Jane served them for lunch again. “Aren’t you planning on cooking for your husband?” she asked, giving Jessie a strange look.
“We just married yesterday afternoon. I had to buy food before I could start cooking. I’ll fix supper tonight, and I will cook for him as much as he’ll allow going forward.” Jessie wanted to add that she didn’t know why Jane cared so much about what Bob was eating, but she didn’t want to be rude. That was not the way to start out in a new town.
“What’ll you have?” she asked.
“I want water to drink, and I’ll take your special,” Jessie said, nodding at the blackboard. It listed chicken and dumplings as the special of the day.
“I’ll have the same, but I want coffee,” Bob said. After Jane was gone, he frowned at Jessie. “You don’t have to cook for me if you don’t want to. Don’t worry about what people like Jane say. They don’t know either of us and have no right to say anything.”
“I do want to cook for you. I enjoy cooking, and it is something I always expected to be able to do for my husband. I didn’t know I would find the only man in the world who prefers to eat in diners every night.”
He smiled. “Well, at least you know it’s not your cooking. I haven’t tried it yet!”
She was sure once he did try it, he would realize her cooking was far superior to the local diner. “That’s true.” The food was put in front of them, and she took a bite. It tasted rather bland to her and she was again pleased. The worse their food was, the better hers would seem in comparison. “Did your mother cook?”
“She did. She never enjoyed it, and she wasn’t good at it. The food here is so much better than hers. That’s why I eat here so much.”
Jessie frowned. Poor man. No wonder he was so thin. She’d fatten him up in no time. “How was work this morning?” she asked.
“Oh, it was fine. Every day pretty much feels the same when you’re cutting hair all day long.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s a good living though.”
“I’m sure it is.” She finished eating. “I have to say, I love the set up in your kitchen. It’s going to be a pleasure to work in it.”
“I’m glad. I just wish you’d understand that you don’t have to cook if you don’t feel like it.”
“I do feel like it!”
Bob shrugged, deciding he’d let her have her way. She was a stubborn little thing, this bride of his. “Once you start teaching, it’ll be harder to keep up with the housework. That’s okay, though. I want you to keep that in mind.”
“I will.” She took a sip of her water. “How much longer before you need to be back?”
He glanced at his watch and put some coins on the table. “We need to start walking now. I try to make sure I’m not closed for more than an hour. Everyone knows to wait if I’m not there, but I still hate to make anyone wait on me. I don’t think it’s polite.”
“I can understand that.” Jessie smiled at him. “I was worried that you wouldn’t be at the train station when I arrived. I was practically panicking as I thought about it. But you were there, and I shouldn’t have worried at all.”
“Of course I was there! My bride was coming into town. Where else would I be?”
“You could have forgotten or simply sent a friend or relative to fetch me. Or you could have decided to marry someone else in the meantime…”
“I see why you want to be a writer.”
“You do?”
“Yes, your imagination runs away with you. Maybe you should work on keeping your thoughts firmly in reality instead of floating off whenever you like.”
“I’ll try to do that.” No one else had ever noticed her overactive imagination. Did that mean he already knew her better than anyone else did? And on such short acquaintance? If so, that was strange.
When they reached the barber shop, he went inside and she went around back to climb the stairs to their apartment. The bread had risen nicely, so she punched it down and shaped it into a loaf.
She spent her afternoon cleaning and cooking. The house was mostly well-kept from what she could see. He either enjoyed cleaning, or he had hired someone to come in and do it for him. She was surprised at just how tidy the place was for a bachelor.
Once everything else was done, she sat down with pencil and paper and started to write. Just letting her thoughts flow. She had stories to tell, whether or not there was anyone who wanted to read them.
* * *
Bob wasn’t looking forward to eating his pretty wife’s cooking. There was no way she could look as good as she did and be talented at cooking. How could she be?
At the end of his long day, he locked up his shop and headed up the stairs. He wasn’t sure what he would find when he got home, but he was looking forward to seeing his sweet new wife.
As soon as he opened the door, the aroma hit him and his mouth started to water. If her cooking tasted half as good as it smelled, he would never regret marrying her, and he would hate eating out. He couldn’t remember the diner or his mother’s cooking ever smelling so good.
He followed his nose into the kitchen, sitting down as she rushed around finishing up her preparations. “Supper smells amazing.”
“I’m glad you think so! I do love to cook.” It was one of those things she thought of as special because she’d done it with her mother so much.
“Do you sew as well?” he asked.
She shook her head. “That’s something I’ve never really gotten the hang of. I hope you weren’t counting on me to do all the sewing for you?”
“No, of course not. Mr. Peabody at the mercantile always hires a young woman to come in and sew. She specializes in men’s shirts, but she’ll sew for anyone.”
“Good. I don’t want to have to think about that. Cooking and teaching will be enough to fill my days.” She took the roast out of the oven and transferred it onto a platter, using the drippings from the meat to make a gravy.
He watched her efficient movements, impressed that she really did know what she was doing in the kitchen. “I may never be willing to eat at the diner again,” he said softly.
She laughed. “I’m sure I won’t be able to break you of that habit very quickly. You’ll want to eat out for every meal tomorrow.” She poured the finished gravy into a bowl and carried it to the table. A few minutes later everything was ready and she was sitting across from him. “Would you say grace for us?”
Bob nodded, bowing his head. When he’d finished, he lifted his fork. “I can already taste this.” He took a bite of the roast, his eyes closing as he enjoyed the meat. “This is fabulous. It tastes even better than it smells.”
“Thank you!” She was happy he was enjoying it, and he wouldn’t make her eat out for every meal.
“Tell me about the other women who taught at the orphanage.”
She stared down at her food, abruptly losing her appetite. “There were twenty-six of us. We all had a name starting with a different letter of the alphabet. One disappeared recently, and no one is quite sure where she went. I think Xenia was eaten by a bear, but no one would confirm or deny my suspicions.”
He grinned. “Eaten by a bear, huh? I hope not. That would be pretty gruesome.”
“Yes, it would. Xenia was one of my favorite people too. We were never close, but she was special. You know?”
“I do know.” Bob didn’t have a lot of close friends. He’d always held himself apart. He had acquaintances. He cut the hair of every man in the area so he knew them all, but he never felt close to any of them.
“Do you have brothers and sisters?” she asked. She realized then that he knew a great deal about her, but she knew little about him.
“I have three brothers. I’m the fourth. I’m the last to marry. My brothers all have children and they make my mother happy. I’m the only one she complains about, because she wants me to marry as well.”
“She wanted you to marry. You’re married now, so she’ll just want you to have children.”
“You’re righ
t. That’s exactly what she wants. Were you the oldest, youngest, or in the middle?”
“Oldest. I feel like I was responsible for not getting my siblings out of the house.”
“I can see that. I hope you know that you weren’t responsible.”
She shrugged. “Sometimes I know that. Sometimes I don’t. It depends on the day.”
“Well, I don’t know if it helps, but from what I can see, you’re a remarkable woman. I can’t wait to get to know you even better, and I’m excited to show you off to my parents.”
“What do your brothers do?” she asked, not wanting to listen to him compliment her. She knew she was nothing special.
“My oldest brother, Gabe, is a farmer. He’ll take over my parents’ farm when they decide to retire. The next brother in line is John, and he’s the sheriff here in town. Then the brother that’s just older than me is a rancher. And I’m a barber.”
“Do you ever wish you were oldest and the one inheriting the farm?” she asked.
“Never. I’m not a fan of getting up before dawn to milk cows. I hate the idea of being dependent on the weather for my income. I love what I do.”
“I can see that. It must be nerve wracking every time the weather does something unpredictable. My father was a farmer and he loved it, but I know he got stressed at times.” She took a sip of her water, enjoying watching him eat the meal she’d prepared.
“Yes, my father was the same. He was disappointed when I didn’t become a farmer, but I couldn’t. I am much better suited to a job where I know my pay will be steady.”
He glanced over and saw a sheaf of papers on the work table. “What are you working on?”
She shrugged, blushing a little. “I was working on a story in my head. I’m always working on something. I enjoy writing a little too much.”
“I’m glad you had some time to do something you enjoy then. It sounds to me like you’ve had too little time for it. Are you sure you want to teach?”
She nodded. “I’m sure. I made a promise and I never break my word.” She had learned at her father’s knee that a man or woman was only as good as his or her word. Her word had to be gospel and mean everything to her, and it did.
“That’s a good motto,” he said. After his third helping, he got to his feet, surprised he hadn’t popped right out of his clothes. He carried his plate to the sink and poured water from the kettle into it. “Since you cooked, I’ll wash the dishes.”
“You can’t do that! It’s my job.”
“When you are teaching, you’re going to want me to do dishes. You know it’s going to be harder then. Let’s get into the right habits now.”
She frowned. “I feel like it should all be my job. Not yours.”
“You can feel like that if you want, but I didn’t bring you out here to be my kitchen slave.” He washed the dishes as she dried them. “I will ask the pastor before church tomorrow to announce a meeting of parents of school-aged children after church. Then you can talk to them and together everyone can decide when school will start. You can also get an idea of how many students you’ll have and what the attendance will be.”
“That sounds really good. I’ll be glad to get some things settled, and I can start preparing once I know what I’m expected to do.”
“Good. I know it’ll make you happy to start preparing.”
“Do you have any idea how many students I’ll have that won’t be able to read?”
He shrugged. “I know many in town are illiterate. You will just have to wait and see. Maybe the parents at the meeting tomorrow will be able to answer that.”
“I hope so. Knowing what to expect before the first day would be really helpful.” She put the last dish onto the shelf. “Thank you for washing the dishes. I hope you know I don’t expect it of you.”
“I know you don’t, but I’m happy to help. If we’re both going to be working, we should share the load around the house. I can’t cook, but I know how to wash dishes.”
“Well, we’ll make a good team then.” She looked at him for a moment before standing on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “I do appreciate your attitude about our workload.” When she started to step away from him, he caught her by the waist.
“I want to wait until we know one another better to consummate the marriage as you know, but I would like it if you wouldn’t mind if I kissed you on occasion. Would that be all right?”
“Absolutely. I’m just glad you are willing to wait until we know one another. I think I would feel as if I was doing something wrong if we consummated before I knew you well.”
He smiled, happy she understood him. He was pleased he was now able to spend time with her without being as nervous as he had been. Lowering his head, he kissed her softly, just a whisper touch. When she didn’t back away, he deepened the kiss, pulling her closer.
When he finally raised his head, her eyes were closed and her lips were moist. She looked like she had just been kissed, and he liked that she looked so dazed by it. “How was that?”
She smiled, leaning forward and resting her forehead against his shoulder. “That was nice. I don’t think I’m going to hate being married to you.” She was half-joking and half-serious. She had expected to hate marriage, but with Bob, it seemed natural. Even as a stranger, he was a kind one and he made her feel at ease.
“I’m glad to hear that! If you did hate being married to me, I’d feel guilty.” He shook his head. “I’m going to read the paper. Maybe you could bring your book into the parlor tonight.”
She nodded, hurrying to get her book. She sat down beside him on the sofa, close enough that she could rest her head on his shoulder if she wanted. And she thought about it for a moment before she decided to just read her book.
“What are you reading?” he asked.
“The Bostonians, by Henry James. I haven’t read it before, and it’s wonderful so far!”
“Do you always have a book in your hands? Because from what I can see, it appears that you do.”
“I do enjoy reading a great deal. I don’t always have a book in my hands, but often I do. It makes me happy to escape into other worlds and forget about this one, if only for a short while.”
He frowned, wondering if he’d ever be able to convince her that this world was better than any imaginary one. He certainly hoped he could.
Chapter Four
Dear Journal,
Being married is certainly interesting. Bob is more than I ever imagined a husband could be. I look at him and see a man who is slender and not at all physically like the man of my dreams. He wears spectacles and has blond hair. I’ve always been attracted to men with dark hair. But there’s something special about him. Would you believe he helps me with the dishes? He’s even set up for me to meet with the parents of school-aged children after church today. I can’t decide if I’m nervous or just thrilled that he’s worked so hard to help me with my hopes and dreams.
Well, my hopes anyway. Or should I call it my goals? My hopes and dreams are to write books and have people actually read them, but my goals… well, my goals are to do as Madam Wigg has asked and start a school here for the children. An inclusive school that will include the children of former slaves as well as Indian children. If they want to be schooled, I will teach them all.
I can’t wait to see what the day has in store for me. What the month has in store. What my life has in store. I’m no longer stagnant. I’m moving forward. Life with Bob is good.
After a breakfast of French toast, bacon, and coffee, Bob and Jessie set off for church. As soon as they arrived, Bob left her for a moment to talk to the pastor and ask him to call a meeting.
While he was off, a stranger walked up to Jessie. “Are you Bob’s new wife? I heard he’d married a mysterious young woman.”
Jessie laughed. “I’m mysterious all right. Jessie Samuels.”
“I’m Anna Randall.”
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m hoping to start a school here in town. I was a teacher in New York be
fore I came here to marry Bob.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful! I have seven-year-old twins. They’re ready to start school!”
Jessie smiled. “Bob is talking to the pastor right now about having a meeting with all parents of school-aged children after church. I want to get an idea of how many children would attend the school and their ages, as well as any kind of schooling they’ve had.”
“My boys have not had any schooling at all. They can count to ten, and that’s about it.”
“Well, I can get them reading. No trouble at all.” Jessie looked around her, trying to get an idea of how many children were in the room.
“I heard a school just started in Bagley, and I was seriously considering putting the boys in the wagon every morning and heading over there so they could get some schooling. I’m glad that’s not going to be necessary.”
“How far away is Bagley?”
“It takes about an hour by wagon. But for the opportunity to go to school, it would be worth the drive.”
“I can see that. Do you know the name of the teacher?” Jessie had to wonder if it was one of the other women who had left the foundling home to become a mail-order bride.
“I don’t. I heard she moved there to marry Jack McClain. The McClains are practically royalty around here, so their business is known to everyone.” Anna looked around to see her twins wrestling with a bigger boy. “Oh, I need to stop the boys from hurting each other or anyone else! Nice to meet you.” The last words were called over her shoulder as she hurried across the church.
Bob appeared back at her side then, and the pastor stepped up to the pulpit. “Let’s all sing together.”
As soon as church was over, the parents met at the front of the church, just as the pastor had asked. Jessie got up in front of them, a little nervous about the public speaking, but she knew it was necessary.
Jessamine’s Journal: The Alphabet Mail-Order Brides Page 3
