by Alice White
“Jenny, don’t be alarmed. It’s Gavin and I’ve dreamed of this day since you left the ranch. I’ve come to take you home where you belong.”
All Jenny could do was gasp as Gavin took her in his arms and kissed her as he rubbed her pregnant belly. Feeling his breath on her neck was something Jenny dreamed of every night. Jenny pulled back and looked into Gavin’s green eyes.
“This is surreal. How did you--?” Jenny asked but Gavin stopped her from talking further by covering her lips with his.
“It doesn’t matter how I found you, Jenny, but I did and I love you, Jenny Hennessey. I’m not letting you out of my sight again. I’ve been to every guest house and home in Houston and I had almost given up hope when I came upon this place. As soon as I walked in the front door I knew I had found you. The cut flowers in the parlor and the barn so neat and tidy are your hallmarks. When I smelled your lavender soap, I had to investigate further and I found you. My wife with the violet eyes and the pregnant belly which looks about to burst. Say you’ll come home to the ranch in Olean with me.”
“I love you too, Gavin, and you’re all I’ve thought about since the day I left. I was forced to leave because staying would have put you in danger. I’ve been building a life here in Houston for me and my baby. It’s not perfect but it’s a life that I can manage.”
“Did Nell have something to do with your leaving?” Gavin asked.
“She did, but if I didn’t leave, she was going to be sure that the men back in Boston knew where I was. I would do anything to keep you safe, Gavin.” Jenny tugged at her stubby ponytail.
“Geeze, don’t worry about your hair. You’re more beautiful than ever and you made some woman who bought a wig very happy.” Gavin chuckled. “I wish you had come to me before you took off in Mr. Anson’s carriage.”
“I meant for him to give you the note and not tell you where I landed.”
“He wasn’t going to leave you alone in Houston and when he told me that you weren’t going to the home for unwed mothers, my heart soared. I told Caleb and Nell that I was securing a spot in the next cattle auction and that I would be away for a few days. They’ll be shocked when I return with you. You are coming home with me, aren’t you?” Gavin asked.
“Hearing the word home come from your lips sounds magical but what’s to keep Nell from running her mouth. It will only send a newborn child and me back on the run. I refuse to put you in danger and you’d be better off with a woman like Mary Horning.”
“I don’t love Mary Horning and she doesn’t love me. To be honest, I spent some time with her in the past weeks and it was she who urged me to come find you. Her beau from Houston came looking for her and she’s very much in love with him. As for Nell, leave her to Caleb and me. Between the two of us we will convince her to back off. Wait until you see Caleb’s reaction when he hears what she’s done. He’ll threaten to leave her and that’ll scare her good.”
“You leave me no option, but there is one thing I have to do before we leave.”
“Anything, Jenny, what do you have to do?” Gavin asked.
“Give birth. My water just broke and I don’t think this will wait.”
Chapter Nine
“There must be a doctor nearby.” Gavin started pacing and Jenny laughed as she retained her composure.
“There is a doctor on the other side of town but we have Karen and she’s willing to give it a try.” Jenny rang her bell as Gavin continued to panic.
Karen arrived and she was cool and collected. “I had planned on the baby’s arrival in a bed or perhaps on the couch but a barn will have do. Mr. Morrow, you have no business here so why don’t you get on your way.”
“My name is Gavin Hennessey and Jenny is my wife. Tell me what to do and I’ll do it because there’s nothing I won’t do for my wife and child.”
“Walk down the street to Jack’s Place and get Doreen. Tell her what’s happening and have her get as many as pillows and clean linens as possible.” Karen looked to Jenny. “Is that really Gavin?”
“Yup. Just in time, I’d say,” Jenny managed to say before she howled like a wolf.
Doreen came and having helped women give birth in the past took over and calmed everybody down. Jack tried to keep Gavin relaxed with whiskey but it wasn’t easy as the usually calm man was a wreck. Jenny’s howls subsided and Gavin worried when no one came for him until a smiling Karen walked into the room.
“Ready to see your wife and son, Gavin?” Karen said.
Gavin pushed past Karen and then Doreen.
“Aren’t you a beautiful sight? You and my son have made all my dreams come true. Might be odd but I’d say he looks just like me.”
Jenny laughed. “It’s too soon to tell because his head is misshapen at this point. I think Gavin Jr. is as perfect as any baby I’ve seen. Want to hold him?”
“I’m afraid I’ll drop him.”
“Don’t be silly. I want him to know the feeling of being in your arms because I know that it’s the best place to be. I didn’t know what safe felt like until the first time you wrapped your arms around me.”
Gavin reached down to pick up the baby. “Do you realize that we haven’t even slept together yet?”
“Yes and I’ve been dreaming about it for months. My mother always told me to be chaste, but I think this is taking it too far. After all, we’re a married couple.”
Gavin cradled his son in his arms and wept. “This is better than I imagined. Others have told me that holding one’s own child for the first time is powerful but words can’t describe what I’m feeling. When you walked into my life Jenny, you opened my eyes to a new kind of love. My parents had an indescribable connection and it’s as if their secret has been shared with me.”
“Careful, Gavin, you’re beginning to sound like a poet more so than a rancher with a mail order bride.”
“You didn’t come in the mail, Jenny. It’s as if you came on angel’s wings.”
“That’s even flowery for me but I’ll take it, Gavin. Can I have Gavin Jr. back now?” Jenny laughed.
“I can see now what our first fight will be about.”
“Let me guess: we’ll argue about who gets to hold Gavin Jr. I think we had better get working on a sibling so we won’t have to have that argument for long.”
Karen made up the bed in her deluxe guestroom where Gavin and Jenny spent their first nights together as a family. When Jenny was ready, they climbed in the wagon and headed back to Olean. Gavin rode slowly as he was overly cautious with his wife and son on board. Jenny sat in front next to her husband with their baby in her arms.
“What are we going to do about Nell?” Jenny asked.
“Nell could push us around before but now that we’re a strong family she’ll know better. I spoke with Cal before I left and he’s on our side. He said he’ll drop her on the side of the road if she doesn’t fall in line.”
Jenny laughed. “I think she’s all bark and no bite. I dare her to challenge this mama bear. Unlike her, I bite.”
“I love you, Mrs. Jenny Hennessey.”
Jenny smiled as the brilliant Texas sun made her violet eyes flicker. “I never tire of hearing my name. I love you, Gavin Hennessey.”
THE END
Return to TOC
From Debt to Love
Return to TOC
Chapter 1
Todd Cody is getting far too old, or so his mother thinks, to be single. She takes it into her own hands to find him a suitable bride by mail. When she asks for guidance on who would be the best match, God shines a light on a particular ad. She takes this as the sign she needs and sends for the woman.
Imagine the shock that both Todd and Clara get when they see each other for the first time. Will Todd marry her? Will Clara stay or go back home?
Clara looked down at the bills piled on the table. “How did this happen?” She held her head in her hands. “What can I do?”
“We’ll except payments from you, but you need to give us larger amounts e
ach time. I’ll give you one month to pay off this pile here.” The man sitting across the table separated the bills into three piles.
“But I just buried Jarrett yesterday. You can’t expect me to go out and get a job right now,” she uttered. She looked at the man who showed absolutely no sympathy in his eyes.
“I don’t care what you have to do to get the money, honestly. Your husband owes us this money. Now that he’s dead, it’s your responsibility.” He looked at her, his eyes cold and hard. “For all I care you can go to the Salon and dance,” he added.
She felt flustered and confused. “How can you do this to me? My husband just died! Do you have absolutely no compassion?” Clara furrowed her brow and looked at him. If she’d thought of it she would have looked at him sadly. But the fact was she just couldn’t believe someone could be so hard and uncaring to another human.
“Look, my business is money. I lend it and people pay it back. If I had a heart and cared about what people went through, I would never get paid. I can’t tell you how many excuses people can come up with when they owe you money. They don’t matter, the many stories I’ve heard. All that matters is that you have a month to pay those bills right there. If you don’t pay them, collection will be made on your behalf.”
“What does that mean?” Clara stuttered.
“It means that I will find a way to get the money from you, whether I sell you as a mail-order bride or you pay me. Or I guess I could simply throw you in jail now, since you seem like you aren’t willing to pay it off.” He began to write something on a piece of paper sitting in front of him.
“No I want to pay it, but how much is it again? I mean overall, and for the first month?” she questioned, hoping she had heard the original numbers incorrectly.
“Let’s just focus on the first month’s bills; it will seem less insurmountable that way. This stack right here is equivalent to ten thousand dollars in debt,” he said.
Clara almost fainted at the sound of the debt. She fanned herself with her hand to try and calm down. “I just don’t know how I’m going to be able to come up with that much in one month. How do you expect me to do that, Mr. Jones?”
“Again, Mrs. Wilson, I did not force your husband to take out any of these loans that are now due. Perhaps if you had communicated with him more when he was alive, you wouldn’t be sitting here with me right now. I don’t care how you pay them, but rest assured if they aren’t paid in 30 days, I’ll find a way to make money from you.” His smirk was one that didn’t leave a nice feeling in Clara’s chest.
“I just don’t understand how he could have this much debt.” Clara shook her head and wondered. How could she even be sure that Mr. Jones here was telling her the right amounts? She picked up the papers and thumbed through them.
It was like she didn’t even know her husband as she looked at the bills. There were huge balances due at the Parker Hotel in San Francisco. “Are you even sure this is his bill?” She looked at Mr. Jones for clarification.
“I understand your concern in this matter Mrs. Wilson, but each of these is a bill your husband owes me. I may not seem like a nice man, and believe me I’m not. But I am nothing if not honest. I would never charge someone money they didn’t truly owe me. So yes, each and every one of these bills are his.” He lit up a cigar.
“Mr. Jones, are there some other ideas that you may have on this problem?” she pleaded.
“I actually did you a favor: usually I ask for the full amount in 30 days, if not sooner. But because of your circumstances, and the fact that you seem like a nice lady, I’ve taken pity on you. I would suggest that you get out and earn as much as you can as quickly as you can, though. In 30 days I’m not sure what kind of mood I’ll be in. That means I could decide to have you arrested, sell you to a man, or even sell you to many men. Go now, Mrs. Wilson, and figure something out. I’ll see you in 30 days with my money, I hope.” He waved his hand as he dismissed her from his office.
Clara Wilson hung her head as she left and wondered what she was going to do. “This is a mess, Gerald. How could you do this to me?” she whispered and looked up at the sky.
As she walked home she knew the situation was almost hopeless, if not completely hopeless. “I have to think of a way to earn that money.”
She didn’t like the idea of setting foot in debtor’s prison. She shivered at the thought of Mr. Jones’s comment: “even if I have to sell you to a man or many men.” She knew what it meant, but she didn’t like the thought of either option.
However, as her mind calmed, she figured the only real plan would be to find a rich man to marry her. She knew a mail order bride service that had opened up in town and decided to see what it entailed. “It’s got to be better than many men or prison.” She muttered as she walked to the service and thought about her future.
Chapter 2
Sally Cody looked in the advertisement for mail-order brides. She was tired of her son not being able to find a woman to marry. She wanted grandkids while she was still alive. If she left it up to Todd, though, he wouldn’t marry at all.
She had prayed many times that he would take his future more seriously. But as of yet, she hadn’t seen anything to indicate that Todd was changing.
She knew better than to tell him what she was doing; he would argue with her. The only way to get him married off and to have grandchildren was to do it herself.
Sally wasn’t happy about lying to him. Well she wasn’t lying to him, just keeping him in the dark about her plans. She wanted to find a nice girl for him, someone he could have children with. Perhaps a woman who would have him settled down and doing all good things in the Lord.
“How late were you out last night, Todd?” she asked across the table.
He sat eating his breakfast before going out to work on their ranch. “I don’t know.” He didn’t even look up, just kept eating his food.
“You know you should, really.” She stopped and didn’t continue with her comment.
“Thank you for stopping mother. I really don’t feel like hearing the speech about how I should settle down and find a woman. Or how I should go to Church every Sunday and pray about finding the right mate. As far as I’m concerned I can stay single my whole life,” Todd muttered.
“But then I wouldn’t be able to spoil any grandchildren. You know I want to have a bunch of them,” she stated.
“Well I may not want to have kids,” he admitted.
She held her heart. “Don’t say that. You would be a great father, and I would love to spoil those little ones of yours.”
“I have to have them first for you to spoil them.”
“Exactly, and that’s why you should really find a wife.”
“I knew it was going to start. Couldn’t we at least have one conversation that doesn’t turn into a speech about settling down and marrying?”
“Todd, you’re old enough to find a wife and settle down. I don’t understand why you haven’t done it yet.”
“I haven’t found the right woman.”
“Have you even looked?” she asked.
“No, not yet. But that’s only because I’m not ready.”
“How long do you plan on waiting?” she asked.
“I don’t know. I honestly haven’t thought about it,” Todd said.
“I think you should seriously think about it.”
“Maybe. I have to get to work.” He picked up his plate and put it in the sink.
Sally watched him leave the house and went back to looking through the mail-order bride options in the paper.
“Let’s see what I can find,” she muttered as she began looking through the paper. She said a quick prayer for guidance from the Lord about her search.
Please, Heavenly Father, guide my search. Lead me to the right choice for my son Todd. Give me a woman who will be perfect for him and produce many children. Amen.
She felt that she was drawn to one ad in particular, like God had guided her to look at it. Sally read the description o
f the woman closely.
I am a widowed, 28-year-old woman. I stand 5’ 5” tall, have no children, my hair is brown as well as my eyes. I seek a husband to have a family with, and to serve in the way God suggests. I go to church every week and want to find a God-fearing man.
Sally rubbed her chin and wondered if this was the sign that God wanted her to have. “This is the perfect mate for him. She will give me the grandchildren I crave and the calm he needs in his life.”
She took down the information and decided to buy this woman for him. She would have her delivered and introduce them once Clara arrived. “That’s her name, right?” she questioned and looked down at the information again. “Yes, Clara Wilson. Well, at least that’s her name for now!” She smiled brightly. Sally felt like she had accomplished something today.
Chapter 3
Clara picked up her mail. It had been almost 30 days and she had yet to raise anywhere close to the money she owed to the debtors. The only way she had figured to get the money up was to sell herself as a mail-order bride.
As of today she had yet to hear from anyone. She wondered if she had sought the wrong way to go about this problem. She second-guessed whether it had been a decision led by God, or one done out of fear.
“Well of course it’s fear you nitwit,” she said to herself, laughing nervously.
Mr. Jones had made it all too clear that he didn’t have a problem finding other avenues to get his money back from her. It was those other things that frightened her more than anything.
She didn’t want to go to jail and she surely didn’t want to be sold off to someone Mr. Jones picked. At least by placing the ad first she had a chance to choose between the suitors. “None yet, of course,” she reminded herself.
Clara said a little prayer before she got her mail and asked God for something to be delivered today. Stepping to the counter nervously, she said shyly, “I’m here to see if I have any mail.”
