A Fearless Bride for a Wounded Rancher

by Ember Pierce

  * * *

  Elisabeth’s son drove them in the buggy to the church. He helped them both down and he and Elisabeth escorted Mae up to the steps where Ephraim waited with Scott.

  * * *

  “Mayor Charloux. Here’s the bride. You remember my son, Tim.” Elisabeth announced. The boy smiled, went back to the buggy and drove off.

  * * *

  Ephraim was dressed in a suit and looked well-put together. He walked down the two steps and extended his hand to Mae. “I’m Ephraim. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Andrews. Howdy, Elisabeth.”

  * * *

  “Thank you. It’s nice to meet you too, Mr. Charloux.”

  * * *

  “Howdy, Mayor,” Elisabeth said.

  * * *

  “Shall we go inside?” He offered Mae his arm and she took it. They went inside and up to the front of the church where the pastor waited. Mr. Henderson stood beside him. Mae’s breath caught when she saw him. He looked so distinguished. So...dashing.

  * * *

  He wore a brimmed black hat. His black jacket and light fawn-colored trousers added to his dashing image. He was exceedingly handsome. He didn’t try to hide his scars from her, she noticed.

  * * *

  As if he was flaunting them to be sure she still wanted to marry a man like him. Well, he wouldn’t find her scared off by appearances, that was for sure. She gave him a bright smile as Ephraim handed her off. Then he and Elisabeth went and sat next to each other in the front pew.

  * * *

  “Good morning, Elisabeth,” Mr. Henderson murmured.

  * * *

  “Morning,” she managed to get out. She was so nervous that she wasn’t sure how she would be able to say her vows.

  * * *

  Mr. Henderson stood across from Mae and held both her hands in his. She hoped he couldn’t feel her trembling, but he seemed as preoccupied as she was. He barely made eye contact with her the entire time.

  * * *

  When they’d repeated their vows to one another, Pastor Jones concluded with the announcement that they were lawfully wed in the eyes of God and the instruction to kiss the bride.

  * * *

  Mae waited for Scott’s kiss. Her knees felt weak and, although she’d never swooned in her life, she feared she might do so at this moment. The words hung in the air and Mr. Henderson didn’t move.

  * * *

  Finally, Mae stepped forward. She kissed him on the cheek. His scarred left cheek. He blinked in surprise and finally met her eyes for a long moment.

  * * *

  It wasn’t the wedding of her dreams. Mae was somewhat hurt that she’d married a man who, not only wouldn’t look at her, but who didn’t make a move to seal their union with a kiss. But the deed was done. She was officially a married woman.

  * * *

  She reminded herself that he’d only married her to help her out. Because she had nowhere to go. He’d saved her from who knew what terrible fate awaited her?

  * * *

  For that she should be grateful to him and to God. But in spite of knowing all that, she felt a little sad. The marriage she’d just entered into was an empty shell.

  * * *

  Mae stood a little taller, a little straighter. Fine. She hadn’t been promised anything. Everything Mr. Henderson said he was going to do, he’d done. He seemed loyal and responsible. True to his word. She felt sure he would never lie to her about anything. That would have to do. And it was a sight better than being married to Bill.

  * * *

  The pastor, the mayor, and Elisabeth all congratulated them. Mae thought that Elisabeth was truly happy about the marriage. It was obvious that the landlady thought highly of Scott and wished him the best. She wasn’t sure about the men but they seemed truly happy for Mae and Mr. Henderson.

  * * *

  She supposed that she ought to start thinking of him as Scott but he hadn’t asked her to call him by his first name and she felt uncomfortable doing so before he asked her to - even if it was only in her mind.

  * * *

  Mr. Henderson was a difficult man to understand. Mae believed him to be a guarded man naturally. But the accident and subsequent pain he’d endured added to his aloofness.

  * * *

  She knew there was going to be a rough road up ahead. And when Ephraim and then Elisabeth wished them well and left, Mae was suddenly uncomfortable.

  * * *

  They rode home in silence and he left her by the front door while he went and put away the horses. She waited awkwardly where he had left her, unsure what to do. He seemed surprised when he came back and she was still standing there.

  * * *

  “It’s your house now,” he said, gesturing at the building. “You can go in.”

  * * *

  When she didn’t go ahead of him, he huffed out his breath in frustration and went inside. She followed closely. The house was bigger than she remembered and very tastefully furnished, clean, and cozy all at the same time. Mae smiled. She was sure she was going to like it here.

  * * *

  Then she realized that she was alone in the house with Mr. Henderson and she got suddenly anxious. He didn’t say much, only showed her the room that was to be her own.

  * * *

  It was in the back of the house on the other side of the hall from his. Mae went there now and decided to take a short nap. It was her wedding day, after all. Surely, Mr. Henderson wouldn’t expect her to start working immediately.

  * * *

  She had barely anything with her. A few dresses for working and one for church, and a nightgown and some underclothes. Plus her new wedding dress, though she couldn’t wear that again, except for the fanciest occasions. She’d visit the dry goods store in the coming week.

  * * *

  They sold ready-made garments. A list needed to be made but first Mae craved sleep. Once she was on the bed, she pulled an afghan over her and though she felt exhausted, the events of the last ten days rushed through her head, preventing her from resting.

  * * *

  It was amazing to her that in such a short time so much, actually everything in her life, had changed. From the houses, to the terrain, to the people. Everything in Texas was new and fresh to her and she whispered a prayer of gratitude. She said an extra prayer of thanks for the new life she’d literally stumbled on.

  * * *

  The marriage chronicle that had slapped up against her leg not only once, but twice had seemed to say, look at me. She was glad she had. At last her future was secure. And since Mr. Henderson didn’t want any kind of friendship or life as a married couple, Mae was going to take advantage of the personal freedom she’d been given.

  * * *

  She burrowed her head into the down pillow. When she woke, ribbons of copper orange were streaking the sky. The house was quiet and for a split second, Mae didn’t know where she was. Slowly, it came back to her. She was in Fable Springs. She was now Mae Henderson. Mrs. Henderson. She liked the sound of it.

  * * *

  However, she reminded herself that her husband had no desire to be an actual husband. Theirs was a marriage in name only. Scott had allowed himself to become the man who would save Mae’s, but that was all he was willing to do.

  * * *

  It was true that he’d told Mae that she would have her own money to do with whatever she wanted. She would be given a separate budget for groceries or anything necessary or that she fancied for the house.

  * * *

  The way he saw it, they could mutually benefit from the arrangement. At least that’s what he’d told her. He didn’t want to be seen as her rescuer.

  * * *

  He would benefit from the arrangement as much as she would. Mae had been in the right place at the right time. He needed a housekeeper. She needed a husband.

  * * *

  It was as simple and as complicated as that, Mae thought. She rose from the bed and looked at her reflection. She smoothed her hair ba
ck. She still wore her wedding dress but it certainly wouldn’t do.

  * * *

  She stepped out of it and put it away in the armoire. She took her oldest dress that wasn’t too shabby. She would be cooking and cleaning. Might as well dress in work clothes.

  * * *

  Scott wasn’t around, so she explored the house. In the kitchen, she surveyed the contents of the pantry and looked outside in the garden. There were potatoes in the pantry root cellar, and carrots in the garden. And there was half a ham in the pantry. She stoked up the cookstove.

  * * *

  Scott came in from taking care of the animals. He was at her side in an instant. “I didn’t want to disturb you. Did you sleep well?”

  * * *

  “I slept deeply. I feel quite refreshed. I guess I didn’t realize how tiring travel actually is.” She continued peeling the potatoes.

  * * *

  “Uh, can I help you with anything?”

  * * *

  “No, thank you. I’ve found everything I need.” What was he doing? He’d told her he didn’t want small talk and chatter. He’d said they were not to have a friendship, yet here he was talking up a blue streak.

  * * *

  “I suppose you’ll want to move things around in here.”

  * * *

  Mae looked around. “Possibly. Maybe a few things here and there but it seems quite convenient the way it is.” She smiled. “I have to tell you that if I didn’t know this had been the house of an unmarried man, I would not have guessed. You’re a fine housekeeper, Mr. Henderson,” she said with laughter.

  * * *

  Scott joined in the laughter. She wondered what the future held for the two of them. Mae didn’t know. But it couldn’t be too bad if he at least had a sense of humor.

  10

  “Are you sure I can’t help you with anything?” Scott was ill-at-ease. He didn’t know if he should sit or stand. He didn’t know if he should just help or offer to. It was so strange having another person in his house. And a woman, at that. An ethereally beautiful woman.

  * * *

  “Thank you, Mr. Henderson, but no. Why don’t you sit down? The food will be ready soon.”

  * * *

  He was grateful to have some direction and took a seat at the head of the table.

  * * *

  “Alright. I’m just not used to having someone else cook for me.”

  * * *

  He watched her as she worked. He didn’t want her to be uncomfortable so he was discreet.

  * * *

  She placed the plate of ham, carrots, and mashed potatoes in front of him.

  * * *

  “Uh, you can call me Scott. Not Mr. Henderson, okay? Mr. Henderson is too formal.”

  * * *

  “Oh, well, alright Scott. And of course you’ll call me Mae.”

  * * *

  She smiled and took the seat on his right. The chair on the side of the table the cookstove was on and the side where she could see his scars. He was sure she had done it on purpose.

  * * *

  There had been a moment when she’d been deciding which side to sit on. Was she trying to show him that she didn’t care about his scars? Well, if she was trying to win him over by doing so… he had to admit… it was working.

  * * *

  As she sat down, she looked up at him and smiled again, not seeming to be disgusted by the scars. As if she’d already got used to them or perhaps as she’d said, didn’t care about them in the first place.

  * * *

  He dug into his food and for the next couple minutes they ate in silence. Finally, Mae could contain spoke as if she had to say something to break the quiet tension.

  * * *

  “So how has it been, here on your homestead?”

  * * *

  “It’s a farm. I grow feed-crops. At least that’s the business I’m in now.”

  * * *

  “Oh. But you partake of the garden. Do you only sell the feed to the ranchers or do you also keep it for your own animals?”

  * * *

  “Both.” Scott turned serious. “That will be all with the questions, if you don’t mind. The business is my concern. The house is yours. We agreed that we weren’t going to be friends, Mae. This is something of a business arrangement.” He looked down quickly, but not quickly enough. He’d seen the flicker of hurt that had come to her eyes and it made him feel awful.

  * * *

  “You’re the one who started the small talk,” she said, reproach in her voice, then she pressed her lips together on whatever else she wanted to say. And they ate in silence again. When she spoke again, her tone was calm and not upset. “I’m sorry I’m already forgetting our agreement. We don’t have to take meals together if you don’t want to.”

  * * *

  Scott felt conflicted. It was true, he had been the one who started conversing with her. And here he was condemning her for simply continuing the conversation.

  * * *

  But he felt completely off balance and not certain how to behave. He had given his home and his very life over to a complete stranger.

  * * *

  He was part of a scheme not of his own making and he’d done as much as he could for Mae. It was Ephraim who had arranged this whole thing. Scott should have made Ephraim marry her.

  * * *

  Though as for that, he felt slightly uneasy and a sharp spike of jealousy stabbed him at the thought of Ephraim married to Mae. He looked at Mae again. Her face was down. She ate slowly. He was not being a gentleman.

  * * *

  It wasn’t her fault really that they were in this situation, anymore than it was his. And he shouldn’t take his discomfort out on her.

  * * *

  In an attempt to soften the apparent blow his words had caused, Scott tried to explain. “What I mean is, we can eat our meals together, of course. I’m just not interested in small talk. It’s something I don’t indulge in. I’m certainly not going to feel the need to entertain in my own home.”

  * * *

  “Very well.” She continued looking down. She continued eating slowly.

  * * *

  Scott felt awful. He didn’t mean to be moody or rude to Mae, but the whole situation was so out of the ordinary. Why did she want to be here? He could have married her and taken care of her financially.

  * * *

  She didn’t have to live with him and keep the house. Maybe that was a better plan. Maybe he should set her up somewhere else. In another town. He’d pay for her keep and they wouldn’t have to live here together.

  * * *

  That way he wouldn’t feel uncomfortable in his parlor at night when he wanted to read. Or when he wanted to go over the accounts for the farm. Or when he just wanted to have a whiskey while enjoying the dance of the flames in the fireplace.

  * * *

  He looked at Mae again. He didn’t want her to think he was some kind of monster. But, an agreement was an agreement. He could do no more for her than he’d already done. He’d saved her from having to leave Fable Springs and go home.

  * * *

  She didn’t have to go to work. She would keep house and cook for him, and, financially, he would treat her as his wife with money for groceries, house expenses, and a rather substantial allowance for her personal use. He’d already told her and she’d agreed.

  * * *

  What he offered wasn’t a bad deal for a woman escaping an unwanted situation at home. Love and romance weren’t necessary. At least that’s what he kept telling herself.

  * * *

  Scott breathed deeply. It wasn’t fair to be cold to her, he knew. But he needed to keep control of his emotions. Mae had a certain way of looking at him that unnerved him. He had no interest in having feelings for her. This was a business arrangement, after all.

  Mae couldn’t help but be hurt by Scott’s impersonal manner. It made her wonder if she should have just stayed in Virginia and married Bill Masters. E
ven if it was only her looks that drew Bill in, at least he showed some interest in her.