The Damaged Bride (Mail-Order Bride Book 6)

by Stella Clark

  “Yes, Uncle,” they chorused, and he proceeded to recount how the cow had kicked him smack on the knee and he had all but toppled on his back. The children giggled, and even Clara managed a laugh.

  The conversation flowed easily after that and after she finished, Clara went into the kitchen and started on the washing up. Helen joined her and put the kettle to boil for tea.

  “I hear there’s a new teacher coming sometime this week,” Helen said conversationally. “I can’t tell you how pleased that will make me.”

  “The children will be happy, too, to get out of the house,” Clara said.

  Already, she felt like a member of the family as she and Helen discussed the reopening of the one-room school. It had been shut for almost a year when the last teacher had left to get married. As they spoke, she almost, but not quite, forgot that Nate was in the house.

  “Will you join us in the parlor for tea?” Helen asked, readying herself to carry the tray.

  Clara thought of facing Nate again and all the emotions he seemed to evoke in her and she lost courage. “If you don’t mind, I’ll have mine here.”

  “Not a problem,” Helen said and left.

  It had only been a few days, but Clara admired and loved so many attributes about Helen. Clara could see how she had been able to cope after her husband’s death with her brisk attitude. She never forced a topic and, in the days Clara had been in the boarding house, she had not once asked her what her plans were.

  It was a good thing as Clara had no plans. She concentrated on easing Helen’s burden as much as she could and refused to think about the future. Whenever the thought crept into her brain, panic set in, and she resolutely shoved it to the back of her mind.

  ***

  She was just finishing up the dishes when Nate walked through the kitchen on his way out. To her intense relief and disappointment, he did not linger.

  “Clara,” he said as he tipped his hat, intensifying his handsome looks. “Have a good night.”

  “Good night,” she managed to say, and watched from the corner of her eyes as Helen and the children escorted him out.

  She should have been relieved that he was gone. Instead, she felt as though she had lost him all over again. A foolish thought as she never had him in the first place.

  Chapter Eight

  Nate guided the wagon towards his sister’s home, excited at the day that lay ahead. The children had mentioned an interest in seeing the new cow and, it being a Saturday, he had decided to surprise them. As much as he tried to keep Clara from invading his thoughts, her pretty face kept filling his mind.

  He wasn’t going to the boarding house to see Clara, Nate said firmly to himself. It was for the children. As he always did, he guided the horse to the back and dismounted as soon as the horse and wagon came to a stop. He hitched the horse to a tree.

  Hurrying to the back door, he pushed it open and entered and then came to a grinding halt. A strange, tall, slim young woman with strawberry- blonde hair held back in a ponytail was carrying dishes into the kitchen. His sister followed closely behind.

  “Oh Nate, I didn’t know you were coming around today,” she said and smiled broadly. “You haven’t met Emma, have you?”

  “No,” he said and looked at the young woman, noting her good looks and quick smile.

  They shook hands as Helen did the introductions. He was about to ask after Clara when she walked in at that moment. His heart leaped, and a smile came to his mouth against his own will. She was a breath of fresh air, and even though she was unsuited to be his wife, perhaps they could be friends.

  “Nate,” she said shyly.

  “Hello, Clara,” he said, and for a moment it seemed as if it was just the two of them in the room. He noted the color spreading on her cheeks and how they had filled out from when she first arrived. “I came to take the children out to the farm. They’ll enjoy meeting the new cow.”

  “Oh, that’s lovely. They’ll like that,” Helen said.

  The teacher left the kitchen, and then Helen turned to Clara. “Why don’t you accompany them as well? You’ve been working so hard and have earned a break.”

  Clara began to protest.

  “Mrs. Collins comes in on the weekends, remember?” Helen said.

  Nate’s heart pounded with anticipation, and he realized just how much he wanted her to join them.

  “All right, if Nate doesn’t mind,” she said.

  He beamed. “The more the merrier is what I say,” he said. “But I must warn you, we must return in time for lunch. There’s no food at the farmhouse.”

  “I’m sure Clara would be happy to whip up a quick meal,” Helen said. “I’ll pack her food to cook.”

  “I didn’t say there’s no food,” Nate said, already thinking of the chickens.

  “In that case, I’ll go and get the children ready. Clara, would you be kind enough to serve Nate some pancakes and coffee?”

  He shot his sister a look of gratitude and settled into one of the kitchen chairs. Clara went to the stove and got the kettle. She poured him coffee and then proceeded to heap a generous helping of pancakes into a plate.

  “That might be too much for one person,” he said as she placed the plate on the table.

  “Not if you smear them with honey,” she said and limped into the pantry and returned with a jar of honey.

  After she was done serving him, she went to the sink to wash dishes, her back to him. He made appreciative noises as he ate, the pancake melting in his mouth. She turned to him and smiled before returning to her work.

  The scene felt right, as if he and Clara were in their own home in the morning. If only she had had a good leg and was strong and healthy. Regret became a bitter taste in his mouth and his enjoyment of the breakfast decreased.

  “Did you inform your father of your safe arrival?” Nate asked.

  Her shoulders stiffened. “No.”

  “Why?” he pressed. He imagined her pa was eager for news of his daughter’s safe arrival in the west.

  She shrugged and continued the washing silently. Puzzled, he did not pursue the conversation. Minutes later, Mary, Joseph, and Lillie burst into the kitchen amid shrieks of excitement.

  “Uncle Nate!” they shouted.

  “Does the cow have a name yet?” Mary demanded, her small hands on her waist.

  “Not yet,” Nate said with a laugh. “I thought I’d leave that very important duty to you children.”

  “How about we call her Betsy?” Joseph said, his expression solemn.

  “No, I say we call him Emmanuel,” Mary said.

  “The cow’s a girl,” Joseph pointed out.

  “Let’s make that decision when you see the cow,” Nate said quickly, before the disagreement escalated into a full-blown argument. “Remember, you must spend a lot of time with her so that you can come up with a name that suits her.”

  They nodded solemnly and at that moment, Nate longed for a brood of his own. His gaze turned to Clara. Her countenance was soft as she looked at the children. She would make a wonderful mother. Nate swallowed hard.

  “Is everybody ready?” he finally asked.

  “Almost,” Helen said, marching into the kitchen. “Here’s a bag with some extra clothes for everyone. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for this, Nate and Clara,” she said and then waved Clara away from the sink. “Leave those. Get your coat.”

  His sister winked at him. “It’s almost like courtship, isn’t it?”

  He frowned. “Helen, please don’t go giving Clara any ideas. I have no intention of courting her. She’s all wrong for me.”

  “Why? Because of her leg? I can tell you that she works harder than most able-bodied people I know.”

  Helen thought the best of everyone, and he didn’t expect her to understand.

  “Just leave it, will you? My decision is already made. It would be far better for you to introduce her to the doctor or the lawyer or any other man who doesn’t make a living off the land. It’s hard work
!”

  Chapter Nine

  It was a beautiful spring day when they set out to the farm, with the early morning sunlight giving way to strong warm rays. From the box seat at the front where she sat with Nate, Clara could hear the shrieks of joy coming from the children in the back of the wagon.

  Nate was good company, especially when he was as relaxed as he was. As if sensing her stare, he turned to her, grinned, and returned his gaze to the front. Her heart pounded right out of her chest. He would make some woman very happy.

  Her mind returned to Miss Emma, and her insides twisted with jealousy. Had Nate noticed her good looks and strong body? Had he compared her to Clara’s delicate-looking features? She pushed away the uncomfortable thoughts.

  There was no point in worrying over something that had not happened. If Nate decided to court Emma, it would hurt her for a little while, but she would get over it. Meanwhile, the day was beautiful, and she intended to enjoy every bit of it.

  It wasn’t often that she had a day to spend at leisure; besides, she was really eager to see where Nate lived. When they took the turn off the main road and the farmhouse came into view, pangs of longing came over her. She took in the simple but pretty farmhouse with admiration.

  “What do you think?” Nate said as he guided the wagon to the back of the house.

  Why did he want her opinion on his home after he had rejected her? Still, the house was so pretty with its wide porch, she couldn’t help but speak out.

  “It’s beautiful! You live all alone? It’s big.”

  He chuckled. “Just me.”

  Until he got someone to marry. She wondered now if he had placed another mail order bride. What was the matter with her? What Nate did with his life was none of her business. Except, the more time she spent with him, the more she got attached to him.

  “All right, children, we’re here,” Nate said, going to the back and lifting the children from the wagon.

  “I can get down by myself,” Mary announced.

  “I can’t!” Clara said from where she sat at the front.

  “I didn’t think you would,” Nate said and came to help her down.

  The children went running towards the barn and Clara followed, beaming at their excitement.

  “It’s black and white,” Lillie said when they entered the barn.

  The cow hardly noticed their admiring glances and continued chewing contentedly on hay.

  “She’s fat!” Joseph said, and they all laughed.

  “Is she carrying a calf?” Clara asked when Nate joined them.

  Her abdomen seemed swollen, not that she had a lot of experience with cows.

  “I don’t know,” Nate said. “The farmer who sold her to me didn’t mention it.”

  They stood and watched as the children watched the cow excitedly, marveling at every movement she made.

  “Can you show us how to milk her, Uncle Nate?” Mary asked a few minutes later.

  “That’ll have to be in the evening,” Nate said. “She’s milked twice a day, and I already milked her in the morning.”

  “Will you show us then, in the evening?” Little Joseph asked.

  “How about you watch me for the first few couple of times?” Nate suggested, and they nodded.

  “What will you do after that?” Clara asked softly. She was pretty sure that children didn’t milk cows.

  “They’ll have forgotten,” Nate said with confidence.

  Nate was restful to be with. He chatted easily with the children, pointing out different parts of the cow and trying to explain where the milk came from.

  “I think I’ll leave you to it and go and see to lunch,” Clara said, stifling a laugh.

  “I’ll get a chicken,” Nate said. “Come on, children.”

  They parted ways at the back door as Nate and the children made for the chicken coop. The kitchen was exactly the right size with a table that could sit a large family. She giggled as her gaze moved to the sink piled high with dirty dishes.

  It was good to see one thing that Nate was not good at when he usually looked so capable. She folded the sleeves of her dress and got to work cleaning up. When she was done, Nate and the children brought in the chicken.

  “Miss Clara, I helped to remove the feathers,” Joseph announced, proudly holding onto the leg of the chicken.

  “Pluck,” Nate corrected.

  “And I made sure they did everything correctly,” Mary said and sent them all into peals of laughter.

  “We’ll go and dig for potatoes,” Nate said, clearly enjoying his nieces and nephew’s company.

  ***

  It was bittersweet being with the children and Nate. It showed Clara how the future would have been for them had Nate not rejected her. When she finished the washing up, she left the kitchen and took a quick tour around the house.

  Clearly, Nate had taken a lot of thought into the house. The parlor was a good size and comfortable, and the sleeping quarters were enough to comfortably house a family. Sadness etched itself in her heart as she leaned on the doorframe and looked into one of the rooms.

  “Clara?”

  She tore her gaze from the room and limped back to the kitchen.

  “We got some potatoes,” Mary said.

  “And now you shall help me to peel them,” Clara said, and her eyes met Nate’s over the children’s heads. “I took a look around. I hope you don’t mind?”

  His look was thoughtful. “Not at all.”

  After that, the excitement dimmed a little as she couldn’t bring herself forget that the farmhouse should have been her home.

  Chapter Ten

  Clara entered the kitchen carrying a broom and a pile of dust folded into a brown bag. “Dining room and parlor swept and windows open,” she said to Helen, who was removing fresh loaves of bread from the oven.

  “Thank you, Clara, you’re the hardest working woman I know,” she said while carrying the delicious-smelling loaves to the table. “Nate is blind … wait, was blind.”

  “Thank you,” Clara responded and didn’t make a comment with regards to Nate. She was tired of thinking about him day and night and of fantasizing how it would feel like to be his wife. It was pointless.

  “You know, I thought he would be interested in Miss Emma, but he didn’t look at her again after the introduction.”

  Clara’s heart leaped with relief. She had worried that Nate would fall in love with the beautiful teacher.

  “All along, his eyes were on the door, and when you walked in, he tried to hide a smile,” Helen said.

  Clara shook her head. Helen was filling her with hope and she didn’t want to be disappointed again. She took the broom outside and when she returned, she faced Helen.

  “Nate was very clear that he couldn’t be interested with a woman who had a bad leg. He even went as far as suggesting the kind of man who would agree to court me.”

  Helen placed her hands on the table and contemplated Clara solemnly. “I see how my brother behaves around you. But more importantly, when he sees you, Clara, he lights up. Whether he likes it or not, he has developed feelings for you, and who can blame him?”

  Clara could feel her eyes widening.

  “You’re beautiful and hardworking and you have a heart of gold,” Helen said softly.

  Tears welled in Clara’s eyes. Was Helen really talking about her? She remembered her father’s harsh words, spoken so many times that she had believed it. Useless! Good for nothing! Helen was a stranger and had no reason to lie to her. “Really?” she finally asked.

  “Yes, really, and I’m pleased that my brother is not a complete fool and can see that now.”

  How Clara wished that what Helen said was true. Clara inhaled sharply at the image of Nate laughing and looking at her in a way that said more than friendship. Was it possible that Nate could see beyond her disability now?

  “What he needs is a nudge,” Helen continued. “Something to push him so that he’s left with no doubts in his mind.”

 
; Clara’s heart pounded hard. If there was the slightest bit of hope that Nate had feelings for her, she was willing to give anything a try. “How do I nudge him?”

  “Nate spends most of his day in the fields and when he gets home, I bet he’s tired and can’t get much cleaning done.”

  Clara grinned, remembering the state of his kitchen when she and the children had visited the previous weekend.

  “Like all men, I’m sure he would appreciate coming home to a clean house and maybe a hot, delicious dinner,” Helen continued. “We want him to realize how much his life would change with the right wife—you.”

  A lightness spread in her chest. She would clean that house like it had never been cleaned before, and every surface would shine. Surely Nate had to see how right they were for each other. She enjoyed his company, and more than that, Clara knew she had feelings for him.

  He would be an easy man to love, she mused, and sighed inwardly at the memory of his intense green eyes which smoldered with a feeling she couldn’t describe that always awoke her senses.

  “You could go this morning,” Helen suggested.

  All breath left her body at the thought of what lay ahead. Finally, Nate would get to see what kind of a wife she would make. That Saturday, after she had prepared roast chicken and potatoes for lunch, he had complimented her on her cooking.

  Helen was right. He just needed a little nudging, and she was more than happy to do it.

  “No time like the present,” Clara said to Helen. “Is there anything you want me to do before I leave?”

  “No, everything’s done. I’m only watching the cooking. Thank you for all you do every morning. Don’t think I don’t see it and appreciate it,” Helen said with feeling.

  It had started as a way to earn her keep for getting housed and fed, but over time, Clara just enjoyed helping Helen. She also helped with minding the children when their mother had to go somewhere. Her admiration for the other woman had grown by leaps and bounds.

  She had lost her husband and yet, she never let the grief or fear cripple her. Clara touched Helen’s hand. “You’re welcome.”