by Faye Sonja
The woman who’d answered his advertisement and corresponded with him the past two months seemed like the exact person he needed. Adeline Archer didn’t sound like any other woman he knew. She’d been forthright with her needs and the fact that she was running from marrying a man she hated, and trying to save her sisters.
It was a nice surprise to come across such honesty and openness. What a pity he couldn’t bring himself to do the same with her. He should’ve told her about losing Hattie and his child during a complicated birth six months ago and how he’d wanted to rip his own heart out, but there was no time to grieve when the crops had to be tended. He and Hattie had worked the land for three successful years, then last year things went south of good. He’d had next to no time for emotions.
Why the Good Lord saw fit to fail his crops and take his wife and child in the same year, he didn’t know. But James couldn’t give up. He had to work this land for one more year and then it belonged to him. The whole one hundred and sixty acres would be signed over to him by the government. Many who’d come to farm beside him had left after last year’s failed crops. They’d moved up to the North-West with new parcels of land.
He and his cousins decided to farm here instead of chase gold and silver or work in the mines. Miners and mining companies needed food, the eastern states and burgeoning cities needed food, and it seemed like growing that food was a solid business decision. The first three years had been profitable.
It was just James, Jack, and Jack’s brother, Jacob, who’d been stubborn enough to stay here and seek female companions. As it turned out Adeline had younger sisters, and so his cousins had just started correspondence with them. He wasn’t sure how it was all going, but that was none of his business.
Jack was keen as mustard to have the farm and the family to impress his father, but poor Jack wasn’t the practical type. But he managed, and so far so good. His few head of cattle had sold last year and now he’d raised more.
James shook himself out of his daydreaming. Right now, what he needed was to get moving because Adeline had travelled for almost two weeks by the new railway, and she’d insisted on paying for herself. She wouldn’t be swayed from this, and even though he’d still sent money, she’d told him she’d give it back to him. So keeping her waiting would be very rude.
She was not like any other woman he’d ever known, that was for sure. Her letters were very well written and she’d been well educated. He presumed she might be rather plain in looks and somewhat intimidating in stature, given her headstrong personality and the fact she was being forced to marry a less-than-Christian older man in New York to improve his status and give him an heir.
At the age of twenty-five, any attractive woman of high social standing would’ve been snapped up for marriage. She’d preferred not to swap a photograph, saying it shouldn’t matter about how they looked. He found her way with words interesting and the way she deftly handled the details of their proposed marriage showed she had more than enough skills to run the farming business.
James wasn’t concerned about looks, as they both agreed this was a business arrangement of mutual benefit to them both, but also because people were more than their looks. This union would never be about love, and couldn’t be, because his heart was shut off to ever loving again. What he needed was a strong woman, both physically and mentally. He needed someone with faith and vision.
He’d prayed to God for help, and He’d answered. Adeline Archer was to be his wife in four hours. A glance at his battered watch reminded him that he still had four hours’ wagon travel to San Francisco to meet her at the railway station.
It would almost be dark by the time they got back after a quick wedding ceremony in the small town nearest his farm, called Goldrush. The town was still surviving now because of the silver mines though, rather than gold. James prayed every night that his harvest would be rich and plentiful. He’d organized with Reverend Phillips, whom he’d spoken to at length, and received his blessing in God’s eyes that he was indeed making the right choices.
He had packed extra canteens of water as the midday sun was relentless, and he’d wrapped some biscuits he’d made this morning to tide them over until supper. Adeline had preferred not to get a room overnight and travel back to the farm tomorrow. He gave his pair of Draught horses a gee-up and they broke into an easy canter. He was close to the Chinese settlement near the mines and he’d heard some terrible stories of their ruthlessness for those who weren’t Chinese. So making haste through there seemed a sensible idea.
The word was they were here to steal all the work at the mines for less pay and they didn’t care who went hungry because of them. James was a peace loving man. Not that he wouldn’t fight for what was his, but he never went looking for conflicts. The last thing he wanted was to run across trouble and delays today.
* * *
James kicked the busted wagon wheel and shouted, because now he’d hurt his toes. He yanked his hat off and threw it to the ground, letting out a few cuss words. Of all the places for his wheel to let go it had to be right in the middle of nowhere, and the sun was so hot he scooped up his hat again to stop his face from burning.
He’d let the horses off and tied them in the small amount of available shade, then looked at the tipped wagon. If he couldn’t do a makeshift repair he’d have to ride bareback the rest of the way. But he couldn’t expect Adeline to ride home that way, and he couldn’t afford more riding gear. Jack’s farm was as long a walk as Goldrush in the other direction.
He’d only fixed the wagon last week and he couldn’t afford another one. He’d have to try and repair it somehow. He sipped from one of his canteens, and while the water cooled his throat, he knew he’d have to go easy. If he couldn’t fix the wagon he’d have to walk the hour into Goldrush and get what he needed to come back and do the repairs. There was no way to get to San Francisco on time, unless he went bareback.
James studied the wheel and found the sheared pin. There was no salvaging that and he had nothing metal to temporarily hold the wheel on. If he hadn’t been so distracted he’d have grabbed the spare pin he had at the farm. Well, he couldn’t stand here all day staring at it. A decision needed to be made.
James heard voices and spun around to where his horses were tied. Five small men stood looking at him and patting his horses. The Chinese. James jumped back behind his fallen cart and grabbed his gun; not that it was loaded, but they didn’t know that. Were they here to steal his horses? Did they want to kill him and take his wagon as well? The stories about these Chinese were horrifying.
They stood and just stared at him as he waved his gun around. They chattered amongst themselves in in their language and stared at him in silence again before the older man came forward slowly with his hands up, palms showing. “No shoot. No shoot. We help.”
James watched him move to the wheel and look it over. He lowered his gun as these men were unarmed, and if they were going to attack him they’d have done so before talking and letting him know they were there. The older Chinese man stood again and spoke quickly in his language, and the other four men nodded and ran back through the shrubs.
James gripped his weapon still, and the older Chinese man smiled at him. “Frank. Me, Frank.” He pointed to himself as he spoke.
“James. James Blair.”
“Ah, James. Yes.” He nodded and smiled. “Fix. We fix. You come. Have tea.”
The older man pulled on James’ sleeve. “Come. Come.”
James still held his gun, but he followed the man. Maybe this was an ambush. The other four came running back past them with tools and metal pins. It seemed they were going to fix the wheel. But why? Why would they help him?
“Come. Too hot.” Frank pulled on his sleeve again, and James went with him just a short distance and into a clearing that had tents and was set up for long-term living. Frank walked to the shade under a blanket strung up on wooden posts from the tent and sat down at the small fire underneath. “Sit.”
James was too surprised to not do as he was asked. Frank handed him a cup without a handle with an almost clear, steaming liquid in it, and Frank sipped at the slightly bitter drink in his own cup.
“Chinese tea. Make strong.” Frank bent his arm to show his small but corded bicep and smiled. “Eat.” He dished something into a small, wooden bowl. “Eat. Rice. Good.”
James considered it might be a trap and be poisoned but Frank dished his own and ate, and there was no hostility here at all. So he tasted the rice and it wasn’t something he’d eaten before. It was sweet and sticky and quite tasty.
“You go city?”
James nodded. “Yes. I’ll be very late.”
“She’ll wait.” Frank grinned at him.
“She?” James had no clue how he knew what he was going to the city for.
Frank nodded. “You angry. You say her name and kick wheel.” Then he laughed. “Wheel hard.”
James smiled in spite of himself. “Yes, it was.”
“We fix wheel, easy. You go see lady.”
“Why? Why are you helping me?”
Frank shrugged. “Why not? You good man.”
James ate and finished his tea in silence. He couldn’t think of any reason why they’d know he was a good man.
The other four men came running back up and spoke in their own language again. The language was fast and used lots of words, it seemed to James. He was a man of few words, so the way they chattered to each other interested him.
“Fixed. You go now. Horses ready.”
James may have heard stories about the Chinese, but he couldn’t deny these men were treating him in a very Christian way, and he’d be wrong to not appreciate that. “Thank you. All of you. I hope I can repay the favor one day.”
The men just bowed and nodded their heads.
“You want money? I can pay a little.” James had to offer, even though he had very little.
“No. No money. Maybe we have friend now.” Frank smiled.
“Maybe you do.” James nodded and held his hand out to Frank. The Chinese man looked at it and then carefully put his hand up and gave James a handshake. The stories about the Americans fighting with the Chinese community were rife with anger and violence.
James hoped this didn’t bring trouble to his ranch, because he’d never seen anyone who stood up for the Chinese treated well. But he couldn’t worry about that right now. They’d helped him and he was grateful.
Walking back through the shrubs, James looked up and said a silent thank you. He’d be late but he would get to the city. Hopefully Adeline would assume something had happened and stay at the station a little while so he could find her. The horses were waiting with the wagon and James looked over the wheel that’d come off.
The pin was solid and well crafted. He whistled when he urged the horses to make haste. He had a bride to get to.
* * *
3
First Impression
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
“ From a woman wanting to be
spinster to a mail order bride. "
.
San Francisco train station,
six hours later…
Adeline tapped her left foot because her right one was aching from doing the same. Where was James? Had he changed his mind? Had this all been a cruel joke? She sucked in a deep breath and exhaled, willing herself to stay calm, asking for guidance and faith.
No, be logical. He had a four hour trip from the farm and anything might’ve happened along the way to delay him. This was the exact spot she’d said she’d be. On the platform where the train stopped. She’d weathered two surges of people getting on another train and getting off. He’d be here. If it got to dark, then she’d look for lodgings.
It was just past one and he’d hoped to be there by eleven. A couple of hours was nothing. Adeline stopped tapping her foot and sat back on the hard wooden bench seat. Her bright red silk dress would likely get a little messy, but she’d put it on this morning in her private cabin because she was to be married.
The rest of her clothing she’d packed was understated and practical. She’d have no need for airs and graces on the farm.
The life of luxury she’d known was effectively ended, but she’d give that up any day to avoid marrying that tyrant, Baxter. She pondered on what James would look like. She’d studied many faces and men in the last hour and knew he might have been any one of them. But no, not one had paid her any heed. Her dress had drawn a few ladies’ eyes, but that was all.
James Blair was thirty and unmarried. That had to mean he was flawed. Women were so scarce in these parts, it was true, but surely the handsome men would soon attract what womenfolk were close by. Even here in the city he could surely find a suitable wife. But then, not many women would go for a no-love arrangement.
Even marrying a stranger, most women would want the fairy-tale dream of love. But Adeline had no illusions there. She didn’t want to fall in love and she didn’t want to have children. She wanted to be a business woman, and a successful one. Children were hard work in the convenience of the city, let alone in the middle of nowhere with next to no facilities.
James clearly had some aversion to children as well as he’d agreed their relationship would not proceed to offspring. Perhaps he was sterile. Adeline felt the blush creep up her cheeks at such a brazen thought about a man’s body.
Although, that might explain why he had no wife. Women never wed without an eye to having children of their own. But then, he was unlikely to know if he hadn’t been married and tried.
She popped out her fan and worked it back and forth in front of her face. How could she think about him this way? She needed to stop. He was likely short, bald and decidedly tubby. Not that he wouldn’t also have a kind demeanor and a generous heart. Looks didn’t matter. She was tall for most men anyway, and her thin frame bore very little of the curvature that men seemed attracted to.
If it wasn’t for the hoops under this dress, the skirt would hang in two straight lines at the side as her narrow hips certainly weren’t to be described as childbearing. Luckily, none of this would matter. She didn’t have to trade on her looks. She didn’t have the advantage of the classic beauty of her sister Amelia, or the stunning looks and petite figure of the youngest, Averill.
No, Adeline would describe herself as tall and gangly at best. Her lips seemed a little too red and a little too plump by her calculations. She looked like she had lipstick on all the time, and her cheeks became flushed pink too often for her liking. Her hair hung straight and flat, with no hint of the curls of her sisters. Adeline certainly had no right to judge anyone on their looks, let alone her husband-to-be.
They were going to be late for the service he’d arranged. She hoped the minister would still have time. She checked her watch hanging on a thick chain around her neck. Two and a half hours… Another sigh and Adeline looked along the platform to see if any man might be walking towards her with purpose. She checked behind her and saw only a very tall man with dark curls peeking out from under a beat-up cowboy hat.
His eyes met hers and her heart skipped a beat. She’d never had such a surge of feeling from the look of a man before. His clear blue eyes took her breath away and his strong, square set jaw was quintessentially male. Oh my, he was the most handsome man she’d ever encountered. She pulled her eyes downwards to the ground because it didn’t seem appropriate to lust after a man from one glance.
Come on, James, please hurry. I think I’m going crazy.
Dusty boots and denim trousers came into her line of view. That same light cotton shirt and leather vest now stood before her. Adeline looked up from under her bonnet to see the man she’d just admired staring down at her. Her face burned now, and she cursed her quickness to blush.
“Adeline Archer?”
“Yes.”
The man stepped back and a wide smile spread over his face
and filled up his eyes. “I’m James. James Blair.” He held his hand out to her. The faint smell of fresh soap and mint lingered around him.
Adeline couldn’t drag her eyes away from his. She placed her gloved hand into his large paw and stood to give a curtsey. “Good day, James. I trust your journey here was without drama.”
He chuckled. “I’m late, so not without drama. I see it has been worth it.”
His hand was hot against hers, even with the glove, and she gave a small smile as she stood straight again.
“I’m pleased you waited.”
“I assumed something may have gone awry, Mr. Blair. I was prepared to wait until dark and then find lodgings.”
He nodded. “Call me James. Please.”
“Very well. James.” Adeline felt the heat rise in her cheeks again.
“Shall we go?”
“Yes. But first…” Adeline reached into her silk purse. “Here is your money. As I said, I’m quite capable of paying my way for now.”
“I’m not sure I feel good about that.”
“As I’ve explained, I prefer my independence to be maintained as much as possible. Is that going to be a problem?” Adeline’s heart hammered; what if now he’d seen her, he didn’t think she was worth their arrangement?
“Not really. Just not used to it, that’s all. As long as you don’t subject me to hours of conversation, I’ll say we’re even. I’m not big on chatter.”
“Very well.” Adeline supposed he’d just politely asked her to be as independent as she wanted, just to be quiet about it. That suited her. She almost wished he had been the short, rotund James of her imagination. The real James Blair was a good head taller than her, and a good deal better looking than any man she’d ever seen.
