She opened the lid again and examined the inside of the trunk, pushing items aside to see the bottom. “Look. See how the inside isn’t as deep as it looks like it should be?”
Elly leaned closer, noticing the discrepancy for the first time. “Now that you drew my attention to it, I can’t imagine how I ever missed it before.”
“Bring the lantern close. I think there’s a hidden drawer.”
Elly carefully moved the light and watched Lindsay feel around the sides of the solid wooden box, doubtful that there was a secret there that she had missed her entire life. She turned to look at the desk, feeling the urge to dust it when she heard a quiet scraping sound.
“I got it!” Lindsay brushed her hands off, smiling triumphantly. “The panel slides up and a drawer pulls out. It’s a lot like the one we had when I was a girl.”
Elly stared at the contents of the drawer in disbelief, wondering why her mother had never mentioned the secret compartment to her.
Swallowing hard, she reached her hand toward a leather-bound journal, running her fingers across the soft surface in awe. Her heart began to pound as she picked up the journal, feeling as if her mother was nearby and far away at the same time.
She hadn’t realized that her mother kept secrets from her, and if Lindsay hadn’t known what to look for, she never would have found them. She clutched her mother’s journal against her chest.
“Maybe she never wanted me to find this.”
“Maybe she wanted you to find it, but never got the chance to tell you.” Lindsay bit her lip, blinking back the mist forming in her eyes. “I’ve lost everyone I loved. I would give anything to have a piece of them here with me.”
Elly held her breath as she opened the journal. The handwriting was familiar, but the language wasn’t. Filled with frustration, she said, “I can’t read it.”
“Let me see.” Lindsay took the journal in her hands and carefully thumbed to the first page. “It is written in Gaelic. I can read it for you.” Looking at Elly questioningly, she waited for her nod before returning her attention to the page. “Your mother started this journal before leaving Ireland to marry your father.” She glanced up at Elly in astonishment. “It says she was his mail-order bride.”
Elly shook her head. “It can’t be. They were madly in love my whole life. I don’t remember it ever being any other way.”
Lindsay laughed. “People in arranged marriages can find love, Elly. Did you ever ask your parents how they met?”
“No, and I certainly never imagined that she was a mail-order bride.”
“Don’t say it like it’s a bad thing. It worked quite well for your parents, as well as for many other people. Think of it as a grand business arrangement.”
“But what about falling in love?” Elly rubbed her thumb across her simple wedding band. “I can’t imagine marrying an absolute stranger.” She thought of her courtship with Alexander, missing every minute of it.
She looked again at the drawer, picking up a small black pouch. Pulling the drawstring open, she poured the contents into her hand, filling her palm with gold coins. Holding one up to the flickering light to see the double eagle, Elly felt a tingle shoot up her spine.
“Lindsay, these will more than cover my debt.” Tears slid down her face. “Why would my parents hide the money here instead of using it when times were tough? I don’t understand.”
Lindsay patted her hand. “Maybe they left it here for you for when you needed it the most. It’s your chance to find a sense of direction in life now that you’ve been tossed about like a ship in a storm.”
Elly clutched the journal in one hand and the coins in the other. “It feels too easy.”
“Easy? Orphaned and widowed and having a baby on your own? There’s nothing easy about any of that.”
Standing, Elly dusted her skirt and said, “I’ve shirked enough of my duties. I’d better get breakfast started.”
“If you like, I can read to you from your mother’s journal while you cook.”
Elly picked up the lantern and nodded. “I’d like that.”
Chapter Five
The women pushed back from the journal, neither one eager to break the silence. Lindsay’s palm rested on the leather cover, her gaze far away. The hours had passed quickly as she translated Elly’s mother’s journal to her. Elly had teared up a few times when hearing about her mother’s harrowing journey and the harsh conditions, and she had seen tears in Lindsay’s eyes, too.
“Was it like that for you during your journey?” Elly peered at Lindsay, wondering if that was where the woman developed her steely backbone.
“It wasn’t much different for me than what your mother went through.”
“So you experienced sea sickness and meager rations?”
“And a fairly awful storm that blew in quickly and lasted for three days, tossing the ship in the water. One sailor was swept overboard. I watched it happen and screamed for help, but the wind was so loud that no one heard me in time to help him. He was lost at sea. Even after the storm passed, I stayed below deck as much as I could. It scared me too much.”
Elly stared at Lindsay a moment before saying, “I can’t imagine you being scared of much of anything.”
“Ah, don’t tell the likes of Amos, but I’m scared of a great many things.”
Leaning back in her chair, Elly said, “So what was it that made you stand up to those men so fearlessly?”
Tucking a curl behind her right ear, Lindsay spoke as her face reddened to match her hair. “I guess it’s easier to stand up for others than it is to stand up for myself. You needed me. Your baby needed me. It wasn't hard.”
Tears misted in Elly’s eyes. She’d never had a friend who stood up for her like Lindsay had, and she was barely more than a stranger to her.
“Thank you,” she whispered. Composing herself, she said, “I’ll treasure this journal for the rest of my life. I can’t believe my mother made the journey from home without knowing what she’d find when she arrived. She was so brave.” Elly pressed her hands to her chest, willing the ache to dim.
“I feel like I know her, after reading this to you.” The corners of Lindsay’s eyes creased slightly as she smiled. “Would you do it? Be a mail-order bride?”
Elly shook her head. “No. I can’t imagine life without having met my Alexander. He was my one and only love. I’ll live on the memories for the rest of my life.” She put her hands on her stomach, reveling in how quickly that had become a habit.
Lindsay’s brow furrowed. “But if you had never met Alexander? If you wanted to find a life better than the one you lived?”
“I don’t think I’m as brave as my mother was.” Elly leveled her blue eyes on Lindsay. “You sound like you’ve considered it.”
Nodding, Lindsay said, “I have.”
“What kept you from doing it?” Elly ran her hands across the smooth surface of the wooden table, trying to picture her mother sitting there, but the details of her features were less sharp now.
“I guess I needed to feel like I had roots before I went to another unknown. I needed to feel like someone cared for me and would welcome me back with open arms if I needed them, rather than drifting through another journey as an orphan.” Lindsay nodded her head slightly as she sniffled, looking small and vulnerable for a moment.
Squaring her shoulders, she angled her chin and said, “You’ve made me feel welcome here, despite my past.” Biting her lip, Lindsay looked like she wanted to say something but hesitated.
Elly covered the woman’s hand with her own and said, “You are welcome here. I couldn’t imagine dealing with those men on my own. I would have been scared out of my mind. I’m glad you’re here, for many reasons.” She smiled, waiting for the woman to say what was on her mind.
Lindsay leaned forward in her seat, her expression serious. “I’ve heard of a woman in New York who rents her home to women who want to be mail-order brides. Why couldn’t you do the same? You wouldn’t have to board to
men like John and Amos. Renting to only women could be safer for you and the baby on your own.”
Elly shook her head, the idea feeling foreign to her as she rolled it through her mind. “I don’t know how to make that work.”
Brown eyes wide in surprise, Lindsay scoffed. “Of course you do! You’ve got a boarding house. All you need to do is put an ad in the paper to tell women that you’ll help them find a husband through the mail. The women can come to stay with you as boarders, and you can have the men pay you a fee to help cover your expenses. You filter through the men to make sure the women are getting a good match, and then check on the women after they’ve married to be sure they’re safe and happy.” Lindsay tipped her chin triumphantly. “I think it’s a grand plan.”
Elly stood and began pacing around her large kitchen. Her thoughts were a jumble of possibilities and worries. Once winter came, she’d have fewer boarders and she hadn’t been preparing for the winter months. She’d need money coming in for fuel and food. Despite the coins she found in her mother’s trunk, she’d need more money than she had to be able to survive the winter and the coming of a baby.
“What are you thinking, Elly?” Lindsay stood and reached for her arm as she paced nearby. “Say something.”
“I don’t know what to say. Not having rough, unkind boarders come through here while I’m expecting a baby is very appealing, and it makes sense. I just can’t believe that women would pay me to stay here while I search for a husband for them, and that the men would help cover my expenses.” She shrugged her shoulders before turning to face the stove. She had let the flames burn out and would have to build a fire to cook dinner on. Nausea still plagued her, but her appetite had begun to return.
“They would. I believe it. You would be responsible for being a matchmaker. There will be advertising costs and other expenses. You would need to charge for your services. What will it hurt to give it a try?”
Elly stared out the window at the darkening sky, her hands protectively over her stomach. She had stood in this spot many times, watching Alexander chop wood, his muscles rippling underneath his shirt as he swung his ax.
Thinking of him was painful, but she wouldn’t trade her life with him even if she had known the pain it would cause her.
“I don’t think I can do it on my own.” She turned to face Lindsay. “What if I don’t make good matches? What if I send a woman off to someone like Amos and ruin her life?” She swallowed past the lump that formed whenever she imagined her life without ever having known Alexander. “What if I fail?”
Bustling over to her, Lindsay put her hands on Elly’s shoulders. “I’ll help you. You can make sure the people you are matching are good and kind. You can check with the local sheriff and be sure the men are of high moral character and you’ll get to know the women who board here. You’ll be able to give a character reference. It will all work out.”
Elly held her breath for a moment as she stared at Lindsay, feeling a sense of peace regarding the future. Even if she wasn't able to make Lindsay’s idea work, she would have a friend nearby as she found her path.
“Alright, I’ll do it.”
Chapter Six
Lindsay held the newspaper in her hands, looking like she wanted to jump up and down but must have thought better of it. Rushing over, she grabbed Elly’s soapy hand and pulled her to the table. “Look! Your ad is right here.” Lindsay pointed to the small ad Elly had paid dearly for and waited for her to react.
“I see.” She wiped her wet hands on her apron and glanced at the page.
“Why aren’t you more excited?” Lindsay’s foot tapped the floor in an impatient rhythm.
“I’m just cautious. We don’t know if anyone will even come.” Elly turned and went back to washing dishes.
“Elly, you put up ads in every major newspaper nearby for brides and in how many out west for grooms?”
“Thirteen.”
“With those numbers, there’s no way you won’t get a response.” Lindsay tapped the paper and smiled.
“I need to prepare myself in case this doesn’t work out as we planned. I have a baby to think about. After paying off all of Alexander’s debts and buying the ads, there is only enough left over for a few necessities, if I’m careful.”
Lindsay jumped up. “Oh, that reminds me.” She dashed out of the room, returning with a small scrap of fabric. “You’ll need clothing to fit you as your pregnancy progresses, and I have a sample of fabric that I think you should consider. It’s close to the color of your eyes and will look beautiful with your blond hair.” She held up the square of blue fabric with tiny yellow flowers on it. “Do you like it?”
Elly nodded. “It’s beautiful, but I have everything I need right now.” She glanced down at her black dress. “This is loose on me now, and I’ll let it out as I grow larger.”
“Nonsense. You need to get out of those black clothes and into something a little more colorful. It will make you feel better.”
“I’m not ready for that yet.” Elly drew in a deep, shuttering breath as she inspected the dark fabric. She had worn the clothing to first her father’s funeral, then her mother’s. She hadn’t anticipated wearing it again so soon. “I’m not ready to show the world that I’m over Alexander. I’m not sure I ever will be.”
“Think about the women coming. You don’t want to cast a shadow on their excitement. Let’s go look at the fabric. Please? It will give us a project to work on while we wait for someone to respond to the ad.”
Sighing, Elly hung her towel to dry and turned to face Lindsay, who smiled triumphantly. “Alright, but only enough fabric for one dress.”
Laughing, Lindsay grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the front door. She swung it open, stiffening instantly. “Hello. Do come in.” Lindsay stepped aside to make room for a man and a young woman to enter. He set a carpetbag and rifle just inside the door before straightening to his full, towering height.
“Good day. I hope we haven’t come too early.” The man extended his hand to Elly and said, “I’m Lars Sutherland and this is my daughter, Dorothea.”
Elly shook his hand while studying the young woman. “Welcome. Let’s go into the parlor and we can all sit.” She smiled and led the way, trying to ignore the unnerving feeling that began when the pair walked in.
Once they’d settled, Lindsay said, “I’ll go make some tea.” She nodded politely and left Elly alone with the two newcomers.
“What brings you here to see me today?” Elly crossed her hands in her lap, gripping them to hide her bundle of nerves.
Mr. Sutherland leaned forward in his chair, resting his lanky arms against long legs. He dropped his head, showing a bald spot on top of his head. When he straightened again, he smiled, showing a row of straight teeth. “I’m here to bring my lovely daughter to stay while she finds a suitable husband.” He glanced over at her and cleared his throat. “That is, if you’ll have her.”
Elly turned her attention to the girl. “How old are you?” She smiled, hoping to reassure the young woman, but Elly was doubtful. Dorothea had her head down and other than the slight tremble of her chin, there was no other indication that the woman had heard her.
“She’s fifteen. It’s no matter; I’ll pay for her board until she’s ready to find a husband who can handle her.”
Elly turned back toward the girl’s father, her discomfort growing more intense as she stared at the man’s broad smile. “Sir, it could take quite a while for your daughter to be ready to wed.”
“I know.” He nodded. “It could take a few months, up to a year, even. I’m prepared to pay for that.” He pulled a stack of bills from his breast pocket and began peeling some off. “I’ll go ahead and pay up for three months worth of board. If she marries off before then, you can still keep the money. If she doesn’t, you can reach out to me. I live ten miles north of here. However, I hope you’ll do your due diligence and find a suitable husband with haste.” He stood and dropped the money on the small table near t
he couch, then nodded toward his daughter.
“Wait a minute, please.” Elly stood and held her hand up. “Don’t you want to look around? Discuss the type of man you’d like your daughter to wed?”
Mr. Sutherland smiled. “No. I trust you to do what’s right.” He turned and gave a small wave. “Daughter.”
Elly watched in horror as the man simply walked out of the room. Lindsay arrived with a tray of tea and cookies just as the bell on the front door clanged.
“Did he just leave?” Lindsay looked at Elly in shock, then they both turned to face the girl.
She had her head tipped forward as if she was studying her hands, but a tear dropped from her quivering chin.
“Oh, honey.” Elly quickly sat near her, putting her arm around the girl’s thin shoulder. She sat stiffly for a moment before leaning into Elly. “It will be alright.”
Lindsay put the tray on top of the money on the table and filled a small plate with cookies. “Here you go, Love. This will make everything look brighter.” She smiled broadly when the girl reached for the plate. Dorothea nibbled gracefully on a cookie while tears continued to flow.
“Dorothea, when you’re feeling more comfortable with us, I want you to tell me a little about yourself.” Elly sat casually next to her, but felt anything but relaxed inside after witnessing Mr. Sutherland abandon the young girl.
“Thea.” The girl’s voice was thick with emotion. “I prefer to be called Thea.” She gave the women a watery smile before dropping her gaze to the plate in her lap.
“Thea, do you want to stay here with us? If not, we can arrange for you to be taken home.” Elly kept her gaze on Thea, hoping she was able to hide her disdain for the girl’s father.
Shaking her head, Thea said, “I can’t go back home. My Pa is getting married and his new wife doesn’t want me around.”
Gasping, Lindsay said, “Why ever not?”
Mail-Order Matriarch Page 3
