Chapter 8
Eliza's divorce was both the easiest and the hardest decision to make – easy as a practical and legal matter, hard as a matter of the heart. The anguish showed on Grant's face even more than it showed on Eliza's.
"There's no choice, Mr. Grant," Jarrod said. "The doctor knows everything and so does the sheriff. You have to divorce one of your wives, and Eliza has selflessly confirmed that she has to be the one." Jarrod closed his eyes. The effort was getting to him.
"She always was the most selfless woman I ever knew," Grant said, his eyes only on his wife. Then he looked at Jarrod. "I just want to do it as quick and easy as we can, Mr. Barkley."
Jarrod nodded. "I'll take care of it as soon as I'm able. But there are other choices to make."
"I'll throw another option into the mix," Dr. Blythe suddenly said. "Ceres is a growing town, and our only midwife moved out of the area a month ago. Now, you can't support yourself just on midwifing, Mrs. Grant, but if you are willing to take on other caregiving jobs – cooking, sewing, helping the older people and the injured – I'll work with you on all that. And it would let you be here for the other Mrs. Grant and that new baby, if they need you."
Eliza's eyes actually lightened up. "Do you think I could earn my keep that way?"
"There is a nice women's boarding house in Ceres," Dr. Blythe said. "Mrs. Penner is a widow who runs it. I can talk to her and see what she thinks. Would you like me to do that?"
"It would give you some choices, Mrs. Grant," Heath said. "It would let you stay here for a while, while you figure things out."
"It would let you stay nearby but you would have to give up being husband and wife here," Jarrod said and looked at Grant. "You would have to do that. And you can never marry a second wife again, Grant. You ought to realize by now that it's only trouble for you if you do."
Eliza nodded to the doctor. "Yes, please, talk to Mrs. Penner. Let's see if it's something I can do, living there."
Dr. Blythe nodded. "I'll do that as soon as I get back to town. Having a new midwife around here – and having that midwife be you, Mrs. Grant – and having you be available to help this family and others who might need it – that might solve a few problems all at once, if you're willing to consider it. And you – " He pointed at Jarrod. "You stay down and rest for at least one more day. I mean it."
Jarrod gave a weak salute and said, "Yes, sir." And he lay back on the sofa again.
Heath looked around, and he noticed that now there were half-smiles on every face in the room, even Grant's. Things were looking a whole lot better than they had only a few minutes ago.
Dr. Blythe said, "I'll be going back to town now. I'll talk to Mrs. Penner before I talk to the sheriff, so maybe he'll have some idea of what we can do here and what we can't. Mr. Grant – congratulations again. Your daughter and her mother look like they're in fine shape. Do you have a name for the baby yet?"
"Yes!" Abagail's voice came in from the bedroom.
They were surprised. They didn't know she had been listening.
She cried out happily, "Eliza! Our daughter's name will be Eliza!"
Tears started running down the elder Eliza's face, even as Grant smiled. "Yes. Eliza Grant will be our daughter's name."
Heath walked the doctor back out to his buggy, thanking him for coming up with the midwife idea for Eliza. "I hope maybe she'll decide to give it a try. I suppose she can always go back to Utah if it doesn't work out."
"I don't like plural marriages at all, but it is awfully hard on the woman who has to be cast off," Dr. Blythe said as he climbed into his buggy. "The hard part may be keeping Grant from marrying again. Old habits are hard to break, especially religious ones."
"Yeah," Heath agreed. "Are you gonna see the sheriff after you talk to Mrs. Penner?"
"Yes, I'll have to, and I expect he'll be out here. I'll have him let you all know what Mrs. Penner says. I'll stop back out here tomorrow morning to check on your brother again. Don't let him get up and about too much today."
"I'll try to keep him down," Heath said. "I think he'll pay attention. Thanks for coming out."
"Good luck," Dr. Blythe said and started off.
XXXXXXX
Jarrod spent the day resting, as promised. Heath helped Grant out with his regular work around the farm. Eliza kept food on the table and cared for Abagail and the baby when they needed it.
The sheriff came around several hours after the doctor left. He looked unhappy at first, but Jarrod sat up on the sofa and immediately told him, "Mrs. Grant here will be getting a divorce as soon as possible."
"So Dr. Blythe said," the sheriff said, "but I have to make sure it really happens."
"It'll really happen," Jarrod said. "I'm a lawyer, and as soon as I'm able I will get the paperwork together. Since it's a divorce to comply with the law, I think it will get fast approval in the court."
The sheriff nodded and looked at Eliza. "The doctor asked me to tell you he spoke to Mrs. Penner. She has a place for you if you want to move in."
Surprisingly, Eliza said, "Yes, as soon as possible."
"I think we should be able to start things rolling tomorrow, Sheriff," Jarrod said.
Neither Grant nor Heath had been inside to hear this, but they came in now as the sheriff was saying, "In all honesty, Mrs. Grant, I knew what the story was out here, and I wasn't gonna be able to ignore it much longer. I'm glad you've come to the decision you have. We'll get you set up in town as soon as we can."
"Do you think the townspeople will accept me?" Eliza asked.
"Once they find out you're the new midwife and the doc is looking to you to help him out with people who need it – yes, I think they will. Nobody but the law needs to know you were ever married to Mr. Grant. There will be rumors, no doubt – there already are – but I think we can smooth them over."
"We'll help all we can," Heath said, "as soon as my brother is up and around."
"That'll be tomorrow," Jarrod said. "Sheriff, is there a lawyer in town who will let me work out of his office tomorrow?"
The sheriff nodded. "I'll find you a place. You just come see me in the morning – Mrs. Grant, too. We'll get the legal problems out of the way as fast as we can."
It was only Grant who looked unhappy, and Eliza's face fell a bit too when she saw him. Legal problems were being solved, but hearts were being wrenched apart.
The baby started to cry, and oddly enough, that made everyone start to smile again. "New life," the sheriff said.
"All kinds," Heath said quietly.
"I'll see you all at my office in the morning," the sheriff said, then turned to Grant and said, "Congratulations, Mr. Grant. It sounds like you have a healthy daughter in there."
"Yes," Grant said.
XXXXXX
It was later in the evening, after supper and after Heath had helped with the dishes, that Eliza took a moment to herself. Grant had gone in to be with Abagail and the baby. Jarrod was resting on the sofa, and Heath sat down on a chair near him to talk. Eliza heard only Heath saying, "I think things are gonna be all right around here. Tough at first, but all right."
Eliza went out on the porch, pulling a shawl around her, and thinking hard for the first time, that this was going to be her last night as a married woman. She never again would be sleeping with the husband she loved. She wouldn't even be seeing him every day. It was almost as if death was hovering over them. She finally allowed herself a moment of privacy to grieve.
Grant came out, and for the first time in her marriage, Eliza was uncomfortable with him there. "Hebron," she said and looked down and away.
"I want you to know something," Grant said. "If it weren't for this law, I would never send you away. Never, not ever."
Eliza smiled a little. "I know that, but we've been fighting it far too long. You have a daughter now. She comes first. Her mother comes second. That's the way it has to be."
"I will be here for you if you need me, Eliza."
"I know that, but I won't be needing you, Hebron," Eliza said. "I can't need you anymore. But you might still need me – you and Abagail and the baby – little Eliza." She smiled at the thought of her namesake. "You've taken care of me for a long time. I will take care of myself now, and I will help take care of you."
Grant took her by the shoulders and would have drawn her close, but she resisted. He ended up saying, "The town of Ceres is gonna get the best new midwife they ever could have."
Eliza smiled. "I hope so."