Page 38 of Married By Midnight
“You love me?” Sarah squeaked.
Ian nodded. “I know this is a terrible time to tell you, but I wanted to say it before I go see Snyder tomorrow. Your father wanted to lease him the land for his cattle. We don’t know enough about farming to continue. But we can earn enough to pay stay here on the farm.” He looked in her eyes. There was so much hurt and pain. He just wanted to absorb it. “That is if you want me to.”
“I’m not sure yet.”
Ian released his hold on her chin. “That’s alright, Sarah. You have a bit of time to think about it.” He lifted himself off the bed and headed towards the door.
“Ian?” Sarah called.
“Yes, Sarah.”
“Would… would you. I mean, could you hold me tonight?”
Ian thought his heart would burst from his chest. “I would love to.”
Sarah scooted over and arranged her skirt so that Ian could lay down next to her. Her back was to him, so he slid his hand under her head and wrapped his arm around her waist.
Sarah was still silently sobbing and it broke Ian’s heart. He just held her while she continued to cry. When the tears finally stopped, and the heaving ended, she looked over her shoulder. Her face was red and splotchy, and he had never seen anyone more beautiful.
“Ian?” Sarah whispered.
“Yes, love?”
“I love you, too.”
Ian’s grin was so big his cheeks hurt. He leaned forward and gave Sarah a gentle kiss on her lips. “Go to sleep, honey. I’ve got you.”
Sarah rolled back over, and Ian fell asleep for the first time with his wife in his arms.
The next morning Ian saddled a horse and rode up the hill to the neighboring ranch. Sarah was still asleep when he left. If he was going to do this, he needed to do it now so that he could go to town and have the papers drawn up that very day.
He rounded the corner to the path leading down to the ranch. The house was just like Sarah’s. A simple farmhouse that you could order from the Sears and Roebuck’s catalog. Unlike Sarah’s this one had a wraparound porch that extended all the way around the house.
The ranch hands were working as he rode into the yard. He heard the murmurs as he rode up to the house and dismounted. Arlan was standing on the porch smoking a cigar.
“What do you want?” Arlan said.
“Mr. Snyder, I’m here to talk to you.”
“Ain’t nothing to talk about.” He took a drag on his cigar and blew gray smoke in the air. “I heard you married Sarah Abrahams.”
“I did.”
“So, in essence the farm is yours.”
“No. The farm is Sarah’s. It will always be Sarah’s and someday, God willing it will go to our children.”
“That’s a nice story, but it doesn’t explain why you are here.”
“I have a business proposition for you.”
Arlan looked at Ian as if sizing him up. Ian wanted to shift under Arlan’s gaze, but he stood tall. Eventually Arlan nodded. “Let’s go inside and talk.”
Six months later
Sarah couldn’t believe it was happening! Today she would go down to the creek area and watch as the cattle moved from the Snyder’s ranch across the creek to the Poole farm.
It was no longer the Abrahams place, as she was Sarah Poole, and she intended to keep that name.
