West For Love (A Mail Order Romance Novel) (1) (Anna & Thomas)

by Claire Charlins

  Part of her wanted it. She genuinely wanted Thomas. To feel his unclothed body, to appreciate it, to share something with him. But the other part of her knew the purpose of coming together like that was to create life.

  That was something Anna wasn’t sure she could do.

  Outside, once everyone boarded the carriage, Thomas set off to town, Anna by his side and Jo with Thomas Jr. in the back.

  “May I ask how you ended up here?” Anna asked.

  “You may ask all you want,” Thomas said.

  “My brother and I set off here together. We wanted to go more west, because dare I say it, he had visions of California to find gold and become rich. I personally wanted land. The land will always give to us, Anna, but gold... I heard many more bad stories than good ones. But he insisted. My journey ended here. His continued.”

  “Did he do well?” Anna asked.

  “Sadly, no. He died in an accident his first month there. I received a letter from a man he had taken a friendship to. A quick note that my brother had been working hard and an accident killed him. That he was properly buried with basic directions on how to find my brother’s grave if I ever cared to.”

  “I’m sorry for your loss,” Anna said.

  “He died pursuing life. Can’t fault that.” Thomas paused for a second and continued. “So I settled here and made it my own. Tended the fields, gave the ground the attention it needed to give right back to me. From the first crop it has been nothing short of a miracle. Sure, we’ve faced cold winters and rainy summers, but it’s nothing that ever makes the land stop giving.”

  “A blessed piece of God’s world,” Jo added from the back of the carriage.

  “The whole world is blessed,” Thomas said. “From the corners we’ve found to the corners we haven’t yet.”

  The rest of the ride was mostly silent. This time Anna took the chance to enjoy the scenery of Kansas, silently comparing it to that of Massachusetts. The ride from the train depot to Thomas’s home had been too nerve racking to focus on anything but the thoughts that had run through Anna’s head. Now, there was a sense of relaxation, even though she was on her way to get married.

  To get married!

  When Anna started to really think about it, that’s when the nerves hit her. She looked at her clothing, her dark color dress and she wondered if they should have waited for a better day. To plan. To properly dress.

  “Thomas,” Anna said. “Are we... dressed for this?”

  “It’s all set,” Thomas said. “Days before you came I made arrangements. I explained to the minister, an old friend for obvious reasons, of my intentions. He’s there, waiting. Trust me. He’ll be pleased to see us arriving together.”

  And that’s exactly how it happened. For a moment, Anna worried that she was going to be judged. A woman divorced now marrying a widower. Or she’d be compared to Thomas’s first wife and how she looked different, talked different, acted different. But none of that happened. In front of the minster, in front of Jo holding Thomas Jr., and most important, in the eyes of God, Thomas and Anna were married. It all seemed to happen so fast, right down to Thomas kissing Anna for a brief second. He slipped his hand into Anna’s and squeezed, turning to face the world with Anna as his wife.

  Anna turned too, as Mrs. Calhor.

  Her first step as wife was a wobbly one. Her second step was easier and by the time she reached Jo, she was tall and proud.

  Wife to Thomas Calhor.

  Jo hugged both Anna and Thomas, then gave Thomas his son.

  Thomas held the baby out and smiled at him. Thomas Jr. had a big smile and made noises as he stared at his father. Thomas then embraced the infant and turned to Anna.

  “Our family now,” Thomas said.

  “I’m happy,” Anna said.

  “Me too,” Thomas said. “I want to feel more, my Anna, to do more, but...”

  Anna saw a small glimmer of pain come through Thomas’s eyes. She didn’t want the day to wear any kind of scar of the past, no matter the memories. Anna simply nodded and took Thomas’s hand. They walked, the three as a family, for the first time, to the carriage.

  After gathering all the supplies they needed, the trip back home ensued. It seemed to go extremely fast, perhaps faster than Anna cared for at the moment, because she only thought about that night.

  With Thomas.

  What would happen, if anything.

  She wanted to love her husband, more than any woman could love a husband. And that included all aspects, even in the bedroom.

  The thoughts left her feeling excited and worried at the same time for the rest of the day into the evening.