“Alright then, Mr. … Ulrick. I have the remainder of the funds that you sent for my travels. Rest assured, I was as frugal as possible. I also have a written tally of my expenses for you to review, if you’d like”
Ulrick sighed and took the remaining funds and the detailed list. Cora had accounted for every red cent she’d spent. What kind of man does she think I am? Ulrick understood that a long journey by rails was expensive.
When he’d contacted the agency to discuss finding a bride, Mr. Bachmann had suggested an amount that would make for a comfortable passage for his bride to be. Ulrick didn’t even bat an eye at the figure. He took care of his own, that’s just how it was done.
“I thought we’d head for the hotel so you could rest and clean up after your trip. I’ll head down to the barber to get a haircut and a shave. We can head on over to the preacher’s house after that if you’re agreeable.”
“That sounds wonderful! Do you think I’d have time for a bath?”, Cora inquired, suddenly feeling the layers of dust, soot, and grime that came with a week-long journey via rail.
“I don’t see why not. I’ll order one for you when we get to the hotel.”
Ulrick easily picked up her solitary bag. It was hard to believe that all that she owned could fit into the worn carpet bag. After the fire, she and Ida had only the clothes on their backs. The church ladies had seen to it that both sisters had new dresses for their parents’ funeral. Ironically, dresses would also serve as the sister’s wedding dresses.
As they walked over to Ulrick’s wagon, Cora’s throat suddenly went dry. In a matter of hours, she would be married to the man who strode confidently next to her. He seemed nice enough, but the very idea of spending her life with a complete stranger had her stomach in knots.
After getting Cora settled at the hotel, Ulrick decided to stop at the mercantile on his way to the barber. The bell on the door tinkled as he walked in. As he got to the counter he realized that he was entirely out of his element. How in the world did you pick out a ring for a woman you just met? He knew absolutely nothing about her, let alone her taste in jewelry.
Mrs. Schoneman bustled up to the counter, feather duster in hand. The plump proprietress of the mercantile was one of the most eligible ladies in Minot. After the death of her husband in a freak accident, she inherited both the mercantile and some of the area’s best farm land.
As appealing as her wealth made her, Mrs. Schoneman remained single, as a direct result of her demeanor. She was the town gossip and offered backhanded insults as readily as the stock in her store.
Sizing Ulrick up, she quickly said, “How can I help you?”
“I’m looking for a ring. A wedding ring, actually.”
“Well, we have the finest selection in hero township. Of course, I won’t trouble you with our finest selections, a man of your means surely is in the market for a bargain.”, her eyes narrowed as she pulled out a small selection of rather plain looking rings.
“You know, that one there kind of caught my eye.” Ulrick pointed to a ring that Mrs. Schoneman had determined to be beyond his means.
“Well, that IS a lovely ring, but the price is a bit steep…Why only a few months ago the mayor bought this same ring for this second wife, or was it his third? Anyway, I think one of these would be more to your liking.” she said as she gestured to the rings on the counter.
“Ma’am I only plan on getting married once. My bride won’t have the kind of wedding every woman dreams of, the least that I can do is get her a decent ring. I’ll take the one with the ruby.”
For a split second, Mrs. Schoneman’s face softened, “I’ll see if I can find a box for you.
Cora fussed with her hair, it was so unruly. If only she could be as delicate as her sister Ida. Cora’s sturdy frame spoke of a life of hard work. She’d always preferred working in the barn or in the field to keeping house like Ida.
Her hands had known hard work, and her face bore a spray of faded freckles as a testament to the fact that she spent hours working in the sun. She had never felt a bit self-conscious about her appearance before, but suddenly she felt completely insecure.
What if he doesn’t find me attractive? Ulrick was so handsome, what if he’d seen her and been disappointed? Maybe he was headed back to his farm right now, leaving her alone and penniless in a strange town. Then what would she do?
I better get this over with. Cora thought as she descended the stairs to meet Ulrick in the parlor of the hotel. When she reached the bottom of the stairs she glanced over the room, biting her lower lip in nervousness. Where was he? Had he really abandoned her?
Seconds later a freshly shaved Ulrick walked confidently into the parlor. The change in his appearance literally took Cora’s breath away. Gone was the man who could’ve passed for a dusty trail hand. Before her stood the most handsome man she’d ever laid eyes on. As his eyes met hers, she offered what she hoped was a pleasant smile. One thing she knew for sure, she was completely smitten by this man she was soon to wed.
Ulrick’s heart pounded in his chest as she walked over to his bride to be. She was everything he’d hoped for. She was beautiful, but gave the impression that she was completely capable of handling anything this untamed land could throw at her.
She was perfect, he just hoped that she wouldn’t hightail it out of town when she found out the secret he’d been keeping.
They walked the short distance to the Preacher’s house in silence. The ceremony was simple and lasted all of ten minutes. Cora was in awe as Ulrick placed a ruby ring on her finger to seal the deal.
The old spinster from Briarwood was finally married...to a man that didn’t love her. Well, she would hold up her end of the bargain, even if they were married in name only. Why, he hadn’t even kissed her when the preacher pronounced them man and wife. Did he find her that homely?
As Ulrick repeated the preacher’s words, he was taken back to another place and time. Before him stood Sarah, the love of his life. They’d met their first day of school at the little white schoolhouse on her parent’s property and been friends all throughout their school years.
It had only seemed natural that they fall in love, it just felt right. Sarah and he had married at sixteen and seventeen respectively and had enjoyed ten years together before Sarah died in childbirth. Their daughter was a petite blond haired, blue eyed bit of a thing, just like her mother had been. She was all he had left of his precious Sarah.
Ulrick hadn’t wanted to marry, but his family and friends made it clear that he needed to find a mother for Sarah. He needed a helpmeet to help him run the farm and make a home for his child.
The woman who stood before him today was, no doubt, a beauty. Her dark hair and curvy shape were a direct contrast to his first wife, for that he was glad. He most definitely found her attractive, not that that would matter. He needed a mother for Katherine, and a helpmeet to keep his house. He only prayed that Cora wouldn’t ask for things that he no longer had to give.
********
After two days on the trail, they arrived at Ulrick’s farm. Cora was relieved when Ulrick didn’t seem to expect anything more than companionship from her at this point. In fact, other than helping her in and out of the wagon or taking her elbow to escort her in town, he hadn’t touched her at all. There’d been no kiss at the wedding. On one hand Cora was a bit relieved, but at the same time, she wondered if Ulrick even found her attractive.
Other than the necessary talk when they set up camp or took it down, they hadn’t spoken except for when she asked him about their farm. Either Ulrick was extremely shy, or he was regretting the decision he’d made. No mind, I’ll have to make the most of it. Perhaps, after a while, we can, at least, be friends.
“Here we are, home sweet home.” Ulrick pulled the team to a stop in front of a weathered looking sod house.
Cora feigned a smile as she looked at the structure before her. She’d heard that settlers lived in sod houses, she’d just assumed that since the agency had i
mplied that he was well off that there would indeed be a regular house.
Just as Cora was about to open her mouth to remark about the unfamiliar dwelling before her, the door opened. Out stepped an ample woman, with the same blue eyes as Ulrick and blonde hair that was slowly fading to gray. Her cheeks were flushed as she wiped her hands on her apron and squinted in the bright sunlight.
“Well, aren’t you just as pretty as a picture “Ulrick, you didn’t tell me your new bride would be this pretty. She’s nothing like the last Mrs. is she? Maybe that’s for the best.”, she reasoned. “I’m your mother in law. My name is Lilian, some folks call me Lil, but you can call me Ma.”
Cora tried to make sense of what she’d just heard, the woman before her was Ulrick’s mother, but why was she here and who was the “last missus”? Was the woman crazy, or had Ulrick had another wife? He hadn’t mentioned one, of course, he hadn’t said two words to her since they left Minot.
“Hello. I’m Cora Darcy…. Witmer. Nice to meet you.” The words seemed to turn to sawdust in her mouth. Not only was she expected to live in a hotel, but her husband had left out the fact that he’d been married before. What else has he neglected to tell me?
Ulrick stood frozen in place. He’d tried to bring up Sarah a hundred times on their way home. But breaking the silence between them had been harder than he thought. How did you go about springing a dead wife and a small child on someone you’d just married hours ago?
“Ma, let’s let Cora settle in before you go talking her ear off.” Ulrich sighed as he helped Cora down from the wagon and grabbed her bag. This was bound to get much worse…
As Cora’s eyes adjusted to the dimness of the sod house, she was pleasantly surprised to see that the little house wasn’t as bad as she had feared.
Though the house was made of sod, the walls were whitewashed, and the floors were made of packed earth. What struck Cora was how small it was. There was scarcely room for all of them and the meager furnishings that graced the room.
Cora glanced to the bed that seemed to take up the entire room. Bundled under a worn but clean quilt lay the most beautiful child Cora had ever seen. She was frail and blonde and reminded her of a blonde version of her sister Ida.
As Cora shot Ulrick a confused look, Ma Witmer put two and two together. How could her son have neglected to mention the lively toddler in his correspondence with his new bride?
“I better give you two lovebirds some space. There’s stew on the stove and a fresh baking of bread on the table with plenty of sweet cream butter to go with it.”
“Ma” offered her new daughter in law a genuine smile and a hug as she made her way out the door. She shook her head at Urick on her way out. How could he have kept his dead wife and child a secret?
As Ma made the short trip back to her own farm, she said a prayer that the love that Cora and Ulrick would eventually have for each other would help them to get past this.
“I guess I’ve got some explaining to do.” Ulrick ran his hands through his hair as he thought of how he could explain himself.
“I did indeed have another wife. Sarah was, and is, my heart. When Katherine was born, she passed away. The truth is, my Sarah was too frail to bear a child. It was me that wanted one, and she gave in to make me happy. I guess you could say that in a way, I killed her.”
Remembering his beautiful Sarah’s face so pale and lifeless, sent a chill through him. I should never have brought this woman out here, what was I thinking?
“I see… so you failed to tell me that you were a widower and had a small child. “Cora was sure that her voice reflected the panic she was feeling, in spite of her efforts to stay calm.
“I tried to tell you, I just couldn’t find a way to do it. I’d planned to cover all of that in letters, but when the agency said that there was a bride available immediately, I didn’t get the chance. By the time you arrived and we were married, I’d lost my nerve. I’ll understand if you want to leave. I’ll even pay your passage back to Kentucky in the Spring.”
“I have no home or family to return to. My parents were killed in a house fire and my sister has gone to Arizona to be married. This was my last resort. I’m a spinster and found myself very much in need of a provider. I would never have even dreamed of going to the agency if my parents hadn’t died”
He felt awful as he noticed that her voice wavered as she stated the facts about her situation. She hadn’t really wanted a husband, she needed a way out. The situation was actually ideal if she’d be reasonable. He wanted a wife in name only and a mother for Katherine, she wasn’t looking for love, just a roof over her head.
Katherine stirred in the big bed in the corner of the room. Her blond hair looked like a halo as she rubbed her eyes. At a little over a year old, she was the joy of Ulrick’s life. To him, it was like having a piece of Sarah with him for always. All he had room for in his heart and life was Katherine. That suited him just fine.
Ulrick gathered his things and headed for the lean-to. He would let Cora share the big bed with Katherine.
********
For Cora, life went on as it always had. There were animals to chore, a garden to tend, wash to do, and Katherine’s needs to be met.
The weeks passed and the air turned bitter cold. The Frigid North Dakota winds whipped all around the sod house, which kept its occupants quite warm. Cora was grateful for the lack of snow. This kept Ulrick working outdoors around the farm. The small house just wasn’t big enough for the secrets its owner brought with him.
Cora found herself unable to resist the petite little Katherine. She reminded Cora of Ida as a toddler. The little girl won her over with her chubby little hugs, sweet face, and halo of blonde hair. There was no doubt about it, the child thrived under Cora’s care.
Ulrick was a completely different story. After he had told Cora about Sarah and Katherine, he had taken his things and moved into the lean-to. He took his meals in the house with Cora and Katherine, barely acknowledging his new bride.
He was affectionate towards Katherine. In fact, Cora had never seen a man so taken with his child. Even after a day of hard work, he never failed to sweep his young daughter up in his arms and rock her to sleep by the fire.
Ulrick always thanked Cora for the meals that she prepared and the other things that she did around the farm. But they were far from the friendship that Cora had hoped to see evolve.
********
After seeing the pained look on Cora’s face when he told her about Sarah and Katherine, it was easier to avoid her altogether than indulge in conversation. There was no need to take their relationship beyond a business level. They were and would always be, married in name only.
If it weren’t for the fact that he needed a mother for Katherine, he’d have left long ago, headed west to Oregon where a man could just disappear.
********
Every day at ten in the morning when Katherine was down for a nap, Cora would put together a snack and get a jug of fresh water to take out to Ulrick. She liked the break from her work in the house, as short as it was.
The air was crisp and she wrapped her shawl around her more tightly. Already the cold cut through even her warmest clothes. So far, they’d had no snow, a rare occurrence this far north.
As she scanned the barnyard, Cora sensed that something wasn’t right. Usually, she could hear Ulrick working with his tools, or talking softly to the animals. Today the only sound that greeted her was the sound of the wind.
Trying not to panic, Cora set the jug and sandwich down and walked into the barn, as usual the stalls were immaculate, the animals groomed, and everything was in order. Where could he be?
As Cora stepped out into the barnyard she suddenly recognized a crumpled form just outside the bullpen. The big bull had gored Ulrick in his left leg. From what Cora could tell, he’d crawled out of the bullpen to safety and collapsed.
Rushing to him, she quickly checked his pulse and breathing, he was still alive. He had lost a lot of blood
, though, his lips were blue and his skin had taken on a waxy look. Whether it was from the cold or loss of blood, Cora couldn’t tell. All she knew was that she needed to get the bleeding stopped and get him warmed up.
Cora took her scarf from around her neck and, using a piece of her petticoat as a bandage, wrapped the scarf tightly around the bloody limb.
What seemed like hours later, Cora finally drug Ulrick into the sod house. By this time, a very soggy Katerine was wailing at the top of her lungs. Cora changed her diaper and gave her a bottle of warm goat’s milk and sat her back in the crib.
Turning to handle Ulrick’s wounds. she steeled herself for the worst. There was no choice but to cut the leg of his pants in order to get to the wound. The gash ran deep from the outer thigh to the knee. It seemed that the bull’s horn had completely penetrated the leg, tearing into muscle and sinew.
Cora’s stomach roiled at the sight before her. She’d helped her mother treat minor cuts and wounds, but the mangled mess before her was too complicated for her to handle alone.
[2016] A Bride's Journey Page 17
