THE PATH TO A PROMISE CHAPTER 3

 

CHAPTER THREE

The next day, Henry found his brother repairing harnesses in the barn at his farm. Tom Winters had learned the trade of harness-making by watching his father and uncles. They taught him well. He did all of his own work, rarely hiring out for anything. He was a skilled tradesman and made money on the side, working for others who might need their leather goods repaired, and he was proud of his work.

Tom spotted Henry standing just inside the open barn doors, the morning light casting long shadows across the dusty floor. The aroma of fresh hay and earth filled the air, mingling with the rich, warm cattle smell in the stalls. “Brother, it’s good to see you!” Tom called out, his voice carrying the warmth of his affection. A wide grin stretched across his sun-tanned face, revealing the deep lines etched from years of hard work outdoors. His broad, angular face, marked with weathered wrinkles, was freshly shaven.

Henry strode toward him, the weight of unspoken words heavy on his shoulders. His stomach churned with nerves, each step amplifying the anxious thoughts inside. How could he even begin to broach the subject of love and marriage? The question gnawed at him, tightening his chest. Stopping beside the rough wooden table where Tom worked, Henry swallowed hard, his throat dry. “Tommy,” he began, his voice barely above a whisper, “I need to get married.”

Tom dropped the harness onto the table with a thud, his eyes locking onto Henry's with a mix of curiosity and concern. Cocking a brow, he shook his head and let out a low whistle before drawing a deep breath. "Our folks taught you better than that, Henry. Who’s the girl?”

“Olive Johnson,” Henry stammered, his voice barely steady as he looked down at the dusty floor. His legs trembled, betraying the storm of nerves inside him, and his belly soured like milk left too long in the summer heat. The sunlight filtered through the barn's cracks, casting narrow beams of light where dust motes danced in the air. Henry inhaled deeply, the familiar smells of leather, hay, and earth filling his lungs while the distant squeals of pigs and piglets echoed from the back of the barn.

"Lizzie’s sister.” Tom's breath hitched. His gaze, sharp as a hot blade, bore into his younger brother. "When’s the baby due?”

Henry’s head snapped up, his stance growing rigid with disbelief. His hands instinctively clenched into fists. “Baby? There ain’t no baby!”

Tom’s face paled, the color draining away as he uncrossed his legs and stood to his full height, his arms falling to his sides. “Olive’s not in the family way?”

“I haven’t even kissed her yet!” Henry's voice sputtered with a mix of frustration and indignation.

Tom’s laughter exploded, filling the barn with its clear, hearty sound. He slapped his leg with his left hand while wiping his forehead with his right. “Praise the Lord, Brother! You know what Pa will do if you get a girl in trouble.”

Henry’s face twisted in irritation. “I outta whip you right here, Tom!”

Tom threw up an arm in mock defense, stepping back with a grin. "Now, hold on. When you tell me you gotta get married, what am I supposed to think?”

Henry froze, the reality of Tom's question sinking in. He exhaled slowly. “Maybe we need to start this conversation over.”

“That’s a good idea. Sit down and tell me.”

Henry eased himself onto the table creaking under his weight. He met Tom's gaze. “Pa told me I need to find a wife so I can get my land.”

“He said he talked to you.”

“I think she's the one I want to marry.”

“You think? You don’t know?” He frowned, lifting a brow.  

Henry's defensive tone notched his ire even higher. “She’s the first girl who's caught my attention, but I don’t know the first thing about women!"

Tom's voice held a singsong lilt. “Baby brother’s gonna get hitched.”

Henry's expression fell flat. “There can’t be no hitching ‘till I start courting.”

“And you came to me for advice?” The older man’s demeanor changed. His broad chest puffed out, and his ears turned a light pink. He stood tall in his baggy overalls and work boots.

“You and Emma’s got a fine spread, a comfortable way of life, and a healthy family. I thought of you when I thought of advice.”

“Well, why didn’t you just say so when you first got here?” Tom continued to chuckle, throwing his arm around his younger brother. “Let’s go to the house and get some of Emma’s sweet tea. Maybe she’s got that cake baked by now.” The two men walked side by side to the big clapboard house Tom built after his marriage. The two-story abode was filled with young children, and another was on the way. All brought together by a faith-filled marriage.

Henry walked with Tom. “I can’t be too long, gotta get back to the farm.”

“Don’t worry, little brother. The rules of courtin’ won’t take long to learn. Number one is do what your woman wants, and you won’t have a lick of trouble!”                          Laughter rang out across the expanse of yard, carrying through the stand of trees and bouncing down the dirt road. Tom Winters stood over six feet tall, his circumference broad as an oak tree, and his jolly disposition defined him as a friend of many.

 

***

Later, when Henry arrived at Lizzie’s farm, he was ready to begin his daily duties. He put his horse, Moses, in the corral and walked to the house. It was a cold and clear day in Kings Valley. The fields were finished for the season, and November promised colder days ahead.

He couldn't wait to see Olive. After his brother’s talk about courting, confidence flowed through him. Tom told him a lot about women, love, and how to win a girl's heart. Everything his brother said made sense. Even though he had flirted with some girls at school, he was never serious. So, it hit home when Tom told him what to say and how to say it. Happiness bloomed in his heart. His inheritance was close.

Walking toward the farmhouse, he watched Pearl, the youngest of the Johnson children, go out the back door. She carried a big wicker basket. Working fast, she pinned wet clothing to the sagging clothesline. Dragging the wicker basket as she worked, she hummed a song.

Calling out a greeting so he wouldn't startle her, Henry stepped closer to Pearl.

Pearl screamed and bellowed, “Lord have mercy!” Twirling, she smacked him square in the face with a cold, wet dishtowel. She stood with her chest heaving her fists clenched. When she saw who he was, she cried, “Henry! Why did you do that?”

Grabbing his belly, he doubled over with laughter. Although his face stung, Pearl’s eyes were bigger than a hoot owl’s. She stood before him with an angry scowl, and he burst out with peals ringing like the church bell.

Lizzie stepped onto the front porch holding Clara Mae on her hip. Both were dressed in winter coats and woolen bonnets. Lizzie had a bag in her free hand. “What’s going on out here?” Looking at Henry and her sister, Lizzie’s brows rose slightly higher than they already were.

“This jokester scared the wits out of me!” Pearl accused. “And I hit him with a towel!” Pearl was a sober ten-year-old girl who usually wore a pinched look, her thick dark brows drawn in a bunch. She stuck out her tongue at Henry before returning to the wet laundry.

Henry’s chuckling subsided enough for him to speak. “It’s my fault, I scared her.”

Lizzie smiled. She was glad to see Henry early this morning. She was going to Rocky Corners to buy supplies and stop by the post office, but she didn’t want to leave Pearl alone. “Our mama taught us girls to defend ourselves. I see it worked!” She continued to the buggy.

When Henry apologized, Pearl half-turned and mumbled an acceptance. He grinned. Pearl could be sweet-talked into doing almost anything. “I’ll get busy in the cornfield, cutting down the stalks. Might gather the last of the old pumpkins to feed the hogs. By the way, tell Olive I’m here.”

“I’m going in the house to see Olive.”

“Then you’ll be disappointed!” Pearl’s words could have started a forest fire. She stopped pinning the towel to the clothesline and glared at Henry. “Mama and Daddy took her home with them lickety-split! They were both madder than old wet hens!”

As her words sunk in, he swallowed hard. “What are you talking about? When? Is she sick?” Questions twirled inside him like a tornado, and panic moved to his gut, settling into a giant, painful blob.

“You’ll be lucky if you ever see her again, Henry Winters!” Pearl gave him her best defiant stare as victory spread across her face.

“Now’s not the time to play games,” Henry insisted. "Tell me what you know.”

Pearl’s young face pinched into a deeper frown. She pinned the remaining clothes to the line and reached for the basket. Ignoring him, she started to the house.

“Pearl, please, what happened?”

“Why should I tell you?” She stopped. Turning toward Henry, her lips pushed into a pout.

A smile softened the worry line between his eyes. “I’ll get you some penny candy at Horton’s Store.” His words were sweeter than the sugar confection he promised.

Her face lit up, and she eyed him. “How many pieces?”

“How many do you want?”

Pearl put a finger to her lips, rolling her brown eyes and grinning widely. “Ten.”

Henry swallowed. Ten cents to get the truth out of her! He would pay more than that, but he had better accept the ten before she upped it. “Ten pieces of delicious peppermints. I’ll have them with me tomorrow.”

“Goody!” Pearl clapped her hands. He followed her into the warm house.

"Okay, Pearl, spill the beans."

“Well, Olive told Lizzie her secrets about you. They talked about courting and babies. When Lizzie told Mama and Daddy, they got furious. Daddy stomped his feet. Babies? He’d yelled. He cussed and yelled some more!”

Henry’s face burned. For several minutes, he couldn’t force a word from his mouth, try as he might. Feelings circulated on his face, revolving in his brain. Courting and babies? Horror settled over him because Bud Johnson was angry. The old logger was probably fit to be tied!

Swallowing his fear, Henry looked down at Pearl, who was waiting for him to speak. “Then what happened?” Although he was afraid to hear the rest, he had to know.

“Momma cried and yelled at Daddy. Daddy yelled back. Clara Mae was bawling like a newborn calf. Then he pulled down his jug. Lizzie joined the argument, and they told her to stay clean out of it. Then they sat together at the kitchen table and quieted down. After a few drinks, Daddy told Mama he knew how her mother felt years ago when he wanted to court her. Then Mama smiled, and then they both laughed! She told him to put away his jug, and he did after a couple more mouthfuls. Then, Mama hollered at me to gather some clothes because I was staying with Lizzie ‘cause they were taking Olive."

Henry blew out a breath. His arms felt like lead weights on a fishing pole. “What did Olive do?”

Pearl’s eyes narrowed. “My sister has a temper, but I have never seen her that mad at anyone. Even when Ben broke the bottom tree limb so she couldn’t climb her tree, she was mad, but not like this time! Why, Daddy threatened to hogtie her and throw her in the wagon if she didn’t do as he said!”

Henry ran his hand across his face, the stubble pricking him like Pearl's words. His ears burned a little. He was sorry that there was a blowup over him. He didn’t know Olive had such a temper. He started for the door.

“Don’t forget, you owe me that candy!”

Henry nodded at her as he went outside. He felt his inheritance slipping away. He’d have to find someone to marry if he wanted his rightful share of his father’s property! He did not see this turn of events coming. He swore under his breath. There was much information to think about before Lizzie returned from town.

 

***

Lizzie arrived at the farm, put away the supplies, fed Clara Mae, and then put her down for a nap. She prepared food for supper and practiced how she would relay the news to Henry. But she knew he would be angry no matter how often she rehearsed it. It was her fault that Olive was gone. What if Henry refused to help her on the farm? Could she manage all the chores with winter coming? Maybe Ben could keep up with all that had to be done. Asking Pearl to ring the dinner bell, Lizzie prepared to face Henry and admit what she had done. After the three ate their food, Lizzie and Henry remained at the kitchen table while Pearl retired to her bedroom to read.

In her quiet voice and solemn face, Lizzie started the conversation, but Henry put up his hand. “I know what happened.”

Lizzie blinked her eyes in disbelief, and her mouth dropped open. “Did you go to Pa’s?”

He shook his head. A lock of black hair fell forward on his forehead. He shoved it back into place. “Pearl told me.”

Tears pricked Lizzie’s brown eyes as she faced him. She told her story and apologized. She said that her father had already suspected something was going on. He was the first to question Lizzie about how far the relationship had progressed. “I should have said nothing and let Olive explain. I am sorry. Will you forgive me?”

Henry took it well. “The only thing I’m sorry about is that your parents took her away. At least I know how she feels. I know how I feel. And I know how your parents feel.” He looked at the woman sitting across from him at the table. “I saw how much Daniel loved you. And you returned that love.” Henry swallowed and continued, “I talked to my brother Tom about courting and women's stuff. He said there’s some rules to love that I need to learn. And I’m ready to learn them, and I’m ready to go to your father and explain myself now.”

Lizzie’s cheeks flamed pink. "I suspect they’ll give in,” she said, smiling her sweet and gentle smile. “If you'll wait for them to settle down. Give it a few days.”

“I suppose I need to get the courting rules down before I get too far into this deal.”

Lizzie scrunched her face. “What are the courting rules?”

“Tommy said I need to learn them quickly.”

“I think Tom's pulling your leg.”

A dark eyebrow shot up, and he stared at her. “That wouldn’t surprise me. I’ve been teased for years about not getting married.”

“Then it’s time you did something about it,” Lizzie said, chuckling and wagging her brows.

The dedication ceremony for the United Brethren Church was approaching. In a few days, he knew he would see Olive again. He was practicing patience, as his mama had asked. And he had found a girl to marry, as his father wanted. But was his inheritance a sure thing?