Teaching Patience (Homespun) (8 page)

Hugh nodded.  “That sounds like fun.  I guess the men keep right on working, though.”

Patience grinned.  “They do.  We work, too, but it’s different.  If you want, I could take Charlie with me on the picnics so he wouldn’t have to miss out on fun.”  She wondered if she was overstepping her bounds even as she asked, but she was more than willing to take Charlie under her wing during the summer months.  He should be able to have some fun with the other children and not spend all his time in the fields with Hugh.

Hugh blinked a few times.  “You mean you’d want him around during the summer when you didn’t have to have him there?”

Patience laughed.  “I like Charlie.  I wish he was more interested in school, but I genuinely enjoy having him around.” 

He squeezed her hand.  “I’d love for him to be included then.”

Charlotte and Bess exchanged a look and made their excuses. They could see the younger couple wanted to be alone together.  As they walked away, Charlotte whispered to Bess, “I remember when I felt like I was alone with James even in a crowded room.  Those two have eyes for no one but each other.”

Bess grinned, looking back over her shoulder at them, contemplating her sister-in-law’s words.  “You’re right.  I don’t think it’s going to be long before we’re going to be working on a wedding dress.”  She laughed.  “I wonder what Millie will think of being a grandmother.”

Charlotte giggled.  “Hopefully Patience will give her until she’s in her mid-thirties before she presents her with a grandbaby.”  Charlotte stopped short.  “Oh, but Charlie will be her grandchild immediately.  Millie’s only thirty-one.”

It was much later when Patience made her way outside to get a breath of fresh air.  Hugh stayed inside to talk to some of the other men about getting together to buy seed so they could get a better price. 

As she stepped out, she saw Agnes, an older woman in the congregation who had helped her family years before and had been instrumental in bringing her mama to Minnesota.  She had Charlie by the ear and was talking to him in a way no adult should ever speak to a child.
 

“You are a bad child.  I’ve never seen you do anything but get into trouble.  You’re rotten to the core.”  She pulled him across the churchyard by his ear.  “I don’t think you’re fit to play with the other children.”

Patience wasn’t sure what had happened, but she knew she wasn’t going to allow anyone to speak to a child like that in her presence.  She walked to Agnes and put her fists on her hips.  “Let go of that boy at once.  He’s here with me.”

Agnes dropped her hand and turned on Patience.  “He was running around the churchyard like a wild animal.”
  Her eyes were narrowed as they settled on Patience’s face.  Patience had never stood up to her before, and she was sure she’d back down now.

Patience indicated all the other boys who were running around playing tag.  “He was playing tag with the other boys.  My younger brother is still playing.  Why didn’t you stop him?”
  Patience already knew the reason.  Agnes didn’t pick on children who had a mother to watch out for them.

“Because this one is the ring leader.”  She nodded her head toward Charlie.

“No, he’s not.  My brother suggested this game of tag.  I heard him myself.”  She waited a minute for Agnes to think about what she’d said.  “You need to stay away from Charlie.  He’s one of my students, and I’m very fond of him.  I don’t appreciate you mistreating him.”

“Mistreating?  Well, I never!”
  Agnes stood clenching and unclenching her fists, obviously angry that someone had challenged her.

Patience reached out and drew Charlie to her side, hugging him with one arm.  “Please
, just stay away from him.”

She turned to go back into the church, but stopped short when she saw Hugh.  She dropped her hands to her sides, facing him, wondering how much he’d seen.  She wasn’t proud of the way she’d spoken to Agnes, but she’d seen a lot of un-Christian behavior from her, and had finally had enough.

Hugh hugged Charlie tight and sent him into the school.  “Go inside and have some dessert.  Don’t get into any mischief.”

Hugh turned to Patience and stood for a moment taking deep breaths.  He’d never in his life felt so much emotion as he did when he saw Patience sticking up for his little boy.  He’d thought she was pretty, and he’d admired her, but in that instance, he knew he loved her.

“Why did you stick up for Charlie like that?  You know he’s not perfect.”  He gripped her hands staring into her eyes.

She shrugged.  “No one is perfect, but no child should be spoken to that way.  I don’t care if he’s
the naughtiest child alive.”  She paused looking at his chin.  “Charlie is a good kid.  I enjoy having him in my class, and I enjoy being around him.  She had no right to treat him that way.”

“Thank you for being there for him when I couldn’t.”

She smiled up at him.  “You’re welcome.  I was happy to do it.”

He led her back into the church, knowing her father wouldn’t be pleased if he realized they were outside alone in the dark. 
He met her father’s eyes as they walked back inside.  He knew he’d have some explaining to do but didn’t want to do it there.  He walked over, with Patience in tow, and whispered quietly to George, “I need to talk to you when I drop Patience off.”

George nodded glad he’d have a chance to speak with the young man.  He liked the way Hugh made sure Patience was always beside him, and enjoyed Charlie a great deal.  He couldn’t think of a man he’d rather have for a son-in-law.

Hugh took Patience to a chair and told her to wait while he went to the refreshment table and got them each a piece of the cherry pie she’d brought and a cup of punch.  “How would you feel about going on a picnic with Charlie and me after church tomorrow?”

Patience smiled.  “I’d like that a lot.  I could go with the two of you, or if you’d like, you and Charlie could join my family and the two Hart families.  We always go on a picnic to the lake when the weather is decent.”

He thought about that for a moment.  He wanted to talk with her privately, and it would probably be easier to do with a bunch of people and other children for Charlie to play with.  “That sounds good.”

“
Yes, that’s where we go every Sunday.  I’ll make sure Mama and I pack extra for you and Charlie.”

As Hugh drove them toward her family’s farm, Patience found herself wishing the evening could have lasted forever.  She loved the time she’d spent with Hugh and Charlie and was glad they’d have more time together tomorrow after church. 

They talked in low voices as they drove through the dark, because Charlie had fallen asleep in the back of the wagon.  Patience looked over her shoulder at him and smiled.  “My papa would not be happy to know our chaperone fell asleep.”  Her voice was teasing.

Hugh laughed.  “Well, your papa’s going to have to live.  I’m not waking our chaperone up until it’s time to get ready for church in the morning.
  I’ll even carry him to bed.”

When they pulled up in front of her house, Hugh jumped down to give her a hand climbing down from the wagon.  She felt funny having him help her, because she’d done for herself for so long, but at the same time, it was nice to have him care for her.

She whispered good night, and walked toward the house.  George met her as he came out.  She smiled at him.  “Where are you going?”

“I need to speak to your young man.”

Patience’s eyes widened, but she didn’t say anything.  Instead she went on into the quiet house.  Everyone was asleep but her mama and Millie looked ready to fall asleep.  “I invited Hugh and Charlie on our picnic tomorrow.  I hope that’s okay.”

Millie nodded sleepily.  “Of course, that’s okay.  I’m glad you had a good time.”

Patience smiled.  “Oh, I did.  I think I love him, Mama.”

“I know you do.  I knew this was coming that day you came home and told me you’d told him you’d pray for him.”

Patience laughed, leaning down to kiss Millie’s cheek.  “Go to sleep, Mama.  I’ll see you in the morning.”

Outside, George went to Hugh.  “You wanted to talk to me?”

Hugh nodded.  “I know you didn’t like it that I was outside alone with Patience tonight, and I want to apologize for that.  I also want to let you know that nothing happened between us.”

“That’s good.”  George studied the younger man and waited for him to say more.

“I went to find her and check on Charlie, and she was giving one of the older women a piece of her mind for the way she’d talked to Charlie.  I didn’t get out there to see the whole thing, but I saw enough.  You have an amazing daughter.”

“Yes, I do.  She’ll make the right man a good wife.”

Hugh drew a deep breath.  “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.  I’d like to marry Patience, and wanted to ask your permission to ask her.”

George tilted his head to the side for a moment, not because he had to think about his answer, but because he thought a man should have to sweat as he asked permission to marry the girl of his choice.  “You sure?  It seems awful sudden.”

Hugh nodded.  “I’m in love with her.  She’s a good woman, and my son likes her a lot.  I think she’s what we need.”

George nodded then.  “
You can ask her.”

Hugh’s face split into a huge grin.  He was so glad Patience had such an understanding father.  Not many men would have been willing to let their daughter marry a man who’d been divorced.

He drove home slowly as he thought about exactly how he’d ask her.

*****

Hugh and Patience sat watching the children play at the picnic on Sunday afternoon.  The lake was calm and clear, and the weather was downright balmy.  It was hard to believe there’d been such a bad storm just a few days before. 

He reached over and took Patience’s hand in his own squeezing it tightly.  “I have something I want to ask you.”

She tore her eyes away from the children playing ball across the way.  “What’s that?”  She couldn’t believe she’d ever looked at him and not seen what a wonderful man he was.  How could he have made her so angry such a short time ago?

He looked down at their hands where they were joined on the picnic blanket and finally met her eyes.  “I’ve come to the realization that I want nothing more in life than to have you for my wife.   I asked your papa last night after I dropped you off, and he said ‘yes’.  Will you marry me?”

Her eyes widened in surprise.  She’d known he was interested in her, but certainly hadn’t expected him to ask her quite so soon.  She knew she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, though.  Hadn’t she told her mama she loved him just last night?  Slowly she nodded.  “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

He smiled, his entire face transformed.  “You won’t regret it!”  He squeezed her hand tightly. 

“Will you want me to stop working?”  Patience wasn’t sure if she wanted to keep working or not, but she knew she wanted to be able to work if she chose.

“That’s up to you.  If you want to continue teaching for a year or two until a child comes along that would be fine.  If you want to quit now, that would be fine, too.  We won’t really need your salary.”

“I’ll think about it then.  When do you want to be married?”  She thought of all the things that would need to be done before the wedding could take place.  She’d need to sew a new dress, and they’d have to plan a meal for the wedding supper.

He shrugged.  “As soon as we can make it happen!”
 

She laughed.  “Why don’t we wait until school’s out?  Maybe the Saturday after?  That way I won’t have to rush back to work.”
  She liked the idea of getting married in the early summer, and having months to get used to being married before she went back to teaching, if she decided she wanted to keep teaching.

“How long is that?”
  He hoped it was soon, because he really didn’t want to wait too long.

“About six weeks.”
  That should give her enough time to plan everything and do the sewing she’d need to do.  With Mama and Bess and Charlotte all helping, they could get a lot done in that short amount of time.

He sighed.  “That’s too long.”

She grinned.  “I need time to plan the wedding and make my dress.  Any sooner just can’t happen.”

“I guess six weeks will have to do then won’t it?”
  He sounded disappointed, but she understood.  She wanted to be a part of his life as soon as possible as well.

She stood up.  “Let’s go tell everyone!”
 

“Charlie first.”

She’d been heading straight for her mama, but she knew he was right.  Charlie should be the first to know.  It would affect his life the most.

They walked to where the children were playing and called Charlie.  He came running with a goofy grin on his face. 

Hugh reached out and ruffled Charlie’s hair.  “Got a question for you.”  He watched his son carefully, knowing how Charlie felt about their marriage would be very important to their future.

Charlie nodded.  “Okay.”

“How would you feel if Miss Stevens was your new Ma?”