Heidi Vanlandingham - Lucie: Bride of Tennessee (American Mail-Order Bride 16)

by Heidi Vanlandingham

  “It’ll be good for Stella to have a woman about. Your ma has her hands full with that one, no doubt, but she’s gettin’ up in her years. She’s havin’ a hard time tryin’ to discipline the child when all she wants to do is smother her with love. She just wants to be a grandmother. ”

  “Has she told you this?”

  John shook his head. “Wouldn’t think to, your ma. Martha’s the strongest woman I’ve ever met, but she worries about you and that little girl. Worries a lot.”

  Sebastian turned back and retied the black strings, which actually resembled a small bow this time. Pulling the loops tight, he adjusted them under the points of his collar, then nervously pulled down his vest. He buttoned his coat and turned back around to face the sheriff who, he noticed, had changed and brushed his hair. He couldn’t remember a time when he hadn’t seen him wearing a hat. “Don’t know that I’ve ever seen you in such fancy clothes before. Or without a hat.”

  John brushed his hand over his newly trimmed mustache and grinned. “Nope, but I clean up right nice, if I say so myself. Your ma won’t even recognize me in this getup.”

  “When are you going to ask my mother to marry you?”

  John cleared his throat a couple of times, his cheeks turning a dark pink. “I don’t—”

  “Don’t even try to deny it. You’ve been in love with her going on ten years now.”

  “Won’t matter none. Until she hears your pa is dead, she won’t give me any consideration at all.” He opened the bedroom door and held it open. “Now’s not the time for this discussion anyway. We’ve got a weddin’ to get to. That little girl needs a strong man like you. She also needs a ma…she just doesn’t know it yet.”

  They walked in silence down the sidewalk, the church only a little ways up the street from his house. He was thankful his mother had kept Stella overnight. The last time he’d tried to get his daughter into a dress, she’d climbed the large oak in the backyard and wouldn’t come down until he’d promised she could wear pants. Maybe his mother would have better luck, but he doubted it.

  Walking into the church, he sidestepped the unbelievable amount of people already sitting in the pews, and made his way to the front. How his mother had pulled this off, he’d never know.

  The import of what he was about to do hit him like a slap in the face. He was getting married. He needed a stiff drink.

  John pushed him forward. On jittery legs, he moved forward until he stood in front of the pulpit, his gaze roaming across the sea of faces. He recognized a few people; business acquaintances, employees, and even friends he’d gone to school with, but most filling the church were strangers.

  A trickle of sweat rolled down his spine, and his fingers itched to undo the tie, which felt like a noose around his neck. He heard a commotion somewhere at the back and grinned as his daughter started down the aisle, looking every bit an adorable little girl. Wearing a dress. His mother walked behind her, leading her to their appointed places in the front pew.

  Stella returned his smile and started to dash forward, but stopped herself and slowly continued to their seats. Following just behind them was Alex, who looked sharp in his new suit. John hurried up the aisle and slid into the pew beside Alex.

  Then Sebastian’s gaze fell on Lucie. He could see the fear in her eyes as she looked at him. He offered her a tentative smile and nodded. She straightened her shoulders and walked along the left side of the room until she took her place at his side. Her cheeks were rosy, and her soft green eyes sparkled. Her beautiful dark brown hair was piled on top of her head with long ringlets curling down the sides of her face. She was breathtaking.

  The feeling wrapping around his heart scared him to death. Admittedly, he liked Lucie. She intrigued him. He found himself looking forward to being with her, getting to know her more…but every time he was with her, all he could think about, other than a strong desire to kiss her, was the agony he’d felt when his wife had abandoned him for another man. What if Lucie left him too? Was he such a bad person to love?

  The minister kept their vows short, for which he was very thankful. Standing in front of a large group of strangers wasn’t something he wanted to do again soon, if ever. He followed the minister’s instructions and lightly held Lucie’s trembling left hand in his. He gave a slight tug, drawing her gaze up to his. Her pink lips pressed together. His thumb caressed her knuckles and her tremors calmed a bit.

  He took the ring from the minister’s palm and slid it onto her third finger. It was a perfect fit. He held onto her finger a moment longer. “Something special for you,” he whispered. He met her soft green eyes, filled with wonder. Without being told, he leaned toward her and brushed his lips over hers in a light kiss. The knot in his gut changed from dread to an unfamiliar need, and he forced himself to pull away from her.

  “These twain are made one,” the minister announced in a booming voice. When they turned to face their guests, he linked her arm through his. Hurrying her down the center aisle and through the large church doors, he only slowed to hand her up into the horse-drawn buggy waiting in the street.

  Climbing up beside her, he took a quick breath then instructed the driver to his home. Their home.

  Good god, he was married.

  * * *

  Lucie’s mind reeled. She hadn’t known what to expect regarding a wedding, but that short ceremony hadn’t been it. Something had been missing, but she wasn’t sure what. She still had a profound emptiness inside her chest. Had she thought that by marrying Sebastian, her loneliness and anxiety would simply be erased? She watched as the houses passed by, and realized she had.

  She’d convinced herself throughout the night that this marriage was a practical decision…but in her heart, she felt just as desperate as when she signed the contract to become a mail-order bride. Peering from the corner of her eye, she noticed her new husband looked even less thrilled, his face brooding and pensive as he stared ahead. Well, she was not a quitter. For better or worse, she was now Mrs. Sebastian McCord. She had no idea what he expected of her, nor what she was even capable of as a wife or mother, but she’d made a promise. And she never broke her promises.

  “Here we are.”

  She glanced over at her husband as he climbed down from the carriage. He held out his hand. Placing her palm against his warm one, she carefully stepped onto the street and looked around. In front of them stood a modest house with a white picket fence outlining the small yard. A chilly breeze moved through the vines growing up the columns on either end of the porch. She could hear the steady scritch, scritch as the branches scraped against the wood. In bloom, the front of the house would be magnificent. She could see herself drinking her tea, sitting in the comfortable-looking wicker chair.

  “Oh, Sebastian, what a beautiful house!”

  He stood beside her and stared at the house. “It’s small, but there are three bedrooms, and I just had indoor plumbing installed. Takes a bit of getting used to, but I think you will like it.”

  “Other than the hotel, I’ve never lived in a home that had indoor plumbing,” she said, staring at his dimple, her stomach doing flip flops again.

  He held out his arm. She tucked hers through the crook of his elbow and walked beside him as he led her into the house. The front room was a disaster waiting to happen. It seemed to her that neither Sebastian nor Stella picked anything up.

  Piles of books leaned dangerously close to the unlit fireplace, and there were papers and clothes draped over the furniture. Thankfully there were few pieces of furniture, only a chaise and two high-backed chairs. One small round table nestled between the chairs, the dark walnut nicely accentuating the pale green upholstery. The table had a coffee mug and a dirty plate sitting on the edge.

  Another table, this one square, was placed next to the settee, which was light burgundy with gold and green designs. Even though it was a complete mess, she immediately loved the space and wished it was cold enough for a fire.

  They went to the kitchen next, which
was grander than her parents’ and somewhat intimidating since she had no idea how to cook. Porridge she was capable of making, but any other dish was beyond her culinary skills. They had never had the money for her to learn to cook anything more. The wooden countertops hadn’t been wiped clean in a while. In the middle of the far wall was a sink, also filled with dishes. There was also a black stove with an icebox on one side and a copper boiler on the other. Dirty pans were stacked on the stove.

  In the adjoining dining room there was a drop-leaf table with two high-backed ladder chairs. Two more chairs rested against the end wall, and in the far corner of the room stood a mahogany cupboard, empty other than a few glasses. Glancing back at the overflowing sink, she sighed. She knew what her first chore would be.

  There wasn’t a lot of extra space, but the rooms were by no means small. “Alex is going to love this—as will I. The last place we lived in Lawrence would fit inside the front room.” She ignored the small frown he gave her and pointed to the closed door beside the boiler. “What’s in there?”

  The frown disappeared as he grinned. “Something fantastic.”

  She followed him, peering inside the room as he opened the door. “It’s a bath room!”

  Sebastian moved so she could enter the small space. “I’ve heard of these but never thought I’d actually see one.” In the middle of the back wall stood a wooden stand with a built-in sink. A dirty white towel had been shoved over the hanger attached to the overhead shelf. There was a metal pipe running from the floor to behind the sink with a spigot and a wagon-wheel knob on the top. A brass mirror stood on top of the narrow shelf.

  Ignoring the pile of towels and clothes beside the sink, she stared at the large wooden structure to her left. “What’s that?”

  “That’s a sheet lead bathtub.” He pointed to a metal box with a lever hanging off to one side. “The pipe running up the wall behind the shower is attached to the boiler in the kitchen. We can have a warm bath every day if we want without the hassle of heating water on the stove, which takes forever.”

  He motioned with a wave of his hand to a door in the corner to their right. “I also had an earth closet built through that door. It’s completely private without much of the odors associated with them.”

  From the burning over her face, she knew she was bright red. She’d never met anyone who would talk so casually about the lavatory, especially in front of a lady. He was now her husband, so maybe this was one of the things she would have to get used to.

  Turning back into the kitchen, she walked through the dining room, running her fingertips across the wooden back of the closest chair, and cleared her throat. “And the bedrooms?”

  He moved beside her. “Stella’s is the first room on the right.”

  She jumped, not expecting him to have moved quite so quickly and quietly. “May I see it?”

  He shrugged and opened the door. “Typical little girl’s room, I think.”

  She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when she peered inside the room. There were clothes scattered all around the room, even draping over the end of the bed, which hadn’t been made. Instead of dolls and books, her new daughter had a pistol on her pillow and a small rifle propped against the wall beside the small cherry wood dresser. “That is definitely not a little girl’s room. My brother would love that room.”

  He stared down at her a moment with a thoughtful frown on his face but instead of saying anything, he only turned and opened the door behind them. “This will be Alex’s room.”

  She peeked in to see a normal, tidy room with a single bed, one small nightstand, and an armoire, thankful their mess hadn’t made its way into this room as well. “He will love this. The light blue on the walls is his favorite color.”

  “Our room is at the end of the hall.”

  Her feet rooted to the floor. Our? He’d said their marriage would be platonic—that she wouldn’t have to meet the normal wifely duties. So why were they sharing a room? Before he turned around and noticed her absence, she forced herself to walk toward him, following him into the larger room.

  Her eyes widened when she saw the spindle-post bed. The covers looked as if they’d been kicked off the bed. She’d never seen a bed so large. The dark brown, almost black stain on the tall spindle corner posts and massive hardboard was intimidating to say the least. On either side stood matching nightstands, a plain glass lamp adorning each.

  The double window had a cushioned window seat, which would be perfect to sit in and read…after she cleared off the enormous pile of clothes. Along the wall opposite the window stood a monstrous mahogany armoire with a matching dressing mirror tucked into the corner next to it. “Are there any clothes left in the armoire?”

  He ignored her barb and picked an imaginary piece of dust off his jacket sleeve. “I’m afraid I don’t have another room.” His steady gaze met hers. “I will keep my word—I will wait until you are ready.”

  His eyes burned into hers and her stomach fluttered at the thought of him touching her. She had lied to herself before—she was falling for Sebastian and had no clue what to do about it.

  “Hello?” Martha’s voice echoed through the empty house. “Where are you two hiding? Your guests are almost here and you haven’t even started! Good thing I’m such a wonderful mother—I’ve arranged for McCord’s to cater tonight’s little party.”

  Lucie couldn’t help the smile spreading over her face. “She’s amazing.”

  Sebastian groaned. “Wait until the newness has worn off. You might rethink your opinion of my mother.”

  She watched his wide shoulders as he walked toward the kitchen, Martha’s commanding tone echoing around the room. “I will always think she’s amazing,” she whispered then followed the sound of her mother-in-law’s voice.

  Chapter Ten

  Lucie slumped down in the dining room chair, her eyes glued to the stove. She’d been married for a week and a half and nothing good had happened since the ceremony, other than people bringing by food so she wouldn’t have to cook. She dreaded the next day because she would actually have to begin cooking.

  Sebastian had been spending most of his time at the hotel, so she’d rarely seen him, which meant she was one-on-one with Stella. Every day, he would come home for a quick dinner, tuck his daughter into bed, and then leave without saying more than a word or two to either her or Alex. He would return, crawling into bed after putting in a long night at the hotel, and get up just after dawn to do it all over again.

  Stella hated her, and she was beginning to wonder if Sebastian might dislike her as well. For a six-year-old girl, Stella was as cantankerous as an old man and just as clever at getting her own way. No matter what Lucie said, she disagreed. If she told her to clean her room, she would mess it up more. Alex had never been this difficult, but her father and stepmother wouldn’t have put up with any disobedience either.

  It had taken her most of the week to pick up the house, one room at a time, and do all of the laundry. In the evening, Alex helped her wash the dishes, so they too were back in their appointed spots in the small cupboard. The small pie safe had enough food to last a few more days, although she had no idea what some of the items were used for.

  Lucie still helped out at the hotel, but her main goal was to learn how to cook. She wanted to prepare delicious meals for her new family. The cook had been helpful, giving her a few lessons on several easy dishes, but Lucie was wary of trying them without help.

  She sighed, her restless fingers turning the plate of cookies around in a circle on the table. The evening had been ruined before it even started. Stella had been told two days ago to clean her room and she still hadn’t cleaned it. What she really needed was for her husband to put his foot down and make her pick her things up.

  She was so confused. In the past two days, Sebastian had seemed more distant than he usually did, as if something weighed heavily on his mind. They’d settled into a comfortable routine in the evenings. Quite often, she would catch him watchin
g her, but he would turn away without saying anything. The few times they had talked, the conversation usually turned to Stella. Sebastian was worried about his daughter, of that Lucie was certain, but she had no idea how to fix it.

  The front door banged open, startling her. Wide-eyed, she jumped to her feet with her hand splayed across her chest then relaxed when she saw her brother.

  “Hi, sissy!” Alex gave her a big grin and walked into her embrace.

  Her day suddenly brightened. No matter what mood she was in, her brother always managed to make her spirits lift. She hugged him close, knowing times like this would soon stop. He was getting too old for hugs. “So, what did you learn today?”

  He dropped his lunch pail on the table and picked up a cookie, which disappeared in a few bites. “Nothin’ much. Teacher is giving us a test tomorrow over the War Between the States, although when I told her we called it the Great Rebellion, she insisted we use the correct Southern term since we live here now.”

  “I agree with her. The last thing you need is to make enemies because of where you moved from. Papa told me stories of how touchy people were during the war, even before it started. As time passes, so will the bitterness between the Northern and Southern states.” She tousled his hair as he grabbed another cookie. “I’m very thankful for that; otherwise, our moving here wouldn’t have been so easy.”

  “Because we were born in the North?”

  “Mmm-hmm.”

  She glanced at the door. “Alex, where’s Stella?”

  He shrugged. “Teacher asked her to stay after school for a few minutes—probably got into trouble again. I wanted to get home to get my studyin’ done. When Sebastian gets home, he promised to take me to the livery.” His hazel-blue eyes lit up in excitement. “I get to learn how to ride a horse!”

  She frowned. “Really? He didn’t say anything to me.”

  Alex shrugged, stuffing a fourth cookie in his mouth. Grabbing his tablet out of the pail, he went to his room. “Maybe he forgot. I can stop studyin’ if you need help with supper.”