Frontier Want Ad Bride

by Lyn Cote

  Then Asa stepped to the lectern again and faced the crowd. “I left off my rank and first name when I came to Pepin. I was tired of talking about the war. I’d lived it for four long, dreadful years, and I did not want to talk about it anymore.” He paused, gazing at Judith.

  She was aware of tension in the room. Everyone was alert and listening intently.

  “But we’ve—” he waved to include the men who continued to stand behind him “—decided it is time to speak of the war.” He gripped the sides of the lectern and gazed straight into Judith’s eyes. “We had to fight the war. The South was never going to give up slavery on their own. The friction between the North and South had already reached a dangerous level. It shouldn’t have surprised us when the South seceded.”

  He drew in a deep breath. “I heard captured Rebel soldiers complain that we should have let the South go. But that wouldn’t have worked. We would have had a constant border war along the Ohio River and elsewhere. Slaves would not have stopped fleeing to freedom. We could not continue as a house divided against itself.” He shrugged. “So the war came just as it did when the British government wouldn’t let America go from English governance.”

  He looked around the room. The silent, watching room. Even the babies seemed serious and silent. “I fought at Gettysburg, the three-day battle that prevented Lee from carrying the war into the North. I was merely a captain, under orders from higher officers. But at one point in the battle…”

  He paused. “I knew that I was seeing movements on the part of the enemy that the higher officers could not see from their posts. And no courier could carry the information to them in time.”

  He stared into the audience, his jaw firm. “I made the decision. I gave the order…on my own without consulting my commanding officer. My unit rushed into a breach that had opened at a critical moment. For this, some called me a hero.”

  He glanced toward the ceiling and then toward the audience again. “If it had not succeeded, if it had been the wrong decision, I would have been court-martialed. That’s the way war is. Men make decisions. And in war men live or die because of them.” He halted as if struggling with emotion.

  Noah came up beside him and gripped his shoulder.

  “Half of my men,” Asa said, his voice low and grinding, “died that day upon my orders.”

  A muted gasp rippled through the schoolhouse.

  The sheriff came up and stood on Asa’s other side. Asa straightened. “But it was the right decision. It helped defeat Lee. Still I am troubled by the men who died that awful day. I often wonder how General Grant and our late President Lincoln carried the weight of their decisions. I’m sure—” he nodded toward Noah and Brennan “—that each man here could tell you about a similar day. But they asked me to speak for them. We had to fight the war. But we’d just as soon not talk about it. We thank you for your understanding.” Asa stepped back.

  Noah moved to take his place. “Before we begin celebrating again, I’d like everyone who lost a loved one in the war to rise and say the name of the fallen.”

  Over half the room rose and, one by one, said names, often with tears. When the last one spoke, Noah motioned for all to rise. “We are going to smile again now and continue celebrating our nation’s birth. Our country was worth fighting for and abolition of slavery was worth fighting for. Men died. Yet this is a happy occasion.”

  The congregation appeared to shake themselves and straighten up as if the cloud over them had passed.

  Noah beamed at them. “Folks, there are games set up, and later we will have fireworks.” He raised his hands to urge them on. “The old has gone away. Behold, all things are new! Go and celebrate!” He waved them out.

  The Ashfords led the procession of veterans out the door. Judith rose and went with the children outside.

  Soon Asa found her. He’d taken off his uniform and his suit coat. He rolled up his sleeves. And he joined a thrilled Colton to compete in the three-legged race.

  As Judith stood with Lily cheering their “men” on, she turned over all that Asa had said. She’d known about his action at Gettysburg, of course, but she had sensed something new today in Asa’s voice and expression. What had happened here? And what would it mean for her and her husband?

  *

  Night was nearly on them. The summer sky at sunset still glowed low on the horizon. But the gathering had moved to Main Street, away from the forest, to set off Roman candles against the darkening sky over the Mississippi. Even the men from the saloon came out to watch the fireworks that burst over the dark water and reflected on its surface.

  Asa kept Judith near, and in the midst of the loud booms, and oohs and aahs from the townspeople, he put his arm around her shoulders and drew her close. This public demonstration of affection set off fireworks within her. She held herself still and didn’t give in to the desire to turn toward Asa and rest against his chest. But this took a lot of self-control. She felt herself softening toward her husband.

  Finally the last blue-and-white shimmering Roman candle sparks fell, and the new night came back into its own with bullfrogs bellowing at the river’s edge, cicadas shrieking in rapid unison, and tree frogs peeping.

  People began to load their families into wagons. Asa drew Judith nearer to the general store, and Judith wondered why. Colton leaned against Asa, and Lily wrapped her arms around Judith’s waist.

  “Do we got to go home?” Lily asked, her eyes drooping.

  “I think you children should come visit us for the night,” Mrs. Ashford said from the porch. “You can sleep in the room Emma stayed in. Tomorrow morning, I’ll make waffles with my iron, and we’ll have honey and maple syrup on them.”

  Lily brightened and moved toward Mrs. Ashford’s outstretched hand.

  Colton held back, glancing up at Asa.

  “Go on,” Asa said. “It’ll be a treat.”

  Colton didn’t move.

  “Maybe he’d like to spend the night in my lean-to,” Dan spoke up. “I get lonely. It’d be a blessing to have Colton spend time with me.”

  “Could I?” Colton asked Asa.

  “If that’s what you want,” Asa replied.

  Colton turned eagerly to Dan.

  “And then, Dan,” Mrs. Ashford said, “you bring Colton for breakfast, and you’re invited, too.”

  Dan beamed. “Thank you, ma’am. It’d be my pleasure.”

  So Colton and Dan headed toward the riverside lean-to. And Lily let Mrs. Ashford lead her into the store. At the last moment, Mrs. Ashford turned, and Judith thought the woman winked at them.

  What was this sudden change in routine about? Judith wondered.

  Asa drew her arm through his and escorted her up Main Street, waving to people they knew who were also walking home. Soon they were alone on the last bit of road to their place.

  Judith longed to rest her head on Asa’s arm but didn’t want to be forward. Something was happening, had happened. But what?

  Finally, in their clearing, Asa paused near their door.

  She waited for him to excuse himself and go to check on the cattle. She was surprised not to hear the cows lowing, needing to be milked. It was late for them.

  “Gunther Lang took care of our cows,” Asa murmured. “And Mrs. Ashford was the one who decided you and I should have a night without the children. She said newlyweds need time alone.” He grinned. “So let’s not think about anything…”

  She waited.

  “…but us.”

  A thrill rippled through her. Us?

  He led her to the door and, without a word, swept her up into his arms. He pushed the door open with a boot and carried her inside.

  “Asa?” she gasped.

  “A bride should be carried over the threshold. I didn’t have enough sense to do that on our wedding day. I’m sorry, Judith.”

  His face had drifted to mere inches from hers.

  She was afraid to breathe. “I understood, Asa.”

  “Well, I was bewildered that day.
And I haven’t treated you the way you deserve, Judith. I’m sorry.”

  She circled her arms around his neck. She was having trouble breathing and she didn’t think it had anything to do with corset stays.

  He let her down.

  She nearly protested, but before she could speak…

  He dipped down onto one knee. “A lady like you also deserves to hear a proposal in person, not through a letter from a stranger. Judith, I know this is a bit tardy, but will you do me the honor, the very great honor of being my wife?”

  “Asa,” was all she could think to murmur.

  “Will you?”

  “Yes, of course.” She nearly blurted out, I love you. But held herself in check. He must speak of love first. The man must make the first move. Asa wouldn’t make it, though. She knew that from her previous humiliation. If only she were the kind of woman a man would fall in love with, a pretty woman. Pain twined around her heart.

  He rose and took her hand in his. “Judith, I wrote to you and offered marriage because I could not bear to endure one more winter alone in this cabin with my thoughts and guilt. I needed a wife.”

  She nodded. She knew that only need would have caused a man to propose to her.

  “And when you came, I didn’t know how it would affect me. I found I wanted you here with me so much, but I felt so unworthy that a lovely and full-hearted woman like you would be my wife, I froze up inside.”

  “I’m not lovely,” she blurted out.

  “Judith! You’re a beautiful woman, the most beautiful I’ve ever known—not just your sweet face and beautiful hair, but your heart is beautiful. You have humbled me.”

  Judith could not breathe at all now. She stared at her husband openmouthed. He called me beautiful.

  Then he drew her close and she knew, oh, she knew he was going to kiss her. She stood on tiptoe to receive his kiss, the first almost reverent, but the next melted her knees. She sagged against him. “Asa.” She breathed out the word. “Do you really think I’m…pretty?”

  “No, you’re beautiful and…” He lifted her chin with both hands, looking down at her so tenderly. “Judith, I love you.”

  Tears sprang to her eyes. The words she’d kept inside flowed out freely. “Oh, Asa, I love you, too.” She pressed her face into his shoulder, hiding her tears of joy. How could it be that her husband thought her pretty…beautiful and lovely? Then she recalled the scripture, “He hath made everything beautiful in His time.” She looked up then and smiled. This was her time, and all because Asa loved her.

  *

  Days passed and weeks. Some of their crops of corn and hay revived and grew. Asa, with Colton at his side, drove over to Ellen Lang’s place to pick up his wife and Lily. Judith had spent the afternoon with a few other women canning ketchup while the children played. The hours spent without her had stretched out like days. When he finally glimpsed her expression, he saw that she had missed him, too.

  Wonder of wonders. Judith, his beautiful and caring wife, loved him. He helped her up onto the bench with tender care and then swung Lily around twice before depositing her in the wagon bed with Colton and the mama cat who’d come along for the ride.

  Asa wanted to kiss his wife in the worst—no, the best—way. Yet he contented himself with listening to her tell him about the day and the bottles of ketchup that would be coming to them. Just listening to her happy voice calmed again the wound he carried inside. He was healing. He was himself again, and all due to God’s blessing.

  He thanked God that he had finally found the words to say to Judith. The guilt still rose in him sometimes. So many had died and he had lived. But the guilt melted away each time Judith said his name.

  He was not alone. He was not the same. He was loved by Judith and by God. He heard Noah’s words again: “the old has gone away. Behold, all things are new!”

  Epilogue

  The first day of school had arrived, a bright, sunny day near the start of September. Asa insisted on walking with Judith and the children to school. This made her so proud, she felt her face rosy with pleasure. They greeted other children and parents on their way to school. Older children walked alone, but the littler ones clung to their mothers’ or fathers’ hands, just as Colton walked beside Asa and Lily held Judith’s hand.

  They reached the path through the trees to the school. “I wish…” Colton said and then fell silent.

  “What?” Judith coaxed.

  “I wish my mom and dad hadn’t…you know.”

  Died? Judith’s heart clenched. “I also wish that. But you’re here with us.”

  “You’re safe,” Asa spoke up. “I’m not going to let anyone take you.”

  “That woman, that aunt, my dad’s aunt, wrote us,” Colton replied, looking down at his feet moving over the worn path to the schoolhouse.

  “If family comes,” Asa said, “I won’t let you go away with them unless I’m convinced they would be good for you and you want to go with them. You’re part of our family forever, whether you live with us or not.”

  Colton thought about this.

  Johan Lang, already in line at the school door, waved and called Colton’s name.

  The boy’s face brightened. “Okay. Can I go?”

  “Go ahead and join your friend in line,” Asa granted.

  Colton bolted ahead.

  “Will I like school?” Lily asked once again.

  “You will love school, especially since Aunt Emma is your teacher,” Judith replied, squeezing Lily’s hand. “But remember in school to call her Miss Jones.”

  At this Lily smiled and began to skip. Soon all Pepin’s children were lined up by age, and Judith and Asa watched the children parade into school.

  Then, turning, Asa took Judith’s hand and led her back through town. Judith sometimes couldn’t believe that it had happened. A man, her husband, Captain Fitzgerald Asa Brant, had fallen in love with her.

  She’d come to Pepin to find a refuge, a place of her own, and most of all, peace. She hadn’t expected to find joy and love. Her dream of being loved had come true. She’d doubted it ever would. God had answered all her prayers and rewarded her patience with blessings she’d thought impossible. Her heart sang silently, praising God, the giver of all good gifts and the rewarder of all those who diligently sought Him.

  *

  Don’t miss these other

  WILDERNESS BRIDES stories

  from Lyn Cote:

  THEIR FRONTIER FAMILY

  THE BABY BEQUEST

  HEARTLAND COURTSHIP

  And Emma’s upcoming story

  Available from Love Inspired Historical!

  Find more great reads at www.LoveInspired.com

  Keep reading for an excerpt from AN AMISH COURTSHIP by Jan Drexler.

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  Dear Reader,

  I hope you’ve enjoyed returning to Pepin, Wisconsin, for another Wilderness Brides book. (Or coming for the first time—welcome!)

  Judith, to me, shows how a loving woman can win a man’s heart and change him for the better. However, you notice she didn’t try to change him. Her acceptance, faithfulness, patience and love changed her husband’s heart with God’s help. As her mother had taught her, “The only person you can change is yourself.”

  Now, what about Emma and Mason Chandler? Will he return? What has kept him so long? And will Emma marry him or not? (BTW, I’ve never met a Southerner like Mabel Joy, definitely an anomaly!)

  If you’ve enjoyed this story, you might want to read the first three books in my Wilderness Brides series—Their Frontier Family (Pastor Noah Whitmore and Sunny’s story), The Baby Bequest (Ellen and Kurt Lang’s story), and Heartland Courtship (Sheriff Brennan Merriday and Rachel’s story).

  Fifteen Love Inspired Historical authors contributed recipes and family stories to the �
��Old Family Recipes” collection. If you’d like to receive a free digital copy of this, please drop by my website www.LynCote.com and subscribe to my newsletter and you will automatically receive your free copy.

  Blessings,

  Lyn Cote

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired Historical title.

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  An Amish Courtship

  by Jan Drexler

  Chapter One

  Shipshewana, Indiana

  April 1937

  “I’m so glad we aren’t late,” Aunt Sadie said as Mary turned the buggy into the farm lane.

  Mary Hochstetter looked ahead, clutching the reins with damp hands. At least twenty buggies lined up along the barn like a flock of blackbirds on a telegraph wire and the lines of people moving toward the house were long.