Jasmine said you could almost see the steam coming out of Mama's ears she was so angry with him." She let out a giggle as she pictured the scene. She was going to use that in a book someday. She knew she was. Someone had to!
Lawrence laughed, the sound music to Hyacinth's ears. He didn't laugh nearly enough in her opinion. She was certain it was due to his loneliness.
"I can't believe your mother didn't box his ears right there and then. She doesn't seem like the type that would put up with public displays of affection where her daughters are concerned." He shook his head, musing over the possibility. "Especially her unmarried daughters."
"Oh, she's not! There wasn't a whole lot she could do about it, though. Daisy was there to marry him, and he didn't know she was coming to begin with. I'm sure he'd have been a great deal more circumspect if he'd known she was coming." She grinned. "Or maybe not. Eli is not a man to let a woman run all over him. That's for certain."
Lawrence shook his head. "Oh, I'm certain he would have. No man wants to kiss his future wife for the first time with his soon to be mother-in-law watching!" He wasn't sure it would stop him, though. He looked at Hyacinth and imagined what it would be like to see her for the first time, knowing they'd be married in only a few hours. Would he really be able to keep his hands to himself?
"I'm sure that's true." She sighed. "I don't think I can travel out East to meet your mama, though. If she could come here, I'd be thrilled to meet her." She hated telling his mother 'no' about anything, knowing she could very well be her future mother-in-law, but she also knew she had no choice in the matter.
He frowned. "I'll write her and invite her to come here. Of course, if I had a wedding to invite her to, she'd be more excited to make the journey."
Hyacinth shook her head. "Not yet. I need to be sure first." She didn't know how else to put it. Yes, she loved him. Yes, she wanted to be his wife. Would she feel the same way when Tuesday came around, though?
"Be sure of what?"
She simply shook her head again. What woman wanted to tell the man they loved that she thought he went through temporary insanity every seventh day? She certainly didn't. She'd have to talk to him about it someday, but today was not the day. She wondered idly if it was possible to have a man committed one day per week and released on the other six? Was there an asylum that would work with her that way?
Chapter Seven
If all else fails, give her a puppy. Women love to play with puppies, and it gives them good practice for motherhood down the road. You will find that any woman, no matter how unhappy with you she seems, will immediately love you if there's a sweet puppy involved. Do your best to make certain he's housetrained before you take him to her, of course. No woman wants to be cleaning up dog mess all the time. William Livingston, Advice Column to Lonely Men published in The Seattle Times, January twelfth, 1897.
Lawrence read the words again, thinking about everything his mentor was suggesting in the article. He didn't know whether or not Hyacinth liked dogs, but it seemed like a good idea. It would have to be an older puppy to already be trained when he got him, but he'd find something.
He wandered over to the mercantile to see if there were any notices of people looking to find new homes for puppies. Surely someone needed to find a new home for a litter of pups. He would pick out a tiny furry puppy. He could already see Hyacinth cradling it against her, loving it with all her heart.
While he read the board, a small boy came in with tears streaming down his face. Lawrence looked down at him, frowning. "What's wrong?" He hadn't had much to do with children in his life, but he hated seeing anyone cry.
"My mom say s I have to get rid of my puppy because he's a nuisance." He
Lawrence laughed, the sound music to Hyacinth's ears. He didn't laugh nearly enough in her opinion. She was certain it was due to his loneliness.
"I can't believe your mother didn't box his ears right there and then. She doesn't seem like the type that would put up with public displays of affection where her daughters are concerned." He shook his head, musing over the possibility. "Especially her unmarried daughters."
"Oh, she's not! There wasn't a whole lot she could do about it, though. Daisy was there to marry him, and he didn't know she was coming to begin with. I'm sure he'd have been a great deal more circumspect if he'd known she was coming." She grinned. "Or maybe not. Eli is not a man to let a woman run all over him. That's for certain."
Lawrence shook his head. "Oh, I'm certain he would have. No man wants to kiss his future wife for the first time with his soon to be mother-in-law watching!" He wasn't sure it would stop him, though. He looked at Hyacinth and imagined what it would be like to see her for the first time, knowing they'd be married in only a few hours. Would he really be able to keep his hands to himself?
"I'm sure that's true." She sighed. "I don't think I can travel out East to meet your mama, though. If she could come here, I'd be thrilled to meet her." She hated telling his mother 'no' about anything, knowing she could very well be her future mother-in-law, but she also knew she had no choice in the matter.
He frowned. "I'll write her and invite her to come here. Of course, if I had a wedding to invite her to, she'd be more excited to make the journey."
Hyacinth shook her head. "Not yet. I need to be sure first." She didn't know how else to put it. Yes, she loved him. Yes, she wanted to be his wife. Would she feel the same way when Tuesday came around, though?
"Be sure of what?"
She simply shook her head again. What woman wanted to tell the man they loved that she thought he went through temporary insanity every seventh day? She certainly didn't. She'd have to talk to him about it someday, but today was not the day. She wondered idly if it was possible to have a man committed one day per week and released on the other six? Was there an asylum that would work with her that way?
Chapter Seven
If all else fails, give her a puppy. Women love to play with puppies, and it gives them good practice for motherhood down the road. You will find that any woman, no matter how unhappy with you she seems, will immediately love you if there's a sweet puppy involved. Do your best to make certain he's housetrained before you take him to her, of course. No woman wants to be cleaning up dog mess all the time. William Livingston, Advice Column to Lonely Men published in The Seattle Times, January twelfth, 1897.
Lawrence read the words again, thinking about everything his mentor was suggesting in the article. He didn't know whether or not Hyacinth liked dogs, but it seemed like a good idea. It would have to be an older puppy to already be trained when he got him, but he'd find something.
He wandered over to the mercantile to see if there were any notices of people looking to find new homes for puppies. Surely someone needed to find a new home for a litter of pups. He would pick out a tiny furry puppy. He could already see Hyacinth cradling it against her, loving it with all her heart.
While he read the board, a small boy came in with tears streaming down his face. Lawrence looked down at him, frowning. "What's wrong?" He hadn't had much to do with children in his life, but he hated seeing anyone cry.
"My mom say s I have to get rid of my puppy because he's a nuisance." He
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