Dorthy's Disasters: A Ryders Legacy Historical Book (The Alphabet Mail-Order Brides 4)

by George H. McVey

  He kissed her and held her tight. “I’m fine, love. This is what I do, I told you that. Not a scratch on me.”

  “It’s one thing to be told you can do it. It’s an altogether different thing to see you do it.”

  “It’s over now. I’m safe and you are too. I need to clean my gun and reload but that’s it. Let’s go back into the sitting room.”

  Cindy pushed past them. “Take Dorthy into the bedroom, Sam, you idiot.”

  “Why?”

  “She needs you to comfort her you big ninny. You men, I swear you are all so clueless sometimes. She was scared and worried about you. Now she needs you to hold her and kiss her and let her see for herself you are okay. Give me your guns, I’ll take care of them.”

  He knew better than to argue with Cindy when she got this way, and looking closely at Dorthy, he could see that Cindy was right. His wife needed some loving attention. A few kisses and some alone time wouldn’t be a hardship anyway. They hadn’t become man and wife in every way yet but sparking a little wouldn’t hurt and would help them draw even closer. He handed the guns to Cindy and moved back into the bedroom with Dorthy and shut the door before pulling his wife into his arms.

  Dorthy lay in bed that night listening to her husband as he slept. Her head was on his chest listening to his breathing and heartbeat. She had been so scared when that man had come up behind him before Cindy had shot him. She had thought for sure that Sam was going to die before she could tell him what she needed to tell him. She was in love with him; in that moment she knew it beyond a shadow of a doubt. She was in love with her husband whom she had met less than a week ago. Logically it made no sense and yet she knew it to be true. Her heart had hurt at the thought of living without him.

  Part of her wanted to wake him and tell him now but she knew that he needed to sleep. They would arrive in Redemption tomorrow and both he and Cindy had already warned her that the family was going to all want to meet her and get to know her. They would be busy from the moment they got off the train.

  Not only that but her husband had been gone from both of his jobs for a just over a week now. He would be needed both in town and on the ranch. She herself would want to see if she could meet with the school board and be allowed to teach using Wiggie’s methods. If not, she’d talk to Sam about the possibility of starting another school. He said Redemption wasn’t as big as Independence had been but that it wasn’t small either. If she was going to be inclusive she bet there would be several children who weren’t already in the one-room school his friend taught in. Most western schools didn’t include Mexican, Indian or Negro children in their classes. Neither did eastern schools for that matter. It was one of the things that made Wigg’s School and Foundling Home different. That and teachers who were specialized. That she wouldn’t be able to do, but she might be able to be inclusive and even offer more than one classroom.

  She also wanted to get her hands in the dirt and plant something. She knew it was getting late but she could do some corn and maybe some type of squash. Pumpkins or winter squash at least. If nothing else she could begin to prepare soil for next spring. Plus Sam had told her he had a house on the ranch. It was the foreman house, but he was a single man living alone; she knew it would need a woman’s touch and probably a good cleaning. He hadn’t known he was getting married and even if he had she had it on good authority that what a man thought was clean was nothing like what a woman thought was clean.

  She couldn’t stop her thoughts. What would his family think about her? He’d left Redemption to give her the news that the man who had sent for her was in prison for having been married to six women and wanted to make her the seventh. Now he was returning to his home with her as his wife. Would they accept her or think she’d somehow tricked him into marrying her? She knew Cindy liked her and Cindy had told Dorthy that Hanna would like her too. She was a few years younger than them but was Sam’s natural sister and worshiped the ground her brother walked on. She’d like Dorthy because Sam liked her. But would his adopted family? All his money came from them; would they think she was just a gold digger? She hadn’t even known about the money until after they were married but would the older Ryders believe that?

  Worse, what would they think about her bad luck? Would they consider her a Jonah like others had? Would they want nothing to do with her when things started to go wrong around her? Thankfully, so far nothing bad had happened since she’d married Sam unless the robbery today was because she was on the train. Could that be the case? Did her presence put her new husband and everyone on the train in danger?

  His arm tightened around her shoulders. “Stop it, Dorthy. You are not to blame for the robbery or any other bad thing that happens and my family will love you as much as I do.”

  She looked up into his sleepy eyes. “How do you know what I was thinking?”

  He smiled a half smile at her. “I don’t know, when we are close like this I can pick up on your emotions and thoughts. If you tried you could pick up on mine too, probably.”

  She concentrated a moment and realized she could. First, she picked up on his humor at her for the look of concentration on her face. Next, she realized he’d meant it when he said he loved her. Not just liked her, he was as in love with her as she was him. “How is this possible?”

  He kissed her forehead. “The fact that we can read each other’s thoughts and emotions or that we’re in love with each other after four days of knowing each other?”

  She shrugged. “Either, both I guess.”

  “I think they are one and the same answer, love. Rumor was that Nate and Penny, my Grandparents, were like this. That they could almost read each other’s thoughts and feelings even when they weren’t near each other. Nugget Nate told people it was because they shared one heart. That and the Callings might have something to do with it. Being soulmates and then add in that bit of Ryder giftedness. I think Nathan and Grace have it to some degree.”

  Dorthy looked into those green eyes that could see all the way into her thoughts and thought what her question was. She couldn’t bring herself to say it out loud even to him. He smiled and kissed her soft and sweet. “Yes, I want to make you my wife but not here and not with Cindy in the berth next door. Tomorrow in our own bed in our house. Is that okay with you?”

  She bit her bottom lip. “Yes, I think that is probably a better idea.”

  “Good, now get some sleep, my love. You are right, we will both have a lot to do tomorrow and my family is going to want to spend time with us welcoming you. I think you should just be prepared; my sisters and sister-in-law as well as mother are going to insist on throwing us a party this weekend, I guarantee it.”

  “I don’t want anyone to go to any trouble for me, Sam.”

  He pulled her tight against him. “Dorthy, they won’t see it as trouble. It’s what they do, they’ll want to celebrate and let everyone know that I found my one true love. I want to show you off too, plus any chance to hold you close and dance with you, I’m going to take it. A wedding reception party will be the only time I won’t have to share dancing with you with others. That I’m going to take advantage of.”

  They lay together just talking until Dorthy calmed enough to slip into sleep where she dreamed of being held in Sam’s strong arms as he danced her around. In her dreams she wasn’t an accident and there were no disasters of her making anywhere.

  Chapter Seven

  The Pullman car had been pushed on to a switch track and positioned beside a private platform and cabin at the end of a railhead. Sam had told Dorthy that it was his brother Nathan’s private depot and that the man who took care of the Pullman lived in the cabin. Dorthy looked out to see an older gentleman dressed like a preacher with a strange gun configuration on his right hip standing on the platform. Sam came up beside her. “That’s my brother Nathan. I wired him yesterday that we’d be home and that I’d need a wagon. I thought he’d bring Grace and the boys with him, but I don’t see anyone but him.”

  The tr
ain finally stopped and gave three long and two short blasts. “That’s the Ryder signal. It means the Pullman will be uncoupled here. Come on, let’s introduce you to my big brother.”

  Dorthy started forward and tripped over her hem and started to fall into the table to her right. Sam grabbed her. “Calm down. I think I see what causes your ‘disasters’, as you call them. You get nervous and pay less attention to what you’re doing and where you’re going. All this time around me and Cindy you’ve not had a single disaster, yet moments after you know my brother’s out there to meet you, suddenly you trip.”

  Dorthy thought about it. Could that be what it was? That she was just nervous and not paying attention as well? That would explain why it never happened in the classroom or the garden; those were two places she felt comfortable and in charge. She’d have to think about that some more later, right now she was being led to the door to meet her husband’s brother. The famous shootist known nationwide as simply “The Preacher,” Nathan Ryder the Third.

  Sam squeezed her shoulder as they stepped out and onto the platform. The older man smiled and shook Sam’s hand. “Welcome home, little brother. I see you picked up a passenger along the way.”

  “Nathan, this is Dorthy Ryder, my wife.”

  The grin on the older man’s face turned into a wide smile. “Your wife! Well now that’s a surprise, I must say. A very pretty surprise, however. Welcome to the family, Dorthy.”

  “Thank you, Mister Ryder.”

  The older man shook his finger left and right. “None of that. I’m Nathan, after all you’re my sister-in-law. So tell me how you roped this here loner.”

  Sam growled at his brother. “This was the mail-order bride that I went to see, Nathan. Only once I laid eyes on her I knew why I’d had to go in person. She was meant for me.”

  “So that’s why your Calling sent you there; not trouble, but to meet your hearts other half. Just like Nate and Penny.”

  Sam nodded. “Yes, including that connection we read about in Penny’s diaries.”

  Nathan stopped and looked at her. “Now that’s interesting. How strong?”

  Sam smiled. “I think it will be about as strong as theirs when it’s finished settling. We can already pick up on each other’s feelings and thoughts if we are close to each other. Where is Grace and the boys?”

  “The boys took Grace to Doctor Sonoman’s clinic. Rayne was in labor, was what Grace told me as she ran out of the house about an hour ago. I reckon the boys are sticking close to town to avoid any work. You know how they are. Where is my daughter? You didn’t leave her in Independence, did you?”

  “I’m right here, Papa.” Cindy spoke from behind them. “I didn’t stay but I am going back in two weeks.”

  “You didn’t!”

  The younger girl glared at her father. “I did, and they hired me. I start my training in two weeks.”

  “Your mother is going to skin all three of us, you know.”

  “Oh fiddlesticks, she knew this was what I wanted. You both had to know I was going to at least try while I was there.”

  “My daughter, the Pinkerton Detective. I’m proud of you on one hand, Cindy, but I’m sad too. You’re leaving us.”

  “Only for training, Papa. I was told between assignments I can live anywhere I want, as long as they can get ahold of me by telegram.”

  “Well, that’s not so bad. Alright, let’s get your uncle and his bride unloaded so they can head for the Double R.”

  Nathan and Sam made quick work of unloading Dorthy’s trunks onto the wagon. Then Sam helped her into the bench seat in the front. Nathan climbed on a black horse with a white mane and tail, and Cindy in a split skirt climbed up behind him. “You could have brought Jack with you, Papa.”

  “Nah, I wanted you to ride with me on Storm, little one. Not like we can do this much longer with you leaving me to be a fancy Pinkerton agent.”

  Nathan looked over at Dorthy and Sam. “Dorthy, it was great to meet you. Sam, dinner at Mother and Father’s tonight? I’d have you all over here, but you know Mother and Hanna are going to insist.”

  “Sounds good. See you all tonight.”

  Then Sam gave the reins a snap and the two of them were moving out onto the trail heading to her new home. “See, I told you they’d love you. We’ll stop by Mother’s hacienda on the way to our house. You can literally see their house from ours. That way we have an excuse to give you a break from my rambunctious family. We still need to get you settled at home.”

  Dorthy nodded. “Your brother was nice.”

  “I told you sweetheart, they are all going to love you. Mother and Elizabeth are going to be ecstatic; they’ve been trying to find me a wife for a few years now. That I found you is going to make their year, you watch and see.”

  They rode through a bustling town that was not as big as Independence but larger than some of the places she’d seen from the train. “This is Redemption. I’ll bring you into town tomorrow and show you around and get you set up to buy anything you need at any of the shops.”

  “Where’s the school?”

  “It’s on the other side on the road that heads south just before the cemetery. I’ll show you that tomorrow too. Jayna was the school teacher, so with Grace at the doc’s office with her we’ll probably need a teacher this year.”

  “Will my teaching upset you?”

  “No love. Not at all. I know you want to teach and honor Mrs. Wigg. I have no problem with that.”

  She placed a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you.”

  “You are more than welcome, love.”

  She leaned against his side and he placed his arm around her pulling her close. They rode in silence just letting their silent thoughts and feelings be known to each other and marveling in their mutual love for each other. Finally after about an hour Sam turned onto a lane with a large sign over the trail that said Ryder Ranch. “Welcome home, Dorthy. Everything you see from here on out is part of our ranch.”

  Dorthy marveled at the tall forest of Lodgepole pines off to the right and the rolling landscape on the left. In the distance she could make out several buildings. “That’s the homesteads. Mother’s hacienda and Elizabeth and Rowdy’s place as well as my house and the ranch hands’ bunkhouse. The barns are there too. The farm hands each have their own house by their fields but there is a large garden plot for each house. I haven’t used mine but it’s there, so you’ll have plenty of space to plant anything you want.”

  They pulled up in front of a traditional looking Spanish hacienda and Sam stopped the horses. “Let’s introduce you to my parents and sisters. Then I’ll take you home so you can get settled.”

  He climbed out of the wagon and reached up and lifted her down. Kissing her soundly as she came even with his lips. “Relax Dorthy, I promise they’re gonna love you almost as much as I do.”

  With a deep sigh Dorthy nodded and let her husband lead her to the wide porch to meet her in-laws.

  Sam could feel the nervous tension rolling off of Dorthy. He kept sending her waves of peace hoping she’d calm before they got to the door. He’d barely set foot on the first step when the door in front of them crashed open and a blur of calico and dark hair flew at him. “Sam, you’re home!!”

  His little sister launched herself off the porch and wrapped her arms and legs around him. He started laughing. “Well now Hanna, that’s quite the welcome, lil sister. But it isn’t very ladylike. I’m not sure my wife is happy with you.”

  That caused his sister to drop onto her own two feet. “Wife! You got married without me there?”

  Sam laughed again. “Yes, you didn’t need to be there for me to get married. Hanna, meet Dorthy, my wife.”

  His little sister looked at Dorthy and squealed “Oh Sam, she’s perfect!”

  Dorthy couldn’t help but smile at his sister’s enthusiasm. “I am?”

  Hanna grabbed her and hugged her. “Yes, you’re beautiful and dainty and just perfect for Sam. I bet he took one look at you and kne
w he was going to marry you.”

  Dorthy blushed. “Actually Hanna, that’s exactly what happened. I saw her and told Cindy I was going to marry her. I did so the very next day.”

  Hanna grabbed Dorthy by the hand. “Come on, you’ve got to meet Mother and Father, they are gonna be so happy. Mother thought Sam was never going to find a wife. No one around here ever caught his fancy.”

  She pulled his wife into the house yelling as she did. “Mother, Father come see what Sam brought home with him.”

  His mother and father came out of the kitchen “What is all this racket you’re making now, Hanna?”

  His mother stopped and stared at Dorthy. “Oh hello.”

  Hanna ran over to their mother. “This is Dorthy, Mother; Sam’s wife!”

  “What’s that then?” his father asked, “Sam’s wife?”

  Sam put his arm around Dorthy and led her closer to the older couple. “Yes Father, my wife. Dorthy, meet my father, Reverend David Nathaniel Ryder the Second, and my Mother, Rebecca Ryder.”

  Dorthy very quietly greeted them. “It’s very nice to meet you both.”

  His mother smiled and pulled her into a hug. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you as well, Dorthy. I’ve been praying for you for years.”

  Dorthy looked into his mother’s kind eyes and loving face. “You have?”

  “My heaven’s, yes dear. Since the day that boy declared me his mommy I’ve been praying for the woman God would send to be his wife. Now you have finally found him, that’s marvelous.”

  Sam took Dorthy by the hand. “We aren’t going to stay, I just wanted to introduce Dorthy to you both. We need to get her things in the house and let her settle in.”

  “Samuel you should have sent me word so your sisters and I could have cleaned your house before she got here.”

  Sam’s face wrinkled. “My house is clean.”

  His mother shook her head. “I’m sorry, Dorthy. I tried to teach him but he’s a man, they have no idea. The girls and I will help you get the place set to rights tomorrow.”