A Mystery Groom for Christmas

by Patricia Pacjac Carroll

  Fred nodded. “I want her to have friends other than me. I feel that’s important for a woman, especially when it comes time to have children.”

  “You’re a most thoughtful man, Fred.” Mary Louise laughed. “Do you have any brothers.”

  With a chuckle, Fred shook his head. “Sorry. I don’t.”

  The sheriff looked at her from across the table. “Maybe you could give one of those mystery grooms a try.”

  Mary Louise nodded. “Perhaps so. Do you know who they are?”

  The sheriff shook his head. “No, I can’t say.”

  Jeff, who had been sitting quietly, smiled at her. “What is a mystery groom?”

  Mary Louise laughed. “Why don’t you explain it, Sheriff.”

  The sheriff turned to face him. “Jeff, it’s a type of letter that a man puts in the paper to try and find the right woman to marry. If a woman is interested, she answers him, and they go from there.”

  Jeff nodded. “So, has it worked before?”

  Mary Louise tore her glance from Kirk. “Yes, Once so far. The woman who founded the Thursday Night Girls Club found her one and only. But I’m not sure they even read each other’s letters.”

  Kirk nodded. “Peter and Kate. She was the town’s schoolteacher. Now, we need to find a new teacher. I’ll have to talk to Mayor Heart about it later.”

  Mary Louise looked at Fred. “Can we throw you a party? Maybe Saturday after she arrives, we can have a social. Dance and refreshments and help her meet the folks in town.”

  Fred nodded. “I’d like that. I really don’t know that many people.”

  Mary Louise pointed at Kirk. “Between the sheriff and me, we can notify the people of Lone Oak and have a good gathering. It will be so exciting.”

  Fred smiled. “Thank you, both of you.”

  Mary Louise held up her pencil. “One more question. Will it matter what she looks like?”

  Fred shook his head. “I don’t care. I’ve fallen in love with her through the letters. It doesn’t matter to me.”

  “Aw.” Mary Louise hadn’t meant to let her emotions come out. How had Fred escaped her notice because he sounded like the perfect man. “Those letters must have been very special.”

  He nodded. “They’re private, so I won’t show them to you, but basically, we opened our hearts to one another. I told her what I wanted. A woman who would understand and love me and not try to make me into something I’m not. A woman that wanted to share life’s special moments with me. That type of thing. Of course, she shared with me. Through the letters, I felt that we were meant to be together.”

  “Aw.” Mary Louise closed her mouth and smiled. “That sounds perfect. Thank you for sharing with me.” She sat, still staring at the perfect man, wondering if she would ever find one?

  The sheriff stood. “I need to get back to town. Thanks for giving Jeff a chance.”

  Fred stood. “My pleasure. We all need help once in a while. I hope you got enough information for your article, Miss Kemp.”

  She nodded. “Thank you again. I do hope you’ll come to the social and bring your mail-order bride.”

  “Oh, I will. I can’t wait for everyone to meet Rebecca.” Fred walked them to the door. “Looks like we could get some rain.”

  Mary Louise went onto the porch and saw nasty black clouds to the west. “Oh, my. Those sure came up fast.”

  Sheriff Taylor looked at them. “I think if we leave now, we’ll get to town before they hit.”

  “Oh, good.” Mary Louise looked for the buggy, but it wasn’t anywhere to be seen. “My buggy and Samson.” She gave her attempt at a whistle.

  Kirk looked at her. “Didn’t you tie the horse up or set the brake?”

  “Brake? No, I didn’t. Where do you think he is?”

  “I’d say he’s back in town.” Kirk glanced at Fred, who shrugged. The sheriff grabbed his horse’s reins. “I guess we can ride double into town.

  “Oh, my. I am sorry to be such trouble. You don’t think your horse will mind?”

  With a laugh, Kirk shook his head. “No, he won’t mind.” He got his horse, mounted, and held a hand to her. “Put your foot in the stirrup, and I’ll pull you up.”

  Soon, Mary Louise was behind the sheriff with her arms wrapped around his middle. She had to admit, being so close to him gave her some excitement. After all, the sheriff was a big strong man. Nice to look at. And he’d listened intently to Fred talk about his mail-order bride.

  Chapter 6

  “Mary Louise, tell us again what Fred said.” Diane clutched the dress she’d been working on to her breast.

  Mary Louise repeated the now-famous words of Fred Pollins, the Thursday Girls’ latest hero.

  Adelaide sat back in her chair and put a hand to her forehead. “I can’t believe we didn’t know about Fred. We let the perfect man get away.”

  “Well, he couldn’t be our perfect man if he is the mail-order bride’s perfect man. There must be one out there for us.” Mary Louise, despite her encouraging words, felt gloomy like her friends. How had they let Fred get away?

  Diane sighed. “I wish I had a Fred.”

  Mary Louise slapped her palm on the table and made the others jump. “We are going to find our men. We all wrote mystery bride letters for the paper. There are two mystery grooms writing letters, and—”

  “That leaves one of us out in the cold. Alone.” Adelaide shook her head. “I know it’s going to be me. I just know it.”

  Diane shook her head. “No, it will be me.”

  Mary Louise again slammed her hand on the table. “Ladies, for the past twenty-seven years, it has been all of us, but we are going to change that. I’ve been thinking about what Fred said.”

  “What would that be? Find the perfect man? So, in our next letters, we just put perfect men apply all others disregard?” Adelaide shook her head. “I feel like my life is passing me by.”

  Mary Louise shook her head. “Oh, ladies. Let’s not get that way. I think when we sound so desperate, we scare men away. We should act and believe like we have something to offer. That’s what Fred saw in his perfect bride. He hasn’t even met her yet, but what he did see in her letters was a willingness for her to love him no matter who he was.”

  Diane stared at her. “That sounds scary to me. What if my man is an outlaw? Am I supposed to just be happy and love him?”

  Mary Louise shrugged. “That I don’t know. There is such a thing as good character, but I sense that what Rebecca Donley did was let Fred know that she would respect and honor him. Love him no matter what.”

  Adelaide shook her head. “I don’t know. That sounds like a tall order to me. I do want certain things in a man.”

  Mary Louise nodded. “Yes, but what connected Fred and his mail-order bride was that they’d be there for one another. And isn’t that what the marriage vows say. In good times and bad, sickness and health. So, maybe we should work on ourselves so that we portray the perfect bride for some man.”

  Diane stared at her. “What if we don’t like our perfect man?”

  Mary Louise stood and walked to the window. “We will.”

  “And how will we know our perfect man?” Adelaide came to stand beside her. “There goes Angus into Trent’s Store. He could be one of the mystery grooms. Did you see him in that kilt at the last social?”

  Diane rushed to stand beside them. “Seeing his knees made me laugh and blush at the same time.”

  Mary Louise sighed. “Somewhere, there is a man for each of us. I think it’s time we focus on us. On being the kind of woman, our perfect man would want.”

  Diane rushed to the table and came back with a pad and pencil. “All right. Where do we start?”

  Mary Louise began to pace around the room. “I want a man who is strong and protective. One that is afraid of nothing. He should be of good moral character. Smart.” She grinned at Diane. “Handsome. And a man that others look up to.”

  Diane wrote on the pad. “Would that be because he is tal
l or a leader?”

  “What? Oh, I see. I think both come to think of it.” Mary Louise laughed. “Good thinking, Diane.”

  Diane nodded, basking in being told she did something well.

  Mary Louise saw her friend light up with the encouraging words. “See, Diane, your face lit up after I told you what a good job you’d done. I’m beginning to think that if we like ourselves, our perfect man might just find us.”

  Adelaide walked over to them. “Mary Louise, you always look like you like yourself, but you haven’t found your man yet. Me and Diane, we’re another story. But I did see it too. Diane, your eyes lit up just then when Mary Louise told you what a good job you did.”

  “They did?” Diane blushed. “Well, I know that I don’t usually feel like I’m worth much—”

  “That’s it.” Mary Louise pointed at her. When you slip into your pity mood, you look like a clam that’s shut up. That alone could scare off a man. And Adelaide, you get kind of mean when you’re feeling down. You frown all the time, and scowl, too.”

  Adelaide scowled at Mary Louise and then stopped. “You’re right. It’s as if I see the world upside down, and my lips are always yanked down at the ends.” She smiled. “I wonder if I can keep a smile on my face?”

  Diane pointed at her. “You do look pretty when you smile.”

  “Really? Pretty?” Adelaide’s face softened as she went to the mirror. “You’re right. Look at me. I look like two different people.”

  Diane came up beside her and tried on her smile. “It does make a difference.” Then she turned and stared at Mary Louise. “But you are always smiling. So why aren’t you married?”

  Sitting down in the chair, Mary Louise shook her head. “I don’t know. There must be more to it.”

  Diane pointed her pencil. “Kate. How did she get the first mystery groom? I think it was the boy, John Houseman who was orphaned, and it was when Kate started caring for him that I saw a change in her.”

  Adelaide nodded. “You’re right. She became friendlier. Approachable. I know I fail in that area, too.”

  Diane put her pencil to the paper. “Goodness, you all know I do. I run from my own shadow.”

  Mary Louise nodded. “I fail in that area. I think well of myself, but not so much of others.” She frowned. “No wonder I don’t have a man.”

  Adelaide nodded. “Me, too.”

  Diane sighed. “Me, too.”

  Mary Louise slammed her palm on the table. “Well, we are not going to sit here and feel bad about ourselves. Let’s do something about it?”

  ***

  Kirk fired off another letter as a mystery groom. Hearing Fred talk about his mail-order bride had put ideas in his head. He wasn’t going to just settle for a female. He wanted a woman that made him feel wanted, too.”

  Dear ladies,

  It’s the mystery groom, again. I see that some women have added their own letters in the paper. Good. I just wanted to go into some detail on what I am looking for. I have decided that looks aren’t that important. But what I do want is someone who will come alongside me. A helpmate, as the Bible says.

  I want the woman I marry to respect me. See me as a man of honor. And one that will trust me. I will never hurt a woman or knowingly make her feel bad. I will respect her wishes, and I will try to please her in every way.

  What do I want? To be loved and trusted.

  If you think you might qualify,

  Send me a letter to Big Springs.

  Mystery Groom

  Happy with his letter, he folded it and put it in an envelope. He’d make another trip to Big Springs tomorrow so he could get back in time to go to the social Friday night. He was sorry he’d miss seeing Fred’s intended when she arrived, but he’d see her at the dance.

  He had to admit, he was curious and wondered what Fred would do if the woman wasn’t nice to look at. Kirk shook his head. He shouldn’t feel that way, yet, it had been unnerving for Fred to go on and on about how he loved this woman and yet, had never met her.

  Kirk looked out the window and thought back to the ride into town with Mary Louise. Her light touch. Her arms around him. The smell of her like a fresh breeze with a touch of lavender. Yes, he had to admit, he’d enjoyed the ride home. And Mary Louise was more than pretty to look at. He’d given her more than a glance at the last social.

  The problem was she was so good to look at that it made it a bit hard to ask her to dance. He figured everyone would ask her, and she’d say no. A man didn’t like being told no, especially by a woman.

  Chapter 7

  Mary Louise gathered her bag and walked to the livery. She was relieved to have learned that Samson had walked home the other day. Though the horse had left her stranded, he had at least not run off.

  She hoped Mr. Landers would forgive her and rent her the carriage this time. The buggy wasn’t big enough for three. Plus, they had their bags to spend the night in Big Springs and Dry Springs. She had a map that the sheriff had made for her. He’d told her not to talk to strangers, and to keep the shotgun loaded.

  Mary Louise was to pick up the wagon and then drive to Claire’s Boarding House to pick up Diane and Adelaide. They were all excited about the adventure and wondered if any men had answered their letters. Each of them had sent one letter to the paper. Although the letters all sounded similar, they were marked with either number one, two, or three.

  There were only so many ways you could say you wanted a wonderful man to be your husband.

  She rounded the corner and saw Mr. Landers with the carriage.

  He smiled but concern wrinkled his brow. “I have it ready for you. I have Samson again for you, so in case you forget to set the brake and tie him up, I’ll get my rig back.” He smiled at her.

  “I’m so sorry, Mr. Landers. I just didn’t know. This time I do, so Samson will be coming home with the other two ladies and me.”

  He stopped and put his hands behind his back and stretched. “You sure you ladies want to go alone?”

  “We’ll be fine. We have a gun. And there are three of us.”

  “I’d feel better if you had an escort, but I guess it is a new world. I heard there was a lady rancher over toward Dry Springs. Imagine that.” Mr. Landers shook his head as if the world was coming to an end.

  Mary Louise climbed into the carriage. “Mr. Landers, I believe people will soon find out that women are capable of many things. Thank you for having the carriage ready. We’ll be back in three days. We wouldn’t want to miss the social.” She flipped the reins and urged Samson forward.

  Like a gentleman, the horse trotted out of the stable and down the road to the boarding house. Mary Louise smiled when she saw her friends standing by the road with bags in hand, smiling and waving.

  Diane climbed in beside her. “I would like to drive some today. I’ve never driven a wagon before.”

  Adelaide sat in the back with the overnight bags. “I am more than content to let you two do the driving. What a beautiful day we have.”

  Mary Louise eyed the sky and hoped there would be no surprise storms like the other day. Though she and Kirk had made it back to town before the downpour, the storm had unnerved her. But then, Kirk had patted her hands and told her not to worry, for that alone, the storm had been worth it.

  Diane hummed a joyful tune as they headed out of town, and soon, they were all laughing and singing. They’d gone for an hour when Adelaide pointed to a beautiful creek. “Let’s stop. I could eat lunch.”

  “Already?” Mary Louise looked back at her friend.

  “Look how scenic it is. I brought a blanket and a picnic basket. I haven’t had a picnic in years.”

  Diane smiled. “It will be fun. Let’s go.”

  Mary Louise reined the horse off the road and toward the creek. Adelaide was right, it was the perfect spot for a picnic. A large oak covered part of the creek and the grassy patch made for a comfortable spot by the creek.

  Adelaide jumped out and grabbed the blanket. “Oh, I feel lik
e a young girl again. Thank you for suggesting this trip, Mary Louise.”

  “It is fun.” Diane spread out the blanket while Adelaide passed out the food.

  Mary Louise took a bite of her sandwich. “Adelaide, these sandwiches are wonderful.”

  “Claire helped me make them. There are cookies in the basket, too.”

  Mary Louise reached inside. “You know, I am not a very good cook. Do you think that’s going to penalize me from finding a man?”

  Diane looked at her. “I do. I’m a rather good cook.” She smiled. “But so far, there isn’t a man around who would know that.” She brightened. “I could cook some single man dinner and take it to him. Who would appreciate a dinner?”

  Mary Louise looked at her. “Well, the only two I know who might be interested and eligible by our standards would be the sheriff and the rancher, Angus. The others are either married, too old, or too young.”

  Adelaide groaned from the back. “No wonder we are having such trouble. Too bad there isn’t a town full of men looking for wives.”

  “It almost makes you want to sign up as a mail-order bride, doesn’t it?” Mary Louise took a cookie. “Any way, I probably need cooking lessons.”

  Adelaide pointed at her. “I’m not sure that is what is needed, but on the other hand, it couldn’t hurt. I can cook, I haven’t in some time, but my mother taught me.”

  Diane sighed. “I’ll make the sheriff a dinner, but I am not sure he is my perfect man. It scares me that he’s in constant danger. I don’t think I could live that way.”

  Mary Louise nodded. “I don’t think he’s your man either, especially if you think that way. What about Angus, the rancher?”

  “I don’t know about him either. Perhaps he’ll come to the social.” She glanced at Adelaide. “Is there anyone else? I hate to think one of us is going to remain an old maid and get older by the day.”

  “Don’t give up, ladies. We put our letters in the paper. Someone we don’t even know about might have answered us.” Mary Louise wanted another cookie but stopped herself. That they had to let that new dress out a bit bothered her, and she attributed it to the cookies she’d eaten regularly at the Thursday Night Club.