Chance at Love Series: Book 3
The
Accidental
Mail Order Bride
Ruth Ann Nordin
Wedded Bliss Romances, LLC
The Accidental Mail Order Bride - Smashwords Edition
Published by Ruth Ann Nordin at Smashwords
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Ann Nordin
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Cover Photo images Period images. http://www.periodimages.com/welcome-to-periodimagescom. All rights reserved – used with permission.
Cover Photo images Dreamstime. www.dreamstime.com. All rights reserved – used with permission.
Table of Contents
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Epilogue
Coming Soon: The Bargain Mail Order Bride
Other Books in the Chance at Love Series
Chronological Order of Ruth Ann Nordin’s Books
Where to Find Ruth
Dedication: To Sharon Fournier who has a kind heart and a wonderful sense of humor. Thanks for giving me a reason to smile!
Chapter One
First week of August 1878
Colorado
Allison Jones stepped off the stagecoach, relieved the long journey had finally come to an end. With all the swaying of the stagecoach for the past week, she felt as if she was still rocking from side to side, so it took a moment to gather her balance.
Assured everything around her wasn’t jiggling around, she focused on the group who were gathered around her, most at a good distance. Three of the people approached her. A white man and woman with a black child. She glanced around, wondering if the man she was supposed to marry was anywhere in the group, but the woman spoke, directing her attention back to the three people.
“Are you Miss Allison Jones?” the woman asked, her southern drawl similar to hers.
“Yes, but you may call me Allie,” she replied. Glancing between the woman and man, she added, “Do you know where I can find Sheriff Eric Johnson?”
“I’m him,” the man said.
“Oh?” Allie took another good look at the woman standing next to him. It didn’t seem as if they were related. They looked too different. In fact, when she caught the way they looked at each other, it was apparent the two were in love. “Are you the Eric Johnson who’s expecting me?”
“Yes, I am,” Eric replied. “But the day you were supposed to arrive, Caroline came instead, and she brought this young boy with her.” He gestured to the child, who seemed to be studying her with interest. “I thought you were her, and I married her before I realized she wasn’t you.”
Allie forced her gaze off of the child and returned it to the couple.
“I didn’t realize he was the wrong gentleman,” Caroline added, an apologetic tone in her voice. “I was supposed to go to Georgetown and marry someone else. Caleb,” she motioned to the child, “wasn’t feeling well, and I was distracted with trying to care for him.” She paused. “I’m sorry, Allie. I never intended to take your place.”
The realization of what they were saying was finally sinking in, and Allie wasn’t sure what to do. She brushed a wisp of her golden hair from her eyes and scanned the crowd. They still kept their distance, but she wasn’t sure if they could hear everything that was going on or not.
“I know this is awkward,” Eric said. “It all happened so fast, and I just got the last missive you sent a few days ago.”
He pulled out a folded paper from his pocket and showed it to her. She opened it, and sure enough, it was the missive she’d written to him explaining why she’d been delayed in Missouri. She slowly folded it. What was she supposed to do now? She couldn’t go back to Tennessee. Her future hinged on being here.
“There is a bachelor,” Eric continued. “He lives out that way.” He pointed to the north. “He’s a good man. He’s twenty-three and has thirty acres of land. He takes care of odds and ends.”
She waited for him to explain what he meant by “odds and ends”.
Instead, he said, “Travis is quiet and shy, so it’ll take him time to get used to you. But I assure you, he’s gentle and kind, and he’ll treat you well.”
She glanced at Caroline, who gave her an encouraging nod.
“He’s lonely,” the boy spoke up. “He needs someone to love.”
Eric patted the boy’s shoulder. “Caleb’s right. Travis would benefit from marriage.”
Once again, turning her gaze to the crowd, Allie asked, “Where is he?”
“He’s not here,” Eric replied. “To be honest, we didn’t tell him you were coming.”
She frowned. This didn’t sound promising. “Why not?”
“Travis,” Caroline began, “has a tendency to run from ladies. He ran from me when I came to his property to help Eric. I had to go to the building and knock on the door to get him to listen to me. Once he realized Eric needed his help, he came right out to assist him.”
“Right,” Eric added. “He’s the kind of person who’ll go out of his way to help others when he can. I know you’re like that, too, because you stayed in Missouri to testify in a murder trial. He would have done the same thing. We think you’ll be a good match.”
“Oh, well…” Allie ran her fingers along the edge of the missive. Should she do it? Should she go out to Travis’ home and marry him? She hadn’t even written to him. He was more of a stranger to her than Eric had been. She cleared her throat. “Is there anyone else I might marry?”
Like someone who was right here where she could see him and talk to him before making a decision?
She scanned the group, who still kept their distance. There were some men of marriageable age there. Did they already have wives?
“I’m afraid there’s no one else,” Eric told her, bringing her attention back to him. “They either have wives or are too old to be a suitable match for you. And, unfortunately, this town is so small the only employment you could get is at the saloon.”
She frowned as she caught his meaning. She’d heard stories of men going to saloons to seek an evening’s pleasure with a soiled dove, but she had no desire to do that kind of thing. She didn’t know how many women would be happy doing it. Probably none.
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nbsp; “Well,” she began, trying not to give into defeat. It’d been a long and tiring trip, and now things were worse since she’d been delayed in coming here. She’d thought the worst of it was behind her. But now she’d just learned another thing had gone wrong. “I suppose I don’t have a choice but to marry the only bachelor in town.”
“Travis is a good man,” Eric said. “I assure you, it’ll work out.”
Despite his reassuring smile, she wasn’t convinced. Not fully. What kind of man made it a point of hiding from women?
Caroline seemed to pick up on her uncertainty, for she rested a hand on her arm. “I don’t blame you for being scared,” she whispered. “The prospect of marrying someone you never met is absolutely frightening. I just hope it helps to know you’re marrying a good and honorable gentleman. He’ll be kind to you.”
Allie wanted to tell her she appreciated Caroline’s concern, but the words wouldn’t come out. All she could hope for was that Eric, Caroline, and the boy were right.
“Alright then,” Eric said. “I’ll get your things and put them in the wagon. Then we’ll get the judge and head on out.”
Judge? Allie turned to him as he went to the stagecoach. “But I thought there’d be a preacher to conduct the ceremony.”
“There was one here when you were supposed to come in,” Eric replied, offering an apologetic smile. “But he hasn’t been back since. I’m afraid the judge is the best I can do.”
Oh. Though Allie didn’t consider herself to be the superstitious kind, it seemed like a bad omen to be married by a judge instead of a preacher.
“The wagon is over there,” Caroline told her.
Reluctant, Allie followed Caroline’s gaze and saw the nearby wagon with two horses ready to take her to her new home. God only knew what waited for her, and truth be told, she didn’t want to find out.
***
With a grunt, Travis Martin pounded the stake into the ground until it was secure. Out of breath, he wiped the sweat from his forehead. He’d been working all morning to get this fence set up, and at long last, he had one more post to go. Just as he bent down to get the last post, he heard horses pulling a wagon up to his property.
Stiffening, he saw the wagon through the trees along the winding path that lead up to his property. He squinted as he tried to figure out who was coming. After a moment, he realized it was Eric, his wife, their boy, and… His eyes grew wide. Another woman was there. And there was no man with her.
He threw the post to the ground and hurried up the side of the hill. This wasn’t good. He hadn’t brought a hat with him, and he wasn’t even wearing a shirt. In fact, he wasn’t even wearing his undershirt! So few people ever came out here. Why did this day have to be the one when someone did?
He dodged around the trees, managing to stay hidden from their view. Fortunately, he reached the building before they pulled up to the cottage. Out of breath, he threw on his undershirt. Too late, he remembered that he hadn’t brought out his shirt and hat to the building.
With a groan, he wiped his dark hair away from his eyes and glanced out the small window which had a perfect view of his cottage. Eric pulled on the reins of the horses, and the wagon came to a stop. Usually, he didn’t mind it when Eric came out here, but Eric knew how he felt about bringing women out to his property.
It was one thing to show his scarred face and monstrous frame to a man. It was something else to offend a woman’s delicate sensibilities by exposing her to someone as ugly as himself.
To his horror, another person came up onto his property. It was a man on a horse. And if he saw right, the middle-aged man was the judge. Why would Eric be bringing a judge with him? Travis hadn’t done anything wrong.
Then Travis remembered Abe’s visit the previous month. Abe had told him about Eric marrying the wrong woman. Apparently, his mail-order bride hadn’t shown up when she was supposed to. Travis knew so little of what happened in town, but he knew there were very few women, especially ones in their early twenties.
Now, he couldn’t be sure, but he had a nagging suspicion the blonde-haired beautiful woman stepping down from the wagon was supposed to have been Eric’s bride. And that was bad. Really bad. Eric had never brought a woman out here before, except for the one time he needed help with Lydia’s dead body.
Travis watched as the judge got off his horse. Scooting away from the window, Travis went to the door and opened it a crack so he could hear what they were saying.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” the blonde woman asked.
It had to be the blonde asking since he didn’t recognize her voice out of everyone lurking outside his cottage.
“I’m sure.” That was Eric. “Travis will be a good husband to you.”
Travis’ jaw dropped. Eric couldn’t be serious. Didn’t he know what people thought about him? Didn’t he pay attention to all the rumors that circulated through town? Travis rarely ever made it to town, and he knew what those folks were saying. Surely, Eric had some notion of it, too.
Someone knocked on the door of his cottage, and everyone waited in silence for a good minute before the judge said, “I don’t think he’s here.”
“Of course,” Eric replied with a laugh. “He stays busy. He wouldn’t be in his home while there’s work to be done. I bet he’s in his barn or his workshop.”
Travis grimaced. Why did Eric have to know him so well? And this brought up the same question Travis had before. Why would Eric willingly bring a lovely young woman out here to marry him when he knew full well how hideous he was? Didn’t he care at all about her? She ought to be spared the misery. Especially an entire lifetime of it.
Footsteps made him bolt straight up. He had to hide! But where? At the moment, he was trapped in this building. He’d never fit through the small windows.
He turned back to the piles of wood, scraps, and other odds and ends that he used to make things. Was there a suitable hiding place somewhere in all this rubble?
A knock came at the door behind him. Without thinking, he darted behind a pile of wood and knelt behind it. It didn’t cover him completely, but it’d have to do.
“Travis?” Eric called out from the other side of the door.
Travis didn’t answer. Maybe if he kept quiet, they’d all go away.
That, unfortunately, didn’t happen because he heard the door creak open. Travis grimaced. Why hadn’t he ever put a lock on that door?
“It’s just me, Travis,” Eric told him, shutting the door behind him.
Travis continued to keep quiet. With any luck, Eric would assume he wasn’t there and leave.
“I can see the top of your head from behind that wood pile,” Eric said.
Just his luck. Eric was much too observant. “I’m not fully dressed,” Travis replied, not bothering to come out. “My hat and shirt are in the cottage.”
“Is that all? Well, I can get those for you.”
“What do you want?” Travis asked.
Eric might as well come out with it. If he intended to ruin a poor woman’s life, he ought to admit it. But even as Travis thought this, he was hoping Eric would have a change of heart. He was hoping Eric would make up some excuse, like needing a piece of wood or metal, before taking the woman to some other man who could marry her.
Eric let out a tentative chuckle. “The funniest thing happened. You see, the mail-order bride I was expecting finally came in. She was delayed in Missouri. She saw someone kill another person on the train and had to stay in town to testify in court.”
Leave it to Eric to not get to the point. Abe would just come out and say what he wanted, but Eric liked to talk. Usually, that wouldn’t bother him. But today, Eric hadn’t come to ask for his help with a dead body or making arrangements for a funeral.
“Actually,” Eric continued, “I came because I think you and Allie will be good together.”
“Allie?”
“Allison Jones. She likes to be called Allie. She’s from Tennessee. There’s a lot of poverty
in that part of the country. Anyway, she has no way to support herself. I was going to marry her, but then Caroline came. Well, you know how that worked out. I married Caroline, and since that’s the case, I can’t marry Allie.”
“I’m not marrying her,” Travis blurted out, figuring he might as well just come out and say it. Why prolong the inevitable?
“Now, you didn’t let me finish.”
“I don’t need to. I’m not marrying her. I’m not marrying anyone. I like being alone.”
“Hold on. Let me finish.”
“What’s the point? The answer isn’t going to change.”
As if Travis hadn’t spoken, Eric said, “Allie’s real good at cooking. I know you like the food Lois makes. You’re always bartering things to get something from her. Wouldn’t it be even better if you could have a nice, home cooked meal every day? Why, you wouldn’t have just one meal. You’d have two. Or maybe even three. She enjoys being in the kitchen.”
“I eat just fine already,” Travis replied. Really, if Eric thought he was so simple he’d agree to the marriage for that reason, he was sorely mistaken.
“Allie’s also good at housekeeping. I notice you do a lot of things outside. You keep busy with all the projects you have going on in this workshop. That doesn’t leave you with much time to tidy the cottage up. Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone here to do that for you?”
“No.”
“What about your laundry? Can you honestly tell me you like washing your clothes and bedding all the time?”
“I only do it once a month.”
After a long pause, Eric let out a frustrated groan. “Come on, Travis. Marriage will be a good thing for you. Take it from a recently married man. There’s nothing better than having a wife. Even if you don’t care about having someone cook and clean for you, you would benefit from the companionship. It has to get lonely out here.”
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