I love them both so much *tears up*. James Holcroft, our MMC, is an old widower who is on the verge of losing his farm, the only home he's ever known, after the death of his wife. There's no one to help him with inside work and dairy has been costing him money instead of earning some. He has tried, again and again to bring some woman/women who'd do a fraction of what his late wife did so he could keep his house and farm but alas all he gets are leeches and thieves who are draining his already depleted finances. Alida Armstrong, our FMC, is a poor seamstress who lives with her dying mother. Her father educated her but ever since his passing she's been penniless and has gone through a lot of hardships. Everyone who knew her more than in passing would say — "She has seen better days." To save her mother's already declining health, Alida worked enough for the both of them, went without food and until Wilson Ostrom asked, without any help or support. He helped Alida emotionally and monetarily during her mother's ailment and funeral. Her mother died happily thinking Alida has found a protector in him and they get married. Just as Alida thought, she was happy. She discovers her husband's betrayal. He is a bigamist and could be prosecuted for the crime. Alida leaves him not without asking him for the truth but not listening to any of his excuses. When Holcroft's friend and owner of the poorhouse claims There's a woman here out of the common run. He proposes a Come, Alida! Here's a strong hand that's able to take care of you." She clasped it like a lifeline and kissed it. Since this was going to be a marriage in name only, Holcroft was a bit scared that since he's the first person to show her kindness she'd come to think of it as love when he had no such thing to offer. He calls on a minister and not a pastor to conduct the shortest ceremony possible. 'By this act of joining hands you do take each other as husband and wife. Therefore, in accordance with the law of the State of New York, I do hereby pronounce you husband and wife.' Since Alida has been sick Holcroft forbids her to work, buys her necessary things for her stay and off they go. On the way to her new home, she deduces that her husband doesn't see her as someone broken, is only interested in keeping his farm and was very straightforward, which she appreciated. Holcroft's thoughts are much simpler and he didn't care much for the wife but only for his farm and home and wished for her to be hardworking and not to fall in love with him under these circ*mstances. Holcroft cooks dinner that night to show Alida that he's capable of doing things for himself until she's better. "I've already found out that you have one fault that you and I will have to watch against. You are too willing. I fear you've gone beyond your strength this morning He asks her to cook something simple for dinner and not over tax herself but finds himself wondering "I wonder what that little woman has for dinner? Another new dish, like enough. He keeps thinking of ways to keep her entertained and happy. It's curious how interested I am to know how she's got along and what she has for dinner. And to think that, less than a week ago, I used to hate to go near the house!" Eventhough she makes something common, she makes it so good he finds it tempting enough. "Well, what have you been doing besides tempting me to eat too much?" The casual domesticity and their conversations 🤌🏻 The appreciation he had for her and the effect she had on him — On the contrary she entertained and interested him, although she said so little, and by some subtle power she unloosed his tongue and made it easy for him to talk to her. In the most quiet and unobtrusive way, she was not only making herself at home, but him also; she was very subservient to his wishes, but not servilely so; she did not assert, but only revealed her superiority, and after even so brief an acquaintance he was ready to endorse Tom Watterly's view, "She's out of the common run." Their conversations were so casual. It's like people watching , no drama just casually observing people going about their days and lives. When she suggests he could buy papers on farming techniques and let his experience guide him into using the correct ones and she'll even read the papers to him and he says "I will, then, for the pleasure of hearing you read, if nothing else. He hadn't had the luxury of good company in so long and Alida is perfect. FMCs have to be very horrible for me to badmouth them but Alida is angelic and not 18-23 years old, either. And after she says this
Next morning Alida makes him breakfast and coffee, he was quite happy and then said he felt equal to doing two men's work. He even exclaims -
"His dead wife will never be my enemy,"
I, a hater of dead spouse trope, fell in love with her. She's our wife now. ☭
His continuous request for her to not over work herself is so endearing
"I'm finding out how valuable you are, and I'd rather save you than the small sum I have to pay old Mrs. Johnson."
And when he found her raking leaves and she defended herself saying it's good for her to be in the sun.
She was persisting, but not in a way that chafed him. Indeed, as he looked into her appealing eyes and face flushed with exercise, he felt that it would be churlish to say another word.
He even jokes about how she's too eager too work. It's just something about a grumpy man joking around with the sunshine that just gets me.
"You can see that you get me right under your thumb when you talk that way. But we must both be on our guard against your fault, you know, or pretty soon you'll be taking the whole work of the farm off my hands."
If they find out there's a MOC with grumpy-sunshine written in Harappan tablets, I'll decipher the language.
I mean how cute is this! HOW CUTE!
"I can't break you in a month."
"It looks more as if you'd make me"
*aggressively squeezes soft toy*
It isn't even some profound conversation. It's just them talking and I'm loving every second of it.
Honestly it saddened me when Holcroft said she should do things her way and not his late wife's way and Alida assumed he didn't want her to taint memories of his late wife.
Without the least intention on the part of either, chance words had been spoken which would not be without effect.
Holcroft's reason - "I'd much rather she'd take her own natural way in doing things. It would be easier for her and it's her right and—and somehow I like her way just as I used to like Bessie's ways. She isn't Bessie and never can be, and for some reason I'd like her to be as different as possible."
Alida's perception - "You can help me all you please, and I would rather you would do this in a way that will not awaken associations, but you must not think of me or expect me to think of you in any light that was not agreed upon."
It's so sad to read about miscommunication in this book given that in his pov we see instances like
He liked to watch her, not to see what she did to his advantage, but how she did it. She was awakening an agreeable expectancy, and he sometimes smilingly said to himself, "What's next?"
Ugh! I hate miscommunication and honestly, the big one that's yet to come made me want to tear my hair out and i love my hair more than any sane person should.
Anyway, he was only thinking about how since she's taking care of the chicken any money raised from that venture should be hers to spend as she wishes and whatever she can't they'd put it in the bank for her.
Everything you touch seems to turn out well.
This is a book without a single kiss let alone a sex scene staple in romance genre but the praise kink here. Absolutely filthy. He appreciates her so much and acknowledges her efforts.
"Come, you ought to go (to sleep) at once."
"Can't I smoke my pipe first please?"
"You'll find it quieter in the parlor."
"But it's pleasanter here where I can watch you."
"Do you think I need watching?"
"Yes, a little, since you don't look after your own interests very sharply."
"You won't mind being left alone a few hours tomorrow?"
"No, indeed, I like to be alone."
"I thought I did. Most everyone has seemed a crowd to me. I'm glad you've never given me that feeling."
Next day, when he woke up early and was stealthily escaping so he won't wake up Alida but she'd prepared a complete breakfast and when he couldn't find her there and looked outside —
She was so still and her face so white in the faint radiance that he had an odd, uncanny impression. No woman that he had ever known would stop that way to look at the dawn.
Holcroft's the one always tricking her into doing things for herself and this time it was her
"Did you mean to be up and have breakfast when I told you last night?"
"Yes. Of course I didn't let you know for you would have said I mustn't, and then I couldn't.
He even defended her to his friend and his wife. And ofcourse i love my MMCs threatening violence if anyone mistreats FMCs.
"If I'm no longer respectable for having married her, I certainly am better contented than I ever expected to be again. I want it understood, though, that the man who says anything against my wife may have to get me arrested for assault and battery."
He bought twice as many flowers and seeds as she had asked for, and also selected two simple flower vases; then started on his return with the feeling that he had a home.
In a world where people are trying to one-up each other with passive aggressiveness, be Holcroft and Alida.
It was eleven o'clock before Holcroft drove to the door with the flowers, and he was amply repaid by her pleasure in receiving them. "Why, I only expected geraniums," she said, "and you've bought half a dozen other kinds."
"And I expected to get my own coffee this morning and a good breakfast was given me instead, so we are quits."
I love how we can see that their relationship is progressing but for them who are living it, it's such a gradual change that from one day to another they don't even realize that the grump who didn't like to talk and the sunshine who sought solitude, took out time from their daily chores and sat together to talk and gossip.
And when the mob descended on them and Alida said —
"I only am to blame. I will go away forever if you will spare—"
But it's the Holcroft reaction. The fact that he's a man written by a man and so perfectly caters to me.. it's making me question things.
In an instant he was at her side, his arm around her, his square jaw set, and his eyes blazing with his kindling anger. He was not one of those men who fume early under provocation and in words chiefly. His manner and gesture were so impressive that his tormentors paused to listen.
"...This is my wife, and I'll break any man's head who says a word to hurt her feelings—"
And he delivered on the promise he didn't even get to verbalize.
She saw him seize the hickory sapling he had leaned against the house, and burst upon the group like a thunderbolt. Cries of pain, yells, and oaths of rage rose above the rain of blows.
When he thought about it, he was so upset that she'd think that she was to blame for any of it and would even think about leaving him.
"I'd fight all Oakville—men, women, and children—before I'd permit that,"
And when she saw that he was wounded
Oh! You're wounded!"
"What's that, compared with your talk of going away?"
My heart! My heart is going to burst.
"Don't you know you can't go away?"
"I could for your sake,"
"No, it wouldn't be for my sake. I don't wish you to go, and wouldn't let you"
"I'm beginning to find you out. You may get some foolish, self-sacrificing notion in your head that it would be best for me, when it would be my ruination. Will you promise?
"You don't know how a woman feels when a man stands up for her as you did tonight."
"Well, I know how a man feels when there is a woman so well worth standing up for."
Bury me. For now I'm dead. No don't bury me. If there's afterlife, I'll be forced to see creepy crawlies eat my body. But you get my point.
With her income from the chickens Alida starts improving the condition of her home and when Holcroft sees the difference.
"Phew! When do the silk dresses come in?"
"When your broadcloth does."
"Well, if this goes on, I shall certainly have to wear purple and fine linen to keep pace."
I've stopped associating the word bewitched with Mr Darcy.
"I never believed in magic, but I'll have to come to it. You are bewitched, and are being transformed into a pretty young girl right under my eyes; the house is bewitched, and is growing pretty, too, and pleasanter all the time. The cherry and apple trees are bewitched, for they never blossomed so before; the hens are bewitched, they lay as if possessed; the—"
"Oh, stop! Or I shall think that you're bewitched yourself."
"I truly begin to think I am."
I'm trying not to give away all the romantic things, just the slice of life but this was too good to not have in my post.
How romantic is it to carry a chair to just sit there watch your wife churn butter?
"Mr. Holcroft," she asked very gravely, "will you do something for me?"
"Yes, half a dozen things."
And then she tells him to wear a coat cause it's chilly in the room.
"So you are going to take care of me as if I were a small boy?"
"You need care—sometimes."
He soon came back and asked, "Now may I stay?"
"You're catching cold? Come, you must go right upstairs."
"I was never more contented in my life."
"What would I do if you got sick?"
"Well then, little boss, goodbye."
With a half suppressed smile at his obedience Alida watched his reluctant departure.
I'm going to have to read their miscommunication part and I'm already dreading it. It's making me so sad.
So when Jane, child of previous leech makes a comeback, Holcroft observes how, eventhough she seems to hate her, Alida does her duty by her by being kind and taking her in when neither of them wishes to disturb the coziness of their home.
It makes him wonder if she's with him for the same reason, out of some sense of duty but he also seems to understand that she's under no obligation to do more by him than she's already doing and obviously love wasn't in the bargain.
And Holcroft's aloofness and lack of warmth makes Alida wonder if she's to him as Mrs. Mumpson before and decides that she'll keep her end of the bargain and won't bother him outside of it.
Thus husband and wife reached the same, conclusion and were rendered equally unhappy.
Alida was beside herself and losing colour trying to do everything to please him and he wished —
I'd rather have had one of her old smiles and gone without my dinner
I can't even go by a wild posy in the lane without thinking she'd like it and see in it a sight more than I once could.
Hanged if I don't believe I'm in love with my wife, and, like a thundering fool, I had to warn her against falling in love with me
He once thought how he would've liked any woman who was as sensible as Alida and worked for him so that he could keep his farm, now I don't seem to care a rap for the corn or the farm either, compared with Alida; and I care for her just because she is Alida and no one else.
And when he's speaking to the wind about his misfortune he even wishes she was in the hazelnut bushes to overhear him and save him the heartache.
They did everything for each other that they could, and yet each thought that the other was acting from a sense of obligation. Of course, such mistaken effort only led to a more complete misunderstanding.
He was in love and he was hurting and so was she but the way he thinks and feels about her and then he seems to think of himself as unworthy of her. h-e-a-r-t-b-r-e-a-k-i-n-g. There's alot of MMCs who don't deserve FMCs and vice versa but these two were perfect.
The world was full of wonderful beauty before unrecognized, and the woman who walked lightly and gracefully at his side was the crown of it all.
It is the essence of deep, unselfish love to depreciate itself and exalt its object. There was a superiority in Alida which Holcroft was learning to recognize more clearly every day, and he had not a trace of vanity to sustain him. Now he was in a mood to wrong and undervalue himself without limit
It's hurting me to copy paste this. Please don't judge me. I have a very hard time being indifferent to any sort of pain, real or fictitious. If i were a fraction more stupid and thrice my age, I would've sent Nigerian prince money.
"I hope we have done things right?" she ventured, turning away to hide tears of disappointment.
"Her self-sacrifice is giving out," he thought bitterly. "She finds she can scarcely look at me as I now appear in contrast with this June evening.
You ever hold your e-reader and feel like shaking it so the MCs will stop being stupid. Yeah.
Beneath him lay the farm and the home that he had married to keep, yet now, without a second's hesitation, he would part with all to call his wife WIFE. How little the name now satisfied him, without the sweet realities of which the word is significant!
I thought my old burdens hard to bear; I thought I was lonely before, but it was nothing compared with living near one you love, but from whom you are cut off by something you can't see, yet must feel to the bottom of your heart."
Alida drew conclusion ranging from he thinks I'm as repulsive as Mrs. Mumpson to he doesn't want me to take his late wife's place, one he truly loved and even goes on to think that given her history he doesn't wish for her to love him and he can't lover her, either.
She grew paler and paler and Holcroft couldn't understand why since in his own way he was doing everything he thought she wanted. Like being unobtrusive. He didn't even eat her cherry pie.
Alida was so weary and felt so ill that she went to the parlor and lay down upon the lounge. "My heart feels as if it were bleeding slowly away," she murmured. "If I'm going to be sick the best thing I can do is to die and end it all," and she gave way to that deep dejection in which there seems no remedy for trouble.
And then an unsavoury character from the past shows up and Alida had to face both his disposition towards her and her feelings toward him.
And after listening to Jane's account when he tries to hurry home to check if she's being honest and she says —
"Oh, yes!" said Jane contemptuously; "run right to her to find out somethin' as plain as the nose on her face,
Holcroft again dropped his face into his hands, and before Jane was through, tears of joy trickled through his fingers.
Also, we have a The Wall Of Winnipeg And Me moment.
if you ever trouble my wife or me again, I'll break every bone in your body
Now there's a reason it's called 'He Fell In Love With His Wife' so I'll leave you be with this quote. You can read their confessions and reconciliation yourself.
"Happiness never kills, after all," she said.
"Shouldn't be alive if it did,"
Bye.
