Romance: Western Mail Order Bride "Bethany's Love"-Clean Christian Historical Romance (Western Mail Order Bride Short Shorties Series) (161 page)

Chapter 2

Even a few days after this discovery, my mind was still reeling. I couldn’t believe that my fiancé wanted me dead! I knew that Jeremy and I weren’t necessarily the best match in the world, but I didn’t think he wanted me dead. My world was turned upside down and I was starting to realize I couldn’t stay in Richmond. There were other people involved and I couldn’t possibly know who they were.

Every day I stayed in town was another day closer to my own demise. I wasn’t sure where to go or what to do. My only hope was to get out of Richmond before my wedding. I knew that Jeremy wouldn’t risk killing me before he could inherit my family’s money.

I prayed every day, asking God to show me the way. I didn’t know where I was supposed to go or who I was supposed to turn to. I had no family left and the only person I had to protect me had plans to kill me. I prayed and I prayed, and soon enough those prayers were answered by a newspaper ad.

Mail order bride was a term I’d heard a few times before. They were women who traveled out west in order to find husbands. Many of them were women who never would have found husbands here in Richmond. Most of them were widows with children, or women who’d been unfaithful. Clean, God-fearing women weren’t the type to travel west.

It was certainly not something I’d ever considered before. The idea of living a life in the west was rather terrifying. People told stories of wagon caravans getting lost in snow storms and tribes of natives who scalped entire families. I never would have thought to be a mail order bride myself if that newspaper hadn’t blown by.

I was out shopping after church and a gust of wind blew an out-of-date newspaper across the street. It fluttered delicately, landing right on top of my shoe. As if to send me a message, big bold letters stood out on the page:

WIFE NEEDED TO CARE FOR FAMILY. WILL PAY TRAVEL EXPENSES. WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF.

An address was listed just below the message and as I stared down at it, I suddenly realized that this was the sign I’d been waiting for. God was telling me to take this chance. This was my way out. I looked around to make sure no one was watching before I snatched the paper up and stuffed it in my shopping bag, taking a deep breath and starting to walk away.

I clutched the bag and finished my shopping, not wanting to give myself away. I had to go about things as normally as possible if I was going to get out of Richmond. Jeremy had eyes all over the city and if anyone caught me acting strangely, it was sure to be reported. It kept me on my toes.

As watchful as Jeremy was when I was out and about, he didn’t keep my leash nearly as short at home. For the most part, I was allowed to go about my business without being disturbed and managed to mail the letter out without Jeremy catching on to my little plan. The days that I spent waiting for that letter to come back seemed to go on forever. Retrieving the mail was one of my duties so my husband thought nothing of it when I went to the door every day.

It was almost a month before I finally got a reply. The man sent me enough money for a train ticket and some food. It wasn’t much, but it was enough. I’d be happy to leave my fortune behind if it meant I’d be safe from my plotting fiancé.

Soon after the money arrived Jeremy went away on a work trip. He would be gone for a few days and I used those few days as my cover. I boarded the train early in the morning and disappeared before anyone had any chance to miss me.

I could only pray that this was the last I’d see of Richmond and of Jeremy.

Chapter 3

The train ride was longer than I’d initially expected, though I had no real frame of reference to be working from. I had only ever taken pleasure trips with Jeremy and those had been a few hours long and included wine and a meal. This train was not as hospitable. They gave us bread and water with a bit of meat for all of our meals, though I was able to get something a little better when we made our stops.

It was full of sad-eyed women who clung to children that looked just as sad. They didn’t have the look of adventurous women who were excited to take on the world. They looked downtrodden and the looked as if they were ready to give up. It wasn’t what I’d expected, though I probably should have. I was more than aware of the type of women who moved west.

The ache in my chest made it difficult to swallow and I had to do my best not to cry. I’d been running on adrenaline the last few days and now I was suddenly being faced with the realities of my decision. The west was a dangerous place full of roaming natives and animals large enough to snatch a grown woman off her porch. I didn’t even know who the man I was marrying was. He could have been an awful man with intentions of hurting me.

My mind swam for the rest of the train ride and I was relieved when the wheels screeched as the iron giant came to a stop. I stumbled off the train, tired of being in the stuffy train car. My ears rang with the sound of crying babies and even though the plains of Billings were hot, the cool breeze was a much needed relief.

There were men in uniforms walking around the platform, greeting women and directing them either in the direction of the home or towards people waiting for them. Small lines started to form and I got in one of these lines, looking around with weary eyes. I hadn’t slept properly in what felt like days. I was looking forward to sleeping in a real bed.

It was finally my turn and the uniformed man glanced down at his pad of paper, not bothering to look at me. “Name?”

“Madison Monroe.”

He nodded and glanced behind him, calling out my name. A tall, tired man raised his hand and the guard pointed towards him. “Go with him.”

“I…Who is that?”

“The person who is in charge of you.”

“In charge of me…?” I asked, looking confused.

“Ma’am, there are hundreds of other women waiting to be placed. If you think there was a mistake, you can take it up with him.”

I frowned, rather taken aback with the rude tone of the man’s voice. I had always been a well-to-do lady and so I was always treated with the highest honor and respect. Suddenly, I was being treated as if I were a common person, though I supposed I was going to have to get used to that. No one knew who I was here and to them I was just another poor soul, coming through their town to try and start a new life. Maybe that was for the best.

I followed the man’s instructions and approached the tired man. The closer I got the more I realized he was a handsome fellow. He had a strong jaw and sandy blonde hair that complimented his hazel eyes perfectly. He was a beautiful man and for a moment he even took my breath away. He dipped his head in my direction, though he didn’t look too happy to see me.

“Madison? Madison Monroe?”

“Oh. Yes. You must be Joseph Saint?”

“I’m afraid not.”

My brows furrowed a little. “Are you picking me up in my husband’s place?”

“In a way.”

His vague way of speaking was starting to get on my nerves. I frowned a little and crossed my arms over my chest.

“I am trying to be patient, sir, but I have been on a train for the last five days and I really would like to know what’s going on.”

He cocked a thick brow and turned his back towards me, walking over to a line of horses. I gasped but followed him. “Where are we going?”

“Home.”

I picked up my pace, moving to stand in front of him. “Will you please tell me what is going on? I promise I am not trying to be difficult! This is all new to me and…I’m frightened!”

He turned around to look at me, putting his hands in his pockets. “My name is James Saint.” He said, his deep voice a bit comforting. “I am Joseph’s brother. He passed away last week when a group of bandits robbed and shot him.”

I felt the color drain from my face and I took a few steps back, eyes wide and hardly able to believe what I’d just heard. “He’s dead?”

James frowned and removed his hat, nodding slowly. 

My mouth went dry and for a moment I just stared at him, unsure as to what I was supposed to say. What do you say to someone who just lost their brother? He glanced back at me and motioned towards the horse.

“Get on.”

I nodded numbly but swung a leg over the horse. James got on behind me and I felt strangely protected with his arms wrapped around me. I closed my eyes and leaned into him, sighing softly. It was nice to feel protected after so many days of uncertainty.

We rode out of town, taking a worn dirt road into the country side. Our nearest neighbors were miles away and it seemed that I would have to learn to make it on my own. I swayed from side to side as the horse made its way to a rather small cabin. Smoke billowed from the chimney and I was comforted by the sight of it.

“The trains are done running for the winter. Soon the ice and snow will make it impossible for them to get through,” he said, glancing over his shoulder at me. “When spring comes around, I’ll send you back to Virginia.”

Chapter 4

My eyes widened at his words and I put a hand to my chest. “I…send me back to Virginia? You can’t send me back!”

“Well, I don’t care where you go, but you can’t stay here.”

“I was to be married to your brother! You can’t just send me out on my own!” I gasped, feeling fear bubble up into my chest. I couldn’t go back.

“You should start looking for a new husband, then. There are plenty of men around here who’d like to have a pretty wife like you,” he murmured.

My heart was in my stomach and I felt tears come to my eyes. I was finally starting to feel free. I was starting to feel like everything was okay and then he dropped this bombshell on me? I fell back into a chair, my hands shaking.

Just when I felt myself start to break completely, a young girl no older than sixteen came into the living area from the kitchen. She wore men’s pants and a men’s shirt, her long dark hair breaded into a thick plait that she’d pulled over her shoulder. Her skin was tan like James’ and she had the same hazel eyes.

“What are you doin’ terrorizing this poor woman?”

James grunted but said nothing and wandered into the kitchen and out the back door. The girl shook her head and made her way over to me, putting her hands on her thin hips, grinning at me. There was a small gap between her two front teeth, but it added a certain charm.

“Don’t you worry about him much. He’s always been like that,” she said, waving her hand a little. “He’s a little rough around the edges but you’ll get used to it.”

I could feel the tears in my eyes as I looked up at the girl. She smiled and brushed her thumb under my eye, wiping away the tears. “My name is Louise. James is my brother.”

“Why-- why is he threatening to send me away?”

Her face fell a little at that and she sighed, settling beside me. “He doesn’t want to get close to anyone. He’s lost a lot out here. His wife and now our brother…” The sadness in her tone was almost palpable. “He’s just afraid,” she said after a long moment. “But you know how men are. He’ll never admit it,” she said with a soft smile. “Try not to worry about it too much, okay? He’s got a lot of time to think before he sends you back.”

I nodded numbly but stood with Louise. “Our house is small, but you can sleep with me.” She said, guiding me through the rustic cabin. “It’ll be nice to have someone else to help with the farm.”

“Help with the farm…I never…”

“Ahhh, you’re a delicate lady, are you?” she asked with a lopsided grin. “We’ll find something for you to do, no worry there!” She sang, opening the door to a rather small room.

There wasn’t much in the way of furniture in this house, though I didn’t really mind. It was a nice break from the opulence of Richmond. Fresh air floated in through the window and I crossed the room to put my hands on the sill, looking out across the lush plains. It wasn’t as green as Virginia, but it was beautiful in its own way.

“Louise?”

“Yes, ma’am?”

“Oh, just call me Madison.”

Louise smiled. “What’s on your mind, Madison?”

“If he’s lost so much out here, then why does he stay?” I asked, my brows furrowed.

“That is a good question,” she said with a sigh. “I suppose it’s because he loves this land. It’s all we have left of our Ma and Pa. We’ve never known anything else,” she added, looking over at me. “Loss is a part of life out here. Everyone has lost something, but that doesn’t really make it any easier, you know?” she said, glancing over at me.

I nodded slowly. “I lost my parents. I was very close to them and then they were just gone one day,” I whispered, a lump in my throat.

Louise frowned and continued to look out on the field. “Is that why you came here?”

I nodded, deciding that it wasn’t quite a lie. If my parents hadn’t died I wouldn’t have found myself here. She nodded. “I think that’s why a lot of people come out here. God calls them here when they lose their way. People call this The Promised Land and I think they’re right. It’s a place for the downtrodden to start over, and I think it will be a good place for you.”

The words comforted me and I smiled, turning to Louise, wrapping my arms around the smaller girl. “You’re a wise woman already, Louise,” I said softly.

Louise grinned and wrapped her arms around me in return. “It will be nice to have another woman in the house again!” she said, clearly trying to take the conversation in a more lighthearted direction.

I chuckled a little and nodded. “Yes…it will be nice to have some girl time,” I mused.

Louise had managed to calm my nerves a bit, but that didn’t mean I was calm. I still worried that James was serious about sending me back. Louise seemed convinced that she could change his mind and told me that we just needed to be patient. It seemed like good advice, but I was still terrified.

As I prepared for bed that evening, I found myself glancing out the window, watching as the moon rose high into the sky. It was all incredibly beautiful, and I found myself at peace with the world. Maybe God was trying to tell me it would all be okay. I could only hope that was the case.