Amelia’s Arrangement: Madame Matchmaker Read online

  Amelia’s Arrangement

  Madame Matchmaker

  Kirsten Osbourne

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Also by Kirsten Osbourne

  Prologue

  Amelia Appleton trudged home from school slowly. Snow and mud had mixed together, forming dirty puddles at every turn. It had been a long day, and she was ready to get home and curl up with a good book.

  She wondered what her mother was making for dinner. Lately, finances had been tight in the Appleton household. Her parents both worked hard to keep food on the table, but in the past few weeks, her mother and father had fought nearly every evening about money.

  They tried to hide it from Amelia, but she knew that her father had a problem. Every time he received a paycheck, he would ride into Boston and risk it all, making foolish wagers with other men or spending it on alcohol. Sometimes, he won big, bringing home jewels and chocolates for Amelia and her mother. But other times, he lost all of his wages and returned home in a foul mood. He would go into his room and sulk for a day or two.

  Eventually, he would come out and be his usual charming, friendly self. Amelia still couldn’t understand why he wasted money when it was so tight. Once, she had asked him why he took those kinds of risks. Her father had paused for a long time, and when he finally spoke, his voice wavered. “I wish I could stop. But I can’t.”

  Amelia loved her parents, but lately, life had been difficult. It seemed like Father lost much more often than he won, and their cupboards were nearly empty. Fortunately, her mother was creative at coming up with different dishes that didn’t require many ingredients.

  As Amelia neared the house the Appletons shared with a few other families, she saw a small crowd gathered outside near the front door. Their landlord, Mr. Stanley, who lived on the first floor, bowed his head as Amelia approached.

  Amelia tried to step around the crowd, but Mr. Stanley reached out and took her arm.

  “Amelia, come with me.”

  Amelia felt her heart beat a little faster. “What’s wrong?”

  Mr. Stanley simply motioned for her to follow him. He used his key to enter the front door, then walked up the stairs to the third floor, where the Appletons lived. He took another key from his ring and used it to unlock the door. “You should sit down.”

  Amelia looked around and inhaled. There was nothing cooking on the stove. There weren’t even any ingredients on the counter. Her parents were nowhere to be found. “Where are my mother and father?”

  Mr. Stanley didn’t respond. “Please, have a seat.”

  Amelia felt uneasy, but she obeyed. Mr. Stanley had always been kind to her parents. When Mr. Appleton had been unable to pay a month’s rent, Mr. Stanley let him make it up in the next month’s payment.

  Mr. Stanley took a deep breath. “Amelia, your parents were in an accident.”

  Amelia opened her mouth, a dozen questions running through her head. At that moment, the door burst open, and a team of men rushed in. They were dressed in black and carried bags.

  Mr. Stanley spun around, his face red. Amelia had never seen him so angry before. “Have you no decency?”

  One of the men laughed derisively at Mr. Stanley. “A debt’s a debt.”

  Amelia put her hand on Mr. Stanley’s arm. He looked back at her. “What’s happened, Mr. Stanley?”

  Mr. Stanley sighed and rubbed his temple. “Your parents were killed, Amelia. They were on their way to the bank in Boston, and their wagon was involved in an accident. I’m sorry.”

  Amelia dropped her hand, stunned. What Mr. Stanley was telling her couldn’t be possible. But she hadn’t known the man to lie. A sob rose in her throat as she thought about never seeing her mother or father again. Just then, she heard a loud crash.

  One of the men had knocked over her mother’s favorite blue and white vase. “Who are these men?” Amelia asked Mr. Stanley. They were destroying her home.

  Mr. Stanley sighed. “Amelia, your parents owed money to a group of men from Boston. These men . . . they’re rough. They’re cruel and greedy. When they learned of the accident, they sent their associates here to collect as much as they could.”

  Amelia’s head was spinning. She knew her parents hadn’t had much money, but she didn’t know they were in debt to someone. One of the men left the room, armed with a full bag of Amelia’s family’s belongings. Two other men began carrying a couch down the stairs. Soon, there would be nothing left. “What will I do now?”

  Mr. Stanley sighed. “There’s a factory in town I know that will hire girls like you, girls with no family, nowhere else to turn. It’s not a great life, Amelia, but I’m afraid it’s all that’s available to you at this time.”

  Amelia was still reeling from the conversation. Her mind focused on four words. Girls with no family. That was her now.

  One

  “Tag! You’re it!” A little boy slapped Felix Gardener on the back of the knee. Felix turned around, but the boy had already run away.

  “Better hurry, Felix!” Abner Phelps, Felix’s best friend, called.

  Felix rushed over to his friend and tapped him on the shoulder. “Now you’re it, Ab!” He took off running in the opposite direction.

  Abner began to chase after him, but his wife, Catherine, grabbed his arm. “Not so fast, Ab.”

  Abner turned around and looked at his lovely wife. She was glowing. “I can’t have some fun with my best friend?”

  “Church is about to start, Abner!” Catherine said sternly, but she was smiling. She put a hand on her growing stomach. “Soon, you’ll be a father, and what kind of example would that be setting if you were late?”

  Felix sighed as he saw that Abner wasn’t coming over. He jogged over to Abner and Catherine.

  “We should go inside,” Catherine told him.

  Felix shoved his hands into his pockets. “Fine. But Abner’s still it. We’ll pick this up later.”

  Catherine whispered something in Abner’s ear, and he let out a loud guffaw.

  Felix felt a pang in his heart as he followed them into church. He couldn’t believe his best friend was going to be a father. He admired the life that Abner and Catherine led together. He knew his friend was happier than he’d ever been before, and Felix was glad about that. But sometimes, he felt a little envious, too.

  Once Catherine and Abner’s baby was born, he knew things would change between the two men. Abner would be a married man and a father, and Felix would still be a bachelor. He took a seat in the pew behind them, secretly scanning the church for young women.

  There were only a few, and all of them were either already married or betrothed to other men. Felix sighed. He loved living in Nowhere, but it made it hard to meet young women.

  His eyes fell on Edna Petunia and Cletus Sanders. Several years prior, a bus full of orphaned girls had shown up in Nowhere with no place to stay due to a mix-up. Having married late in life, with no biological children of their own, Edna Petunia and Cletus had adopted them. But each one of the fifteen women had gotten married. Now, Felix didn’t stand a chance. Unless . . .

  Felix’s eyes gleamed with an idea.

  Pastor Micah Barton, the reverend of Nowhere, cleared his throat. “Welcome, everyone. So glad you all could make it today.”

  Felix tried to pay attention to Micah’s words, but it was hard to focus
. He had so many plans and ideas that he could hardly sit still.

  Micah spoke about the bonds of the community the people of Nowhere had formed. Felix considered himself lucky to have such generous neighbors. He knew not everyone had the same sensibility or faith. He couldn’t wait to have children so he could raise them the way he had been brought up.

  As soon as Micah concluded the service, Felix followed the other churchgoers outside. The adults laughed and talked as the children played in the grass.

  Catherine and Abner caught up to Felix. Abner held up his hands. “Truce?”

  Felix laughed. “Truce.” He peered over Catherine’s shoulders, looking for one person in particular.

  “What are you looking at?” Catherine asked.

  Felix looked down at the ground. He suddenly felt embarrassed. “It’s nothing.”

  Abner and Catherine didn’t seem to notice. “We should get home,” Abner said. “Catherine needs her rest.”

  Felix nodded. “See you at work, Ab.” Felix and Abner both worked together on Tom and Penny McClain’s property in Bagley. They had been best friends since they were boys. They’d done everything together for as long as Felix could remember. Now that Abner had started a new chapter of his life, Felix didn’t want to be left behind.

  “Goodbye, Felix,” Catherine called as Abner helped her toward their wagon.

  Felix swallowed. He had to build up his nerve so he could ask the question that had been on his mind for the past hour. He put his hand above his eyes, searching the crowd for the person he wanted to speak to.

  Finally, he found her, playing with one of her grandchildren. Felix couldn’t remember how many there were. The extended family seemed to keep growing and growing.

  Felix took a deep breath and walked toward Edna Petunia. “Hello,” he said softly.

  “You’re going to need to speak up, son!” Edna Petunia boomed.

  Felix blushed. Now everyone in the immediate area was staring at him. “I was hoping to talk to you,” he said in a slightly louder tone.

  “What’s that?” Edna Petunia leaned in.

  “Could I ask you a question?” Felix felt like he was shouting.

  “If you have a question, just ask me!” Edna Petunia grinned. “I’m an open book.”

  “It’s, um, private.” Felix felt the tips of his ears turning red. He saw a few of Edna Petunia’s daughters looking at him with interest.

  “Don’t worry,” Edna Petunia declared loudly. “I’m one of the best secret keepers you’ll ever meet. Aren’t I, Cletus?”

  Now it seemed everyone was staring at them.

  Cletus threw his head back and laughed. “You shouldn’t worry, son,” Cletus told Felix kindly.

  Felix thought for a moment. He could excuse himself and pay a visit to Edna Petunia the following day, but that probably wouldn’t make much difference. With the size of her family, there were sure to be daughters or grandchildren visiting. Soon enough, everyone would know his business anyway. He took a deep breath, then plunged forward with the question that had been turning in his mind. “Edna Petunia, would you be able to find me a bride, the way you found Catherine for Abner?”

  Edna Petunia gasped, clapped her hands together, and threw her arms around Felix. She squeezed him until he felt like his ribs were going to crack, then released him. “Oh, my! I knew word would get around about my matchmaking service, but I didn’t realize how fast it would happen! I’d better get to work.”

  Felix stepped back, dazed and a little sore. He rubbed his side. “Is that a ‘yes’?”

  Edna Petunia nodded with glee. “Mark my words—by the time Catherine and Abner have their child, you will be a married man.”

  Felix’s jaw dropped open. Edna Petunia was promising him the lifestyle he’d always imagined for himself. “Thank you.”

  Edna Petunia shrugged. “It’s my job. Also, what was your name again?”

  Felix was a little taken aback, but he realized Edna Petunia had a lot of names to keep track of. “I’m Felix Gardener. Thank you so much,” he repeated. He still felt a little dazed.

  “Come to see me in two weeks’ time,” Edna Petunia instructed. “I’ll know more then.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Felix nodded. He couldn’t wait. Everything was coming together perfectly!

  Two

  Two weeks later, Felix nervously shined his shoes on the porch of the small home he’d built on his parents’ property. It was the perfect distance from the house he had grown up in. It was close enough to visit frequently for home-cooked meals but far enough away that his mother couldn’t drop in unexpectedly and bother him.

  Felix knew he shouldn’t be anxious about seeing Edna Petunia. She had been around for as long as he could remember, even though he knew that she’d moved to Nowhere later in her own life. But she was going to give him more information on his future wife, and for that, he felt like he should at least dress nicely to show her how seriously he was taking this.

  He looked at the clock. He had plenty of time to get there. He wondered if he should pick some fresh flowers on his way there. He wanted to show his appreciation for her helping him find a bride.

  Felix finished cleaning his shoes and slipped them onto his feet. He left the house and shut the door behind him. It was a nice evening, and he decided to walk to the Sanders’s house instead of taking the wagon.

  As he walked, he thought about the bride that Edna Petunia was choosing for him. He wondered what she would look like. Although he obviously hoped she’d be beautiful, there were other qualities that were more important to him. He loved watching Catherine and Abner together. They had such an easy chemistry and natural way of speaking to each other.

  Still, Felix knew that it had been challenging at first for the couple. Abner had confided in him that Catherine had high expectations, and it had caused a rift in their early days of marriage. Felix knew that in order to make his future marriage successful, he was going to have to work hard at it. He was ready for the challenge.

  Felix’s route to the Sanders’s house took him through the center of Nowhere. Main Street was quiet; it was a Sunday, and hardly anyone was out at night. As he got to the edges of town, he noticed a patch of lilies growing by the side of the road. He stopped to pick a few of them, arranging them in a makeshift bouquet. He hoped Edna Petunia would like them.

  Felix wondered how long it would take for Edna Petunia to find a match for him. He hoped he wouldn’t have to wait too long. The Sanders’s home came into view, large and rambling. It was lucky that Edna Petunia and Cletus had been willing to adopt their daughters, because they owned one of the few houses in Nowhere that could accommodate fifteen extra people.

  Recently, though, the youngest daughter had married and moved out of the house, so it was just Edna Petunia and Cletus again. Felix wondered if they ever got lonely after the hustle and bustle of raising fifteen adopted daughters. He knocked on the door, feeling nervous again.

  Edna Petunia answered the door. “My, my. You look very handsome, Felix! If I weren’t a married woman . . .” She winked at him.

  Felix stifled the urge to laugh. Edna Petunia sometimes said some off-the-wall things, but he knew she meant well. He held out the flowers to her. “These are for you.”

  Edna Petunia simply stared at the flowers. “No, I think you’re going to want to keep those.”

  Felix frowned. Had he done something wrong? Edna Petunia also hadn’t invited him in. What was going on?

  Edna Petunia grinned. “I bet you’re wondering why I haven’t invited you in.”

  Felix nodded. “You’re right. Is something wrong?”

  “I have a little surprise for you,” Edna Petunia replied. “Cletus!”

  Cletus bounced down the stairs with the energy of a man half his age. Felix didn’t know how Edna Petunia or Cletus stayed in good shape. He could only hope to be in that condition when he reached their age. “At your service, dear!” To Felix’s surprise, Cletus went out the front door and dis
appeared.

  “Come on, now,” Edna Petunia chided, motioning for Felix to follow.

  Felix was baffled. “What is going on?”

  “You’ll understand soon enough.” Edna Petunia laughed. She waited on the porch, and Felix stayed with her. He had always known that Edna Petunia was eccentric, but this seemed odd even for her.

  A few moments later, Cletus pulled the wagon in front of the porch. Edna Petunia climbed in. “What are you waiting for?” Edna Petunia asked Felix.

  “Where are we going?” Felix asked as he stepped into the wagon.

  “How’s your breath?” Edna Petunia reached into her bosom and pulled out a peppermint stick.

  “I think my breath’s just fine, ma’am,” Felix answered, bewildered.

  “Are you sure?” Edna Petunia held the peppermint stick out farther.

  Felix gulped. He didn't know where the peppermint stick had been, but he was confident he didn’t want to eat it. “No thank you, ma’am.”

  Edna Petunia sighed and stuck the peppermint stick in her mouth.

  Felix turned his attention to Cletus. “Do you know where we’re going, sir?”

  “I won’t spoil the surprise, son,” Cletus answered with a smile.

  “You’ll see,” Edna Petunia said, crunching down on the candy.

  Felix adjusted the flowers so they wouldn’t get squashed by the side of the wagon. He looked at the landscape as they sped past. They were headed in the direction of town, which didn’t make much sense. Was Edna Petunia testing him? Trying to see if he was really cut out to be someone’s husband? “Is this a test, ma’am?”

  Edna Petunia simply smiled mysteriously.

  Felix sighed. If it was a test, he hoped he would pass. He had never really liked tests.