Liberty Calling

Chapter 31

When I returned home that night, I could see that Mother already knew of Seth's proposal. Her smile was a little too wide, and a little too confident. I felt like teasing her, and pretending as though nothing had happened, but my joy was far too great even for that. And so without saying a word, I burst into happy laughter, and she embraced me as she hadn't in years.

A small party was held in our honor just two days later, for Mother had been planning it since Seth had spoken with her. It was terribly boring, for most of those in attendance were Mother's friends. It was clear the celebration was for her own enjoyment, not our own. If it had been of our choosing, there would have been dancing and music and laughter. But even still, Seth and I were pleased enough to be with one another. And I was more than happy when Mercy Taylor came to congratulate us, without a single shadow of a smile or happiness. Whether it was jealousy or confusion or anger that clouded her propriety, I did not know. Either way, the way her lip curled sourly when she wished us luck gave me a strange sense of satisfaction.

"You're smiling wider than when I proposed to you," Seth whispered as she walked away.

I blushed, and nudged him, making him laugh. "Oh hush."

The party ended by the afternoon, and with some light to spare, and on Seth's day of leave, we decided to accompany Levi and Charity back to their home. They walked just ahead of us, laughing, and all at once I understood that which I never could before loving Seth. I'd felt so abandoned by Levi, and so entirely baffled by his desire to marry Charity so quickly. Their wedding day had felt more like a day of mourning than of celebration for me, and I'd nearly hated Charity those first few weeks of being separated from Levi. But now...I wondered how he had waited so long. If it were in my control, I would marry Seth that same day, for it felt as though nothing else in my life mattered so much as being his wife.

Hannah met us along the road to Levi's home, with a letter addressed to me. I recognized the delicate handwriting in a moment to be Ada's, and took it along to read once I got to Levi's.

"How funny," I said, tucking the letter beneath my cloak in an attempt to hide it from the wind's greedy grasp. "I only wrote her yesterday to tell her of the engagement. She'll get two letters from me then, one right behind the other."

Seth smiled. "I do wonder how your cousin William will take the news."

I laughed, at first, but then my hand flew to my mouth and I gasped. "Oh, I had not even considered it! He'll be absolutely livid!"

"Would that I could see his reaction," Levi called over his shoulder with a smirk.

But, it seemed, William had other things on his mind.

I broke the seal of the letter open once sat beside the fire in Levi's library, and found inside not one, but two letters- one from Ada, the other from Aunt Mary.

My dearest cousin, read Ada's letter.

I write to you with little news, for life has been terribly dull since you went away. But I have missed you, and thought that perhaps writing would remedy some of that. Harland has been away much, managing Father's mines. You know, of course, that it is nothing unusual. But he has been gone far more frequently than typical, and neither of us can bear it. Every time he returns home to me, I feel as though I need to be by his side for every second, for fear that he'll be whisked away again. The children miss him terribly as well, and little Phillip has begun to cry so bitterly when his dear papa leaves him. I worry that I will have to confront Father and beg that he leave my husband be, for Harland will not.

I must admit, following your rejection of William's proposal, he fell into a terrible mood. For weeks, he would leave and not return, his whereabouts unknown to us all. After one such excursion, he returned to tell us he was engaged to be married. At his request, the wedding took place just five weeks following. His wife, Margaret, who he calls Peggy much to Mother's distaste, is a kind enough woman, though a rather energetic little thing. She is quite his opposite in every way, but they seem happy enough.