Faltered Beginnings: Mail Order Brides of Spring Water Book Five

by Ball, Kathleen

  “What would I do all day? I enjoy knowing I’m contributing to the success of the ranch and taking care of my husband.”

  “How does having tea with your friends help?”

  Iris had to bite her tongue. “We get together when we can, maybe every other week. Or if Glory is so busy that supper will be late she knows to come here and I’ll feed them. I’ve lived alone and now I live with my new family. I prefer the family.”

  “Aren’t you the one who claimed to have been attacked by Leon Baker?”

  Bile rose in Iris’ throat. She would not discuss that reprehensible man.

  “Leon was in jail for less than a week,” Mary Beth continued. “Your story wasn’t convincing enough to keep him behind bars. He was free to do whatever he wanted. Didn’t you feel a duty to stay and make sure he was tried? What about the safety of other women?”

  Iris took everything off the stove, and then she took off her apron and left the house slamming the door behind her. The nerve of that woman! Who did she think she was? Iris’ family had been extremely wealthy before they were all executed. Georgie’s family was the richest in Tennessee. What did it matter anyway?

  “Whoa, Iris what happened?” Willis asked as he put his hand on her arm.

  “That woman thinks my experience with Leon wasn’t good enough. She said I had a duty to stay and make sure he was put in prison. I somehow put the other women in town in jeopardy. You weren’t gone long, but she insulted me many times.”

  “I’m sure we can smooth things over,” Willis gave her a hopeful smile.

  She pulled her arm away. “I will go work for Georgie while your girlfriend is in my house!”

  “Iris, it’s not as if I invited her,” pointed out her husband.

  “She doesn’t plan to do a lick of work, and she thinks it’s wrong the way we share with the others. I’m obviously so beneath her. I’d like to—” She wrapped her arms around her middle.

  “I’ve never seen you so upset. Just come home.” He sounded annoyed.

  Tears swam in her eyes. “I’ll be at Georgie’s. I love you, Lex with everything in me, but I can’t abide Mary Beth, and I’m sorry I offered to take her in. If her aim was to pull us apart, she’s already doing a good job.” Iris walked on to Georgie’s house.

  No sooner had her friend opened the door, than Georgie hugged Iris and provided comfort; something Lex had failed to do.

  Chapter Two

  It had been three days, and Willis was ready to drop. He trained horses during the day and did all the housework and waited on Mary Beth in the evening. He hadn’t had a chance to talk to his wife. He saw her doing work at Georgie’s house, but she never acknowledged him.

  His heart hurt like someone had taken an ax to it. What was he supposed to do with Mary Beth? It had been Iris’ idea to have Mary Beth stay with them. He wanted to leave and go live at Georgie and Parker’s too.

  How was it his fault? He didn’t invite her to come live with them. His darling wife did and then left. He walked to the barn; he had plenty of work to do, and he needed to keep his thoughts on that.

  “What’s she like?” Ross Carter asked.

  “Like most women, I expect, Carter why?”

  Carter shuffled his feet and took off his hat. “I’ve been thinking about having a house. I never had a place where the landlord wouldn’t throw our belongings out into the street because my father drank the rent money. It’s always been a dream of mine to put down roots. I want a family.”

  “There are women in town,” Willis said.

  “I met a few who are but girls yet. Gossiping seems to be what they excel at. I’m considering mailing for a bride.” He offered a half-shrug. “But then I thought we have a woman here that needs a husband.”

  Willis studied the other man for a moment. Carter was always clean. He kept his sandy colored hair short and he shaved daily. He didn’t have as much experience with horses, but he was eager to learn. He was the type of man who would die for another. “Ask her to go for a walk. I have to warn you, she doesn’t cook or clean, and she’s claiming to be carrying my baby. I only know one way to make a baby, and Mary Beth and I kissed twice and that was it.”

  “A bit of a puzzle then.” Carter smiled, and his eyes lit up. It was nice to see, since Carter wasn’t a man who smiled much.

  “Why don’t you join us for supper tonight? You’ll have to lend a hand in cooking it, but it’ll be good for you to get to know her.”

  “If the baby isn’t yours, who else could be the father?”

  Willis shot him a sidelong look.

  A grin spread over Carter’s face. “Never mind. I’ll be there. I have a lot of questions, but I’ll be the perfect gentleman and use my charm to get her to tell me the answers.”

  Willis couldn’t stop his hearty laugh. “You charming? You usually put your foot in your mouth.”

  “I’ll have you know that women consider me very charming,” Carter said defensively.

  Willis laughed harder. “I have a horse I’ve been working with. Why don’t you use some of that charm on that white mare? We will breed her, but she’s skittish.” He didn’t wait for an answer; he went out to the pasture to find the paint he’d been working with. This paint had been one of the first born after they started their breeding program. He could run for days, and he’d make someone a great horse.

  * * *

  Mary Beth observed herself in the mirror as she put in the last hair pin. Honestly, why bother? No one saw her, and Lexington hardly looked at her. It wasn’t her fault that his wife left him. No, it had nothing to do with her at all. Her shoulders slumped and her eyes grew damp. She couldn’t stay here much longer, and then she’d be homeless. What was to become of her?

  Her father had been absolutely unreasonable when Leon Baker walked her to her door after the Founder’s Day picnic. Leon had purchased her food basket, and she was obliged to share it with him. He wanted to find a pretty place and they ended up lost in the woods. Leon wanted to stop and eat, but she’d refused. They might need the food if they were lost for any length of time.

  Leon didn’t know how to tell what direction they were going by watching the sun. He had proven to be utterly useless, and when she finally found the trail back, she’d had enough of him. She shoved the basket she’d been carrying the whole time into his arms and stormed off. He caught up with her and walked her home.

  The damage was already done. She’d spent hours alone with Leon, and everyone knew how he treated women. He was used to getting his own way, they said, and if a woman wasn’t willing, it was said he’d use force. She hadn’t believed that about him.

  When word got to her father, though, there was nothing she could say to make him believe her. He was certain she’d lain with Leon. But she’d never been that type of girl. And her father had a hand in getting Leon out of jail when Iris had accused him of attacking her.

  Her father had readily believed a lie then, but he’d refused to acknowledge the truth of what happened later. No amount of pleading and truth telling had changed his mind. He made her leave. He’d always been her rock and her comfort. Now she had no one. She had so hoped that Lexington would marry her.

  But there was no welcome for her on the ranch. What was she to do?

  She’d even gone to Leon, hoping he’d do the right thing and he’d laughed and made her feel shame. People whispered about her as she walked back to her home—no, not her home, for it wasn’t hers anymore. It was her father’s.

  There were no parties to plan here on the ranch and she was tired of the tedious life of sitting by herself day after day. She looked forward to Lexington coming home each evening, though he wasn’t much for conversation. In fact, he hardly said a word to her. She’d ask him tonight if he knew of a place she could go.

  After making sure her skirt wasn’t wrinkled, she went to the main room to wait for Lexington. Finally, he came in, bringing a friend with him.

  “Mary Beth, this is Ross Carter,” Lexington introdu
ced him.

  * * *

  “The house is nice, Willis,” Carter said with admiration as he turned in a circle and studied the home. He stopped in front of Mary Beth and gave her his most dashing smile. “You must be Mary Beth; may I call you Mary Beth? I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”

  “It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. Carter.” Her perusal started at his shined boots up to his best trousers and shirt and by the time she gazed at his face, he wore a big grin. She blushed redder than a tomato. He turned and gave Willis a knowing grin.

  “Carter, I’ll need your help to make supper.”

  He studied Mary Beth for a moment before he went into the kitchen. “You asked her to marry you?”

  “Yes, and she said no. I didn’t want to live with her rich father. I make my own decisions.” Willis handed Carter a bowl with potatoes in it. “I need these cut for frying.”

  Carter nodded. Willis wasn’t kidding that Mary Beth didn’t cook, and judging from the dirty plates, she didn’t wash dishes either. She’d just need direction, and he could do that. She was pretty enough. Her whiskey colored hair was shiny. How long was it? It was hard to tell the way she kept it up. Her eyes reminded him of the sky on a bright day. And she could use a few pounds on her.

  “I think I know enough,” Carter told Willis.

  “You need not stay,” Willis said as he shrugged his shoulders.

  “I will marry that woman, you just wait and see.”

  Willis’ lips twitched.

  Carter shook his finger at Willis. “Don’t you dare laugh. Besides, you want Iris back here with you, don’t you?”

  “Of course I do.”

  “Good, I’ll probably need the whole regiment helping me. She looks to be a hard nut to crack.”

  “Ain’t that the truth?”

  “We need Iris back to teach Mary Beth how to keep house. Would it be fine with you if I asked Iris myself?”

  Willis gave him a look of disbelief. “You can try.”

  Soon the food was ready and they walked to the table. Carter pulled out a chair for Mary Beth. She murmured her thanks while Willis cocked his left brow. His brow remained that way, throughout the supper.

  Carter used every good manner Willis had ever seen.

  “Mary Beth, have you lived in Texas long?”

  “Yes, Ross I was born in Button Hills.”

  “Ah, yes, the place with no hills. I bet it was hard to leave all your friends and family behind.”

  “Harder than I ever realized. I was very much a part of the community there. Here the women don’t like me. It makes for long days.”

  “I’m sure once they get to know you, they’ll be fast friends with you. I’m thinking about getting a mail-order bride. I’d like to get settled with a wife. The problem is meeting someone from a letter. What if she says she’s eighteen, but she’s sixty? I’m having a hard time writing a letter. There are two possibilities but I don’t know how to judge which one I should write to. Do you think you can look at the two ads and give me your opinion?”

  Mary Beth smiled. “I’d be more than happy to help you, Ross.”

  “I was thinking maybe we could take a brief walk tonight, and we could decide which of my qualities I should include in the letter.”

  “Ross, it would be lovely to take a walk.”

  Ross stood. “Willis, old friend, you wouldn’t mind if we left you with the dishes, would you?”

  “Of course not. It looks to be a nice night.”

  Mary Beth stood and took her shawl off the peg near the door. Carter helped her to put it on, and she gave him another smile.

  He put on his hat and led the way outside. This just might be easier than he thought.

  He offered his arm, and she settled her hand on it. They walked in silence. As they drew near the horse pasture, he stopped.

  “This is perfect. The breeze is refreshing and the moonlight is very flattering on you.”

  She gave him a doubtful expression. “Have you always worked with horses?”

  “No, I was a corporal in the Confederate Army. I served under Parker. We grew to be like brothers. I’m learning a lot about horses from Willis. He has a way of talking to them that calms them.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, he gets them to trust him and he’s able to work with them after that. If I went to train the horse, it wouldn’t listen but if Willis introduces me to the horse, then all is fine. Can you imagine that?”

  “Lexington has a nice manner about him. It makes sense. He spent time in Button Hills, and I had the honor of making his acquaintance.”

  “We came out here for a reason. Do you think it too forward to say I’m handsome?”

  She gazed at his face. “No, I think you’re very handsome and considerate. You have nice wide shoulders and lean hips. You seem to be very fit and you speak like a well-educated man. Why any woman would be lucky to have you.”

  “I’m not all those things. I’m not rich. That might matter to a woman.”

  “Not if she’s looking to get married.”

  “If you received such a letter, what would you do?” He observed her face.

  “I’d write you back. Money is nice but if it’s ever taken away you’re left with nothing and no one.” Her eyes grew misty and she turned her head as though she was watching the horses.

  “Mary Beth, I know we hardly know each other, but perhaps you’d do me the honor of marrying me?” He held his breath. He shouldn’t have asked so soon. He’d blown his chance for a house. Perhaps he could go into town and marry one of those useless Southern Belles, but he cringed as he thought about being married to Fanny, Constance or Henrietta. They eyed each single man as something they were thinking of buying.

  “You don’t have to decide tonight.”

  She turned to him and smiled. “I’d be honored to marry you, Ross.”

  He smiled back. She probably expected a hug and kiss. Taking a deep breath he drew her into his arms and kissed her cheek. “You’ve made me very happy! Let’s go tell Parker and Georgie. We can get started on getting our house built.”

  She laughed as he took her hand and led her across to Parker’s house.

  * * *

  Georgie and Parker seemed genuinely happy for them. Georgie surprised her with a big hug. Parker gave her the quickest hug she’d ever experienced.

  “This is a quite the surprise,” Georgie commented as she gestured for everyone to take seats in the main room.

  Mary Beth had a warm feeling inside when Ross sat next to her and held her hand. He really did care for her.

  “Congratulations!” Iris happily told them when she came out of the kitchen.

  Ross thanked her. “I have a small favor to ask of you, Iris. Willis said it would a fine idea, if you agreed that is. Would you be willing to come home and show Mary Beth anything she needs to know?”

  Iris frowned as she gazed at Ross then at Mary Beth. “I miss that man. He can come and fetch me in the morning.”

  “How about now?” No one seemed to have heard Lexington enter the house.

  Iris raced to him and he caught her up in a big hug, lifting her off the ground while he kissed her. It was obvious they were very much in love, and Mary Beth felt a twinge of envy. She glanced at Ross, wondering if they would come to love one another. She quickly put her doubts away. Of course he’d love her. Why, she suspected he was half in love with her already.

  Chapter Three

  Mary Beth couldn’t wait for the house to be done. If Iris tried to teach her another useless thing she would scream. She’d already told them she didn’t cook or clean. At least Iris didn’t tell on her. Whenever Ross asked, Iris would always say it was going just fine.

  As soon as they were married, Mary Beth planned to find live-in help. It was amazing how nice everyone was to her now. It was hypocritical if anyone asked her. Soon she’d be in her own house. She had found the perfect spot for the house, away from the rest but not too far. She smiled. She wouldn�
�t have to go to any more of their little provincial tea parties.

  Best of all, Ross agreed with her. He always agreed with her and she loved that about him. She enjoyed being in charge. She hadn’t seen an awful lot of him. He was so busy getting the house done. Parker announced that tomorrow all hands would help with the house. The women were providing the meal. There was a big jar of pickles in the community shed she planned to bring.

  She needed to ask Ross for money for her wedding dress. It would be something grand that would be talked about for years to come. Somehow whenever she mentioned needing something he patted her hand and said later. But time was growing short to get a new dress made. She’d just go to town in the morning and charge it to Ross’ account. Feeling better, she couldn’t wait for the morning to come.

  * * *

  Georgie stared at Ross. “I’m not sure it’s a good idea. No bride likes a surprise wedding. She hasn’t gotten her dress and what about a cake?”

  “Reverend Shaw will be here in time to marry us today. I’m sure there will be pies we can pretend are a wedding cake.”

  “It’s not my place to say no, but I really—”

  “I knew I could count on you, Georgie.”

  Ross hurried down the porch steps and went into the bunkhouse. The men had promised to work as fast as they could that morning so he could get married before the noon meal. True to their word, they were finished and cleaned up, and he grinned as they all rushed over to the house as a group.

  He supposed he should stop by and see Mary Beth. She wanted an absurd amount of money for a dress, but that was money better spent on building a life together. Whenever she mentioned interviewing servants, it was all he could do to keep a straight face.

  But everything would work out.

  Mary Beth opened the door, and he walked in. “Good morning! Getting ready to set the food out before noon?”