Amelia's Journey by Martha Rogers Page B

for now, and it would be his one chance to show Amelia that living on a ranch wouldn’t be so bad, especially if he could get that piece of land down by the mill. He’d wait and approach his father about that as soon as plans could be made for a house to go on it.
    Ma wouldn’t make any more trips east with snow and ice covering the states between here and Boston. The six months until spring now loomed as an eternity. He could only write to Amelia and continue to pray that her feelings for him would not change.

    Maeleen had come with a message that Mama and Papa wished to see Amelia downstairs. Now she stood in front of the parlor doors, her hands icy cold and her heart skittering in its beats. All types of scenarios danced through her mind. Pa had learned of the many letters with Ben and would forbid their writing one another. Philip Barlow had spoken to father about more than courtship even after her turning down his last request to see her. That scenario shot slivers of fear into her soul. She bit her lip, and her hand hesitated over the door knob.
    Better to get it over with and know the cause of the summons than stand here trying to guess. Amelia inhaled deeply then exhaled before opening the door and stepping into the parlor. “Papa, Mama, you wanted to see me?”
    Papa glanced up from the newspaper in his hands, and Mama’s crochet needle stilled. Papa beckoned her to come to his side.
    â€œYes, dear, we have a few things to discuss.”
    Sternness set his face in stone, and no sparkle filled his eyes. Mama’s eyes too spoke of her disapproval. Amelia squared her shoulders and stood before her parents.
    â€œI understand you have been corresponding with Benjamin Haynes.”
    â€œYes, Papa, I have.” She made no secret about their correspondence. Her letters to Ben had been set on the hall table with all the other family mail, and his had arrived in like manner.
    â€œI see. I also understand that Philip Barlow will no longer be calling on you.”
    Amelia swallowed hard. So Philip had understood her last answer, but had he spoken with her father about it, or had the Barlows mentioned it to Papa? Either way, Mama and Papa knew the truth. “That’s right. We have no true interest in each other.” At least that was true for her, and she hoped it was the same for Philip.
    Papa glanced over at Mama then cleared his throat. “Exactly why have you turned him down as a suitor?”
    Amelia’s stomach roiled and bile filled her throat. She had to tell the truth, or Papa would surely be angry, if he wasn’t now. She had no choice but to speak her heart and pray her parents would understand the deep waves of emotion that overtook her being whenever her thoughts settled on Ben and the future.
    â€œI have no interest in Philip as a suitor. We did enjoy our times together, but we could see that our relationship wasn’t developing.”
    â€œAnd why was that?” The ice in her father’s voice cut into her heart.
    â€œI do not love Philip, and I do not wish to marry anyone if it is not for true love. I do not want a marriage based on only social position and convenience.”
    Her mother gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. Her eyes opened wide with disbelief. Papa’s face turned red, and the veins in his neck thickened. Amelia pressed her hands together behind her back to quiet their shaking. Her world was about to be turned upside down, but telling the truth now and knowing exactly what she had to face with her parents may give her time to win them over by spring.
    Mama’s voice came out in a squeak. “Amelia, you can’t be serious. Philip is a fine young man.”
    Papa nodded, and his voice held the sternness she hadn’t heard since she’d misbehaved so badly at a family affair years ago. “I agree. What can a young girl of your age know about marriage of convenience? Your mother and I merely want what is best