Romance: Mail Order Bride The Ideal Bride Clean Christian Western Historical Romance (Western Mail Order Bride Short Shorties Series)

by Alice White

  “Now that’s my best girl,” he said. “And think of the money I’ll make with two little lovelies at my beck and call!” He practically skipped as he started to leave the room. Angelica longed to scratch the skin from his neck and watch him writhe. But she also didn’t want to be the one that felt the force of his fists. It was a dark dance that still reverberated in her bones, and Angelica merely nodded when he whipped his head over his shoulder to face her.

  “Don’t take all day now,” he warned. “Got to keep the customers happy so we get some of their gold in our pockets.”

  By our he meant his. Angelica never saw so much as one coin. She was meant to be grateful for the roofs overhead as they moved from town to town and moldy bread in her belly when he saw fit to feed her. Had she ever eaten anything that hadn’t tasted like death? Maybe in another life. No point in thinking about that now, and she took Trudy by the hand. But the girl would not budge.

  “Please,” she begged again. “Can I just tell you what happened?”

  “Save it,” Angelica said. “Allow me to fill in the blanks.” She flopped back to the cot, and her eyes turned dark as she looked down the length of her sore legs. “You were a lonely little girl on a rural farm. Your Daddy dreamed of a better life and brought you out west in the hopes of striking it rich.

  “My uncle,” Trudy said.

  “Makes no difference,” Angelica continued. “But dreaming of gold and staking a claim are two very different things. And pretty soon the man needs to eat. Only thing he has on hand worth anything is a pretty little girl. And there are lots of men like Sam that will take you in. Of course you have to work on your back for his brand of protection. Does that about cover it?”

  Trudy burst into tears, and for a split second Angelica felt as if she was looking into a mirror that was not cracked, not covered in grime. How she had wished for someone to wipe her cheeks clean. But now her eyes were too tired to weep, and she could do nothing but ease Trudy to her feet and hold out the red dress.

  “You’ll get used to this,” she said. “Trust me on that.”

  Chapter Two

  Trudy cleaned up and kept sniffling as Angelica slipped into what had slowly become her uniform. A blue dress that hugged her breasts and left her gasping for air. She twirled her braid over her neck and saw Trudy trembling, looking at her own gown like it was blood dripping through her fingers.

  “Come one now,” Angelica nudged. “Sam won’t like it if you don’t get with the program.”

  “Do I have to change right here?” Trudy asked. “Out in the open.”

  “Modesty won’t play,” Angelica warned her. “But being that this is your first day out, I’ll give you a pass.” Taking the girl by the arm, Angelica guided her behind a battered screen and sat on a rickety chair. “But be quick about it,” she continued as she kept an eye on the newcomer.

  “Must I?” Trudy asked.

  “I won’t tell you again!” Stunned by a sound far too similar to Sam’s bark passing though her lips, Angelica’s nostrils still flared, and her fingers curled into a fist as Trudy fell to the ground and started to strip off her clothes. Each and every tug of fabric sent Angelica back to the moments when her body was unbroken. Had she ever been that young or untouched? A small part of her soul longed to tear the sheets from the cot and bundle the girl back up. But she held her instincts at bay and watched the girl become a woman in the worst sense as the scarlet covered her thighs and she tried to cover her chest with her quaking arms.

  “Don’t do that,” Angelica advised. “Best if you follow my lead.” The girl’s arms fell and as they started towards the streets Trudy clenched Angelica’s hand in hers.

  “Will you stay with me?” she asked. The girl’s big eyes grew larger, and Angelica couldn’t resist the urge to pat her cheek.

  “Maybe we’ll find a boy who wants a threesome,” she said. Trudy seemed to relax at the suggestion, and Angelica felt a bit of bile building in the back of her throat. That she should seem so happy at the idea of losing her virtue as long as she had a friend along for the ride was its own kind of crime. Sam snarled as they approached the saloon, and Angelica silently vowed that she would honor Trudy’s request even as she never uttered one word of promise.

  “Time is money,” he snarled. “Time you do got down to it.”

  “Exactly what are we trying to do?” Angelica said. “Do you have anyone that wants two for the price of one?”

  “What’s that about?” Sam challenged. “Since when do you think you can call the shots?” He pulled at her hair, and the braid came loose as Trudy backed away and looked like she was ready to run. Should she just let her go and hope for the best? But the town was beyond wild, and where would Trudy end up if Angelica couldn’t keep some control on the situation?

  “Come one now, Sam,” she purred as she stroked his cheek. “If the baby here does a good job you might have a novelty act on your hands. The men will fork anything and everything over for a chance at us.” Sam smiled as he roughly pushed her hair behind her ears.

  “I guess I’ve taught you something,” he said as he roughly seized Trudy’s arm. “And I have just the buck for you two sweet fillies.”

  He pushed them into the bar, and Angelica held her breath at the memory of too many men in sight. All of them rough. Each one smelling fouler than the next. Her heart dropped when the one they called Warwick tossed back his whiskey in one swallow and approached them like a beast on the prowl.

  “Always happy to see this Angel,” he drooled. “And who’s her pretty little friend?”

  It was too late for Trudy to run now, and Angelica batted her eyelashes and pretended to smile.

  “Someone who is going to make you feel so good,” she promised. “Want to head upstairs and see how much?” Warwick reached across her body and snatched Trudy’s hand. The girl turned redder than the dress and looked back to Angelica for help as Warwick pulled her up a narrow staircase with Trudy whimpering as they climbed.

  “Hold up!”

  And Sam held her back and pressed her into the nearest wall.

  “You wouldn’t be thinking about trying to start your own show without me would you?” he scolded.

  “Not a chance,” Angelica insisted. “I’m breaking your new girl in. Now are you going to let me get back to basics?” Every second that slowly slipped by seemed like an eternity. Did Warwick already have Trudy out of her dress and on the bed? Angelica had to get up there. The girl could never handle this much on her own.

  “As you were, then,” Sam smirked. “You just make sure she knows who butters the bread.” There was never anything that sweet on the crusts that he tossed her way, but Angelica still nodded and escaped his hold as she raced up the steps. She was at the threshold of the room, and she started to turn the handle when a frantic scream wracked her ears.

  “Why so shy?” Warwick asked. “Don’t you like me?” Trudy cried out again, and Angelica slammed her body into the door so that it would give way. She fell forward at the sight of Warwick’s cheek bloodied, and Trudy tried to hide in a corner when the big man reeking of booze plowed towards her and curled his meaty fingers around her slender neck.

  “Trudy, no!” Angelica screamed. The world seemed to slow to a stop as Trudy eyes bulged out of her head and the girl went down. The side of her head slammed into the metal edge of the nearest bed, and at the sound of her groan and the sight of the blood leaving her lips, Angelica switched back to the little girl who had been sold for a song with no one to help her.

  This was supposed to be different. She was supposed to make it right.

  “Get away from her!” Angelica pushed past Warwick and cradled the dazed girl in her arms. Trudy’s eyelids fluttered, and Angelica tore at her skirt as she tried to wipe the blood away.

  “Why is she so unfriendly?” he asked as he pulled his arms back into his coat sleeves and smoothed his hands down the front of his wrinkled shirt. “Ain’t that why she’s here?”

  She was here
because she didn’t have a choice. Because her entire life was blown apart in the matter a single day and a sleepless night. Angelica’s heart lifted as soon as she met the girl’s eyes, and she tried to help her to her feet and get her out of the room.

  But Warwick barred their way.

  “One of you better make it right,” he sneered. “Doesn’t matter all that much to me which one. Just want to get my money’s worth.”

  “Not now, Warwick!” she shot back. “Can’t you see that she needs help?”

  “So do I, Angel.” He licked his plump lips, and Angelica imagined all the vile things that she would have to do to get Trudy out of harm’s way. Her skin crawled, but as she walked the dazed girl back to the bed, she was ready to make the sacrifice.

  It was the only thing that she was good for.

  “Fine,” she said as she started to peel off her boots. “But make it fast. Not like that will be a problem for you.” She winced at the sight of his fist coming for her when the door flung open and Sam reappeared.

  “What a mess,” he muttered. “Can’t have this going down on my watch.” He didn’t care about the girl. Only the consequences. But Angelica was still relieved as he picked Trudy up and told Warwick to make himself scarce.

  “But I paid for these here girls!” he bellowed.

  “And once they’re back in tip top shape you can have one or both of them,” Sam said. “She’s no good to me if she already has one foot in the grave.” He was almost out of the room, and Angelica tried to escape when Warwick caught her wrist and turned her back to his chest.

  “This one still works,” Warwick said. “Let’s say I keep her and we call it even.” Sam’s nod should have shattered her soul. But she knew her place and could only hope that Trudy would stay alive to see another sunrise.

  Angelica would have to settle for the shadows.

  Chapter Three

  “Hello?”

  Cleaning up after her time with Warwick, Angelica still felt dirty as she hid her tattered dress behind a moth-eaten shawl and tramped through the muddy streets. Everyone knew what she was. The men leered and the finer ladies who had their husbands turned their noses skyward. She let the looks pass through her and followed the path laid out by Sam’s vague words.

  Some new doc set up shop just south of the general store. I dumped the girl off and got some coffee.

  Leave it to Sam to run an errand while someone fought for her life, but she was grateful that he used whiskey instead of milk and passed out so she could take her leave. Miller minded the store, and he was one of the few men in town to ever grant her a true smile. The grin was back when he spied her lurking in the doorway.

  “Hello to you, too, Miss Angel. To what do I owe the pleasure?” The small man scampered out from behind the counter and offered her a stick of licorice. Sort of sweet that he believed he could make everything better with a piece of candy.

  “I’m looking for someone,” she said as she waved the licorice off. “I think that Sam brought her to see the new doctor.”

  “Got it,” he said as he furrowed his brow and wrapped a tender arm around her shoulders. “Would have been nice if he stuck around to see how she fared and all. But a man like that doesn’t know from a heart.” She wasn’t about to argue, but she reached up to squeeze his hand as she pleaded for answers with her eyes.

  “Have you seen her since he left?” Angelica asked. “She was really hurt.”

  “Wonder it wasn’t worse with the sorts you girls keep your company with,” Miller said. “No offense, Miss Angel, but it’s far from safe.”

  “Are you going to take me in and see that I have something to eat?” She hated the tone of her words as soon as they left her mouth and felt lower than the mud caking her boots as Miller hung his head.

  “Got seven other mouths to feed,” he said with a small shrug. “But would if I could, Miss.” And as she believed him, Angelica patted his cheek and bit down on her lower lip.

  “I know,” she murmured. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t give it another thought,” he said in a warm voice. “Now onto your friend.”

  The house several paces past the general store was sparse but clean. Angelica heard a few moans drifting from behind the closed doors, and she wondered if many other girls had been hurt and found their way here when a tall woman with a long face clicked her tongue.

  “I’ll thank you to stay where I can keep an eye on you,” the woman said.

  “And why is that?” Angelica asked as she whipped her head around. “Something that you’re trying to hide?” Was it possible that this was a trap and that there was no doctor? Only a another version of Sam who played like a decent human being when he was far from that in plain sight?

  “Can’t have you disturbing the patients,” the woman said. “You are a visitor. An uninvited one at that. How would you like it if someone just barged into your room unannounced?” The woman obviously had no idea who or what she was, and Angelica took some small comfort in that as Miller doffed his hat.

  “Nice to see you again, Miss Parsons,” he said. “We’re here about the girl. The one that came in with Sam.”

  “Oh that one,” Miss Parsons said. “Nasty bit of business. But she’s resting now. Are you a friend?” Angelica hardly knew her, but she still nodded her head and let the woman lead her up the staircase.

  “She had a bad bump on the head,” the woman continued. “The doctor gave her a little something for the pain. I think you’ll find that she’s resting comfortably.” Cracking open the first door at the top of the steps, Angelica blinked to see Trudy sleeping. The moans escaping her lips seemed to signify nothing but good dreams, and Angelica tiptoed to the edge of the bed and slowly sat as she extended her hand.

  “Trudy?” The girl turned on her side, her dark hair loose and spilling over her shoulders. She glanced through her lashes, and Angelica stayed frozen as Trudy parted her lips to speak.

  “You’re here,” she said. “You’re not going to take me back to those men are you?” It wasn’t her call, and Angelica had no answer when a shadow fell over her body and a low voice invaded the room.

  “No one will make you do anything that you don’t want to, my dear.” Turning to find the source of the sound, Angelica found herself face-to-face with a slender man with bright blue eyes poking through his spectacles. He wore a gray vest and matching slacks, his bow tie loose around his neck. Lowering his glasses to the rim of his nose, the stranger narrowed his gaze, and Angelica shot up to her feet.

  “So you’re the doctor?” Angelica asked.

  “Doctor William Mason,” he said. “I told the gentleman that brought her around that I would let him know when she was up to being moved. Are you here to hold me to that?” Trudy stirred from under her sheets, and Angelica tried to dial her rage back as she tucked the blanket under the girl’s chin before whirling back around to stare the doctor down.

  “I don’t have that power, sir,” she scoffed. “And when you can move her, find a way to keep her away from the likes of Sam.”

  “That was my plan, Miss.” Too stunned to speak, Angelica felt his body brush past her, and he checked Trudy’s pulse as he called out for his nurse.

  “Yes, doctor?” Miss Parsons asked, regarding Angelica carefully as she spoke.

  “Come the morning I want her sent up north to the mission’s orphanage,” he said. “She might still have a chance. We can’t pass up the chance to save her soul.”

  “I’ll make the arrangements,” Miss Parsons said. As Angelica watched the woman leave, she wondered if there was place away from the town for her. Maybe in another life. Before she was too damaged to even think of the touch of a tender hand. But Trudy would get out, and Angelica would try to take some comfort in that.

  And with that thought she headed back down the stairs.

  “Miss? A moment?”

  The doctor’s hand was on her arm, and she fell back on the first step as his free arm encircled her waist. He held her stead
y and brought her back to the landing to face him.

  “I did not catch you name,” he said.

  “Does it matter?” she challenged as she tried to wriggle free from his hold. “I’m too old to be an orphan. And what else would you want to do with me?” He jutted his chin into the air and readjusted his glasses. So it would be like that; maybe he would be gentle; it would be change of pace, and she started to resign herself to his intended advances when he walked her down the steps and passed her back to Miller.

  “Always nice to see you, Mr. Miller. Do you know this young lady?”

  Lady? No had ever deemed her as such, and her mind scanned his voice for the joke when Miller made the first move and nodded his head.

  “This here is Angel,” he said. “She’s been around here longer than I have. She’s with Sam.”

  “I see.” The doctor squared his shoulders, and reached into his pocket for a scrap of paper. He pulled dull pencil from his vest and scribbled something that she could not see on the page as he handed it over with some short words.

  “I’ll thank you to take her to this boarding house,” he said. “She will be safe there.”

  Miller nearly had her out the door when Angelica held her ground and pressed her hands to her hips.

  “What’s this all about?” she asked. “Setting up your own cathouse on the side?” Now she laughed at her own joke, but the doctor’s mouth stretched into a straight line.

  “This is where Miss Parsons hangs her hat,” he said. “My nurse knows her way around a shotgun. Take it from me that you will be safe there.” With that he turned down the hallway towards his other patients. Was that the end of it? He scribbled some words on a page and she was supposed to follow his lead no questions asked?

  “I should go back,” Angelia said. “Sam will be looking for me.”

  “And what then, Miss Angel?” Miller asked. “How long before you end up like that little girl upstairs or worse?” To that she had no answer, and she felt as if she was moving into another prison.