by Kit Morgan
“Then what do you need me for?” Leora asked.
“Propriety is a funny thing, Miss Mitchell … I mean, Leora,” Sam replied. “People often make a fuss where none is needed. As your sister and I are not yet wed, we still have to follow a certain amount of decorum.”
“In that case, I should let you know that I’ve never been a chaperone before,” Leora said. “Never had any reason to be.”
“Oh? No one has ever come to call on you or your sister?”
Lottie and Leora exchanged another quick glance. “I’m afraid we haven’t had much time for gentleman callers,” Lottie explained.
“Yes, speaking of that,” he said. “Where are my manners?” He stopped and offered Lottie his arm. “If we’re going to marry, there’s no harm in escorting you properly.”
She stared at it and fought the urge to lick her lips. It was so … large. She realized she’d never touched a man’s arm before, and felt shy and, for whatever reason, poor. Which, she was, she and the rest of the women she lived with. At least they still had a roof over their heads. If everything went well, she and the others would be married and out of the house before the end of the month – each with a roof of their own.
“Very fine weather here lately, don’t you think?” Mr. Cooke asked.
“Oh, er … yes,” Lottie replied. She glanced over her shoulder at Leora, who made a circular motion with her hand and mouthed keep going! “There has been a nip in the air of late. Tell me, do you have very cold winters where you come from?”
“Clear Creek is in the eastern part of the state, so it can get very cold. I hear our winters aren’t much different than yours – I’m afraid you’ll not escape the snow by coming to Oregon.”
“At least I’m used to it.” She glanced at her sister again. “Leora answered the ad of a gentleman from California. I’m sure she’ll fare better than I will when it comes to the weather.” Leora gave her a smug look and stuck her tongue out. Lottie glared at her and tried not to burst into giggles, but one escaped anyway.
“What’s so funny?” Mr. Cooke asked.
“Leora is simply being… Leora,” Lottie explained.
He stopped and turned to look at their chaperone. “Is that so? Well … I suppose I would do well to watch my back.”
“Oh no, she’s nothing like that,” Lottie insisted with a smile. “Though it wouldn't hurt to be a little wary. She has been known to put things in my hair when I’m not paying close attention.”
“I’ve done nothing of the kind and you know it!” Leora protested.
“You most certainly have,” Lottie countered. Her eyes darted between Sam and her sister. “The last time she did, it was a dead moth.”
He laughed, and Lottie discovered she liked the sound of it. “I daresay, I’d best watch out, hadn’t I?”
“That would be wise.”
“Can’t you two talk about something else besides me?” Leora asked. “You’re supposed to be getting to know each other, remember?”
“She’s right you know,” Lottie said and smiled. “All you know about me so far is what a mess I make when I clean out the fireplace.”
“That and how hard you can slam the door on a man when he comes to call,” he said with a grin.
Now it was her turn to laugh, and she wondered if he enjoyed the sound of hers as much as she did his. “You gave me a shock, that’s all.”
“Well, if discovering a man with a bouquet of flowers on your doorstep gives you a shock, I can’t imagine what a real event would do to you.”
“What sort of an event?” she asked.
“Oh, I don’t know. Say you were walking down the street and a wagon came careening toward you. Would that be a shock?”
“No, not at all,” she replied. “If a wagon were careening down the street I wouldn’t try to cross it. Any fool would hear it coming.”
“Mm, quite right. Well then, perish the thought, but what if you woke up in the middle of the night and your house was on fire? One cannot dispute that that would be a shock.”
Lottie fell silent and knew Leora had done the same, even if she hadn’t been speaking. Poor man, how could he know how fire had devastated their lives?
“What’s the matter?” he asked. He stopped walking. “I said something to upset you.”
The concern in his eyes was genuine and Lottie felt her belly warm at the sight. She gave him a tentative smile. “Our parents … died in a fire.”
The concern on his face deepened. “I’m so sorry to hear that. When did it happen?”
“About seven years ago,” she told him. “Some days it seems longer, others like it was only yesterday.”
“Again, I’m sorry,” he said.
“We’re not even sure how the fire started,” she said with a sigh.
“Terrible things, fires. My mother was in two.”
That got her attention. She gazed up at him, her mouth half-opened in shock. She hardly noticed that Leora no longer walked behind them, but was at her side, also wanting to hear more. “What happened?” they asked in unison.
His face became somber. “The first fire was started by my grandfather.”
“Started by him?” Lottie asked, eyes wide. “On accident?”
He glanced down at her. “Ah, I see I’ve managed to shock you,” he said with a knowing look. “I should say, he caused it. He himself was drunk at the time and didn’t remember much.”
“What?!” the women cried.
“As I said, he was drunk. Threw a bottle of whiskey through a window and it hit a lantern. He says he turned his horse around after he threw it, kicked it into a gallop and never looked back. He didn’t know until the next day that he’d burned the local mercantile to the ground.”
“That’s horrible!” Lottie exclaimed. “Did he go to jail for it?”
“No. He didn’t tell anyone until some time later, as he wasn’t sure he was the cause. And because he and my father didn’t get along very well. Nor did he get along with my uncles.”
“Do they get along now?” Leora asked before Lottie could.
“Of course, we’re one big, happy family.”
“But… you said your mother was in the fire,” Lottie reminded him.
“Yes,” he said and started to walk again. “My great-uncle Wilfred ran the mercantile and had living quarters on the second floor. When the fire broke out, my father and uncle went in to save my mother and her aunt. My Uncle Duncan got Great-Aunt Irene out, but my father almost died trying to get my mother out.”
“How ghastly!” Leora said.
“What happened?” Lottie asked. “How did he save her?”
“Well … he didn’t. Someone else got my father and mother out.” By this time they’d entered the park and reached a bench, where they sat. “I’m sure you'll hear the story at least a dozen times the first few weeks you’re in Clear Creek. That and a good many others.”
His story tugged at Lottie’s heart in sympathy, with a pinch of envy. At least his parents survived. Not to mention that because of a fire, she and the other women employed by Mr. Brown were now destitute. Where was the justice?
“I’m sorry if my tale has disturbed you,” he said, pulling her from her thoughts. “I didn’t mean for it to be upsetting.”
“You didn’t upset me, nor my sister,” Lottie assured him
“Oh, I see. You had a look on your face that made me think I had.”
Lottie glanced at Leora and back. “We’ve been in two different fires as well.”
He studied them for a moment. “I see. Is the story behind this second fire something you wish to tell me, or is it too personal?”
“No one died in it, if that’s what you mean,” Lottie said. “But it was horrible all the same.”
“Not many fires are pleasant, unless of course it stays in one’s hearth,” he said. “What happened?”
“The fire put us all out of work,” Lottie told him. “It’s the reason we had to become mail-order brides.”
/> “Your letter said the textile mill closed …”
“True enough,” Leora said flatly. “Because it burned down.”
He looked away a moment. “This is worse than I thought.”
“Worse?” Lottie said. “Just what did you think, Mr. Cooke?”
“Please, call me Sam. Frankly, I thought your employer was a lunatic for shutting his entire mill down without warning. I dare say, I’ve been upset with him ever since I first read about it in your letter. You said nothing about a fire.”
“No, neither did Leora when she wrote to her groom. We didn’t want men taking pity on us or thinking …” She stopped and sighed.
“Or think what?” he prompted.
Lottie let her eyes drift to a nearby tree. What could she say – that they still had their pride, that they didn’t want the men to know they’d been reduced to becoming mail-order brides to survive? Unfortunately, it was the truth – she had to face it. Perhaps her obsessive hunt for Bob Brown was merely masking her embarrassment at not being able to take care of herself.
“Well?” he said.
She sighed again and turned back to him. “We didn’t want anyone to think we were … damsels in distress that needed rescuing.”
His right eyebrow lifted, but she couldn’t tell if it was in amusement or curiosity. “I see,” was all he offered.
For some reason, his two words rattled her. “Do you? Tell me Mr. Cooke, have you ever been put in this sort of situation?”
His brow furrowed. “Please, do call me Sam. And no, Miss Mit … er, Lottie, I can’t say that I have. But I can tell you that you’re not the first person I’ve met in a similar circumstance, nor will you be the last. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in life, it’s that it isn’t fair at times. I suppose if it was, we wouldn’t need the good Lord’s help, nor ask for it.”
“You’re right,” Lottie agreed. “Life isn’t fair.” If it were, my parents would still be alive, she added silently. She glanced at her sister and wondered if she was thinking the same thing.
“Perhaps we should discuss something more pleasant,” he suggested.
“I agree,” Leora blurted at her side.
“All right,” Lottie conceded. “What shall we talk about?” She still felt rattled but wasn’t going to let on.
“Where would you like to get married?” he asked cheerfully.
The question startled her and she blinked at him a few times. “Married?”
He chuckled. “That is why I’m here.” His eyes roamed her face and drew her into them. “We should settle that today.”
He was right, of course – they needed to decide when and where to exchange vows. He had to be getting back to Clear Creek soon. Lottie looked at Leora and nodded solemnly. They both knew that as soon as she married she would have to leave, with the mystery of the fire unsolved.
Unless … hmmm. “I realize you’ll want to be on your way,” she said.
“Indeed. I’d like to get back before the weather gets any colder – rail travel and prairie snowstorms don’t mix well. However, it might be nice to make a few stops along the way.”
“What sort of stops?” Lottie asked.
Sam smiled. “Chicago, St. Louis, Buffalo … any place on the way, really. Think of the trip west as a sort of honeymoon. There will be a lot of work on the ranch when I get back. It might be a time before we get a chance to travel again.”
“A honeymoon,” Lottie said in disbelief. She hadn’t allowed herself to think of such a thing. She knew people took them, though no one of her acquaintance – mostly because no one at the mill could afford such a luxury. She and Leora knew several fellow employees who had married on Sunday and were right back to work on Monday. No one ever got a holiday at Brown’s mill.
Sam studied her face a moment. “Yes, it would give us a chance to get to know each other better.”
Her eyes drifted to his hat, its edges frayed in spots. “But how can you afford such a thing?”
He shrugged. “I’ve some money put away.”
A smile tugged at her mouth. She’d dreamed about a wedding and subsequent honeymoon when she was younger, but gave it up after years of mill work had worn her down. People like her didn’t get extravagances such as honeymoons when they married. She swallowed hard, a lump in her throat. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome – though we do have to get married first,” he reminded her.
She nodded and smiled. “Yes, of course.” She gazed at him and his eyes drew her in like before. “How about tomorrow?”
“Splendid. Where?”
Lottie sat a little straighter as her quest for justice presented itself once more. How could she let herself forget? She couldn’t leave the East without at least trying to track down Bob Brown. She quickly looked at Leora, who – much to her surprise – gave her a tiny little nod. That decided it. “Dover.”
Five
“Dover?” he said in surprise. Perhaps because his automatic thought was England. But that couldn’t be where she was suggesting. “In Delaware?”
“Yes,” she said, her eyes darting between him and her sister.
“Why Dover?” he asked.
“Because … because that’s where we grew up,” she stammered. “We were raised there.”
“Oh, I see,” he said. “Do you still have any relations in the vicinity?”
The sisters exchanged another look. “No,” Leora said firmly. “I’m afraid not.”
“But there’s a church I would very much like to get married in,” Lottie blurted. “And it would be lovely to see the places I remember from childhood.”
He thought he saw Leora roll her eyes but was too busy staring at Lottie to confirm it. “Dover,” he said with a nod. “I suppose we could, though it’s not on my original route west. And it’s more than a day’s travel from here.”
“It’s a full day – longer depending on the line.” Lottie quickly agreed. “We could leave tomorrow, spend the night, obtain a license and if we’re lucky, be married the following day. Then return to Lawrence the day after that.” She looked at him, her eyes not exactly pleading, but definitely enticing. He could tell she was excited – perhaps she wanted to see her hometown one last time before they headed west.
Getting married in Dover was the least he could do for her after all she’d been through, even if it cost him a few extra days. “Very well, I’ll make the arrangements.” He looked at Leora. “You’ll want to join us, of course.”
“Me? Really? Oh, but, I wouldn’t want to be a burden. That’s an extra train ticket, then the lodging and …”
“You are her sister,” he interrupted. “From what you say, you’re her only family. I would assume, given the chance, you’d like to be at her wedding.”
Leora grabbed one of Lottie's hands. “Yes! Yes, I would! It’s not like she’ll be able to attend mine.” Lottie nodded sadly.
Sam studied them. If the sisters were anything like he and his siblings, they were going to miss each other terribly. “Then it’s settled. Tomorrow the three of us will take the train to Dover,” He looked into Lottie’s eyes once more. “And you and I will be married. Are you certain the pastor of your old church will be able to wed us?”
She bowed her head, eyes closed and nodded. “I’m fairly certain, yes. If not, I’m sure we could find someone who would.”
“I suppose it depends on the preacher’s schedule,” he said. Her eyes lifted to his and she smiled. Perhaps she was feeling sentimental. He swore there was a tear in her eye that refused to fall.
“The church is near our old house,” she said, never taking her eyes from his. “The house isn’t there anymore, of course. Someone built a new one in its place.”
“I understand your wanting to be married there. Leave everything to me.” Speaking of which, if he was going to procure tickets and lodgings for the three of them he’d better get going. “We’ll need an early morning train.”
“He’s right,” Leora said, tapping Lotti
e on the arm. “Which means we have a lot to do between now and then – tell the others, decide what to take …”
“Take?” Lottie asked, her eyes slowly drifting back to his. There was something in them he couldn’t identify. Was she worried?
“Yes,” Leora confirmed. “Me just for this trip, but you for your journey West.”
“She has a good point,” he said. “We’ll need to leave as soon as possible once we’re married if we want to make any stops on the way home.” He studied them again. “Unless you’d rather just spend a few extra days with your sister? I wouldn’t begrudge you that.”
“No,” Leora said. “I could hear from my groom any day, then off I’ll go. You should leave as you planned. I think taking Lottie west and honeymooning along the way is a wonderful idea.” She took one of Lottie’s hands and gave it a squeeze. “If anyone deserves it, it’s her.”
“I can see you love your sister very much,” he said in understanding. “And where is your groom from?”
“Nevada City, California.”
“Why, that’s only a two-day train ride from Clear Creek! You’ll come visit us, won’t you?”
Leora’s eyes lit up. “Yes – Lottie and I spoke of it earlier! We’ll save as much money as we can to visit each other.”
“I’ll see you’re not kept from your sister,” he assured. “You will see each other again, I promise.”
Lottie breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s very generous of you … Sam.”
He smiled at her. “We’d best see to our business. I’ll escort you home then go straight to the train station and get our tickets. I trust you have plenty to keep you busy until I see you again?”
“See me again?” she asked. “You’re not coming back today?”
“I wouldn’t want to get in the way of your packing.”
Her body jerked as if stifling a chuckle. “I’m afraid there is no threat of that. There’s not that much for me to pack.”
“Oh, I see,” he said. “But you’ll want to spend time with your sister and roommates.”
Lottie closed her eyes and sighed. “Yes, I would. Thank you for that.”
