The Marriage Bargain

She barely opened the door. “Do you have a lamp? I put mine out and don’t know where the matches are.”

“Yes.” Edward retrieved a lamp from the table by his chair near the fireplace and handed it to her. “I’m sorry to bother you. I’m having a bit of trouble getting to sleep. I usually read the Bible at night.”

“I understand.” She turned into the room and found the well-worn book. “I was just saying my prayers.”

A smile lit his eyes. “I hope you said one for me.”

Glad for the relative darkness, she passed the lamp back to him as her cheeks flamed warm. “I did. And for Ellen, too.” She handed him the Bible and backed away from the door.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” She looked over her shoulder into the room. “I guess I’ll turn in now.”

He nodded. “Well, good night, then. I’ll see you in the morning. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”

“Yes. I’ll be ready.” She closed the door and leaned against it. How would she ever get to sleep tonight? An exciting adventure into independence had turned into the journey that would last her lifetime. She prayed God would give her the strength to make it.

When she awoke the next morning, the cabin was quiet. She dressed without delay, grateful she’d thought to bring her pitcher and bowl with her. The privacy of Edward’s bedroom shielded her from having to face her new life before she was alert. She opened the shutters over the window to be greeted by a sun much higher in the sky than she’d expected. How had she slept so late?

Opening the door into the front room, she braced for her first encounter with her husband. Her husband.

God, give me strength.

This was quickly becoming her constant prayer. God must be showing His sense of humor today, because Edward was nowhere to be seen. She took a peek into Ellen’s room. Everything was just as it had been the night before.

Sunlight streamed through the windows in the front room. No time for breakfast now. She went back to her room and snatched up her hat and coat. This was no way to begin her new life. What would Edward think of her shirking her responsibilities on their first day of working to repair the shop?

Lily walked across the street without seeing anyone. She found the shop empty, too. Where was Edward? She hung her hat and coat on the hall tree and got to work. A full hour later the front door opened. Edward came in carrying a package wrapped in brown paper. He propped it in the windowsill and shrugged out of his coat.

“Oh, good. You’re here.” He hung his coat next to hers. “Did you sleep well?”

“Where were you?” Lily’s stomach growled in hunger.

“Excuse me?” Edward went to the front door and started to remove the wooden trim from around the window he’d broken so he could get into the shop on the night of the fire.

“I’ve been here for over an hour. I thought we were going to work together this morning.” Why didn’t he look at her? Was he as uncomfortable as she was?

“I’ve been working for several hours, Lily.” He dropped the trim pieces into a pile at his feet and scrubbed the end of the hammer along the edge of the frame to remove the remaining bits of broken glass.

“I wish you’d awakened me.” Lily had established a comfortable working relationship with Edward as her landlord. But today he was also her husband. She didn’t know how to behave toward him.

“I knocked on the door.”

“I didn’t hear you. You could have made certain I was awake.”

He dropped the hammer into the small box of tools near his feet and turned to her. “Really?”

“Of course.” She backed up a step from him. “I wanted to be here early. I don’t know when I’ve slept so late.”

“How was I supposed to respect your privacy and wake you without coming into the room?”

Lily looked at her feet. “Oh. I see.” She walked to the glass display case and picked up the rag she’d been using to wipe the soot from the furniture. Edward must be as off balance by their situation as she was.

She heard him tearing the paper from the package he’d brought with him.

“Will you hold this glass steady while I nail the trim work back into place?”

She dropped the rag and brushed her hands together. “Certainly.”

Edward set the pane on the lip of the frame and held it steady. “Put your hands here and here.”

Lily followed his instructions. He stooped to pick up the first piece of trim and slid it between her and the door. She stretched as far as possible to one side, so he could hammer without hitting her. He worked with several small nails between his lips. Each time he hammered one into place he retrieved another.

Talking around the nails, he admitted, “I knew you hadn’t slept the night before. You needed the rest.”

“I’m sorry.” She shifted so he could put the next piece of trim on the opposite side of her, all while holding the pane of glass. “I wanted to help you.”

“There was nothing you could do this morning. I was picking up the supplies we need.” He tapped the last piece into place, and she backed away. It was difficult to be so close to him working, knowing neither of them had intended to be working together at all, much less as husband and wife.

“Well, all the same, I’d have been here if I were awake.” Her stomach rumbled again.

“Let me guess.” He picked up the box of tools and headed for the workroom. “You didn’t eat breakfast.”

She followed to retrieve the broom and dustpan. She might not have gone with him to buy the supplies, but she would clean up the mess. “No. I wasn’t sure where you were. I was late enough as it was.”

He dropped the box onto the workbench. “Lily, we need to establish some kind of expectations for our relationship and act accordingly.”

She stilled, broom in hand, and leaned against the doorway between the shop and the workroom.

Edward exhaled as if he were gathering his nerve. “We were able to work together in a friendly manner before the fire. I’d like for us to continue to do that. We’ve both been on pins and needles since we decided to get married. We both did it for noble reasons. Do you think you can relax? I declare, the more nervous you are around me, the more nervous it makes me.” He stopped and drew in a deep breath.

A rumbling laugh bubbled up in her throat. She tried to swallow it but couldn’t. “You’re so right. We’re no different than we were two days ago.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Maybe a little different.”

She did laugh then. “Yes, but we’re the same people. With the same goals.”

“Some of the goals are different, too.” He scrunched up his face a bit.

“You know what I mean.” She stepped forward and put a hand on his arm. “I agree with you. Let’s continue as the friends we were becoming before the fire.”

“Good.” He looked at her and then at her hand on his arm.

She dropped her hand. “I’m glad we got that settled.” She turned to go back into the shop and sweep up the glass.

Edward followed her. “Would you like some lunch?”

“Yes, I would. As soon as I sweep up this mess, I’ll go upstairs and put something together for us. All my food stores are still here.”