Double Deception (Mail-Order Brides 5)

by Annie Boone

  “You’ll do a remarkable job of keeping his memory alive for Thomas, I know,” said Frances. “And we’ll all help, too.”

  She gazed down at the baby in Ella’s arms and smiled at the miracle of life. In times like this, when such a tragedy strikes upon such a good man and good family, all that can be done is to take care of each other the best way possible at the time.

  After a long moment, Ella said, “Frances, do you think you could keep a secret for me?”

  Frances’s eyes flashed from the sleeping baby to her friend as she answered immediately, “Of course.”

  “I saw something in the morning paper that caught my eyes and even through my grief, I cannot seem to get it out of my head,” She explained, but wasn’t sure if she should tell her friend what she had found, but as she looked into her eyes, she realized that it was now too late. She would have to tell her.

  Chapter Three

  “What is it?” Frances asked easily, realizing immediately that this was a difficult situation and subject for her friend.

  “I saw an ad for a man out West seeking a wife.”

  The surprise on Frances’ face was evident and abundant.

  Quickly, she added “Please understand, Frances. I am in no hurry to get married again, but I don’t know how to take care of myself and Thomas. William always did everything. He rescued me from the streets and I never had to do anything else after that. I feel as though I just can’t possibly remain here, in this house, or even in this town. I need to be somewhere new, where I don’t have to go through the house every day and see William’s shadow.” She looked down at her son and sighed, “The most important reminder of him is right here in my arms, but he is the only comfort I have been able to seek. Everything else only brings me sadness.”

  “It has only been five days,” Frances answered carefully, as though she wanted to hear more before passing her judgment.

  “For me, it feels like an eternity. Every minute without him feels like a year of agony. I keep counting the moments since his life ended and I have longed to lie down next to him and free my soul alongside of him.”

  “Ella!” Frances said curtly, but she carefully shook her head in protest of her friend’s thought.

  “Oh, Frances. No, I don’t mean that. I just wish that I did not have to venture through life without him any longer. I know that I must provide for his son. I do not think that a child, a boy especially, should grow up without a father. If I stay here, I am also afraid that he will never have a chance at becoming something else, besides a butler.”

  “You make good wages here and so did your husband,” Frances replied, indignantly. “Are you saying that now that William is gone, you’re above being a servant in this house?”

  “Not at all, Frances. Life here with William was good. I’ve been happy. Without William, I don’t want to be here. It’s just that simple. And there’s nothing wrong with wanting something more than you have for your children. I hope that one day you get to understand that feeling,” Ella replied with as much candor as she could muster.

  Frances sighed. “I do realize that you want more for your child than what you had. I suppose that’s normal. I’m sorry for getting my hackles up unnecessarily. But shouldn’t you consider more in depth what you’re doing though before going off on some foolhardy adventure?”

  “For my own peace of mind, as well as the welfare of my child, I do not believe that I should stay here. I want him to have a father figure in his life. I am sure that Mr. Choate will be kind and helpful towards him, but Thomas will always be no more than the son of the hired help.” Ella shrugged, feeling as though she was revealing far more than she ever intended to, but once she started, it all just seemed to spill out of her.

  In a way, she felt that it might just be her misery talking. The more she thought about it, thought, the more she realized that she really didn’t want her son to grow up with only one option. She had not been given much of an option and neither had William. He was always expected to become a butler, so he had no choice.

  “I know we are more than lucky to work for good, God-fearing people like the Choates,” said Frances. She looked up at the ceiling and took a deep breath. “But I do sometimes imagine what it would be like to not be a servant.”

  “Yes, Frances, I have often wondered the same thing over the last ten years. I will be enormously proud of Thomas no matter what he does for a living. Even if he does end up following in William’s footsteps, I pray that he will be happy with his life choices. I’m not ashamed at all of what William did or what I do now, I just want more for my boy.” Emma wasn’t sure why she was trying to explain her opinion to Frances, but in some way she felt like she needed to get buy-in from someone.

  “If I ever have children, Ella, I know I’ll feel the same way. I guess I don’t want to lose you, too.” Frances walked over to Ella and hugged her close. The movement jostled Thomas and he squirmed to get comfortable again.

  The women chuckled at his scrunched up, annoyed looking face.

  “You know that the only way I can teach him a different perspective as he grows up is to stop being a maid and do something else with my own life.” Ella had a very determined look on her face. It was clear to Frances that she had made up her mind.

  The goals she had set in the wake of the tragedy of becoming a widow had her son’s welfare at the root of them all. She felt that joining the mail order bride program would not only provide the options she sought for him, but it would also give her the freedom to take care of him properly.

  Ella paused as she expressed her thoughts and Frances did not comment, but just looked pointedly at her friend. Ella finally continued with an insisting tone, “I know that if I stay here, I will not be able to spend time with my son the way that a mother should, because I will be working. And you know I will have to work more to bring in more money to cover the loss of William’s salary.”

  “Well, now Ella, remember that with William gone, you won’t need as much,” Frances offered with a hopeful tone.

  “Yes, I know, but my salary is about where yours is. Do you think you could raise a son and live well on the money you make?” Ella asked.

  Frances shrugged and answered, “Well, you make a good point there. I do think that you should do whatever it is that you feel is right for your son and yourself. I suppose it’s easy for others to tell you what to do when they don’t walk in your shoes. Only you know what’s best for Thomas.” She shrugged easily.

  “Please, just don’t tell anyone, because after all, this is only an idea. I have no idea what is going to work or if things are going to progress in a manner that is appropriate. I don’t want to lose my job before I have a backup plan.”

  Frances smiled at her and assured, “Your secret is safe. However, I am sure Mr. and Mrs. will understand, when you choose to tell them.”

  “Oh, I really hope so. They’ve been so good to me and I don’t want to disappoint them or make them believe I’m ungrateful,” Frances answered carefully, before her eyes moved down to her peaceful son. “I only wish to do what is best for him. He is my life now; the only living reminder that I have of my beloved William and the only joy and care I have left in this world.”

  Chapter Four

  After thinking about what she truly wanted and searching through all of the mail order bride ads she could get her hands on, Ella finally decided to take the first steps in her plan. She asked around in town for all the options for meeting men looking for wives in the West but was told that the magazine ads were the most reliable. Ella began corresponding with a doctor who lived out West.

  Ella felt as though part of her vigor in her research was because she viewed it as a good distraction, while the rest was pure concern for the future of her son. Even though Ella always worked hard, she never had so much passion and commitment come so easily to her as she did when she was trying to build a future for Thomas.

  In her mind, she had already loved with all her heart and lost, so now,
it was her son’s turn. Ella would stop at nothing to give him the best chance in life she possibly could. Marrying a successful doctor, even if it was under such strange circumstances, was the best way to start getting herself and her son back on track after the tragedy that they had endured.

  Even with the distraction of finding her new life, Ella approached her work in the Choate household with seriousness. While she lacked the same energy as before William died, she did her best to do everything she was expected to handle. She still felt incredibly sad, but working through the day helped keep her mind off her moodiness.

  As the months passed, Ella found that her will to perform her duties for the Choates was waning. She knew she needed to find a way to pull the drive back out of her, at least until she was at the end of her tenure. She was more focused on taking care of Thomas. He was the only guiding light in her entire life.

  Ella thanked the Lord every day for giving him to her and William, as well as for allowing her husband to have the joy of parenthood. As brief as it was, she was sure that Thomas had given William the strength to fight the illness for as long as he did, as well as the fortitude to let go, with the peace of mind that he had served someone beyond himself, in a lasting and powerful way.

  William did not die as merely a butler and a husband. He died, having been a father. Though he was not an emotional man, Ella knew that becoming a father had been the best day of his life.

  When Ella wasn’t pining over the past and trying to feel better about being left here while her husband moved on, she was diligent in her pursuit of the next phase of her life. When she found the doctor, she was extremely happy. It finally felt as though her life had taken an upwards turn.

  “I think I’ve found the one, Frances!” Ella exclaimed as she walked into the servant sitting room the night she had received the fifth letter from the doctor.

  “The one? Really? I thought the process would take longer. Are you sure after only a few letters?” Frances asked.

  “Well, in truth, it’s frightening. However, I can’t wait forever. I feel like going ahead when I have an opportunity is the best way to go.” Ella poured herself a cup of tea and settled in the chair next to the window.

  “So tell me about this man you’re going to marry,” said Frances.

  “He’s a successful doctor in Nevada. I read that the weather there is terrific. Warm almost all the time. Won’t that be perfect for Thomas as he grows up. No more snow and bundling up to go outside. It will be nice.”

  “I’m not talking about the area or the weather. Tell me about the man,” snorted Frances.

  “You know I’m not going there for romance, don’t you, Frances? I know we had that conversation. I’ve had the love of my life. This move is for the welfare of my son.

  “You’re still young, Ella. You need to keep an open mind. What if the doc turns out to be really handsome, really nice, and really perfect?” Frances hoped that logic would bring Ella back to a place where she realized she still had a life to live herself.

  “I really only care that he treats us well, provides for us, and is pleasant,” said Ella. “I am preparing to be the kind of wife he says he needs. He seems to be a gentleman and he is very well spoken through the written word. He professes to be a regular at church which is necessary if we are to become a family.”

  “What has he written about? How do you know about his life?” Frances was genuinely interested in what was going to be happening in Ella’s new life.

  “Well, he said he has a busy medical practice. I think he also works with some of the animals if the help is needed. He has complimented me profusely that I have work experience. He said that most of the women he corresponded with had not done a lick of work,” Ella said.

  “Seems an odd kind of compliment for someone who will be your wife,” noted Frances. “I’d expect him to say nice things about your personality or your photo. You did send a photo, didn’t you?”

  Ella nodded that she had sent a photo. In fact, she had sent a photo in the second letter she had mailed to him.

  “I’m sure his interest in my work experience is more about getting a little proof that I understand how to be a dutiful wife. After all, marriage is more than romance and sweet nothings.”

  ***

  Ella always was happy when she found a letter from Dr. George McCade in the post. He was a colorful writer and his letters described his life and the happenings in the area with great detail. The one she had received when he asked for her hand in marriage looked like all the others she had received from him. That letter had turned out to be different and when she opened it, she got a surprise.

  He had shared a little tidbit of information that made her heart do a little dance – he had already purchased a wedding ring for her and he was looking forward to putting that ring on her finger. She had discarded the idea of a romantic union, but she couldn’t help but wonder if possibly she would fall in love again. After all, she was still young.

  Ella finally received the proposal she had been hoping for. He invited her to come out to see him. The invitation contained a stagecoach ticket and the promise of a wedding. The letter had contained nice words saying he had come to care for her through her writing and he was very much hoping for a positive response to his proposal.

  She quickly had written a letter back to the good doctor that she would indeed come to meet him, marry him, and build a life with him. At this point, Ella could not bring herself to tell him the about Thomas. She simply could not risk that this information would cause him to rescind his proposal. She may live to regret this decision, but she was in too deep now to make adjustments.

  The mother in her was certain that he would love her son the moment that they met in person. When that happened all would be forgiven if he was going to hold a grudge over her withholding of information. After all, he seemed like a reasonable man and when she explained why she had omitted the existence of Thomas, she felt that he would understand and forgive her.

  He was a doctor and would understand that a mother would do anything for the welfare of her child.

  Once he saw how good her son was, he wouldn’t mind at all. The baby was rarely fussy. He slept and ate well, in addition to always being happy. His smile was the only thing that had gotten Ella through these past few months, she was positive of that. He was her true joy.

  It was time to start preparing to make the move across the country. There was much to be done. First things first, though, Ella asked for some time with her employers. She informed them of her intentions to resign and filled them in on the main details of her plan. The couple was saddened that she was leaving, but she also believed that they were being genuine when they told her that they understood.

  “Ella, you’ve been a wonderful part of this household. I’ve come to love you dearly and I so hate to see you go,” Beverly Choate said sincerely when Ella finished her announcement.

  “I’ve come to love you, too, Mrs. You know I must make a fresh start, though. I am having trouble returning to life in the place I lived with my William. I need a change of scenery very badly,” responded Ella with a weak smile.

  “We do understand, my dear,” boomed Franklin Choate. “We wish you only the best.”

  “I have seen your difficulties and your sadness. These things have manifested on your face day after day. I’ve been waiting for you to resign, to tell the truth,” said Mrs. Choate. “I believe it’s the right thing for you to do. You must take control of your life for yourself and your precious little boy.”

  It took Ella about a week to get her things packed into trunks and close her life in the city down. It surprised her that the process was so easy, but when she considered her lack of family it all made sense.

  Ella was realistic and constantly reminded herself that this was basically a business move for her. She would be marrying a man to help him with his life and possibly give him a child if that’s what he wanted. She would be a submissive wife as the Bible instructed. For some re
ason, though, she couldn’t push the excitement away. She was looking forward to a new place and a new life.

  The night before she was to leave, she sat in her room for the final time. Frances was with her to keep her company until it was time for bed. Thomas was sleeping soundly so there was time for them to talk.

  “You know, Frances, I’m excited about the trip to Nevada. I’ve tried to be calm about it, but the change is going to be good, I believe.”

  Frances had tired somewhat of the conversation about how good this move was going to be. They had talked many times over the past few months about Ella’s decision. Frances nodded, but remained silent.

  “But I do have a few concerns about what I may be walking into,” Ella stated.

  Frances perked up a bit at this new conversation direction. Until now, there had been very little talk about any possible flies in the ointment regarding Ella’s trip west. “What do you mean?” she responded.

  “Well, I expect that this Dr. McCade is a busy man since he says he lives in a bustling town. Belmont, Nevada will be our new home. I have no idea how many other doctors live in the town, but he could be the only one.”

  “I guess it’s possible that there is only one doc in a western town,” said Frances. “But what does that have to do with you and Thomas?”

  “Maybe nothing,” Ella said. “It’s just that I didn’t tell him about Thomas. I don’t know how he will take that news and how he will be a father figure to my son if he’s too busy with the sick people of the town.”

  “Oh, Ella! Why didn’t you tell him?” Frances exclaimed.

  “Shhh,” Ella admonished. “Don’t wake him up. I don’t want him to be cranky to start our trip tomorrow.”

  “Sorry. But you really should have told him.”

  “I know. I’m worried about it now and it’s too late to tell him before I get there.” Ella thought that this failure could be her undoing.