Did Laura think Almanzo was rich?
I’m almost done with my reread (hence all the posts) and now I’m thinking that part of what exacerbated Laura’s disappointment about the loan on the house was I think she really thought he was rich, and she was moving from the life she knew where the family truly struggled to make ends meet (skipping out on burr oak debts, Pa having to walk hundreds of miles in Plum Creek, almost starving in the long winter) to a life of considerably more comfort.
Rereading all of their courting, she was definitely led to believe that he was quite comfortable. He had two claims, the nicest horses in town, was always buying new buggies and he also bought Laura quite nice gifts (the hairbrush and the pin etc.). Reading farmer boy it is obvious he grew up in completely different circumstances than Laura, it seems that he was living beyond his own means right away in De Smet. I’d be so curious to see an accounting of his net worth over the years.
So then when Laura moves into this lovely house with the amazing pantry, it makes sense that she’d think he had it free and clear. How utterly disappointing it all must have been when it came crashing down