by Jill Maguire
Ethan nodded and tucked the letters into his jacket pocket. He was so lost in thought that he almost bumped headlong in to Mathew Goodall who was heading into the post office.
“Reverend Bradshaw,” Mathew said nodding at his friend. Judging b y the look on Harriet’s face, he was pretty sure that he knew why Ethan was there. “Here to pick up some mail are you?” Mathew couldn’t keep the humor out of his voice. As much as these tough ranchers and farmers wanted to find a wife, this whole process made them all feel more than a little bit vulnerable.
“As are you, I believe,” Ethan replied with a sly smile. “Good luck to you friend.” Ethan hurried from the office, anxious to be alone to read his letters.
The first was from a Melanie Sutter from Boston. She said she was the daughter of a wealthy but harsh business man who wanted her to marry a certain family friend from society. Melanie wanted no part of such an arrangement, and was looking for this to be her escape. In her description of herself, she did indeed sound like a fine woman. But her motives for becoming a mail order bride made him feel like he was a means to an end rather than a choice.
When he read the second letter he disregarded the woman without a moment’s hesitation. While she described herself as a woman of faith, the language that she used suggested otherwise. He wondered for a bit why Harriet had even passed his letter on to him. Harriet had elevated herself from a pretty harsh life, so perhaps the words that seemed so offensive to him were less so to Harriet. At any rate, Ethan didn’t think hers was a hand that he would pursue.
His third letter however was full of a lot more promise. Miss Sarah Ballantine was from a small town in Pennsylvania and according to her letter she lived at home with her parents and worked in the city at an orphanage. She proclaimed herself a strong, hard working and deeply religious person looking to leave the city and build a life for herself in the west. She said she had a love for the land and hoped he would write so that they might become better acquainted.
At first Ethan thought the letter sounded a little forced, as though the writer was trying to write what she thought he wanted to hear. But in all honesty, he supposed the first letters in this kind of relationship would be stiff and impersonal. And so he decided that Sara Ballantine would be the woman he would begin courting.
Sitting down to compose his first letter, he found himself at a loss for words. What should he say that he hadn’t already said? He was a simple man, living a simple life. In the end, he decided to write a little bit about Bent River and what it had been like growing up there. He talked a little about going east to study for the ministry and how hard it had been to be away from the land that he loved. He expressed his hopes for a finding a wife to share his dreams of building a home and raising a family while continuing to bring the word of God to his congregation.
Deciding it was best to keep this first letter short, he left it at that and prepared the letter for posting. The post didn’t move any too quickly and he could already feel his impatience building. He wondered if Mathew and Johnny had composed return letters to suitable women. Who could say, perhaps in another few months there would be a second triple wedding in Bent River. Chuckling to himself, he realized that he would not likely be the one to perform that ceremony!
Satisfied that things were progressing as best they could, Ethan left his little house and headed into town to the post office. As he passed the livery, he noticed Cassie Edwards talking to Sam Norwood. He could see the satchel by her side and presumed she was planning to head back to Blakeford on the morning stage. He waited until she was finished talking to Sam and then he approached.
Good morning, Cassie. It looks like you’re leaving us.”
Cassie nodded and smiled a sad smile. “Regretfully, yes. My students in Blakeford await. The substitute teacher will be anxious to return to her home I’m sure.”
“Will you be coming back soon?”
“I intend to come back for the summer. I’m hoping that a quiet summer on the farm will help me decide what the future holds.”
Ethan reached out to shake her hand. “Then I look forward to having you back in Bent River this summer. Have a safe journey.”
“Thank you, Reverend,” Cassie replied using his more formal title once again. “And good luck with your courting. Perhaps you’ll be a married man by the time I return.”
As she said the words, Cassie felt a bit of a tug at her heart. It had been pleasant seeing her old friend again, but she thought perhaps there was something deeper than friendship passing between them.
“Perhaps I will be,” Ethan replied. “I have the first letter ready to go,” he said patting his jacket pocket. He watched as Cassie headed off towards the stage, realizing he was somewhat sad to see her go.
Chapter Ten
The stagecoach ride was no more comfortable heading back to Blakeford than it had been coming to Bent River. The road was just as dusty, the breeze just as warm and the air inside the coach just as stuffy. The only difference was, there was no old man snoring in the seat opposite her. In fact, she was all alone for this ride, and it suited her mood just fine.
Her thoughts jumped around all over the place, as unsettled as the road she travelled. It was almost as if each new jolt of the coach took her thoughts in a different direction.
She thought about her students in Blakeford and what lessons they needed to complete before the year ended. She thought about the Gordon’s and telling them that she would not be returning to live with them. They would be put out about it, she was sure, because they no doubt enjoyed the extra income her board provided. But life was completely unbearable there and she simply couldn’t go back to living that way, even for a short time.
Then her thoughts would flit back to Bent River. The farm was almost like a living being that was reaching out to pull her back. But when she thought about all the repairs it needed, she wondered how she would ever be able to afford them if she couldn’t find work.
Thoughts of returning to the farm inevitably led her to thoughts of the Reverend Ethan Bradshaw. Would he be married soon? Had he felt any of the feelings she had felt before she left? Did he wonder if there might be something between them? Then she chastised herself for having such silly notions. If he had felt that way, wouldn’t he have halted his pursuit of a mail order bride?
Trying to put thoughts of him out of her mind, Cassie returned her focus to Blakeford. If she wasn’t going to return to the Gordon’s, then where would she stay? Should she just take a room at Maddie’s Boarding house until the year ended or should she try to find another family to take her in? Would the money she had really last her long enough?
She was so exhausted from how fast her mind was moving that she eventually drifted into an uneasy sleep. When the slowing of the stage woke her, she was relieved to see Blakeford within sight. As much as she was glad to be back to see to her students, she was also anxious to get the school year over.
First things, first she reminded herself. It was Saturday afternoon and school would not resume until Monday. In the meantime she needed to find a place to live. For now, that place would be the boarding house. She crossed her fingers that Maddie would have a room.
Dusk was descending as she walked the short distance from the stage platform to the boarding house. Cassie could hear the usual noises coming from the saloon and her heart sped up a bit. It wasn’t always a good idea for a lady to be out on the streets alone this time of night and she hurried her steps. She nearly jumped clear out of her skin when a man suddenly appeared from the shadows of a dark alleyway.
“Evening, miss,” he sneered, his words slurred and his breath foul. “Out for a wee walk are ye?” Cassie tried to hurry by him without saying a word, but he reached out and grabbed her arm. “Too good to talk with a gent?” he hissed.
Cassie was frightened but not willing to let her fear take over. “Yes, I am much too good to talk to the likes of you,” she said boldly. “And I’d appreciate it if you’d take your hands off me.” She
yanked her arm away and in the same motion stepped down hard on the drunken man’s foot. He howled in pain, totally surprised by her aggressive response, and stumbled off into the darkness.
Cassie tried to calm her racing heart as she continued on to the boarding house. “That would never have happened in Bent River,” she mumbled out loud. She was still a bit flustered when she reached Maddie’s but gathered her wits together enough that the woman didn’t notice.
“Hello Maddie. I’m hoping you have a room that I might rent for the next few weeks.”
“I do, but weren’t you staying at the Gordon farm?”
“I was, but if you have the room, I’d prefer to stay here.”
“Certainly. I have a cozy room overlooking the countryside instead of the town. I think you’ll be comfortable with it.” She handed Cassie the key. “Third door on the right. Breakfast is on the table every morning at seven, dinner at six.”
Cassie thanked her and headed up the stairs, glad that the next day was Sunday and she could take the day to do as she pleased. The room was cozy, as Maddie had said, and because it faced over the fields and not over the street, the noise from the saloon was almost distant. She thought of the man in the alley and she shuddered. The whole encounter just confirmed her conclusion that the city was not where she wanted to be.
Sunday passed all too quickly, with breakfast at Maddie’s followed by church and then a visit out to the Gordon’s. She wasn’t looking forward to letting them know that she would no longer be boarding with them but to be polite, she thought she should tell them in person. She was also hoping that she might get a chance to say goodbye to Miss Coulson as well and thank her for stepping in during her absence.
As she drew closer to the Gordon farm Cassie felt her stomach churning. Never had she felt to unwelcome in any one place. She didn’t have time to calm her nerves and gather a positive attitude, however because Mr. Gordon stomped out of the house just as she pulled up.
“Didn’t think you was ever comin’ back. The missus is getting tired of having no help around here. That Miss Coulson woman ain’t lifted a hand around here.”
“Well truthfully, Mr. Gordon, Miss Coulson is paying you a fair price for her room. Her doing chores was never part of the arrangement. Is she inside? I wanted to thank her for helping me out.”
Mr. Gordon made an annoyed huffing sound and waved his arm in the air pointing off in some distant direction. “She ain’t inside. Fact is, she ain’t here at all. Up and left with some fella in his wagon at the crack of dawn. Good thing you’re back at least. The missus and me need that rent money.”
Cassie took a deep breath and willed herself to speak with confidence. “I’m very sorry, Mr. Gordon but I’m not planning to stay here any longer either. I’m going to board in town until the year is finished and then I’m moving home.” Cassie braced herself for the tirade that she figured was coming. She watched as a cloud of anger distorted the old man’s face.
“Well if that ain’t a fine way to thank somebody who took you in when you needed it. Best get on out of here then. Don’t need the likes of you hanging around taking up my time.”
Cassie cringed at the rude remarks but held her tongue. She had lived with Charles Gordon long enough to know that he had said his piece and would have no interest in listening to hers. Feeling bad in spite of it all, Cassie turned her wagon around and headed back to town.
The rest of Sunday passed quietly. Cassie spent the afternoon preparing lessons for the next day, and as Monday drew closer, she realized that she was actually looking forward to seeing her students again. And her students were equally glad to see her.
From all of their accounts, Miss Coulson was very strict and very serious. Cassie smiled as stories were recounted of difficult homework assignments, stern discipline in the classroom and limited freedom even during their outside recess.
Little Missy Garfield complained that Miss Coulson had insisted that girls did not play ball and as a result, the team that usually won their games lost because Missy hadn’t been allowed to play. Cassie tried not to laugh at the girl’s indignation, and assured her that she would be back on the team for the next game.
Harold Nelson insisted that he’d had to suffer a whipping at home for not finishing his chores. He claimed he had so much homework to do that had to choose whether to do his his chores and face Miss Coulson’s wrath or miss his chores and face the whip. His decision to choose the latter said a lot about his feelings toward Miss Coulson.
Cassie listened seriously to all their complaints, and then took most of the day to get them back to focusing on their lessons.
~~~
As June dragged by, the days grew even warmer and the classroom grew even stuffier. It was harder and harder to get the children to concentrate. But in spite of the heat she managed somehow to get all of the lessons completed, all of the necessary assignments collected, and all of the required testing done. Some of her students would be finished at the little school this year and would be deciding where their futures would take them.
As for the others, she genuinely hoped the school board could find a more pleasant replacement for herself than Miss Coulson had been. Even though she had decided to leave Blakeford, she still cared about her students and wanted to leave knowing they would be happy.
On the final day of classes, Cassie led the entire class down to the edge of the creek for a picnic and a swim. There was lots of laughter and fun, and it was a fine way to end the year. Every one of her students brought a small homemade gift from home as a thank you and a farewell gift. Cassie went home laden with a box full of homemade preserves, loaves of cornbread, hand sewn handkerchiefs and even a beautiful hand carved wooden bowl.
The thoughtful gifts brought tears to her eyes and for a moment she questioned her decision to leave. But she knew she belonged in Bent River, and she also knew that children were very quick to move on and accept change. She gave all the children big hugs and sent them on their way with the small sac of candy she had wrapped up for each of them.
Back at the Boarding House, Cassie carefully packed all of her belongings into her satchel and prepared once again for the long coach ride back to Bent River. With the school year over, there was no need to prolong her time here. Bent River was home and it was calling to her.
Chapter Eleven
If May had been unusually warm, then June was most surely breaking records for hot temperatures. Ethan sat at the front of the church wiping his brow. How was he ever going to get folks to sit through services in heat like this? He suddenly felt sorry for the schoolmistress who was trying to finish out the school year in this same room.
Thoughts of the school mistress inevitably led him to think about Cassie Edwards and he wondered if it was just as hot in her classroom in Blakeford. He wondered too, if she had decided yet about returning permanently to Bent River. He realized that he hoped she would. They had always been good friends and he would enjoy having her in his congregation. For a moment he thought that perhaps their relationship might have been more than a friendship, but it wasn’t likely now, since he was soon to meet his mail order bride.
He’d been writing to Sarah Ballantine for several weeks now, and they were in the process of setting up their first meeting. Sarah would be travelling to Bent River at the end of June and they were to be wed upon her arrival.
Their letters had been regular and as frequent as the post would permit. They had gone from fairly stiff and formal to friendly, personal and even humorous. They had divulged much information about each other through their letters and Ethan felt as if their relationship was off to a good start.
Sarah wrote that she was longing to get away from the city and the demands that were being put upon her by the social status of her parents. She told him how she remembered visits to her grandmother who lived in the country and how those visits had formed a fondness for the open spaces of the countryside in her heart. She claimed she was truly excited about being a pastor’s bride and
living a quiet country life.
For his part, Ethan tried to describe life as it was in Bent River, and how his life as a pastor filled his days and his heart. He was clear that his dedication to his work was very important to him, but he also assured her that there was plenty of love in his heart for a wife and a family as well. They were agreed that a large family was one of their shared desires.
Ethan had also assured her that although his present home was very small, he would set to work finding a larger piece of property on which they could build the house of their dreams. Sarah seemed in agreement with all of the plans he put forward, emphasizing that her primary concern would be making their home a happy place regardless of its size or location.
By the end of June Ethan was ready and anxious for Sarah to come. He wrote to let her know that he was sending a train ticket and some money should she require it for expenses on her trip west. He spent a lot of time trying to fix his little house up to look more like a home that a woman would be happy to live in. He realized, of course, that it was still in dire need of a woman’s touch but he had done what he could.
Once he was finished writing this last letter, he headed over to the post office to give it to Harriet. His step was light and his heart happy. Soon he would be a married man. There was a small part of him that worried about marrying a woman that he had never actually met. What if she didn’t find him to be the man she was hoping for? What if he found her less than desirable? What if they didn’t get on well at all? What would they do then? He tried not to dwell on these matters, but thought about her letters instead. From everything she had written, they should be well matched.
As he entered the post office, Mathew Goodall was coming out. He too, had just posted his final letter to his bride to be, and she would be arriving about the same time as Sarah. Maybe there would be a double wedding after all!
“Congratulations,” Ethan said, shaking his friend’s hand.
