The Farmer's Wife

With the exceptions of his longtime live-in housekeeper Arminta Dench and his handyman Churdles Ash, middle-aged farmer Samuel Sweetland is ostensibly all alone in the world upon the passing of his wife Tibby Sweetland and the marriage of their only offspring, Sibley Sweetland. While Ash doesn't want another woman in the house, Samuel does wish to remarry; it was also Tibby's dying wish for him to do so. With Minta's help, Samuel puts together a shortlist of four widows or spinsters who would be potential wives, Samuel only fleetingly picturing them seated in Tibby's chair across the kitchen table from him. But just because they are on the list doesn't mean that they are suitable matches. If he opens his eyes, he could well find that wife a little closer to home in a person he truly loves, who would want to occupy that chair across from him.