Chapter Six #2
Hubert extended his hand without moving his head, his fingers intertwining with hers.
She gingerly stepped over his legs and nestled herself next to him.
Reaching behind her, she retrieved the plate, setting it down on the blanket between them as a sort of barrier.
He had opened his eyes, and Prudence felt her cheeks flush slightly.
“What’s all this?” He waved his hand over the food.
“This is a light snack while we get to know each other. I wanted us to spend time together, but I don’t really know how to do whatever happens next. If the stagecoach to Sterling is anything like the one I rode out here, we won’t have any privacy to discuss things.”
Prudence couldn’t help but admire the way his fingers delicately grasped a slice of bread, following the movement as it made its way to his mouth. This simple action completely captivated her.
“You are very smart. This seems like a wonderful afternoon. What do you want to know?” Hubert’s eyes search her face as he thoughtfully chewed the open-faced sandwich.
“Let’s start with something easy. You mentioned the wives in Sterling. How big is the community? What is your church like?” Prudence tucked her toes under the quilt, settling onto her side, ready to absorb everything.
“Including myself, there are nine men, four wives, a handful of kiddos and Mama H.”
“That’s Mama Holstead? As in the Mama H, who owns this house?”
“Yes, that’s Charlie’s mama. She came out in December to see the grandbabies and left the house in the care of my mother to use as she sees fit. It’s how they came to put you up here.”
“Your mother, bless her heart. Did they tell you I walked into your father’s church and announced I was his bride in front of a room full of people?” She pressed her hands against her cheeks. “When I realized what I had done, I was mortified. But your mother was so gracious.”
“I heard it mentioned. You’ll have to tell me how you came to that conclusion. Also, whether you would have married my father if he was your intended.”
Prudence shifted herself on the floor and rested her back against the settee. Moving the surrounding pillows to form a little cocoon, she snuggled down and pulled the quilt up to her chin.
“It all happened rather suddenly. Mrs. Chapman told me when I arrived to go to the church. She told me she had sent a wire. When I got off the stage and asked where I could find Reverend Fitzgerald, they sent me up to the church. No one mentioned there were two of you, and there was nothing in your letter to let me know your father was the minister here in Omaha.”
“Mother wrote me a letter letting me know you were arriving. Had I had enough notice, I would have been here to greet you on the stage.” Hubert shifted, adding more wood to the fire.
“I think it was better this way. Everything happened so fast that having a week to myself let me greet you with a better version of myself. Why did you come here instead of to your parents when you arrived?”
“I expected you to be with my parents. Will you sing every day?”
Prudence shook her head. Her singing was not something anyone needed to hear.
“You should. Praising the Lord with your voice and doing something you enjoy are both important.”
“We’ll see,” she deflected.
“Why did you cry during the sermon?”
Swallowing hard, she thought about her answer. Reaching towards the plate, she busied herself with a piece of bread while she gathered her thoughts.
“You talk about God lovingly. There was a kindness in your sermon that I’ve never heard before, and I suppose it overwhelmed me a bit.”
The sound of him shuffling had her spinning to look at him. There was a hardness in his face now, and instinctively she scooted away from him. This made his eyes narrow further.
“What did I do wrong?” she whispered.
Hubert shook his head, and his face shifted to a more passive look. “Why are you afraid of me?”
“I’m not.”
“The way you just moved as if I would strike you, tells me a different story.” Another shake of his head, and he continued. “God is a loving Father. All-powerful, yes, but we’re His children and He cares for us. There is a kindness there.”
“That is not the God that I know.”
She watched as his eyes flashed to the ceiling and his throat bobbed. This was not how she wanted her first day of marriage to be remembered. The momentary flash of fear was fading. This was Hubert. Her husband. He had shown her nothing but kindness. She had to remember that he wasn’t her father.
“I’m sorry, Hubert.”
She desperately fought the urge to flinch as his hand came up to cup her cheek. A smile teased the corners of his mouth.
“When I’m angry, I go for a walk. I’ve never hit a person in my life, and I do not intend to start now. God loves you, Prudence Fitzgerald. I have an obligation to love and care for you for the rest of our days. I will not strike you.”
His thumb reached out to swipe away the tears that fell onto her cheeks, and she sat, not knowing what else to say or do. This was not how she had intended the day to go.
“I’m going to run up to my parents and gather my things. When I get back, we can talk some more if you’d like. I’ll need to know if you’re not comfortable leaving with me for Sterling, or if I should plan for you to stay here longer.”
Blinking, the words swam in her mind. He was giving her a choice. That was something she’d prayed for almost since her mother died.
“Of course I’ll go to Sterling. I can’t say that I will not be a mess, but I trust you to do what you say. I’ve made a commitment.”
His hand fell away, but she didn’t have time to miss his touch before he picked up her hand, turning it palm up. He watched her as he brought it to his mouth. “We will find our path, as long as we keep the Lord in front of us.”
The brush of his lips sent tingles racing up her arm, and then he was standing, withdrawing his touch from her once more.
“Finish your snack and I’ll be back soon.”
Prudence nodded and tried to calm her racing heart. The encounter had caught her off guard, stirring up memories she had long buried. Her father’s anger, his violent outbursts, had shaped her perception of love and God. She had carried those scars with her for far too long.
As she sat by the crackling fire, Prudence closed her eyes, summoning the strength to confront her fears. She knew deep down that Hubert was not her father. He was different, kind-hearted, and compassionate. Yet, breaking free from the chains of her past would not be easy.
Hubert’s jaw ached from clenching it tightly, trying to keep his emotions in check as his wife shared her life experiences. He didn’t pay attention to the people he passed on the way to see his parents. They could judge him all they wanted, but his marriage was off-limits.
As he walked, Hubert regretted not bringing Silas with him, as he was the friend who always seemed to know how to handle difficult situations. Hubert felt ill-prepared to comfort Prudence and provide her with the balance she needed.
When he finally arrived at his parent’s door, he released his jaw with a loud pop.
Rubbing the side of his face, he let himself into his mother’s kitchen, where he found his parents in the middle of lunch.
Shaking his head, he didn’t stop for conversation, instead carrying on to his room and roughly shoving things back into his travel bag.
“What’s happened?” The sound of his father’s voice didn’t surprise him, but Hubert was almost afraid to speak for fear of shouting. “Is Prudence all right?”
Closing his bag, Hubert turned to face his father. “She doesn’t know a loving God, and when we were talking, she flinched as if I would strike her because we disagreed.”
His pa nodded, understanding shining in his eyes. “And you don’t feel you can do anything about it?”
“How does a man become a minister and not share the love of God with his people? How does he become a father and not share his own love with his children?” Hubert clamped his mouth closed once more, breathing deeply through his nose.
“This is not the first preacher you’ve come across with these beliefs. Remember the man you met on the trail to Sterling?”
Hubert nodded, thinking back to the fire and brimstone preacher. Immediately, he was overcome with the desire to pray for their congregations and communities. “But I could speak to him directly. Not seeing the carnage he’s left on a spirit.”
Pa’s hand came down on his shoulder. “Hubert, you’ve never wanted a bride.
You were content to follow what God called you to do.
Then you were called to take a wife and a helpmate.
Now here she is. Can you imagine another man qualified in the eyes of the Lord, with a gentle spirit and a giving heart to nurture her back to her faith? ”
Humbled by his father’s words, Hubert shook his head, tossing his hands in the air.
“And I left her!”
“Did you tell her where you were going?” Pa lifted one eyebrow.
“Of course.”
“Then it will be fine. It sounds to me like you were both in an emotional state. Now you’ll gather your things, which you’ve done. Kiss your mother goodbye and return to your wife.”
They both exited his childhood room and started back down the hall. “Do you have any other advice?”
“Well, son, women are a bit more vocal than we men are. If she’s not talking to you, it means you’ve done something wrong and should probably fix it. Don’t rush things, and you’ll find your way.”
“Who’s in trouble?” His mama looked up from the sink when they returned to the kitchen.
“Probably me, Mama, but I’ll fix it.” Leaning down, he kissed her cheek before straightening. “Thank you for taking care of Prudence before I got here. Be sure to collect the foodstuffs tomorrow.”
“You’re a good boy. Remember to ask, not demand things from your wife, or your mother, and the Lord will carry you the rest of the way.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
He felt considerably lighter leaving than he had when he’d arrived. They had the rest of their lives to find their way, and if they were working toward the same goals, it would work out.
Arriving back at the house, he found her sitting where he’d left her. “Prudence?” he called cautiously as he stood in the doorway. “How are you feeling?”
She turned her head slowly towards him and gave him a sad smile.
“I don’t want to deceive you. I’ve prayed for very specific things.
A way to leave my home. A husband who needed a helpmate and for God to use me for His purpose.
Hubert, I don’t know what I’m doing.” She popped up off the floor and turned to watch him, where he stood in the doorway.
“It looks like we came to the same decision then.” He set his bag down and strode back into the living room to stand in front of her, offering his hands.
“What’s that?” Her fingers hesitantly settled atop his.
“Neither of us knows what will happen next, but we have time to figure it out together.”
“I like that.”
“Then it’s settled. Shall we get back to our picnic so you can ask me something embarrassing?”
“You can tell me how you’ve made it to thirty-something and never kissed a girl.”
“I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”