She tried to concentrate on the fact that he painted the house to try to make her happy. Only thing in the house now is the kitchen table and the bed."Īs soon as William said the word 'bed' Amelia stiffened. The inside is pretty simple, thought I would leave it up to you to decorate. I painted it white with blue shutters, thought you might like that. Pa and I built it, once your Pa gave me your hand. "Home," Amelia said, letting the word hang in the air as she said it. "Yes, a few miles down this road and we'll be home." "Is this the road to your house?" Amelia asked William. She dutifully joined her husband in the front of his wagon and, when her parents were no longer in her sights, she faced forward and was hit with the weight of what had just happened. When the service was over, Amelia said tearful farewells to her parents. And, other than the few times over her father's knee with her skirt over her head and her bloomers pulled down, no one had seen her naked body since she reached womanhood. Amelia had never so much as kissed a man other then her father. Her cheeks flushed when she imagined everyone thinking that tonight this man, who she didn't know, would be having his way with her. She felt as if the whole congregation was looking at them. Marrying into this family ensured Amelia's family a place to sleep should they loose the farm.Īmelia felt awkward though that Sunday morning sitting next to her new husband in church. She also knew how important this marriage would be to the family, as Williams's family had lots of land and houses. Amelia trusted her father when he said he believed William was a good man. Fathers were agreeing on marriages for their daughters simply because they couldn't afford to feed them. Unfortunately, hard times were upon them. Most of all she had visions of a dashing man who had skillfully courted her with romantic walks and stolen kisses. She had visions of flowers and homemade lace dresses, a big party on her father's farm. This was not the wedding Amelia had dreamt of as a little girl. The priest skipped the part about kissing the bride.
The ceremony was short and simple followed by the regular Sunday service. Waiting for them there was her future husband, William, whom she had never met before.
Amelia and her parents arrived at the church after a long wagon ride through the country, in the early morning.