Love's Abiding Joy (Love Comes Softly #4)(6)

suitable date. They wisely agreed that a hurried wedding would not be a good start for their marriage, so August 27 was chosen. Clark and Marty would have no problem being home by then. Clare and Kate planned to live in Clark's first little log home, so Clare would spend the intervening time preparing the place for occupancy, and Kate would spend her time on new curtains and floor rugs.

Ellie asked many questions and advice on the running of the home and the tending of the garden--questions to which she already knew the answers, but she knew that it would help her mother depart with greater peace of mind if she explained it all again. Ellie assured Marty that she was looking forward to the experience, and Marty felt that it might truly be an adventure for the girl. Nandry and Clae promised to lend a hand if ever she needed assistance.

Luke took to making subtle comments on the coming separation. He suggested that it would be good for all of them to spend some time on their own and learn some independence. He pointed out to Marty that he would be spending most evenings studying for the entrance exams for college the coming fall and he would have very little time for socializing even with family members; the additional quiet of the house during their absence would be very helpful in giving him extra study time. Marty sensed that he was trying to put her mind at ease about going off and leaving him, and she appreciated his concern.

Many times a day Marty went through the mental sorting of what she wished to take. She eyed her garden, her canned goods, her sewing materials, her chicken coop--she even eyed the milk cows. She shook her head. How in the world would she ever decide? At length, she knew that she could never be sensible, so she asked for help from her family in the final decision. Eventually it was narrowed down to a list over which Clark did not mournfully shake his head.

At length Clark was given the go-ahead. He could set a date for departure. It seemed that within a few more days, Marty could be ready to go.

"When are ya leavin'?" asked Ma Graham when they had a minute together after the church service.



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Marty was relieved that she actually had a date.

"Well, we take the stage out from town on Wednesday, and go on over to catch the train out of the city the next mornin'," she replied.

"Ain't ya excited?" Ma asked, but didn't need nor wait for an answer. "My, I miss thet girl of yourn so much myself thet I can jest imagine how yer feelin'. Give Missie a big kiss an' hug fer me. I have a little somethin' here thet I want ya to take on out to her. I didn't dare send nothin' big--ya havin' so much of yer own stuff to tend to, so I jest made her a little lace doilie fer her table."

Marty hugged Ma warmly, the tears shining in her eyes. "Missie will 'preciate it so much," she said.

And so the packing of the crates, cases, and trunk was done; the clothes for travel carefully laid out; and the scattered items and thoughts collected. Many last-minute instructions, some necessary and some only for Marty's sake, were given to the three boys and Ellie. There was some measure of assurance in just reviewing them over and over.

Clare and Arnie had been farming right along with Clark for a number of years, so Clark had no doubts about their ability to care for things. They each had a piece of their own land to farm now, too, but they could handle it all in Clark's absence. They had been instructed to get help if ever they needed it, and Luke was anxious to be all the help that his studying time would allow.

It was understood without actually being discussed that Luke probably would never be a farmer. He had a very keen mind and a sensitive spirit and was presently leaning toward the idea of being a medical doctor. Clark and Marty felt he would be a great honor to them as a doctor, but Luke was not pushed for a commitment on his future.

And so the farming was left to the boys and the kitchen to Ellie. Marty knew that she was quite able to care for the needs of the brothers; still Marty fretted some as she thought of all the work ahead for the young girl.

The day of their departure dawned clear and bright. The warm sunshine spilled down upon the waking world. Marty



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was up even before Clark and, in her excitement, flitted about caring for last-minute things that really needed no attention. Her efforts were not totally without value, for it did give her something to do until it was time for them to load into the spring-seated wagon and head for town.

Their four children from home accompanied them, and when they arrived--too early--at the stagecoach offices, Nandry and Josh and their family, and Clae and Joe and Esther Sue were already there.

The excitement was felt by everyone and resulted in too many talking at once, too much nervous activity, and too many near-wild children. Clark grinned at the whole tension-filled bunch of them and called a halt to the bustle of activity and noisy chatter.

"Whoa," he called, lifting up his hand, his signal for quiet. "How 'bout we see iffen we can git a little order out of this confusion?" Everyone stopped mid-sentence and mid-step and then began to laugh.

"I suggest," went on Clark, "thet we go on over to the hotel an' have us a cup of coffee an' a sandwich. Be a heap quieter, an' we still have lots of time to kill before this here stage is gonna be leavin'." Eventually they all fell into line and headed for the hotel and the promised coffee. Josh broke line, whispered to Nandry and then fished in his pocket.

"Tina, yer ma says it be okay fer ya to take these here little ones over to the General Store fer a candy treat. It being a special day, how 'bout ya all git two pieces of yer favorite kind."