Mail Order Compromise (Kansas Brides Series #5)

by Barbara Goss

  Brock gazed out near the stable and noticed her saddled horse tied to the post. “Her horse is still here. I might be able to catch her.” He dashed outside toward the stable, “Thanks, Yvonne,” he yelled on his way.

  He got to the stable and saw that it was deserted. Where could she be? He stood outside the stable scratching his head when he noticed the barn door was open. He didn’t think Pete used the barn much. Why would she be in there? Then he saw one of her shoes lying on the ground not far from the barn door that stood ajar.

  He got a panicked feeling, and ran toward the barn slipping through the open door. What he saw when his eyes adjusted made his adrenaline surge through him. There was Sarah sprawled out on the ground near a ladder. He looked around and saw no one else there.

  Bending, he shook her shoulder. “Sarah!” She didn’t move. No, not this again! What should he do? He couldn’t leave her to get help, and he couldn’t mount his horse while carrying her. Yvonne would be no help. He felt powerless. All he could do for the moment was kiss her forehead and rub her hand.

  Then he remembered the buggy parked in the stable. He’d have to leave her for a few minutes while he hitched a horse to it—if he could figure out how, since he’d never done such a thing before.

  He kissed her cheek and walked to the barn door backwards so he could keep his eye on his lovely wife. Dear Lord, he prayed, this poor woman has had a horrible life so far, please be with her and keep her safe.

  When would it end for her? He ran to the stable and fumbled around with the harnesses. It was hopeless. Being rich hadn’t afforded him the advantage of knowing how to do everyday things. He’d never even saddled his own horse.

  Brock ran back to the barn pulling his horse behind him. Closing the barn door, he mounted his horse. He’d have to go for help.

  Brock burst into Pete’s office. “Pete, I need help. Can you leave here?”

  “Sure. What’s the problem?”

  “I went to see Sarah, and she was gone.”

  “What?”

  “Then I found her lying on the floor in your barn, out cold.”

  “Oh no! The barn’s where I keep Killer!”

  “Tell me who Killer is while we mount our horses. I left her all alone in there.”

  Pete locked up the constable’s office and prepared to mount his horse. “Killer is the fierce watchdog I brought home to protect Elaina from Jeb Lowery. I keep him in the barn. We should have warned her. I wonder why she went in there?” But his words were lost in the dust from Brock’s galloping away.

  They both slid off their horses when they reached Pete’s barn. Pete opened the door and they both barged in. Pete stood and gazed around the barn while Brock knelt down beside his wife.

  “She must have left the barn open when she came in and the dog ran out. That’s really good news, he could have ripped her apart,” Pete said.

  “Her shoe was lying outside the barn, I think she may have thrown it at the dog.

  “I’ll carry her out if you’ll hold her while I mount. I’m taking her to Doc’s.”

  Just as he was about to pick her up, she began to stir. “Pete, she’s coming to.” Brock knelt down. “Sarah, are you all right?”

  “Yes.” she said groggily. “Where’s the black monster?”

  “He must have run out the open door,” Brock said. “Why were you in here?”

  “I needed to find a rope to tie my belongings to the saddle of my horse.”

  “This is where Pete keeps his watchdog, Killer,” Brock told her. “He didn’t hurt you did he?”

  “No…at least I don’t think so,” Sarah said, sitting up. “My foot hurts though.”

  Brock checked her shoeless foot carefully. “There’s no blood.” He looked around the adjacent area. “You must have fallen from that ladder. Were you climbing it when you fell?”

  Sarah rubbed her temples. “I was trying to climb it to get away from the dog, but the dog charged the ladder and I went down. I thought he’d maul me, but I guess when he’d noticed the open door he felt leaving would be more fun.”

  Brock hugged her. “Thank God, you’re all right.”

  “Brock,” she said hesitantly. “I can remember everything—well almost everything from my past. As I sat here listening to you, little by little the doors started opening. I remember coming to Hunter’s Grove, our marriage, but nothing before that.”

  “That’s all you need to remember, sweetheart.”

  “I was trying to come home so we could have a talk about what I discovered from Edith,” she said.

  “So, it was something Edith said?”

  “Take me home, Brock. I just want to go home.”

  He picked her up. “Can you ride or should I have Pete hitch the buggy?”

  “I think the buggy.”

  “Pete, can you harness my horse to the buggy and tie her horse to the back of it?” Brock asked.

  “Sure. I’ll be right back with it.”

  Brock helped Sarah to stand, still holding her tightly. “Oh, Sarah! It feels so good to hold you in my arms again.”

  “Don’t let me go, Brock,” she murmured. “Hold me tighter.”

  Brock held her tighter and kissed the top of her head. “I love you, Sarah.”

  “I love you, too—but we need a long talk,” she said.

  They turned and Brock loosened his hold on her when they saw Pete drive the buggy to the front of the barn.

  “C’mon, sweetheart. Let’s go home.”

  Brock carried Sarah into the house and set her down in the foyer. Ivan came out to greet them.

  “Welcome home, Mrs. Vee. We missed you,” Ivan said.

  “Thank you,” she said. “I..I missed you all too.” Then tears formed in her eyes.

  Seeing her teary eyes, Brock swept her up. To Ivan he said, “Tell Edith, Mrs. Vee’s home, but she won’t need her until tomorrow.”

  Ivan nodded.

  Brock carried Sarah up to their room. He sat her on the lounge chair. “Don’t move! Stay right there. I’ll have a bath brought up for you.” He went into the huge closet and struggled with a huge bathtub. Setting it down near the fireplace, he then threw another log on the fire.

  “I’ll be right back.”

  He flew downstairs and gave the servants an order to prepare a bath. Then he ran back upstairs.

  He knelt by Sarah. “You’ll feel better after a nice warm soak.”

  “But we need to talk. Brock, “it’s important. There are things I need to know.”

  “And you’ll get all the answers—after your bath.”

  Sarah watched servant after servant bring pails of water into the room, and pour them into the tub. Then she heard Brock tell them they had enough water, and to tell Martha to prepare a light dinner for them at six sharp.

  He then turned and told Sarah to undress and get into the tub. He said he’d be in the sitting area, and he walked into the closet and closed the door.

  She sighed, and began to undress. When she’d shed all her clothes she stepped gingerly into the warm tub. It felt heavenly. Someone had even left a bar of fragrant soap in the water for her. She washed her hair and her body, then just laid back and thought about her day.

  When she’d woken up in the barn, she realized she remembered marrying Brock, and their beautiful wedding night. She even recalled her arrival in Hunter’s Grove and seeing Elaina. She leaned back and closed her eyes but try as she might, she could not remember anything before getting off the train.

  As the water began to cool down she decided she had better get out of the tub. She wrapped one of the towels that had been left for her, around her hair and another one around her body. Then, she dried herself, slipped on her nightgown, and sat before the fireplace brushing her hair. She supposed she should let Brock know she was finished.

  She stood, and walked through the closet to the sitting area. He rose from the sofa, and followed her back to their room.

  Sitting down again before the fireplace, she continue
d brushing her hair in the hopes it would dry. Brock took a seat on the chaise lounge chair and watched her.

  “Your hair is beautiful, Sarah.”

  She smiled at him.

  “Now, don’t you feel better now?”

  She nodded.

  He stood and walked over to her. He took the brush from her hand, and brushed her long golden tresses with loving strokes. He lifted the strands high in order to let the heat penetrate the hair beneath. Then he let it fall, and he kissed the top of her head.

  “Is it dry?” she asked.

  “Nearly. Is there anything else I can do to make you comfortable before we have our talk?” he asked.

  “No. I really need to know the answers—now.”

  “All right. Come and lay beside me on the bed and ask me the questions that are bothering you,” he said, leading her to the bed.

  “No. I want to be able to see your face when you answer,” she said. “Eyes sometimes tell you more than the words.”

  “Okay.” He led her to the chaise lounge where he patted the spot for her to sit. He then pulled a chair over and sat directly opposite her.

  “How’s that?” he asked.

  Now that she had his attention and could ask him anything she wanted to know, she found herself speechless. She was afraid of the answers. Would she be able to ignore them and continue their relationship as it was? Or would his answers forever part them emotionally? Did she really want to know the truth?

  Brock took both her hands in his. “I’m ready.”

  Sarah knew she couldn’t live without the answers. She had to find out the truth.

  “All right. Are you the father of Edith’s baby?”

  Chapter 15

  Brock repeated her question. “Am I the father of Edith’s baby?”

  Sarah held her breath and nodded.

  He looked her straight in the eyes and said, “No, I am not.”

  She let out the breath she’d been holding. “Did you have an affair with Edith?”

  He leaned even closer to her, “No, I did not.”

  Sarah closed her eyes and let out another breath she’d been holding. “Then why did Edith say—?”

  “I’d be very interested in hearing exactly what Edith said to you.”

  Sarah tried to think, but couldn’t recall the exact words. “She said something about you being so good to her, and that you built her a house on your property. She then said that you provide for her baby. Anyone would assume—”

  “Ah-h, there’s that troublesome word again: assume,” he said. “Would you like to hear the true story?”

  She nodded.

  “Martha gave birth to Edith when I was just a young lad. I watched her grow from the cradle to school age. She was like a little sister to me. When she got into trouble with our former stable manager, he refused to marry her. I fired him, of course. She had no money and no place to go. I could have put her up in the servant’s quarters with the others, but it was already crowded and with a baby—no one would get any sleep. So when this house was being built, I asked the carpenters if they’d make her a little cabin on the west side of my property, and they did. I pay her as a maid, and her pay increased when she became your personal maid, so I don’t need to supplement her pay as much anymore. But, I will give her a little something to help out. The baby is beautiful, but definitely not mine.

  “She was sixteen when she started to increase. Do you think I could seduce a sixteen-year-old who was like a sister to me? And if I were sinful enough to do something like that I’d surely not refuse to marry her. I do have some honor. You forget, I’m a Christian and I try hard to live like one.”

  Tears streamed down Sarah’s face.

  “Now what’s wrong?” Brock said, squeezing her hands.

  “I’m so relieved, is all.”

  Brock smiled. “I hope that as this marriage progresses we’ll learn to trust each other and know each other so well, no one could ever be able to mislead us.”

  Sarah nodded, and then threw her arms around his neck. “Hold me, Brock.”

  Picking her up from the chaise, he put her on his lap. He cradled her closely. “I missed you so much. I had no idea what I’d done,” he whispered. “Promise me you’ll never leave me again—at least not without telling me what I’ve done.”

  “I promise to never leave you again at all,” she said. “I’ve been having Bible studies with Elaina, and I should have known you’d never do something like that. I don’t know anyone with more love and faith in God than you.”

  “I never thought it possible that I could love another person this much,” Brock whispered in her ear.

  He picked her up and carried her to the bed. “I need you, Sarah.”

  “I need you, as well,” she whispered as he placed her on the bed. “Even if you had fathered Edith’s baby, I was prepared to forgive you and carry on from here. I missed you too much to let you go because of something that happened before you met me.”

  Brock held her close and kissed her passionately. “I could never live without you.”

  “You’ll never have to,” she whispered in between kisses.

  In the morning, Brock awoke facing the opposite direction. He swung his arm around to be sure Sarah was still beside him. He smiled when he felt her near him, and turned to face her.

  “Good morning, Mr. Vee,” she said.

  “Good morning,” he pecked her lips. “I love waking up to you.”

  He then asked, “How much do you remember?”

  “I can’t recall anything before stepping off the train in Hunter’s Grove,” she said.

  “Doc told me there is a specialist in Kansas City who might be able to treat you,” he said smoothing her hair. “If you want me to take you there, I will.”

  “Elaina seems to think I don’t need to remember my childhood,” she said.

  “I hoped you’d say that,” he said. “At least for now, let’s leave your memory alone. If God wants you to remember more, he’ll make it happen.”

  Brock remembered the grudge she’d had against God because of the thoughtless churchgoers in Ohio, and was thankful that she couldn’t remember that right now. He’d be able to lead her to the Lord without that unpleasant memory holding her back.

  “Sarah, would you do something for me?” he asked tenderly.

  “Anything.”

  “I’d like to continue our Bible studies so we can include God in our marriage. Once we are a marriage of three, we can fight off any adversary that comes our way. God loves marriage, he invented it—well sort of.” He laughed.

  “I would love to. I want what you have, Brock. I also want you to try and get the elder job back,” she said.

  They had just finished breakfast when Elaina rushed into the room. She threw her arms around Sarah.

  “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you about Killer. I just forgot all about him. Pete feeds him and lets him out for a run each day, but I just simply forgot him,” she said.

  Sarah patted her arm. “And I’m sorry that your watchdog has disappeared because of me.”

  “I don’t care about that. Dogs can be replaced, best friends can’t be,” she said hugging Sarah again. “Imagine how I’d feel had that animal mauled you.”

  Brock downed the remainder of his coffee, wiped his mouth with his napkin, and stood. “I’ll let you ladies talk. I have to get to the bank.” He began walking toward the foyer.

  “Wait,” Sarah said. “I’m coming too.” She turned to Elaina. “I’ll be right back.”

  She flew into her husband’s arms. “Don’t ever leave the house without letting me kiss you goodbye and tell you I love you.”

  “I feel thoroughly scolded, and I shall not forget it again,” Brock said with a grin.

  “You have a dangerous job what with people trying to rob the bank all the time. Be careful,” she said. “Give them the money if they want it.”

  He kissed her ardently. “You’re right.” He raised his right hand. “I promise n
ot to ever leave the house without a proper send off.”

  When Brock had left she returned to the dining room and sat down with Elaina. “Would you like coffee or tea?” Sarah asked.

  “No. I’ve eaten already. Let’s go in the sitting room and talk,” Elaina suggested.

  Sarah led her to the sitting room.

  “This house is so gorgeous. Do you like living here?” Elaina asked.

  “I love it. At first it didn’t feel like home—not at all what I was used to, but now it’s truly home because this is where Brock is.” She smiled. “I’m more in love with him now than I was the day we married.”

  “So you found out he wasn’t the father of Edith’s baby.”

  She nodded. “Now that I know the truth, I feel foolish for ever thinking he could do something like that.”

  “I’m so happy for you both. It’s wonderful how we both ended up so happy,” Elaina said.

  “It really is,” Sarah said. “Who would think that we’d travel miles away from where we were born to find true love among complete strangers.”

  Elaina stood. “Well, I have to go home and prepare the spare room again. This time my guest will be Alex Mullins.”

  “Who’s that?” Sarah asked.

  “Pete’s brother. I once gave you his address. Did you ever write him?”

  “I don’t recall,” Sarah said with a frown. “I’m not sure I want to remember anything before Brock.”

  “That might be a good idea,” Elaina said.

  Every evening after dinner Brock and Sarah sat on the sofa, the fireplace ablaze, as they studied the Bible. Sarah asked questions and seemed genuinely interested.

  This night the subject was Jesus’s capture and crucifixion. When Brock read about the crown of thorns, and how they whipped Jesus as he carried the heavy cross to Mount Calvary, Sarah began to cry.

  “Why would they do that to the man? He was so good to everyone.”

  Brock hugged her. “He had to suffer so that we could be forgiven for our sins and go to heaven when we die.”