“So tell me about yourself, Mr. Turner. You already know so much about me, but all I know is that you are a bounty hunter.” Abbie didn’t know how else to phrase it, and she hoped it wouldn’t offend him, but he laughed.
“I have to say, I have been called a lot of things, but never a bounty hunter. I am afraid you have me slightly confused with a different kind of profession. Think more taxes.” He winked at her, and she smiled.
It was hard to feel embarrassed by him, he made everything so light and relaxed. Abbie was finding it hard to focus on the fact that she was leaving tomorrow. The more they talked, and the more she learned about Mr. Turner, the more she wished it was him that was waiting for her in Oregon.
“You have me curious, and I know you don’t want to talk about it, but honestly… why are you a mail order bride? With that smile, and those eyes… I would have to think that you have all the young men falling into line waiting for you.” Charles spoke between bites of stew, but his charm never faltered.
“Well you see it isn’t quite so simple as you would think. I have had a bit of a… oh how should I say it? I am not the most social of people.” Abbie was hoping she could avoid telling him about her past, but he seemed to be infatuated with every part of her.
“Why? A girl as pretty as you should be to every dance, every ball, and every party imaginable. Unless, that is… you have a protective father, don’t you?” He winked at her, but his remark made her face fall.
“I’m sorry, did I offend you?” Charles asked, worried that he had said the wrong thing, but Abbie shook her head.
She related to him the events of her childhood, and how that had made her fearful of the world. She told him how there was a lot of memories that were coming to her mind the previous night when he had been shot, and how she felt responsible for the death of her parents.
“That wasn’t your fault, Missy,” he said gently, then his voice took on a more serious tone. “Abbie, you have to realize that bad things happen in life; that is a large part of what life is. What matters isn’t what happens to us, what matters is who is there to help us through it.”
Abbie wanted to cry and hug him, but she fought the tears and the impulse. She smiled at him and thanked him for listening, and Charles took the cue to change the subject.
“I’ll tell you what, let’s do something fun. I say there!” He motioned to the man with the violin. “Play us something lively, Old Chap!”
The man struck up a merry tune, and Charles jumped up, pulling Abbie up with him.
They spent hours dancing and talking together, but it only felt like a few minutes to Abbie, before he was dropping her off back at her door.
“I had a wonderful night tonight,” she said.
“As did I.” Charles replied, and though it was clear he should be going, neither one wanted him to. Abbie didn’t know what else to say, but she didn’t want him to leave. It was clear that he felt the same way.
“I suppose this is goodnight, Little Missy,” he said at last, with a smile.
“I don’t want to leave.” Abbie suddenly blurted out. She surprised herself with that, although it was how she had felt all night, she was going to hold it in. she had made her choice, and James Roberts would be waiting for her in the morning.
“Then stay.” Charles whispered to her, leaning in and kissing her on the forehead.
Abbie spent the night sleepless, tossing back and forth on her bed, torn with her decision. She had never had a night with anyone like she had with Charles. He was kind, he was a gentleman, and he understood her.
She had come out here to marry James… so what was she doing? It felt so wrong to her. She had never seen him before, but she could picture his face, heartbroken when she never showed up, or even worse, writing to him and telling him she had changed her mind.
Both choices seemed good, yet both seemed bad. Abbie had wanted a change, and she had gotten one, but now she wasn’t sure if she liked what the change was. Or where it was taking her.
The next morning, sunlight woke Abbie. She was up a lot earlier than the day before, and she hurried to get dressed.
I can’t miss the stage again…. I simply can’t!
Abbie hurried out the door, and slowed slightly to peek into the Charles’ room.
Empty.
Abbie felt a sting in her heart, and tears formed in her eyes, but she told herself to snap out of it.
You told him you were leaving… what did you expect? It’s easier this way.
Abbie hurried down the stairs, and walked out into the street. There he was.
Charles stood there with a bouquet of flowers in one hand, his hat in the other.
“Now Abbie, I know you said what you were doing, and I think that is admirable, but I can’t get you out of my mind, and I was wonderin’ if you might-“
Abbie cut off his words with a kiss. This was all she needed to know for sure. If a man was going to stand in her way to stop her, and tell her how he felt about her right in front of everyone, that was man enough for her.
“I’m staying.”
*****
THE END
A Baby For The Bride
“I think that will conclude class for today. Tomorrow we are going to pick up with General Washington crossing the river. Class dismissed.” Mary Kay closed the large history book that was on the desk in front of her, and smiled as the children cheered.
They were always so happy to be let out of school. Almost as happy as she was to call them into class in the mornings.
Mary Kay sighed as she dipped the sponge in the water, then dragged it across the blackboard.
Another day down, only two more to go before you are back to wondering what you are going to do with your life.
She had been filling in as a substitute teacher in the town’s small schoolhouse, and she loved every minute of it. Mary Kay would have happily stayed on with the school, but the real teacher was set to return on Monday.
“Goodbye, Miss Robinson, see you tomorrow!” several of the children called out to her as they rushed out of the schoolhouse into the chilly spring air.
“Goodbye! Be careful on the ice and snow…remember that the lake is melting off, and the ice is going to be thin in places!” She hoped that they could hear her, but they were already out of the schoolhouse and running around in the yard, chasing each other.
“Oh, they are going to be just fine.”
Mary Kay was startled by a voice at the back of the schoolhouse and turned quickly. She was met with the figure of old Mr. Jones, the school’s superintendent. He came shuffling in every day after class to help Mary Kay sweep up the floor and wash of the desks.
“I just worry that they are going to take the ice for granted. I’ve seen bad things happen, you know.” Mary handed him the broom, and he chuckled.
“They’re children, Mary, let them have their fun. They’ll be careful, I promise.” He cackled his old cackle, and Mary Kay went back to sponging off the blackboard.
“You know, the missus and I were wondering if you would like to join us for dinner this Sunday. Sort of a celebration for you making it through these past few months as teacher.” His voice took on a more serious tone, and Mary Kay smiled.
“I would love to, but you know I have papers to grade.”
“But your sister is going to be back, and you know she is going to be eager to take her place back with the students,” Mr. Jones spoke in a low voice, as he always did when he knew he was speaking on a delicate issue.
A pang ran through Mary Kay’s heart. She knew that her sister would want to grade the papers. She had been gone for several months on maternity leave, and she would be eager to see where the students were in their studies.
“I’m sure you are right. I would be delighted to join you. Thank you.” She added the “thank you” as more of an afterthought, and Mr. Jones raised his bushy eyebrows at her.
“Come come now, my dear. There is no need to be down about it. You know the best chan
ce of you getting a suitor is going to be out there with the young men, not in here, cooped up among the children.”
“But I love the children. You know I desperately want one of my own. I don’t see why Meredith—”
“Meredith is married, for one, and I think that is the first step you ought to be taking, too, young lady,” Mr. Jones interrupted her protest, and Mary Kay looked down at the floor.
She knew he was right, but she didn’t want a husband. She wanted a child. She knew she had to have the one before the other, but it seemed impossible that there was a man out there whom she could love. Mary Kay was as tame and delicate as a flower in a blueberry patch, and she wasn’t one for meeting new people.
She liked it where it was safe and familiar. She knew the young men in the town, and all of them were as rowdy as wild oxen. Mary Kay could see herself as the perfect mother to a little child, but she couldn’t see any one of these young men as the perfect father to her children.
“There are tons of eligible young men out there, Mary.” Mr. Jones spoke without looking up. There were times when Mary Kay wondered if she had spoken her thoughts out loud, or if he could just read her mind.
“You are going to get the man of your dreams when the time is right. It’s just going to take a little bit of patience, is all.”
Mary Kay sighed. She knew he was right, but she felt it wasn’t ever going to happen for her. She wanted desperately to just wake up one morning and be married, but she knew she had to go through the dreaded introductory process before she could even dream of anything like that.
“I just don’t think I like any of the guys in town that way,” she said, trying to lighten the mood.
“Well, these aren’t the only men in the world, you know. Mr. Dowel is always bringing in the outside world with him when he comes into town. He might bring you a husband one of these days.”
Mary Kay rolled her eyes and chuckled. “I highly doubt my husband is going to come in with the mail, Mr. Jones, but you are funny to think so.”
“You never know, missy! Stranger things have happened in this town!” He laughed and put the broom in the closet, then shuffled out the door.
Mary Kay finished putting the cleaning things away, then locked the door behind her.
A man through the mail! she thought, then shook her head.
I guess there is one way that could happen…
*****
Mary Kay felt so silly watching the mailbox day after day.
She had given her sister back the teacher position at the school, and now her days felt lonelier than ever. She missed the children, she missed the business, and she missed feeling like she was needed.
If only I had a little baby to care for, then I would be complete. I just can’t go through life without a child. Or two. Or maybe even three. I don’t care. I know that I would be a wonderful mother. All of the children in the schoolhouse loved me…
After a couple of lonely days had passed, Mary Kay was getting tired of arguing with her thoughts. She knew she would make a terrific mother, but she also knew she would need a terrific husband to make that happen. None of the young men her age in town appealed to her, so she had gone and done the unthinkable.
It’s just an ad in the paper. It’s not like anyone around here is going to respond to me, and I wouldn’t mind moving away to marry, just so long as I get my family!
She had decided not to tell her sister that she had put an ad in the paper as a mail order bride. She knew her sister wouldn’t understand, and it was more than likely she would give Mary Kay a thousand reasons why it was a bad idea. It didn’t matter to her sister that there were hundreds of young women who became mail order brides and lived happily ever after.
And it doesn’t matter to me what she is going to say!
Meredith was Mary Kay’s only living relative. The two girls had moved to this small Minnesota town with their grandparents when they were both quite young. Their parents had been killed when they were but small, and Meredith had taken the roll of big sister quite seriously.
There were times when Mary Kay didn’t mind. It was nice to have someone who could relate to her, but a lot of the time Mary Kay wanted a big sister more than she wanted a sister who acted like her mother, which was what Meredith often did.
It had grown worse after she had married, and with the passing months the two sisters grew more and more distant. It was true they both lived in the same town, but Meredith lived with her husband and two small children. She had invited Mary Kay to live with them after they had settled, but Mary Kay had refused.
“I don’t want to impose, and I feel I would be better off on my own.” She had tried to explain her feelings in a way Meredith wouldn’t take offense to, but unfortunately her sister took the situation all too personally, and they rarely spoke these days.
Mary Kay settled into a small house on the edge of town. It wasn’t far from the general store, but it was far enough away from the busy part of town that it was pretty quiet for her. She liked it there, but it was rather lonely at times.
Now, Mary Kay kept her eye on the mail. It had been nearly two weeks since she had put up the ad, and she had no idea what to expect. Part of her wanted a reply immediately, another part of her hoped nobody would reply at all.
The stagecoach rumbled to a stop in front of the general store, and Mary Kay looked out to see the postmaster dropping off the mail bag to the boy on the street. The young lad heaved the heavy bag over his shoulder and stumbled up the store’s steps.
He dropped the heavy bag on the counter, and the storekeeper laughed.
“That’s a lot of mail for you to handle there, Tom. I thank ye’. Now, here is a piece of candy, and you run on home to your ma.”
The child snatched the candy and shoved it in his mouth. He mumbled a “thank you” and was gone out the door in a flash. Mary Kay hurried over to the bag to see if there was anything in there for her, but the storekeeper shook his head.
“Don’t lose heart, Mary. Something is going to come one of these days. I have heard of it taking months for these things to work out sometimes, and it has only been a few weeks for you.”
Mary Kay smiled and nodded, and told him she wasn’t worried about it. She went back to browsing the fabric, although her heart had sunk deeply inside her. She wondered if it was something she had said, or perhaps something she hadn’t said, in her ad. Or perhaps there just wasn’t anyone out there for her.
“’Scuse me, but I was wonderin’ if there might be a way I could send a telegram,” a man with a deep voice spoke at the counter, and Mary Kay looked up. She didn’t want to eavesdrop, but she hadn’t recognized the voice, and wondered if it was someone who had come in on the coach.
The man at the counter was tall. He was very muscular and had a sturdy build. His hand, which rested on his hat on the counter, was gnarled with sun and callouses, showing that he was a working man. Even though Mary Kay couldn’t see his entire face from the angle at which she was standing, she could see he had a firm jawline and very handsome features.
“Of course. It’s only five cents for any telegram in town. To whom should I direct it?” Mary Kay was rattled back to reality when she heard the storekeeper’s voice, and she started to make her way to the door. She was embarrassed to have been standing there admiring this stranger, and she wanted to leave before he took notice of her.
“I am looking for a Miss Mary Kay Robinson. I saw an ad she put in the paper a few weeks ago, and I was in the area so I thought I might see if she wanted to go to dinner or something.”
The storekeeper looked over the man’s shoulder, right at Mary Kay. She could feel her face turned beet red, and she felt nauseous. She had frozen in her steps, and stood there in the middle of the aisle, as flustered as her first grade students had been when she called on them for the answer.
“Mary, it appears as though there is someone here who would like to see you.”
The man turned to look over his shoulder as the st
orekeeper spoke, and Mary Kay felt butterflies in her stomach.
“That there is the young lady you seek. I think I’ll save you the five cents and send you over there to talk to her yourself.”
The storekeeper excused himself and headed to the back of the store, and Mary felt as though her knees were going to give out from underneath her. The tall man took his hat in his hands and slowly walked over to her. He stopped within a few feet of her and nodded.
“Ma’am, I expect you heard what I told the gentleman over there?”
He was the most handsome man Mary Kay had ever laid her eyes on. She wanted to speak, but couldn’t. All she could do was nod.
“Well, as I said, I was wonderin’, might I take you to dinner tomorrow night? We can talk better then.”
Mary Kay tried to speak once more, but her voice caught up in her throat.
All she could do was nod. She heard her voice squeak.
“Yes.”
A smile slowly broadened across the handsome cowboy’s face, and he nodded.
“Much obliged. My name’s Connor Riley. I’ll meet you at the restaurant yonder tomorrow night at six o’clock.”
And with that, he was gone.
*****
The next day was an odd mix for Mary Kay. Most of the day felt like a hundred years, but when the time came for her to get ready for dinner, she felt the day had gone by way too fast.
Whatever shall I wear? she wondered. I haven’t ever been in this kind of situation before, and I have no idea what people wear when they go to these things. Maybe I should keep it simple. I don’t want him to think I am too prissy.
Or maybe I should dress up. I don’t want him to think I don’t care about this dinner.
Luckily for her, Mary Kay only owned a few dresses, so her options for “simple” and “dressed up” were pretty close to one and the same. She finally settled on a blue dress with large gold buttons that reached from the floor to the waist. There was a darker blue sash that wrapped around her body and tied in a bow at the back, and the neckline was cut high.
SEALing The Victory Page 56
