Bride in Blue

by Christine Sterling

  “Try me,” Max said.

  Cassie picked up one of the buttons, rubbing it between her fingers. She related what Mrs. Pennyworth had told her and that the buttons reminded her of Mr. Pennyworth and that everything would be alright.

  “And this is your guardian angel?” Max asked, taking the buttons and placing them back in the drawer. Cassie nodded.

  “Do you think I am a lunatic?” she asked.

  Max kissed her forehead. “Not at all. I am fully aware of who Mrs. Pennyworth is.”

  “You are?”

  Max nodded. “She appeared a few mornings before you arrived. She said I needed some excitement.”

  “Did you get your excitement, Max.”

  “All that and more.”

  The sound of the door opening caused them to break apart. “We are closed for the evening,” Max said, moving Cassie behind him.

  “I am hoping that you at least let me come in.” The man looked around the shop. “It looks like a barnyard in here. I can’t believe that this is how you do business.” Max felt Cassie stiffen behind him.

  “What do you want?”

  “Didn’t you get my letter?”

  Max shook his head. “No. I didn’t.”

  “Imagine my surprise when my merchandiser told me that you were displeased with the quality of the work coming out of my factory.” The man walked around to the pants that were thrown in a pile on one of the tables. “Imagine how truly surprised I was when I found out it was you.”

  “What do you want?” Max repeated.

  The man came closer. Max held his gaze fast. No matter how much animosity he had towards the man, he had forgiven him a long time ago.

  “Is that any way to talk to your father, son.”

  “You aren’t my father,” Max hissed back.

  A small gasp came out from behind Max and he felt Cassie slump to the ground.

  Cassie fluttered her eyes open. Where was she?

  “You’re awake,” the man said, helping her into a sitting position. She was in the sitting room on the settee.

  “Who are you?”

  The man smiled. “I’m Dr. JT, and you need to stop fainting.” He held a glass of water to Cassie’s lips. “Only take a few sips at a time. I might have to start treating Max soon if you keep this up.”

  Cassie’s eyes darted around the room. “Where is he?”

  “I sent him out. Would you like me to get him?”

  Cassie nodded.

  “I think your father would like to see you as well.”

  “Alright,” she responded softly.

  The doctor left and suddenly Max appeared in the doorway. He rushed to her side and clasped both her hands in his. She noticed his eyes were red, as if he had been crying. He brought her hands to his lips and kissed them repeatedly. “You scared me, Cassie. Please don’t do that again. I love you.”

  Cassie looked at him in surprise. He loved her. Didn’t he know who she was?

  “That man was your father?”

  “No. That man was someone who raised me for the first part of my life and then sent me away when my mother died.”

  “You. You are the boy that disappeared.”

  “I went to school in San Francisco. When I returned home, I took my mother’s name, Blue. I had all my connections at the docks, so I started working as an importer of fine fabrics. When I moved out here, I flipped those relationships and started buying from the various garment factories. I didn’t realize that one of my contacts represented my father’s factory. Can you forgive me?”

  “There is nothing to forgive you for. I saw the letter and thought maybe he had found us. Father and I ran away because he was the man who wanted to force my father to let me marry him. I couldn’t be married to someone so terrible.”

  “I hope you don’t think I’m terrible, Cassie. I know I’m flawed. I know I prefer order, but I do love you.”

  “Why would you say that?”

  “I’m half of him.”

  “Well then, there must be something good there, because you are all goodness and kindness. And I love you too.” Cassie gave him a kiss and then lay back on the sofa. “What about my father? He threatened him.”

  “That was only because Charles and I knew what he and some of his managers were up to,” Hal said, entering the room.

  “What do you mean? He said you had stolen from the factory.”

  “I told you I would never take anything.”

  “Then what was it?”

  “He needed something to fire me for because I found out that he had children working in the factories. Charles did steal a pair of pants, but that was only to take to the police department.”

  “Those were the ones I found in his bag that day.”

  “Yes. Weston threatened to dispose of anyone who double-crossed him.”

  Cassie looked at her father. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Child labor? It wasn’t unheard of in New York. Despicable yes, but unheard-of, no.

  After all, Charles started working for the factory when he was only seven. Cassie was five when she picked up her first project; sewing labels into vests.

  “When I was looking at some of those children, I thought about my own. How I had you and Charles working for him since you were little. There isn’t any law that says children can’t work outside the factory.” Her father rubbed his eyes. “Weston denied having children working in the factories, but some of the workers he said were fourteen were as young as eleven. All the light was gone from their eyes. Those babies trying to do an adult’s job. And when they failed, he was so abusive to them.” A sob broke out. “I couldn’t do anything. I saw it happen over and over again. I thought what it would be like if that was you or Charles. I had to protect them somehow.”

  Cassie let out a sob. “Forgive me, daughter? Please say you forgive me.”

  Cassie nodded. “Where is Charles?” she asked. “Is he still in New York?”

  Her father shook his head. “He’s disappeared. The last correspondence I had was a week ago. He was trying to gather enough evidence to shut the factory down.”

  “Where is Weston?”

  “I told him to leave and never return. That he had no business here. He had no claim to you or your father.”

  “You came to Creede looking for a fresh start. I hope you can find that with me.”

  “You don’t think he will try anything again, do you?”

  “I don’t think so. Your father told me what happened in New York. I was able to use that as leverage to get him to leave. You are safe, Cassie. I will always keep you safe.”

  Cassie wrapped her arms around her husband. She knew where she belonged. Mrs. Pennyworth sent her here to help him, but he ended up helping her. More than he would ever know.

  “I love you, so much, Max.”

  “I love you, Cassie Blue.”

  “Are we about done in here?” Mrs. Brown’s voice called from the hallway. “I just put on a fresh pot of coffee and we have cake to eat.”

  Cassie raised her arms to allow Max to help her up from the settee. “What about the mess at the store?”

  “It can wait until tomorrow. Nothing is more important than you.”

  “I can’t believe Mrs. Brown brought up pastries this late at night.”

  “Pastries are right for any occasion, Cassandra Blue.” He swiped her nose with his finger. “I even hear they help with lovesickness.”

  Cassie gave a laugh and let her husband lead her to the dining room and her future.

  Epilogue

  Early August

  Cassie Blue looked around at the workmen milling around the door of the haberdashery. The shop closed for business that morning but would reopen in three days.

  The new addition was about to be finished and the construction team was about to knock the wall out between the main showroom floor and the new tailor shop.

  For the past week she had told Max to stay at home and not venture to the store. She knew how the dust and
noise affected him.

  It was difficult enough having to serve customers while the construction could be heard through the wall. The dust that was going to be kicked up today would only add to his apprehension. Fortunately, her father and Mrs. Brown were there to help. Cassie thought there might have been something developing between her father and the lovely widow, but she couldn’t be sure. Her father deserved some happiness.

  She could hear their voices on the other side of the wall discussing the construction with the foreman.

  With Max away from the store, Cassie could ensure everything was covered before the demolition began. Business had nearly tripled, especially during the times the traveling theater was in town, and expansion was only natural.

  When her father suggested building a tailor shop since it was becoming more difficult to work out of the home, Max was enthusiastic. It made perfect sense to add it onto the side of the haberdashery. That way he would have a work space instead of trying to do alterations out of their home.

  Cassie couldn’t wait. As much as she loved her family, she was impatient to be alone with Max.

  She thought her life was perfect! She couldn’t be more in love with her husband if she tried. Only one thing would make it more perfect and she would tell him that news once the store reopened!

  Cassie laid her hand on her belly and reassured the child growing inside her that the noise would stop shortly. She was laying a sheet over the wire mannequin when she heard the sound of the bell.

  “We’re closed today,” Cassie called. “Can you please come back tomorrow?”

  Heavy footsteps were heard behind her, and suddenly she was swept up in an embrace from behind. She felt Max bury his nose in her hair. “I missed you,” he whispered.

  Cassie turned around in his embrace and placed her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss. She was breathless when he finally released her.

  “Was Charles disturbing you?” she asked. Her brother had arrived from New York a few days prior. He didn’t say much at all since arriving in Creede, and he refused to discuss what happened in New York before he left.

  “Not at all. He was in the study reading about the latest designs from New York.” He pulled her closer for another passionate kiss. “I just know you were down here working, and I didn’t like the idea of you being alone with all these men about.”

  Cassie gave him a quick hug before releasing him and returning to covering the rest of the display with sheets. Max grabbed the other side and helped her lay it over the display of cravats.

  When they were done, they covered the workbench. Cassie leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand.

  “You know, I don’t feel alone at all here. Even if I’m the only one in the shop, it is almost like someone else is here all the time.” She stood up suddenly. “Silly, isn’t it?”

  Max grinned. “Not at all. I know exactly what you mean.”

  “Pass me that bedsheet there and I’ll get the notion boxes covered,” Cassie said.

  He handed her the sheet, and she shook it out before handing one side to Max.

  “We’re about to start,” Hal said, popping his head through the door.

  Cassie nodded. “Almost done.”

  As she and Max went to cover the notions box, Cassie noticed three pearl buttons standing out against the dark wood.

  Mrs. Pennyworth.

  Max noticed them too. Cassie watched his face as he bit his lip, deep in thought. “Do you see those?” Max asked her.

  “Yes, I do.”

  “I think she is telling us everything is going to be alright.”

  “I agree.”

  “How about I take you to the tea house for a pot of tea while they break down the wall? Hal can stay here to watch things for a bit.”

  Cassie looked at her husband. His eyes softened as he gazed at her. “That would be lovely.”

  Max nodded, and lifted the sheet over the box, covering the buttons.

  Yes, things were definitely alright.

  Thank you, Mrs. Pennyworth, Cassie thought as she linked her arm with her husband’s and walked out of the store towards the tea shop.

  Author's Note

  Obsessive Compulsive Disorder was extremely misunderstood in the 1800s. It was normally considered to be a notion of insanity and most people that exhibited symptoms were sent to an asylum for their remaining years.

  It wasn't until the turn of the century that OCD became a clinical diagnosis and treatments became available.

  There are several types of OCD:

  Compulsory checking of objects/situations

  Contamination (i.e., washing hands constantly)

  Symmetry and order

  Intrusive thoughts

  Hoarding

  An individual with OCD may exhibit one or many of these symptoms. I knew it would be difficult to portray a man with a mental illness during this time period. I decided to let Max tell his own story to me, without any preconceived notions, and the story ended up taking its own path.

  The name OCD wasn't used until the 20th century. Prior to 1900 what we would call OCD today was called scrupulosity, monomania (partial insanity) or even impulsive insanity. It was viewed as a type of illness where people are tormented by thoughts or actions. These individuals would do anything they could, even sometimes without knowing, to stifle and suppress their thoughts. The more energy they gave to their thoughts, the more energetic the thoughts would become.

  In the 1860s it was discovered that compulsive behavior may have stemmed from damage to the nervous system, resulting in emotional or intellectual impairment. Even though it had been identified as having several possible causes, it was still not talked about and OCD was considered a secret illness.

  Many people would lead functional lives and use these repetitive actions to provide temporary relief for the anxiety they felt almost daily.

  As a mental health advocate, I understand the pain, anguish and anxiety that comes from having a mental illness. There isn't a cure for OCD, but by using coping mechanisms, an individual can lead as normal a life as possible for their disorder.

  I hope you enjoyed Max and Cassie's story. If this story touched you in any way, I would love to hear from you. I share my story and struggles on my social media and I try to create a safe space for others to share theirs.

  Many blessings to you and thank you for reading my stories.

  ~Christine~

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  Sneak Peek

  Check out Charles’ story in Christine’s next Cowboys & Angels Book – Beauty and the Baker.

  A baker with her sights on San Francisco.

  A man scarred by his past.

  An angel determined to bake up a marriage between two stubborn souls.

  After her beloved aunt has been injured, Georgina Jacobs heads to Creede, Colorado to keep her aunt’s bakery open for business. What she didn’t count on was a woman claiming to be an angel, sent to help Georgina find love, her aunt’s broody neighbor or his equally annoying cat.

  Charles Stockton is only staying with his sister and her new husband until his body and mind heals. Any person who sees him would run at the first sight of his scarred body, and Charles wouldn’t blame them. .He has no intention of becoming a permanent resident of Creede. Then he meets the woman who lives behind them, and maybe Creede doesn’t look so bad after all. If he could only convince her that he doesn’t have a cat!

  When Georgina discovers his secret will she stay or run? Will Charles’ broken body keep him away from t
he one thing he desires more than anything? Will Mrs. Pennyworth be able to help them both and does she have assistance this time?

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  About Christine

  Christine Sterling is the creator of the wildly popular Pinkerton Matchmaker Series and the Proxy Bride Series. She is an author in multiple collaborations, including: The Belles of Wyoming, Cowboys and Angels, The Widows of Wildcat Ridge and Silverpines, where her book Wanted: Medicine Man won best historical novel of 2018. She recently joined Sweet Promise Press as a historical romance author, writing for the Pioneer Brides of Rattlesnake Ridge series.