Spring’s Gentle Promise

Josh is in a quandary. Matilda is vivacious and lovely; Mary is sweet and supportive. And they won’t remain single for very long. But how is he to go about courting someone he sees in his kitchen nearly every day? And more importantly, whom does he truly love?

I can’t believe it. Grandpa and Uncle Charlie signed all the official papers and now the farm is mine–really and legally mine. Joshua Chadwick Jones they read, clear as can be. I couldn’t be more thrilled. I mean, what other fella my age has a farm all his own, title clear and paid for? If the crop fetches a good price, I might even be able to buy one of them new Ford motorcars!

And then there’s this other thing going on inside me. I’ve been feelin’ a desire for a family of my own. I still don’t know how they finagled it, but Grandpa and Uncle Charlie got two gals my age livin’ at our house–Mary, our housekeeper and cook, and Matilda, the schoolteacher. I’ve always thought of the girls as friends, but something in my heart is changing a bit. Is one of them the gal God has in mind for me?