by Annie Boone
Viola could not help but also feeling a strong connection to Anna. She was so genuine and forthright that Viola automatically cherished her. In fact, Anna reminded Viola of her own mother, in her demeanor, which was a comfort to her. However, there were many other ways where she did not quite give the same impression, but that was certainly alright with Viola. Her mother could be kind, but while both women stood firmly with their husbands, Anna had a sense about her that Viola's mother lacked. Anna was certainly stronger than her mother. It was clear that she was a woman who felt as though she could do anything she set her mind to, while her mother often caved to public opinion and expectancy in a way that Viola had never fully understood. Viola had never been around a woman like Anna before. The example was one that she was drawn to.
"I have heard quite a bit about Blake from your husband and everything I have heard makes me think that he is wonderful. I only hope that he comes to feel the same way about me."
Anna smiled and placed her hand on Viola's knee before she answered, "I can't imagine why he wouldn't."
With that, the wagon stopped and Bart announced, "We're here!"
When he helped the ladies out of the wagon, he seemed giddy and excited. "Blake should be in the back; I'll go around and get him."
"Thank you," Viola said as she got settled and tried to make herself as appealing as she could after such a long and tiring journey. She beamed at Bart before he turned around and headed away from her.
Immediately, after getting out of the wagon, Viola looked up and was in awe of the estate that lay before her. A large, beautiful home was in the front of a long, dirt driveway, which circled around to grass; the first of which she had seen in a long while. Beyond the house, there were fences and barns that scattered across the landscape with ease. It was absolutely beautiful. She could hardly turn her eyes away, but managed to look over at Anna and exclaim breathlessly, "Your estate is magnificent."
Anna nodded and smiled at the praise before she answered, "We have worked hard for many years, but the Lord has blessed us abundantly."
Then, Viola thought about how she did not remember seeing any hotel on the way to the house. There was no other house close, either. She could be mistaken, since there were plenty of buildings. She decided it would just be best to ask. "Excuse me, where am I going to stay?"
Anna chuckled and answered, "Right here, of course, Dear." Then, looking at Viola's surprised expression she motioned to the house and assured, "You will certainly have your privacy though, both from us and from Blake. We have prepared a large suite of rooms for you where you will not be disturbed."
Viola was taken off-guard by the fullness of their generosity. Not only were they incredibly kind to her, but they were also providing a private area for her to call her very own throughout the courting process. She could think of no better response than to beam appreciatively, "Thank you."
However, she had little time to let all of this sink in fully before the men returned. Viola looked over at Blake for the first time and her jaw dropped, almost to the dirt that made up the driveway. Blake was the most handsome man she had ever seen.
Chapter Four
"Hello Viola," Blake said with a stunning smile and a dazzling persona. The way he looked directly into her eyes made Viola feel like a million butterflies were in her stomach. His voice was calm and warm, with just a slight drawl that made him sound all the more inviting.
Everything about him made her want to get to know him. His dark eyes were kind and welcoming, very much like his uncle's eyes. His wavy hair was so dark it was almost black and he wore a little longer than the men she was used to meeting. His hair fell on to his collar which reminded her of the wild, nonconformist side his aunt had spoken of earlier. He was strong and muscular which made her blush just a little bit to think about the possibility of feeling his arms around her.
He came closer to her and reached out to shake her hand and shared his understanding of her presence there. "So, my uncle tells me that you are interested in moving out to this area in the West and wanted to see what it was like before bringing your family?" He asked.
Viola was instantly confused, "Um, excuse me? I think there must be a bit of a -"
"Well, yes! Poor girl, you must be overwhelmed making the trip alone without your family. But what a brave and bold thing to do," his uncle declared, which made Viola feel even more uncomfortable. She just stared between the two of them and decided to stay quiet.
Blake filled the silence soon enough by questioning her, "Do you have a husband?"
"No, just my parents," Viola answered, trying to be as honest as she could, without knowing what was going on. "I do have a sister, but she is already married."
Does he not know why I am here? She thought. She looked from Bart to Anna and realized that they were giving nothing away about what just happened. She hoped she would find out soon why Blake wasn't aware she was there for him.
"I think it might be a good idea for you to show her around our farm, Blake. You can explain what it means to be a woman in the West," Bart suggested.
Blake, obviously unaware of the reason Viola was in their home, shrugged and said, "Sure. I'd be happy do that." He turned to Viola and offered her his arm, "This way, Miss Viola. Watch your step now."
Viola smiled and took his arm, as they walked through the hallway to the side door which opened out to an expanse of meadow where the outbuildings were clustered together in the distance.
The ranch was even more magnificent than she had imagined. There were rolling hills just beyond the out buildings and stables that were green and lush. The sky was the bluest she had ever seen and it seemed to go on forever.
As they rode across the property past the last barn, the wildlife became more visible. Living in the city didn't afford many opportunities to commune with nature and enjoy the animals this way. Of course she had seen squirrels and birds at the park but that experience was entirely different than this one. She thought of how sheltered they were in the city and it was a shame. The pastoral scene before here was inspiring.
"There is so much space," Viola noted cheerfully.
"Yes ma'am. That is one thing that this area is in no short supply of; lots of space and a whole lot of hard work to get it to do what you need it to do," He snickered. "But it's very peaceful. Especially at night when the stars are out, it's amazing. I enjoy nature so much and there is no shortage of that around here." He looked her up and down without reserve then and asked, "So, where did you say you were from?"
"New York. New York City, actually," Viola answered.
"So, that's quite different than here, I expect," He raised his eyebrows with surprise.
"Everything is different," Viola insisted as she giggled, "There isn't a sight that I could relate it to yet. Absolutely nothing is the same."
"Hmm. I guess it's a little more crowded in the city," he chuckled lightly at his own little joke. Then he gazed out into the horizon, spread his arms wide, and stated, "This is where I find my solace and peace. I suppose it takes a special kind of person to understand how much this all means to me. When I look at the vast expanse of hills and valley I see what Heaven must look like." He looked a little shyly over at Viola and continued, "Between you and me, even my aunt and uncle don't quite understand how I feel about this land. They're good, God-fearing folks, but while they find reverence and guidance in a church, I find God every day right here." His eyes wandered away, out into the majesty of the plains and she followed his gaze. They were quiet for a moment while she absorbed what he had said.
Viola continued to take in the new world that she was experiencing and the beauty which surrounded her. She finally spoke. "Believe it or not, I can understand how you feel. However, I do still enjoy going to church. I believe it helps to be with like minded people and prepares my heart for the Lord to speak to me."
He seemed thoughtful and responded, "The Lord speaks to me through the trees. I hear His voice in the wi
nd and see his grace in the miracles that surround us." He looked over at her and seemed a little uncomfortable that he'd revealed so much about himself and his beliefs.
He changed the subject briskly to get back on a less introspective topic. "So, what is your family's plan, then? For being their scout, you haven't asked very much about anything that will be useful to them." Then, he looked as though he realized that sounded rude before he added, "Though I guess you did just get into town and there will be time enough to ask questions and learn."
Viola opened her mouth to speak, trying to come up with a plausible explanation that she could remember, but she couldn't go through with the lie. She wanted Blake to like her and she wanted to make sure there was time for that to develop, but it didn't seem fair to trick him.
The more time she spent with Blake, the easier it was for her to see spending her entire life with him. She really liked him and, even though she knew that he was not thinking the same way, having not been prepared as she was, he still seemed to have a natural attraction to her. She liked the way he spoke to her and the honesty he portrayed. She also had noticed the way he looked at her and she felt that he found her attractive even in such a short time.
However, as the conversation went on, she began to feel guilty for being implicit in deceiving him. So, she said, "Blake, I have to be honest with you. I don't know what your uncle told you about me, but I came here from New York to meet you."
He stopped and tilted his head to the side as he was evidently trying to understand what she meant. "What? You came here to meet me? Why would you come all the way out here to meet me? That's the silliest thing I've ever heard." Shaking his head, he turned away and started walking back toward the stables. Then, he stopped and turned back to her. Viola saw that his eyes were even darker than she thought possible when the truth dawned on him. "Did you converse with my uncle? Did he bring you out here?"
She nodded, feeling a knot of fear building in her stomach. He seemed so perfect for her - and he definitely was more handsome than any man she'd met back at home. She didn't want him to think that she had ever meant to deceive him and she certainly did not want him to send her away, so she said, "I don't know what happened, Blake. I don't know why your uncle didn't tell you about this, but I had no part in the deception. I am not asking you to marry me yet, but I am asking you for a chance to see what can happen between us." She shrugged, "After all, the truth is that I left my home and my family behind in order to meet you here."
Blake thought about this for a moment before he sighed deeply, "I know you didn't mean to deceive me and at the moment, I am sorry you wasted your time, because right now, all I want to do is have a nice, long conversation with my uncle. I don't have any desire for a wife."
Viola felt her hope vanish into thin air. She bit her lip nervously and hung her head. She tried mightily to remain poised, but she already could feel the sting of tears burning her eyes. This rejection was tearing her apart. The plans that had started to take root in her head and her heart were withering quickly at his harsh words. She wanted to cry, but she didn't want to seem weak to a man she just met. The man who had rejected her before he even knew her.
"Viola, I apologize sincerely if I come off as unforgivably rude. I've been dealt a big surprise and I need to go take care of the issue now. I need to get back to the house. You can come with me, or I can send my uncle to get you if you'd prefer."
She shook her head and responded simply, "No. I'll come with you."
The short journey back to the house was done in complete silence. The enjoyable conversation they'd had before the revelation was a distant memory for Viola now.
Chapter Five
Viola waited in the room that Anna had shown her to for a very long time. She wasn't sure what to do about this turn of events. She was so afraid that they were going to send her back. It made sense that they'd send her back. The reason she was there wasn't interested.
She didn't want to go back.
Before going out West, she thought the worst scenario would be for her to make the wrong decision and end up staying with a man she didn't love.
However, she was sure that she was facing the worst possibility now. Having to return to her family - and Frederick - because the man she came to meet didn't want her was an embarrassing and unbearable outcome. She had been warned that this was a mistake and she dreaded having to prove them right.
Perhaps I can find a husband somewhere else out here. She thought, thinking of where she could go. After all, the whole point of the mail order bride program was to bring women to the place where they were needed. It was no secret that the West was seriously lacking females who were of an appropriate age for marriage and also of the proper reputation.
Feeling stuck hiding in her room, Viola began to develop an alternate plan so she wouldn't have to accept defeat and go home. She walked around the room, admiring the art work and talking quietly to herself. "So, maybe I can find a good husband without even having to go back to the East Coast. Nobody at home will ever know the difference. I can still get what I want out of this."
Still, Viola knew that in order to survive and thrive out here, she would need to be with the right kind of person. She could not and would not just pick some man off of the street. It saddened her to think that Blake would probably not be swayed from his current position. In a very short time she had become attached to the idea of being his wife. Now that she had a handsome face and an intriguing personality to go with the man she had come to think of as her own, it was almost impossible to give up on a life with him. Regardless of his feelings, Viola hoped to persuade him to at least give her a chance before she resorted to finding someone else.
To be fair, he had made it clear that he didn't think she had anything to do with trying to trick him. She was at least thankful for that. He must know that his uncle was capable of something like this. But why would he fight it? She thought and caught a glance at herself in the mirror.
Still exhausted from her trip, Viola realized that she had undoubtedly been blessed with better days, but she certainly didn't look too terrible. Viola was a pretty girl and while she was not vain, she did know that she had a physical attributes that men generally found appealing. That made her not understand why he didn't want to at least get to know her. I would make a good wife, she despaired.
She thought about her father and how traditional he was about the roles of men and women. She was thankful that he went against the typical tradition of the time and allowed her and her sister to get an education. He had raised two intelligent women. She knew she was an excellent problem solver and she was a loyal friend. She would be a devoted wife and friend to all of them if she could only get the chance.
Viola contemplated taking a short nap to restore her mood when she heard a knock at her door.
"Please, come in," she responded. Hoping it was Blake, she tried to cover her disappointment when Anna appeared.
Before Viola could stop the words from escaping she asked, "Is Blake insisting that I leave?"
Anna smiled a bit sadly and came further into the room. She walked over to the younger woman and placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. "I knew it was a mistake," she said earnestly. "Trying to trick him into meeting you like this wasn't fair to him or to you. There's no wonder he didn't take to the idea."
Viola reached up to pat Anna's hand. "I am fine, Anna, and Blake will surely forgive."
She sighed, "I am so sorry that this grew into such an ugly situation. I hope you know that it was never our intent to hurt you or displace you in such a way."
Viola stepped away and looked back at Anna with understanding. She assured her, "I know that, Anna. Whatever happens, the two of you have been very generous to me and I thank you. This has been a great adventure to this point and I would have never had a chance to see such a beautiful place if not for your kindness. I certainly don't want this to end - especially like this - but I am grateful to have had the
opportunity."
"Well, I sincerely, hope it doesn't come to that, Dear," Anna answered. "Come with me, please. Bart is speaking with Blake now. Let's see if we can find out what's going on."
Viola nodded and made her way towards the center of the house alongside Anna.
The doors that opened into the study were slightly ajar. The two men were talking quietly at first and then Blake exclaimed, "How can you decide that it's right to bring a woman here for me without my knowledge? And how can you know anything about her from a few letters?"
Anna stopped and cringed slightly as Bart answered in a heated fashion, "All I am saying is that I think it's a mistake to not give this a chance. This young woman was chosen very carefully. She is intelligent, well-spoken, and even adventurous. If you'd stop and think about what it took to come here alone you'd agree that she is worth a second look. What other woman is in this area that is a suitable wife, Blake?"
"She's not for me," Blake answered sternly.
"How can you know that? I might believe you if I thought you'd had any sort of an open mind about this. You've spent less than a day with her so you can't know anything for sure. Perhaps you aren't worthy of her if you can't be more serious than this."
Viola felt a little guilty for eavesdropping, but at least she had been asked to come here by Anna. She wondered what else was going on in the room. There was no sound coming from there at all now. The two women stood there for several minutes not knowing what was going to happen.
