Free Love's Enduring Promise (Love Comes Softly Series #2) by Janette Oke

half of forever, but how would one ever make it look attractive. The soft pink voile was so beautiful but looked like you could sip tea through it without even changing the taste. Hardly the right thing for a farm girl.
    Mrs. McDonald had reluctantly turned her full attention back to the ladies from the train and was now enjoying the bits of gossip that they could supply--prying rather unsubtlely for the whys of their coming or going. Marty went carefully about her choosing, weighing her decisions with care. She picked neither the dark blue nor the pink. "No use takin' material thet'll wear too long," she reasoned. "They'll outgrow it 'fore ya know it enyway." She took instead a length of medium blue, a pearly grey, some warm brown and a couple of prints, one with a green background and the other red. She then chose materials for underclothes, nighties, and bonnets and moved on to choose stockings, boots, and some heavier material for coats. Until the colder weather arrived the girls could get by with capes she would make out of material she already had on hand.
    She realized as she added bolt to bolt on the counter, to later be measured off, what a mammoth sewing job she had ahead of her. She was thankful that she already had Missie's clothes prepared.
    Missie! She had asked for new hair ribbons. Marty moved on to choose some. Nandry and Clae would need some too.
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    Her shopping was going well, thanks to the wagon-train ladies. She laid the last dry goods items with the pile on the counter and rechecked her list. Even with the money that Clark had given her, most of her egg-and-cream money would go. Well, she couldn't help that. She had promised Tina Larson that she would give the girls a chance, and give them a chance she would.
    She went on to her grocery list, placing items on the counter as she selected them. Before she had finished, Clark entered the store. His eyebrows raised somewhat at the great heap on the counter, but he made no comment.
    "Most done," Marty offered. "Did ya git the things ya be needin'?"
    "All but a piece fer the plow. The smithie had to order thet in, but I expected thet. Thet's why I sent now 'stead of waitin' fer later." He grinned. "There be jest a chance thet it'll make it fer spring plowin'."
    The train ladies gathered their bundles and left the store, and Mrs. McDonald scurried toward Clark and Marty as though not to waste a precious minute of gossip time.
    "Well, well, how are the Davises?" she began, but left no time for a reply.
    "I hear thet ya took on them two Larson girls." Her eyes dared them to deny it and at the same instant declared them out of their mind for so doing.
    She waited just a moment but neither Clark nor Marty commented.
    "I have my purchases laid out here, Mrs. McDonald," Marty said evenly. "I believe thet's all I be a needin' today."
    Mrs. McDonald went to work on adding up the groceries, but her eyes promised Marty that she wasn't finished with her yet. When she had the total figured, Clark stepped forward to pay the bill.
    "I'll take the groceries on out to the wagon," he informed Marty, "then be back to help with them other things."
    "I can manage 'em," Marty assured him. "Jest wait in the wagon fer me. Where is the team?"
    "Jest across the street."
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    "Fine. I'll be there quick-like."
    Marty walked to the door with him and opened it as he went out, both arms loaded. She picked up the box she had left by the entrance, then placing it on the counter, she spoke to Mrs. McDonald.
    "My eggs, butter, and cream fer today. I'd like 'em to go toward these things, please."
    Mrs. McDonald began to calculate the exchange. When she had figured the worth of the farm produce, Marty began to push bolts of material forward, naming the yardage that she desired from each one. In between snips of the scissors, Mrs. McDonald managed to pry for tidbits that she might later be able to pass on.
    "Jedd said ya was most keen on keepin' the girls." Marty only nodded.
    "People here