“It felt good, didn’t it, honey?” chuckled Betsy.
Abby looked up, a sly grin forming at the corners of her mouth, “It felt amazing! That man was also at my door earlier. I’m so thankful I did not answer.”
“Can you believe the audacity of that man?” Millie shook her head, “What was he thinking?”
“Oh, you should have seen the young pup in the park that wanted to marry Abby!” Betsy laughed.
“There was another man?” Millie asked, looking at Betsy who shot her a look to stay quiet.
“Yes! I hope we don’t run into any more.” Abby groaned, this was not any fun. If only she didn’t actually need a husband.
“Abby, perhaps we should stop by the cafe for a calming cup of tea.”
“That does sound nice. I didn’t know leaving the parsonage today was going to be so eventful. “Sorry to have barged in on you like this, Millie, we were just stopping for a piece of penny candy.”
“It’s on the house today, that’s the most entertainment I’ve had in a while, sure feels good to laugh again,” sighed Millie.
Abby headed for the counter and Millie grabbed Betsy’s arm, “Was that one of the other Reverends from the train station too?” she whispered.
“Yes, which means there’s one more out there somewhere. I sure hope we don’t run into him too!” Betsy replied as softly as she could, hoping Abby wouldn’t hear her. She didn’t want to have to explain why they were at the train station just yet. “We’d best go, we’ll see you later, Millie.”
“Please tell Reuben I said hello, and thank you for the penny candy,” Abby said as she followed Betsy out the door and down Ash Street to the Silverpines Cornerstone Cafe. A cup of Lily Jo’s lavender tea sounded essential to her sanity at the moment. Thankfully, the cafe was only a block away and surprisingly they hadn’t run into Reverend Skinner yet. Abby hoped he wasn’t in the cafe. That was the last person she wanted to see, especially now.
Lily Jo stood at the counter, calm as could be. Her eyes so fixated on something that she didn’t even respond to the tinkle of the bell as they entered.
“Lily Jo,” Betsy called out and looked at Abby, “Wonder what’s gotten into her, she’s not even bouncing.”
“You don’t think it was her Pa, do you?”
“I certainly hope not,” Betsy whispered as they walked up to the counter, startling Lily Jo out of her daze.
Abby put her hand on Lily Jo’s shoulder, “You alright there, Lily Jo? You didn’t hear us come in, not even when Betsy called your name.”
“Oh, my goodness, I am so sorry. I don’t know what’s got into me today. Would you like some tea?”
“We’d love some, but are you sure you’re alright? I’ve never seen you so - so, still.” Betsy took a seat next to the counter as she studied Lily Jo.
“Just daydreaming, Betsy, I’m alright I promise. What kind of tea would you ladies like?”
“Lavender please,” Abby begged.
“I’ll have that right out.” She grinned and walked into the kitchen.
Betsy looked at Abby, “Did you see that? No skipping, no bouncing, no perky little Lily Jo.”
“She is acting different…”
The bell above the door tinkled and a nicely dressed gentleman walked in. He removed his hat to reveal light brown hair that matched his neatly trimmed beard. Lily Jo walked out of the kitchen with the serving tray. When she saw the man, the tray slipped from her hands and crashed to the floor.
“Oh! Oh, my goodness,” she cried, “I’m so sorry. I’ll remake your tea.” She bent down to pick up the pieces, but they hadn’t missed the tears slipping from her enchanting blue eyes. Lily Jo had never broken a dish, even with all her energy. The man walked up to her and knelt down.
“I’m sorry, Miss, I didn’t mean to startle you.” He boldly reached up and tucked the blonde curl that had escaped her bun behind her ear. “Let me help you, it wouldn’t do for you to cut your finger.”
“Th-thank you.” Lily Jo blushed. “I’m sorry Abby, Betsy, it will be just a few more minutes.” She took her tray of broken cups back to the kitchen as the gentleman mopped up the tea.
“That was very kind of you, to help her. She’s usually very perky, it’s almost annoying actually,” Betsy told the man.
“I think she’s fascinating and if you are Mrs. Abigail Bates…”
“Oh please, don’t tell me you are here to marry me too!”
“Your boring ad did bring me here, but I’m afraid I can no longer offer myself to you.” He looked toward the kitchen where Lily Jo had disappeared.
“Oh, this should be fun to watch!” giggled Betsy.
“Well at least he doesn’t want to marry me, though I must say, he would have been the most promising of the lot,” laughed Abby.
“I’m afraid I don’t understand, what is so funny?”
“I suppose you could say that I’ve been proposed to in some fashion twice today already,” grinned Abby.
“I see, did the Indian man offer for you?” he asked, genuinely curious.
“An Indian man? No. Is he a Reverend too? Just how many Reverends were on that train?” Abby asked.
Betsy held her breath...
“I don’t know, and I didn’t speak to him. I just had a feeling about him, by the way my name is Kristoff Kisling.”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Kisling. We wish you the best in winning Lily Jo’s heart,” winked Abby, as Lily Jo returned walking calmly and slowly to their table near the counter, her face still red with embarrassment.
“This is Mr. Kisling, he’s just arrived in town today,” Betsy introduced him.
“It’s nice to meet you. Wou-would you like some tea or coffee?”
“I’d enjoy a hot cup of coffee.” He smiled at Lily Jo as she turned back toward the kitchen fanning her face.
Betsy laughed, “Oh! She is smitten! Isn’t she sweet, Abby? Our Lily Jo has a crush.”
“You do realize I’m standing right here, don’t you?” asked Kristoff.
“You want her to like you, don’t you? Well, Betsy just confirmed it for you - so you’re welcome,” laughed Abby as she finished the last of her tea.
Betsy drank down the last sip of tea, “Abby, we’d best get a move on.”
“What about Lily Jo and puppy eyes over here?”
“Oh, they’ll be fine in a cafe full of people,” grinned Betsy, “but just in case, don’t you hurt our Lily Jo, or we’ll send the Marshal after you. He is my husband you know,” Betsy threatened Kristoff.
“I wouldn’t dream of it. It was nice to meet you ladies.”
Lily Jo brought out the coffee just then. “Lily Jo, we’ll see you tomorrow,” Betsy said, and handed her the money for their tea. “Thank you for a lovely cup of tea, as always.” And out the door they went.
“My, they seemed in a hurry,” said Lily Jo as she set his coffee on the table before him. “Umm, uhh, that is, would you like cream or sugar? I - I forgot to ask.”
Kristoff found he was growing quite fond of the sweet blush that filled her face. “Black is fine. Thank you, Miss?”
“Oh my! I’m so sorry. I’m Miss Lily Jo Thompson.”
“Well, Miss Lily Jo Thompson, it’s sure nice to meet you.”
Akecheta silently slipped into the jail and leaned against the wall, waiting to see how long it would take his blood-brother to notice him. Alexzander had his face buried in papers and looked as if he hadn’t slept in days. Akecheta looked around before turning back to watch Alexzander, who had yet to notice him.
“Looks like you could use a few deputies, brother,” Akecheta grinned. My, how he’d missed startling Alex.
Alexzander jumped and tripped over his chair, nearly falling face first into the pile of papers he’d been sorting. “Akecheta! You could give a man a heart attack!” Alexzander held his hand to his chest, his heart beating rapidly within it as he stood and came around the desk wrapping Akecheta in a bear hug.
“I’ve missed you,
brother,” Alexzander said as he pounded on his back.
“I’ve missed you, too.”
“You’ll stay with Betsy and I for now, won’t you? No need to stay at the Inn. You’ll just love Betsy, she’s a handful, but very resourceful. I can’t wait for you to meet her!”
“Actually, I’ve already met your sassy little wife and been informed I was staying with you,” grinned Akecheta
“You did? How’d you meet my Betsy already?”
“She was waiting for me at the train station with a gaggle of other women. It seems she figured out what ‘upon the full moon’ means and you didn’t,” chuckled Akecheta.
“Well, I’ll be! What were they all doing there?”
“Looking for me. Apparently, my brother has been playing matchmaker behind their backs.”
“I told Betsy to keep that a secret!”
“Probably a good thing she didn’t since three other Reverends arrived on that train with me.”
“I thought Abby hadn’t received any responses…”
“So, Mrs. Abigail Bates is the one? I read her very short advertisement on the way here, but I do wonder if she’s still in need of a groom.” Akecheta scratched his chin. “What happened around here, seems the place has seen better days?”
“Brother, you name it, it’s happened. Earthquakes, mudslides, drownings, con-men arriving daily…” he looked down at the papers on his desk, “it just seems to keep coming. Enough about that though, how ‘bout we head to the house and see what’s for dinner and get you settled in? Then we can see what’s going on with Abby,” winked Alexzander.
Chapter 5
Abby set out the plates as Betsy carried the last dish to the table, “Will they arrive by six?”
“As long as duty doesn’t call Alexzander away he’ll be here by six. The man never misses a meal if he can help it, trust me!” laughed Betsy.
“That me you’re blabbing about, wife?” Alexzander chuckled as he walked in, Akecheta following behind him. “I hear you’ve already met the brother of my heart, but I’ll introduce you anyway. Akecheta James, my beautiful wife Betsy,” grinned Alex.
“Akecheta, it’s nice to properly meet you. I’d like you to meet my dear friend Abby.” She moved to the side as Abby set the last plate on the table and looked up and up and up into the darkest blue eyes she’d ever been privileged to gaze upon. Her eyes fell against his deeply tanned skin and jumped back up to his long coal black hair that was tied with a small piece of beaded leather. Her breath caught in her throat, she wasn’t one to judge but... was he the Indian man Mr. Kisling mentioned and if so, was he a reverend? Surely not, he didn’t look like any reverend she’d ever seen. His shirt was pulled taut across his broad chest and his arms bulged as if they were trying to break free of the confining fabric that hid them from her view. Nope, definitely not very Reverendy at all, she thought, catching herself before actually licking her lips.
“I-It’s nice to-to meet you,” she stuttered softly, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks as she blushed bright red. Thankfully, she’d already set the plate on the table or she just might have dropped it. She’d never seen a more attractive man.
“The pleasure is all mine, Ma’am.” He smiled, revealing perfectly pearly white teeth, with only a small chip out of a bottom one that slightly overlapped the other. There was something so enticingly sweet about it that left her grabbing the edge of the table to keep herself upright.
“Umm mmm that fried chicken smells good!” Alexzander scooted the chair back as if to take his seat at the head of the table.
“You fellas go get washed up and dinner will be ready by the time you get back.” Betsy winked at Abby as if she’d just told her secret. Once the men left the room she leaned over and whispered, “I didn’t want to fuss at Alexzander in front of his friend.” Abby only nodded, still trying to get a handle on the emotions running at breakneck speed through her veins. She took her seat and waited patiently for the men to return, praying to find some kind of control…
She watched as the newcomer re-entered the room, exposing his now clean face as he pushed back a dark wet curl that had fallen across his forehead. Oh, how she thanked the good Lord for the wits to go ahead and take her seat. It just would not do to faint and what if he were just another reverend coming to stake his claim.
Alexzander took his seat, “Well, Akecheta would you like to lead us in prayer? It’s not often I have a proper Reverend at my dinner table…”
“So, you are a Reverend?” she blurted out, her sweet voice gaining strength as it turned to ice.
“Abby!”
“It’s quite alright, Mrs. Sewell. Yes, I am a Reverend, most call me Pastor James.” He offered a small but guarded smile that did not reveal the endearing chip of his tooth.
“And are you… Are you here to marry me too?” she demanded as she stood, her little hands resting on her hips as she leaned forward, her shapely peach lips forming into a thin line.
“I - well I…” He sat there with his mouth hanging half open trying to formulate a response as her exquisite eyes of tantalizing chocolate stared him down.
“Well, I won’t have it! Kitty told me to be brave and I’m doing so now! I won’t marry a man that doesn’t have the decency to correspond with me first! Betsy, I’m sorry, but I won’t be staying for dinner tonight.” She marched out of the room, her hips swaying marvelously to the rhythm of her anger. She grabbed her shawl and rushed out the door.
“Now, what do we do!” Betsy stomped her foot, “We need you to marry Abby. I guess you’re just gonna have to go out and win her heart.” She threw her napkin on the table.
“I’ll speak with her Betsy. It’s my fault,” Alexzander said, laying a reassuring hand upon Betsy’s arm. “I sent for Akecheta without asking her.” He smiled sheepishly at Akecheta, who sat there looking at them in utter disbelief.
“You did what, brother?” Akecheta stood, “Why would you do that? What if she doesn’t want me? Did you bring me out here so that I could be made a fool of again?”
“No, brother.” He stood, reaching out to Akecheta, resting a hand on his shoulder, “I would never do that to you. She needs a husband. We need a reverend. I thought the two of you would be the perfect match. I was only trying to fix the problem at hand. I guess I’m not a very good matchmaker.” He sat back down, his head hung a bit.
“I see, and in the meantime, others have offered for her, I presume?” he asked, returning to his seat.
“Oh no, that all happened just today!” laughed Betsy. “I’ve never seen Abby so bold, usually she’s cautious and observant, but boy when she gets mad, it’s like a whole new person emerges.” Betsy laid her apron over the chair next to her. “She was truly upset that these men arrived without corresponding with her first! I don’t blame her, mind you.”
Alexzander groaned, “Just how many men have proposed to Abby today?”
“Umm...well two and the third had a change of heart when he saw Lily Jo down at the cafe. Pastor James would be number four, but he didn’t actually get to propose...yet,” grinned Betsy.
“What do you mean ‘yet’? What makes you think I’m going to? She seemed rather certain she wouldn’t have me,” Akecheta wanted to know.
“She said she wouldn’t have anyone who didn’t correspond with her first. You’ve got to read between the lines, Pastor James,” Betsy winked. “Besides, I saw the way you looked at Abby and now I’m going to help you woo her. First, you have to apologize, even though you did nothing wrong. Trust me, she will appreciate it. Then, you need to write her a letter.”
“You could also offer to help her tame that blasted bobcat she has as a pet! If anyone could do it, you could,” Alexzander added.
“How would taming a bobcat help woo her, wouldn’t that be just as difficult. Perhaps, I should seek advice from the Lord versus you two troublemakers,” laughed Akecheta. “Brother, I’m not sure you found my perfect match, but I do believe you’ve met yours!”
“
You will try, won’t you?” Betsy asked nervously.
“Because I believe the Lord sent me here for Abby, yes, I will try, but in my own way. You two stay out of it. You’ve done enough damage. Right now, I’m going to quietly and at a distance make sure she gets home safely.”
“Good idea. I don’t know where that Reverend Skinner is, and he’s infatuated with Abby.”
Abby’s heart plunged to her stomach, heavy tears descended down her face and she stumbled along the path as she made her way home. She should have never left the parsonage. Who knew that walking out that door with Betsy earlier would turn so disastrous. She was worried that she hadn’t received a single response to her advertisement. She knew it was lacking, but she’d had no idea what to write.
She’d had no time to mourn the loss of her father before Kitty and Mr. Allen snuck her out of Georgia, away from her evil stepmother Natalie O'Byrne and the horrible man who purchased her. Nor had she had the time to come to terms with being a mail order bride before she said the words I do! Samuel was sweet and more than she could have ever hoped for, but in a cruel twist of fate he was snatched away from her, leaving her alone and at the mercy of those in Silverpines. She was thankful for her friends, but those same friends convinced her to send off for a husband! She’d had no time to really mourn Samuel. To make matters worse she missed Kitty something dreadful.
With the arrival of yet another Reverend it was as if everything Abby had been holding in burst forth in an explosion of anger, despair, and tears that showed no signs of stopping anytime soon. What was she going to do? With all the new Reverend’s in town, one of them was surely to take over the Church and force her from her little home, leaving her destitute. “If only Kitty were here”, thought Abby, “she’d know what to do.
As she opened the side door of the parsonage that led into the kitchen, she heard a man yell, “Well, it’s about time, I’m starving, woman!”
Abby screamed and jumped back. Reverend Skinner sat at the head of her kitchen table as if he owned the place. “What are you doing in my house?!”
Wanted Preacher (Silverpines Book 9) Page 6
