The more Luke read, the worse he felt for Pearl, who was pinning all her hopes and dreams on marriage to a drunk. The poor woman had no idea how lucky she was that Owen was gone.
A man in town, Peter, had informed him that Owen had gone to California with a group headed there. According to the group, they were going to start businesses in San Francisco and make money during the boom in population.
His brother had good business sense, unfortunately the draw of alcohol had thwarted any ventures that he’d begun.
Footsteps sounded in the front room. Butch and Charley were probably ready for supper.
Luke placed the folded paper into his breast pocket. He’d consider how to handle the situation in the morning. For now, there was supper to served and a messy kitchen to clean up.
“Would you rather go to town or stay at the Johnson’s for the day?” Luke asked Charley the next morning.
The boy frowned. “If I stay at the Johnsons then I can still meet her when she comes home?”
“If she does, yes.”
The boy loved spending time at the Johnsons, the couple had four boys and there was always plenty of good food and pie.
Charley jumped down from the wagon and sprinted past John Johnson, who’d walked up. The man shook his head. “He sure is getting tall.”
“Would you mind if he stays here? I’m heading to town to see about a mail order bride.”
“A bride,” Helen Johnson rounded her husband and beamed up at Luke. “Did you bathe?”
Luke grinned. “Yes, ma’am I did. But she’s here to marry Owen, who’s run off. I’ll tell her the truth. If she’s agreeable, I won’t mind marrying her. But it will be up to her.”
John opened his mouth to say something, but his wife pushed him back. She leaned forward and pinned Luke with a stern look. “Do your best. You’re handsome and a good man. Ensure Martha helps to convince her. I need a friendly neighbor to visit with.”
“I’m friendly,” Luke teased.
Helen narrowed her eyes. “You don’t wear a skirt. Hope you cleaned the house. Last time I stopped by Owen had such a mess.”
Thankfully, with Butch’s help with the ranch, it had left him time to clean up the house some in case the woman, Pearl, agreed to return home with him.
After answering a few more of Helen’s questions, Luke headed to town. His mind going in different directions as he tried to figure out what he’d say to the woman, Pearl.
Hopefully, she would be agreeable to at least sitting down to discuss what the best course of action would be. After traveling so far, he hoped it would mean she’d be open to discussing staying there.
Despite the fact, he’d just to figure out how to break the news to the mail order bride that his brother had corresponded with, Luke looked forward to having a conversation with her. It had been so long since he’d even spoken to a single woman.
Was it possible it was one of the two women he’d seen at the hotel just two days earlier while in town? Although he’d never seen them before, they’d been in a conversation with Martha, the hotel owner’s wife. It could be they’d been in town for a while and he’d not met them yet.
Of the two, one of them had looked over to his and Charley’s table. The woman was beautiful and for some reason interested in looking toward him twice.
It was silly for him to expect she could be whom he would, with luck, marry. Of course, the woman he’d seen had to be spoken for. No woman that beautiful would last long in Angel Creek, if single.
Too preoccupied with getting the sundries home and keeping Charley from getting too many stares because of his bruised face, he’d hurried through what had to be done. Now he regretted not having inquired if the woman was attached or not.
Angel Creek came into view through specks of snow falling from a clouded sky. Winter was marking its arrival. Once the snow fell there in Montana, it rarely stopped until spring. Winter was Luke’s least favorite season as he was not a fan of frigid weather.
Although it brought Christmas celebrations that he tried to attend in town every year, the rest of the time, it meant being indoors and when seeing to the animals, he did it with chattering teeth.
He pulled the wagon to a stop in front of Rose Haven, noting that several men gathered under the awning. One of them was the local preacher, another the mayor. Both greeted him with enthusiasm.
“There’s the groom,” boomed Flint Carroll, the preacher, with a bright smile. “Sure are a lucky man.”
Luke frowned and looked behind to see if someone followed him. “Who me?”
One of the men grabbed his hand pumping it with vigor. “Yes you. The lady asked for you by name.”
Had his brother given the woman his name? Luke scratched his head. This was certainly a confusing situation. If it was turning out to be that his brother planned to marry him off, in order to distract him from the fact he was stealing from him, then with Owen gone, he’d done him a favor.
With the men in tow, he walked into the hotel. The group of them stopping when Martha held up both hands to block their entrance.
“It’s bad luck to see the bride before the marriage,” she admonished motioning for Luke to not continued forward. “Go on in reverend,” she instructed.
“You can turn around now.”
When Luke turned, the men who’d fallowed him in had disappeared behind a curtain that lead into a small parlor. “I should probably talk to her first.”
“She prefers not to,” Martha explained. “Would like to get it done with and not be given a chance to change her mind.”
“I think it’s not that good of an idea...” Luke started, but stopped when a trio of women entered, gave him a once over and then slipping in through the curtains. He tried to get a glimpse of who he was about to marry, but Martha pulled the curtains closed.
“Proceed,” Preacher Carroll called out.
Luke let out a breath, this was a bit theatrical, especially when Martha threw open the curtains with flourish.
Everyone turned and looked at him. In the room were the three women, who he guessed came to show support for the bride, the Mayor and the sheriff.
There was no bride in sight.
“Come stand up here,” Preacher Carroll motioned for Luke to come stand next to him and then he nodded to Martha. “Let’s get the bride in.”
Martha opened a side door and the striking woman from the day before walked in. Luke waited to see if the other one, she’d been with, was to walk in next for him to marry. But the beautiful bride held her head high and walked by herself straight up the center of the room.
It was only when she came to stand next to Luke that she turned to him, her eyes widening in recognition. She looked to the other people in the room before meeting his gaze again. A whisper of a smile played on her lips.
Luke opened his mouth to ask that they speak for a moment, but the reverend cleared his throat. “Let us proceed.”
“Are you sure? I’m Luke Reynolds.”
She frowned. “I am Pearl Jameson.”
The vows began and not sure what else to do, Luke repeated them after the reverend.
“The ring?” Preacher held out his hand and Luke removed his mother’s ring from his small finger. He’d brought it just in case Pearl insisted on marrying. Pure luck that Owen hadn’t found it and stolen it along with everything else.
His mother had given him the ring when he’d planned to ask the woman that had left town to marry him. She’d told him to keep it, insisting he’d find the perfect woman one day.
“I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride,” the preacher exclaimed in a much too loud tone.
Pearl’s cheeks turned pick, but she lifted her face to him, and he pressed a soft kiss to her lips.
When Martha sniffed, he wanted to roll his eyes. Instead he attempted a reassuring smile that he was sure looked more like a grimace.
“How about a nice meal,” someone said guiding them to the dining area. Pearl had yet to sa
y anything to him and Luke was glad for the excuse to sit down to eat and talk. Once ushered to a corner table and everyone wishing them well, a couple even leaving gifts, they were finally left alone.
Pearl looked over her shoulder toward the kitchen. “I supposed Martha will bring us something to eat.” She studied him for a moment. “This is quite unsettling isn’t it?”
“Very much so,” Luke wanted to add that he’d not planned to be married that day, but decided it was probably the wrong thing to say.
“I saw you the other day with your little boy,” Pearl said. “Charley, right?”
“Yes.” His throat dried up. He met her gaze. “He’s actually my nephew, but I’m raising him. We weren’t looking our best that day.”
“What happened?”
“A fight with my brother.” Luke didn’t add the reason. Better to keep that for another day. He had so many questions, at the same time, he wasn’t sure how to ask her if she meant to marry him.
“You mentioned in your last letter that you were traveling with your cousin. Was that the woman with you?”
Pearl nodded, her beautiful eyes misting. “She accepted a position as governess not too far from here.” When she turned to look out the window, it showcased the creamy lines of her neck. Luke stared at her for a long time.
“I will ensure you visit with her often.”
“Truly?” Her eyes brightened and she smiled at him.
It was the first time Luke understood why men did some foolish things over a woman. The look in her eyes when meeting his made his insides melt.
“You always signed your name and the ad stated your name to be Owen, but in there you said your name was Luke and the preacher called you Lucas.”
His stomach lurched at the clarification that she’d come to Angel Creek to marry his brother. Luke was lost for a moment unsure how to reply. If he told the truth, she could demand the marriage be annulled. But if he lied, it would be a horrible start to the marriage.
He cleared his throat. “My name is Lucas. Everyone here calls me Luke.” He opened his mouth to explain further, but the words stuck in his throat. Her earnest smile and easy acceptance made it hard to tell her he was not the man she planned to marry.
“I will call you Luke, I like that name. It suits you.” She frowned. “Why did you place an ad with the name Owen?”
This was it the time to clear things up. “It was my brother who...”
“Enjoy!” Martha wheeled a cart that was laden with two plates of food and a small cake in the center. “Congratulations.” The woman stated with a huge grin.
“Thank you,” Pearl stared at the cake for a long moment and then her face crumpled, and she began to cry.
Unsure what to do Luke looked to Martha, who motioned for him to get up and go to his wife. Luke placed his arms around her trembling shoulders and Pearl turned her face into the crook of his shoulder crying softly.
Thankfully his handkerchief was clean, and he pressed it to her hands. She wiped her eyes and blew her nose delicately. “I am so sorry, it’s just that this day has been so overwhelming. “The cake.” Her voice cracked. “I come from a family of bakers. It reminded me of home.”
“Oh Dear, I didn’t know,” Martha exclaimed, looking as if she would also cry.
“This is all so very kind of you,” Pearl said attempting to smile. “I love it.”
When she offered Luke a soft smile. “I hope you aren’t put off. I am not normally so emotional.”
He shook his head liking that she continued to lean into him. When she let out a long sigh, Luke realized he couldn’t tell her the truth. She had no family, nowhere to go and being married to him would provide her safety and security.
Owen had gone to California and would not return. Once home and Pearl became used to him and got settled, the time to explain would come. One day soon, he would slowly explain that although he did not place the ad, he very much wanted to marry her.
The meal was flavorful, they talked mostly about her travel from Pennsylvania and about Angel Creek and what she could expect to find there in town.
Martha offered to plan a special gathering for Pearl, who looked to Luke with expectation. When she asked, he agreed to bring her back to have tea and meet other women.
It was almost evening by the time all her belongings were loaded into the wagon.
“Would you like to stop by the mercantile to purchase anything you may need?” Luke asked when they walked out from the hotel.
Pearl shook her head. “I went there yesterday and purchased quite a few items.” She pointed to a basket that was already loaded onto the wagon.
“Very well,” he helped her up to the bench where she gripped the edges of the seat. “It seems so high up here.”
After thanking Martha for all she did, Luke climbed up and looked to Pearl. “You haven’t ridden in front of a wagon before?”
“No.” She frowned down to the ground. “Please go slow.”
It felt intimate when wrapping a thick blanket around her shoulders. “We’ll see about purchasing a covered carriage, so you won’t be so exposed.”
She nodded, her cheeks reddening at his proximity.
On the ride to the ranch, Luke pointed out different landmarks, such as the clinic and the church. He showed her where a river ran through nearby and told her about his life there as a young boy on his parent’s ranch.
“Are you warm enough?” Although she’d wrapped a large thick cloak around herself and he’d bundled her up with blankets, it was no match for the frigid wind.
“I may actually be a bit too warm.” Pearl chuckled. “It isn’t very cold right now.”
Noting her pink nose, he smiled. “I’d rather you be a bit too warm, than shivering from the cold.”
Her cheeks turned an adorable shade of pink. “Thank you, I am comfortable.”
“That’s my ranch,” he said pointing toward the edge of his lands.
In the distance, Butch rode a horse in circles urging horses toward the stables. “The man there, his name is Butch. He’s helping me out for a few weeks.”
Pearl leaned forward. “Is that your house?”
His chest expanded at the sight of the two-story white-washed farmhouse. It stood proud atop a slight hill, the sturdy fixture fitting perfectly in the center of the landscape.
“Yes, welcome home.”
Pearl leaned forward, and studied the house, her gaze moving across it and then up and down. “It is not at all what I expected.”
“What did you expect?”
“I don’t know, a more rustic log cabin of sorts I suppose.”
Luke chuckled. “I used to live in a cabin. It’s over there a bit. See it? Look through the trees.” He pointed to the small cabin that he was used as a bunk house at times during planting and harvesting seasons.
“Lived there until I finished building the house...” He was going to say, “Where I hoped to raise a family,” but instead left the sentence there.
“It’s quite lovely.” Pearl said as they pulled in front of the house. “Does your ranch hand live here as well?”
“Butch prefers the rooms behind the stable. He claims it’s warmer, but I think he likes the company of the horses.”
She turned her attention back to the house. On a front porch that ran the entire length of it, were two rocking chairs on one end, on the other end, a bench he and Charley had built.
“I hope you like the interior as much as you do the outside. You can make any changes you wish. I’ll build whatever is needed.”
Wrapping his hands around her waist, he assisted her down. For a scant moment, Pearl gazed up at him, her hands on his shoulder. Luke allowed his hands to linger at her waist a bit longer than necessary until she broke the spell by moving away.
“I can help,” she motioned to the wagon. “Unload my things.”
Chapter 5
Pearl wanted to sag with relief at seeing the house. Since agreeing to move west, all she’d found were
pictures of badly built shacks with lopsided roofs or log cabins that promised unlit sooty interiors. Luke’s farmhouse was a nice two-story home that would have not been out of place in Pennsylvania.
It was atop a slight rise from where she could see out to the surrounding landscape. There were more animals about than she’d ever seen, which made her look forward to the prospect of getting to know more about them.
A large brown dog ran to greet them, its tail wagging and tongue lolling from its wide grin.
“This is Jack. He’s supposed to be a guard dog, but instead considers himself a welcome party.” Luke bent at the waist to scratch the dog behind the ears. The animal then turned to her and neared expecting the same from her.
“He certainly is friendly,” Pearl said patting the dog’s head with a flat hand.
“Why don’t you and Jack stay on the porch? I’ll unload these things and get them inside.”
Her stomach fluttered when her new husband easily lifted her trunk from the back of the wagon and brought it past her and into the house.
Deciding to wait for him to finish unloading before proceeding inside, she lowered to a rocking chair on the porch.
He exited and continued to the wagon to get the last two bags allowing her time to study him further.
Sandy brown hair, solemn brown eyes and medium build is how she’d describe him. Luke was subtly handsome despite the fading bruises on his face. Thankfully his nephew had not come to the house on that day. It already felt overwhelming to be there and having to hold a conversation with a child would have been a bit much for her.
Once she rested, there were many things that she hadn’t been clear on. It was common for men to misrepresent themselves in ads in order to gain a wife. Why had he called himself by another name on the ad?
Her head swam and then the truth sank in. There was little she could do about the situation. This stranger was her husband, she was on a farm away from the local town and had no idea how far to go to find another person. She’d have to figure out how to make the best of things. This was to be her life now.
Pearl Page 4
