The Harvest Time Mail-Order Bride (Holiday Mail-Order Brides Book 14)

by Kit Morgan

  “Tom Turner told me all about it,” the sheriff said with a smile. “I’d love to see your little valley and do some fishing in that creek of yours.”

  Bella tried not to laugh as Calvin looked panicked. “But ya can’t!”

  “Why not?” Arlan asked, his brow furrowed.

  “Because … because … don’t ya have to get back to Clear Creek?”

  “Eh, I’m not due back for another week. Deputy O’Hare can run things just fine while I’m gone. That being said, I was just telling your brother here that Tom and I might pay you folks a visit. Besides, I’d really like to try some of your new wife’s cooking.”

  Bella blushed. She’d bragged a little about her cooking between the Gundersons’ stage stop and Nowhere. Now she was going to have to deliver. Of course, she didn’t mind.

  And she could see that Signora Weaver didn’t mind either – her eyes lit up at the notion. “Why, we’d love to have you come to the farm, Harlan.”

  “Harlan?!” Calvin squeaked.

  Everyone stared at him. “Land sakes boy,” his mother cried. “What’s the matter with you? That is the man’s name.”

  “Why ain’t ya callin’ him Sheriff Hughes?” he asked in protest.

  “What for?” she barked back. “I’ve known him as Harlan for years.”

  “Ya have?” Calvin said, sounding like he was about to faint.

  “Of course – he’s from here! Your pa and Harlan were friends back when you were knee-high to a grasshopper!”

  “Yeah, I know,” Calvin agreed. “But he ain’t never come out to the farm before.”

  “Well, there’s a first time for everything, now isn’t there, son?”

  Calvin glanced between his mother and the sheriff. “I … suppose.”

  His mother shook her head in bewilderment and turned to Harlan. “You come out before you head on back to Clear Creek. I’m sure Isabella would just love to do some cooking for you. She’ll have had a few days to practice on us by the time you visit. Isn’t that right child?”

  “Now that I marry your son, you call me Bella,” she told her with a smile. “And yes, I love to cook for you. I know many dishes.”

  Sheriff Hughes rubbed his hands together in anticipation. “I can’t wait to try them! I’ll talk with Tom and see if he can ride out in a few days.”

  “Sounds fine, Sheriff,” Arlan said. “We’ll be lookin’ forward to it.” He shot his brother a warning glare. “Ain’t that right, Calvin?”

  Calvin sighed in resignation. “Sure.”

  Ma Weaver cast him a worried glance then looked back at the sheriff. “I think I’ve rested enough, Harlan. Shall we have another go?”

  “I’d love to, Mary,” he said, offering her his arm. Calvin, Bella and Arlan watched as she took it and let him lead her into another dance.

  “I ain’t noticed it before,” Arlan said matter-of-factly, “but I kinda think Sheriff Hughes is sweet on Ma.”

  Calvin hit his brother upside the back of his head, took Bella by the hand and stomped off.

  * * *

  Calvin marched them toward the other side of the dance area and straight to his mother’s hat booth. It was still festooned with ribbons and bows, but empty of wares – she and Charity must have packed up what hats were left and given them to Aunt Betsy to sell in the mercantile.

  “You are angry,” Bella announced.

  “Ya think?”

  “I still no understand. Why can you no be happy for your mother?”

  He glared at her. She was right – he was anything but happy. But why be upset with Ma? More importantly, why was he taking it out on his new wife? “I’m sorry, Bella. I guess I don’t do so well with change.”

  She gave him a sympathetic look. “Does anyone?”

  He sighed as he realized she would know. Bella had left her country to come live in a new one, then came out west to boot. “Yer right.” He put an arm around her. “I guess I’ve always had it in my head that my brothers and me would all get hitched, have babies and Ma’d be there to enjoy it all. I never figured another man into the picture. I thought we’d be enough.”

  She nodded in understanding. “No one can tell the future, Calvin. We try, but it no work.”

  He put his other arm around her and pulled her against him. “I didn’t know I married such a wise woman.”

  She gave him a lopsided smile. “Life teach me.”

  “Really?” He studied her face. There was a hint of sadness in her eyes. Or was it regret? “What happened?”

  She shook her head. “I no speak of it.”

  He was about to ask her if she’d had to run away, when she stood on tiptoe and kissed him. Who was he to argue? His arms tightened around her as his body responded. This kiss was different; it held a power in it he’d never experienced. But being as how it was only the third kiss he’d ever had in his life, what did he know?

  Bella broke the kiss and smiled. “You need to enjoy tonight. Not worry about your mother.”

  He swallowed hard, still recovering, then turned the tables and kissed her. If she was going to start something, he was glad to finish it. The kiss was slow, languid, as if they had all the time in the world. There was little light where they were, so he took his time.

  Bella pressed against him and moaned. Calvin broke the kiss so they could both come up for air. He looked at her and smiled. She smiled back, eyes wide. The kiss was special, new.

  The voice behind them, not so much. “What a disgusting display! You should be arrested for such debauchery in public!”

  Calvin and Bella turned to find a woman standing next to Ma’s hat booth. Calvin was surprised to find that it wasn’t Nellie Davis, just someone of a similar voice and disposition. “Who are you?” Calvin asked.

  “I’ll tell you who I am!” the woman huffed. “I’m the one that’s going to turn you two over to the sheriff for public indecency!”

  Bella looked the woman up and down and nodded to herself. “You that woman we hear about?”

  Calvin was learning his wife spoke her mind, broken English or not. He thought he’d better step in before she made things worse. “Ya must be Warren and Bernice’s relation.”

  “I’m Eunice Caulder, Bernice’s mother and now I see there’s one more reason why my daughter should leave that worthless husband of hers and come back to Independence!”

  Calvin’s eyes went wide as saucers. Was this woman for real? And here he thought Nellie Davis was bad! “Leave Warren? Are you plumb loco? The Johnsons are some of the nicest folk around.”

  “Considering the source, I’ll ignore that,” she spat.

  Calvin felt Bella stiffen at his side. He still had one arm around her and tightened his hold. For all he knew, she’d get in the woman’s face and give her a good tongue whippin’ like she’d done to Mrs. Davis. “Ignore it if’n ya want, but it’s true.” He gave her a curt nod. The conversation was over as far as he was concerned. He steered Bella around and headed back toward the crowded dance area.

  “I’m going to report you to the sheriff!” the woman called after them.

  “Go right ahead, ma’am. Ain’t no law against kissin’.” They heard an indignant harrumph from behind, but kept walking. “Mr. Johnson was right.”

  Bella glanced over her shoulder then looked at him. “About that woman?”

  “Yeah. She really is an old crow.” He shuddered. “Glad she ain’t my mother-in-law. Poor Warren. Maybe we oughta warn him.”

  “I think he know by now, yes?”

  He gazed down at her. “I suppose you’re right. Still, she gives me a bad feelin’.” He let his eyes wander over the crowd until he spied Warren Johnson. “C’mon, there’s someone I want ya to meet.”

  * * *

  They made their way through the dance area until they reached a blonde man with a thin, dark-haired woman at his side. This had to be the mean woman’s daughter and her husband Warren, Bella thought.

  Sure enough … “Bella, this here is Warren Joh
nson and his wife Bernice. They’re the ones I mentioned just got hitched a while back.”

  The couple turned to them, took one look at Bella and stared. Bella fought the urge to roll her eyes and held out a hand. “Happy to meet you.”

  Warren offered his, never once taking his eyes off her. “How do you do?”

  Bella turned to the woman as she pulled her hand out of Warren’s and offered it to her. “You are?”

  The woman took it and smiled. “I’m Bernice Johnson. It’s nice to meet you.”

  Bella continued to smile. “We just meet your mother.”

  Bernice’s smile faded. “Oh, I’m so sorry. What did she do?” she asked in resignation.

  “She caught us kissing,” Calvin said with a chuckle.

  “And wants us in prigione … ah, jailhouse?” Bella added.

  “You… you mean she wants you arrested?” Warren sputtered. “For kissing!”

  Bella giggled. “Funny, no?”

  “No!” Warren huffed and turned to his wife. “When is she going to leave?”

  “Probably when she thinks I’ll go with her.”

  “That’s never going to happen,” he remarked dryly.

  “Warren, you know that and I know that, but she doesn’t want to.”

  “I take it she don’t like ya livin’ here,” Calvin commented to Bernice.

  “No. And she’s trying her best to convince me I’ve made a horrible mistake marrying Warren,” Bernice explained. “All she’s done is show me I made a mistake putting up with her as long as I did.”

  “Why you no throw her out of your house?” Bella asked as she made a tossing motion with her hands.

  Bernice and Warren both laughed. “If only it were that easy,” Bernice explained. “But there’s a lot of … history that you don’t know about. I want to give my mother a chance to … well, make amends. I was hoping she’d have started by now, but …” She shrugged.

  Bella sobered. Had she even considered letting her father do the same? Would he? Was he even capable? “I see.”

  “I’m with Bella,” Calvin said. “I think I’d toss her out.”

  “What can I say?” Bernice said with a shrug. “I believe in letting a person have every possible chance to redeem themselves. But I admit, I have my limits.”

  Warren put his arm around her. “As do I – and I must say, she’s testing them.”

  “Sorry to hear that, Warren,” Calvin said. “Good luck.”

  “Thanks,” Warren said. “But I’m sure we won’t have to put up with her for much longer.”

  “How do ya know?” Calvin asked.

  “Because, the nicer I am to her, the madder she gets!” he said with a laugh.

  Calvin smiled. “That’s mighty smart thinkin’. I’m gonna have to remember that.”

  Bella pondered his words. If only that had worked on her father. But it hadn’t. She’d tried, but the man was lost to her, just as so much else was.

  She let her eyes roam over the man at her side. Calvin, she determined, she was not going to lose.

  Eight

  The rest of the evening was spent eating, dancing and keeping Rufus Skillings, an old cowboy who often wintered in Nowhere, from spiking the punch. Bella pondered Bernice’s words wanting to be sure she’d made the right decision by coming west as a mail-order bride. After all, her siblings were being taken care of and she’d done everything she could to get her father to change his ways. Unfortunately, she’d failed in the attempt.

  Her failure had forced her to leave. If she hadn’t, she d be married to that disgusting Giuseppe Dellavedova. She shuddered at the thought and fought the urge to spit, a habit she’d gotten into whenever her father brought up the man’s name.

  “Ya cold?” Calvin asked and put his arm around her. He looked up at the star-filled sky. “I guess it’s about time we turned in. Arlan’s gonna want to get a decent start in the mornin’, even though we’re just goin’ to the Gundersons’.”

  “The stage stop?” she asked.

  “Yeah, on account of little Justin and Jason. They’re mighty young for that long drive home, and Samijo still gets tired.”

  “I can help with them.”

  “I’m sure Samijo and Charity will appreciate it.” He scanned the people around them. “I don’t know about you, but I’m plumb tuckered out.” He took Bella in his arms. “I know it’s our weddin’ night and all, but … well, I don’t mean to be a disappointment …”

  She put a finger to his lips. “You are …” she smiled. “… silly man. I like that. Honest.”

  “Since when is being honest silly?”

  She made a circular motion with her hand. “I mean … you make me smile … when you are honest.”

  “Ohhh, that. Well, why lie? I’m tired. But that don’t mean we can’t … er … maybe do some sparkin’.”

  She blushed. She’d learned that word from Mrs. Gunderson the day before and knew what it meant. The thought of kissing her new husband warmed her to her toes. Who wouldn’t want to be kissed by such a handsome man? She gave him a shy smile, unable to speak.

  He did the speaking for her. “I thought that might interest ya. It sure does me!” he added with a laugh.

  Bella could feel her cheeks warm. Any doubts she’d had about coming west were quickly chased away by the man who held her, kissed her.

  When he lifted his face from hers he gave her a warm smile. “I think we’d better mosey to the hotel now.”

  She nodded, her body warm against his. The night was growing colder by the minute and she drew in a quick breath when he let her go. “Oh, fa freddo!”

  “What does ‘fa frito’ mean?” he asked.

  “Cold! It cold now.”

  “Sure is,” he said and put his arm around her. “We’re gonna need to get you a few things before we head back to the farm. I don’t reckon we got any extra coats your size.” He glanced quickly around, spied his cousin Matthew and made a beeline for him. “Matty!”

  Matthew turned, as did Charlotte who stood at his side. “What is it?” he asked. “What’s wrong?”

  “Ain’t nothin’ wrong,” Calvin said. “Bella here’s gonna need a winter coat. Ya got any at the mercantile we can take a look at in the mornin’ ‘fore we leave?”

  Charlotte gave Bella a quick once over. “I think we have a few.”

  Calvin looked her over as well. “Unless ya got one already?”

  “I have no coat. New Orleans too warm.” And the one she’d had in New York was so worn out she’d hadn’t even bothered to pack it when she left.

  “I figgered,” he said. “Can we come by first thing?”

  “Come to the back door,” Matthew instructed them. “I’m sure you’ll be leaving before we open the mercantile.”

  Bella looked at each, drawing their attention. “I can make one.”

  “You can?” Charlotte replied. “Well, you’re a better seamstress than me. I don’t do bad with dresses, but I’ve never made a coat.”

  “We do have some brown wool,” Matthew said. “You can do whichever you prefer.”

  “Which cost less?” Bella asked.

  Calvin turned to her. “Now don’t go worryin’ ‘bout that. I can scrape together enough for a coat.”

  Bella lifted her eyes to his. “I can make you one too, if you like. I make two coats for what it cost you buy one coat.”

  Calvin raised an eyebrow at her, then smiled. “Now that there is what I call smart thinkin’.” He turned to his cousin. “How does that sound, Matty? Ain’t my wife smart?”

  Matthew chuckled. “Yes,” he drawled and rubbed his chin. “Tell me, how fast can you make a coat?”

  Bella shrugged. “Not long. Depend on other work.” She waved a hand between herself and Calvin. “Farm work.”

  “Yes, of course,” Matthew said. “But if you’re able, I think it would be a good idea to make some coats to match Aunt Mary’s hats. We could sell them as sets.”

  “Hey now, that’s a good idea!”
Calvin agreed. “Ma’d like that.”

  “Perfect. Tell you what I’ll do – I’ll sell you enough wool for three coats. Make one for each of you and one for me so I can see your work. If I like it, then I’ll pay you back what you spent and supply you with enough to make me a half dozen more. Are you coming to the town Christmas celebration?”

  “Don’t know,” Calvin said. “Depends on the weather, mostly.”

  “Ah yes,” Matthew agreed. “Well, do what you can. I’m sure Pa will be out for some of Aunt Mary’s hats in a few weeks. Unless she’s going to take a break and not make any more this year.”

  “No break this year – she’s been teachin’ Samijo,” Calvin informed him.

  “Pa will be out to your place to see what she has, and he can pick up the coat then. If you come into town for the Christmas celebration, I’ll send you home with what you need. Weather permitting, Pa will fetch them sometime in January.” He studied Bella’s dress. “If you put together a coat as well as that dress, then we’ll be in business.”

  Bella smoothed the skirt of her dress and smiled. She was a good seamstress and knew it. But she had her limits, one of them being money, or she’d have started her own dressmaker’s shop. Why her father never allowed her to pursue such an endeavor, she didn’t know. But deny her she did, and gave her one more reason to run away.

  Calvin said goodbye to Matty and Charlotte, then wrapped Bella’s arm through his.

  This was it! They were heading back to the hotel, their room and … bed. Even if her new husband had no intention of exercising his husbandly rights that night, she was still nervous. For one, she had no idea what it would be like to share a bed with a man. She’d shared with her younger sisters, even a baby brother or two, but this was new. And what about the “sparking” part? What would that consist of? Kissing? Holding hands? What?

  Before she knew it, they’d walked into the hotel, up the stairs and were now standing in front of the door to their room! She held her breath. Kissing, definitely kissing. Her heart thundered in her chest like a marching army.

  “Well, here we are,” Calvin stated as he dug into his pockets for the key. “I know I put that darn thing somewhere.” He patted his shirt pocket, searched his others again. “Doggone it, where’d it go?”