Fae's Fantasy

by Dawson, Kay P.

  But everything looked clean and as she let her eyes move around, she could see people milling around, going into some of the buildings and waving to the stagecoach as it passed. She gasped when they passed a white building with a large sign announcing “Bailey’s Mercantile” hanging above the door.

  That was her husband’s store. And now hers too.

  She sat back in her seat and quickly reached up to try tucking some of the stray pieces of hair that had come loose from her bonnet. There were two other passengers in the stagecoach with her, a young couple who had told her they’d just been married. They were continuing on to the next town, and smiled at her as they watched her fussing with her bonnet. The woman leaned forward and patted her leg. “You look beautiful. Don’t worry. I’m sure he’s going to be so happy to finally meet you.”

  Fae smiled at her. During the hours on the road today, she’d told them all about why she was coming out here, unable to control her excitement any longer. “I hope so. I’m sure I’ll be covered in dust from head to toe, but he can’t expect much else after being in an open coach like this all day.” She laughed nervously as she rubbed her hands down the front of her dress, desperately trying to get some of the wrinkles out.

  The stagecoach came to a stop in a flurry of dust. Fae took some deep breaths to try and control her racing heart while she waited for the man across from her to step out. He helped his new bride out, then reached for Fae’s hand. He wasn’t much older than she was, and he gave her a reassuring smile as she stepped onto the wooden sidewalk.

  She watched them walk into the boardinghouse where they would have a bite to eat before continuing on their journey. They walked close together, his arm cradling hers as he held her tenderly. Fae wondered if she would ever be walking like that with Caleb.

  Giving her head a quick shake she stepped farther away from the coach while the driver unloaded her trunk. She didn’t have many belongings, so she only had the small bag she carried with her and the trunk with a few changes of clothes, letters from the girls and children at the school which had been given to her before she left, and her sewing kit. She hoped Caleb wouldn’t be disappointed to see that she didn’t have much of anything to bring to their marriage.

  She let her eyes slowly move around the town as she hoped to spot the man who was supposed to be picking her up. He hadn’t really given her much information other than to say he was tall, and that he’d be wearing a dark hat. He’d said not to worry and that he’d be there when she arrived.

  But the small town looked almost desolate now that the driver and other passengers had gone inside the boardinghouse. The few people who had been walking around when they’d pulled into town seemed to have disappeared too. She slowly started to make her way along the wooden walkway, the rhythmic tapping of her boots echoing in the silence around her.

  The boardinghouse was right next to the livery and across an open space was a small church with steps leading up to the double door. There weren’t a whole lot of buildings in town and they seemed to be spread out around a central area. She could see a feed store off behind the church and a large building that looked like a school sat on the far end of the town.

  Caleb had told her about the private school that had been set up by a rich family in town. The school had students who came from all over the area, some who lived in the school during the week with the family who owned the school.

  Fae didn’t know much else about it, other than the fact that when it opened, the other small public school had closed down. So now many of the children in the area didn’t have a school to attend. The cost of the private school was more than many farming families around here could afford. And no one seemed eager to set something up for the other children.

  That had been the sign to Fae that this was where she was needed.

  Finally, she let her gaze move toward the mercantile she’d seen when they’d first come into town. It wasn’t large compared to the stores she’d seen in New York, but it looked plenty big enough to service a town this size. The steps led up to a porch on the front where a couple of chairs sat facing the deserted street.

  She pushed away the feelings of disappointment at her arrival in town. She’d hoped her new husband would be standing at the depot waiting for her, eager to meet her and would help her to get her things. Instead, she stood pacing on the walkway in front of the boardinghouse with her cheeks burning from embarrassment. How would it look to the other couple if they came back out from eating and she was still standing there?

  It was obvious her soon-to-be-husband might not be as excited about her arrival as she’d hoped. In all his letters he’d seemed like such a perfect gentleman, so this seemed so out of character for him.

  She went over and sat on a bench, swallowing hard against the dryness of her throat. Maybe he got held up at the mercantile or had forgotten what time she was arriving. Although even if he had, the arrival of the stagecoach in a town this small would easily be noticed.

  Turning her head once more toward the mercantile, her heart skipped a beat and her breath caught in her throat. A tall man, dressed in a dark vest, and wearing a large hat strode casually toward her. Her eyes met his and she noticed how they seemed to match the darkness of his clothing. He looked like he hadn’t shaved for a day or two, and dark wisps of hair poked out from under his hat.

  This wasn’t the clean-shaven, golden-haired man from her dreams all these years. This man was the complete opposite, but as he got closer and stepped up onto the sidewalk, never taking his eyes from hers, she realized that sometimes the fantasy of what she thought she wanted was nowhere near as good as the real thing.

  Chapter 6

  “Are you, Fae?” He cringed slightly as he realized how sharp his words sounded. And of course she was Fae. There wasn’t another single person anywhere near the stagecoach. When he’d seen it arrive in town, bouncing past the window of the mercantile, he’d still been wrestling with his decision, not sure he was doing the right thing. He’d already spoken to Mr. Ferris this morning and said he’d do it.

  But that didn’t mean he was happy about it.

  He noticed a flicker of anger in her eyes as he came to a stop beside the bench where she sat. “Yes, I’m Fae. I assume you’re Caleb Bailey, the man I was corresponding with? You do realize I’ve been waiting here for a good ten minutes now since the stagecoach arrived at its intended time?”

  Her cheeks were flushed, and he had a momentary pang of guilt for having made her wait when she got here. It wasn’t the best first impression he could make. But then again, he wasn’t really too concerned about her impression of him as long as she married him and stayed for the required six months.

  “I’m aware of that. I couldn’t get away from the store.” He figured she’d never know the truth of how he’d been standing at the window watching her ever since she’d stepped out of the stagecoach, trying to get up the nerve to just walk over here and get it over with. “Where are your trunks?”

  She squinted her eyes slightly and he could see she was still angry as she stood up from the bench and faced him. “My trunk is the only one sitting next to the stagecoach. The driver was nice enough to get it down for me, no doubt because I didn’t have anyone here to help me.” She lowered her eyes and started brushing at her skirt, obviously not wanting to look at him anymore. “I’d been expecting a warmer greeting from the man I’m to marry, so I have to say I’m a bit disappointed.”

  He sighed and pinched between his nose. He’d never been good at being a gentleman and that’s what she’d been expecting. Caleb was sure his father had made sure she believed she was coming out to marry a good man, hoping once she got here, she’d be able overlook the shortcomings of who she was really ending up with.

  He was going to have to try harder. It wasn’t fair to her that she’d been dragged into this game his father had set up.

  “I apologize for being late. I should have planned things better, so I could be here when you arrived. Now, let’s get b
ack to the mercantile and get you settled. We won’t be getting married until tomorrow morning.”

  Her head lifted, and he was struck at the bright green eyes staring at him. Her red hair could easily be seen tucked beneath the blue bonnet she was wearing. “Mr. Bailey, it wouldn’t be proper to stay in a house with you if we aren’t married. Where will I stay?”

  “Well, first of all, if I’m about to become your husband, I hope you won’t continue calling me Mr. Bailey. My name is Caleb and that’s what I answer to. And as for not being proper, the Reverend is out of town at the moment and won’t be back until tomorrow, so we don’t have any choice. Plus I thought you’d like to have some time to get yourself cleaned up before the wedding. I’ll sleep on a settee downstairs in the back of the store, so there won’t be anything improper about it.”

  She pulled on her lip with her teeth as she thought about it. Her eyes moved around the town as she contemplated whether it would be proper or not.

  “Fae, in case you haven’t noticed, Promise isn’t a big city. The people here are more forgiving and understanding. We live in the west where we sometimes just have to make do.” He walked over and lifted her trunk. It wasn’t very heavy considering she was bringing all of her possessions here to live.

  But then he remembered Mr. Ferris saying she was coming from an orphanage where she’d taught, so she likely wouldn’t have much.

  “I’d take your arm and help you across the street like a proper gentleman, but I’d rather not leave your trunk just sitting out here either. Can you manage walking beside me?”

  Her eyebrow shot up and she looked properly offended. “I’m a grown woman who has just traveled from New York City on my own. I’m quite certain I can make it across a dusty street.” She stepped down from the platform, holding her dress off the ground with one hand and her head up as she marched across the street.

  He had to smile as he watched her. She wasn’t the demure little city girl he’d been expecting for some reason. As she got to a spot on the road where a passing horse had left a mess, she simply moved around it without flinching. He knew some women who’d grown up out here who still always made a fuss when they had to step past animal dung.

  Hoisting the trunk up in front of him, he followed her, laughing to himself. A few minutes ago he’d been left wondering if he was making the right decision. It would have been so much easier to just walk away and never look back.

  But now he had to admit he was almost looking forward to the next few months. He knew it wasn’t fair to be marrying the poor girl under false pretenses like this. But he hoped by the time she found out, she’d realize there would never be anything more to their marriage anyway and be happy to just take the money.

  And besides, Caleb couldn’t be blamed for a situation his father caused. He was just going to do his best to make sure she didn’t end up getting hurt in all of it. Because even though he’d never been a gentleman, he did have a conscience, regardless of what others thought about him.

  “There’s a door at the side to the living quarters.” He caught up to her when they got in front of the store and he looked over at her to make sure she’d heard him. His breath caught when he noticed her staring up at the building in awe. Her smile lit up her face and when she turned to look at him, his cheeks started to burn.

  “So this will be our home? I still can’t believe it. I’m not sure what I expected of a mercantile in a small frontier town, but this wasn’t it. It looks so nice and welcoming.”

  Caleb looked at the business his father had worked so hard at building up over the years. It hadn’t been easy, Caleb knew that. And at times, his father had worked long hours to keep it afloat. But it had been his pride and joy, something he’d been determined to make succeed, even if he knew it would never be a store that would be serving the wealthy city folks.

  No, his father had believed in providing a service to the farmers and settlers around the town of Promise. Caleb had never understood why. His father had come from money, leaving the city behind to live out here in the middle of nowhere.

  Standing here looking at it through Fae’s eyes made Caleb see it a bit clearer himself.

  “Well, it’s not much by city standards, but I’m sure you can make it homey.” He pushed open the side door to the small sitting area. There was a kitchen to the back with a fine wood stove and a cabinet that covered almost a whole wall. He was sure any woman would be thrilled with it. It even had a pump for water right in the counter.

  “My ma died shortly after my father had the living space added on, with the nice kitchen. So she never really got to use it much.”

  Fae was walking into the kitchen with her mouth open as she looked around.

  He found himself smiling too, seeing her so excited.

  “Oh, I’m sorry about your ma. That’s too bad. I can only imagine how happy she must have been to have all this.”

  He looked around, swallowing against the hurt that always came when he thought about his ma. “She was. Until then, it was just the small sitting room area as their entire living quarters, with me and my brother underfoot. My father had put most of his money into the business, so they’d had to make do. Then when my grandfather died, he left a great deal of money to my father, so my ma was finally able to have this grand living space added on.”

  “Well, it’s wonderful. I can’t wait to write to my friends and tell them all about it.”

  As she walked along, letting her fingers trail over the counter and stopping to admire the water pump, he stood and watched. He’d never seen anyone so happy with something so simple in his life. He didn’t know what to make of her. She had to have seen fancier kitchens than this. Even the orphanage would have likely been better equipped.

  Yet here she was, smiling and content with something he’d never really given much thought to. Of course, he’d spent most of the past few years drifting from town to town, eating in hotels and saloons along the way. He’d never appreciated the thought of settling down and having a home.

  But all of a sudden, with a sinking feeling in his stomach, he realized how much he’d missed it. And how maybe with Fae, he could have it again.

  He gave his head a quick shake and picked up her trunk. He had to stop thinking like that. “I’m taking your trunk up to your room. You can follow or stay down here.”

  He knew he was being sharp with her again, and his chest clenched with guilt when he saw the shock on her face as he walked toward the stairs.

  But he couldn’t let himself get pulled into anything he didn’t want. And that included falling for a red-haired girl he didn’t even know.

  After his six months were up, he was taking his money and getting as far away from Promise as he could. A man like him wasn’t going to ever settle down and have a home like this.

  He was just caught up in the moment watching Fae. That’s all it was.

  In six months, he’d be gone.

  Chapter 7

  Fae looked in the mirror one more time, pinning up a last piece of hair that had fallen loose. Her hair had always caused her problems, so she was sure by the time they’d walked to the church, all the effort she’d put in already would be for nothing. Hopefully the bonnet she was planning to wear would help to keep some of it looking nice.

  She wasn’t even sure why she was trying so hard. It’s not like she expected Caleb to do the same. She’d be surprised if he even showed up on time.

  Sitting down gently on the edge of the bed, she let her mind drift, while she waited for Caleb to come and get her to head to the church.

  Ever since she’d arrived yesterday afternoon, her mind had been in a turmoil. First, Caleb had been late to get her, leaving her stranded in a strange town with no idea of where to go. Then when he had shown up, he wasn’t anything like the man she’d been corresponding with. Had she really been so naive and blinded by the excitement of everything that she hadn’t seen what he was truly like?

  She’d always believed she was smarter than that,
but there was no denying the fact that the man she’d met yesterday wasn’t who she’d thought she was marrying. And the part that really had her mind confused was that she found herself drawn to him anyway.

  He wasn’t at all what she normally found attractive in a man. He was more of a ruffian or outlaw than a refined businessman. And he had the manners of a farm animal she’d rather not say out loud.

  But there was something about him that made her heart skip a beat when he looked at her. It was like she could see something behind the surface that he was trying to hide from the world. She shook her head and rolled her eyes at herself. She was acting just how the girls always said—believing only the good that she wanted to see in him. Sunshine and rainbows, as Madam Wiggie always said.

  Her heart ached as she thought about the woman who’d raised her. She’d cried herself to sleep last night missing them all so much. Instead of arriving and being swept up into loving arms and carried off to get married, she’d been left standing and wondering if the man she was marrying even wanted to do this in the first place.

  Yesterday, after she’d had a chance to clean up, he’d taken her to the restaurant at the small hotel in town for something to eat. When they’d returned home, she’d just gone straight up to bed, not wanting to spend another minute trying to figure out why he seemed so angry with her. He’d barely said two words to her while they ate, and she was too tired to try figuring it all out. She’d just hoped that today would be better. After all, why would he have even sent for a bride if he hadn’t really wanted one?

  It didn’t make sense.

  “Fae, are you ready?” The sharp knock on her door and his loud voice startled her. She jumped up and patted her hair into place one more time before rushing over to open it. She was going to make the best of today and hope that he was in a better mood.