High Stakes Chattel Read Online Free PDF Page B

presence, and she wasn’t completely certain Mrs. Potter hadn’t met him on one of her trips to town. Though she trusted the older woman not to gossip, she didn’t know what Mrs. Potter would think. Would she remain working for an unmarried woman who planned to stay with an unmarried man without a chaperone? Or for a woman who planned on paying her salary with the winnings of a contest? Not likely.
    She entered the house and stood for a moment in the small entryway, breathing deeply of the familiar scents of lemon wax and pine. This was why she must do this, she reminded herself. So she could remain here in this place that meant so much to her.
    It held the memories of her sweet, funny father, working hard in the fields while her mother made supper. Those were happy times before his death and before her mother’s illness. Samantha had often helped her father with his work, since there were no other children and farm life required many hands. She liked the “man’s work”. It had made her lean and strong and had given her a certain confidence in her ability to handle problems. She had learned how to plow and seed, how to birth a calf and a million other skills that most girls did not know.
    Unfortunately, t he farm had changed since her father’s death. Samantha had married Henry a mere two months later, while still in a state of grief. After the wedding, she let the fields go natural and sold most of the animals, thinking that the farm would no longer be needed to support her mother. The once-thriving farm now only consisted of one cow, a few chickens and a large vegetable garden. It wasn’t much, but it was all they could handle right now, even with the generous help of Tom, a family friend who came over to do odd chores.
    “Hello,” she called quietly as she entered the parlor. “Mrs. Potter?”
    The older woman came out of mother’s bedroom, her pleasant face tranquil as always. “Good evening, Mrs. Blake.”
    Mrs. Potter had been a midwife and nurse all of her life, never having a family of her own. She had a calm and serious demeanor that reminded Samantha of a nun. Her presence in their lives had been a godsend. When Samantha’s mother had first started losing her memory and acting strangely, Samantha had asked Mrs. Potter for advice. Mrs. Potter had known just how to care for her. Now she couldn’t imagine being without her.
    “Good evening,” Samantha replied. “How is mother tonight?”
    “Very well,” Mrs. Potter replied. “I’ve already gotten her down for the night.”
    Samantha went to her mother’s door, smiling slightly when she saw how peaceful she looked in her sleep. Although she would have liked to tell her good-bye, it was probably better that she wasn’t awake. She didn’t always remember Samantha, and when she did, she tended to be very clingy, not wanting her out of her sight.
    “ I need to go out of town for a few weeks to stay with a friend,” she told Mrs. Potter, turning away and heading for her own room. “Can you handle things here on your own for a short time? The only thing extra you would need to do is milk Molly and feed the chickens. I can add in a bit more wage to cover that. Would that be alright?”
    Mrs. Potter followed her, frowning. “ Of course I don’t mind, but isn’t this a bit sudden?”
    Samantha busied herself gathering things so she wouldn’t have to look Mrs. Potter in the eye. “A dear friend is ill,” she lied. “I really must go. Will you be all right here without me? Tom can help if you need it.”
    “ Yes, dear,” Mrs. Potter replied, though she looked a bit suspicious. Samantha didn’t know what else to say. She simply could not afford to tell her the truth and possibly lose her. Winning the Chattel tournament may sound crazy but it was the only thing she could think of to keep their way of life. She needed to know her mother would be cared for while she was gone. She could be suspicious all she wanted, but she wouldn’t leave unless