Emer: Clover Springs Mail Order Brides

by Rachel Wesson

  Lawrence took a step toward the clinic but stopped. What could he say? He cursed under his breath. He had lost her and only had himself to blame. Turning back quickly, he almost knocked over one of the town matrons.

  “Please excuse me.” He smiled his most professional smile, tipping his hat at the same time.

  The woman stared back at him coldly.

  “You, Sir, are an idiot.”

  Taken aback, Lawrence stared, despite it being rude.

  “Sorry, I don’t … well, that is to say…”

  “Stop stammering. You can keep the smiles, too. I am far too long in the tooth to be taken in by false appearances.”

  With a huff, she marched on leaving Lawrence standing bemused. It took him a few seconds to gather his wits and go after her.

  “Excuse me. Mrs. Grey, isn’t it? I am afraid I cannot remember us meeting. I certainly do not know what I have done to cause you offense. I apologize.”

  “For what? Almost knocking me over or acting like an idiot? Or is it both?”

  “Listen, Mrs. Grey. I know some people around here are frightened of you but I am not some silly schoolboy.”

  “Pity, as then someone could put you over their knee and give you a good hiding.”

  Lawrence opened his mouth and shut it again. He stood staring as Mrs. Grey continued marching up the street. She had a nerve speaking to him like that. She also has a lot of influence over this town and you can’t afford to have enemies like her. He had a feeling he was going to regret this but he went after her all the same.

  “Mrs. Grey, please stop. Let’s start again. My name is Lawrence Shipley and I am rather at a loss to how I upset you. Perhaps you could enlighten me over tea?”

  Mrs. Grey stared at him for a couple of seconds. Just as he thought she was about to refuse, she nodded. She walked into the newly opened café, leaving him to follow her. Now he felt like a school boy.

  He waited until the waitress had served them tea and cakes.

  “Shipley? Of the Boston family, I guess?”

  Lawrence nodded. Maybe she knows Mother. It would explain why she hates me on sight.

  “That would explain a lot but I expected you to have some backbone. You might as well close that bank of yours and head back to Boston.”

  Lawrence nearly choked. “Excuse me?”

  “There you go again. Always apologizing.”

  “Mrs. Grey, I have upset some people in my time but never have I known such hostility in someone I have only just met. What is it you dislike so much?”

  “You really do not want to know.” Mrs. Grey started to rise.

  He reached out to grasp her arm, letting it go at the look in her eyes. “Please, tell me.”

  “Emer Matthews.” At Lawrence’s intake of breath, Mrs. Grey smiled slightly. “Miss Matthews is a wonderful addition to this town. Exactly the type of woman we need. She’s a fine nurse. Not afraid of hard work, blood, sweat or tears.”

  “Yes, Miss Matthews is lovely.”

  “So why are you behaving like an idiot? I may be old, Mr. Shipley, but I am not too old to know love when I see it. I’ve seen how you look at her, yet you broke her heart.”

  “What did she tell you?”

  “She didn’t tell me anything. Emer has a past.”

  “Yes, well, then, you understand my position. Now, I must be going.”

  “Sit down, young man. You, too, have a past. Don’t look at me like that. There are reasons why a member of one of Boston’s premier families hides out in a town like this.”

  Lawrence started to protest but it was useless. Mrs. Grey continued to speak.

  “I don’t care what you say. You made a decision to leave that life behind you. Emer did, too. Whatever happened in the past should stay there.”

  Lawrence noticed her eyes had clouded and he got the impression she may have something to hide, too. Next you will be thinking she’s worked in a saloon, too. The image made him smile but he choked it back. He wouldn’t put it past the formidable woman to slap him. Her next words sent a knife into his heart.

  “Emer’s working herself into the ground over in Doc’s office. Hard work never cured a broken heart. But when combined with sleepless nights, it leaves her vulnerable to infection. You stole that girl’s happiness away. If you want to flourish in Clover Springs, you best find a way to put it back. I think you want that, too.”

  Lawrence sat, too stunned even to stand as Mrs. Grey left the table. Emer was hurting and it was all his fault. He was an idiot and worse.

  Paying the bill, he rushed across the street in the direction of the doc’s. A couple of people moved to speak to him but he shouted his excuses. He had to do this now before his nerve failed him.

  Pushing open the door, he barged in. Ignoring the stares of patients waiting to be seen, his gaze focused on Emer tending a small child. He watched as she gently wiped the little boy’s tears away. He waited impatiently until she finished.

  “Emer—I mean, Miss Matthews, can we talk please?.”

  Her hand flew to her mouth as she noticed him for the first time. He saw the joy in her eyes before the pain came to mask it. His stomach churned as she turned away from him. “I’m busy.”

  “Miss Matthews, I was a fool. I can see that now. I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you.” He caught his breath as she stilled. But she didn’t turn to face him. He took a step closer. “Marry me, Emer. Please.”

  The collective gasps from the patients reminded them both of their audience. Lawrence was beyond caring. He watched her face, saw the inner turmoil as hope fought with pain in her eyes.

  “Please say yes.”

  She gave a quick nod.

  “Is that a yes?”

  “Are you blind, mister?”

  The patients laughed at the remark but Lawrence didn’t care. He looked into Emer’s face, her smile sending his heart into a frenzy. Taking her into his arms, he quickly brushed his lips across hers.

  “Thank you. You won’t regret it, I promise.”

  He kissed her again.

  “Kindly unhand my nurse. She has work to be doing.” The doc grinned as he spoke. Lawrence gave Emer a quick kiss, took an exaggerated bow in front of the waiting patients and left Doc’s office walking on air.

  Chapter 42

  Some days later, Lawrence walked whistling into the building he had taken over while waiting for his bank to be built. Coughlin, his new clerk, looked nervous.

  “Sir, there’s a man waiting in your office. I tried asking him to wait out here but he insisted.”

  Lawrence pushed the door of his office open to find Mitchell standing behind his desk, reading through some papers. Private papers.

  Fighting his temper, he cleared his throat. Mitchell looked like a child caught with his hand in the candy jar.

  “There you are. Your clerk insisted I wait in here. Rather small deals you have out here. Can’t see the attraction, myself.”

  “Honestly, Mitchell, that’s the longest speech I ever heard you make. The last one, too, I hope. Leave. Don’t come back.”

  Lawrence stood with his hand on the door. But instead of leaving, Mitchell sat down.

  “I don’t think I will. Your father is planning a trip in Clover Springs. He insisted I travel ahead to make sure you are here to meet him.”

  “My father? Is coming here? When? Why?” Lawrence wondered what his parents were up to now.

  “Your absence and the timing of the bank raid didn’t go unnoticed. There’s been talk in Boston. You have made rather a black mark on the good Shipley name. I gather he is not impressed. And then there’s the laughable issue of you chasing after that girl.”

  “Mitchell, I warned you once before. Do not speak to me about Emer.”

  “I won’t, but your father will have plenty to say.”

  Lawrence couldn’t think straight. He wasn’t afraid of his father but he wondered exactly why he was coming here. He suspected Mitchell wasn’t telling him the full story.
How would Emer react to meeting the head of the Shipley dynasty?

  He chuckled at the vision that thought created. Emer would be fine. She could handle anyone, including his father.

  Lawrence told Emer all about Mrs. Grey’s interaction on her behalf.

  She didn’t get a chance to thank her personally as she had gone to stay with Mary for a week. Emer thought the doctor had insisted on it for both their sakes. Mary, as the baby was due any day now, and Mrs. Grey, as she was working too hard.

  Smiling, she surveyed the clinic to ensure everything was just as it should be. She was meeting Lawrence for dinner and didn’t want to be late.

  Shutting the door behind her, she saw Lawrence walking toward her with Mitchell. Mitchell. What was he doing here? She glanced at Lawrence’s face. He was real mad.

  “Sorry, darling. I had an unwelcome visitor but he is leaving on the next train.”

  Emer looked at Mitchell, who was perspiring heavily. He pulled at his collar before he held out his hand.

  “Congratulations, Miss Matthews. Welcome to the Shipley family.”

  As he bent to kiss her cheek, Emer took a step back. She didn’t care if it was rude—she didn’t trust this man not one little bit. He had some reason for being in Clover Springs. Had Mrs. Shipley sent him to bring Lawrence home?

  Lawrence took Emer’s arm. “My intended hasn’t any time for you, either. Now do us both a favor and leave. Tell Father to stay in Boston.”

  Startled, Emer looked at Lawrence. His father was coming here. To Clover Springs.

  Before Mitchell could answer, a cloud of dust marked the arrival of a group of riders.

  “Look’s like the sheriff is back,” Lawrence said.

  Chapter 43

  "Emer, darling. Where did you get to?"

  Her spine tingled, the fear making her feel sick. Bill. How on earth had he ended up in Clover Springs? They had heard nothing about the Bainstreet Gang since Paul and Jason had been shot. That had been weeks ago.

  Turning slowly, she said a quick prayer she was wrong, only to face the man who still gave her nightmares.

  "What are you doing here?"

  Bill held up his hands showing the handcuffs. "Not really by choice, although if they'd told me my wife was holed up here, I'd have got here sooner."

  "Your wife?" Lawrence exclaimed loudly. Emer had lost the ability to talk.

  "Didn't she tell you? We got married a couple of years back. Then she up and left me, taking a load of cash with her. But that's all water under the bridge now, darling, isn't it? These last few weeks, you have more than made up for it.”

  Emer groaned.

  "Weeks. What do you mean?" Lawrence looked confused and angry.

  Bill sent her an evil glare before turning to Lawrence. "You the banker fella she's been making eyes at? Nice suit. My Emer always did like the nicer things in life. Didn’t you, darling?"

  "I am not and never was your darling."

  "Lover’s tiff. She's fine to look at but a bit moody. She's a real asset, though. In our business, it helps to have someone on the inside."

  "Mr. Cheever, are you trying to accuse Miss Matthews of some wrongdoing?" The sheriff’s voice boomed out for everyone to hear. Silence descended immediately. Emer's heart was beating so loud, she thought everyone could hear it. But nobody was looking at her. They were all staring at Bill.

  "Yes, Sir. But you called her by the wrong name. She's a paid-up member of the Bainstreet Gang." At the infamous name, the group of people gathered all started talking at once. The sheriff appealed for silence. Bill's voice rang out clearly. "Emer Cheever has been helping us the whole time. How else did we know when the Denver bank was at its most vulnerable?”

  The crowd started muttering. But Bill wasn't finished. "She's been working with us since she got back from Boston. Haven't you, Mrs. Cheever?"

  "Don't call me that. I am not yours and never was." Emer spat back at Bill before turning to Lawrence. "Please tell me you don’t believe him. I wouldn't do something like that."

  "But you do know this man?"

  Emer looked down at the ground, her fingers twitching at her side. "Yes, I know him."

  "Course she knows me. I told you. We were part of the same gang. We rode together, ate together and slept together."

  Emer tried not to look at Bill but something drew her to him. Seeing the look on his face, she turned her attention back to the sheriff. He looked uncomfortable.

  "Were you a member of the Bainstreet Gang?"

  "Yes." Emer swallowed hard at the look on Lawrence’s face. "But not by choice. Ma made me do stuff. Act as lookout, clean and cook for the gang. But that's it. I didn’t do any of the rest of the things."

  "Are you saying you have never stolen anything, Miss Matthews or Cheever? Whatever your name is?"

  Emer stared at the sheriff. She couldn't lie but how could she tell the truth?

  "Of course she hasn't, Sheriff. Emer's my sister, not some common thief." Sorcha's support, while welcome, only made Emer realize she had to confess. It was time to come clean about where she had come from.

  "Actually, I did steal some money. Once." Emer spoke softly, her whisper barely audible over the noise of the crowd. "I stole some money from my ma the night I ran away. From him."

  "See, I done told you she was a thief. She only ran as she knew when I caught up with her, I would tan her hide before I took her to my bed. But then you enjoyed that part, didn’t you, my little tiger? Always was feisty."

  The crowd took a collective gasp. Emer walked over to Bill and slapped him across the face. "You lying toad."

  "He's not a liar. I was a witness. I couldn't tell you, Lawrence. I didn’t have anyone to back up my story. You wouldn’t have believed me anyway."

  Emer looked towards Mitchell. Why was he saying she stole from the bank?

  "I'm sorry, Miss Matthews, but I have to place you under arrest. Bank robbery is a serious crime." The sheriff wouldn’t meet her eyes. He had an uncomfortable look on his face.

  "She can share my cell, Sheriff. We got a lot of catching up to do, don’t we, Mrs. Cheever?”

  "Stop calling me that." Emer snapped at Bill before looking for Lawrence. He had already turned his back and was walking away down the street.

  Emer let the sheriff put the handcuffs on her. Sorcha tried to hug her but it was awkward. "I'll get you out of here. Don’t worry."

  Emer knew her sister meant well but what could she do? She was, by her own admission, a member of a gang of outlaws. That in itself was enough to warrant jail time. She was innocent of the other charges but who was going to take the word of an outlaw? Especially when a rich man was one of the people accusing her?

  Chapter 44

  "Lawrence, you’ve got to help Emer. You know she isn't capable of robbing a bank."

  Lawrence didn’t look up. "I know nothing of the sort. It’s obvious your sister has been lying about her past. Goodness knows what crimes she's involved in."

  Sorcha cringed at the cold tone. He was distancing himself from the woman he had professed to love just days before.

  "Crimes. You know she's innocent of everything but trying to get away from our ma and her gang of thieves." Sorcha tried to keep her tone calm. Getting annoyed with Lawrence wasn’t going to help Emer. She had only found her sister. She wasn’t about to let her rot in jail.

  "Emer admitted to stealing. You heard her. The whole town heard her."

  Sorcha counted backwards from ten in Irish just as her Granny had always told her. She wouldn’t be helping Emer if she slapped Lawrence. “Emer didn’t rob the bank. It’s not the same thing as stealing. She said she took money from Ma to get away. You saw Bill. Patricia wanted to give Emer to him. You’d have helped her steal to get away from him. Wouldn’t you?” Sorcha noticed he wouldn’t meet her gaze. “Come, now, Lawrence. You’ve got to believe her. And help me to prove her innocence."

  "Even if I did, just how do you think we could do that?"

  "There has
to be a way to help her. There must be people back in Kansas who remember her. What about Patricia? Can you hire someone to find her?”

  "Like who?”

  “I don’t know. A US Marshall or something.” Sorcha wanted to shake him. He was rich and powerful. He must know people. “Why would Mitchell turn against Emer? Bit suspicious he didn’t mention anything to you before, isn’t it?”

  Sorcha saw she’d got his attention.

  “That’s a good question, one I need to find out the answer to. Why don’t you go back to your family, Mrs. Petersen, and I will go speak to my dearest cousin.”

  Sorcha would have loved to see that confrontation but she didn’t want to get on the wrong side of Lawrence. Her sister needed his help. She walked with Lawrence back to Main Street. She went toward the store, leaving Lawrence heading in the direction of the boarding house.

  “Leaving already, dear cousin?” Lawrence drawled as he walked into his cousin’s room. He saw the panic in Mitchell’s eyes before the disdainful look he was getting used to took over.

  “Surprised to see you here, Lawrence. I thought you would be down in the jail, comforting your outlaw lady friend. Did her husband throw you out?

  “Emer’s not married and she’s no outlaw.”

  “That is up to the Judge to decide, now, isn’t it? Pity I won’t be here to see it but I have to get back to Denver. Duty calls.”

  “Don’t you mean my mother is calling?” Lawrence allowed himself a tiny spark of satisfaction at Mitchell’s reaction. “I don’t think the sheriff will allow you leave.”

  Mitchell paled. For the first time, Lawrence saw his cousin’s forehead was sweaty. He glanced down to see Mitchell wiping his hands in his trousers.

  “Of course I am free to go. I haven’t done anything?”

  “Yet you are behaving as if you have. What did you do, Mitchell?”

  “Nothing. I haven’t done anything. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a train to catch.”

  Lawrence moved toward Mitchell, who backed up until he couldn’t go any further.