Destined By Proxy

~27~ Meddling Mrs. Salders

Magnolia's POV

Two weeks have come and gone, and they have simultaneously felt as if they passed in a blink, and went slow as molasses. Although I'm grateful for the friendship Eli and I are trying to create, he's guarded. I see more of his true self when watching him with Rosie.

He and Theo are kind to one another, but I can tell a sweet connection has yet to be made, and I desperately hope that it will be someday.

As we ride in the wagon for church, I can't help but feel dread. Seeing Catherine every Sunday does something so harmful to Eli that it takes him most of the week to snap out of it.

I never realized how much pain being in a marriage where I'm not wanted would cause. And what makes it almost unbearable is having to watch the two people that were supposed to be together, suffer silently because of me.

It's a cross I'm willing to bear because of these children, but that doesn't mean the weight of it all isn't slowly crushing me to death.

I still cry myself to sleep every night, and every morning I lie in bed an extra few minutes, willing today to be the day.

The day where the pain on his face isn't there, and instead contentment seeps into his pours and bursts through his smile.

"My legs feel wiggly today, Mr. Eli," Rosie says as we're about to pull into town.

Eli looks over his shoulder and nods in concern. "How 'bout ya keep them still durin' church, and then after Sunday dinner you, me, and Theo will race the twins. I could use a girl with wiggly legs on my team."

"Ohhhhh! That sounds fun! Can I get a head-start since I have little legs?"

"I don't see why not."

"Oh. Kay."

"But Rosie?" He says, turning his voice almost stern. "If ya let yur legs wiggle durin' church, then we can't race...Cause ya won't have any wiggles left when we need 'em."

I smirk at him, and he tilts his head at me to return it.

"You're good with her," I whisper as we get into town and he puts the brake on.

He gives me a smile and simply shrugs as he jumps down, and then reaches his hand out for me to grab. He did it last Sunday too, and I nearly fainted in shock.

We start walking up to the church with the rest of the family, when Sophie rushes over and pulls me and Rachel to the side.

"Heavens I'm glad ya came early," she whispers, and when Matthew comes up behind her and clears his throat, she stiffens.

"Matthew Olton, this is lady talk. You go on over there and chat with Anthony."

He bends so his mouth is to her ear, yet he is speaking at a normal volume.

"I thought I made myself clear that when they's got here, you was not to gossip. You stay out of it, Sophie Louise."

She turns and gives him such a look that I almost feel envious of her confidence. And a little scared.

"I'm fully accepting the spanking you are going to dish out, but I WILL tell them. I don't want them blindsided...."

Matthew glares at his wife, but that doesn't deter her from turning to us and looking both of us in our eyes.

"Mrs. Salders just came up to me."

"That's never a good way to start a story," Rachel mutters as she stiffens her back.

"She was so pleased to make it known that she wired a friend from Massachusetts. They have a son, whom they sent down here to court Catherine."

"What?" Rachel gasps as her face turns a sickly shade of white.