by Kit Morgan
He’d gone over it and over it the last day or so. What he would do if he found his new bride to be less than he hoped for. What if she was a quiet, demure little thing that did what ever he asked? Would he be happy with that? What if she was cantankerous and argued a lot? Would he show her what was what and who was boss in his house? What if she thought him ugly as a troll and refused to share his bed? Even worse, what if she turned out to be beautiful beyond compare and thought him ugly as a troll and wouldn’t share his bed?
He shuddered at the thought as he pulled into town, parked the wagon, set the brake and hopped to the frozen ground. He went around the wagon to help his mother climbed down then the two of them went across the street to the Sheriff’s office. Clayton was standing outside and they shook hands as Spencer stepped up onto the boardwalk.
“Are you ready for this?” Clayton asked him in a low tone.
Spencer took a deep breath. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Clayton let go a chuckle. “She’ll be beautiful, you’ll see.”
“What if she’s not? What if she’s exceptionally cranky?”
Clayton looked him right in the eye. “You can always send her back.”
Then they heard it. The stage.
“Oh here it comes!” their mother cried.
The stage rolled into town and approached them at a good pace. The lead driver waved his hat at them as he pulled back on the reins and brought the team to a stop just past the Sheriff’s office. Spencer, Clayton, and their mother walked down the boardwalk as one of the drivers jumped down and went around to open the door so the passengers could disembark.
Spencer stopped up short and turned to his brother. “What am I doing? How could I have let ma talk me into this?”
“This isn’t the time for cold feet, Spencer!” Clayton warned.
“Oh good Lord, what if she hates me? What if I can’t stand her?”
“Spencer…” Clayton began.
“What if she’s covered in warts and hates little children?”
“Oh for crying out loud, Spencer!”
“What if she has a hidden past? What if she’s really running from the law? Remember how you thought Summer might be?”
“Spencer!”
“What if …”
He never got to finish. Clayton grabbed him and spun him around to face the young woman just getting off the stage. “And what if that’s her, you fall in love, and live happily ever after?” Clayton hissed into his ear.
Spencer’s mouth dropped open as he shook his head. “Things don’t happen that way, but I suppose I could give it a try.”
She looked up at him, her eyes wide, and mumbled something to herself before she said, “I’m looking for Spencer Riley. Do any of you know where I might find him?”
Spencer stepped forward. I’m Spencer Riley, ma’am.”
She stood in shocked silence for a brief moment before she said, “Hello Mr. Riley. I’m Elnora Barstow. Your mail order bride.”
Two
Elle stepped off the stage, looked up and saw…. him. The handsomest man she’d ever seen. Actually, as luck would have it, there were two of them! One of which had to belong to her! But… and it was a mighty big but … she couldn’t marry him. No matter how handsome and wonderful he was. How could she? She’d shot a man! And whether that man lived or died she didn’t know.
In the mean time Elle was going to have to figure out how to handle the mess she’d gotten herself into. Sure she ran and now she was here, but she had to know what happened to Jethro! Was he alive or dead? And she had to find out what happened to the man she shot. Okay, so she and Jethro shot him together, but if she hadn’t picked Jethro’s hand up with the gun still in it, their assailant never would have been shot at all. Instead Jethro would most certainly be dead, and she most certainly wouldn’t be standing next to a newly arrived stage in the town of Nowhere staring at a handsome ….
“Oh dear God…” Sheriff? No, no! Her intended couldn’t be a Sheriff! What a nightmare that would be! She’d better make sure before she let complete panic set in. “I’m looking for Spencer Riley. Do any of you know where I might find him?”
Her dream man stepped forward. “I’m Spencer Riley, ma’am.”
Oh good Lord! It was him! Stay calm, Elle. Just stay calm! You can do this! “Hello Mr. Riley. I’m Elnora Barstow. Your mail order bride.”
He looked down at her, his face locked in disbelief. Had someone wired ahead and told him what happened? Was he there to arrest her? But no, she was safe. If that nasty Mr. Slade had wired ahead to have her arrested, then what good would that do him? They’d lock her away for life or worse! Good Lord! She hadn’t given much thought to the “worse”. Would they hang her? Did they do that sort of thing way out here?
Elle’s hand involuntarily went to her throat as she stared at the handsome Sheriff.
“Well now, isn’t this nice?” An older woman asked. She wore a beautiful light blue dress and coat with a matching hat. She had a twinkle in her eye that helped to lift Elle’s faltering spirit.
The woman went to a nearby set of stairs and stepped down to Elle. “Allow me to introduce myself, dear. I’m Mrs. Riley. Your new mother in-law,” she said as she took Elle’s hand and gave it a healthy shake. “And of course that’s Spencer up there and standing next to him is my eldest son Clayton. He got married only last week to a mail order bride much like yourself.”
Elle stared at the woman. She spoke brightly and quick, her eyes sparkling all the while. Her sons on the other hand were staring at her at if she were covered with tar and feathers. In fact, perhaps she ought to be after what happened back in New Orleans, and had no doubt they would do much worse than tar and feather her if they ever found out.
The sooner she got herself out of town the better.
Without taking his eyes off her, the elder Riley brother smacked his younger counterpart in the gut.
“Umph!” escaped him as he pitched slightly forward.
“Say something,” the elder whispered to him.
“Oh, yes,” Spencer said then cleared his throat. “Welcome to Nowhere Miss Barstow.” He jumped off the boardwalk and approached her as if he wasn’t sure she was real.
She gave him a weak smile and a small curtsy. “Thank you.”
They all stood in awkward silence a moment before Mrs. Riley broke it. “What do you say we all get a bite to eat? I’m sure you’re famished my dear, and Hank’s restaurant is right around the corner!”
“I am hungry,” Elle began. “That would be lovely.”
“Then it’s settled. We’ll all go to Hank’s and get acquainted!” Mrs. Riley said in a cheery tone.
Elle looked into the woman’s bright blue eyes and wondered if anything had ever dampened her spirit. Her happy countenance and merry voice couldn’t help but bring a smile to Elle’s tired face. She could use some of that merriment right now. How was she going to get in touch with Mrs. Ridgley back in New Orleans to find out what happened? She had barely enough money to make it to her destination and hadn’t eaten a thing in two days, or was it longer?
At the thought of food her stomach rumbled something fierce.
“Oh dear!” Mrs. Riley exclaimed. “We’d best get you fed right away!”
Spencer Riley looked down at her. “When did you eat last?” He asked flatly.
“Oh, I … well I…” How could she tell them she hadn’t eaten because she ran out of money? Jethro hadn’t had the chance to give her what she would need to cover all of her traveling expenses. She was lucky to get the ticket from him at the time.
Thankfully Elle used what little she’d saved from work she did at the orphanage. Mrs. Teeters had become desperate in the last two years and had some of the older girls doing laundry to help the orphanage make ends meet. She allowed them to keep a small percentage for themselves and Elle had been saving hers all this time. She’d brought it with her in hopes to have enough to purchase fabric to make a wedding dress. Unfortunately, h
er money ran out before her trip to Nowhere did. If Spencer Riley found out she hadn’t any money left would he start asking questions?
“Well, I’ve been known to have a healthy appetite from time to time,” she finally said.
Spencer watched her a moment, his eyes darting to the hand she had at her waist and back again. She immediately removed it. She hadn’t realized she’d put it over her stomach until he looked at it disapprovingly.
He offered her his arm. “Shall we?”
She smiled weakly and hooked her arm through his. A good thing too, her legs suddenly gave way as hunger brought her almost to her knees.
“Oh my Lord!” Mrs. Riley exclaimed.
“Miss Barstow?” Spencer said with heavy concern as he held her up by the arms and quickly guided her to a nearby hitching post. He leaned her against it, still holding her at the elbows. “Are you all right?”
Elle got her feet under her and forced herself to stand straight. A bout of dizziness had caught her unawares and her face flushed red with embarrassment. “I’m terribly sorry. I … I guess the long journey wore me out more than I thought.”
Her stomach suddenly rumbled again. Loud enough to attract the attention of a horse tied to the hitching post next to them. The animal looked her way, its ears pricked forward. How much more embarrassing could this day become? But her rumbling tummy attracting the attention of a horse was the least of her worries. Elle was still going to have to find a way to get in contact with Mrs. Ridgley and find out what happened. Otherwise, how could she in all clear conscious marry Mr. Riley? Especially when he was the Sheriff!
“Would you rather go to the farm?” Elle heard someone say. She looked around to see who had spoken. Good Heavens, she’d better get some food in her before she fainted dead away!
“Miss Barstow?”
She looked directly at Spencer Riley. “I need food.” There was no other delicate way to put it. She’d have to explain herself later, but right now, she needed to eat something.
“Right then,” he said with a resigned tone. He took her arm, wrapped it around his own once again and guided her away from the hitching post. “Clayton, can you fetch Miss Barstow’s bags?”
“Sure,” the older Riley brother said as he stepped to the stage and picked up the one satchel the driver pointed to. “I’ll just put this in the wagon and join you in a moment.”
Spencer waved at him and pulling Elle closer, continued on his way. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
It was all Elle could do to keep one foot moving in front of the other. “After lunch I’m sure I’ll be right as rain,” she pushed out. Her head began to swim and she stumbled slightly against him.
He looked down at her, his face stern. “When was the last time you ate something?”
“I think a better question is, when is the next time I get to eat something. Soon I hope.”
“Soon enough, we’re here,” he said in the same stern tone. She wasn’t making a very good impression on him and she tried not to groan with the thought.
They entered the restaurant, the only one in town, and made for the nearest table. An older gentleman came out from the kitchen and made straight for them. “Well, well, I hear congratulations are in order,” he chortled then slapped Spencer on the back. “Come for an early lunch, eh Sheriff?”
“Never mind about that, Hank. Soup, now!”
Hank looked at the three, took in Elle’s pallid face, and hopped to it. “Right away, Sheriff!”
Spencer helped Elle to sit at the table then took a chair beside her. No sooner had they all been seated Hank reappeared with a tray and three soup bowls on it. “I hope you like tomato. You didn’t say what kind you wanted!”
“Just serve it, Hank. This poor thing needs to eat,” Spencer told him as he watched Elle leaned to one side. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back up straight.
“Oh dear me …” she said as she began to lean the other way. She bumped into his shoulder and bounced slightly off it to sit straight once again. The smell of food was heavenly and she felt her body perk up with the last of her strength.
She looked at the bowls of soup on the table and her mouth watered at the sight. She began to inhale the wonderful scent then realized a spoon had been shoved into her hand.
“For God’s sake woman, eat it before you faint!”
Elle looked up into the concerned face of Spencer Riley. He looked like he was about to bust a gut, that or start force-feeding her. This was not how she planned on starting out her time here!
“Eat something, dear. It will make you feel better and keep you from falling out of your chair,” Mrs. Riley told her in a pleasant voice.
Elle swore the woman could make a funeral sound cheery. She dipped the spoon into the bowl, raised it to her lips, and tasted Heaven. The hot soup slid down her throat to her belly and warmed her toes. She hadn’t realized she was as cold as she was. She’d been too busy trying not to pass out! She took another bite, and another, and all too soon the soup was gone. Spencer watched her the entire time, and as soon as she finished her soup he pushed her bowl out of the way and shoved his own in front of her. She didn’t miss a beat and kept spooning soup into her mouth. By the time she was done with that their roast beef had arrived.
Elle couldn’t stop eating. She was starved, and the food was appearing as fast as she could eat it. It wasn’t until sometime after her third portion of roast beef and mashed potatoes that she suddenly realized Spencer hadn’t eaten a thing. He’d been shoving food in front of her and watching as she wolfed it down.
Perhaps it had been four days since she’d last eaten. She couldn’t remember. Was it two, three, four stage stops ago?
And then it happened. The absolute worst thing in the world that can happen to a lady trying to make an impression on a handsome man, not that she was, she was far too interested in the food. But, when it did happen, she was still aghast.
She belched. Loudly.
Both hands flew to her mouth as Mrs. Riley gasped in shock. What other patrons were in the restaurant stopped eating, stopped talking, stopped what ever it was they were doing and gawked at her.
Elle’s eyes darted back and forth to take in the looks of the people around her. She then slowly lowered her hands, folded them primly in her lap, and looked up at Hank, the owner of the restaurant. “My compliments to the chef,” she said with as much dignity as she could muster.
Spencer Riley looked at her, his eyes wide as his lips twitched. She wouldn’t be surprised if he put her on the next stage and sent her packing after witnessing such abhorrent behavior. But that’s not what her intended husband did. Instead, he laughed. And laughed. And laughed some more…
* * *
“Spencer! Get a hold of yourself!” his mother cried.
But Spencer couldn’t get a hold of himself. The day had been too much for him and he needed the release the laughter brought. He’d worked himself up like a worried old woman with thoughts of what kind of mail order bride he’d see get off the stage. What was his mother going to do if he couldn’t stand the bride she’d sent away for? What if he wanted to send her back? But no, what got off the stage knocked any thoughts of returning his mail order bride right out of his mind.
She was beautiful.
No. Not the right word.
Yes, she was pretty, but there was more, so much more. He could see it in her eyes, though she was obviously worn out from her trip, and sense it in the way she held herself. There was determination in her eyes, and a fighting spirit. As if no matter what, she was going to come out west and fight with everything she had to make this work out between them. What man wouldn’t want a woman with that kind of spirit at his side?
But then she faltered and almost went down at his side. He’d supported her by the elbows and gotten her to the hitching post. He was prepared to lift her up to sit on it while he held her to him if need be. Thankfully it hadn’t come to that … but … now that he thought on it, it would have been rather
nice …
Spencer snorted one last time before he got his laughter under control. His new bride ate with gusto and he discovered he liked it. She wasn’t afraid to let him know what she needed though he was upset to find her in her current state, famished and faint. When was the last time she’d eaten? Spencer was determined to find out. He knew his mother had sent plenty of money along for her to make the long journey out west. Had she run into some sort of trouble along the way? Had she been robbed? Yet surely she would have told him so by now if she had.
“I’m sorry,” he began on a chuckle as he remembered his manners. “I’m not laughing at you, really I’m not.”
“If it were me, I’m sure I’d be laughing by now,” she said matter of fact.
He looked into her eyes that were much more alive then before. The food had done her good. “Have you had enough, or would you care to join me in a piece of pie?”
She delicately licked her lips and the action about sent Spencer through the roof. He wasn’t made of wood after all, and no matter how he argued with himself over this whole mail order bride business, there was still a part of him that looked forward to the whole affair. He was a healthy vibrant male full of life, strength, and … well suffice to say he needed a wife!
He took a deep breath to calm himself. “Hank! How about some pie?”
“Good Heavens!” Mrs. Riley suddenly exclaimed. “Where on earth has Clayton been all this time? Didn’t he say he’d join us?”
“He probably went back to the Sheriff’s office first, you know how he can’t stay away.” Spencer said, never once taking his eyes from his intended sitting next to him.