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

by Nathan Adams

  “You’d best get out of the way, you two. A nail or a splinter might fly off and hit ya’. I’d hate that to happen, especially now,” he added, then turned around and continued with his work.

  “Yes, sure,” she said. “We’ll just … ” She took a step backward, pointing to the house with her fingers. “Go back to the house. We’ll wait for you there for dinner. Come on, boy!” She called her puppy and headed toward the house.

  On her way back, she was still under the impression of everything that had just happened. Finally, a crack, an opening, a ray of sunlight that she could hold onto! He had finally shown her that there was a warm, beating heart beneath all that ice.

  Chapter Five

  Betsy had again so thoughtfully left them alone during dinner, instinctively knowing that something world-shattering was taking place. The young future couple exchanged a few pleasant words, though they didn’t really have a proper conversation. Somehow, both of them felt fine with it. They felt at ease. The two then retreated to the parlor where Quentin decided to read while Lucy took up Betsy’s sewing kit, a present she had recently received and started to practice.

  All of a sudden, Quentin put down the book and glanced at her. She wasn’t aware of this, being fully immersed in her sewing.

  “Do you know why I got so upset when I found out you were going through my stuff?” he asked. His question made her freeze.

  “It’s just not the right thing to do to anyone.” She put down her sewing kit.

  “Not just that.” He sighed. “There’s somethin’ … somethin’ I’d been selfishly keepin’ to myself all these years, somethin’ that, I see now, might be poisonin’ me.”

  “What are you talking about?” His words worried her.

  “The box you found … ”

  “How did you know I touched the box?” She was astonished. She was sure she put everything back as it was.

  “The red envelope wasn’t on top of all the rest when I read the letters the last time,” he stated calmly.

  “Those were all letters?”

  “Valentine’s Day cards and letters.”

  “From whom?” she asked. She wasn’t sure if she really wanted to know the answer. Was there someone else? Someone who still had a tight grasp over his heart?

  “Her name was Evelyne.” He revealed her name with a profound sadness, and Lucy knew immediately that Evelyne was not her rival, at least not anymore. “We grew up together. Her mom, Betsy, was like another mom to me. We knew everything about each other, and by the time we were both 16, we knew that we were meant to be together forever.” Then, more sadness in his voice. “All those letters and cards were from her. Every year, ever since I can remember, we’d exchange Valentine’s Day cards, presents, you know, little things.”

  Lucy felt the need to hug him, to assure him that she would be there for him no matter what.

  “But then, one day, she was gone.”

  “Gone?” Lucy asked.

  “Consumption took her. Just like that.” He seemed to be drifting off in his memory of Evelyne. “We’d hoped she’d get better, but no one ever does. One day, just like that, she was gone.”

  Lucy couldn’t believe her ears. So this was why it was so hard for him to open up again. And Betsy, that wonderful, affectionate, loving woman who hid so well behind her cheerful persona had felt the most painful blow life can deal: the death of a child.

  God works in mysterious ways. Lucy knew that. But knowing that His presence is all around can lift us in the moment of our darkest hour, give us strength when we thought we couldn’t go on anymore and look up to the skies with a newfound hope.

  “After her … after Evelyne died, I swore I’d never allow myself to be hurt that badly again. I just couldn’t put myself through all that again,” he said. She understood his pain. She knew now why and all she wanted was to make him whole again, with the help of Lord Almighty.

  “But if you’re willing to forgive me for my horrible behavior with you these past few days, I reckon I can show you that there’s another Quentin here.” He smiled. “He’ll listen. And talk!” He laughed, and Lucy joined him.

  “That’s all I ever wanted!” She jumped to hug him, and her puppy joined in.

  “So, what did you end up calling this little guy?” he asked. “I need to know so I can put his name on the house I built for him.”

  She smiled. “It’s Freckles.”

  “Freckles!” He laughed out loud again. “Isn’t that a little.” But he didn’t finish his sentence.

  “A little what?” She tried to sound offended, but couldn’t manage it and laughed as well.

  “Oh, nothin’. Freckles is perfectly fine.” He petted the puppy.

  That night Quentin didn’t go to any saloon but actually stayed home for the first time in a long while. The two were reading and sewing, with Freckles comfortably lying by Lucy’s feet.

  In the morning, the two were equally glad to see each other at the breakfast table.

  “I have a little something for you,” she said.

  “Do ya now?” He smiled. “What is it?”

  She was obviously holding something behind her back, and she seemed to hesitate whether to give it to him or not.

  “Maybe it’s not such a good idea,” she whispered.

  “No, no. Come on now,” he urged her gently. “I won’t bite.”

  “Well, here.” She offered a pink little envelope with a dangling ribbon.

  “What’s this now?” He opened it. It was a Valentine’s Day card. “But, it ain’t Valentine’s Day, Lucy,” he said.

  “I know.” She almost felt sorry she gave it to him. Maybe it was too soon. “Valentine’s Day was two weeks ago. But maybe we can celebrate it today?” She smiled innocently.

  He opened the letter and read it. After a few initial seconds, he smiled.

  “I reckon we can.” He folded the letter back into the envelope and approached her, hugging her tightly. Freckles also seemed to feel that something important was taking place, so he also barked loudly to make himself known.

  “Now, after we plan today, there’s other business we need to take care of,” he added seriously.

  “Really? What?” She shivered. What was it now?

  “Our wedding!” He hugged her again and kissed her on the forehead. “I reckon your parents are going crazy that we still haven’t telegrammed them about the exact day. They’ve been waiting for two weeks now!”

  “Oh, yes!” Lucy laughed as well.

  With all this commotion, she had completely forgotten that she needed to send a telegram to them regarding the exact date.

  “Well, do we have a date?” she asked.

  “It’s for you to set, Lucy. Betsy will help you with everything you need. I’ll pay for whatever you wish to have, and we’ll have the best weddin’ this town’s ever seen.” He hugged her again, lifting her high up in the air.

  “Oh, am I interrupting anything?” The sweet voice of Betsy was heard from the door.

  “Matter of fact, you are!” He winked at her.

  “Oh, could it be?” She hid half of her face in her hands in anticipation of good news to come.

  Both of them nodded.

  “Oh, thank you Lord Almighty!” She raised her hands high up in the air, as if wishing to touch God himself. Lucy and Quentin were smiling at her while Freckles, who perhaps had no idea what exactly was going on, still knew that it was a time of joy and happiness and tried to make as much noise as possible to accompany the hubbub that was taking place before him.

  THE END

  Return to the TOC

  A Mother's Love

  Clean Western Mail Order Bride

  By: Samuel Grace

  Chapter 1:

  I didn’t care how the wind ripped through the valley this night—my son and I were done. My son, Thomas, wouldn’t see his ma get battered by a man anymore. I wouldn’t allow it.

  I carried my son as we hurried through the train station while the rain pou
red and the wind howled. It wasn’t the best night to be out, but it was the only chance I had. I tried to cover my face so no one could see the bruises and ask questions. I simply didn’t have the time and couldn’t risk the delay as we escaped to what I hoped would be a life of freedom.

  In hand I had a suitcase, filled with the letters written to me by David Copland. He and my husband were comrades in the war. They’d gotten close during the hard times and stayed good friends until the end. When my husband passed away from a gunshot wound, he told David to take care of me. He’d never come in person, but his letters hold power over my heart beyond measure. The tales he told captivated me. He and my husband braved everything together.

  I was used to Jacob being a tough man, but those stories reminded me how strong he really was. After all, he joined the Union even though we were from the heart of the South. We moved up North as a family at the start of the war, and my son and I counted the days for him to finally come through the door and greet us with open arms. That day never came, and I had to muster up the courage to move on for the sake of my son.

  To make things worse, his brutish older brother, Nathan, took his inner frustrations out on me. He’d been in love with me, but I chose Jacob over him. That never sat well with him. Once Jacob died, Nathan tried his hand at having his way with me. I prayed to God that He would keep me safe from Nathan. All we had was one another. The three of us were all that was left, and Jacob always thought Nathan would take care of me. Little did he know about the evil that lurked in his brother’s black heart.

  Beatings were more common now than trying to sexually assault my body. I presumed this was because he got interested in another woman, but he liked to punish me for all of the suffering I put him through for not choosing him. He also was blaming me for Jacob’s death. I don’t know how it could be correlated, but somehow he’d worked it out that way.

  The only thing that mattered now was that we were leaving. Thomas clung to me as I guided him through the busy station among the other people. This poor child. I had enough of him being subjected to the wrongs of our world at such an early age. I feared he would age well before his time because of all of the things he’d witnessed, but what could I do? I was only one woman, and no male figures he could accurately remember had ever shown him how to be a man. It was left to me to raise him to be better than his uncle and more like the good descent man his father was, the man my son would barely remember when he grew. Such thoughts brought tears to my eyes.

  He whimpered a little. I knew he was aware that something was different. “Hush now, Thomas. We’re going to meet a friend,” I said after some hesitation. I wasn’t sure how to put it to him. I knew I was taking a chance following my heart to be with a man I’d never met, but there was no way to explain that to my 2-year-old son..

  At first David’s letters were cordial and businesslike. But with each story, we started to open up to each other. Things changed. Suddenly I could feel his desire to be near me. I knew he hesitated—I thought because he was a descent man—but somehow I felt like in his last days my husband might even have suggested this to David.

  I held Thomas closer to me as we neared the train headed out West to Montana. I had never been to a place like it, but that’s where this retired military man had planted his roots. It was all I knew about him these days. Just a couple of weeks ago, his letters stopped coming.

  I knew when they got here and had timed it down to the second. As pathetic as that sounds, it was all I had. It happened so suddenly that I feared the worst. Surely David hadn’t met the demise my husband had. I could only hope and pray. That was all that I had. If I got there and he wasn’t alive, I would only have my son and my faith to keep me stuck to this world.

  Everything seemed to be going smoothly, though I was still worried Nathan would catch up to us. I didn’t let Thomas catch on to my fear. My heart pounded in my chest and sounded like a thousand galloping horses in my ears. My palms were clammy. I knew he had already caught on to the fact that we were gone. I only hoped I was right about my timing.

  Thomas got giddy when he noticed the train—now in all its glory. To me, it sat there like a chariot to freedom, and to him, it was an adventure. We both had similar smiles plastered on our faces.

  “Train! Train!” he shouted excitedly, bucking in my arms as if to hurry me along toward it.

  Even though I was excited, I felt a pang of fear as we stepped forward. I couldn’t be certain why, but it didn’t stop me from moving on. “That’s right. But you know you’ve been aboard one of these before,” I said, smiling down at him.

  He paused for a moment while he contemplated my words, but his excitement resumed. “Train!” he shouted once more.

  I giggled, but it was cut short when I heard a familiar voice ordering people to move out of his way.

  I turned around quickly and saw him standing there. Nathan had the ugliest scowl on his face.

  My heart froze. I wished to God right now that He would deliver me and my son safely away. If we could just make it to that train, we would never have to look back on this again. We would be free—if I could just get to David.

  “Woman, you really think you can just walk out on me? Where you going with all my money?” he asked with a sneer as he approached.

  No one seemed to be moving to help us. I always thought the one thing the North was missing was a little sense of morality. I could have just been thinking in the moment, but I was scared and alone with my son, and obviously this man wasn’t stable. I knew people heard that last comment about “his” money and assumed I had made my own bed with this situation. If only they knew he’d just confiscated all the funds Jacob left me.

  “This ain’t your money,” I hollered back at him.

  “You know it is, and you’re going to hand it over. You need to bring yourself back home and stop this nonsense,” he said.

  He was a nasty man, and people seemed to finally get this. No doubt they finally saw the marks and bruises on my face. A few men seemed to be closing around us in the event he acted out.

  “You need to leave this young woman alone,” a man said as he stepped forward. He wasn’t nearly as big as Nathan, and I feared for his safety.

  “Get the heck out of my way,” Nathan said in a dangerous growl as he stepped forward and pushed the man.

  He was moved aside easily, and I knew at that moment I was done for.

  “Ma,” Thomas said in a quivering voice.

  I held his hand tighter as I took a step back toward the train. I could feel the warmth of people behind us, though, and wondered why they hadn’t cleared a path. I was sick to my stomach thinking it was just to see a little domestic drama.

  “You know Jacob would have your head for this, scaring up a widowed woman and her child,” I said defensively as I glared at him.

  “Jacob ain’t here no more. I’m the one that’s responsible for feeding you, keeping you clothed and maintaining the roof over your head. I’m the one that makes sure that little waste of space gets to have an education. I even sacrifice my social life for you,” he said angrily.

  “Nobody told you that you had to be in love with me,” I spat back. “I’m not holding you back. You are! You know you’re wrong for keeping that girl on the sidelines,” I said.

  I could barely see straight. “And I couldn’t love a man that beats his woman.”

  Women gasped, and men murmured among themselves—except for the ones who grabbed Nathan up. “I knew you hit that woman,” one of them said in a low tone.

  Nathan was pulled away while he cursed and kicked. “I’mma find you and get my money back, Wendy. I hope you don’t forget because you’ve done it now,” he threatened as he was pulled off.

  People were staring at us, and Thomas was clinging to me even harder as he felt the burden and pressure.

  I could only stare back at them, wondering why they were treating us like some kind of circus act. Luckily, somebody had some compassion in his heart.

&nbs
p; “OK, OK, break it up, and let the lady on the train,” one of the patrolmen said as he broke up the crowd. He looked over at me and frowned. “Are you OK, Miss? You look like he socked you a good one in your eye there. I hate to send you and the boy alone after something like that,” he said.

  I nodded my head. “Everything will be fine. As long as he isn’t near me, we’ll be fine,” I said to reassure him, though my mind was drifting. I was worried about that threat. Would David agree to put me and my son up when a madman might be after us?

  The patrolman nodded. “I won’t take up any more of your time then. You should definitely keep yourself nearby someone in case he comes looking for you. I’m sure he’ll be spending a few nights away from home, though,” he said with a smile.

  I thanked him for his help and got on the train with my son. Once we were on board, I cuddled him close to me and draped my shawl over his shoulders to warm him.

  “Bad man?” Thomas asked as he looked up at me with teary eyes..

  I held him and rocked him as it naturally came to me. For a moment, I didn’t want to promise something I couldn’t even be sure of, but any peace of mind was better than none. “He’ll never hurt us again,” I said to him.

  Thomas seemed content with that and fell asleep in my arms shortly afterward. I stayed wide awake, thankful that all eyes were finally off of me and my son. I watched as the train pulled off. Once it started moving—if only for a little while—I felt invincible.

  Chapter 2:

  It took a long time before we finally reached Montana. Along the way, I was able to spend time with Thomas in a way I hadn’t in a very long time. The journey was new to him. He liked seeing how the landscape changed as we traveled across the states. Every stop, I splurged on him, even if I shouldn’t have. Lollipops, trinkets, cards. He finally had what I only wished I’d been able to give him all this time.