What would Drew Pierce really think about her when he got her letter and saw her photograph? Surely she’ll be prettier than any of the other women he knows.
She wondered about their future as she mailed her letter. She wondered if he’d even write back. She wondered how long it would take to hear from him if he did decide to write back. So many questions with so few answers. But the answers would come, eventually.
Chapter 8
Nothing could have prepared a stubborn, ill-mannered Cheyenne boy for the proper beauty of Susannah Brice. He’d never hear the end of it from his brothers.
“Hey Jack,” Peter Pierce called as he rallied in a few straws in the fields. Jack rode up on a beautiful hazelnut thoroughbred, laughing. He held a letter in his hand, waving it.
“Who we got this time?”
“Oh, she’s a real looker,” Jack hollered. “She sent a photograph.”
The boys hooted and teased, passing the letter to each brother. Next to Peter rode Ross, the youngest, and finally Drew, the oldest at nearly thirty-one years old.
“Just give that darn letter to me, Jackson,” Drew demanded, throwing an empty water canteen at him.
When he saw Susannah’s photograph, something in him melted. He felt butterflies, and his insides believed sending that ad per his dead’s mother’s wishes wasn’t such a terrible idea anymore.
“Oh, look at him, Pete, he’s smitten,” Jack teased, watching Drew’s reaction.
“Shut up,” Drew scoffed, hiding his excitement.
“She’s definitely better looking than that Sally from Tennessee. What was her last name, Ross?
“I don’t remember, but I’ll never forget her face!”
The boys laughed harder, lassoing and herding their cows on their 300-acre spread.
Drew held her photo close, staring at her amazing beauty. It had been a few months since he sent for a bride, and so far, no one proved as impressive as this mystery woman from Boston. Her prime upbringing, social status, nor her need to be taken care of scared him a little bit, but it might be worth the risk.
He rubbed over her face in the photograph gently with this glove, curious to know more. He couldn’t let his rough, idiot brothers know that, though. He’d need to hide his curiosity for now, at least.
“Oh, come on, brother, why do you need a wife anyway? We get along just fine,” Pete said, sipping on water and riding side by side his brothers.
“It’s what Ma would have wanted. It’s about time I get hitched, anyway.”
“And shake up the Pierce brothers? You’re just going to get someone nagging you all the time,” Pete replied.
“Oh, I’ll make sure she knows how this ranch is run,” Drew asserted, with a chuckle.
The boys smiled, punching and shoving each other before retiring to the main house close to dark.
“So you going write this one this time?” Ross asked, flipping his hat and his sun-kissed hair glowing in the last of the summer’s golden rays.
Drew’s hair matched his brother’s, but being the oldest, he had a maturity to him Ross didn’t quite yet possess. His chin was strong and his body chiseled by the hard work he put in every day. He stood the tallest of the brothers, as well.
He seemed perfectly content to be single forever. They all did, which was the problem, Drew reasoned. His mother wanted her boys to enter the next phase of their lives, and with her gone now, Drew wanted to uphold what he promised her.
So now he needed to find a good woman. He didn’t know what to expect from Susannah Brice, but he was determined to find out. She was the one he was going to write to and he hoped she would be the last.
Dear Miss Brice,
Thank you for your letter. You sound very interesting and from your picture I can see the amount of refinement and sophistication you would bring to a rancher such as myself. I should give you fair warning. I have three obnoxious brothers, who will hound you with all sorts of foolishness. They are the bane of my existence some days, but I love them.
Our mother begged me to promise I’d find myself a wife. I intend to follow through my pledge to her. We lost her a short time ago and her wish is heavy on my mind.
My brothers and I own a successful cattle ranch outside Cheyenne. It’s beautiful here with the mountains in the distance and the plains where the ranch is situated. Perhaps that’s not what you’re looking for, but there is wild beauty to the landscape and openness that I can’t imagine living without.
The town is quant and humble. My only fear is this may not be what you’re looking for. I can offer my ranch and protection to you and your sister, however, as you will always have a home here.
Tell me more about yourself, and I look forward to hearing from you again.
Sincerely,
Drew Pierce
As their correspondence continued, Susannah felt more inclined to share more of her values and refined taste. She believed things should be a certain way and decorum mattered. Drew didn’t necessarily agree, and her upbringing caused his hesitancy to rise. Whenever he stared at her picture, however, the more he tried to overlook his misgivings.
At nights, he’d stare at her image staring back at him, something in his heart calm and at peace. Susannah intrigued him, and the more his brothers hassled him about their growing friendship, the more he tried hiding how gorgeous he thought she was.
Chapter 9
Susannah read Drew’s letter several times. He sounded nice enough. She’d hoped he would send a photograph of himself, too, but he hadn’t. She’d just have to trust that he wasn’t an ugly man. She scolded herself briefly for having such thoughts, but she couldn’t help it. A handsome man would be far easier to come to care for than an ugly one.
She thought of her mother’s words and knew that she should be more concerned about how he’d treat her and Juliet than how he looked. “Beauty is only skin deep.” These were the words her mother preached. She knew it was true, but still…
If Drew was going to be the one to save them, she’d need to make sure she wrote back in a timely manner. So, she sat down and began to write. The truth was a difficult subject, but she still felt that honesty was the best policy.
Dear Drew,
I feel as if I know enough about you to understand your reasoning for marriage. I too was close to my mother as a child, and what she once said to me still stays with me to this day.
I hope you understand my reasons for marriage. I also must say that my heart has been hurt too immensely to offer it fully to you. I’m sure that isn’t an issue for you, since you’re not looking for a love match.
What little money my sister and I have is running out quickly. It’s only a matter of a few more months and we’ll be completely destitute. We have no other family, no more connections, or people to call on for help. It’s a very disheartening situation to be in. I could leave Boston and her cruel society behind forever.
I offer my support, my companionship, and a marriage of convenience to you. I think we would get along, and who knows what may happen in the future. I don’t want to go into this with any expectations for love. I hope you know where I stand.
Sincerely,
Susannah
P.S. Your brothers sound charming and fun.
When she put the letter in the post, Susannah sighed. Relief and nervousness came to her all at the same time. She clearly had told this man that she would come to him. She would marry him on the terms he offered. She felt slightly let down that this is what her life had come to. A marriage of convenience to get her out of Boston and out of near poverty.
She’d never expected to be in this kind of difficult place, but she was. She must make the best of it. She thought ahead to when she might get to meet Drew Pierce. Would she feel something for him? Would he care for her? What could the future hold for them? Maybe love somewhere down the road when her wounds had healed?
Chapter 10
Susannah was surprised when she got a very quick response from Drew. Her fingers trembl
ed as she opened the letter. She’d come to her room to read it in private since she had no idea what he would say. The honesty she’d shared in her last letter might have put him off. She hoped not, but she would soon find out. She needed to be alone.
Dear Susannah,
I’m not fool enough to believe you’d fall whole heartedly for a rancher like me, but thank you for your honesty. We’ll see what lies between us when you and your sister arrive. I can offer you a life here, and save you from Boston’s demons.
I think you’ll love Wyoming instantly. The hills, the mountains, and the freedom it allows you away from the hustle and bustle of the life you knew, will take your breath away. I believe all your past troubles will fade over time.
I truly want you to be happy, Susannah. If you feel you can accept my proposal, I’ll wait for you. Susannah, our short correspondence has given me hope. You bring me peace, I can’t fully explain. I believe just your presence will fulfill something in me I didn’t know was missing.
Please come. I’m counting the days.
Sincerely,
Drew
Susannah’s heart fluttered reading Drew’s final letter. This rancher, this mysterious older brother, called to fulfill his mother’s dying wishes to find someone and start his life, stirred her deeply. She wondered what he looked like. Was Drew rugged and handsome like she pictured he would be?
Or would there be nothing there? She wasn’t focused on love, but as the days drew closer for her to leave, the more she considered what it meant to have love truly in her life.
Juliet adamantly refused to join her on the journey to Cheyenne.
“I knew you’ve been focused on this silly scheme, but I didn’t actually believe something would form between you and this rancher,” Juliet argued, defensive her sister wanted to take her away from Boston.
“I’ve tried to tell you how things have progressed between us. At first, we’d just send a few letters here and there, revealing more and more about yourselves. Now, it’s either we take a shot or just keep writing each other for a few more months. Things have moved as they should, and it’s now or never. I’ve been completely honest about everything. Father, our money situation, and how desperate we are. All that doesn’t matter to him, and Juliet…we’re nearly broke.”
“He wants you to come because you sent your picture,” Juliet sneered.
She crossed her arms as they continued arguing in the quiet of the night.
“When do you leave?”
“The fifteenth,” Susannah replied, her eyes filling with tears.
It was really happening. She had found a way to save them, but Juliet, stubborn as usual, wanted nothing to do with it.
“I can’t just leave George,” Juliet mumbled.
“What do you mean? Have you and George actually come to a real understanding?”
“Not exactly. He just, oh, I don’t know. He won’t come out and say he wants out, but he’s not proposing, either. I’m a pauper now, but he still cares for me. I know he does.”
“I have no doubt George does, but Juliet….”
“What?”
“George can’t save us. Even if you married him and he was able to support us both, what kind of life would we have here? All our old friends, father’s business partners, the women at the historical club, well, they’ve deserted us. You’d never rise again, even with George’s affections.”
“You don’t know that, Susannah. Things could go back to normal here. One day.”
“Things will never be normal again. Father’s gone. Our life, the parties, and the glitter, it left with him. Now, I’ve found a way for us to survive, and I’m willing to put true happiness on the line to do it.”
“Oh, I guess I should be bowing down and thanking you. Susannah, always the perfect sister, always doing the right thing…. Susannah the crusader for Juliet.”
“I’m not looking for praise, Juliet. I just want us to be taken care of, comfortably, and start a new life, away from here. I’d like for us to be together.”
“Well, you can go and become the wife of some cattle rancher, but I’m not going.”
“I can’t just leave you here, unless you and George are publically engaged.”
“We will be. By the time your train leaves, you’ll see. I’ll be just fine in Boston, and you’ll never have to forsake your happiness for mine again.”
Susannah threw her hands in the air and rolled her eyes. It was useless to convince her to go. It had to be her idea, and that wasn’t going to happen as long as she believed she had a future with George Spiller. Maybe Juliet really was in love with him. Or maybe she was in love with the fantasy of what life would be like with George. Either way, Susannah knew Juliet would never come west with her. It caused her heart to throb in sadness and regret.
Chapter 11
“She’s insane,” Juliet wined to George.
“It seems extreme,” George replied, his hazel eyes dazzling as ever. “She’s really going through with it?”
“Well the usual ladies are to blame. They’ve completely abandoned me and my sister. Susannah doesn’t feel the same here, and society hasn’t exactly helped.”
“I’m sorry you’ve been shunned by everyone.”
“Not everyone,” Juliet smiled, caressing his face.
George looked down at his folded hands, sighing.
“Juliet,” he said desperately. “I wish there was more I could do to help you and your sister.”
“Well, George, there is something you can do to help us. To help me.”
“I’ve told you, Juliet, I can’t marry you.”
“Shh,” she laughed. “You don’t mean it.”
George’s eyes grew stormy. “Juliet, I can’t marry you. We’ve had this conversation before. I can’t marry anyone.”
“George, enough time has passed. You’ve mourned her greatly, and that has only shown me how much love means to you. In fact, it makes me care for you more, but really, enough is enough—”
“Who are you to say, Juliet? You haven’t even dealt with your father’s death. You ignore it, act like it didn’t happen. I know things are seriously troubling for you now, but I can’t marry you just because you need to be saved.”
“George, don’t—”
“I have to be honest with you. I care for you Juliet, but all this time we’ve spent together, my head has been somewhere else. I’m confused all the time.”
“You’re still looking for her aren’t you?”
George’s eyes pierced hers, the tears wavering.
Juliet scoffed, throwing her hands up in the air.
“I thought you were ready to move on. I’m not Harriet, George, and I never will be.”
“I know that, Juliet. That’s the whole point. I’ve known that all along, and I’m sorry it didn’t stop me from giving you false hope.”
“But George, I love you,” Juliet cried.
“Do you? You’ve watched me wallow in sorrow. I haven’t been the man I once was, not for a while. How could you love me not really knowing who I really am?”
Juliet began panicking. Was he right? Was she in love with what she wanted to see? Or in love with someone she thought was there?
“You’ve been holding on because I’m the last shred left of your old life,” George added, touching her arm gently.
Juliet swallowed hard, feeling her cheeks flush and the atmosphere suffocating. She rushed away and out into the freezing cold air. The rain hit her hard. She was drenched in no time and chilled to the bone. All her emotions, the loss of her father, being destitute, and how her life was changing, hit her at once when she finally acknowledged them.
“Juliet,” George called, running after her. “I’m so sorry.”
Juliet stopped and stared into his lost, kind eyes. She truly did love those eyes, but George’s sadness, confusion, and sorrow ran deeper than she wanted to admit. She looked now and saw Harriet’s face written in them.
“Be happy, George,” she said so
ftly, reaching up and kissing him on the cheek.
Now as she walked home in the cold rain, she was empty. Drained completely. Was this how Susannah felt? Like she had no options and no hope? Desperation making her decisions for her? She tried to think of something else, but she couldn’t.
Juliet returned to find Susannah packing and getting their home ready for the new owners of the brownstone. Her mood shifted. She felt defeated. Alone.
Susannah looked up when Juliet entered through the front door, but the sisters didn’t speak. They looked at one another in silence. The past swept in for Juliet, but she could see how it didn’t affect Susannah as acutely.
She had dealt with her pain, with her loss, and now she was moving forward, unafraid. Juliet suddenly envied her older sister and her courage. Susannah would be gone in a few days, and Juliet felt alone more than ever. She couldn’t tell her about tonight and George. Even if Susannah didn’t say “I told you so,” the reality that she would be thinking it was too much for Juliet to bear.
Juliet went upstairs and changed for bed. She cried, pulling the covers over her head, and facing reality for the first time in months. What was she going to do? Susannah was really leaving and she’d be all alone in Boston. Without George. Without anyone.
Chapter 12
Susannah’s travel arrangements were all set for the following day. Juliet had a few more weeks in the brownstone before the buyers from New Jersey would move in.
Susannah had given up trying to convince Juliet to come with her. Juliet had told Susannah that George and she would be engaged any day now. It felt wrong to Susannah, just leaving her alone to fend for herself, but she couldn’t make her sister’s decisions for her.
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