Heart of a Lady (Book One of the Red River Valley Brides)

by Hestand, Rita

  "Easy for you all to say, you're white, but I'm a black woman. How do I know I will even find a black man? And who ever heard of a town needin' brides. A whole town? They must be the scum of the earth." Nadine shrugged.

  "Quit frettin' Nadine, it's a whole town of men; they bound to have a black man in the bunch of them. And if not, you'll just have to find you a white one that don't mind color." Jo Ella said. "You've certainly done that before."

  "A white man! Finding one wouldn't be hard, but getting' him to marry me might." Nadine cried out in protest. "Most white men want one thing from me. And marriage doesn't usually go with it."

  "Oh quit playin' the odds, you've had your share of white men, and from what I've heard they like that pretty dark skin of yours." Trish laughed at her.

  Nadine smiled slowly, her dark luscious hair streaming in curls down her shoulder "Yeah…they surely did. But this is permanent; I kinda thought I might stick with my own. I mean what kind of life could I have with a white man any way. Why the town might railroad us clear out of town."

  "Then maybe you should find you one of those hide skinners, or someone who don't come to town very often." Maggie snickered.

  "I'm serious; I want a good life too." Nadine insisted. "Of course, I guess we could live together, as long as he was willing to commit to me."

  "Of course you want a good life, we all do. That's why we agreed to come and live in Vada. You quit fussin' Nadine, at least until you've looked the town over and the men. We could have hitched ourselves up with a complete stranger the way some mail order brides do and have no choice. This way, we can sort of look them all over and decide for ourselves. You got a year to find a man that pleases you, and if we don't we must leave or work in the saloon. We all signed the papers; we got choices, so let's make the best of it. It's this or continue to pour whiskey and please the riff-raff at Al's place." Jo Ella glanced at them all. "Look girls, this was the best ad in the paper. The town of Vada needs women, good women. We are good. We have to find a husband within a year's time, or go back to the saloons. That's not so hard. At least this way we have some choice as to who we are stuck with, so choose wisely."

  "And if we don't find a man within a year, we have to turn ourselves around and go back to workin' the saloon?" Sarah cried. "I'm sure I can find one man…"

  "That's the agreement. They don't want a bunch of unmarried women in their town, and there is sure to be a big turnover in the saloons, not every girl can do it you know. This is the best deal ever. It's a chance at a new life. It may be our last chance."

  "What kind of town is this anyway? A town full of bachelors?" Maggie who'd been listening with interest to the conversation asked.

  "Most of them are I'm told. Most of them came out here to get a grub stake. As at the time the land was up for grabs. All they had to do was fight Indians and outlaws to keep it. But very few brought their own wives and many women wouldn't venture this far on account of the Indians. Some of the ranches out here are pretty secluded, so if you don't want that kind of life, don't go after a rancher. They want a wife, and eventually children. At the very least it will give us time to decide if we want this kind of life for ourselves or not. It will give us a choice of either going back to the saloons or making a life for ourselves with a possible chance of having a family." Jo Ella assured them. "So when we get off the stage at Vada, let the men help us down, be a little shy, smile and bat your eyes. Be a lady. Don't toy with several men at a time. Pick one at a time and don't be too easy. They might get wise to that."

  "I never thought getting a husband would be so hard." Maggie laughed.

  "Most of these men, are eager for a woman, but if we act like whores they will treat us as one. So we must be ladies at all times. Understood?" Jo Ella asked. "Remember we are the Brides of Red River Valley.

  "The Brides of Red River Valley, that sounds kinda nice, don't it? But it might just kill me…" Trish laughed.

  Everyone nodded then snickered.

  "But how we gonna support ourselves until we find a husband?" Trish asked.

  "It's all in the agreement. Didn't you read it? They furnish us a room at the boarding house with meals, so we won't need much else. The idea is to find a husband in good time." Jo Ella shook her head.

  "Well, I'll start looking the minute we arrive, you can bet on that." Maggie laughed. "Heck I’m not that bashful."

  Then a loud crashing sound alarmed them, and the horses sped up. Suddenly as Jo Ella looked out the window, she saw one of the wheels flying down a steep ravine. A yell from the driver resounded and the stage began to lean to one side. There was a curb, and the coach began to roll, tossing everyone first one way then the other. She saw the luggage flying through the air, and heard the creaking and crashing of the coach, as it tumbled down the steep incline. Jo Ella shrieked, and she heard the others screaming and crying out. She couldn't see the driver, but she had seen the shotgun rider jumping just before the coach began to roll.

  The women screamed and squashed each other, and hats and pins flew everywhere. Blood oozed and gushed as the ladies groaned and grunted trying to right themselves.

  As the stage settled against the ground almost in an upright position with a heavy thud, leaving a cloud of dust in its wake, and only a few moans were heard for the next few minutes.

  "Oh my God, Jo Ella, what's happened?" Nadine glanced at her in horror.

  "The driver wasn't watching where he was going, I guess. Are any of you hurt? I don't know about you, but I'm not sitting in this thing a minute more. Let's get out and see how much damage is done. Anyone hurt bad?"

  "Yeah…everywhere…." Trish mumbled.

  "I'm talking seriously."

  "I guess not. But I gotta feelin' I'll be sore a while from this." Maggie said with a laugh.

  "Get out, everyone. " Jo Ella reached up to open the door. They were all practically on top of each other on the floorboard. Blood trickled down her forehead. "Oh, my head. We need to get out of here and check the damage. Surely the driver or shotgun rider can help us."

  Cold reality set in the minute they crawled out of the coach as it laid nearly on its side half-way down the incline. Strung all over the cliff, their luggage was everywhere. They found the shotgun rider up the hill from them, his neck obviously broken from the position he was in. Jo Ella shaded her eyes and glanced about, she didn't see the driver anywhere.

  Jo Ella closed her eyes for a moment. She needed to think, to use her head. It would only be moments before pure panic set in. She moved around to the back of the stagecoach and opened the supply hatch. "There's a shovel on the back here. I guess we should bury him as best we can before the buzzards get him. We can take turns digging."

  "Can't we leave it for someone else to do? I mean, do we have to do everything ourselves?" Sarah whined. When Jo Ella shot her a disproving look, she blew a tendril of dark hair from her face. "Well, we are supposed to be ladies, aren't we. Would ladies dig a grave?"

  "We are ladies, yes, but we are pioneer ladies, not dyed-in-the-wool Philadelphia ladies. If they had to, yes, they would bury them," Jo Ella corrected, shaking her head and rolling her eyes at Sarah. If anyone was going to gripe, it would be Sarah, Jo Ella thought silently. "It's the respectable thing to do. Obviously, there are many things to being a lady…or just a decent person. If you can't be a lady, at least be a decent person."

  "I'm already not liking that word," Sarah grumbled.

  "Trish, you are a gambler at heart," Jo Ella glanced at Trish who was looking about curiously and shaking her head. "So gamble on this working for us, not against us. Even decent ladies would make the attempt at burying him and finding the stagecoach driver, don't you think?" Jo Ella frowned at Sarah.

  "Maybe so, but what kind of driver runs over a cliff like this?" Trish asked her brows knitting together as she tried to figure it out.

  Jo Ella smiled knowing Trish the way she did, she knew she'd be trying to figure it all out in her head first.

  "I don't see hide or
hair of the driver." Maggie shook her head. Shading her eyes as she glanced up the incline, she turned to look at Jo Ella. "I'm not up to climbing that hill yet. Maybe we should wait until tomorrow to try to get up there."

  "What happened?" Nadine asked. She looked like Trish, as though she couldn't figure it all out. Maybe she was in shock, Jo Ella thought to herself.

  "A stagecoach don't just fall over a cliff." Trish glanced at Jo Ella.

  Jo Ella shook her head. "I don't know. Let's get him buried. Then maybe we can find some answers."

  All afternoon, they took turns digging into the dry earth, chipping away at a makeshift grave for the shotgun rider. Sweat poured from them, and they stunk from the excessive heat.

  "I don't think I could put that shovel in the ground one more time," Sarah complained.

  "Me either," Maggie echoed.

  Sarah saw the look on Jo Ella's face and screwed up a frown at her. "Okay, I'll quit complaining. But I'm hot, and sore and I really don't feel too well."

  "It's alright Sarah. I'm give out too." Jo Ella straightened and clapped dirt from her hands. "Let's gather some wood for a fire. It'll be dark soon. No use trying to walk to anywhere close this late. We'll get some rest and maybe clean up a bit tomorrow before we set out."

  "Sounds good to me, but I sure am hungry," Sarah wailed.

  "Did you have to mention it!" Maggie hollered. "I'm starved."

  "Just don't think about it. We can go through some of the luggage and see if there is anything there. Like maybe some salted meat in the driver's stuff under the seat. And coffee too."

  "I must be starved. Even salted meat sounds good."

  Hours later, they sat by a fire. Some blankets in the luggage they turned into makeshift beds. They drug a saddle that had been knocked clear of the stage to the fire.

  "We won't get any men lookin' like we do," Trish complained.

  "That's true enough." Jo Ella sighed. "Tomorrow we'll bath in the river down there. Maybe we'll find some clothes we can still use in the luggage."

  Jo Ella couldn't help but reflect on their trip as a bad omen. But she was determined to make this work no matter the circumstances. At least they were still alive!

  Chapter Two

  The next morning, the sun crept over the horizon, peeping through the trees until the wind picked up and blew the leaves above them startling them awake.

  "I slept like I'd been beaten to death." Sarah stretched.

  "Me too." Maggie yawned. "And I think I have."

  Jo Ella glanced at them as she picked up some small wood pieces for a fire. Putting them in a pile, she ran to the river and got some water to make the coffee. There was an old burn up coffee pot in the back of the stage. It didn't look like much, but it would suffice, she decided. She started a fire in no time. Then she searched the stage again and found an old pan to roast the coffee beans with. "Well now that we've had a little rest, how does everyone feel?"

  "I'm stiff and a little sore in places." Trish said as she moved about trying to help Jo Ella.

  "Maggie, how about you?"

  "My backside is sore like I been riding for a week. Must have bruised it some." Maggie rubbed the area.

  "I'm stiff in places and feel like I've been run over by a horse. Guess we need to see a doctor when we get to a town to make sure everything is working right." Jo Ella turned to Nadine. "You're face got a lickin' too. You nearly got a black eye."

  "Oh, I must be a real sight. I'm glad I don't have a mirror to see it," Nadine grimaced.

  "We'll mend. Besides, we are alive, and we done hatched ourselves one of the best ideas in our life. We can't afford to die now. I'm too excited." Trish's exuberance fascinated the others, because she was the skeptical one of the bunch.

  "You don't think it's a little far-fetched?" Maggie put her hands on her hips and lifted her chin a notch. "Us bein' brides?"

  "Good grief, it's not that hard." Jo Ella waved her hand. "You've seen enough real ladies before, how they act and carry themselves. We got to lift our heads, and our hearts, speak plainly and politely. I think we can pull this off without a hitch. If there is one thing we know about, its men. And now all we have to do is please one, not a dozen. Those odds are in our favor."

  "I hope so." Sarah gathered tin cups hanging from the back of the coach storage and poured coffee into them.

  After eating the last of the jerky, Jo Ella put her hands on her hips and firmed her lips. "Let's see if we can't use most of the clothes. At least they didn't hit the river and wash away. I'd hate to have to buy more clothes and pay more money for them, especially since we don't know how this is all gonna work out."

  Immediately she saw the girls heads turn in her direction. "Not that I have any doubts."

  "If it doesn't work out for me, I'm going back to Al's," Trish glanced at them for reaction..

  "I've been thinking about it, and I kinda like the idea of being a wife," Sarah announced boldly. "My folks, they really wanted me to marry, settle somewhere, and have some kids. So I like the idea. I'm not sure I can pull it off well enough, but it's worth a try."

  "Sarah, you were the last one to come to work for Al, and the youngest. We never wanted to pry, and you never seemed to want to tell us, but we are all a little curious as to why you came to work for him?" Jo Ella asked.

  "My daddy was strict. He wouldn't let me even look at a boy. He refused to consider I was growing up. He was a real religious man, and thought it sinful. He said a good girl waits for the man of her dreams. But the way I saw it, he just wasn't going to come up to my farm and introduce himself. I had to go find him. So I struck out on my own. I tried to go back once, but Pa wouldn't have it. He said I was sinful, and he wanted no part of me. He told me the best thing I could do was settle down and find a man to marry. But where do I find a man like that in the middle of nowhere?"

  "How old were you when you started working there at Al's?"

  "I don't know. About fifteen, I found out quick that I couldn't support myself and tried to go back, but my mother said I was not a dutiful daughter. She wanted no part of me, and Pa agreed."

  Jo Ella checked through her satchel of clothes and found something clean to wear, then looked up at Sarah. "Sounds like you had it easy Sarah and didn't know it."

  "I don't think sloppin' hogs was easy, nor chasin' 'em down in the mud when they are sick to separate them. Almost anything is better than that."

  "You know…every now and then, I get a hankerin' for a drink though," Maggie cried. "Guess I have been in this business too long."

  "Oh, I don't know. I've seen even a lady take a drink now and again," Jo Ella teased. "It's considered alright if it's for medicinal purposes. But we mustn't gulp it down, like we enjoy it, someone might notice that. It must be sipped gently, like a lady would do."

  "I never liked the taste of liquor that much." Sarah admitted when Maggie threw her a dress.

  "Sometimes there are occasions to drink, and it's accepted. But it has to be a special time. Oh we have to quit fretting about every little thing. We're women, and we've seen enough ladies to know how to do." Jo Ella put aside some under clothes to change into after her bath. "You will all be fine. There's little difference other than keeping our legs together, you know. We can do this, girls. Don't drink or swear in front of anyone, except maybe the man you want. We'll have to hike our noses up a bit. And remember, we wouldn't be caught dead in a saloon." She closed her satchel and set it aside for later. "The ad did not exclude anyone from applying. That's their fault, not ours. Even if someone finds out where we come from, this ad does not exclude anyone. So it's all legal. Even if the men found out about us, I doubt they'd be that upset when they realize they are getting a woman that has been broke in, so to speak."

  The others laughed.

  They spent nearly an hour going through the dresses, spreading them on the rocks and examining them. Afterward, they went down to the river for a bath. It was still early morning and the water was chilly.

  Jo Ella
frowned as she put her bare foot in the water. "Guess we better hurry up and get this done." She jumped into the full force of cool water. She let out a yelp.

  As they all came in, they laughed and giggled at first then shivered from the cold. Jo Ella had found soap in the trunk and passed it between them.

  Maggie was the first to get out of the water. She hadn't wasted any time, she soaped, rinsed and got out.

  Jo Ella gasped when she saw how black and blue her backside was. "Oh my God, Maggie, are you sure you're all right?"

  "Yeah, why?" Maggie grabbed for the towels Trish found some in one of the bags and set them out on the rocks for everyone.

  "Your backside is terrible, honey.We definitely need a doctor to check you out." Jo Ella nodded to Trish.

  Trish glanced up at her. "Might be a good idea. Maybe we should sorta check each other out for bruises and such, so we can tell the doctor."

  "Good idea." Jo Ella nodded.

  Maggie glanced around Trish as she got out and nodded. "You got a few too, honey."

  Sarah got out next, and they all shrieked when they saw her side all bruised.

  Nadine showed no signs of problems except her eye.

  About to get out of the water, Jo Ella paused when a rider came slowly up to the bank and stared out at her. She shrieked with indignation. "I dare you, sir…"

  The man couldn't seem to stop staring. Jo Ella noticed the superior way he handled his horse and sat the saddle. He had to be over six feet tall, and well-manicured dark brown hair stuck out of his hat. He wore a big hat and his clothes were clean, he'd shaven and had a cigarette hanging from one end of his mouth. Handsome didn't describe him—dangerous, exciting, and sexy described him. His eyes narrowed on her with precision. Bedroom eyes, Jo Ella had often heard the term. Clearly he moved along the edge of the law, but something in those strange and possessive eyes called to her. Speechless as she memorized him from head to toe.

  "Are you just gonna stare all day?" Jo Ella finally asked in a husky voice that belied her interest in the man.

  A smile ran across his face, changing the danger in the man to a bit of humor. "I'm sorry. Just couldn't take my eyes off you. You sure are a sight for sore eyes this early in the morning, ma'am."