ROMANCE: Mail Order Bride: A Sheriff's Bride (A Clean Christian Inspirational Historical Western Romance) (New Adult Short Stories)

by Nathan Adams

  The tall woman cleared her throat, her blue eyes sweeping the crowd in front of her. “The story of Adam and Eve warns us of a serpent and a woman who would eventually bring man to his knees. This serpent and this woman would conspire together to ruin man and pull him from God’s grace. I ask you now, what if the serpent and the woman were one creature? And what if that creature’s name was Rebekah.” Her cold eyes immediately met Rebekah’s and a slow smirk came to her face.

  Will shot up out of his seat, staring at Mary-Anne with a look of pure anger. He opened his mouth to object, but before he could, Mary-Anne grabbed a document from the pile of letters and held it up for the crowd to see.

  “Before you go defending her, Will, I think you should know about this.” She shook the document. “This is a contract requesting a divorce from Rebekah’s first husband back in New York. She was already married when she came here—and she still is!”

  All the color drained from Rebekah’s face, and tears filled her eyes. Mary-Anna grinned maliciously and threw the paper down.

  “If she’s lying about this, what else is she lying about? Is that even your child, or is she trying to cover something up?”

  Will turned to look at Rebekah, his eyes filled with pain and betrayal. The idea that the child Rebekah was carrying wasn’t his was far too much for him to take in.

  “Rebekah, is it true?” he whispered, reaching out to touch her hand.

  Mary-Anne was still grinning, shaking the document as the entire congregation turned to Rebekah and stared, waiting for her answer. Stunned silence filled the church until the only sound anyone could hear was the soft panting sobs as Rebekah covered her face.

  “It’s true,” she finally whispered, looking up at Will with a pained expression. “It’s true.”

  Chapter Seven

  The look of heartbreak on Will’s face was truly crushing. He fell back into the pew, eyes wide as he stared at the woman he considered his beloved.

  “It’s true?” he repeated back, clearly not believing it.

  Rebekah reached out and touched his cheek. “Are you willing to listen?” she whimpered. “Are you willing to heart my side of the story?”

  Mary-Anne was almost jumping up and down with excitement, pointing a finger at Rebekah in an accusatory way. She was glowing, proud of the disturbance she’d created and eager to fuel the fire.

  “Confess your sins!” she snapped, eye trained on Rebekah.

  Peter jumped up from the crowd and rushed over to the podium where his wife stood and gripped her arm, pulling her away. She’d caused an uproar, and he knew it was because she hoped to ruin Rebekah and Will’s marriage. Even if Rebekah’s past was unsavory, she didn’t deserve to be outed like this. Nobody did. This was the house of God, and it was a place meant for worship, not attack.

  Will stared into Rebekah’s eyes, unable to resist leaning into her gentle touch. His chest was aching, but he wanted the truth. Will nodded slowly and took a long, deep breath.”

  “I’m willing to listen,” he said softly, closing his eyes and dropping his head.

  She nodded and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close and swallowing thickly. “I was married back in New York. That much is true, but that’s where the truth ends and the lies begin. My family is very well-to-do, and I was expected to marry very young. By the time I was 12, my parent’s picked out a rich investment banker that they expected me to marry. I didn’t want to, but they told me if I didn’t, I would be shaming my family.”

  Rebekah paused and lifted Will’s head so that she could look into his eyes, her own wide and terrified. She knew that he could walk away and leave her at any moment, but she prayed that he did. She prayed that he loved her as much as he said he did.

  “I married him, and my family was so happy and so proud. The wedding was beautiful, and I wore the most extravagant dress, but I wasn’t happy. I was 17 when I married him, and by the time I was 18, I was miserable. I hated my life ,and I wanted to run away. He kept me locked in a room with nothing more than a needle and thread. He didn’t let me go outside because he was afraid the sun would ruin my perfect skin. I cooked for his business partners, and I cleaned his house. I did everything that a good wife was supposed to do, but it was never good enough,” she whispered, closing her eyes. “I’m not sure when the beatings began, but they were brutal. He nearly sent me down the stairs once.”.

  Will’s gaze softened, and his eyes widened. Everyone else in the church was silent, listening to every word she said. Even Mary-Anne was wide eyed and attentive.

  “I tried to run away many times, but he always caught me. I didn’t have access to his money, and I didn’t know how to survive on my own. I was a proper lady, and I was raised to obey, so when I wanted to fight back, I didn’t know how. I prayed to God for an answer. I prayed that he would get me out of the wretched place and take me to the Promised Land. I prayed to be saved, and he answered with a newspaper ad. I happened onto your ad by accident. Michael left his daily newspaper out, and I was tidying up. I happened to see that there was a man in Montana looking for a bride. If there was anything I knew how to do, it was being a bride, so I answered the ad, and I waited.”

  Rebekah lowered her hands to rest on her lap, smiling sadly. “You were the answer to all of my prayers, Will. Yes, I lied. I lied because I was afraid you wouldn’t understand. It has been my experience that most men don’t understand the struggles women face. I expected you to be rough and crude, but you were kind and loving, and you accepted me with all of my flaws. By the time I realized you were the type of man I could tell the truth to, I was afraid that the truth might hurt you far too bad, so I stayed silent,” she whispered. “I didn’t want you to hurt because you save my life, and you showed me that I deserved to be loved. That paper that Mary-Anne stole was the final step to my divorce. When I first came here, it was enough to just run away and be free of that awful man, but the more time I spent with you, the more I wanted to be yours completely. I pray that you understand why I did what I did. I pray that you don’t send me away.”

  Will’s brow furrowed, and he looked up at her, his golden-honey eyes wet with tears. He didn’t want to cry, but he was so moved by her story.

  “I don’t think I have it in me to send you away,” he admitted, lifting his hand to touch her cheek, brushing his thumb across the pale skin. “You were perfect. When I first met you, I wondered how someone could be so perfect, and I realize now that you have flaws like everyone else.”

  Rebekah tensed up under his gentle touch and tears began to roll down her cheeks.

  “But we all have flaws,” he added. “We can’t possibly be perfect, and I never should have expected that from you. I don’t care about your past, Rebekah. God brought us together for some reason that only he knows, and I don’t intend on spitting in his face by turning you away. I’m glad that I was the one who saved you from that place. I’m glad that I could bring you here and let you see this beautiful land, and I’m glad that you are my wife. I love you, Rebekah.”

  Her chest was rising and falling rapidly as her eyes widened at his words. Her breath was quickening, and even though her chest was tightening, she managed to throw her arms around him and pull herself closer to him, tears of happiness streaming down her face.

  “Thank you. Thank you, Will,” she sobbed.

  He wrapped his arms around her, one of his hands resting on her belly. “I have to ask, though. Is this baby mine?”

  She smiled and pulled away, tears trickling down her rosy cheeks. “Yes, I never consummated my marriage with Mike. I knew in my heart he wasn’t the one God intended me to marry,” she said softly. “This child—0ur child, Will—it’s yours.”

  The entire congregation erupted in a roar of cheers and support. Hope swelled inside of Rebekah’s chest, and she knew that this was her home. She was meant to be here with Will and all of these people. This was her promised land.

  Chapter Eight

  The entire town cast Mary-Anne out a
fter what she attempted to pull at the church. Even her husband had little patience for her. She would come to Bible readings and sewing circles to try and talk to people, and everyone just turned their backs. No one trusted her, and everyone was angry at her for what she’d tried to do. She’d attempted to rip up a perfectly happy marriage under the guise of righteousness, and it seemed to be the last straw for most of the townspeople.

  The only one who would give her the time of day was Rebekah. Mary-Anne avoided Rebekah for months following the incident, ashamed at herself for what she’d done and assuming that Rebekah would want nothing to do with her. Rebekah was finally the one to break the silence.

  She told Mary-Anne that she forgave her. She wasn’t mad at her for what she’d done, and she could tell that the woman was truly sorry. The bible often spoke of forgiveness, and Rebekah was a true believer in the power of love over hate. Mary-Anne broken down into tears at Rebekah’s kindness and struggled to understand why she would forgive her. She’d been so cruel to her, and she even admitted to putting the glass in the garden. Even that admission wasn’t enough to push Rebekah away, and she continued to show Mary-Anne kindness.

  When the rest of the town saw that Rebekah forgave Mary-Anne, they followed suit. If Rebekah could forgive her, then everybody else could too. They seemed to understand that she was just an angry, misguided woman. When the town accepted her back into their arms, Mary-Anne became a much more pleasant woman who attended church every Sunday and even began to form a relationship with the husband she’d spurned for so long. Not only that, but she also became Rebekah’s best friend.

  As time passed and early spring came around, Rebekah began to grow bigger and bigger by the day. By the time she was ready to welcome her first child into the world, she was so big that all she could do was waddle around.

  Will was a proud papa and was always watching Rebekah, making sure that she was safe and that no harm could come to their child. He always seemed ready to defend her or help her if she needed it. Although he was a tough man with rugged hands and a tough exterior, the truth of the matter was that he was a gentle, kind soul.

  He tried to play it tough when Rebekah went into labor, but everyone, including the midwife, saw right past that. He was terrified and could hardly watch when their beautiful baby boy was brought into the world.

  They gave him the name of an angel because that’s what he was to them. His name was Gabriel, and he was perfect. A soft tuft of sandy hair sat on his head, and his bright green eyes sparkled with mirth from the day he was born. He didn’t cry as much as many of the other babies, and he always seemed to be happy, though he was happiest when he was in his mother’s arms. He was a true blessing and just more reason for Rebekah and Will to love each other.

  Will finally had the family he’d always wanted, and Rebekah had the love she always wanted. She’d wanted a family, of course, but it was something she’d never really thought about. She never expected that she would fall in love and be happy, which should have come before having a family.

  The sun was just beginning to set on the horizon, and rich streaks of amber and gold cast shadows over the green grass, making their ranch look like a field of honey. Rebekah leaned her head on Will’s shoulder, a soft smile dancing across her plump lips. She held a sleeping Gabriel in her arms, rocking him slowly. It was a year to the day since they’d first met at the train station, guided to one another by something much more powerful and deliberate than chance.

  “Did you ever think you could be this happy?” Rebekah asked, looking up at Will.

  He smiled and put an arm around her shoulder, leaning down to kiss her flaming hair. “I’d always hoped for it. But I never could have imagined just how perfect it would feel.”

  She nodded and leaned into him even more, watching as the sun finally dipped behind the mountains and enveloped them in a soft, purple darkness. The sun might have been setting, but their life was just beginning.

  THE END

  Return to the TOC

  The Hole in His Heart

  Clean Western Mail Order Bride Romance

  By: Richard Christian

  Chapter 1:

  Wayne Thurgood was a good man, hardworking, and loyal. His entire life revolved around two key things: his wife and his children. Betsy Thurgood was a rough-and-tumble woman who knew how to take care of business and never complained about anything. She was God-fearing and cared deeply for the well-being of her family as they settled in Wyoming, where life could get hard. That very attitude carried her though till the end, and even on her deathbed, she didn’t break in the face of death. She stared it head on, and told Wayne it was OK for him to move on because one day she’d see him again.

  It had been roughly three months, but it still hadn’t been easy for Wayne. His heart was hurting again today as he sat in the kitchen where his daughter Melinda was making breakfast. She was only 8, but the young girl knew how to cook up a mean meal like her mama.

  “Smells good in here,” he said after a moment of scanning through the paper.

  “Thanks, Daddy. I figured you’d want something good to start the day right with. I know things have been hard.”

  “That is true, but we don’t need to dwell on that. We take the good with the bad around here,” he said.

  She continued to cook, and Wayne resumed looking in the paper again. He was searching for something in particular, and after a few more moments, he found it. He’d placed a mail-order bride ad in the paper about a week ago, but he hadn’t gotten any responses yet. He kept running it, hoping someone would answer the call soon. “Maybe I ought to change my phrasing,” he said with a sigh as he looked at the description.

  It read, “Wanted: Wife who knows how to take care of multiple children, cook, clean and doesn’t mind the ways of the Midwest. Travel expenses will be taken care of, and living arrangements can be made if necessary.”

  When he thought about it, the ad might not sound too enticing. What woman would want to take on the role of raising three children who weren’t her own, as well as live in such a harsh environment? Everyone knew about the problems the Midwest faced, with attacks by Native Americans only being one of the issues. It wasn’t the most glamorous place to call home, and most women preferred to stay on the East Coast and up north where the living was much easier.

  Charlie and Elisabeth came in from outside laughing and carrying on, though Elisabeth was whining. Wayne grinned at the younger kids, “What’s got you two so riled up?” he asked.

  Charlie, who was 6 at the time, smiled. “We were just playing by the well, and I made up a story about a witch being down there. You should have seen Elisabeth’s face,” he said laughing harder at the flustered girl.

  Elisabeth was only 5, not very far apart from Charlie, so they got along—most of the time. She stomped her foot angrily and crossed her arms, “Charlie’s just mean! Tell him to stop making up stories, Daddy,” she begged.

  Wayne stood up and mused Elisabeth’s hair lovingly. “Sometimes we just need to grow a little bit of thick skin. But what have I told you both about playing near the well?” he asked, getting more serious now.

  Both kids shifted from foot to foot quietly.

  “Well?”

  “Not to do it.” They answered in unison.

  He sighed deeply and then ushered them toward the table. “Now hurry up, wash up your hands and settle down. Your big sis is about to get your plates ready,” he said.

  He walked out onto the front porch with the full intention of getting some fresh air, but then he saw a familiar wagon out front, and it made him sigh deeply. Sheryl and James Carson were here, no doubt to discuss the children’s “dire” situation with him once again. These were his wife’s parents, and they’d always been overly concerned about their grandchildren and their upbringing.

  “Wayne, you’re looking well,” his heavyset mother in law said as she stepped out.

  Wayne nodded and adjusted his hat. “Same to you, Sheryl,” he said.
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  “Now what have I told you about addressing me like that? We aren’t that familiar, Wayne,” she scolded lightly before coming up and taking a seat in a rocking chair.

  Mr. Carson came over next, and he was the very antithesis of his wife, standing very tall and lean. He was a proper man, nothing like Wayne with his bulging musculature and simple manner of dress. “Good day to you, Wayne,” James said before taking his own seat.

  “I take it you both are here to discuss more about the kids,” Wayne guessed.

  “Quick to the bullet, aren’t you, Wayne? Well, you’re right. I just so happen to think that it’s been long enough, and it’s high time we start getting serious about their arrangements,” Sheryl said.

  “Their arrangements are fine. There’s no need to uproot two kids from their daddy, move them halfway across Wyoming and put them at more risk just from the travel alone,” he said.

  “We already mentioned we were considering building a house here,” James said. “This is just you stalling.”

  “There isn’t a way in hell I’m going to let you both keep coming over here and causing trouble. They already said they don’t want to go with you,” Wayne retorted.

  “You see, it’s that brute behavior of yours that makes me really worried about leaving my grandchildren here. We’re going to have to take this to court if you don’t cooperate. You already have your hands full with the ranch, and the kids are always running around here not being minded as it is. You won’t even get a nanny for them,” Sheryl said pointedly.

  “They don’t need a nanny. They’re smart enough to manage themselves while I work,” Wayne said.

  “Then what about when I came rolling up and saw Charlie and Elisabeth playing by the well again?” Sheryl said narrowing her eyes and leaning forward. “You think that’s smart enough? They’re children and don’t know any better, and they need guidance. I fail to see why this even needs anymore discussion,” she said.