Leah hoped that their conversation would stay amicable. “I’m sorry if you didn’t approve of what I said to Dustin. He does seem to have a lot of choices.”
“He’s lazy.” Austin’s words were spat out.
Leah froze, and maintained her gaze on the road ahead.
After a moment, she heard Austin say, “Forgive me. I’m not normally bad tempered. How are things working out with Jed and the boys?”
“Very well. The boys are wonderful, and Jed has such an easy manner about him.”
“Yes, he’s a good man.”
Neither said a word, until Austin stopped the carriage outside the building in which she lived. “Leah, before you go, I need to say something. I’ve spent all this time searching for the right way to say it, and still, I don’t know how to say it.”
Leah twisted to face him, and noticed that his eyes sparkled in the moonlight. “Just say it.”
“I was wrong about you. I was shocked when I found out who you were, and that you weren’t…” his voice trailed away.
“That I wasn’t Victoria?”
“Yes, anyway, from that point, I had it in my mind that you were a certain type of person.”
“One with no standards, and no morals?”
His jaw dropped open. She wondered if she were being a little harsh on him, but those were the words he had used to her, and they’d hurt deeply.
“Leah, I’m sorry for how I’ve treated you, for the things I’ve thought about you, and the things I’ve said about you.”
Leah nodded, and sniffed back tears. He pushed back some strands of golden hair that had fallen over her face. All she could do was nod. She could not speak, or she would cry, and not be able to stop. She stared into his blue eyes, craving him to touch her hair once again. Her dreams had come true, he was thinking about her as a woman whom he might marry, she was certain of it; she could see it in his eyes.
He finally spoke, “I don’t want things to be awkward between us any longer. And I’ve cleared the way for Jed. Well, what I mean is that I cleared things up with him, so he would know that there’s nothing between us any longer.”
Leah drew back from him, straightening her back. “What do you mean?”
“Jed needs a wife, and you’re the logical choice.”
“Jed?” She narrowed her eyes. “Austin Wright, you are just the most horrible…” She grunted, jumped out of the carriage, and walked away without finishing her sentence.
“Wait,” he called.
She could hear him getting out of the carriage, so she ran into her building, and closed the door behind her. As she walked up the steps, her cheeks burned. She had never been so humiliated in all her life. How could she misread a thing so badly?
It was late. She was glad everything was dark, and that everyone was asleep when she unlocked the door. In the dark, she made her way to her bedroom, and looked out the window at the deserted street below. He’d already gone; he hadn’t even tried that hard to follow her. She flung herself onto the bed.
I will have to stop liking Austin. He thinks I’m like a piece of meat to be passed around. Well, a woman is not a piece of meat. He wouldn’t have treated Victoria like that. She let her tears fall down the sides of her face, and onto her pillow. He had apologized with his words, but then his next words had revealed what was in his heart. Austin still did not think enough of her to ask her to become his wife - and she knew now that he never would.
Chapter 15.
Austin woke early on Sunday morning to get Violet and himself ready for church. Leah was the first thing on his mind, as she’d been every morning since the day he’d met her. He hadn’t seen Leah for days, and she’d been on his mind even more since he’d said something to upset her when he’d driven her home. He knew his brother, James, had gotten over his bad experience of his bride running out on him days before his wedding, but that hadn’t stopped James from writing to another woman straight away. James had seemed genuinely fond of the first woman who’d come to marry him, just like he, Austin, had grown fond of Leah. The thought of going through the experience of writing to another woman made Austin sick to the stomach. He would not do it again.
He could have employed Leah to look after Violet, but his feelings for her were too strong, and he knew that his heart would have soon overruled his head where Leah was concerned. Asking her to work at the newspaper that time was probably a silly idea too, and it was best that she had turned it down.
* * *
Leah liked her new home, and looking after Jed and his two boys fulfilled her. As she helped the boys change into their Sunday best, she was nervous, because she knew that today she would have to speak to Austin after church. She had saved money out of her wage to give him toward the dresses he’d paid for, and she would give it to him today. Embarrassment over their last interaction caused her cheeks to flush with color.
Austin had insisted that she keep the dresses. He’d claimed he did not want the money back, but paying him back was the least she could do, even though it would take her many months.
The church wasn’t far from where she lived, and once the boys and Jed had finished getting ready, Leah raced to her room to put on her bonnet. They walked to the church on the edge of the township.
Leah tried not to turn her head looking for Austin at the sound of every carriage. She and Jed stood at the front of the church talking to people before the service started. Before Leah walked through the front doors, she had a good look around. There was still no sign of him. As she slid along the wooden church seats, she saw Mrs. Wright, Beth and Albert in the front row.
* * *
Austin arrived late to church, but not late enough to miss seeing Leah heading into church, right next to Jed and his two boys. They looked like a proper family. A sharp pang went through Austin’s heart when he saw her. He didn’t want her to marry Jed or anyone else; he had to tell her that he wanted her. He sat still for a while, unable to move. Would it be so wrong to give her another chance? Anyone would be able to see that she was genuine in her regret over what she’d done. He secured his carriage, and then got Violet out of the back. “Come on, little one. Time to hear what the Lord’s got to say to us today.”
Giving Leah another chance was not a new debate for his mind to mull over. That was all he’d been thinking on since she’d left to work for Jed. God said to forgive, but God also said to look for a virtuous woman, and a virtuous woman would not have done what Leah had done. Austin was tired, tired from tossing the whole thing around in his mind. There was no right answer. There couldn’t be an answer; if there were one, he would’ve had his answer by now.
She’d once told him that she wasn’t the same thing as her mistake. The only solution was that he should not define her by one wrong act. He knew that God’s ways were higher than his ways, and that God could’ve placed this woman in his path for a reason.
Leah had been a good and stable influence for Jed’s family in the short time she’d been with them. He had to have been wrong about her. God had placed a good woman in his way, and he’d been too self-righteous and set in his ways to see it. He knew it would serve him right if he were too late. His fear was that he would hear that Leah and Jed would soon marry.
Would Leah forgive him for the way he had cast her aside, and for the way he had spoken to her? He’d had the opportunity to ask her to stay many times, but he hadn’t. He could’ve gone ahead with the marriage even though she wasn’t Victoria, and he knew now that he should have done so. Before he met Leah, he thought that he could never love anyone but Charlotte; the love he had in his heart for Leah was a different love, but he knew that love could bloom if the opportunity were given.
Austin slipped into the back row of the church, and placed Violet on his knee. After the lengthy service was over, he gave Violet to Beth so that he could speak to Leah. He looked around, but he could no longer see where Leah was. He walked outside, and found her. He watched from a distance as she spoke to a woman. Moments late
r, the woman walked away, leaving Leah alone. He took his chance, rubbed his chin, and walked over to her. “Leah.”
She turned to face him. “Austin, I have something for you. I was just about to ask someone where you might be.”
He tipped his head to one side. “What have you got for me?”
“I’ve got the money to pay you back for the dresses, well, most of the money. I’ll give the rest to you as soon as I have it.” She pulled out a number of folded bills, and handed them to him.
He put up his hands. “No, I don’t want the money. The dresses were a gift.”
She shook her head. “I won’t take charity from anyone. I appreciate your kindness, but I must pay for them.” She held out the money to him.
“I want to apologize to you.”
“There’s no need to keep apologizing to me, Austin.”
“There is. I treated you unfairly when I found out that you weren’t Victoria. I’ve had a long time to think things over, and I believe that I treated you horribly.”
Leah raised her eyebrows.
“Please, put the money back in your purse.”
Leah obeyed, and then looked back up at him.
“I assumed you might not be a person of good character, and it was wrong of me to think that.” She remained quiet, so he continued, “I would like very much if we could start over.”
“What do you mean?”
He moved closer to her until he was right in front of her.
She spoke before he answered. “Too much has happened for us to begin again, as if nothing went on. I have a new life now, and one that has nothing to do with you or Victoria.”
He put out his hand. When she touched it, he lifted her hand to his lips. “I refuse to listen to your arguments. I’ve had enough of my own silly arguments chattering in my head for far too long.” He kissed her hand and stared into her eyes. “Leah, there’s something I think you should know.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Yes?”
“Over these past weeks, something has happened to me, and while I thought that you were Victoria when I first met you, it doesn’t change the fact that my heart always told me that your name shouldn’t matter. I started to have feelings when I met you, and they were feelings that I thought I’d never have again. I’m in love with you, Leah, and I think I felt that love the first time I saw you at the train station.”
She took a step back and gasped.
He closed the distance between them, and took her hand in his. This time, she did not move her hand away. “If you tell me that you have none of the same feelings or thoughts, I will understand, and we will never have to speak of this again. I’m gladly risking embarrassment and rejection for the chance to find out if you might feel the same, or that you might think you would feel the same if given more time.”
She looked down at the ground, and then back up into his eyes. “I do have those same feelings, Austin, but it hasn’t been easy.” Leah blinked back tears.
He smiled and let out a deep breath. “It’s not too late then? You’re not going to marry Jed or anyone else, are you?”
She smiled. “I’m not planning to.”
Austin looked around, and then walked her a few steps, until they were around the side of the church building, where no one could see them. He pulled her hand up to rest on his shoulder, and his lips went softly to hers. He pulled back and said, “Will you marry me, Miss Morgan? A hard-headed fool of a man who nearly let you slip away?”
Leah nodded, as tears came to her eyes. “Yes, Mr. Wright, yes, I will.”
He held Leah tightly in his arms. “I’m so happy. I can’t wait to tell everyone. We’ll tell everyone tonight over dinner.”
“Okay. I can’t believe this. I will have to tell Jed that I’m going to your mother’s house for dinner.”
“Go now. Go and tell him that you’re spending the rest of the day with me. You’re not working today, are you?”
Leah shook her head. “I don’t work on Sundays.”
He stroked her shoulders. “Go and do that now, and we’ll head back to Mother’s house straight away.”
“I have said that I will watch the boys this afternoon. How about I come for dinner tonight, after Jed comes home?”
“I’ll call for you at six?”
“Perfect.” Leah gave him a quick kiss on the lips, and hurried back inside the church.
Austin watched her leave, and wondered how his family would react to the news that they would marry.
Chapter 16.
Leah could scarcely believe what was happening. Did Austin really just ask her to marry him? A sense of peace surged through her body. Her prayers were finally answered. She would become a wife and a mother at the same time.
“You’re glowing, Leah.”
Beth’s words made her jump. “Oh, Beth, hello.”
“You’re looking very well.”
“I’m feeling well. Austin’s invited me to the Sunday night family dinner.”
“Excellent. Are Jed and the boys coming as well?”
“No, just me.”
Beth leaned forward. “Does that mean the war between you two is over?”
Leah giggled. “There was never anything of the kind happening.” She looked around to find Jed and the boys. “I must find Jed. He’s got an errand to run this afternoon, and I’ve promised to look after the boys. Oh, there they are.” Leah looked back at Beth, and placed her fingers lightly on her hand. “I’ll see you tonight then?”
Beth smiled. “I’ll be there.”
Leah left church with Jed’s boys. The rest of the day couldn’t go fast enough for her. She was engaged to be married, and she couldn’t tell anyone until tonight; she felt as though she would burst. It was then that she wished she had some family she could’ve shared her news with. Her mother would’ve been delighted to learn that she was going to marry a good man such as Austin. Beth and Mrs. Wright would be her new family, along with Austin’s brothers. A smile tickled the corners of her lips when she thought of Austin’s brothers. They were so individual in their varied personalities.
When Jed came home later that day, she had half an hour to wash and dress, before Austin came to fetch her. She chose a pale lemon dress that she hadn’t worn before, but first she put on a dash of rouge to give her cheeks some color. Petticoats, corsets, and camisoles were tossed around the room, until she found the ones that she would make her feel the most attractive. Tonight was a big night, and one that she would remember for the rest of her life. Austin was going to acknowledge her in front of his family.
Finally, she looked in the mirror, and liked the look of the woman reflected back to her. She nodded her head in satisfaction, just as she realized that it was right on six o’clock. Leah made her way to the window, and saw Jed’s carriage driving toward the building. She gathered her purse, and headed out of the bedroom to say goodbye to Jed and the boys. Jed was sitting on the couch reading the newspaper, and the two boys were on the floor playing with toys.
William was the first to look up. “You look real pretty, Miss Leah.”
“Thank you, William.”
Jed lowered his paper. “You do look nice.”
Leah nodded her head in thanks. “I’ll try not to be too late.”
“Take your time, Leah,” Jed said.
“Bye, William, bye, Samuel.”
“Bye, Miss Leah,” the boys chorused.
“Night then, Leah,” Jed said.
Leah closed the door behind her, and walked down the steps. She’d miss working for Jed and looking after the boys. She pushed the door leading to the street open, and was met by Austin’s smiling face. He spread his arms, touched her shoulders lightly, and gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead.
“Are you ready to go?” he asked.
“I’m ready. Where’s Violet?”
“I left her at Mother’s, she should be asleep by now.”
Austin helped her into the carriage, and it was then that Leah’s nerves began. Would his
family accept her? Would his brothers be happy with Austin’s choice?
“You okay?” Austin sat in the seat beside her.
“Oh, yes. Nerves are getting the better of me.”
He held her hand. “You’re not going to change your mind, are you?”
Leah giggled. “Of course not.”
“Good.” He clicked his horse onward. “We’ll both be all right. We’ll tell my family tonight, and then we’ll get married as fast as we can. Would that suit you?”
Leah glanced at him. He was just as attractive to her as he’d been that first day when she saw him at the train station. “That would suit me fine. Do you believe that this is happening? I can’t believe that we’re going to get married.”
“Believe it, Leah.”
“Will your family be happy?”
“Leah, my mother loves you, so does Beth, and as for my brothers, I don’t really care. You’re not marrying them, you’re marrying me.”
From Austin’s words, Leah was certain that she did not meet with the approval of all his brothers.
As soon as they reached his mother’s house, Leah was sick on the stomach. Austin ushered her into the house quickly. When they walked through to the living room, all eyes were on them. Austin reached for Leah’s hand, and led her into the middle of the room.
“We have an announcement to make.”
“What is it, Austin?” his mother asked.
He looked down at Leah. “Leah has agreed to marry me.”
Leah smiled at him to the sound of Beth’s squeals. Beth rushed at them, and hugged them both at the same time.
Mrs. Wright pushed herself to her feet. “I’m very happy for you both.” She kissed Leah on the cheek, and then Austin. His brothers gathered around and hit him on the back, murmuring their congratulations.
“When are you getting married then?” Albert, Beth’s husband, asked.
“As soon as we can.”
“You should have let me know, and I would’ve prepared an extra special dinner for you.”
“Well, dinner’s ready now,” Beth said.
Mail Order Bride: Deception (Historical Western Romance): Clean Romance Series (Western Mail Order Brides Book 1) Page 9
