“No! No!” Jack cried. “You carry your Jackie, too! My feets hurt!”
Evelyn took a deep breath and felt her face grow warm with embarrassment. She opened her mouth to reply, but before she could, Roy took action.
“Come on, lil’ fellow,” he said, setting one of Evelyn’s bags down and leaning over to swoop up the child. Evelyn’s heart fluttered, and she prepared herself for the worst. Jack was a very fickle child, and it typically took him a good deal of time to warm up to strangers.
But, much to her surprise, Jack giggled as the older man hoisted him up onto his shoulders and said, “Hold on tight!”
Once he was secure, the group started walking again, and Evelyn felt an unexpected, though very welcomed, warmth in her heart.
FIVE
“This is the town of Fort Smith,” Roy explained, steering the carriage through the busy thoroughfare. “It’s a hub of activity this time of day, and it’s typically much more crowded and busy than all four of its surrounding settlements combined.”
Evelyn looked around her. Having come from a place like New Amsterdam, New York, the amount of activity was no shock to her, though the setting most certainly was. Fort Smith seemed rural and old-fashioned, and most of the area appeared clay-colored or brown.
“The sheriff here in Fort Smith is set to retire in about a month,” Roy went on. “The local magistrate will need to fill the position promptly…It’s a very prestigious position, you know—and I want to be the one to fill it.”
Evelyn smiled and nodded as she continued to take in her surroundings. Then, she glanced to the back of the carriage, where Mrs. Carey was minding Jack and Julie. The rotund older woman was playing a game of “patty-cake” with the kids, who seemed thoroughly entertained.
“Naturally, I’m not the only one interested in the position,” Roy continued. “It’s rumored that the senior marshals from the other three settlements outside of Fort Smith are also vying for the post.”
Evelyn looked over at Roy and found herself captivated by the way the sunlight illuminated the angles of his face. He glanced back at her, but quickly turned his eyes away, for he, too, was captivated but wouldn’t allow himself to be sidetracked.
“I looked into the service records of the other senior marshals,” Roy added, focusing his eyes on the road. “And, by far, mine is more impressive than any of theirs…But, when it comes to other criteria, my life doesn’t begin to compare. All three of them are married and have children.
“At first, I didn’t think this mattered much. I thought my record of service was all that would. But, then, after having a discussion with the reverend at Red River, I realized I was wrong.
“As Reverend Thomas told me, ‘Having a family makes a good man even better. It motivates him to succeed, helps him stay honest, and keeps him on the righteous path.’ Now, I think I’m plenty motivated and honest as is, and I’m on the right path, with no intent to stray, but I could fully understand what Reverend Thomas was saying, and how having a family would be a positive mark with respect to applying for this job.
“And, if I haven’t made this point clear enough yet, let me reiterate it now: I want this job more than anything. I’ve dreamt of becoming sheriff of Fort Smith since I was a boy, and now that I’m in a position where that’s a possibility, I need to make sure everything is in order, so that I get it. That’s why I placed that ad in the Matrimonial Times, and why you and your children are here, on your way to Red River with me now.”
The carriage had proceeded out of the large town of Fort Smith and was now traveling toward the southern settlement of Red River. Evelyn found the change in scenery quite lovely, and she felt a certain sense of “understanding” in having heard Roy’s explanation about his interests in marrying her. But she also felt the need to have her interests understood, as well as the need for further clarification on a few pertinent points.
“I respect your drive and ambition,” she replied, smiling a full, yet somewhat put-on, smile. “And I completely understand that this job is your top priority…So, I hope that you can understand—and respect—that my children are mine.
“As I explained to you in my letter, my interest in marrying you lies solely in providing for them and making sure they get everything they need and deserve. Once I became a mother, I accepted that a great number of sacrifices would have to be made for the sake of my children—and that’s even more so the case now that their father is gone.
“I made a good many sacrifices for them back in New Amsterdam, and a number more in leaving that familiar place and coming here to marry a man whom I do not know. But it’s all been fine with me, for I’ve done what needed to be done.”
Roy kept his eyes fixed on the road as he listened to Evelyn talk. Her voice had a very sweet, melodic tone, and he found himself a bit entranced by it. But, even more so, he found himself entranced by her words. He admired her dedication to her children and her willingness to give them her all.
“I know that our marriage will not be one based on love,” Evelyn went on. “And that is just fine by me. To be honest, I was already head-over-heels in love once before, and I’m quite sure I don’t have it in me to feel that way again.
“But even though there may be no love between us, it is my hope that our other loves—your love for your career and my love for our children—will pave the way to a solid foundation upon which our partnership can grow.”
Roy felt an inexplicable sadness over Evelyn’s remark that she didn’t think she could fall in love again. She was still so young, and so beautiful. He hated to think of her never knowing love again, and he hated thinking that he was at least partially to blame for her fate. But, regardless, it was too late to get bogged down with any of that now. He was determined, and so was she. They both had their priorities, and love was not one of them.
“I hope for the same thing,” he said, shaking off his sadness and forcing a smile across his face. “And I’m confident that our hopes will prove true.” He steered the carriage around a bend in the road, and, almost immediately after the turn, a small church came into view. “That’s our church,” Roy explained. “That’s where Reverend Thomas delivers his sermons each week—and it’s where we’ll be getting married.”
“When will we be getting married?” Evelyn asked, examining the simple, yet lovely, church.
Roy took a deep breath. “In three days,” he answered. “If that’s all right with—”
“That’s fine,” Evelyn interrupted. “The sooner, the better. There’s no need to postpone things any longer than that.”
“That’s exactly what I thought,” Roy grinned. “I’m glad we agree! I figure we didn’t have to go through the usual rigmarole, given our interests…But, that said, there are still some formalities that needed to be observed.”
He nodded his head toward Mrs. Carey, who was still busy playing with Jack and Julie and keeping them quite entertained. “The old gal will serve as your chaperone until we’ve settled into our married life,” Roy added, rolling his eyes a bit. “It’s mostly for the sake of convention and outward appearances. But I’m sure she’ll prove an asset in other ways, as well. She can help familiarize you with Red River and Fort Smith while I’m at work, and can give you a hand with the children as you learn your way around my—rather, our—house.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Evelyn replied. She glanced back at Mrs. Carey and her kids again and was pleased to see the dynamic they shared.
SIX
When they arrived at Roy’s homestead, Roy eagerly showed Evelyn and the children around while Mrs. Carey went to the kitchen to prepare supper.
At first, Evelyn was very impressed by Roy’s home. From the land outside to the linens on the beds, everything was so well-maintained and orderly. Roy owned many fine things, and he obviously went to great lengths to take care of them.
But, upon further inspection, Evelyn’s opinion swiftly changed. Many of those “fine things” were in such good shape not because they w
ere cared for, but rather, because they were seldom, if ever, used. For example, several of the books on Roy’s shelves still had stiff backs, and the pages were still stuck together, as if never turned; the silver candelabra on his dining room mantle lacked the usual, unavoidable stains from heat and wax; and the strings on the ukulele displayed in his living room were so tightly wound that they would’ve snapped if played.
With the evidence before her, Evelyn concluded that Roy was a bit pretentious. But no bother; she figured many men with high ambitions were, and she wasn’t going to let such a superficial character flaw impact her opinion of, or relationship with, him.
Beyond the ostentatious elements of Roy’s home, she found it otherwise quite fitting. The common rooms of the house were quite suitable for a family, and the private quarters were perfect for the type of arrangement they had in mind. In addition to Roy’s master bedroom, he had a private study where he conducted his work at home, and there was a bedroom for Jack, a bedroom for Julie, and a nursery farther down the hall. The nursery had a bed in it, as well, and, as Roy explained, it doubled as a room where Evelyn could tend to Julie and spend her free time and her nights, if she so chose.
Perhaps the children’s bedrooms and the nursery were a bit ostentatious, too, as they were bedecked with upscale furnishings and an excessive number of children’s books and toys. But Evelyn wasn’t too critical of this particular brand of pretense, as it seemed kind-hearted, well-intended, and, most importantly, beneficial to her brood.
In any event, Roy’s showiness proved a marginal concern, in light of the positive qualities he demonstrated. He showed Jack and Julie a great deal of attention and affection, and, even though he’d only just met them, he almost immediately began treating them as if they were his own. His interaction with them was quite clearly genuine and sincere. He cradled young Julie as only a man willing to raise a family could, and played with Jack with a zeal that touched Evelyn’s heart.
When suppertime came around, Roy made sure that Evelyn and the children were served before he helped himself to any food, and he even helped cut the kids’ food into small pieces and monitored Julie as she shoved the pieces into her tiny mouth.
After supper, however, when the children got a bit fussy, Roy backed off somewhat. “Every man must know his place,” he admitted, watching Evelyn fondly as she tended to the kids. “And I know mine is not right here, right now…I’m willing to take on the charge of a family, but there’s only so much I can do at this point. I can’t go from bachelor to expert father in one day flat. There’s still a great deal I need to get used to and learn.”
Evelyn couldn’t help but laugh at Roy’s response to the children’s behavior. It wasn’t as if he were shrugging off a responsibility or turning his back on them to let Evelyn take care of a mess. No. It wasn’t anything like that. Instead, it was something else. It was as if he—a grown, virile man—were a bit scared of them, or, perhaps, scared of doing something wrong.
“I am willing to learn, though,” Roy assured Evelyn, sensing her amusement.
“I know you are,” she replied without even thinking. She looked at Roy, and when their eyes met, they both felt something intense that words could not describe.
But that intensity was quickly set on the backburner to simmer as Jack continued to fuss around.
“Well, here’s lesson number one,” Evelyn quipped, drawing her children close to her. “When youngsters get fussy or throw fits like this, it’s usually for good reason. They’re most likely hungry, thirsty, in need of toileting or changing, or tired. And, in this particular instance, I’d say it’s the last condition on the list.
“We were trapped on that train for a great while, remember, and we’ve experienced a lot of excitement since arriving here. And I know for a fact that my body and mind are both exhausted from it all—so I can’t even begin to imagine what these little ones must be feeling right now.”
“Ah!” Roy exclaimed. In all the excitement and novelty of the situation, he’d all but forgotten about the trials and tribulations Evelyn and the children had endured before arriving in Fort Smith. But now, as he gazed down at Jack’s swollen, red, tear-filled eyes, he felt like a bit of a fool for being so blind to what was otherwise right in front of his face.
“Please, go rest,” Roy added, smiling at the boy, then at his mother. “I’ll be turning in for the night soon myself. Then, once I return from work tomorrow, we can continue getting acquainted.”
“Thank you,” Evelyn replied, smiling sweetly. “May you have a wonderful night’s sleep, and a wonderful day at work tomorrow.”
With that, Evelyn, Jack, and Julie left the room, and Roy felt a sense of fullness that he’d never felt before. The feeling was strange, but good, and he decided that it had to be because of the goal he’d just achieved. Though he wasn’t married just yet, he’d had a pleasant, promising day with his bride-to-be, and now it was just a matter of time before he had the “credential” he needed to land the job of his dreams.
SEVEN
The next two days flew by, for there was just so much going on.
Evelyn and the children were recovering from their travels and getting used to their new surroundings and home, and Evelyn had many things to tend to in order to prepare herself, Jack, and Julie for the wedding.
Roy was busy with work, as usual, and had the added tasks of preparing for the wedding, as well as adapting to the presence of two additional adult women and two children living with him in his home.
There were hectic moments, frantic moments, and moments of utter confusion and surprise. There were moments of miscommunication, misunderstanding, embarrassment, and hurt pride. But, sure enough, there were also touching, tender moments when both Evelyn and Roy got a glimpse of each other’s softer sides and came to understand and appreciate each other for who they really were.
Ah, there were many types of moments over those two days, but they all blurred together and passed very quickly. Before Evelyn even realized it, it was Sunday morning, and she was standing in the nursery, readying herself and the kids for church.
“You understand what today is?” she asked Jack as she looped a tie around his tiny neck.
“Yes, Mama,” Jack smiled. “Today’s church day. We praise God today.”
“Yes, yes, dear,” Evelyn replied, looking into her son’s bright eyes. “Today is the day we go to praise God in church…But we’re also doing something else today. Remember?”
Over the past two days, Evelyn had told both Jack and Julie about her impending wedding. But, truth be told, she’d glossed over it a bit, both because she was busy with other things and because a mother’s wedding was something rather big and burdensome to explain to young children.
“We’re gonna see Mary today?” Jack asked, cocking his head to the side and trying to remember what Evelyn had told him before.
“No,” Evelyn laughed. “We’re not going to see Mary. Mama’s going to get married…After the church service, the preacher is going to perform a ceremony that will make Roy and Mama become husband and wife.”
“That sounds nice,” Jack answered, reaching up to loosen his tie.
“It is nice!” Evelyn affirmed. “It means that, after today, we’ll all be one big, happy family.”
“Is Roy gonna be my daddy, then?” Jack inquired, widening his bright eyes.
Evelyn’s heart skipped a beat. She didn’t know exactly how to answer his query. “In a matter of speaking, yes,” she said after a moment’s pause.
“Do I get to call him ‘Daddy’?” Jack asked next.
Again, Evelyn didn’t know exactly how to reply. “Well, for now,” she hedged, “just keep calling him ‘Roy,’ as you’ve been doing. And, maybe, after some time has passed—”
Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Evelyn couldn’t have been happier for the interruption.
“Time to get going,” Mrs. Carey said, opening the door. “Roy already left for church about twenty minutes ago. Now we
should head out, too, lest we be late!”
Evelyn nodded and turned from Jack to Julie, to make sure her dress and bonnet were both in place, then she took both children and promptly left the house with Mrs. Carey. Normally, it would have been customary for the entire family to go to church together. But, given that today was their wedding day, and the fact that there was an old wives’ tale about the groom seeing the bride-to-be outside of church before the wedding, the couple decided to play it safe and make their separate ways to church for services.
When Evelyn arrived at the church, she, Mrs. Carey, and the children took seats in the section designated for unmarried women, widows, and women without families. Mrs. Carey proudly introduced her to some of the other ladies, though Evelyn only feigned interest in the encounters. As it was, her interests were elsewhere.
From the moment she’d walked into the church, she had begun scanning the crowd for Roy. She didn’t know exactly why she so desperately wanted to see him, but the urge was strong, and she couldn’t resist the way it compelled her.
As Mrs. Carey continued to chatter with the other women, Evelyn finally spotted her husband-to-be. As services were slated to begin very soon, a group of men convened by the far door began to disperse—and, lo and behold, Roy was among them.
When Evelyn set her sights on him, her heart fluttered in her chest. He was wearing a fine, tailored navy-blue three-piece suit with shiny silver buttons, chains, and other accoutrement. His marshal’s badge, which was also silver, sparkled beneath his coat, affixed to his vest, and his dark hair glistened with the sheen of fresh hair oil.
In other words, Roy looked most dashing, and Evelyn—as well as a good number of other women, both unmarried and married alike—couldn’t take her eyes off of him.
New Beginnings Spring 20 Book Box Set Page 66
