The Harvest Time Mail-Order Bride (Holiday Mail-Order Brides Book 14)

by Kit Morgan

  “They’re around here someplace,” Elle said.

  “Can I fetch ya somethin’?”

  “That’s very kind of you, Calvin,” Summer said, “but no, we’ll wait for our husbands so we can eat with them. They’ll be along.”

  Isabella watched him sit, say a quick blessing over their food, then dig in. She joined him and began to eat. The four of them talked about babies, the town, sewing and harvests. Isabella began to wonder what it would be like to live an entire day’s ride out of town. Would she be able to have friends outside of the Weaver family? Could she handle the isolation? But then, she had to. She just had to hope no one would find her out in the beyond.

  “When will you be coming to town again?” Summer asked.

  “Not until the Christmas dance – and that only if the weather’s good,” Calvin told her. “Otherwise, we’ll try to get here for the Valentine’s dance, or come in if we need supplies.”

  Isabella caught their looks of sympathy. “We take supplies home with us?”

  “Oh yeah, enough to last us a few months,” Calvin said. “Sugar, coffee, flour, that sort of thing. We’ll get it this afternoon so we can leave first thing in the mornin’.”

  Isabella closed her eyes and sighed.

  “Don’t worry, it ain’t that bad. You’ll like the farm.”

  She smiled weakly. The problem was, she liked people too. She didn’t realize how much until she came to America and could no longer see her aunts, uncles and cousins anymore. They were still a half a world away. With the journey west, the feeling had only deepened.

  She glanced at Calvin as he gathered their empty plates. Would this man and his family be enough to rid her of the loneliness? Could they replace what she’d lost – her mother, her father (in a manner of speaking), her sisters and brothers? Would she ever see any of them again? What if she had stayed …

  “Want some pie?” Calvin asked, pulling her from her thoughts.

  She nodded, her mind still on her siblings. They were young, much younger than herself.

  “I’ll be right back!” he said happily as he stood, snatched up the plates and left.

  “He’s a good man,” Summer stated.

  Isabella smiled. “Yes, I can see he is.”

  “The Weavers can be … boisterous, but I’m sure you’ll love being part of the family,” Elle added.

  “Boisterous?” Isabella echoed. What did that word mean?

  “You know, ah … excitable?” Summer tried to clarify.

  “Oh, you mean happy?”

  Elle and Summer exchanged a quick glance. “Yes,” Elle said. “In part. They … like to have a good time.”

  Isabella felt herself relax at the news. She liked having a good time with family too – especially if said family didn’t have a father who drank and gambled. She’d have to keep reminding herself that she’d done the right thing becoming a mail-order bride, and her younger sisters and brothers were better off with the relatives they had in this country than with their gambling papa.

  She also had to convince herself that said papa wouldn’t track her down and try to drag her back to New York – back to the squalor and vermin infested tenements, to starvation, to endless labor, to eventually being reduced to nothing more than another object for him to sell and make money off of.

  “Isabella? Ya okay?”

  She jumped. Calvin stood next to her, two plates of pie in his hands. “Yes, yes, sit.”

  He set the plates on the table. “I’m gonna fetch us some coffee. You ladies want any?”

  “No, Calvin,” Summer said. “We’re fine.”

  “Suit yerselves.” He turned and left again.

  As soon as he was gone, Summer asked, “Is everything okay?”

  Isabella stared at her. “Oh, yes … okay.”

  “You looked like you were someplace far away,” Elle commented.

  “I was,” she said. “Far away.”

  Summer reached out and touched the hand Isabella had on the table. “You let us know if we can help you with anything, anything at all.”

  You can turn my father into the man he once was, she thought to herself, but that wasn’t about to happen. Instead she said, “That is very kind. Thank you.”

  Calvin returned with not only their coffee, but Clayton and Spencer Riley as well. Little Charlie had had enough at this point and was wailing. Spencer handed him off to his mother and sat. “I think he needs a new diaper.”

  Elle narrowed her eyes at him. “You had one with you.”

  “Yes, but … he also wants his mama.”

  Elle laughed and shook her head. “Men.”

  Clayton laughed and slapped his brother on the back. “I don’t think she’s going to let you get away with that.”

  “I’m not,” Elle said. “Let’s go tend him, Spencer dear.” Spencer sighed, got up and went with his wife.

  Clayton continued to chuckle. “The mighty sheriff, done in by a diaper.”

  “You just wait until it’s your turn,” Summer said as she gave him a playful smack.

  Clayton kissed her then turned to Calvin. “So how many you hankering for?”

  Calvin’s eyes widened. “Ya mean younguns’? Don’t rightly know. Heck, I gotta get used to bein’ married first!”

  Isabella gave a vigorous nod of agreement and realized that the last few months were catching up to her. Running away from her father, fleeing to New Orleans, being helped by Mrs. Ridgley, coming west … and now here she was with a brand new family of strangers. She’d never felt so alone in her life. It was a horrible feeling, and she had no idea what to do about it. She felt like … well, exactly what she was: a stranger in a far land.

  “I’m sure you’ll get to that as soon as you get home, if not sooner,” Clayton said with a wink. Calvin’s ears turned pink as he took a quick sip of his coffee, while Clayton watched and laughed.

  They finished their pie and coffee and decided to walk around again. Summer and Clayton also left the table to find Spencer and Elle. “Did ya have a nice visit with the other women?” Calvin asked Isabella.

  “They are nice,” she said. “They … I … wish to see them again.”

  “Ya got all day.”

  “No, I mean … I wish they not so far away.”

  Calvin stopped and turned to her. They were one booth away from his mother’s. “I can understand how ya feel. I guess growing up out at the farm, I’m used to bein’ away from folks. But you’ll have womenfolk around – and if it bothers ya that bad, we can always make an extra trip to town now and then. It just costs, is all.”

  “Costs? Oh yes, money,” she said with a nod. Of course he meant money. Even if they stayed with his relatives, time was money. If Calvin brought her to Nowhere, he wasn’t working the farm, so not as much was done, not as much food produced for them to live on. How could she ask him to do such a frivolous thing? She’d just have to grin and bear it. Besides, it would be safer if she didn’t make herself too well known with the locals. If her father ever showed up, she didn’t want to make it too easy to find her.

  “That would be, how you say … wonderful?”

  “Yeah, wonderful.” He put his hands on her shoulders and gazed into her eyes. “Don’t you worry none, I’m gonna take good care of ya, Bella. You’ll see.”

  “Bella? You call me Bella?”

  “I’m sorry, it just sorta came out. Though I kinda like it.”

  She smiled. “My mama, she call me Bella all the time.”

  “She did? Well then, it’s not like ya ain’t used to it.”

  “I very used to it.” Her mouth went dry in that moment and she took a step toward him.

  He bent his face to hers. “I’d sure like to kiss ya right about now, Bella, but that Nellie Davis is watchin’ us.”

  She gave him a mischievous smile. “Then kiss me good.”

  “What? Are ya sure?”

  “We husband and wife. What can she say?”

  Calvin chuckled. “Plenty, but who ca
res?” He gently brushed his lips across hers.

  Bella shuddered. She wasn’t expecting his kiss to feel so wonderful. She also hadn’t expected to close her eyes. When she opened them he was staring at her with an intensity she hadn’t seen before. Had he felt it too? It was just a simple kiss, but yet so much more. How could this be?

  “Well! I never!”

  “Told ya,” Calvin whispered.

  “Mary Weaver!” Nellie spat.

  Calvin groaned. The woman was standing in front of his mother’s hat booth. “Uh-oh.”

  “Uh-oh? What is uh-oh?” Bella asked.

  “Can’t you keep control of that unruly brood of yours?” Nellie said as she spun on the booth’s occupants. “Your son just kissed that girl!”

  Ma Weaver stood and leaned over the counter of the booth to see what all the fuss was about. She looked at Calvin and his bride, then at Nellie. “So what? They’re married.”

  “They’re in public!”

  “So are you.”

  “What has that got to do with anything?” Nellie screeched.

  “Well, you’re the one making a spectacle of yourself,” Ma pointed out. “No one’s paying any attention to them, but they sure are to you.”

  Nellie snapped her mouth shut and glanced around. Sure enough, her loud complaining had drawn every eye around them. “Well, disgusting displays like that should be brought to everyone’s attention!”

  “I’ve seen Matthew kiss Charlotte in the mercantile and never thought anything of it,” Ma informed her.

  “My Charlotte would never do no such a thing!”

  “Oh yes I would,” Charlotte said behind her.

  Nellie spun around. “Charlotte!”

  “For Heaven’s sake, Mother, stop it. Can’t you ever find something good to squawk about?”

  Nellie’s eyes were like fire. “Don’t talk to me like that, young lady!”

  “Mother,” Charlotte said with a sigh. “I think everyone’s had enough. You are making a fool of yourself.”

  A crowd had gathered by this time, and Bella watched with interest. She’d seen such things in Trastevere while growing up and they usually didn’t end well. Occasionally someone got stabbed.

  Apparently, Nellie had the good sense to realize she was outmatched. “You’d do best to mind your manners from now on and try to set an example for the likes of them,” she scolded her daughter, while tossing her head at Calvin and Bella. “Heaven only knows what goes on out at that farm of theirs.”

  “Mother!” Charlotte warned. “Enough!”

  Nellie gave Calvin and Bella a look of pure disdain, turned on her heel and stomped off.

  Charlotte rolled her eyes and went to Ma Weaver’s booth. “I’m sorry about that, Aunt Mary. You know she means well, she just …”

  “I don’t know that at all,” Ma interrupted. “But thank you for smoothing the waters.”

  Charlotte sighed. “She’s been bad lately – I think because Billy and Abbey are leaving for Oregon City and I’m not living there anymore. She doesn’t know what to do with herself.”

  “Some never do when their younguns leave the nest.”

  “At least you’ll always have yours around,” Charlotte pointed out.

  Ma glanced at Calvin and Bella. “For now, yes, but I’m sure Calvin will want his own place one day.”

  Bella looked at her new husband. “What she mean by that?”

  “She means that you and me, along with Ben, Charity and Daniel, are all under the same roof.”

  Bella’s eyes widened. “We are?”

  “Yep. It might be a little crowded for awhile, but we’ll make it work.” He eyed her. “You don’t mind, do ya?”

  “Mind?” she said and gulped. And she was worried about being lonely? She laughed. “No, I do not mind.” She kissed him then, and didn’t care who noticed.

  Seven

  At sundown it was time for the dance, and since there was a full moon, the townsfolk decided to keep the festivities outside rather than move them indoors. They’d stay warm enough by keeping moving.

  “We hold the Christmas and Valentine’s dances in the meetin’ hall,” Calvin explained.

  Isabella nodded as she watched people gather in the street near the end of the boardwalks. More tables had been brought – from where, Isabella had no idea – and were placed end to end to form a large enough surface for refreshments.

  “Ya any good at dancin’?” Calvin asked.

  How was she going to answer that? She hadn’t danced in a long time, and the type of dancing she was used to was not the same she’d witnessed in this country. “I dance a little,” she told him.

  “Well then, maybe ya can teach me a step or two. I ain’t very good – I’ll probably step on yer feet. Just givin’ ya fair warnin’.”

  Bella laughed. “I step on yours first.”

  “Ya think so?” he said with a grin. “Somehow I think I’ll do a lot more damage than you will.”

  “Maybe,” she told him. “We will see.”

  No sooner had she said it than the music started. A couple of fiddlers had been playing off and on all day. Now, however, there were five musicians and they began to play in earnest.

  People cheered and whistled, then grabbed a partner and headed to the space designated for dancing. “Care to join me?” Calvin asked.

  Bella gave him a shy smile. What would he do if she told him no? Then again, why would she? The music was lively, people were dancing, and she was a blushing bride. Why shouldn’t she have some fun? She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the dancing.

  “Whoa there!” Calvin exclaimed with a chuckle. “Ain’t I supposed to lead you out?”

  Bella laughed at the shock in his voice and led him into the middle of the dancing. She noticed there was no particular order to the people’s movements and, realizing it was a free-for-all, felt more comfortable. If the townsfolk started an organized dance she probably wouldn't know it and would be unable to participate. But for now, she planned on just having fun.

  Calvin took her by the hands and they started to jump around along with everyone else. They both caught sight of Ma dancing with Sheriff Hughes and noted the twinkle in the man’s eyes. Bella laughed at the sight, whereas Calvin took on a surprised expression. “Do ya see that?” he asked as they danced a circle.

  Bella glanced at his mother and the sheriff again. Sheriff Hughes smiled down at the petite woman, happy as a lark. She was returning the look. “I think he like your mother.”

  “From the looks of it, he more than just likes her. Not sure how I feel ‘bout that.”

  “What is wrong with it?”

  At this point they were dancing in a huge circle around the other couples and had to pay attention to where they were going. He steered them over to one side so they wouldn’t bump into anyone. “Nothin’, I guess. Except he don’t live ‘round here – he’s just visitin’. Comes to Nowhere maybe twice a year, I reckon. A man can’t very well get sweet on a woman when he lives so far away.”

  “I lived far away.”

  “Yeah, but that’s different. Yer a mail-order bride – and besides that, now yer here.”

  “Why can they no send letters back and forth like we did? Then maybe she go to live with sheriff in his Clear Creek.”

  “She will not!” Calvin objected. “Ma would never leave us.”

  “Not even for love?” Bella asked.

  Calvin stopped all movement and stared down at her. “No, she wouldn’t.”

  “So, your mother cannot love?”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “I hear you say, it okay for you to love, for your brother to love, but not your mother? She not so old. Why can she not have a husband?”

  Calvin looked at her as if she’d just slapped him. “Ma, get married again?”

  “People do,” she stated. “Does your mother not deserve happiness too?”

  Calvin swallowed hard. “I … suppose. I mean, when ya put it that way – I
just never thought about it before.” His eyes gravitated to where his mother and the sheriff now stood. They were talking and laughing as the sheriff got them each a glass of punch. “I think I need to find my brothers.”

  “Why?” Bella asked. “Does it upset you?”

  “I ain’t upset!” he said, a little too quickly. “It’s just … yer makin’ me think of things I ain’t never thought about before, is all.”

  “Maybe you should think about them,” she said calmly. “Your mother is a lucky woman.”

  Calvin could only stare. “What do ya mean, lucky?”

  Bella shrugged. “Some women, they marry bad men, they only escape through death.”

  “Death?” Calvin paled. “Ya mean they kill their husbands?”

  “No … well, sometimes. But mostly they wait for death to free them. Either the husband die and relieve her misery, or she die and find relief that way.”

  Calvin stared at her as comprehension dawned. “So what yer sayin’ is, they’re stuck and they cain’t get out.”

  “Yes, that is what I mean. But your mother, she can choose to marry again. Then she will have had two good men in her life.”

  Bella watched Calvin ponder her words. He studied his mother and the sheriff a few moments before turning back to her. “I can’t imagine the farm without Ma.”

  “Maybe you no have to,” she said. “Maybe the sheriff come live on your farm.”

  “Maybe,” Calvin echoed with a nod, then shook himself. “Ah heck, what am I worryin’ about – all they’re doin’ is dancin’!” He grabbed her hand. “C’mon, let’s go get some punch.”

  Bella hid a smile, knowing full well Calvin really wanted to get a closer look at what might be happening between his mother and Sheriff Hughes.

  They weaved their way between the dancing couples. By the time they reached the refreshment tables, Arlan was already there speaking with the sheriff. “We’d love to have ya come visit the farm!” they heard him say.

  Calvin stopped short. “What? The farm?!”

  Arlan turned to him. “Wouldn’t it be nice if Sheriff Hughes here paid us a visit?”

  Calvin’s eyes flicked between his mother and the sheriff. “W-w-why would ya want to come all the way out there for?”