New Beginnings Spring 20 Book Box Set

by Hope Sinclair

  “It will be alright, Mr. Spencer,” Agnes interrupted soothingly, “and come inside.” She stepped back and opened the doorway fully. As Mr. Spencer stepped into her house, and Agnes glanced out and looked around the neighborhood to see if anyone had witnessed their little spectacle.

  It wasn’t a person that ultimately caught her attention, but rather, a thing. The small red flag on her letterbox was standing erect, which meant that the postman had put something in it.

  “Just a minute, Mr. Spencer,” Agnes said, stepping outside. “I’ll be right back with you.”

  Agnes rushed to her letterbox and pulled out the letter the postman had deposited. Sure enough, it came from Simon Clark of Coloma, California. She tore the letter open as she made her way back to her house, and then stood with the door open as she read it.

  Mr. Spencer was confused and didn’t know what to think of Agnes’s behavior. But as soon as she moved the letter away from her face, the huge grin she was wearing told him that good news was coming.

  “No need to worry about your superiors at the bank anymore!” Agnes said joyfully. “They can go ahead and foreclose on this house whenever they wish. I’ll be leaving Annapolis on the next train to California. Simon Clark has written back to me—and proposed marriage!”

  Mr. Spencer’s face lit up. “Well, I guess that’s that,” he said with a broad smile. “Congratulations and best wishes, Agnes. I hope that both Simon Clark and California prove kind to you.” He tipped his hat at Agnes, then slipped out the door past her. Agnes rushed back into her house, ran up to the room that was once her bedroom, and began collecting the few things she had left.

  Five days later, Agnes shut the door on the Thompson family home one last time and left for the train station. She’d never traveled by train before nor had she ever been outside of Annapolis, so she was both excited and frightened by the journey ahead of her.

  As it turned out, Agnes’s journey didn’t prove to be all that exciting or frightening. What it proved to be was bothersome and difficult to endure. The train cars were cramped and packed tight with passengers, and many of those passengers were rude, sick, or lacking in personal hygiene. Food was very difficult to come by, and “clean” water was a foreign concept. It was impossible to get a solid night’s sleep; some other passenger, or the train itself, was sure to stir you. And there were thieves and other types of devious-minded people to worry about.

  Still, she managed to take her journey in stride, and she put up with the grueling conditions as best she could. She knew that a wonderful life awaited her in Blue Stream, and she figured enduring the difficulties of travel was a small price to pay.

  When the train finally pulled into California, Agnes’s mind started racing. She reached into her breast pocket, pulled out a piece of paper, and slowly unfolded it to get what she needed to calm herself. She gazed down at the words on the page and read over them for the umpteenth time in the hopes that they would calm her.

  She re-read from the last page of Simon’s letter. I hope the length of this letter has not scared you away. I wanted to make sure you had the measure of the kind of man I am. It seems as though you are a very strong, confident woman, who knows what she wants. And you are correct that we want many of the same things. I agree that we would make good spouses and good partners. Would you do me the honor of traveling out West for the purposes of entering into marriage with me? Because, I’d like for you come out to Coloma as soon as possible. By the Grace of God, we might just be compatible.

  Despite the many times Agnes had already read Simon’s letter, each time she did, it made her heart swell. It was so sincere, yet so playful. She found it incredibly endearing. But alas, it also caused her concern and didn’t calm her like she’d hoped.

  When she received Simon’s letter back in Annapolis, Agnes responded to it the same day and took her letter to the post the following morning. Four days later, she left on the train for California and given the timing of it all, she hoped that her letter got to Coloma before she did. She wanted Simon to be aware that she was coming, know when she was coming, and be at the train station to meet her.

  Agnes stared at Simon’s letter for what felt like hours. Undeniably, she likely had stared at it for hours. The next thing she knew, one of the attendants announced that the train was pulling into the station at Coloma. Just a few minutes later, she was collecting her things, walking down the aisle toward the door, and stepping off of the train.

  It was midday, and the sun shone brightly in Coloma. Agnes squinted as she looked around the platform in search of Simon. Granted, she had no idea what he looked like—she’d never even received a physical description of him—but she knew, she just knew, that she’d recognize him when she saw him.

  After another two minutes or so of eyeing the platform, Agnes bowed her head in resignation and conceded her loss. Simon isn’t here, she thought to herself. I must have arrived before my letter did. Dear Lord make so that it isn’t so.

  She took a deep breath. Since Simon hadn’t come to the station to get her and likely didn’t even know she was coming, she had to go to him, which meant that she had to figure out exactly where he was and how she was going to get there. It would be no simple task, but Agnes was determined to do it.

  Agnes picked up her suitcase and walked to the far end of the platform. She stood there for a moment, to get her bearings. She saw a group of people heading in one direction, and there was activity on that horizon. Agnes decided to head in that direction, where she hoped to find someone who could help her.

  Just as she was about to step off the platform, a voice called out from behind her.

  “Agnes?” a deep, manly voice asked. “Miss Agnes Thompson?”

  Agnes gave a huge sigh of relief and slowly turned around. But as soon as she was face to face with the man who had addressed her, she felt as if the air had been knocked out of her. The man was good-looking and appeared kind. But he also appeared to be about 30 years her senior.

  Agnes’s first thought was of the “warning” Emma had given her in the general store in Annapolis. She’d spoken of her fear of men being dishonest and misrepresenting themselves or their intentions. Now apparently, she was face to face with one of those men. There was no way the man in front of her was “25 years old” as he’d indicated in his advertisement.

  “Simon Clark?” Agnes asked, feeling crestfallen.

  The 50-something-year-old man shook his head, and his mouth curled into a smile. “No, dear,” he answered.

  “I’m not Simon. I’m Benjamin, Simon’s father. We only received your letter yesterday, and Simon wasn’t able to change his workload on such short notice. He asked me to do the honor of fetching you from this here station.”

  Benjamin nodded his head at Agnes, and she gave an even bigger sigh of relief.

  SIX

  “My son’s very dedicated to his work,” Benjamin explained. “He’s very passionate about what he does, and he’s very good at it... I have no doubt that within a few years, he could have a stronghold on the ranching industry in Blue Stream and possibly all of Coloma—that is, if he keeps his life in balance.”

  Benjamin reached out and took a large cookie from the box in front of him. He bit it, chewed, and swallowed.

  “In balance?” Agnes asked from the seat beside him. She was concerned by his word choice.

  “My son’s very dedicated to his work,” Benjamin repeated. “But at times, I think he’s too dedicated. He’s got to slow down a bit and experience other things in life. He needs to feel those feelings that make life worth living. That’s how he’ll keep his life in balance. And I guess that’s where you come in.

  Benjamin smiled and took another bite of his cookie, and Agnes bowed her head bashfully. Mrs. White rolled her eyes and sighed loudly.

  Who was Mrs. White you may wonder.

  After Benjamin picked Agnes up at the station, he stopped in at a few places in town to pick up some necessities he and Simon would need for her st
ay. He picked up two boxes of various sweet and savory baked goods from the bakery, several pounds of meat from the butcher, two sacks of potatoes, one sack of rice, and a new pillow from the general store … and Mrs. White from the bank. He’d hired the older woman to serve as Agnes’s chaperone, and they’d agreed to meet up at the bank on his way back from the train station.

  “So when is this dedicated son of yours due home?” Mrs. White asked, breaking the momentary silence.

  Benjamin took another bite of his cookie. “Don’t know,” he replied, chewing with his mouth open. “He keeps working ’til the day’s work is done.”

  Agnes smiled and giggled under her breath. She was in a bit of an awkward situation, but Benjamin’s personality made it much easier to bear. Mrs. White, however, saw no humor in what the old man said, and she rolled her eyes again.

  “I suppose he’ll get here when he gets here then,” the chaperone said, standing up in a huff. “And he’ll have to play the odds that dinner’s still warm when he does. I don’t know about the two of you, but I’m getting hungry for a meal—and if you don’t mind, I’m going to go make one out of the haul you got in town.”

  Benjamin nodded and smiled at Mrs. White as he chewed. Agnes, on the other hand, saw this as a call to attention and rose to her feet.

  “Please, Mrs. White,” Agnes said, “let me help.”

  The gray-haired woman smiled at her charge and shook her head. “Thanks for the offer, my dear,” she replied. “But I’m used to working in the kitchen on my own. And I’m sure you need some rest after your travels. Why not head off to your room to freshen up and take a nap? I’ll call you when supper’s on the table.”

  “Thank you,” Agnes smiled. She smiled at Benjamin, too, then headed off to her room.

  As soon as Agnes entered her room, she lay down on the bed. How wonderful, she thought to herself. Her train travels had lasted nearly two weeks and before that, she’d been sleeping on the floor or couch. So the plush and soft, clean linens that supported her now felt wonderful.

  Agnes closed her eyes and got to thinking about Simon. Given the timing of her arrival, she could understand why he was unable to change his work schedule, and she appreciated that he was such a dedicated, hard-working man. He’ll be just as dedicated to me, Agnes thought, and to our children.

  Agnes continued to think fondly of Simon for some time until she drifted off to sleep, and she continued to dream of him and their future together as she slept.

  About two hours passed before Mrs. White came and knocked on Agnes’s door to let her know that supper was done. But Agnes was in such a deep slumber that she couldn’t be roused by a few raps on the door, and Mrs. White figured she would leave well enough alone.

  “She’s exhausted,” Mrs. White said, returning to the dining room to join Benjamin for their lonely meal. “I decided not to wake her and to let her get her rest. Travel takes a huge toll on the body, you know.”

  Benjamin nodded and filled up his plate with some of the food Mrs. White had prepared. “Maybe she’ll wake when Simon gets home,” he said, drooling at the sight of the luscious meat on his plate. “And perhaps they can eat a late dinner together at that time.”

  “Perhaps,” Mrs. White replied, filling up her plate as well.

  Benjamin and Mrs. White went on to eat their meal mostly in silence. When they were done, Mrs. White set the leftovers back on the stove to keep warm, just in case Benjamin’s “plan” was brought to light.

  Darkness came and nighttime set in. Benjamin retired to the living room to read a book and sip on cordial while Mrs. White went to her room and readied herself for bed. Agnes was still fast asleep and dreaming of Simon. But alas, Simon had not yet returned home.

  SEVEN

  “I don’t care what you want, Father,” Simon shouted. “This is my life, not yours! You can’t tell me what to do.”

  “The way I see it, I most certainly can,” Benjamin retorted in a much quieter, calmer tone. “You’re my son, and I want what’s best for you. I want you to live a full, happy life, one that’s balanced through and through—and, if you’re not going to take steps to do so for yourself, I’ll push you however I can.”

  Simon gave his father a scathing look and shook his head.

  “You’ve done nothing but threaten me,” Simon shouted. “I’m sick of it.”

  If Benjamin had been closer to Simon, he would have smelled the distinct scent of whiskey on his breath. But Simon knew to keep his distance from his father, as Benjamin would surely take issue with the fact that Simon had been drinking. Little did Simon know, his father had already assumed that he’d had a few drinks.

  It was nearly midnight when Simon finally got home from “work,” and Benjamin figured he’d busied his idle hands with a glass or two.

  “I’m not threatening you, boy,” Benjamin replied. “I’m just doing what a father should do. For these past two years, your life has been empty. All you’ve done is work—”

  “And I’ll keep doing it,” Simon interrupted. “I don’t care what you or this woman, Agnes, or whatever her name is, want or expect. All I care about right now is what my customer in Golden Valley wants. He’s expecting me to leave in three days to bring him a lot of cattle—and that’s just what I plan to do!”

  “But Agnes has come all the way from Maryland,” Benjamin replied. “It’s your responsibility to spend time with her and prepare for your wedding. Surely you can have some of the men handle the cattle run for you.”

  “Ha!” Simon scoffed. “I didn’t get as far as I’ve gotten by passing my duties off to other men.”

  “And you’ll get no further if you don’t pass off your duty now,” Benjamin snapped back.

  Simon took a deep breath. “There’ve been four rustlings along the greater path of Coloma over the past several months,” Simon said a bit more reasonably, trying to talk sense into his father. “I need to handle the run. If someone’s going to try and thin my herd, I’d put up more of a fight to keep it thick than any of my men would.”

  Benjamin opened his mouth to respond. But before he could get a word out, there was an unexpected sound. A floorboard creaked in the dining room, just beyond where Simon and Benjamin were having their spat.

  The men hadn’t realized it, but Simon’s loud, angry words had carried throughout the house—and, while Mrs. White hadn’t been able to rouse Agnes, Simon’s voice had done the trick. She snuck out of her bedroom and followed the sounds of the argument until she came to spy on Simon and Benjamin from behind the wall that separated the living and dining rooms.

  Agnes had been standing behind the wall only for a couple of minutes. But in that time, she’d heard—and seen—more than enough. Despite Simon’s loudness and tone, she found herself fascinated by his ruggedly handsome appearance and was impressed by his passion for his work. She also couldn’t help but agree with what Benjamin said to him and had told her earlier, about how he needed to live a “balanced” life. She wanted to be the one to bring his life into such balance, to give him something other than work to stir his passion.

  But now, Agnes’s presence had been discovered and her cover was blown. She’d shifted her weight only the slightest bit, and it had caused the floorboard to creak. As a result, both men were now looking in her direction, and she had no choice but to swallow her nervousness and step forward.

  Slowly, Agnes stepped into the room.

  The room went even more silent, if possible.

  As soon as his bride-to-be was fully visible, Simon knew he was in trouble. He couldn’t help but admire her face and form. She looked so innocent, so young and delicate. A sight for his sore eyes. Why would a girl like want to hitch herself to an unknown man out West? He shook his head. It was none of his business.

  He would stay firm—if he wouldn’t allow himself to be moved by his father’s threats, he certainly wasn’t going to allow himself to be moved by some woman’s beauty.

  “I’m sorry for waking you,” Simon said in
a softer, soothing tone. “And I’m sorry for whatever you overheard... But my father and I are having a disagreement. We only found out you were coming here yesterday, and I’ve already committed to a cattle run in three days’ time. But Father here thinks I should—”

  “This isn’t the time to discuss it,” Benjamin interrupted, standing up from his chair. “And this shouldn’t be the first conversation you have with your wife-to-be.”

  “She needs to know what’s going on here, Father,” Simon replied. “She needs to know—”

  “What’s all this ruckus?” a fourth voice interrupted. It was Mrs. White. The loud, angry voices had woken her too, and she walked right into the heat of it all.

  “It’s the wee hours of the morning,” Mrs. White went on. “The cock will be crowing soon. This is no time—”

  “My apologies, Mrs. White,” Simon said, trying to win the old woman over by flashing her a charming smile.

  “We’re just trying to work out some problems we’re—”

  “Enough,” Mrs. White said, cutting Simon off. “I took you to my knee when you were a child and misbehaved, and I won’t think twice about doing the same now if you insist on behaving like a ruffian.”

  Mrs. White walked over to Agnes and took hold of her hand. “I don’t care what you were talking about or trying to accomplish,” Mrs. White said, still addressing Simon. “As Agnes’s chaperone, I can’t allow her to be up this late talking with you. And as a woman of common sense, I can’t allow you and your father to keep us all up with your arguing.”

  Mrs. White tugged at Agnes’s hand. “Agnes and I are going back to sleep now,” she said. “I request the two of you to do the same.”

  “We’ll talk about this tomorrow,” Benjamin said as he walked toward the hallway to his room.