Leah nodded. “Yes, I see.”
“Do you?”
Leah looked up into Brock’s eyes. “Yes, I think I do.”
“Are you here for the right reasons, Victoria?”
“Excuse me? I think everyone knows why I’m here.” Leah couldn’t help but be annoyed by what he’d said.
“Okay, I’m sorry. Forgive me and my big mouth.”
Leah turned her attention back to the horse. She much preferred animals to people. “I heard about what happened to you, but that doesn’t mean that it’ll happen to Austin.” As soon as she said the words, she regretted them. Things would not work out for Austin and her. Brock was right to be suspicious, but what had aroused his concerns?
“I see. Someone’s told you then that my wife died?”
Leah gasped. “I, I’m so sorry. I thought your bride ran away from you days before the wedding.” Leah bit her lip and looked down at the ground, wishing she had kept her mouth shut. This was the brother whose wife had died.
“You’re thinking about James. James was to marry, and the woman disappeared. I’m the brother who had the wife who died.”
“I’m sorry.”
“And who’s spreading stories about me? Who was it who told you my private business?” he snarled.
“Nobody is spreading stories. It just came up in conversation. No harm was meant by it.”
“I guess you know everything about us? All about me, Maude, and how Charlotte died?”
“I guess I do, but were those things supposed to be secret? I will be a part of this family very soon.” There she went again. What use was it trying to defend herself as if she were really Victoria? If Victoria showed up over dinner in front of everyone, what would she, Leah, do then?
“I’m sorry, I’ve got no right to be cross with you. I do have an unreasonable temper sometimes,” Brock said.
Leah looked across the pasture. “We’ve all got our faults.”
“There you are, Victoria.”
Leah spun around, glad to hear Austin’s voice. “Brock was just telling me a little more of the family history.”
“Was he now?” Austin looked at his brother carefully.
“Seems like I’m too late,” Brock said. “Someone’s already filled her in on our sad stories.”
“These are hard times,” Leah said. “I think we’ve all had bad things happen to us.”
Brock leaned his shoulder on the fence, and crossed his arms in front of this chest. “And what bad things have you had happen to you, Victoria?”
Leah opened her mouth to speak, and then looked at Austin, hoping he would save her. To her relief, Austin did just that. “Maybe Victoria will leave that conversation for some other time. She’s tired, and dinner will be ready soon,” Austin said.
“Come on you lot, dinner is ready,” Beth called out from the front of the house.
“See?” Austin said to Brock.
Brock gave half a sneer.
By the time the three of them reached the dining room, everyone was seated, except for Mrs. Wright and Calvin. Leah noticed that Calvin was slow because he walked with a limp.
Leah sat down to a finely set table; she was sure she’d never seen such silverware, china, or such splendid crystal goblets. Then her attention was drawn toward the partially open door, which gave her a clear view into the kitchen. She saw Mrs. Wright struggling with some dishes. She stood. “Can I help you, Mrs. Wright?”
“No, I can do it,” Mrs. Wright called out.
Beth grabbed Leah’s arm, and pulled her back into her chair. “No, she doesn’t like help while she’s serving the food.”
Leah frowned, while she watched the old lady slowly and deliberately dish out the food onto individual plates.
Leah looked at Beth, and Beth shrugged her shoulders, and said, “That’s the way she likes to do it.” She leaned closer to Leah, and whispered, “She gets angry if anyone tries to help her.”
Everyone sat quietly, and waited while Mrs. Wright served the meals onto the plates, and then carried each one to the table. The atmosphere was tense. Once everyone had a plate in front of them, they bowed their heads in prayer. When the prayer was finished, everyone began to eat.
“It will take a while before I remember everyone’s names.” As soon as she said the words, Leah was sure that it wasn’t the first time she’d uttered that sentence that night.
“As long as you remember my name,” Austin said.
Leah smiled at Austin, and then looked around at his brothers. It was obvious they were all related, as they all had the same blue eyes, and strong, angular facial features. It was hard to comprehend that none of these men were married. Beth was the odd one out as far as appearance was concerned, as her eyes were hazel, and she was short, and her frame hefty.
“Someone say something,” Beth said, and then turned to Leah. “They’re not generally this quiet, Victoria.”
“You’re usually telling us we’re too noisy. There’s no pleasing you,” James said.
“What do you do, James? Are you a rancher?” When Leah asked, she remembered that James was the one whose bride had run away before the wedding, and Brock had said that he was the only rancher.
Before James could speak, Austin answered for him, “James is a photographer, and he works for me at the newspaper.”
James dug his brother in the ribs. “I can speak for myself.” He looked at Leah. “I’ve got my own space above the newspaper office. I take photographs of anyone who wants their portrait done. Wedding photos and family portraits are what I do, as well as working for my brother. I would be honored if you and Austin would sit for a photograph on your wedding day.”
“Thank you. We’d be glad to.” After another moment of silence, Leah said, “The food is delicious, Mrs. Wright.”
“Do you like it?”
“Oh, yes, I do.”
“First, I braise the meat slightly, before browning it on both sides. Then I toss it in flour, then breadcrumbs. No wait, flour, then egg, and then that makes the breadcrumbs stick.”
“Yes, Ma, I’m sure that’s very interesting, but maybe Victoria should tell us something of herself. I’m Brock by the way.”
He spoke as if they hadn’t had that conversation outside at all. She found Brock quite odd. “Brock. Third oldest?” she asked, trying to memorize their details.
“That’s right. Third brother in age, first in intelligence.”
James kicked Brock under the table, causing him to holler.
Austin said, “We’ll get to know Victoria soon enough. She’ll be overwhelmed enough just meeting you lot.”
“I just think we should learn something of Victoria right now. She’s a woman with a few things to say, I’d reckon,” Brock said, with a laugh in his voice.
Leah looked at Brock. Did he know her secret? There was something about the way he looked at her, almost as if he were challenging her to speak. It was clear that he wasn’t going to give up.
“What made you come all this way without knowing too much about my brother?” Brock asked.
“We’ve been writing. I knew quite a bit about him before I made the journey.”
Brock placed his knife and fork down, and rubbed both hands together. “You know a lot about him? How about I ask some questions then, and see if you get them right?”
“Stop it, Brock. Enough. Victoria is tired from her journey.” Beth turned to Leah. “I’m sorry about my brothers.”
Leah nodded, kept her gaze away from Brock, and took a mouthful of lemonade.
“Victoria, don’t forget to tell Hank about your robbery,” Austin said. “Victoria has had her bags and her money stolen on the train today.”
“Did you see anyone that might have done it?” Hank asked.
“No, I didn’t, and neither did anyone else. I woke up and my things had gone.”
“I’ll make a report about it. Come see me tomorrow. I’ll need to know everything that was stolen, and I’ll write up a report, and send i
t to the railway authorities.”
Leah gave him a nod. “Thank you.”
“Can you get her things back, Hank?” Mrs. Wright asked.
“I don’t think there’s any chance of it. Perhaps a slim chance, but that’s all.”
“Did they take the wedding dress your mother made?” Austin asked.
Leah glanced at him, and then looked down. “It’s gone.”
“I’m taking her to the seamstress tomorrow.” Beth looked at Leah. “She can make you another.”
Leah opened her mouth to object, when Austin said, “Yes, do that. Victoria, please go with Beth. I’ll take care of everything, just get whatever you need.”
Leah glanced at him again, and the smile he gave her sent a warm glow through her entire body.
When dinner was over and everyone had gone home, Leah found herself alone with Austin’s mother. “Let me help you with the clean up, Mrs. Wright.”
“Thank you, Victoria.”
“I’m glad to help. You are a splendid cook.”
“I do like to cook. I miss cooking for Mr. Wright though.”
Leah kept quiet. She wasn’t sure what she should say.
“I like to feed people.” Mrs. Wright gave a giggle. “I like having everyone to dinner like tonight.”
“You don’t often have them all here together?”
“They all live close, but they don’t come and see me much. We’re together of a Sunday breakfast and we have the Sunday evening meal together. I’m just glad that Beth lives here. I don’t know what I’ll do when she goes, it’ll be quiet around here.”
Leah wondered how Mrs. Wright thought about having her there to marry Austin. Wiping the dishes, Leah went over the events at the dinner table. It was Beth’s husband, Albert, who had surprised Leah. He’d had little to say. With his heavy frame and his rounded middle, he didn’t look like a rancher at all, at least not like any that Leah had ever seen. If she didn’t know better, she would’ve picked him as a saloon owner. Albert didn’t fit with the rest of the family; he was left out of most of the conversations.
Chapter 6.
After breakfast the next morning, Beth took Leah to the seamstress as arranged. While they were driving in the carriage, Beth turned to Leah. “I suppose you think that Albert is a homely man?”
“Homely? I’m not sure what you mean.” Leah knew exactly what Beth meant.
“Plain, nothing much to look at.”
“Such a thought never entered my head. He seems a nice man.”
“Well, he’s a good man, and he’s always done right by me. There are many men out there who aren’t who or what they say they are.”
“I’m sure you had your choice of men.”
A small smile twitched at the corners of Beth’s mouth, as if she were thinking of the many suitors she’d had. “I had a few to choose from.” After a moment of silence, Beth said, “Jennifer Pollard is the seamstress. We’ve known her for many years. She’ll be able to sew something up for you, something suitable.”
“It’s very nice of you to take me there. Thank you again. It’s been a while since anyone’s done anything like this for me.” Her thoughts turned to Austin and Beth’s brothers. “Beth, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but why does Calvin walk with a limp?”
“He was born with one of his legs too short. More correctly, one bone in one of his legs is too short. There was no real answer as to why it happened, none that anyone knows. I think that’s what led him into medicine.”
“How long has he been a doctor for?”
“Nearly five years now.”
“He’s very young to be a doctor.”
Beth nodded. “That’s all he ever wanted to do, and it’s lucky that he was smart enough to do it.”
They pulled up in front of a small store. “Here it is,” Beth said nodding her head toward the small establishment. It was wedged between a general store and a candy store. The window display was only large enough for one mannequin, and that mannequin was dressed beautifully in a fine black and white dress, with lace, and ruffles. It was the very latest style from Europe, Leah was certain of that.
When Beth entered the store, an attractive lady met her. She had blonde hair caught tightly on the back of her head. “Beth.” She clasped Beth’s hand. “And you must be, Victoria?”
Leah had caught up with Beth. She smiled at the woman who stretched out her hand toward her. “Yes, I’m Victoria.”
“It’s lovely to meet you, Victoria. Please call me Jennifer.”
“Likewise. I mean, please call me Victoria,” Leah said.
Jennifer looked Leah up and down. “How many dresses would you like?”
Beth answered for her. “She needs a wedding dress, three dresses for everyday wear and one for best.”
Leah’s fingertips flew to her mouth. “Are you sure, Beth? That’s five dresses altogether.”
“That’s what my orders are, from Austin,” Beth said.
Leah rubbed her chin. Now she felt worse than she. She didn’t want him to waste that kind of money on her. How could she stop this nonsense? It occurred to her that she could pretend she was ill, and needed to go back home.
“How soon can you get the wedding dress made?” Beth asked.
“I can have something made for you by tomorrow if I’ve got suitable fabric here. Why don’t you see what you like over there?” Jennifer waved a hand toward the rolls of fabric against the wall.
Leah had never been in such a fine store, and figured that it wouldn’t hurt just to take a look around before she pretended to be ill.
Beth eyed the fabric, and then looked at Leah with raised eyebrows.
“Oh, yes, I should be able to find something in amongst all those fabrics,” Leah said.
Jennifer took the tape measure from around her neck, and made a few measurements of Leah’s body. “You go over there, pick out some material, and then I’ll get a few designs ready to show you.”
At that moment, Leah wished she were Victoria. Everyone would be even angrier when they found out who she really was. But what could she do? It was too tempting to wear a fancy dress for once in her life. She allowed herself that indulgence, and did not run out of the store, saying she was ill. As she walked along the wall of fabrics with Beth, she decided that she would pay Austin back every cent of the dresses when she was able.
“What sort of dress do you want to get married in?” Beth asked.
“Well, nothing fancy; I’m not a person to like anything too fancy.”
Jennifer walked over to them. “What about this one?” She pulled out a roll of fabric that had a pale green base with a darker blue floral design. “The blue and green will bring out the blue in your eyes.” She walked to the dress in the window. “I could make something like this one. The sides of the dress and the bottom of the dress in this, with cream gathered ruffles down the front and at the neck.”
“Oh, that would look lovely,” Leah said, playing down her enthusiasm.
“The bottom of the sleeves will be a deep layer of cream lace, and down the back, small fabric covered buttons. You could wear the dress again on other occasions.”
“That sounds so pretty.” Leah turned to Beth. “What do you think?”
“I think that anything would look good with your figure.” Beth laughed.
Leah turned back to Jennifer. “Yes, I will have that for my dress. Thank you, Mrs. Pollard.”
“I can have that for you by tomorrow afternoon, and, if I call one of my other girls in, I can have another dress done for you at the same time.”
Leah and Beth stayed for another hour, and made some choices of fabric and designs, before they left the store, and headed to the Marshal’s office.
“Thank you for coming with me today, Beth. You’ve all been so lovely and kind to me.”
Beth smiled, and glanced over at her. “Of course, why wouldn’t we be? You’ll soon be my sister-in-law.”
“I know, but I just feel a little awkward about Austi
n being married before. Mostly, I don’t know how I should behave, because I know Austin misses her. It all feels a little odd.”
“It must be hard, but you’re you, and you’re not Charlotte, and no one wants you to feel that you have to take her place.”
“Austin said you were good friends with her.”
Beth nodded. “We were best of friends.” She reached over and patted Leah’s hand. “That doesn’t mean I can’t have more friends.”
Leah felt a wave of nausea wash over her. When was she going to move on? She had to leave soon. Maybe she could disappear and not explain herself? Leah forced a smile at Beth, and wondered if there were some way she could stay on, forever pretending she was Victoria.
“I suppose I shouldn’t tell you, but Austin says he wants to get married on the fifth of July,” Beth said.
“That’s only days away,” Leah said.
Beth gave a sharp nod of her head. “He’s taken his time about things already.”
“Oh, I really didn’t mind that at all.”
They had arranged to meet Hank at the Marshal’s office at noon. At a few minutes before noon, Leah pushed the door open. She stepped into the office, with Beth close behind her. A man behind a large desk rose to his feet. Leah glanced around, and saw that there were other offices behind this one.
Leah looked back at the man who’d just stood. He stepped away from the desk, and looked at Beth. “Hello, Beth.”
“Good afternoon, Jed. This is Victoria Hadley. Miss Hadley was robbed on the train, and Hank said that she should come here and make a formal complaint.”
“Yes.” He nodded to Victoria, and then said, “Please have a seat.” He pulled two chairs away from the window, and moved them closer to the front desk.
Beth and Leah down, and when they were seated, Jed sat too. “I can help you. Hank was called away urgently.” His eyes settled on Leah. “Now, Miss Hadley, what can you tell me about the robbery?”
Leah tipped her chin up slightly. “I can’t tell you anything because I fell asleep, and when I woke up, my two traveling cases were missing. My money was in one of them.”
Mail Order Bride: Deception (Historical Western Romance): Clean Romance Series (Western Mail Order Brides Book 1) Page 4
