But she couldn't sit by while the older woman spoke poorly of her. It wasn’t right, and it certainly wasn’t fair. If Ben would choose his mother over her, what kind of marriage would they have?
She laid back in the tall grass, staring up at the clouds. Did this mean she had to go back home? She couldn’t go back. She couldn’t face her father. She would find a job before she did that.
The thought made her smile, though she found litter humor in it. Mrs. Epps would have a fit that she’d even considered working.
The sound of branch cracking cause her to sit up, looking around for the source of the sound.
“I thought I’d find you here.”
Ben stood several feet away. He was breathing hard and there was a reddish tinge on his cheeks like he had been running.
“I’m sorry,” she said before he could berate her for speaking back to his mother.
“For what?” he said, coming to sit next to her.
“Have you talked with your mother?”
“Oh, for that,” he said, giving her a knowing smile.
She frowned. How was he smiling? Was he happy that his mother wouldn’t give her permission for them to marry? Had his feelings changed then?
“I see,” she said, looking away from the piercing gaze of his deep brown eyes. “So you’ve changed your mind.”
“About what?”
“Me.” She twirled another long piece of grass until his hand covered hers.
“Never.”
Her gaze flew to his, the look of love radiating in his eyes.
“But—but your mother. I spoke rather forcefully to her and—”
“And she deserved it,” he said.
“Do you mean that?”
“Completely.”
She studied his features, so close to hers as he sat next to her. The warmth of his hand over hers wound its way into her heart.
“Ben, I…” she pursed her lips, thinking of the words to say. “I’m sorry, but I’ll never be like those women. The perfect wives in high society. I left New York because I didn’t want that life.”
“And I don’t want you to be like them.” He grinned. “I think at first I did, because that’s who I thought you were, but then I saw the real you…and I like that even better.” He leaned closer. “You’ve got to understand something, Lucy.”
He was so close and her heart was beating so rapidly that she could barely ask the question. “What is that?”
“I love you, not who my mother wants you to be or who your father was going to use you as. I just want you.”
***
Ben hoped the look in his eyes added even more truth to his words. Could she see that he didn’t care about everything else? He just cared about her. About loving her well and starting their life together. Everything else could work itself out in time, but his love was nonnegotiable. She had to know that.
Then, surprising him, she closed the gap between them. Her soft lips found his and his eyes closed, savoring the moment. He never wanted to leave her side. To be near her always and to feel the warm of her touch, taste the sweetness of her kiss, and know that she loved him would be enough. No—more than enough.
She pulled back and rested her hand on his cheek. “And I love you, Ben Epps. Or should I say Benjamin?” She giggled and he drew her against him in a hug.
“No. That name is reserved for my mother—not to mention it’s much too stuffy for me, wouldn’t you say?”
“I agree.”
He looked down into her green eyes, vibrant against the background of nature. “I do have one thing to ask you though.”
“What is that?” she said with a coy smile.
Taking a big breath, he said, “Will you be my wife, Lucy Castle?”
She leaned in close again and whispered. “Now and always.
Epilogue
The Sun shone brightly across the field of wildflowers as Lucy made her way toward her groom. Ben stood under a tree, the shade of its large branches reaching out and offering shelter. He stood tall, a big grin on his face, his eyes glued to her.
Some of the men from the ranch, Carl, Kate, and Mrs. Epps sat in chairs that had been carted out to the field. It was an unconventional wedding, but Lucy hadn’t seen the day going any differently.
As she approached the front where a trellis of wild flowers and vines had been constructed, she faced Ben and he joined their hands together, giving her fingers a light squeeze.
The pastor from town spoke of love and devotion to one another, but the only thing Lucy could think of was the fact that Ben loved her for her. He saw her flaws, her unconventional nature, and her wild ideas, and yet he still loved her. He did what her father never had—accepted her. And now she would pledge her life to him, not because of a business merger or because her life was a pawn to be used, but because of love.
Finally, when they had spoken their vows the pastor named them man and wife, giving Ben the approval to kiss his bride.
He stepped close, lifting the delicate veil that had covered her face. The wind swept across her skin sending shivers down her arms, but the warmth from his eyes made the coldness fall away.
“Just remember,” Ben whispered, leaning so close his breath fanned across her face, “I love you, my dear Lucy, and all of who you are.”
His lips met hers and she knew his words were spoken in truth, the reality of his devotion overwhelming her. She would spend the rest of her days showing the man in front of her just how much she believed him, and how much she loved him back.
THE END.
Cowboy For Christmas
Mail Order Bride
CHRISTIAN MICHAEL
Bianca Cassidy tried to put on a brave face for the well-wishers in the receiving line. The shock was only just starting to wear off. As much as she tried to control them, her eyes kept straying to the two large wooden caskets lined up neatly beside each other. And the small one next to them.
God, what am I going to do?
“Thank you for coming, Mrs. Casey. I really appreciate it.”
“Oh my dear! You poor thing!” the little rotund woman sniffled into her lace handkerchief. “To lose your family like this!”
Yeah, you’re really not helping me out right now!
But of course, she couldn’t say that out loud. Bianca just nodded and hoped her smile didn’t appear too pinched. She wished it was over. She was ready to go to her room and shut the door and bury herself under her covers.
An orphan. That’s what I am now. And I don’t even have Little Betty anymore. And those two vultures! How dare they just waltz into our house like they own it and think to stay! Oh for shame!
Her aunt, Jessy and her greedy cow of a husband, Gerald, had moved into her house like they owned it, without so much as a by-your-leave. When her parents were still living Jessy and Gerald wanted nothing to do with them, believing themselves too good to mess with “common-folk” like May and Jim. But all that had changed when Papa had been lucky enough to strike a line of gold in the mines just two months ago. Overnight their fortunes had changed and there was now talk of getting an education for Bianca – and a good husband- and raising Little Betty up right and in style. Her parents were generous souls who gave to everyone in need in the town, even when they had little. When they became wealthy, they gave even more generously than before. Everyone loved them.
When Jessy and Gerald heard of the news, they had become like flies in honey with mama and papa. And the poor souls had swallowed their sap, never questioning why the two vultures were all of a sudden proud to call them family. Bianca knew better. She also knew that Jessy and Gerald would soon try to marry her off to some poor fellow far away so they could keep all the money for themselves. She had heard them talk about it just the night before.
At twenty-one, Bianca knew that she was pretty much on the shelf. When they were poor, no man wanted anything to do with her even though she was widely regarded as a beauty. When they became rich, all the eligible men began to flo
ck to their door. But Bianca refused to let her head be turned by some man who was just after her new money. She was a practical soul. She knew that they did not truly want her. And as soon as she realized Jessy and Gerald were planning to stay, she had gone to Mama’s hiding place and took the “rainy day” cash the woman had stored in the little cubby under the floor. She hid it in her bodice and sneaked to her room; there she was astonished to find four thousand dollars in her hands. It was more than enough to last a life-time if she was careful. She could even live a little lavishly if she wanted to. Bianca had furtively hidden the funds in the bottom of her trunk under some old papers so that no one else would ever be the wiser.
Now as she stood with Jessy and Gerald at the funeral, she was glad that she had taken the money when she had. No doubt, the Vultures would go through the rest of Mama and Papa’s money in no time at all. And their plans for Bianca probably did not include any mercy or generosity.
I wish they were still here. Oh why did you even have to go to that place, Papa?! If you hadn’t, all of you would still be here now.
When Papa had struck gold in the mine that everyone had thought to be useless and dry, he had gone out and bought it that same day. Since no one knew the value hidden in it, he had gotten it for the price of dirt. Then, when he began to mine the gold, the cave’s value had soared and many people wanted to buy it from him. Rather than selling, he instead took up position as an overseer of the mines and hired others to do the work for him.
The day Bianca saw him for the last time, he had gone over to speak to the foreman about opening up another cave, connected to his own, that had just been discovered. Mama and Betty had gone with him because they were going to go shopping later for the annual town Fall Picnic and Dance. Bianca had opted to stay home because of a headache.
When she woke up from her noon nap, and discovered no one was home, she decided to go to town herself to join her mother and sister in shopping. On the way, she saw several people milling towards the mines on the edge of town. When she heard the dreaded words “cave in” fall from the lips of several people, she had thrown caution to the wind and made her horse gallop there a frenzy.
Everything was still a blur in her mind. The only thing she remembered clearly was seeing Papa, Mama and Betty lying prone and lifeless on the ground and Dr. White’s old and cloudy blue eyes misting with tears when he saw her. Bianca didn’t scream or cry or anything. She had slowly and unsteadily made her way over to them. She sank to the ground and placed her head and arms on Papa’s chest for the last time and lay there until the undertaker came to take them away.
Now here I am. All alone. Without a clue what to do.
The funeral was over; the crowds were gone. The bodies of Mama, Papa, and Little Betty had all been laid to rest in their graves. She was back home, in her room. And the Vultures were downstairs. Bianca slowly pulled off her clothes and dressed in her regular woolen dress and stockings before getting into bed. She needed to sleep. When she woke, she would face her future again.
That evening, Jessy, Gerald and Bianca all sat down for dinner. Jessy rang the bell for the servants to bring in the food. It was an aspect of life Bianca was not used to. Even after they had money, they lived humbly. Mama had hired a maid to help her cook and clean but she had also done a lot of the work herself. And she served the food to her family by herself as she had always done. Jessy though, loved to play Lady of the Manor. She lorded herself over the maids and demanded that they wait on her and serve her. Gerald had already set plans in motion for a contractor to come and discuss building a grand home for them because he absolutely refused to live in the “hovel” that Papa had built with his own hands, any longer than necessary.
Over dinner, Jessy pushed some ads under Bianca’s nose.
“Here, Be-Be dear. Take a look at these. Gerald and I think it is high time you are married. Why you are twenty-one now – almost twenty-two! You are an old maid and no one here wants to marry you – trust me, we asked – you’re too old for their tastes.”
Bianca nodded silently. She refused to rise to Jessy’s baits. What was the use anyway? The two of them wanted to get rid of her and marriage would be an opportunity to escape. As she perused the ads, she saw that they were all for mail order brides.
It’s not enough that I be married, they want to ship me across the country!
“We hired an agent to help you select a man,” Gerald said as he wiped his chin of gravy. “He will be here tomorrow.”
Select a man? As if I am choosing a horse?
“You should be grateful, girl” he continued. “We’re settling quite a sum on you – one hundred dollars, in fact – so that, if you’re lucky, your age won’t be too much of a deterrent.”
If you’re lucky, you mean? If I am out of the way, and some other man’s property and burden, you will have free access to Papa’s money after all.
Bianca smiled calmly, but inside she was seething.
“When will this agent be coming by?”
“He will be here tomorrow morning” was Jessy’s reply.
“Then, if you will excuse me,” Bianca said, pushing away her plate -she suddenly did not have much of an appetite - “I will like to get an early night and go through these ads before he comes.”
Mr. Renault, a wiry man, appeared at the front door at the stroke of nine the next morning. Bianca swallowed her nervousness and rose from the settee to greet the man as he was shown in by one of the new servants. She waited patiently while Jessy gushed over the man before inviting him to take a seat.
“Now, Ms. Bianca, your aunt here tells me you want to be a mail order bride on the frontier. That’s very courageous of you. Very courageous. We need young women like you to stand up with those brave men to settle the new lands we have acquired. ‘From sea to shining sea’ indeed!”
Bianca smiled politely and murmured what she hoped sounded like an agreement.
“Yes,” Mr. Renault coughed into his palm, “let’s begin then, shall we?”
As he spoke, the man began to place several small photographs on the table, explaining a little about each man: where they were, what they did, what kind of woman they were looking for and so on.
Many of the men were downright unpleasant to look at. Even through the black and white photos it seemed like some of them had never seen bathwater in their lives! Others were old enough to be her father or worse, grand-father. There was even one family looking for a young bride for their seventeen-year-old son! There were only three men in the stack of some fifty photos that were even mildly attractive. Of the three, only one, at twenty-seven, was close to her age, and that was the man she chose. His name was Jonah Cassidy.
At least I won’t have to change my last name. I will always be Bianca Cassidy.
But there was no other term for the entire charade. It was a business transaction pure and simple. The man was willing to pay one hundred and twenty-five dollars for a suitable bride – according to the agent’s discretion – to be paid to the family of the bride for the “loss of their daughter”. The agent would be paid the hundred dollars that was to be her “dowry” and Jonah Cassidy would gain a wife.
And, dear Lord in heaven, I have gained – perhaps “been saddled with” would be more appropriate – a husband.
Jessy told the agent that Bianca would be ready to leave in two days’ time and would arrive in Louisiana in two weeks.
Two days?! That’s all the time I get?!
The two days flew by in a whirl. Bianca packed everything she wanted to keep in her trunk, including a doll that belonged to Betty, and May’s porcelain hair combs, an anniversary present from Jim, which she had gifted to Bianca on her eighteenth birthday (because eighteen was the traditional age for young women to marry). She also took Jim’s Bible; it was old and worn and well-loved. He had read from it, for them, every night after dinner and had counseled the family on how to live according to it.
Jessy had refused to allow her to buy a few new articles of clo
thing, stating it was a waste of precious money. Apparently though that thought had obviously not crossed her mind when she bought a small hat with ostrich plumes on it that very morning for an exorbitant amount of money. Bianca was instead left to mend some of her old and torn petticoats by the light of a candle.
She now regretted putting off buying new clothes when May had told her to. At that time, what she had suited her just fine. But Bianca found herself wanting to look a little nicer for when she met her new husband to be in the hopes that this match which started out as a business transaction would become much more. She found some old clothes in May’s trunk which fit her and decided to take it because if it was altered properly, it would look almost newly fashionable.
Friday came and Jessy and Gerald loaded Bianca onto the train with as much tender loving care as they would show a sack of potatoes. Luckily some of the neighbors and friends were there on hand and treated her much more caringly. They wished her all the best and stuffed her hands with as much tiny packages of food as she could carry. Bianca hugged everyone, even Ms. Casey, with genuine warmth. She was really going to miss them. When the whistle blew the warning signal, Bianca boarded the train with a little anxiety in her heart. She knew she was saying good-bye to her girlhood for the last time. It was time to face the new chapter in her life.
Two weeks later, Bianca arrived in Louisiana. She had altered the last of her mother’s dresses the day before on the train and now sat in the soft pink crinoline gown waiting for the train to come to a stop. As passengers got off the train, she took the time to look around at the little depot and the people milling about. Some were shopping in the stores, men were coming out of saloons with bottles and pipes in hand. There was a tiny white dog yapping after the heels of a little girl who was trailing behind her parents sipping on the new novelty, ice cones. As she took in the sights and sounds, her eyes came to rest on a man standing at the docking station looking over every woman that came off the train.
[2016] A Wanting Bride Page 11
