Copyright © 2017 by Linda K. Hubalek
Published by Butterfield Books Inc.
Help and hindrance by family and friends makes this a comical trip down the church aisle for this couple.
Gabriel Shepard has secretly loved Iva Mae Paulson for years but has been too shy to court her. But when Iva Mae announces at a New Year's Eve party that her 1887 resolution is to find a groom, Gabe must decide if he's ready to lose her to another man or step out of his saddle shop to pursue her.
Iva Mae Paulson loves teaching children but after six years, she wants her own family instead. Since her choice of husband won't take the first step, she'll set her own destiny by signing up to become a mail-order bride.
Gabe and Iva Mae
I always picture my characters, either imaginary or from real images, when I write my books. For the Grooms with Honor series I’m using couples I found in my great-grandparent’s photo album, dating back to the early 1880s to early 1900s period. My great-grandparents were born in Sweden, moved to Kansas, and married in 1892.
There are no names written on the back of these photographs, and I don’t recognize them as any of my relatives. So, this photo, plus others I will be using for other books in the series, features the wedding portrait of some of their friends. (There was no need to write their names on the photos since my great-grandparents knew them, and I’m sure they didn’t think their great-granddaughter would be trying to identify them more than a hundred years later.)
These couples don’t look like our modern-day cover models (men with rippling muscles and women with flawless makeup) but they show real couples starting their new life together as husband and wife during the same time period as the couples in my Grooms with Honor series.
While you’re reading Gabe’s Pledge, you can pretend this wedding portrait is of Gabriel Shepard and Iva Mae Paulson in 1887. Hopefully I’ve given them a good start in their married life of love and trust.
Chapter 1
Friday, December 31, 1886
Paulson Hotel, Clear Creek, Kansas
Gabe Shepard studied the people around the room celebrating New Year’s Eve at the Paulson Hotel. There was a mixture of young and older couples, about sixty people who braved tonight’s snowy roads to partake in the party. Holiday greenery still hung above the arches of the big hotel room, along with kissing balls prominently hung in the middle. Two tables of refreshments and beverages featured delicate cookies, holiday candy, coffee and a pink punch whose faint smell reminded him of strawberries.
He’d spent the last hour circulating the room, at least saying “hello” to people before settling against a wall with his cup of coffee and a handful of cookies.
He sighed, looking at the newlyweds standing as couples around the room. When Gabe moved to town at the age of fourteen, the four oldest Reagan brothers became his best friends. Now two brothers had married, and Gabe couldn’t help a twang of envy pinching his chest. Angus was the town’s new depot agent and his wife Daisy was the proprietress of the new pharmacy. Fergus met his wife Iris in Nebraska and they were busy setting up their own photography studio in town.
Another couple married in the Clear Creek Church this past year too. Elof Lunstrom, a former soldier friend of Nolan Clancy settled in Clear Creek to start a farrier business. His wife Linnea helped at the Clancy Café, since Nolan and Holly Clancy would soon have their first baby to dote on.
Gabe’s eyes wandered across the room to Iva Mae Paulson, animatedly talking to her sister Maridell, and his sister, Mary Jenkins. Iva Mae had on a dark indigo silk gown, which complemented her swept-up auburn hair and sapphire blue eyes.
For a second Iva Mae’s eyes darted to meet his, and then turned back to the speaker in their conversation. Gabe’s sister looked over her shoulder at him, and then leaned in to say something to Iva Mae. Not a good thing when those three put their heads together.
A large hand landed on Gabe’s shoulder, surprising him out of his thoughts and jostling the coffee cup in his hand. Gabe looked sideways, and then up to question Mack Reagan’s gesture.
“Thinking who you’re going to kiss at midnight?” Mack leaned toward him to whisper. His friend towered over him, and most everyone in the area, except for the giant Swedish Hamner brothers.
“Nope. Just thinking of a saddle I need to complete,” Gabe lied. He wasn’t going to mention he was noticing all the couples in the room and maybe—just maybe—he wouldn’t mind being with someone special next New Year’s Eve.
“Iva Mae’s still waiting for you to notice her. One of these days someone will sweep her off her feet and maybe even out of town.”
“She loves teaching school. Doubt she’ll ever do anything else.”
“Doesn’t mean she wouldn’t give it up for a husband and a passel of her own kids.”
Iva Mae had taught in Clear Creek since, gosh, six years now. No wonder some people called her an old maid. A young teacher usually only taught school for a few years before she left the position to marry.
Why was Iva Mae still single? Mack’s question summed it up. Probably because people thought he’d get around to marrying Iva Mae so they thought she was off limits.
“Mark my words, one of these days she’s either going to ask for your hand in marriage or leave town.”
“How about you worry about your love life instead of mine, Mack? Who you going to have in your arms at midnight?”
“I plan to go down the line of old widow ladies on that far wall and give each of them a kiss to remember their youth.” Mack waved his hand at the women across the room and several of them waved back.
Typical answer from Mack. The fourth-in-line Reagan brother was everyone’s friend, always cracking a joke and putting people at ease.
“I suppose you have some New Year’s resolutions?” Gabe asked after he sipped another swallow of the now lukewarm coffee.
“Not really except for my work schedule. First, I’m finishing the office and apartment for the new doctor who will be moving into town this spring. Got a couple of house additions to do since the families are adding more ‘additions’ to their families.” Mack shrugged his shoulders. “A carpenter never runs out of work, so I’ll go from one project to the next.
“What about you, Gabe? Any big changes you want to make in your life?”
What was ahead for him in 1887? Another year of making saddles, living with his father and stepmother, another year the same as last year he supposed.
“No changes that I know of and I’d prefer to keep it that way.” He’d never forget when he was fourteen and found out the man who he thought was his father wasn’t. Of course, this was after the man’s death, so he couldn’t ask any questions of why. It changed Gabe’s world so fast he never wanted to go through something that dramatic again.
Gabe moved from a nice brick mansion in New York to the Bar E Ranch in Kansas when his real father showed up to check on him. Shortly after arriving to Kansas, his mother and sister, Mary, visited, hoping to lure Reuben and Gabe back to New York on the pretense that his parents were still married. It proved not to be true, and his mother left his sister with Gabe in Kansas.
But the sibling’s lives improved when they lived with his father Reuben Shepard, plus his new wife, Darcie and her two young children, Tate and Amelia.
Since growing up, Mary had married, moved to Chicago, widowed, and then moved back to Clear Creek with her two children, Burdette and Nolan. She owned the dress shop in town, even though her banker husband left her generous funds to live on.
But Gabe was still living with his family, the same as thirteen years ago. Maybe it was time he at least moved out to live on his own. He had funds to move into his own place, but then he’d have to do his own cooking, cleaning, and clothes washing. Or eat at the café…or get married.
Gabe continued to track Iva Mae across the room as she drifted to the table to refill her punch cup. As people stopped her to say a word, she responded with a smile and a touch. But Gabe felt a tinge
of heat rise up the back of his neck when Adolf started walking toward Iva Mae.
“Maybe Adolf will ask for Iva Mae’s hand in marriage.” Mack remarked as they watched Adolf walking through the crowd as if he was on a mission. “He could provide for her and a family since he owns the butcher shop and a house in town.”
Adolf Bjorkman was a shy man, but Kaitlyn Reagan was trying her best to set him up with someone. He was always invited to the Reagan dinner table when there was a new woman in town.
“He would have asked Iva Mae by now if he was going to,” But Gabe hoped Adolf never got up his nerve to ask the schoolteacher for her hand in marriage.
“You never know. It might be Adolf’s resolution to be married by this time next year. It’s almost midnight. Better get close to who you want to kiss at the top of the hour.”
Mack sauntered away, greeting people as he wandered through the crowd.
So, whom did he want to kiss at midnight? He was embarrassed to say the woman who was talking to another man. Maybe if he went to talk to Adolf and Iva Mae, Adolf would back away.
***
“Don’t look now but Adolf is walking this way,” Maridell whispered as she glanced over her shoulder. “I think he’s coming to talk to you, Iva Mae.”
Iva Mae looked down to smooth her skirt with damp hands, hoping Adolf wasn’t coming to talk to her.
“Maybe he’s coming to talk to you or Mary,” Iva Mae countered back.
“He knows I have no interest in him. I made that clear the first time the man asked me to go on a buggy ride,” Mary declared.
“He’s not my type. He’s old and always has blood on his clothes.” Maridell whined.
“Maridell, I’m sure he’s not over thirty—anyway not by much—and he’s a butcher. Of course, he’s going to have a bloody work apron.”
“He’s behind you,” Maridell hissed under her breath. Iva Mae inwardly sighed. Even though they all grew up learning manners in the hotel, Maridell didn’t always act as if she was nineteen.
Iva Mae turned around ready to greet the man. “Happy New Year, Mr. Bjorkman.”
“Uh, same to you, ladies,” the tall man ducked his head in an awkward acknowledgment to them.
“Ready to ring in the New Year? Do you have any resolutions?” Iva Mae was confident in making small talk, having years of practice with hotel guests and with her students’ parents.
Adolf didn’t answer as he watched Gabe walk up to join their group. Why was Gabe suddenly making his appearance? He’d been standing to the side staring at her half of the evening.
“Evening, everyone,” Gabe touched his forehead in salute, as he would have done to his hat brim if it had been on his head.
“Happy New Year,” everyone murmured in response.
“Gabe, we were just talking about resolutions for the new year. Have you made any?” Mary asked her brother, while glancing at Iva Mae.
“I’m not into making resolutions. I suppose I should say I want to increase the number of saddles I make this next year.”
“Adolf?” Mary asked the other man in their circle.
“Same as last year,” Adolf sighed.
“And what’s that?” Mary pushed him for an answer.
“To find a woman willing to marry me.” Adolf’s face was so red from embarrassment he looked sunburned.
“The right woman will show up one of these days,” Mary consoled him. Mary looked sideways at Iva Mae and she worried Mary would blurt out her earlier declaration.
“Ladies and gentleman!” Ethan Paulson, the hotel owner, and her stepfather, called for their attention. “It’s time to grab a partner and start the countdown to midnight!”
Iva Mae ducked away from Adolf’s reach and boldly grabbed Gabe’s forearm. If he didn’t respond to her kiss, Iva Mae would know it was time to start her New Year’s resolution.
“Iva Mae, I don’t know about this...” Gabe sputtered as Iva Mae wrapped her hands behind Gabe’s neck. By golly, she was going to get a kiss from Gabe this year, even if she had to do all the work herself.
“Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One! Happy New Year!” the crowd chanted as Iva Mae’s mouth reached for Gabe’s lips.
Iva Mae pressed her lips against Gabe’s and felt a wonderful tingle of connection. This is what she wanted from a husband and Gabe was her choice. Now to convince him. She stood on tiptoe to kiss him again but Gabe jerked her arms away from his neck.
“Why’d you do that?” Gabe asked as he rubbed the back of his hand across his lips.
His words and actions stung Iva Mae’s pride. “It’s midnight! People kiss at this magical moment.”
“But the people will get the wrong idea about us.”
Iva Mae was floored. What? Why had she bothered pining after the man for years if he felt that way? He had no feelings whatsoever for her!
“Sorry I bothered! It won’t happen again,” Iva Mae hissed as she turned away from Gabe.
“Wait. Don’t go away mad.”
“What do you expect, Gabe? I’ve waited years for you to court me. Years! I’m mad at myself for thinking you’d come around, since you obviously don’t feel a whit of interest in me.”
“Iva Mae...”
“It’s time to implement my new year’s resolution. I will be married before the next year ends.”
“What? How?”
“I’m signing up with a matrimonial agency to become a mail-order bride.”
“When?”
“My letter is written and ready to mail tomorrow.” Iva Mae spun on her heels and escaped up the staircase to the family suite on the third floor. She was done waiting for Gabe. There had to be dozens of other men who would love and appreciate her. They just didn’t happen to live in Clear Creek, Kansas. Fine. Her search for a husband started tomorrow.
Chapter 2
“I got a letter!” Iva Mae squealed as she burst in the door of Mary’s dress shop.
“Already? It’s only been ten days,” Mary looked up from her sewing.
“I sent my letter to an agency in Kansas City so it wouldn’t take so long. Plus I told the agency I wanted to stay within the state if I can.”
Iva Mae pulled on her wool coat, scarf, and gloves and rushed to the post office as soon as school was out. She’d have to go back to the schoolhouse to get ready for the next day and bank the stove fire, but she wanted to check for mail before postmaster Cullen Reagan closed the post office for the day.
“Well, open it up so we know who it’s from.” Mary asked but Iva Mae was already pulling the paper from the envelope.
“It’s a typed letter,” Iva Mae flashed the page towards Mary. “Must be from a business man. Maybe a lawyer?”
“Only one letter? I thought there’d be one from the agency, too, since they forward the letter.”
“No. Just one.” Iva Mae skimmed the front and back, looking for the writer’s name.
“Who’s it from?”
“Huh. It’s just signed ‘from your future husband’.” Iva Mae looked up to Mary in confusion. Didn’t the prospective grooms sign their names? She expected to hear from more than one man so she could choose whom she liked best. Would they all sign their letters the same way?
“Don’t keep me in suspense. Read the letter out loud or I’ll snatch it from you and read it myself!”
“All right. Let’s see what he says.
“Dear Miss Paulson. I hear you’re looking for a husband and I’d like to correspond with you, hoping to convince you to become my future bride.
“I’m medium height, average looks and in my mid-twenties. I have no scars, disease, or bad habits, such as drinking or smoking. My friends consider me loyal, truthful, and generally happy with life.
“My parents and siblings are still living so you’ll have an immediate family when we marry.
“I work in my family’s business and make a good living, so I can afford to take care of you and our future children. My housing situation is in transition but our home will
be ready by the time we marry.
“I live in a small town where everyone knows each other so it will be easy for you to become acquainted with the citizens and fit into the community. We have the basic businesses for all our shopping needs.
“I’m active in our local church, like to sing, and socialize with friends.
“You mentioned you currently work as a schoolteacher. I assume you’ll give up this job for our family, but I don’t mind if you work outside the home at first.
“If you’d like to correspond again, please write back to the agency’s address. I look forward to reading about my future bride.
“Sincerely,
Your future husband”
“Well, that was short and sweet,” Mary announced. “What town does the postmark say it’s from?”
Iva Mae still had the envelope in her hand so she turned it up to see the front. “It’s smudged so I’m not certain, but I’d guess the letter was forwarded from the agency in Kansas City.”
“Are you really going to write back?” Mary seriously said as she studied Iva Mae.
Was she? This seemed like a game until she read the letter. There was actually someone elsewhere in Kansas who really wanted to marry her.
Iva Mae plopped down in the spare chair in Mary’s workroom and stared at the typed words on the page.
“Right now, I don’t know if I want to. It would mean leaving Clear Creek and my friends and family.”
“It would be a fresh start. A home of your own instead of living in the hotel. Children of your own instead of taking care of a schoolhouse full of kids.”
“But I’d miss my little sisters growing up.” Iva Mae helped raise her three younger sisters before their mother married Ethan Paulson. Then her mother and Ethan had four more daughters.
“Maybe your future husband could move to Clear Creek?”
“Not if he works in his family’s business.”
Now Iva Mae’s heart clinched at the thought of leaving her family. “Maybe I’ll just be content with being a schoolteacher.” Tears pricked in her eyes. Because she didn’t want to leave her family, or because she didn’t want to give up the chance of a man loving her as a woman and wife?
Grooms with Honor Series, Books 1-3 Page 26
