[2015] Western Love

by Christian Michael

  Mary came in with tea for the two of them while Viola carried a sleepy Rosy upstairs to her room.

  Matthew and Carolina sat in silence next to each other for some time staring at the flames in the fireplace. After a few minutes Matthew draped his arm across the back of the couch fiddled with the ends of Carolina’s hair. It just seemed natural to her to scoot back and lean against his shoulder. Matthew didn’t seem to mind. Before she knew it, Matthew was shaking her awake – she had dozed off! Embarrassed, Carolina ducked her chin and murmured an apology.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Matthew chuckled, “I didn’t mind. In fact, it was quite enjoyable.”

  That only made Carolina blush harder and Matthew grin deeper in reaction. “Come,” he said. “Let’s get you upstairs.” He guided her up the steps to her room. When they reached it, she turned to wish him a good night but her gaze was caught by the look in his eyes and the words died on her lips.

  “You are beautiful, Caro, inside and out. I see it in the way you treat Rosy and the way you have adopted Viola and Mary into your family. I know that I said this was purely a marriage of convenience but I must admit that I am starting to be grateful that it is you I am marrying and not anyone else.”

  The more he spoke the more he leaned into her, until his lips were just inches away from hers and his words were nothing more than a whisper. Gently he closed the distance between them and brushed his lips over hers. Carolina’s breath caught in her lungs and her heart was racing. She waited for him to do it again but was disappointed when he stepped back instead. He let out a shaky sign and ran his fingers through his hair.

  “Good night, Caro,” he whispered. “Sweet dreams.”

  Early the next morning, Carolina was woken from her sleep by the sound of men’s shouts and animals’ screams. Disoriented, she forced herself to wake up but couldn’t. There was an odd smell in her room. Her throat seized up on her and she scratched on it to in a futile attempt to breathe. Outside her room she heard the sound of thumping, as if someone was trying to get inside. Why don’t they just turn the knob? It’s not locked. Come on Carolina, open your eyes. See what’s going on. And what’s that funky smell. Suddenly she realized she was sweating. Why am I so hot? I need some water. And a shower. But water first. I am so tired. But she knew that was the wrong reaction. She forced herself to try to wake again. Just a few more minutes then I will wake up. I’m just so. So. Tired.

  As if from a distance she was aware of arms lifting her and someone shouting around her. She knew she was being moved but she didn’t know how and at that moment she really didn’t care. Still she made an effort to open her eyes again. She managed to open them to slits and glimpsed Matthew’s blurred face. She tried to say his name but she couldn’t form the words.

  “Just hold on Caro.” Matthew said. “I’ve got you. You are going to be okay.”

  Hold on? What do I hold on to? Why do you say I’m going to be okay as if I may not be? What’s going on? All her thoughts came to a halt as Carolina finally slipped into deep and blessed slumber.

  That evening, Carolina woke to find herself on a thin cot in a medical ward. At least that’s where she assumed she was. It looked similar to the one Dr. Callow operated for emergencies in Boston. She was very groggy and her throat felt like sandpaper. She moved her arms and feet experimentally to test them out the movement caught the eye of the man sitting next to her bed in a wooden chair.

  “Caro?” Matthew said softly, “How are you feeling honey?”

  “I am okay I guess. What happened to me?”

  “There was a fire at the house.”

  “A fire? What? How? Is everyone ok? Where are they? My baby? Rosy?” Carolina struggled to sit up.

  Matthew got up and gently pushed her back down. “It’s ok. No one was hurt, everyone is safe, even your baby. Everyone that is, except Williamson. “

  “Williamson?” Carolina parroted dumbly. “What happened to him? What’s he got to do with anything? I thought he was headed back to Boston.”

  “I thought so too. Apparently though, he bribed Joshua into letting him stay at a hotel. The kid didn’t see the harm; I guess I wouldn’t either if I was eighteen and someone was giving me more cash than I had ever seen at one time just to stay one night at the hotel.”

  Matthew paused as if to gather his thoughts before going on. “Ben was found in the stables. He was dead, Caro. We think, that is, the sheriff and I, think he had come to set fire to the place. The stables are usually the first place I go to in the mornings. He had a kerosene lamp and matches in hand. We’re not sure what happened, but it’s a good bet he spooked one of the horses in some way and got kicked in the head. We believe that when he fell, the lamp fell to. He had a cigarette in his mouth. The cigarette started the blaze and it quickly spread from the stables to the main house. Turns out that Ben had circled the whole place with the fluid.”

  Matthew stopped and shook his head in disbelief. “A couple of the men are early risers and they heard the screams of the animals. When they came running and saw the house on fire too, one of them ran back to get more men and the other started making a ruckus to wake us up. That’s how I awoke. I took Rosy and everyone ran downstairs. When we were all out, I checked to make sure everyone was alive. That was when I realized you were not with us. I ran back in to get you but the door was already on fire and I couldn’t open it with the knob so I had to try to batter it down.”

  He took her hand between both of his and kissed it and pressed his forehead against both their hands. “I swear I have never been more terrified in my life. I was screaming for you and you weren’t responding. I prayed and begged God to keep you alive. When the door finally opened and I saw you there lying so still…”He broke off and didn’t go on.

  She ran her stiff fingers through her hair and murmured, “Hey, it’s okay. I am okay. We’re okay by the grace of God.”

  “How did you become so important to me Carolina? You haven’t even been in my house for a week! It’s barely been three days for crying out loud. And yet, I can’t imagine my house without you anymore. I can’t imagine my life without you.”

  She was silent a while as she contemplated it; he was right they barely knew each other and yet she had to admit she was just as emotionally entangled as he was. “I think we have been lost and alone for a while. If you are like me, you’ve only been able to find our solace in God alone.”

  Matthew looked at her, startled, “How did you know that? I’ve never told that to anyone. I doubt anyone really even knows I pray regularly.”

  Carolina smiled gently, “Because I have been doing that too. Our hearts sought after God first and, I think, at the right moment, he arranged our circumstances so that we had no choice but to rely on one another, even while we relied on the Lord. Of course, Williamson did what he did out of his own nature, but I guess God already knew that he would and, like he promised, he worked it out for our good because we love him.”

  Carolina closed her eyes and breathed deeply as she absentmindedly entwined her fingers with Matthew’s. “I never would have imagined loving anyone else besides John even a couple weeks ago. I am not saying I love you, at least not in that sense, just yet. But I think the foundation for something that can build into that love has been laid, in both our hearts. Because we sought the heart of God first, he has brought us to each other to heal together and grow together and perhaps, love together as well. We are already so close because his love is working in us.”

  “Yes, I think you could be right, Caro.”

  He broke off as Ms. Sharm, Viola, Rosy and Mary entered the make-shift room. The older women were happy to see Carolina alive and well and fussed over her like mother hens. Rosy climbed up on her father’s lap and leaned against him and told Carolina, “I am glad you are okay Carry.”

  Carolina cringed as both Mary and Viola laughed. “You know what honey, normally, I don’t like to be called Carry – because it reminds me of a canary - but I think I rather like it coming
from you. Only you may call me that though.” She added with a stern warning glance at Matthew and Viola.

  A couple days later, the doctor cleared Carolina to go home with strict instructions to rest for at least another couple of days. The doctor needn’t have worried; what with guardians like Viola, Rosy, Mary and Ms. Sharm watching her every move like a hawk, she had no choice but to behave.

  Matthew was no better than anyone else but the two days of added recovery gave them many a long hour to talk and discover each other’s passions and irritations, loves and hates, habits and controls. They talked and laughed together but more importantly, they prayed together. The more time they spent together, the more they realized how much their secret dreams and desires melded together and how much they complemented each other’s strengths and weaknesses. All they could do was give the glory to God.

  Their wedding was held four weeks later in a small chapel in Montana with just the family as witnesses. Mayna had arrived with her brood from Boston for the event; Dr. Callow walked her down the aisle, beaming as proudly as any father would. Before their earthly family and their Father God, Matthew Jones and Carolina Hendricks nee Lively, pledged to love, care for and cherish the other until death parted them. And the two became one.

  *****

  THE END.

  Butler Love

  Mail Order Bride

  CHRISTIAN MICHAEL

  Chapter 1 – It’s Duty

  “Thank you, Brahms, that will be all.”

  Charles Brahms bowed and closed the door behind him. He had finally reached the top of the line. He was the butler in his own mansion. Well, in his master’s mansion. He was the butler for one of the wealthiest families in the countryside, and it felt great.

  Most of the time, anyway. There were still times when Charlie felt as though there were other things in life he would rather have. Today he helped Sir Hanes to dress for his wedding ceremony. Charles had been friends with Sir Hanes as a boy, and now they were both grown, and Sir Hanes was getting married.

  Charlie liked the girl his friend and employer was marrying. She was kind, pretty, and new how to handle herself well. She was just the kind of girl Charles hoped to marry himself. But of course someone that was going to marry Sir Hanes was not the kind of girl that was going to marry a servant.

  Sir Hanes was the heir to a great mansion. He had more money than anyone else in the entire region, and he had the favor of countless more. Sir Hanes was attractive, wealthy, and charming.

  Brahms, on the other hand, was charming. Only charming. Some might say that he was also attractive, but any of his good looks faded out when he donned his butler apparel. Though he was as kind as his friend, and as charming as any of the fine young men in the countryside, he was constantly looked over because of his occupation in life.

  The best he could hope for was that a kind young woman would gain her own employment in the house, and that he might fall in love with her, and she with him. The only trouble was, he wasn’t around the new recruits. When there was someone new in the house, it fell to the maids to train them.

  Even the young men that started were trained and instructed under the women, after all, he was the butler, and as such it was his duty to mind the mansion and the family that lived in it, and not be hindered by the servants and their petty jobs.

  “Ah, I say there, Brahms! Is Sir Hanes ready?”

  Charles stopped to speak with Gregory. He was Sir Hanes’ uncle, and the only one standing in between Hanes and his fortune. Sir Hanes got along with his uncle well enough, but Gregory wasn’t pleased with Hanes choice of a bride. He wanted his nephew to marry a young woman with a fortune of her own, not a young woman that could take his fortune from him.

  Charles didn’t care for Gregory. He thought Gregory was greedy, and two faced. He feared that there would be issues with Gregory once Hanes had a son, but as the butler Brahms knew it wasn’t his place to say such things, even though Sir Hanes was his friend. He smiled and nodded, then retired to the back room.

  Charles watched the proceedings of the wedding out the window. The bride looked beautiful, and his friend looked pleased to see her walk up the aisle to him. Charles thought they made a smart match, and was genuinely happy to hear them announced as husband and wife, but he felt a pang of solitude as he motioned for the maids to make the reception hall ready.

  There was something missing in his life, and he knew what it was. He wanted a wife. He wanted someone that he could love and hold and cherish, but that wasn’t going to happen here. He was a butler, and he was destined to stay a butler for all of his days. Charles glanced back out the window before he placed all of his attention back to the reception hall.

  Outside, he could see his friend Sir Hanes holding his new bride, and talking to her. Though Charles couldn’t hear anything anyway, he knew that nobody outside could hear what they were saying. He wanted that, too.

  Here, he had to share what he was thinking with most. Here, he had to follow rules and ensure that others did, too. Here, he wasn’t going to get a bride. Here, he was doomed to the life he thought he wanted. And right now, he was afraid he was going to be stuck in that life for good.

  And he would be.

  Unless something changed.

  Suddenly, Charles stopped. Did he really think what he thought he was thinking? Was it possible he wanted to leave here and go out into the world to find his own way in life? Should he really take the chance of working his own home with his own wife and his own responsibilities?

  “Sir Brahms! The bride is going to come in here soon, we must make ready the cake!”

  One of the maids hurriedly pushed the doors of the kitchen open, then disappeared back behind them as quickly as she had been there. Charles snapped back to work. He could let his thoughts wander later on, right now he had his duty to attend to.

  After all, brides weren’t something that he should be worried about. Right now, he was at the top of his world. A butler in a fine house, and now he was in charge of the wedding reception for his master. If he were to ever have his own wedding, it was going to have to wait. Right now his mind was on one thing, and one thing only, and that was his duty.

  Chapter 2 – It’s Made for a Maid

  “Don’t be silly, you are going to wear pink! It goes perfectly with my sash.”

  Fanny sighed and held out her arms, while Miss Jasmine piled the dresses high on top of her. They were gathering the dresses for the bride’s maids, and Fanny was given the role as the most important.

  It wasn’t a surprise to her, she had been a favorite of Miss Jasmine’s since she had started working for her father, and she had accompanied Miss Jasmine on many of these shopping trips. Fanny often wondered what it would be like. Not just having such money to spend on anything, but to be loved by a man, and know that you were going to spend your whole life with him.

  Miss Jasmine never said much about love, she only talked about the trips she and her new husband were going to take, and the parties they were going to have, and the people they were going to impress. There were times when Fanny wondered if Miss Jasmine even loved the man she was marrying, or if she was in love with the rich life.

  Miss Jasmine had chosen an elaborate gown, with a soft pink sash about the waist. It was her dream to be attended by a group of girls that were all dressed to match her own, and she felt she had found just the dresses.

  The two girls had been all over town this morning, in and out of various stores, discussing various dresses with various tailors. Miss Jasmine was trying to find the perfect set of dresses, but it seemed that nobody had what she wanted. Until they had come into this store.

  Fanny didn’t mind shopping with Miss Jasmine. She liked to see all of the different things that were for sale on the racks, but today it was getting old. They had been in and out of so many stores, and Fanny had seen so many things she wished she might be able to buy but knew she couldn’t.

  Yet here they were in this next store, and Miss Jasmine was pulli
ng out fancier and fancier dresses.

  Fanny, on the other hand, wasn’t so sure she wanted to be up there with Miss Jasmine. Miss Jasmine liked everything to be perfect, and she wasn’t good at making everything perfect. Fanny had turned to the service part of work when she failed at being a seamstress as well as a waitress.

  It had been her last resort at a job, and now she was feeling even less enthused about it. All she really wanted was to get married herself, yet here she was attending another girl’s wedding, in a dress she didn’t like.

  “I would think you should be thrilled to get to wear something this nice. They don’t often make dresses this nice for maids.”

  Fanny looked up at Miss Jasmine in surprise. It was almost as though she had the ability to read Fanny’s thoughts. Jasmine was too busy rifling through another rack to take note of Fanny, however, so Fanny turned her attention back to the other things in the store.

  Suddenly, something caught her eye. A newspaper on the counter had blown open when a customer opened the door, and the page it opened to had an interesting title printed at the top.

  Wanted: Mail Order Brides

  The dark print was all she could read from where she stood, so she leaned over to try to read further.

  “What are you doing? I can’t reach you when you are on the other side of the store. Pay attention!”