Mail Order Bride 22 Book Boxed set: 22 Brides Ride West :CLEAN Western Historical Romance Series Bundle

by Faye Sonja

  He stared at her. “No. I don’t.”

  “You owe it to me to learn.”

  “Why?”

  Averill got up and ran into the bedroom, and pulled all his letters out that she had tied in a bundle. She threw the stack on the table. “That’s why. You tricked me into thinking you were someone you’re not.”

  “I meant every word written there.”

  “But you didn’t write them. Who did? Don’t lie to me anymore, Jacob.”

  “I wrote them.”

  Averill had hit her boiling point now. “You’re impossible. Go and write me another right now then. You didn’t write them and what’s more, you didn’t read any of mine. Admit it or I’m going to San Francisco to study.”

  “You’d leave me?”

  “Over this, yes. Because you haven’t honored our marriage vows and been honest with me. You’ve tricked me into doing the books. That’s unfair of you. Even now, you can’t admit the truth to me. Your wife.”

  “Why is this so important to you?” Jacob took off his hat and ran his hand through his hair.

  “You’re supposed to turn to me, as I do to you. I let you teach me how to ride a horse, how to shoot a pistol, even how to balance on a log in the river, but you won’t give me the decency of being honest and letting me show you how to do this thing that will change your life.”

  “I don’t know…”

  “Jacob, you let another person know the intimate details of our letters. There’s someone out there who knows everything about me. There’s someone who knows you can’t read and write…that someone should only be me.”

  “I told him I was too busy, not that I couldn’t do it.”

  “Who is it?”

  “Judge Turner’s son. Chad. He’s older. Guess I’ve spent a lot of time with him. That’s who everyone thought would be sheriff, then the reverend picked me. He had no hard feelings, though. Said he’d still help me out.”

  “Why have I never met this Chad? Why have you never mentioned him before?”

  “I guess I never thought of it. I haven’t seen him since…”

  “Since you made the plan to put the lead in the Wells and Fargo box on the stage?” Averill felt every detail fall into place. Now she knew who the traitor was. No wonder she hadn’t worked it out yet, when she didn’t even know Chad existed.

  “You’re right. How did you know that?”

  “It’s logical. Think about it. He had motive, he wanted to be sheriff. He had opportunity, and you handed him all the information on a platter, or he listened in, or he got it out of his drunken father.”

  “Well, I’ll be. That all makes sense.”

  “Try and remember the exact time you saw him last.” Averill had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.

  “Maybe the same week you arrived, not since you’ve arrived, actually.”

  “That’s what I was afraid of.”

  “What?” Jacob looked worried now.

  “I bet he’s gone right to Baxter to tell him where we are. He’s had time to get there by train and time for them to get back.”

  “Why would he do that?”

  “For money. For fun. To get the job as sheriff if you aren’t around.”

  “I hope you’re wrong about this.”

  “So do I. But I’d be expecting Lex Baxter in Goldrush any day now.”

  “What can he do? You’re all married.”

  “He can take us to court. He has a legal document and with the law in men’s favor, all our marriages may be declared invalid. Who knows? But this was the best chance we had and I’m not sorry.”

  “We could leave.”

  “No. We’ve run far enough. What’s next, another country? I’m not running. If he comes I will stand up and argue it in court myself.”

  “You have to let me shoot him, Averill.”

  “Not unless he was going to kill you.”

  “If he takes you away, he will kill me.” Jacob put his arms around her.

  “Does that mean you’ll let me help you learn to read and write?”

  “You can try. I don’t see the letters and words right. It never looks how they explain it to me.”

  “We’ll find a way. I’ll tell the others about my theory with Lex and Chad. With any luck we’ll be ready for him and if we all put up a united front, we might deter him.”

  “Just how much money did your father owe him?”

  “Thousands. Much more than we can ever pay pack.”

  “I could sell my land.”

  “No. We need somewhere to raise our children.” Averill smiled and hugged Jacob. There had to be a solution she just hadn’t seen it yet. She prayed every night about this and she prayed now. Please Lord, find me a way through this mess my Papa left.

  He would. He would see her through it. Jacob was destined to be her husband; she knew that now more than ever. She was meant to be here to help Jacob through his past and give him a new freedom in reading and writing, as he’d given her by allowing her to be who she was.

  “I can’t promise you that I won’t try to kill that man if I see him.”

  “This isn’t your right to judge him and choose his path. His fate can only be determined by God.”

  “I’ll try and remember that.” Jacob pulled his hat down harder on his head.

  “Go do your rounds. I’ll warn the others tomorrow. It might pay for us to all be together as much as possible for a while.”

  “Good idea. We can have meals at the church hall. The reverend will understand. James and Jack have men to run their land. How long do we do this for though? We can’t do it forever.”

  “I’ll check out the train timetable and you, being sheriff, should be able to get a passenger list from San Francisco.”

  “Great idea. I think that shopping trip of yours can come very soon. We’ll all go and hire a couple of extra riders for safety.”

  “Yes. I think that’s best. I hope I’m overreacting but I have a strong feeling in my stomach.”

  “Always trust your gut…pardon the language. That’s the first thing a cowboy is taught.”

  “Maybe I’ll be a cowboy now.”

  “Maybe. Just one thing. If Chad knew I couldn’t read or write, why wouldn’t he just use that to turn the town against me as sheriff?”

  “Because, this town loves you, Jacob. In spite of all the times you’ve spent drunk and up to shenanigans, you also did an awful lot to help folk. The town loves you. If he’d just done that, I bet half the townsfolk would’ve offered to teach you or do your bookwork for you. They still would.”

  “I’d rather no one knew. It’s embarassin’. I had the very best schools with the best teachers, the best tutors money could buy yet I was still too dumb to learn the basics.”

  “You’re not dumb, far from it, and I’m going to prove it to you.”

  He hugged her tight and she could feel the relief in his body. “First, let’s get and find out about Lex Baxter.”

  * * *

  9

  Action Plan

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  “I won’t be marrying for that love alone.

  I’ll be marrying because we make

  sense on an intellectual level.”

  .

  One week later

  Jacob flashed his badge at the clerk and asked to see the passenger list for the latest train coming from New York. “We believe there’s outlaws runnin’ stolen goods on that train. You can help before the San Francisco police find out you knew and did nothing to help.”

  The clerk flicked through her lists and handed one to Jacob. “This train arrives in a week. Then there’s no more for another two weeks. We won’t have a final list until it leaves.”

  He tipped his hat to her. “Thank you, Miss. I’ll see you’re highly commended. I’ll bring this list back in about five minutes.”

  He took it out the door and handed i
t to Averill, who read it with Adeline and Amelia reading over her shoulders.

  “Is his name there?” Jacob asked.

  “Just a minute, there’s a lot of names.” Averill kept scanning when her eyes finally stopped on the name she didn’t want to see. “There. Lex Baxter. He’s on it. Look for Chad Turner…”

  They all kept scanning and there was Chad’s name as well.

  “I should go tell his father.” James didn’t sound happy at all.

  Averill was still reading down the names list when she saw one that really surprised her. Reginald Fairweather. There couldn’t be another one. Why would he be on the same train as Baxter? Did they even know the other was on there?

  “Adeline, Amelia…look.” She pointed the name out to them.

  They both gasped and stared hard at the name.

  “What?” the three men chorused together.

  “Mr. Fairweather. Our family lawyer is on the train.” Adeline shook her head at Averill and rubbed her ever growing belly, then looked at Amelia.

  “What was the last thing he said to you, Averill? Did he say he’d come out for a visit?”

  “No. He said if ever he found a loophole in the contract signed by Papa he would be on the next train to see us.”

  “Do you think that could be why?” Amelia was wide-eyed and her eyes shone with eternal hope.

  “We scoured everything for weeks, months, and found nothing. So either some new case has come to light or…” she let the thought percolate inside her head.

  “Or what? What other possible reason could he have for coming to Goldrush?” Adeline asked.

  “The same reason we did.” Averill smiled at her sisters.

  “For love? Who would he know in Goldrush?” Amelia frowned as she spoke. “Apart from us?”

  “Mama.” Averill watched both her sisters and the men look at her.

  “Mama? And Mr. Fairweather?” Amelia shook her head. “That’s silly.”

  “I don’t think so. I think they’re very much in love. At least I know he is with Mama. He as much as told me so.” Averill recalled their private conversation. “He hated how Papa treated her. Said she was the cleverest person he’d ever known.”

  “So that would make it by chance that he’s on the same train as Baxter.” Jacob paced and took the list from them. “It doesn’t seem logical.”

  “Exactly, Jacob.”

  “I’ll get this list back in. We can go find your text books and decide what we’re going to do.”

  “Why do anything? Let them come to us,” James replied.

  “Because this needs to be ended one way or another. This family can’t have a man like Baxter hanging over its head forever.” Jack walked off as he talked. “Let’s eat. I’m starving.”

  The ladies walked behind as the men talked just ahead of them. They were heading back to their hotel to get some lunch as they’d all missed breakfast except Adeline; they’d made her eat something. Averill couldn’t stomach any food until she’d seen this list for herself. Now she felt like she could control what happened and Mr. Fairweather’s arrival may just be a reason for hope.

  But they had a whole week to wait to find out. At least they could go home and relax for a week. Averill had her text books to read, as she’d scoured all the ones in the old lawyer’s office and there was nothing new or remotely interesting. She wondered how he even practiced law in the manner he did.

  Lunch was a wonderful array of cold meats on a platter with cheeses, bread and pickles served with hot vegetable soup. Everyone tucked in and ate quietly. Lex Baxter did hang over all their heads and there did need to be an end. She prayed Jacob wouldn’t shoot Lex, because he’d lose his badge and could even be convicted for murder if Lex hadn’t tried to attack him first.

  Lex wasn’t a weapons man. His power came from money. Even with him beaten on the agreement from Papa, she couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t try to use his wealth to make life hard for them. They had no guarantees.

  “We need to tell the Reverend and Millie the complete story and let them know. I think if we are all at the church on the day he’ll arrive, it will be better for us. Even Lex wouldn’t want to make a scene in a church in the presence of a reverend. He’s a man of extreme faith.”

  “Good idea, Averill. But we’ll make it seem like the reverend has no knowledge of it all. That way we aren’t getting anyone else involved.” Adeline came up with that great idea.

  “Jacob, it can’t hurt to organise one of your special stagecoach trips the next day to bring him here. At least we’d know an arrival time the next day.”

  “Great idea, James. What about Fairweather?” Jack managed to speak between mouthfuls. “He won’t want to be on the stage with Baxter.”

  “He’ll take care of himself. Full of surprises for a lawyer.” Averill picked at her food. She didn’t feel much like eating. It must be the worry.

  “Right, so we set up a stage to Goldrush the day after the train arrives. I can do that. Chad won’t know that we never kept the run going.” Jacob sipped his glass of milk and offered some to Averill, who wasn’t interested in that either. She tried the soup and that was really good, so she ate a couple more mouthfuls.

  “We’ve planned this as much as we can. Let’s get back home and enjoy the coming week. Then we’ll all be ready for a showdown with Lex Baxter, once and for all.”

  * * *

  “Are you nervous for tomorrow?” Jacob was asking because the train from New York arrived in San Francisco today, meaning Les Baxter was a three hour horse ride form them, or he would be in another hour.

  “A little. I feel a bit squeamish in my stomach; must be nerves.”

  He nodded and put his arms around her. “Don’t be. I promise I won’t shoot him if he doesn’t go to shoot me first.”

  “Thanks. Have you done your alphabet chart today?”

  “Yes, Mrs. Blair…” He used a sing-song voice as if addressing a teacher.

  “Stop it. I’ll know if you’re cheating, too.”

  “I would not cheat.”

  “I’m going to meet with Adeline and Amelia in the bakery. I think we’ll just all sleep in the church hall bunks tonight. I’m not sure Adeline should be travelling all the time in her condition.” Averill stood up and walked toward the door. “We’re all organised for this meeting to come together. The rest is up to God.”

  “No worrying. He can’t have you, any of you, and that’s just the way it is. The reverend isn’t going to revoke any marriages.”

  “That’s true. I’ll see you later, Jacob.”

  Averill headed for the bakery and as soon as she got inside the door the smells overwhelmed her. It was also hot, and she felt a little faint and very ill. She ran for the back door.

  “Averill, are you alright?” Adeline followed her outside and Averill was sick on the ground.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I just felt so ill.”

  “Come back in. I’ll get a damp cloth and some lemon water.”

  “Thank you, Adeline. Here you are almost six months pregnant and running after me.”

  Back inside it didn’t feel as hot now and the water soothed her throat and her tummy.

  “Averill, how long since…well, you know…”

  “Since what? Since I ate? I had a little breakfast.”

  “No.”

  Amelia came in and sat down. “Good morning. I’ve done my errands. How are you both?”

  “Averill was just ill out the back.”

  “Oh goodness. Are you okay now?” Amelia looked concerned.

  Averill wondered what all the fuss was about.

  “Do you think she’s caught something?” Amelia put her hand on Averill’s forehead.

  “I think she’s caught what I did almost six months ago.”

  Amelia went wide-eyed and looked back and forth between them both.

  “Were you sick?” Averill asked her sister and both Amelia and Adeline burst into laughter. Averill thought the
m quite mad. “I think Lex coming has made you both delirious.”

  “Averill, how long since you had…you know…the curse?” Adeline leaned in and whispered the last two words.

  “Why?”

  They both sat with their eyebrows raised and stared at her. Adeline rubbed her swollen belly; she’d chosen not to wear a cage under her skirts any longer.

  Averill thought about the question and realization hit her. She was pregnant? She was going to have a baby of her own? Jacob’s baby. She jumped, ran out the back door again and vomited again. Using the cool cloth to wipe her mouth she stared at her sisters in turn. “You can’t tell Jacob. Not yet. He will kill Lex if he knows I’m with child.” Her whispers drew the other girls in closer.

  They nodded in agreement. Averill couldn’t believe it. She was due two weeks ago by her best calculations, but she’d not had time to think about it lately. Could it happen that fast? Now she just had to work out when to tell Jacob. She’d wait and see how tomorrow went. It was an hour since the train arrived. A shudder went through her. The thought of that man made her sick again.

  The others took her to the church hall and put her to bed.

  “Rest a while. We’ll go talk to Millie.”

  “Okay. Don’t tell her please. I don’t want anyone else to know until I can tell Jacob.”

  “We promise. Get some sleep and you’ll feel better.” Adeline kissed her on the cheek and covered her with a knitted blanket before they left.

  A baby. How on earth did she look after one of those? She hoped Mama hadn’t lost her touch so she could help her. But she’d have some time with Adeline’s baby, so that would help very much. A baby. Of all the things she’d thought to plan for, being a mother was never one of them.

  Yet another sign from God that she was heading in the right direction. He must have a solution for this mess with Lex. She held onto the faith that the Lord worked in mysterious ways. She couldn’t even imagine herself with a child. She hoped it came naturally to her.