em right so’s they actually want to get married. At least then you would have grandchildren around.”

  C
laire patted Grandma Beulah’s arm. “I will keep that in mind. And you can always become the adopted grandmother of our children if we end up getting married, and if God blesses us with children.”

  Grandma Beulah’s smile faltered and she blinked rapidly. “Oh, my dear. You are too sweet. I appreciate the offer and will gladly accept. And I’ll make a prediction right away. I think you two will marry before the year is out.”

  Jason gulped. “But it’s already August. That’s only four months.”

  “Five by my count,” Grandma Beulah contradicted. “You two have known each other for a month.”

  Claire giggled. “Even out here where courtships tend to go fast, that is a little too fast, I think.”

  Grandma Beulah clicked her tongue. “Nonsense. What else is there to know about each other?”

  “A lot,” Jason said.

  “Such as?”

  Claire cleared her throat. “What we think about different things, how we react in various situations, and what our beliefs are on biblical matters.”

  “You go to the same church, right?”

  “Yes,” Jason replied.

  “Then ya believe the same on biblical matters, don’tcha?”

  Jason shook his head. “Not necessarily. We may go to the same church, but we also read the Bible and might find things there we don’t agree on.”

  “Pish-posh. As long as you agree on the essentials, it doesn’t matter.” Grandma Beulah stood up and went to the icebox.

  “Can I help you with something?” Claire asked.

  “No, that’s fine. Sit there with your beau and get to know him better. I’ve always wanted one of my children to have a Christmas wedding.” She poured the lemonade into two glasses and set them in front of them. “There. Enjoy your drinks. I made it a little more tart than my boys like so they wouldn’t drink it up before you arrived. I needn’t have worried. They haven’t been inside since breakfast. Not even to get a lunch. I don’t know how they do it. They work so hard out there with very little food.”

  Jason held back a laugh. “When you get working real hard, you don’t usually think about food until the project is finished. At least that’s the way it was for me when I was working on the ranches.”

  Claire looked at him. “You worked on ranches?”

  He swallowed his sip of lemonade. “Didn’t I tell you that? Yes, three of them for two months each or so. I learned a lot. It was hard work, but very rewarding.”

  Claire nodded. “I can understand that. I haven’t worked like that before, but I’ve done other work that is hard and rewarding.”

  Grandma Beulah leaned forward. “Do tell.”

  Claire smiled. “Mama and I spent a month teaching different women how to preserve their own food. Many of them grew up in motherless homes and didn’t know anything. I can’t believe how hard that was. The kitchen stayed in perpetual heat, we always had people around, and my feet hurt for weeks afterward from all the standing. But the joy on each of the lady’s faces made it all worth it.”

  Grandma Beulah chuckled. “What a wonderful thing to do. I wish I had thought to do it. Maybe I could have found a wife for one of my sons.”

  Claire smiled. “Mama and I are talking about doing it again. Would you like to join us?”

  “No, no,” she protested. “I would only get in the way. And I couldn’t get there anyway.”

  “Nonsense,” Jason borrowed her phrase. “I could get you there, and I’m sure you could be useful, too.”

  Grandma Beulah shook her head. “I don’t have the stamina of the young ones.”

  Claire chewed her lip. “If you can’t help cut, stir, or can, you can regale us with stories, advice, or other nuggets of wisdom. I know you would be good at that.”

  Grandma Beulah paused, blinked her eyes rapidly a few times, and scratched her chin. “Huh. An interesting idea. I think I could do that. Send your Jason out here when you decide to do it. I’ll tell my boys there may be a few days they need to fend for themselves. They won’t care.”

  Claire’s chair scraped against the floor as she stood up and went to hug Grandma Beulah. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome, dear. And now I think it’s about time for you two to leave. You’ve kept an old woman company long enough and have better things to do with your life than spend hours with me.”

  Claire squeezed her harder. “How about we make supper for you before we leave?”

  Grandma Beulah shook her head vehemently. “No, no, no. I can’t have you do that.”

  “Why not?” Jason asked.

  “My boys are very particular.”

  “Which is why you will be supervising,” Claire said. “What were you going to make tonight?”

  6. Sidney DeBois

  Jessamine sat in front of her mirror, trying to find the perfect hairstyle for the day. Nothing she did looked good enough and she finally braided her hair, twisted it into a bun, and secured it tightly.

  “That’ll have to do,” she muttered.

  Knock, knock. Two sharp raps came through the door.

  “Come in,” she called.

  The reflection of her mother appeared in the mirror. “You have a visitor in the parlor.”

  “Who is it?”

  “Sidney DeBois.”

  Jessa’s face lit up and she jumped out of her chair, causing it to fall backwards as her full skirts tipped it over. “Really?”

  “Yes.”

  Jessa clapped her hands together. “Thank you, Mama.”

  Mrs. Poler smiled and watched her daughter nearly fly out the door and down the stairs.

  Jessa got to the middle of the stairs, paused, and took a deep, calming breath before sedately traversing the final steps to the parlor.

  She smiled graciously as she entered. “Good morning, Mr. DeBois.”

  Sidney stood up and bowed. “Good morning, Miss Poler. Thank you for seeing me today.”

  Jessa curtsied. “You are most welcome. Would you like some tea?”

  “No, thank you. I can’t stay long.” He cleared his throat. “Shall we sit down?”

  Jessa’s cheeks burned. “Yes, of course. Please excuse my manners.”

  Sidney smiled hesitantly and sat down. He rubbed his hands on his legs. “I talked with your father yesterday and he gave me permission to talk to you today. Would you do me the honor of allowing me to come calling on you?”

  Jessa drew in a sharp breath. “Yes, I would be honored to have you come calling.”

  Sidney blew some air from his mouth. “Is there anyone I need to compete with?”

  Jessa giggled. “No one.”

  He smirked. “Good. I will come on Wednesday then, if that works for you.”

  She fluttered her eyelashes. “Perfectly, Mr. DeBois.”

  He stood up. “Excellent. I look forward to Wednesday evening with bated breath.”

  Jessa rose and sidled closer to him. “As do I.”

  Sidney took her hand and kissed it lightly. Jessa’s heart tried to beat its way out of her chest.

  “Until then,” Sidney said.

  Jessa could only smile and nod as her voice refused to do its job and Sidney left the house. She watched him saunter up the walk and onto the street. As soon as he was out of sight, she let out a very unladylike squeal and ran to find her mother.

  ***

  Wednesday came and Jessa spent all day preparing for Sidney’s arrival that evening. She even went so far as to help her mother a little with the meal so it could be perfect. Most of her time she spent in picking the perfect dress, the perfect hairstyle, the perfect necklace, the perfect gloves, and the perfect shoes.

  She chose a lavender dress with an empire waist, deep purple cording along the seams, white lace around the cuffs, and a puffed, gauzy material in the middle of the sleeve. It wasn’t quite in fashion anymore, but Jessa thought it was the dress that set off her skin tone and hair to look their best.

  The clock struck six, and seconds later someone rapped on the front door. Jes
sa patted her hair and opened the door.

  “Good evening, Mr. DeBois. Please come in. Mama almost has dinner ready.”

  “Thank you, Miss Poler. You look lovely this evening.”

  Jessa lowered her eyes demurely. “Thank you. Would you care to sit in the parlor until dinner is ready?”

  “Yes, thank you.”

  Jessa led the way and they sat on the settee together.

  “I really like your hair that way.”

  Jessa touched the back of her head. “Thank you. I like it, too. It is simple, but elegant.”

  “Yes, it is.”

  Jessa looked down at her lap. “What do you do for a living?”

  Sidney wrinkled his nose. “Father is trying to teach me to be a politician. He wants me to become a senator or governor someday. Maybe even a president.”

  “And you don’t want to?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. I do like to talk and I am pretty good at it. There is a lot of money in politics, so a politician can keep his family in comfort without having to do some menial labor. Thus politics is probably the best thing for me to do.”

  Jessa gazed at him. “What has your father been teaching you?”

  “Mostly the practical things. Stand tall and straight, act like a gentleman, be a gentleman, marry a pretty girl, or if that doesn’t work, marry a rich girl.”

  Jessa giggled. “I’m sorry. I don’t really know why I am laughing. I found it funny is all.”

  Sidney smiled. “I suppose it could be.”

  Mrs. Poler peeked her head in. “Supper is ready. Welcome to our home, Mr. DeBois.”

  Sidney rose. “Please, call me Sidney.” He looked beside him to Jessa. “Both of you. Mr. DeBois is my father.”

  Mrs. Poler smiled. “Very well, please come to the dining room, Jessa and Sidney.”

  Jessa stood up and threaded her arm through Sidney’s. “Gladly.”

  They walked together to the dining room. Sidney greeted Mr. Poler before they sat down.

  “Good evening, Mr. Poler. It is a pleasure to see you again, sir. How do you do?”

  Mr. Poler took his offered hand and shook it. “I am well, Mr. DeBois. How do you do?”