Page 28 of Silver Lining
Things plumb got out of hand, and suddenly we were standing there being married. That was the preacher's idea, not mine. I guess you wouldn't agree about having a baby out of wedlock, but that's all I wanted."
"I believe it's immoral and wrong to deliver a child without benefit of marriage." But a hint of relief softened Livvy McCord's expression. "However, now that I understand your position, I believe we can resolve the current difficulties."
"Ma, there's no way to work this out." Hooking his thumbs in his back pockets, Max frowned toward the barn and a corner of the bunkhouse showing near a stand of cottonwoods.
Livvy glanced at Max then back to Low Down. "I'm sure you're aware that Max was to be married in ten days." When Low Down nodded, she drew a breath and continued. "Perhaps you'll agree that it isn't fair that Miss Houser will be humiliated and thrown into a scandal through no fault of her own."
"I told Max time and again that we should just pretend the marriage never happened," Low Down said solemnly. She had an idea where Livvy McCord was heading with this conversation.
"Excellent!" Color flooded Livvy's face, and her eyes brightened. "Then you wouldn't object to dissolving the marriage between you and my son?"
"Not at all." Low Down had no idea why she'd hesitated a beat. She also thought Max might jump in and tell his mother that they had planned to divorce after she got pregnant anyway. But Max didn't, so she didn't mention it either.
"Wonderful." Livvy addressed the next remark to Max. "It would create a far lesser scandal to postpone the wedding to Miss Houser than to jilt her practically at the altar. You can go to Wyoming and petition for a divorce at once. With a little luck, we can keep the purpose of your Wyoming trip secret, and no one need ever know about your marriage to Louise or the real reason for postponing the marriage to Miss Houser."
"Makes no never mind to me," Low Down offered. A twinge of regret pricked her skin, but it had never been her intention to cause Max any trouble. Besides, she might be pregnant already.
As far as she was concerned, the problem was now solved exactly as she had suggested in the first place. But Livvy McCord wasn't finished.
"There are many homeless children," she said, "and I will help you facilitate adoption. Max will see to it that you don't lack for funds to raise a child."
"That isn't necessary," Low Down protested. Now probably wasn't the moment to explain that she wanted her own baby, not someone else's.
"It is necessary," Livvy insisted. "You were promised a child, and you'll have a child." She looked from Low Down to Max and drew a breath. "There are many details to be settled, but I believe we've found a solution that will at least cushion the scandal if Miss Houser and her father agree, and I can't think why they wouldn't. Unless …"She hesitated, then firmly squared her shoulders.
"I detest asking such an unforgivably intimate question, but I must. There's one thing that might… is there any chance, any possibility at all, that Louise might be with child? Did the two of you… what I mean is, did you… ?"
To her astonishment, Low Down felt her cheeks burn red and noticed that Max's face had also flushed scarlet. Even Livvy McCord's cheeks showed high color. "Yes," Max answered in a strangled voice.
"That's why I'm willing to dissolve the marriage and leave," Low Down added, hoping to reassure. "Max did his duty. So I'm willing to call things even, and I think the boys in Piney Creek would be satisfied that Max kept his end of the bargain."
Far from being reassured, Livvy McCord looked stricken and her shoulders sagged. "I was afraid of this," she said in a low voice. "If there's any possibility that you might be with child, then we can't dissolve this marriage." Raising a shaking hand, she covered her eyes. "No son of mine is going to desert a woman who may be carrying his child. Divorce is no longer a consideration." She dropped her hand and blinked up at Max. "That's it, then. There's no way to sidestep what's coming." Turning, she lifted her skirts. "We might as well go inside and have some of Gilly's chocolate cake."
"Mrs. McCord, wait." Low Down took a step forward. "I might be pregnant or I might not. Either way, I'm willing to ride out of here right now, and Max can get a divorce or pretend the marriage never happened. I never wanted to cause anybody any trouble. I just wanted a baby."
Livvy turned on the steps. "The marriage between you and my son has been consummated; it's valid.
You are now part of this family, Mrs. McCord. There will be no more talk of divorce or riding away."
Her gaze narrowed. "You made this bed, now you lie in it."
His mother saw the situation as Max had predicted. Low Down had to accept the marriage and stop thinking about riding away. She gripped her secondhand purse with both hands and turned to Max. "I'm sorry," she said in a low voice.
"Like you said, you didn't put the marble in my hand." Removing his hat, Max pulled a hand through a tumble of dark curls, then he took her arm and led her inside to the parlor.
The room was elegant enough to widen Low Down's eyes and formal enough to suggest that it was used infrequently, perhaps only for special occasions.
At present, the tension in the faces of those who watched Max lead her inside told her that Livvy McCord had announced there was no way to get rid of her, no way to rescue Miss Houser, no way to avert the scandal rushing down on them.
Livvy stood before the unlit fireplace and waited until Low Down had perched uneasily on the edge of a mauve-dyed horsehair sofa. "Welcome to the McCord family," Livvy intoned solemnly. She spoke politely, but coolly. She sounded resigned.
The others also murmured words of welcome. But Low Down was conscious that Gilly politely examined her tight bodice, her worn secondhand shoes. When Gilly's gaze lifted to Low Down's hat, she noticed her new sister-in-law's lips turn down in something that might have been a delicate shudder.
Wally and Dave nodded to her, and she suspected they were comparing her, point by point, to Philadelphia Houser. She could guess how she fared in that contest. Sunshine seemed to be the only person present who had not formed an opinion.
"When is your meeting with the Housers?" Livvy asked Max.
"At five this afternoon."
