Emily: Army Mail Order Bride

by Mercy Levy

  Of course, Clarice would have had to go, or Mrs. Basin’s niece would have had to move away.

  “Well, if she’s not going to be the one moving, I suppose I will,” Clarice said aloud. She knew no one was listening to her, but it made her feel better to speak out loud, even to herself. It gave her words purpose to speak them aloud. She took a determined stride over to the general store. Though she felt like she was watching herself move through the town, Clarice knew what she was doing. She had heard of women doing this before, and though she thought it dangerous, she knew it was better than trying to find work in a town that wasn’t offering any.

  Nothing could be worse than ending up on the streets, and she wasn’t going to let that happen. Once again ignoring the looks of the people in the store, she walked right to the back of the place and checked the wall.

  Sure enough, there were papers scattered all around, some hanging on the wall, while others had fallen on the floor. She saw more stacked on the shelf, but she wasn’t interested in those. Clarice could see right away what she was looking for, and eagerly tore a few pieces of paper off the wall.

  “I remember when Samantha and Jane answered these ads and headed west. I never thought the day would come when I would do the same thing, but if it worked out for them, it’s bound to work out for me, too.” She folded the papers in her hand and stuffed them in her pocket, hurrying out the door and toward home.

  Clarice spent most of the evening running through each of the ads she had grabbed, but she was disappointed in what she read. Though she had expected the ads to capture her attention with promises to sweep her off her feet, they seemed too ordinary.

  She didn’t have any idea which one to choose, or if she should just forget the entire idea and walk away.

  Feeling defeated, she shoved all the ads onto the ground and rolled over onto her side, looking at the wall. Suddenly, she had an idea.

  I have a few dollars left, so I’ll think about this objectively. I’ll find the man who is the closest, and take the train. It’s not the best way to choose a husband, I have to admit, but it’s something more than I have now.

  Feeling a surge of ambition, Clarice flipped through the ads she had spread on her floor. She found one man in Arizona, and the other in the Dakota region. Though she liked the idea of Arizona better, Clarice thought she would more easily be able to afford a ticket to the Dakotas.

  With butterflies in her stomach, she picked up her pen and a piece of paper, then carefully wrote a reply to the ad.

  “Well, Mr. James P. Scott, I am eager to make your acquaintance,” she said softly as she sealed her letter inside its envelope. She refused to think about how she felt about her actions as she hurried up the street to the general store and posted the letter in the mail.

  Chapter 5 – The Dakotas

  Though Clarice knew a lot about the Dakotas from teaching the children geography lessons, she had to admit she didn’t know what to expect when she actually got there. She had written her letter to Mr. Scott and eagerly began making preparations to follow the piece of paper. She was surprised to receive a letter in return before her departure.

  James was thrilled that she was interested in his life and wanted to come live with him in the Dakotas. He profusely promised that he would take care of her, and assured her he was already making preparations in the house so that her transition would be as smooth as possible.

  He assured her all her needs would be met, and told her several times that he hoped her trip would be fast and easy. Last of all, he assured her that though he didn’t think he would personally be able to meet her at the station, he was sending his right-hand man to do the job.

  Clarice read the letter with a tone of curiosity. She had told him in her letter how she had lost her job, and that she had nothing to offer and nothing to fall back on, all she had was her character , and she hoped that would be enough for him.

  She expected him to ask something of her, but instead his letter was lavished with well wishes and hope that she would be comfortable in her travels, and blessed with speed. Clarice sat back on her bed, allowing the letter to linger in her hand before she shook her head and set it on the side of the bed.

  If she was completely honest, she had to admit that she didn’t foresee herself falling in love with James. She had always envisioned her love running into her randomly, not coming through a letter she had posted in response to an ad.

  But, love wasn’t what she was after. All she needed was a place to sleep at night and a roof over her head, and if that’s what this man was going to provide it for her, she would happily play the part of his wife.

  He needed someone to attend local parties with him; she could do that. He needed someone to help with the household chores; she could do that as well. Whatever he needed, she knew she could do, as long as she was treated well in return.

  Clarice looked around her small room. She had fit everything she possibly could into her carpet bag, and the rest was just going to have to stay here. She didn’t mind leaving most of it behind, but there were some things she wondered if she would miss.

  “I guess I can always get more of them later. The West certainly needs a teacher’s hand in it, and I’m sure I’ll have my own job in no time.” With a final look around the room, she walked over and set her carpet bag next to the door.

  Her train was set to leave early the next morning, and she had to admit, she was excited to be on it.

  Clarice felt butterflies of anticipation as the train pulled to a halt in the station. She had thought the journey was going to be a lot slower than it had been, and felt nervous the closer they drew to her destination.

  She gazed out the window, scanning the crowd as quickly as she could, trying to find someone who looked like they might be looking for her. There were so many people standing on the platform, it was hard to see who was waiting to board the train and who was waiting to pick up passengers who were getting off. She felt her heart pound with both excitement and uncertainty.

  At last, the train drew to a halt, and she felt her butterflies settle. The conductor walked through the coach, calling out that it was the last stop of the morning, and asking to see tickets.

  She handed him hers, and he reached high above her head, pulling down her carpet bag and handing it to her with a smile.

  “Here you are, Miss, I hope you enjoyed the trip.” He smiled at her reassuringly as she nodded and took her bag, then hurried down the narrow walkway and out the side of the train door.

  The platform was still flooded with people, and she gasped as she looked in both directions, trying to find someone with some familiarity. James had told her he was sending his man to pick her up, but the only thing he had said about this individual was that he was tall with sandy colored hair and blue eyes.

  It was hard to find someone with that description on this platform, as most of the men seemed tall to her, and most of them were also wearing hats, making it difficult to see their hair or eye color.

  Suddenly, someone put a hand on her shoulder, and she jumped as she whirled around.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. You must be Miss Cranberry?” The man smiled down at her, and Clarice felt her heart skip a beat. She had to remind herself that this man was not the man she was going to marry, but rather worked for him, but she hoped that her husband to be was just as good-looking.

  She smiled and nodded, introducing herself.

  “My name is Frank Jones, and I work for your groom.” The man smiled and took her carpet bag, then held out his arm for her to take. Clarice did her best to find her voice, but he had caught her off guard, both with his looks as well as his charm. She nodded, unable to say anything.

  Frank laughed.

  “I never thought James would marry a quiet one, but I guess there’s a first time for everything. Shall we?” He directed her to a carriage that stood at the side of the road, and Clarice felt her cheeks flush crimson. She wanted to make a good impression on this man, and
feared she was already coming off as childish and insecure.

  Thanking him for the hand up, she sat proudly on the seat next to him. Perhaps she wasn’t going to marry this man, but she was going to make a good impression on the man she was going to marry, and that was going to happen from the first time he laid eyes on her.

  Chapter 6 – James Scott’s Mansion

  Clarice had to admit, the sight of the mansion took her breath away. She didn’t know what to expect, but James had never mentioned in his ad or his letter that he was wealthy, and the sight of this mansion was more than she ever thought she would live in.

  He hadn’t really explained what it was that he did in his ad, and though she had told him she had lost everything, he merely assured her that he was going to take care of her, and that he was already making preparations for her in the house.

  But, he hadn’t said that his house was bigger than the schoolhouse she had once taught in, and Clarice felt overwhelmed.

  “And here it is!” Frank pointed to the mansion was they pulled up, and laughed at the look on her face.

  “It’s a beauty, isn’t it?” he asked, then added, “James likes to keep things presentable. You never know who is going to show up.” He winked at her, and hopped down off of the carriage.

  Walking around to the passenger side, he offered her his hand, and Clarice reluctantly agreed. She slipped down to the ground, straightening her dress. She blushed at the look Frank gave her, then looked up toward the house.

  “Is he going to come out?” she asked uncertainly, and he nodded, looking slightly irritated.

  “James can be a little slow at times. I thought he would be waiting here for you, at least, that’s what I would have done.” He laughed off the statement as the door opened, and two more men and a young woman appeared. The young woman walked down the steps first, eyeing Clarice up and down and looking at Frank critically. Clarice got the distinct impression that this woman did not exactly approve of her being there.

  “I thought you were going to be a little later than this,” James said as he came down the steps, adjusting his tie.

  Frank nodded. “I thought so, too, but the train was on time. Now don’t you think you ought to greet your new bride?” He put a hand on Clarice’s shoulder, and she felt her heart start to pound. Clarice had to admit, she wasn’t as attracted to James as she was to Frank, but he was still handsome in his own right.

  He had dark hair, and he was shorter than Frank. There was a nervousness about him, almost as though he was uncertain of himself, but Clarice brushed it off as her own nerves acting up. She had thought that a man with this amount of wealth would have the confidence to show it off to a poor young woman from the east coast.

  He took her hand and raised it to his lips, then motioned for her to follow him into the house.

  “Excuse me, I don’t mean to rush things, but I thought we were to be married?” Clarice asked timidly, and he smiled.

  [SW1]“Of course, but not everyone chooses to marry right away. You are going to stay in the large East Wing, right next door to my sister here. I thought we could take the time to get to know each other, and if things work out between us, then we shall marry. I know it’s a little unusual, but I thought it would be a pity for you to come all this way and end up disappointed with me. However, if it does come to that, I will be happy to pay for a ticket for you to go wherever it is you please. Anywhere at all.” He smiled at her reassuringly, but Clarice felt a twinge of fear grip her heart.

  She thought they were to be married right away, and it caught her off guard thinking that this arrangement could all fall apart. Deep down inside, she knew that this was a smart thing to do, but part of her wondered how bad it could be, and what she was going to do if they didn’t end up married.

  Clarice was growing increasingly nervous about the tentativeness of the situation. She had a hard time paying attention as the small group gave her a tour of the mansion, and James informed her that she had free access to anything and everything she pleased.

  “Just make sure you ask my sister Priscilla or Frank if you are in need of anything you can’t get for yourself,” he said with a smile, then she was left in her room with her thoughts.

  “Dinner is at seven on the dot,” Frank said as he closed the door behind him, and Clarice jumped at the resounding echo the door made through the hall.

  What does he mean if things don’t go as we want them to? Am I supposed to pass some sort of test? What if I don’t end up being the person he wants to marry? Then what will I do?

  I can’t go back to Vermont, there’s nothing for me there.

  Chapter 7 – Pampered Life

  Clarice awoke the next morning with a start. She had slept so soundly, she had forgotten where she was, and woke up feeling that she needed to get to school. She hurried into her dress and fixed her hair in the mirror, but was startled by a knock at the door.

  She opened it, and to her surprise, Frank was standing outside. He gave her a look when he walked in, clearly enjoying the view of the dress she was wearing. She felt her cheeks flush, then reminded herself that she was to marry James.

  “Can I help you?” she asked softly, clearing her throat so she could get the words out without them catching. He whistled softly, then shook his head.

  “James sent me up to see if you were ready for breakfast now, or if you wanted to go for a ride around the grounds first? You might like to see all the land that is to be yours, or you might be hungry?” He gave her a charming smile and Clarice felt her cheeks flush once more.

  Looking down, she muttered that breakfast would be fine, but she would really like to see the land, too.

  “Excellent. Breakfast is on the way then, and you shall be out and on the pasture in an hour. I’ll tell him your decision, then I’ll head to the barn and pick out just the right horse.” He winked at her as he closed the door, and Clarice felt her heart skip a beat.

  “Stop it.” she said out loud to herself. “It is highly inappropriate for you to think this way of a man who is not your intended.” She shook her head to clear her thoughts, then checked herself in the mirror once more and headed downstairs to the dining room.

  James was seated at one end of the long table in the dining room with his sister directly to his left. The rest of the table was completely open save for Clarice’s plate set out near the other two, but down a few seats.

  Clarice almost asked why Frank wasn’t going to join them, but she bit her tongue. She didn’t want to say anything to show that she was interested in the other man, for fear she was going to lose her chance to marry James. She desperately needed a place to stay, and she didn’t she would be allowed to if she showed interest in anyone but James.

  With a smile, she bid both her companions a good morning, and sat down, smoothing her skirts as she did.

  “How was your night?” Priscilla asked coldly. Clarice smiled and assured her it had been just fine, thanking them for giving her such a lavish bedroom. She settled into her seat, and began enjoying breakfast, answering their questions as they came, and trying to sound as impressive as she could.

  “So what does a private school teacher actually do?” Priscilla asked critically. Clarice gulped down her biscuit, trying not to be rude as she answered.

  “I teach the same as anyone else, but I simply teach a few select students. Mostly students who came from families like yours.” She smiled, but it faded at the look on Priscilla’s face.

  “Our family is no different than anyone else. We just happen to have a bigger house is all.” She took a bite of her breakfast, looking down at her plate and refusing to look at Clarice again.

  Clarice stuttered, trying to assure them she hadn’t intended any offense, and she desperately hoped that the damage wasn’t done.

  James, on the other hand, didn’t seem too upset by what Clarice had said, and he continued asking her questions about her life in Vermont.

  “I really did enjoy it, and I was hoping there might be
a school around here that was looking for a teacher. I love teaching, and it was hard to walk away from it.” She smiled, but the look of horror on both of their faces showed her she had said something wrong once again.

  “Whatever is the matter?” she asked uncertainly, and James cleared his throat.

  “My dear, we have certain privileges and customs to be upheld in our family. The mistress of our house needs to be seen in a certain light, and that is not as a working woman.” He smiled, but she could see that there was judgement in his smile and she felt her cheeks burn.

  She was proud of her occupation, and she really had hoped she might be able to continue it in her new way of life.

  However, Clarice knew she had to make this situation work. She didn’t have a life to go back to, and if she was forced to leave here, she would be on the streets.

  As much as she hated the thought of giving up teaching, she knew she had no other choice.

  The days passed, and Clarice did what she could to bond with her groom-to-be, though it was certainly harder than she had anticipated. She thought she would be able to break through to him rather quickly, but it seemed that no matter what she said or did, there was something Priscilla found offensive about her actions.

  She could tell that the siblings were close, but there was something she didn’t like about Priscilla. It was almost as though the woman expected her to try to steal their fortune, or force her out of the house in some way.

  Clarice always did whatever she could to make Priscilla feel comfortable around her, but nothing she did seemed to work.

  She knew Priscilla viewed her as some delicate girl from back east who didn’t know how the West truly worked, but Clarice wanted to prove otherwise. Being a school teacher may not be as hard as settling the West, but it had its own set of challenges, and she knew there had to be a way to prove to the siblings that it was worth doing.