Chapter 37 #2
“He is fifty-eight.” Evelyn curled her arms around her book.
“This conversation is between me and your brother.” His mother pointed a finger her way before turning back to Ben. “I’m worried about your father. The doctors are guessing rheumatism. But I’m not convinced.”
Ben’s frown traveled all the way down to his heart. “Would it be so terrible if he worked out a compromise where he shared the management with Thorson?”
“Young Thorson?” His mother’s eyebrows rose to her hairline. “A man twenty-five years his junior? Share the editorship with someone who criticized Lincoln? Your father would be out of his sick bed tomorrow at such a thought.”
“You’d have me marry a woman I can no longer even tolerate?”
“You are the one who courted her. Your father and I never asked you to.”
“But you were delighted when I did.”
“Yes, of course. Olivia is a charming young woman, an accomplished pianist, with a caring heart. She visits the soldiers’ hospitals—”
“She also thinks quite a bit of herself and likes to be doted on by every bachelor under forty.” Evelyn twirled a wave of her hair around her finger.
“The point, young lady and young man”—Mother’s chair scraped against the floor as she stood—“is that you, Benjamin, started the trouble, and you’re refusing to keep your commitment.
You’ve offended the Edmondsons, and now you must shoulder the responsibility.
You must fight for the managing editorship of the paper.
You owe it to your father.” She drew herself up to full height and crossed her arms. “If you care anything for your father or have any gratitude for everything we have done for you over the years, you’ll give up any foolish notion you have of going back to Texas. ”
He dipped is gaze to the floor as the crushing weight of her words landed on his shoulders.
Evelyn nudged her toe beneath his knee, a show of support from their childhood days. “I could help with the paper, Mother. I love to write. And I can edit and organize—”
“You are a girl.” Mother slammed the ledger down like a gavel. “And the day is coming for your brother to be the man of the family.”
Ben pinched his chin as his mother marched out of the room.
Evie tipped her head to his shoulder.
Silence, save for the tick of the mantel clock and the crackle of the fire in the hearth.
He cleared his throat. “No one can stop you from writing, Evie. Write something, turn it in anonymously, and I’ll see that it gets in the paper.”
“You really care about this frontier girl?”
Air leaked from his lungs. “Yes.” His voice scraped. “But even if I can manage to get back there, chances of her agreeing to be my wife are about as slim as having a Fourth of July blizzard.”
“She’d have to be blind not to see all of your good qualities.” She bumped her knee against his.
“I’m afraid you must be thinking of the brother you used to have before the war.”
“I’m certain I am not.”
“Well, even if you’re not, Cora has had a hard life and endured many losses. She’s afraid that despite the qualities you mention, life wouldn’t be any better at my side.”
“Then she is either blind or doesn’t love you quite enough yet, because if she did, her love would overcome all.”
He chuckled. “You’ve been reading too many romance books.”
“Look at me.” She sat up straight and tugged his chin until his gaze met hers. “Do not give up on this woman. I see it in your eyes. You love her. And I’m glad you’ve stopped taking the medicine. Your eyes were never clear when you were.”
He smiled, despite his chain-weighted heart. “Thank you.”
“You could ask her to come here.”
“She’s fighting to hold on to her family’s ranch.
It’s all she has left of her family, except for a nine-year-old half brother.
It would be like tearing her heart out to ask her to leave it.
I went to Texas to save her ranch and provide for her, not steal her away from the land her family lived and died for. ”
Evie studied him for a moment. “If she loves you, she’ll come if you ask her.”
“Too many novels, Evie.” He squeezed her hand and stood. Best get out of there before she inflated his hopes. “But if you find a way for me to return to Texas in the future and plead my case with my fair maiden, without forsaking Father and causing mayhem, you let me know.”
“I will.” She hopped up and stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek.
Should he write Cora a different type of letter from his last two?
Declare his love as he had back in Texas?
But that would require hope. Hope that Cora might have a change of heart.
Hope he could somehow fulfill his obligation to his father without binding himself to permanent residence in Pennsylvania.
More hope than he could scrape together tonight.
The Lord had delivered him through harrowing battles and from the hell of Andersonville. Then led him to Texas, to Charlie and Cora. But why had the Lord put such an amazing woman in his life and left every door to their future shut? So that he could save their ranch?
Ben ran his hand over his hair. Cora and Charlie’s need and love for him and his wanting to be his best for them had helped loosen laudanum’s hold.
The Lord had worked in the situation to break the chains, although the shadow of the fetter remained.
The cravings had dulled significantly, not vanished.
But God had fortified his stomach and will.
Maybe that was another purpose for his time with Cora.
What did the Lord have to say about a future with Cora in light of his promise to his father? The Bible said that all things were possible through the Lord. But Scripture didn’t look lightly on a man not keeping his word.