“Yes,” Misty said, nodding. “I did not realize it myself until I saw him at the train station, but the man I was corresponding with was named Claudius.”
“Realize what?” Indiana said, glancing between the pair like she was being left out of a private discussion.
“That the man she came to marry was Cody,” Morgan said, scratching his head. “His real name is Claudius.”
“You cannot be serious!” Indiana said, clutching at her throat.
Misty nodded. “It was a surprise to us both that we had actually met prior. Of course, I was writing under the name Michelle, and he was writing to me under the name Claudius.”
“I cannot imagine the look he had on his face,” Morgan said with a chuckle.
“Indeed, it was something special,” Misty said. Just as Misty was about to say more, she heard Mrs. Mills’ footsteps coming toward the room.
“Here is our generous host!” Morgan said, flashing a bright smile at Mrs. Mills.
“I hope I didn’t keep you waiting,” she said, shooting Misty a mean look.
As soon as Mrs. Mills had taken her seat, a servant appeared with a tray of tea and set it down. She poured each person a cup of tea.
Mrs. Mills sipped from her cup of tea and smiled thinly at Misty. The smile did not reach her eyes. “So, my dear, why don’t you explain to us why we’re all here.”
Misty swallowed hard. She watched the steam slowly billowing from her cup as it fogged up the table’s surface beneath it.
Mrs. Mills sat quietly. She was watching Misty carefully, but her polite demeanor was surely nothing more than a show for Morgan and Indiana. She turned to Indiana “Miss Indiana, has life in Wyoming been all that you had thought it would be?”
Indiana smiled, tilting her head slightly. “It’s been somewhat of a challenge to adapt to the countryside here, but it has been rather splendid.”
“Indeed, it’s always a challenge to exchange your old life for a new one, but hopefully it was well worth it,” Morgan said, reaching for his wife’s hand.
“Of course it was,” Indiana replied.
Misty could tell from the way in which they were interacting with each other that their relationship had progressed. The last time she had seen them, Indiana and Morgan were just starting, much like she and Cody were now doing. The idea that their relationship could grow to be just so strong was encouraging, but then she looked over at Mrs. Mills one more time and her hopes all dissolved immediately.
“Some challenges are worth facing, but some are nothing more than a waste of time,” Mrs. Mills said. “My son is a good business man, but some of his choices leave much to be desired.”
Misty knew that the woman’s pointed jabs were aimed at her, but she ignored them the best she could, continuing to smile brightly as though she had not a care in the world. “Indiana, Mrs. Mills has kindly offered me her hospitality, but may I stay with you?”
Mrs. Mills placed her cup on the table and sat upright. “My dear girl, you are not a bother, but if you feel more comfortable staying with your friends, then perhaps that is what you should do. Who am I to argue against something that might make a person happy?”
“Thank you kindly,” Misty said.
“Then it’s settled,” Morgan said, standing up as he slid his teacup onto the table. “You can stay with us. I extend my home to you for as long as you shall need it. My wife will be happy to spend time with her own friend.” He stressed the word ‘friend’, and Misty smiled.
Chapter 5
As they walked out to Morgan’s automobile, Indiana paused abruptly and turned toward Misty, who was just a few steps behind the couple. She embraced her once more. “I cannot believe you’ve come all this way! And, to think you will be marrying my dear husband’s good friend!”
The excitement in Indiana’s voice matched the redness of her cheeks, but Misty was feeling nowhere near as enthusiastic. “Yes, but I just hope it works out as well as your marriage has. Marriage will be a distant matter, if it happens at all, for I barely know Mr. Cody. We have only corresponded by letter, and his mother is clearly opposed to the match.”
Indiana stepped back, her arms slowly falling to her sides. “Nothing is ever as easy as you want it to be, but some things are worth working toward. You said yourself that you were happy to learn that the man you were speaking to was Cody, right? And things have been well, have they not?”
“Of course they have, but…”
“Then that’s all that matters!” Indiana said, interrupting her mid-sentence. “You shall be around friends until your wedding, and then you shall be with your husband. It will all be worth it then; you’ll see.”
When they finally arrived on Morgan’s property, Misty found herself in a state of awe. She had never been on a ranch before, and the initial sights were magnificent. As they pulled up near the massive homestead that watched over the land, she immediately noticed a group of dark clouds that were gathered just above the highest hills in the distance. Then, looking to her left, she saw the vast plains, populated with a dozen or so cattle herded together.
“Wow, this is where you live?” she said, gasping as she spoke.
“Yes, this is where we live,” Morgan replied, a hint of laughter in his voice. “It is somewhat different out here, but it’s a good life. I do not know how long you wish to stay with us, but I have a feeling Cody will be looking for you as soon as he finds out that you’ve left his mother’s house.”
“And if that is the case, then they can discuss it when he arrives,” Indiana said, looking back at Misty with a bright smile. “Right?”
“Yes, of course. I was just letting her know that Cody isn’t the type of man to just ignore something like this,” Morgan said, before looking over at Misty. “Cody has a kind heart, and if he truly cares about you, the first thing he’s going to think is that you’ve changed your mind or that something is wrong.”
“Oh, it’s not that,” Misty said, delicately wiping a few beads of sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief. “I just…”
“Mrs. Mills did not appear too pleased about her son’s placing of the mail order bride advertisement,” Indiana said, “or, to be frank, of Cody’s choice of bride.”
Morgan merely smiled in reply.
Misty looked over at Indiana and smiled, already being reminded of why she had felt the need to seek out her friend shortly after her aunt’s passing. She was her last real friend, and someone that she trusted with all of her heart. If anyone could offer her sound advice, it would be Indiana.
Morgan climbed down from the car and Misty followed Indiana to the main house. “If you will excuse me, ladies, I have a few things to get attend to around the property.”
Indiana smiled and nodded to her husband. Misty was still amazed at how beautiful the scenery was. From the porch, she could see several large rock formations in the distance, and a long, wooden fence that seemed to wrap around the land. After seeing such beauty, she wondered if the interior could be nearly as breath-taking.
Apart from the beauty of the landscape, one thing that Misty noticed was the smell of an unpleasant odor that seemed to permeate the air. “I don’t mean to be rude, Indiana, but may I ask what that horrendous smell is?”
“Oh,” Indiana said, laughing. “You’ll get used to that smell living on a ranch. Wait until you visit the stables and living quarters. When your life centers on caring for horses and cows, it’s only inevitable that you start smelling like one! There’s plenty of dust too. It gets in the house.”
“Yet don’t the maids clean it?” Misty asked.
Indiana shook her head. “We don’t have maids and butlers here. It’s much different to how we lived when you were my maid.”
“Oh,” Misty replied, confused. “Do you and Mr. Morgan do everything on the ranch yourselves?”
“No, not at all,” said, trying not to laugh. “We have farmhands who live in the living quarters. They help Morgan with the cattle, fixing things around the house,
and so on. The only thing we don’t have is someone who works inside the home full-time.”
Misty was surprised to hear such a thing, but it did make sense in a way.
“Come on, I will show you to your room.”
“That would be lovely,” Misty said, with a smile.
The two women walked down a long hallway, but rather than listening to Indiana as she spoke about the history of the ranch and the homestead, Misty’s thoughts were focused on Cody and what would happen when he found out she had left his mother’s house. She did not want him to be upset or to feel slighted in any way, but there was no way she could remain and suffer the verbal jabs by the woman.
“So, as I was saying, this is where you’ll be staying,” Indiana said.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I was thinking about Cody,” Misty said, not wanting her friend to think she was being rude. “I just worry that he will take this the wrong way.”
“Take what the wrong way?” Indiana asked. She sat on a sofa at the foot of the large bed. She patted the unoccupied cushion beside her and flashed Misty a wide smile.
Taking her cue, Misty walked over to the sofa and sat next to Indiana. She glanced around the room, her mind being engulfed with beauty once more.
“Who is the man in that portrait hanging above the fireplace?”
Indiana looked up at the picture. “Can’t you tell that’s Morgan?”
Misty squinted her eyes, straining to see what she was apparently missing. The portrait was of an elderly man, a younger man, and a baby, but which of them was Morgan? “Well, they all share a resemblance, but I really can’t tell which one Morgan is. I’m sorry.”
“There’s no need to be sorry,” Indiana said, her voice gentle and kind. “He’s the child. That painting was done by a well known artist. It represents three generations of the family: my husband, his father, and his grandfather.”
“How lovely,” Misty said, studying the portrait a little further. It did look rather regal, sitting high up on the wall, a deep contrast to the wooden beams that held up the ceiling high above it.
Misty swallowed hard and her chest tightened. “Do you think Mr. Cody is more like his mother or Mr. Morgan?”
Indiana paused, seemingly caught off guard by such a question. She extended her hand toward Misty’s. “My dear,” she said, gently holding her hand, “that is something that you’ll need to find out for yourself. I would imagine he lives like we do, but you’ve seen the house in which he was raised. Either way, he seems like a good man.”
“Yes, he does, but that’s what worries me. What if he is not the man that he made himself out to be in the letters? I suppose we just need more time together, but if he expects me to live with his mother until we marry, then I cannot see that that things will work out.”
“You cannot think like that!” Indiana said, standing up again. “But just as Morgan said, you are welcome to stay with us as long as you’d like. I assume you would like to rest after your long journey?”
“Yes, thank you,” Misty replied, flashing her friend a sincere smile.
After Indiana left, Misty washed up, and then walked around the room. She was anxious to take a nap. Misty had been so looking forward to meeting the man on the other end of her letters Sure, she had been delighted to find it was Cody, but then again, his mother’s demeanor had at once crushed her hopes of any happy future. Would he defy his mother and marry Misty? Or would he give in to his mother’s wishes?
Misty finally sat down on the bed, but at that moment, Indiana knocked on her door. “Mr. Cody is here to see you, Misty.” She gave an encouraging smile.
Misty followed Indiana down the stairs, her heart in her mouth. Cody was by the fireplace, a puzzled look on his face. Indiana at once left the room.
Cody approached her slowly, his hands trembling as he rested them on the arm of the sofa and stared at her. “May I ask what happened with Mother? Why did you leave?”
Misty wasn’t sure how to respond, but her body seemed to be much heavier all of a sudden. After looking around the room with the hope of discovering something polite to say but and coming up empty-handed, she spoke softly, her voice just as broken as his. “Nothing really happened, sir. It’s just that I cannot live there.”
“If there is a problem, please make me aware of it,” Cody said, his eyes pleading with her for an answer.
If only the answer had been so simple, however. Misty tried to avert her gaze for as long as she could, but it was obvious that Cody wasn’t going to leave until he understood what was going on.
“When I arrived, I realized that I desired to stay with my friend and her husband. Will you not afford me my biggest wish?”
Cody stood up. He looked down at her as he sighed. “As you wish, my lady.”
Cody smiled politely and left, leaving Misty staring after him. Cody clearly knew there was more to it, but what could she say? She could hardly tell him that his mother was a waspish shrew—that would not do at all. But not saying that very thing had clearly made Cody doubt her feelings for him.
* * *
The drive back to his mother’s house in his Old’s automobile was one filled with tension and uncertainty. An assortment of emotions swarmed over Cody as thoughts about Misty and their marriage flashed by in his mind repeatedly throughout the trip. Even the bumpiness of the roads underneath his wheels wasn’t enough to pull him out of his torment. Not knowing what would come of their arrangement was beginning to burn a hole in his heart, and he didn’t know how to seal it back up.
Chapter 6
When Cody’s mother had told him that she was inviting Morgan and Indian to dinner, he assumed she had invited Misty as well, especially when she made repeated mention of her “three guests.”
When he entered the dining room, his excitement was at once replaced by dread. As he sat down, he smiled at the other guests: Indiana and his good friend, Morgan. They were a welcome sight, as always, but Miss Rosamund Swire was the last person that he wanted to see.
“I insisted that we wait for you,” she said, blinking rapidly for no apparent reason.
Cody slowly tilted his head and stared back at her, his thoughts freezing as he tried to make sense of what she was implying. Was she talking about dinner, or something else entirely? “Oh, well thank you for that, Miss Swire,” he said, unsure of how else to respond.
“Of course,” she said, almost gleefully. The smile on her face was almost mocking. Rosamund just did not appear to be the type of woman whom he could trust, and he did not exactly know why.
Misty wasn’t there. It dawned on him then his Mother would not have wanted to invite a maid to dinner.
As the servants brought out the food and drinks and filled the table, Cody’s mother started up a loud conversation, as she did at almost every dinner. “You know—it’s such a shame that your dear mother and your lovely sisters were unable to come tonight,” she said, directing her comment at Indiana. “I heard that they had gone back to San Francisco. Is that correct?”
“Yes, they did return, but only to get some things in order. They shan’t be away for long, but I still worry about them. It is the first time they have returned since our departure after the earthquake. I cannot begin to imagine how that ravaged city must look now,” Indiana said, her eyes tearing up as she spoke about her former hometown.
“They will be okay, my dear,” Morgan said, attempting to console his wife by taking her hand in his and whispering softly into her ear. The sentiment alone caused Cody’s chest to tighten. It was like his heart was yearning for such affection, but he only wanted it from one person.
“Yes. I’m sure they will be fine as well,” Mrs. Mills said. “It will be difficult for them to see their own city destroyed like that, I am certain.”
Indiana smiled at Mrs. Mills. “Thank you, Mrs. Mills. I appreciate your kind words.”
“Is Mrs. Mills not the most a wonderful person?” Rosamund gushed, earning stares from everyone.
“Yes,” Morgan sai
d. “We all agree with that point.” As he spoke, he flashed a smile at Cody, but he might not have meant to let his friend see the look that he gave to his wife shortly after. They both seemed somewhat disturbed or embarrassed.
The dinner continued without any other overtly awkward moment, but as time crawled by, the feeling in Cody’s stomach slowly went from unnoticeable to undeniable. Despite how cheerful Morgan and Indiana seemed during the rest of the dinner, something still didn’t sit right with him. Were they uncomfortable because Misty wasn’t there, or was it because of Rosamund’s presence? Perhaps it was something else entirely, but if so, why did something feel so out of place?
“So, how have things been for you on the ranch?” his mother asked, looking at Indiana once more. “Cody tries to tell me about the lifestyle all the time, but I try to pay no mind to it. It is a man’s business.”
Just as Cody was about to add a witty comment to the discussion, Rosamund spoke up, silencing him before he even had the chance. “Life on a ranch does seem rather old-fashioned, does it not?” she said, a wry grin creasing her thin lips. He could tell that she was impressed with her own, off-hand remark, but even his mother seemed a bit taken aback by it.
“I wouldn’t say it’s old-fashioned,” Cody said, trying his best to speak without letting the frustration that he felt spill out into his voice. “It is a modern way of life,” he added, glancing over at Morgan, who nodded in agreement.
Right away, Cody knew that his mother was unhappy with what he had just said. He could feel the heat of her stare focused on him once more, but Cody had no intention of making eye contact with her right then. After everything that had happened since Misty’s arrival, he had been ill at ease, and being around Rosamund Swire did nothing to alleviate that at all.
“I do not believe Miss Swire’s intention was to offend you or ranchers in general,” his mother said, her face reddening. “It is indeed not the way some women are accustomed to living. Yet I am sure Miss Rosamund would be entirely happy to accepting such a lifestyle should she marry a rancher. Is that not the case, my dear?”
Misty's True Love (Mail Order Brides of Pioneer Town, Book 2) Page 3
