by Emily Claire
Taking a deep breath, she took in the clean-smelling air and let it out slowly. She sighed. I shall be content to live with Boone Dillingham, no matter what comes, so long as I can gaze at skies like these from time to time. Maybe moving here won’t be so bad after all.
Not far off the road, she saw something that caught her eye. A young woman rode across the land atop a beautiful black horse. Her hair blew wildly as she seemed to rise and fall in rhythm with the animal. It was as though they were one. Gabrielle had been on a horse before, but had never ridden on one that galloped. Her experience had been in a few buggies, but mostly in railcars, when her destination was too far to walk. Having lived in large cities her entire life, she’d never had the freedom to ride with such speed as the woman she was watching. The scene was captivating, and she was sad when the horse and rider rode out of her line of vision.
I can’t wait to do that!
The stagecoach slowed and rounded a bend. They were heading south now, and Gabrielle knew this meant they’d be in the town of Wiggieville soon. She tried to imagine the man who would be there to greet her. Her husband to be. He’d said he wasn’t too bad to look at. She felt panic rising within her. How would she find him in the city? What if they missed each other? She tried to think ahead to what she’d do if that happened.
She looked at her dress. The blue fabric was wrinkled. She thought the small lace ruffles around her collar seemed flat and dull after having seen the beautiful, fluffy clouds.
She saw buildings come into view. This was the city? There wasn’t too much to it. At least it had an interesting name. Wiggieville. I guess I’ll learn about that later.
She buttoned up her coat and put her gloves back on. She’d alternated between hot and cold all day. It was just a bit chilly outside, though, so she wanted to be warm. Sooner than she’d expected after coming into the city, the stagecoach stopped.
The door was opened, and she helped the other passengers, a woman and her two young children, get outside. She handed down a nearly forgotten toy and carefully stepped down from the coach. She watched as the young mother and children rushed into the arms of a man who, apparently, was her husband. He swung the children into the air and happily kissed them all.
She heard the voice behind her. “Gabrielle Petersen?”
Fear stopped her from turning around. She’d thought of little more than what this moment might be like for most of the last few weeks.
“Excuse me, Miss Petersen?” He repeated, as he stepped around her, so she could see him.
She smiled and put out her hand to greet him. She took him in all at once. He was tall and wore a western hat. He had warm brown eyes and a firm handshake. He was much older than she’d imagined, but cleanly dressed. Maybe even fifty years old, or more. She couldn’t guess for sure. Gabrielle felt nothing and then discovered she was nearly giddy with relief. She realized that she’d been afraid that he’d be overwhelmingly handsome and irresistible and then her plan for a non-physical marriage would be impossible!
Suddenly aware that she hadn’t said a word, she rushed to make up for it. “Oh! Thank you for being here. I mean, I thought you’d be here, of course. Elizabeth Miller said you would and that I shouldn’t worry. But who wouldn’t worry, at least a little bit, when coming all the way from Massachusetts? Well, I wasn’t really worried. Just a little anxious, maybe.”
The stranger opened his mouth to respond, but in her nervousness, Gabrielle prattled on, and so he closed it.
“Texas is beautiful! I’ve never seen anything like it. The air is so fresh and smells so clean. And the skies! Why, I’ve never seen any sky look so vivid. I thought it might be cold, too. It was freezing and rainy when I left Massachusetts nearly two weeks ago. But, this kind of cold, well, it’s just lovely. I probably need to put these gloves and my coat back into one of my—.” Gabrielle stopped mid-sentence and spun around to look at the coach.
“Goodness! My bags! In my excitement, I nearly forgot them.” She turned and ran back toward the coach. The driver had set the luggage down on the little platform he’d pulled up to.
The stranger just watched, smiling slightly and shaking his head, before following behind her.
Gabrielle looked over her shoulder as she bent to pick up her two carpet bags.
“I’ll get those,” the man said, smiling at her as he stepped around her to reach for them.
She stepped aside. “Thank you. I’m just so used to doing things on my own. It’s hard not to just do that automatically. I appreciate your help. I can handle them just fine, but, well—.” She laughed nervously. “I’m so sorry! I feel a bit strange here. I just don’t know how to act.”
“It’s quite all right, Miss Petersen. I'm sure it's been an exhausting trip for you. You've come such a long way to meet your husband." He cleared his throat to introduce himself, finally.
Your husband? Why is he referring to himself that way? Why didn’t he just say “to meet me?”
She started talking again, not able to keep herself quiet. She didn’t think she’d be so nervous to meet him! “Well, yes, it certainly has been an interesting trip. I met so many people. I’ve really enjoyed hearing the stories about their lives and why they were traveling. I’ve even acquired some addresses of those who became friends.”
“My wagon is just over here.” He pointed and then led her to it, easily lifting her luggage into the back. “We didn’t know how much you’d be carrying with you, so we decided to bring it, rather than the buggy. It’s not quite as comfortable, but it isn’t too far to Coltonville. We’ll have you home and settled in before you know it.”
Gabrielle’s eyebrows lifted. “We—?”
Just then a woman approached, carrying two large bundles in front of her, one stacked atop the other. Gabrielle watched as her husband-to-be hurried over to her and took them from her arms.
Smiling with relief, she said, “Thank you, dear. You’re always rescuing me.” She slipped one arm around his waist and gave him an affectionate hug.
Gabrielle stood, her mouth falling open as she watched them walk over to the wagon. The man tossed the packages into the back, next to Gabrielle’s carpet bags.
“It’s my job to rescue you,” he said, smiling down at her. The affection they felt for each other was obvious.
Gabrielle didn’t know what to say. How could she marry a man who was clearly in love with another woman? Who was she? A mistress? What kind of arrangement had she committed to?
The couple turned and walked toward her. The woman’s hand was clearly tucked into the space at his elbow.
“Dear, let me introduce you to Miss Gabrielle Petersen.”
Mattie’s eyes looked quickly at the beautiful woman standing near their wagon. “Oh! I didn’t realize I missed the arrival of the stagecoach, and I didn’t see you with the bundles piled in my arms. Welcome, my dear! We’re so glad you’ve come.” She hurried toward Gabrielle, reaching out her hand.
But Gabrielle didn’t return the greeting. Her blue eyes were huge, and the color drained from her already pale face. She found her voice. “Who are you?”
Mattie smiled warmly, her blue eyes twinkling. “I’m this old man’s wife. Please, call me Mattie.”
Gabrielle’s heart pounded hard, and she felt dizzy. “His wife?” She glared at him, fire in her eyes. She pointed a finger toward his face and placed her other hand firmly on her hip.
“I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, Mr. Dillingham, but I’ll tell you right now, I won’t have any part of it. I’m going back to—,” she glanced over to the stagecoach. “—I’m going right back over there and find a way to get back to Massachusetts right now!”
Clyde and Mattie Williamson stared at each other, shocked expressions on their faces.
Mattie gasped as she saw Gabrielle rushing toward the back of the wagon, reaching for her bags. Clyde hurriedly began speaking. “Miss Petersen! Please, wait. Let me explain.”
Gabrielle turned to look at him, one h
and on the wagon. “I’m quite sure there’s nothing you can say to explain why you’ve sent for a wife, when you clearly already have a, a —” She turned her gaze toward Mattie, sheer disgust on her face and scowled, “a whatever you are!”
Anger threatened to overwhelm her, but she stood her ground and stared them down briefly, before turning back to her luggage and lifting one of her bags out of the wagon.
Clyde used his pulpit voice. “Gabrielle Petersen! My name is not Boone Dillingham!”
It worked. She turned to the couple once again, her eyes shrewd, her forehead wrinkled. She still clung to the bag. “What? What did you say?”
Mattie rushed toward her. “Dear, he said his name wasn’t Boone. Boone is our very good friend. My husband’s name is Clyde Williamson, and I’m Mattie.”
Gabrielle blinked her eyes rapidly and shook her head. She looked up into Clyde’s eyes. “You’re not my groom? You’re not Boone Dillingham? But you met me at the coach, and, and—”
Clyde and Mattie shook their heads rapidly, and answered in unison. “No!”
Gabrielle leaned to one side, dropped her carpet bag, and started laughing. She knew she’d better laugh or she’d start crying hysterically.
“You met me at the coach and—,” she laughed so hard she could barely speak, taking big gulps of air between phrases. “And I nervously talked so much, and so rapidly, that you never had a chance to introduce yourself!”
She took a deep breath, trying to gain control of her emotions. “Oh, my goodness! I must have looked so foolish to you!” One hand went over her mouth, and the other open hand flew up toward her throat. She giggled.
After a few more seconds, she found her self-control. She reached out her hand and said seriously, but with a huge smile on her face, “Hello, I’m Gabrielle Petersen. And, you are?” She firmly clamped her mouth shut and waited while Clyde and Mattie properly introduced themselves.
After the correct introductions had been made, she asked the obvious question. “So then, where is Mr. Dillingham?”
Mattie laced her arm through Gabrielle’s. ”Come dear. Do you like ice cream? There’s a wonderful little shop just down the street. You should have a little something, don’t you think?”
“Do they have a little whiskey?” Gabrielle joked as she walked with Mattie.
Fifteen minutes later they were seated comfortably inside a little coffee shop on the main street of Wiggieville, Texas.
“I just realized who the two of you are! Elizabeth Miller told me about you before I left. She said I could trust you.” Gabrielle paused and giggled. “Well, that’s sure good to know.”
Mattie spoke first. “How sweet of her. She’s a dear, and I’ll want to know all about how she’s doing later. But for now, let’s talk about Boone, shall we?”
Gabrielle was more than ready to hear what she had to say. She nodded at Mattie.
“Boone is not here because he’s been injured and couldn’t make the trip,” said Mattie.
Gabrielle’s blue eyes widened and her heart sank. “Injured? Is he, I mean, will he be all right? Are we still to be married?”
Mattie patted her hand reassuringly. “Yes. Our son-in-law, Dr. Colby Clayton, was there when Boone fell yesterday. He took a severe hit on his head and has a concussion, but Colby says he’ll recover fairly quickly.”
Clyde studied Gabrielle’s face while his wife explained the situation. “Don’t worry, Miss Petersen. He’s a strong and healthy man. He’ll be back to his own self soon enough. He’s just a bit confused right now.”
“Well, I guess I don’t have to worry about whether he’ll know me or not. Since we’ve never even met. I guess my adventure is still going to happen! Let’s finish up. I’m ready to meet my future.”
CHAPTER SIX
The wagon bounced over the lane as Clyde turned off the road and headed toward the house at the end of it. Gabrielle was delighted to see a corral with several horses in it. They seemed to be enjoying the late afternoon breeze. The house seemed huge to her. She’d grown up in apartment buildings and was used to tight spaces. While she was nervous about meeting Boone, she felt more comfortable than when she’d thought she was going to be meeting him earlier that day. Their meeting couldn’t possibly be any stranger than the misunderstanding that had taken place with the Williamsons.
She felt completely at ease with them now and was thankful for the time spent getting to know them during the hour or so it had taken them to get from Wiggieville to Coltonville. They’d told her all about their children and grandchildren and had asked her how she’d come to decide to be a mail-order bride. Gabrielle explained about the fire and her need for provision. They all agreed that Elizabeth Miller was something of a miracle worker to have made the arrangements between Boone and Gabrielle so quickly.
“This is it,” Clyde said, bringing the wagon to a stop. He stepped down and helped them both onto the ground. “Would you like to go in alone first, or do you want us to go in with you?”
Gabrielle was relieved to hear him ask. “Oh, yes! Please come in. I would feel so much more comfortable with you making the introductions.” She was thankful for Clyde and Mattie. She felt like they were friends already and was happy to know she had their help.
As they stepped onto the porch, the door opened and a handsome man walked out. “You must be Gabrielle. I’m Colby Clayton. Most folks just call me Doc Colby. Welcome to your home in Texas. Right this way, ma’am.”
Everyone is so kind here. It’s so different, already.
Colby led her to a room near the front of the home. The man on the bed had his eyes closed when she first walked in. She was thankful for the opportunity to look at him before he looked at her. She could see he had plenty of dark, wavy hair under a white bandage that was across his forehead and wrapped around his head. He seemed to take up nearly the entire length of the bed, so he must be tall. His jawline was strong. She took a step closer and stood near his right side.
Boone’s eyes fluttered open, and he stared up at her. Gabrielle had never gazed into such dark eyes. The lashes were the longest she’d ever seen on a man. He had a nice beard. He squinted his eyes and worked to focus them on her.
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Hello.” He smiled at her.
The way he looked at her made Gabrielle’s stomach feel strange. She suddenly felt as though she couldn’t get a full breath. A feeling of warmth spread from her stomach to the top of her head, turning her cheeks bright pink as it made its way up.
Gabrielle didn’t know how to respond, and even if she could, her mouth failed to open even though she willed it to. She wondered if she was getting sick. The warmth she felt reminded her of the fever she’d had the day the mill burned to the ground. Was she relapsing? She’d felt fine all day, just tired from her trip. But still, it could be something coming on suddenly.
“I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Boone Dillingham. Sorry I can’t get up to greet you properly, but the doc here says I have to rest for a day or two. Folks say he’s pretty good, so I guess I’ll do like he says.” He grinned, the look in his eyes boyish. He reached out his hand toward her.
Instinctively, she reached out and accepted it. A bolt of electricity traveled from her palm to the back of her neck.
Boone smiled when he felt her touch him.
She pulled back her hand a second after she’d felt the surge and took a small step backward.
“Oh now, don’t go away, pretty one. I like you. You’re good medicine.”
His grin lit up his face. Gabrielle was lost in it, briefly. “No, I won’t go away. I just need a little water. I’ll be back shortly.”
She saw Clyde and Mattie glance at each other as she left the room. As Mattie followed her out to show her the kitchen, Clyde chuckled. He was going to enjoy watching how the Lord worked this thing out. He followed them into the other room.
Boone sighed as she left and closed his eyes slowly. “I’m better now, Doc. I’m just gonna lie
here and rest, though.”
Doc Colby nodded. “I think that’s a good plan.”
Mattie poured some water for Gabrielle. “Well, now. What do you think of our friend Boone?”
Gabrielle looked from Mattie to Clyde and then back to Mattie. “Is he always so outspoken? You know, saying everything he thinks like that?”
Clyde and Mattie shook heads simultaneously.
“He can be talkative, but he doesn’t usually say what he’s feeling quite like that. I usually have to drag things out of him,” Clyde said.
Gabrielle asked, “How long have you known him?”
“It’s been a while. Seven or eight years, I reckon. Something like that.” Clyde looked questioningly at Mattie, and she nodded in agreement.
Mattie stepped close to Gabrielle. “The situation you expected when you agreed to come here has changed a bit. Are you still planning to stay? We can figure some other plan, if you need to.”
Gabrielle didn’t hesitate. “I agreed to marry a stranger. Accepting his money and coming here was an act of commitment. I won’t back away from it. He’s a stranger either way. I didn’t know what he was like before and it didn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter now, I guess. We’re about to be married, and he’s had an unfortunate accident. If it had happened twenty-four hours after I’d arrived, I’d be just as committed as I am now. It doesn’t change anything.”
Just then they heard a commotion from the bedroom. They hurried to see what was going on. Colby was standing at the foot of the bed, laughing quietly, amusement written on his face.
“Everything all right in here?” Clyde asked, looking at Colby and then at Boone.
