A Bride for Ransom

by Wendy May Andrews

  A Bride

  for

  Ransom

  Wendy May Andrews

  ∞∞∞

  Sparrow Ink

  www.sparrowdeck.com

  Copyright © 2019 Wendy May Andrews

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced, transmitted, or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  ISBN - 978-1-9994932-5-7

  www.wendymayandrews.com

  Ransom is just looking for a mother for his orphaned niece. The fact that she’s from Boston is a bonus. Their arrangement allows him to get out of town.

  Hannah needs a husband. Her new name will protect her siblings. The fact that he lives in the back of beyond gives them a place to hide. She hadn’t counted on him being so appealing.

  But what happens when they realize how very permanent their proxy marriage truly is?

  Dedication

  In this book Hannah will do whatever it takes to protect her family. Ransom marries her to protect his. Family is a strong theme I firmly believe in. I also believe that if the family you’re born with isn’t perfectly fabulous, you can make your own. This book is for my family and yours, both the one you got by chance and the one you made.

  Acknowledgements

  My beta readers are my writing lifeline – Marlene, Suzanne, Christina, Monique, and Alfred – you all helped Hannah and Ransom have a much better story. Thank you!

  My editor, Julie Sherwood, is awesome. If you come across anything questionable in this book, it’s my fault, not hers.

  I also owe acknowledgements to the other Proxy Brides authors for the never-ending support. Also, my entire online support network of authors. It never ceases to amaze me how supportive the #writercommunity is.

  Special thanks to my parents for instilling a love of words and always supporting me in my endeavors.

  And extra thanks to Mr. Andrews for ordering pizza when I’m on a deadline, for helping me figure out the best state to place my stories in, and for taking me to visit them when I need to visualize the story. You’re the best!

  Chapter One

  "Ransom? What kind of a name is Ransom, anyway?”

  Hannah rolled her eyes at her brother’s question. The twelve-year-old boy was trying to be sophisticated and tough, but she knew he was struggling through his grief. Hannah wished she could let them stay in their familiar surroundings, at least until their grief was a little less fresh, but time was not a luxury they possessed at this time. She needed to get these arrangements finalized and get the children on the train before her uncle caught wind of her plans.

  “I’d say it’s a rather appropriate name under the circumstances,” Sybil murmured, bringing a smile to Hannah’s strained face.

  Casting a wry glance at her friend before turning back to her brother, Hannah kept her tone calm and even. “It’s a strong, old name. He was probably named after an ancestor. And, I will add, it is a name you will be careful never to make fun of.”

  Brent grunted in reply. Hannah should take exception to his lack of civility, but she took pity on him under the circumstances. “Could you please go get Maryanne? We’ll be having tea shortly, and I’m sure she needs something to eat.”

  Her brother’s expression as he left the room was a mutinous mixture. Hannah had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep her face serious. It was obvious her brother was torn between indignation that she would even consider him immature enough to stoop so low as to make fun of an unusual name. On the other hand, a part of him really wanted to indulge that immature side. Hannah wished her brother didn’t have to grow up so suddenly. That was part of her motivation in making this decision. If she were married, her twelve-year-old brother wouldn’t feel the need to try to be the man of the house.

  Of course, she thought with a toughening mental stance, most of the reason she was marrying was so her uncle couldn’t get his hands on the children. She begrudged her father’s archaic thinking when he had his Will prepared. In his defense, she was sure he never expected the Will to be needed, at least not this part of it, anyway. Their parents had been young, spry, and healthy. There was no reason to expect Hannah would need to fight to keep her brother and sister with her, rather than allowing their uncle to take over guardianship of them.

  But she would never allow that. She didn’t trust Uncle Jason, and nothing anyone could say would convince her otherwise. She didn’t like the way he had started looking at her when she had turned fifteen. For the last five years she had made every excuse she could think of to spend the least amount of time possible with him. It was only due to her mother’s distraction with Hannah’s much younger siblings that she had never noticed. But Hannah would have thought her father had enough sense not to leave any of them in their uncle’s power.

  She was well aware that her father didn’t much care for his wife’s brother. She had never confided in either of her parents about her discomfort around her uncle, but it was well known that the man coveted her father’s fortune. Hannah’s father had done everything in his power to help his brother-in-law be successful in his own right, but the man didn’t want to actually work for his funds. He had already blown through the inheritance he had received when his own parents had died. Hannah wouldn’t have expected her father to provide a situation in which he could get his hands on their inheritance as well. But he was the only family they had left. And to Hannah’s father, there was nothing more important than family.

  Hannah didn’t disagree. There was nothing in this world more important to her than her brother and sister. It didn’t matter how awkward the arrangements she was making were going to be for her. It would keep her brother and sister safe. So she would do it. And no one would ever know it was a trial for her, least of all her siblings. They must never realize or they would surely feel badly about it. No, they needed to remain children for as long as possible. That was Hannah’s new goal in life.

  She glanced out the window and thought how much her life had changed in the last few weeks. It was exactly three weeks ago today that she had been sitting in this very same room, talking with her mother, discussing which gowns they were going to have made. At that point, Hannah’s main focus had been to have a good time as she continued her hunt for an appropriate husband. How her understanding of appropriate had changed in these past weeks. And her determination. When she had been discussing it with her mother, she had been half-hearted in her search. She had no intention of marrying this year. She would have rather enjoyed herself for at least one more year, preferably even two, but she hadn’t wanted to let on to her mother, of course. Hannah’s sweet mother wanted to see her firstborn settled and happy. How prophetic that had been. If her mother could see her now, she would be horrified.

  But her mother wasn’t there to see her now. Hannah tried her very best not to feel bitter about that. It surely wasn’t her parents’ fault they’d been killed. Hannah was just grateful the children hadn’t been with them. She wasn’t all alone in the world, even if she was alone in shouldering the burdens. But that wasn’t to be thought of. The children were not burdens. It was merely the fight to keep them that was the burden. But after today, that fight would be over.

  She would leave the arrangements in the trusted hands of the family lawyers. All she had to do was sign the papers Fred held and then present them to the lawyer in the morning, just before they climbed on the train. Uncle Jason wouldn’t even know they were gone. And when he did find out, he
wouldn’t know where to start looking. It would give her a good head start. And there was little he would be able to do anyway. The lawyers had assured her it was legal and that they would keep her confidential matters confidential.

  Staring off into the middle distance, she felt grateful to the government of Massachusetts for passing a law that allowed her to have separate economy. She had never really realized that single women had different rights than married ones. Not that either of them had all that many rights when compared with men, but at least now she would be able to retain ownership and control of her father’s businesses until her brother was in a position to take over.

  She wasn’t going to raise an outcry over the fact that she wasn’t going to be able to take over running the businesses herself. While she would like to think she was capable of doing so and doing it well, that was a footnote in her life right now. Her priority was her siblings. Keeping them safe was going to take all her energy for the next while. She had been assured that the businesses could look after themselves for a time. She wasn’t so innocent as to think they would thrive without someone there to manage them firmly, but she was also experienced enough to understand that if it she were trying to firmly manage them herself they might flounder even worse. The law might say she had the right to own them, but many of the men who worked there would probably have disputed that fact.

  Hannah shook her head with a sigh. That was neither here nor there. She turned her attention back to Sybil and Fred, who were being remarkably patient with her. Not that many moments had passed while she had been lost in her thoughts, but they were probably anxious to get on with their own affairs. She wasn’t actually close friends with either of them, mere acquaintances, really. Hannah couldn’t expect them to put their private affairs on hold while she sorted out her own. She appreciated the kindness and discretion on their part that had led them to seek her out and make the unusual suggestion. Hannah had heard the faintest rumor that they had been known to arrange convenient marriages, but she never would have thought she would find herself in need of their services. But when Sybil had visited a few days ago to express her sympathy and delicately inquire about Hannah’s welfare, the subject had arisen and Hannah had found out all about marriage by proxy.

  “You are certain he understands that I am bringing the children with me?”

  “Yes, of course. Why would he mind you bringing them since part of your appeal for him is your willingness to take on the responsibility for his youngster as well?”

  Hannah smiled. “Do you know, I haven’t met all that many men who are so very egalitarian in their thinking?”

  Sybil smiled gently while Fred chuckled. “I can see your point, Hannah, but yes, you needn’t worry about that.”

  “And you didn’t tell him everything about my brother’s inheritance, right?”

  “I said very little about that. But I promise you, he won’t be coveting your brother’s assets. He has sufficient of his own.”

  “Tell me again why he is willing to do this for us.”

  Fred’s tone was one of strained patience, but he explained anyway. “As I told you before, he is anxious to set off for a project further west, but he cannot leave his child behind with no one to care for her. He needs a wife in case something happens to him. He entrusted me to find him someone trustworthy. When I heard about your situation, I knew you would be perfectly able to help each other out.”

  “So, he will not try to fight me for the assets?”

  “He will not.”

  “But he’ll be able to protect us from Uncle Jason?”

  This time Fred hesitated slightly. Hannah noted it immediately.

  “Why are you not so sure?”

  “Well, it’s just that, as I told you, he is anxious to be off further west.”

  “So he will not be present? Is that what you’re saying?”

  “That’s right.”

  Hannah paused for a moment and then shrugged. “Well, that’s probably just as well. I will have the legal protections that I require but won’t be troubled with an actual husband to muddy up the waters as my siblings and I try to settle into a new life.” She paused again. “Do you suppose he has hired help of any sort? Are there animals to be cared for or anything? Does he realize that I know so very little about the actual running of a household? I mean, I can run a household of staff, but the actual labor is something that I’m going to have to learn. Of course, if he isn’t there to witness my struggles, I guess he shouldn’t care all that much.”

  “I’m not fully certain of his situation with regards to hired help. But in your financial circumstances, you could probably hire help for yourself anyway, couldn’t you?”

  Hannah nodded. “We could, but we won’t want to draw any attention to ourselves. Never mind. We’ll figure it out when we get there. The main thing is we’ll be safe from Uncle Jason, at least for a time. I just need the children to be a bit older before they are exposed to him. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t ever want them to be in his sphere of influence, but I will allow them to make their own decisions on the matter when they are older. He is the only family we have left besides each other. I cannot keep them from him indefinitely. But preferably until my brother is old enough to inherit. Then Uncle Jason won’t want them in the same way. That’s the only reason he wants them now. He or she who gets the children gets control of the inheritance. I, myself, couldn’t care less about the money, but I will not let that man have the children.”

  “Very well, then, come and sign this paper, and you will be a married woman, thus fulfilling the stipulation in your father’s Will that you be granted guardianship of your siblings if you are married.”

  “Such a stupid codicil,” she grumbled as she approached and sat at the small table Fred was standing beside. She signed where he indicated, grateful that he had multiple copies for her to sign. It would be best if one were left with her lawyers just in case anything was disputed. It would have been even better if they could back date the document, but she wasn’t going to risk it being nullified for something like that. She was absolutely certain Uncle Jason would fight her on this. She had to ensure there was nothing he could dispute. As it was, she had been able to prevent the lawyers from registering the final Will until after she had this finalized. She had to hope it would be enough. They seemed to think it was, but she was sure the law was wily and Uncle Jason would find a way. A woman wouldn’t be able to stand against him. But since she would conveniently have a husband, she stood a better chance. She just hoped this Ransom fellow was as tough as his name implied.

  She signed the final copy with a flourish, relieved that it was finished. Relieved, too, that she didn’t feel any different as Fred grinned while offering her congratulations. “You are now a properly married woman. Congratulations, Mrs. Delaney.”

  Hannah blinked and then laughed. “You can stick with Hannah. Anything else will take some getting used to.”

  “Shall we celebrate?” Sybil inquired softly after she finished signing the few places that needed to be witnessed.

  Hannah laughed again. “I think I’ll celebrate by completing my packing. But the housekeeper will be bringing up tea shortly, and the children will be joining us. Please stay. Her scones are unbelievable. I plan to eat several, since it’s doubtful I will have another as good for quite some time.”

  Sybil’s smile was gentle. “Did you ask her for the recipe?”

  “I did. I took your suggestion and asked for the recipe for all our favorite dishes. But even though I have spent a fair bit of time in the kitchens over the years, I think certain things are an inborn talent. Baking is not one that I was gifted. I will be able to make do. We will not starve. But there will be no scones.”

  “Do you truly think it’s worth leaving?”

  “Absolutely.” Even Hannah could hear the conviction in her voice. She didn’t have a single doubt about the decision she had made. Oh, of course, there were about a million doubts with regards to the sense it made t
o wed a stranger and pack the children up and move them across the country on such short notice. But she didn’t have a single doubt about keeping them from their Uncle Jason. And the lawyers had assured her the only way she could do that was with a husband. So a husband she had gotten. Now she just had to meet him.

  After tea and scones, Fred and Sybil left Hannah with her brother and sister to finish their preparations. As they took their leave, Sybil had extracted the promise from Hannah that she would let them know if she ran into any further difficulty. Hannah appreciated the sentiment, but there was nothing the kindly pair could do to help with her greatest struggle.

  Hannah hoped her face did not reveal her concerns as she surveyed her siblings. They were both subdued. Hannah could see that Maryanne’s eyes were still puffy from crying. Her heart clenched for the poor little girl. Ten years old was far too young to lose your parents. Twenty was too young, but at least she was an adult. She’d had her parents all to herself for eight years before her brother was born. And those eight years between them had allowed Hannah to have a much different relationship with their parents than her siblings had managed to yet develop. And now they never would. Hannah grieved for her own loss and for theirs. But she would have to deal with her emotions later. She now had to help them get ready for further change.

  “Have you both selected your most favorite few things that must accompany us?”

  Maryanne nodded sullenly while her brother glared at her. “I don’t understand why you will only let us bring three things each.”

  “Brent, dear, you do realize we’ll be travelling on the train for days, don’t you? We will not have space for too much. We can send for more of our things later, but for now, we have to think of how much space we’ll have.”

  Hannah didn’t tell them that she didn’t want to be noticed as they travelled. If they had too much baggage, it would be sure to draw attention. As it was, it would be hard to keep from being noticed. She might be an adult, but she was still young and looked it. She was planning to do as much as she could to look staid and severe, but she wasn’t sure if she could add years to her face. From her experience, though, people didn’t look beyond the obvious. They saw what they expected to see. So, she was going to present herself as her siblings’ mother or nanny, as plain and uninteresting as she could manage.