by Cabot, Cara
Rose felt cornered and didn't know if there was a way out. Her only hope was to be able to convince Louisa to be on her side and share her secret.
“I did write the letter. And I am leaving tonight.”
“Without saying goodbye to me?” Louisa's voice was shaking even more, Rose could tell she was trying to hold back tears.
“Sit down on the bed with me, Lulu, let me explain.”
She took her sister's hand and sat with her on the bed, perfectly made and covered with a yellow and white lace-edged quilt. She thought for a minute about what exactly she was going to say to make Louisa understand.
“You're not a baby anymore, Louisa, and I think you understand how my heart is broken after Isabel and Grant...well, you know. I feel if I stay here, I will wither away and die of heartbreak, to be forced to endure this pain, having to face Grant and the way Isabel taunts me, I can't stay.”
“But, Papa is wealthy, you can go away to college, you could go out to stay with Aunt Katherine, why get married? And to someone you've never met?” Louisa asked with pleading eyes, squeezing Rose's hand as if she never wanted to let go.
“I've really thought this through. And I did think of both of those options, but I don't want to go to college. I want to be a mother, to have a family of my own someday, that's always been my dream. But after the pain I've suffered from loving Grant, well, I don't want to ever experience that again. I wouldn't wish that kind of hurt on anyone. I've learned my lesson and I decided to answer the mail-order bride ad because to me it was the perfect way for me to be able to have my dream of a family but I don't have to fall in love to do it.”
Louisa scrunched her face in confusion. “Rose, have you gone mad? How can you just give yourself away like that? What if he's cruel? Or ugly? Or..”
“Well, I don't care what he looks like, to be honest.”
“What? You will have to kiss him, you know! And well, the other stuff, that mother told me I'll find out about on my wedding night but that I already know what she's talking about-that kind of stuff. He's a stranger, Rose! How could you be with a stranger?”
“Well, I will meet him soon enough and then he won't be a stranger, will he? And I know he's not cruel. I'm a pretty good judge of character and just from ad and letter I can sense what a kind man he is. He's a good man.”
“You're a good judge of character? What about Grant's character?”
“That's different, Lulu, Grant was a good man, but Isabel got to him. I will be far away from Isabel, thank heavens.”
“Please don't leave me, Rose.” She said it with so much emotion in her voice, Rose could feel her love, her fear, her desperation all piercing her heart. Leaving her sweet sister was the hardest part of her plan.
“I'm not leaving forever, my dear Lulu. But I need your help. As soon as the rain passes, I'm going to leave, and after I do, I want you to go back to your bed and forget that you saw me tonight. Just wake up and let Papa and Mother find the letter. And, as you've read it, you know that I will let you know exactly where I am when the time is right. Then you can come out and stay with me anytime you want.” Rose smiled at her sister lovingly but her sister still looked scared and concerned.
“And if you are ever feeling sad or missing me, sit down and write me a letter. I feel writing has always helped me feel more at peace and calms my mind to let my feelings out. Write to me as often as you want and keep the letters. Then, once I let you know where I am, you can send them to me. Or better yet, you can give me them in person. I just need time, Louisa. I want to do this, I need to do this. It's the only thing that has been getting me through these past weeks. Do you understand?”
Louisa shook her head. “No, I don't understand. I mean, I know that you've been hurt, but I think what you're doing is too drastic. But, I love you, and if this is what you want, then I will help you. I love you, sister.” She opened her arms and embraced Rose. Rose fought back tears as she hugged her back.
“I love you, too, Lulu. And I always will. If Isabel gives you any trouble, go to Aunt Gertie, she will help you. I look forward to when we can be together again and to the stack of letters I know you'll have waiting for me. Good-bye dear sister.”
Rose gave her sister one more hug, this time, not being able to stop the tears that were overflowing in her eyes. She watched her sister leave quietly for her bedroom down the hall. She hoped Louisa wouldn't change her mind. Thankfully the rain was nearly stopped, so she would get out now just in case Louisa did alert her parents, so she could get a head start and even if Louisa had said something, she didn't know that Rose had planned to go all the way to Springfield to catch her train. She was sorry that she had to involve Louisa in her plan and felt bad that her little sister carried the burden of her secret to bed with her but it was the only way for her plan to work. She looked around one more time at the bedroom that she had grown up in, grabbed her bags and left for her new life.
***
After an adrenaline filled night of traipsing through the dark with her bags in tow, making her way to Springfield and making she sure she found the right train, Rose was exhausted. She tried napping on the train but would soon be jolted awake by the bumpy ride and the chattering of the other passengers. When she'd come up with the plan of sneaking out in the dead of night she didn't take into account the sight she'd be upon meeting her husband for the first time-muddy, disheveled, exhausted. On top of it all, she had a nervousness in the pit of her stomach that was making her nauseous. It was too late to turn back now, and she had to picture Isabel and Grant in her mind to help her remember why this was the best choice for her.
When the train finally arrived at the station, Rose bravely ventured off the car onto the platform of a small depot with a sign that spelled out 'Middleton' in cheerful bright red paint. It was probably the smallest depot Rose had ever seen, there were only a few people on the platform. Her heart fluttered in her chest as she looked around for David. There was an older man, probably in his fifties, if Rose had to guess and she wondered if that was him, if maybe he'd fibbed about his age to get a younger bride. But after making eye contact with the man, he merely tipped his hat and said “Ma'am” before walking on past her.
“Rose Greenlee?”
Rose was surprised to hear a woman's voice calling her name and spun around to see a woman with dark brown hair and kind, honey-colored eyes smiling at her. She was probably about ten years older than Rose and wore a brown calico dress and a matching bonnet.
“Yes, I'm Rose Greenlee,” Rose answered.
“Oh my, you're even prettier than I imagined. David is going to be a lucky man! I'm Emma Cooper, my husband and I run a boarding house in town.”
Rose nodded and smiled back at the woman but was confused as to why David wasn't there to meet her.
As if reading her mind, Emma said, “David's at his farm but will be coming into to town tonight to meet you. He thought you'd want to get settled and freshen up after your long trip before meeting him.”
Rose smiled again, thankful for his kindness-she hadn't even met him yet, but her instincts about him were proving right. How thoughtful of him!
“You have your own room at the boarding house tonight, David will be coming tonight and he'll be staying too-in his own room, of course- and then tomorrow there will be your wedding at the church.”
Emma looked around before adding, “Do you have any family with you? David wasn't sure if your parents would be coming with you.”
Rose felt her cheeks flush. “Um, no. Unfortunately they couldn't make it, so it's just little old me.”
“Well, it's nice to meet you dear. I hope we get to be friends as the womenfolk are few and far between in this town. There are a few married farm wives like Tillie Martinson and Annie Wilkens, but I don't get to see them often. David's farm isn't too far from town so he actually comes to town pretty often, he and my husband Gus are good friends. It's hard for him to stay away from the farm for long, but I'm excited to have another woman here al
l the same! Oh my goodness, I'm rambling, aren't I? I tend to ramble when I'm excited, or nervous or basically any time that I'm talking!” She laughed a merry, infectious laugh that made Rose laugh too, and made her feel at ease. It was a nice welcome for her after the night she'd had.
“I'm so happy to meet you, Emma, thank you for coming to get me.”
“It's my pleasure. Gus said he'd go fetch ya, but I thought you might be a bit put off by a strange man meeting you at the train. Plus, it's nice to get out of that kitchen for awhile. Cooking three squares a day and cleaning up after the boarders keeps me in that ol' kitchen most of the time. Oh, let me help with you with your bags, our buggy is just down yonder.” She pointed to the buggy and patient horse who sat waiting for them.
“Do you have many boarders? For such a small town, it sounds as if you're quite busy!” Rose said, making conversation.
“Yes, we get quite a few-farmhands, railroad workers, bachelors coming in who don't want to cook their own meals, people stopping in on their way out west, we get a lot of interesting characters, that's for sure!” She laughed again and Rose thought to herself that Emma must have a lot of interesting stories to tell.
The ride to the boarding house flew by, with Emma's chatter and laughter and once inside, Rose met Emma's husband, Gus, and adorable son, Andrew. They made her feel at home and after a lunch of fried chicken and the best peach pie she'd ever tasted, she was brought to her own room to rest and freshen up. There was a pitcher of water and basin along with some clean towels and it felt so good for her to wash up and put some clean clothes on. Emma had even kindly offered to wash her muddied clothes for her so they'd be clean and ready to bring to her new “home” on the farm tomorrow.
“Home”. That word would means something different to Rose from now on. Though her new, fresh clothes and washed face made her feel renewed and boosted her spirits, there was still that nagging feeling that this plan may blow up in her face. Perhaps she had been too hasty. Only time would tell...
That time was soon to come. Emma came to her room to announce that David was downstairs in a small visitor's parlor, waiting for her. Rose immediately felt a lump in her throat. She couldn't wait to go down, but yet she didn't want to go at all-just wanted to stay hidden in the room at the boarding house. Maybe she'd wake up and this would all be just a dream, that she'd never lost Grant to Isabel at all. She was shaken out of her thoughts by a knock on the door.
“Are you ready to go down, Rose?” she asked.
Rose looked at her reflection in the mirror one last time. Was she really pretty? She hoped David liked her. “Almost,” she replied meekly. “Emma? Would you mind coming in for a minute.”
Emma opened the door and peeked in. “Everything alright?”
“Yes, I feel much better and I'm sure look much better than when you first saw me. I'm just....well, it's just that I didn't think I'd be this nervous. What if he doesn't like me?”
“I've known David Thompson for quite awhile and let me tell you this, he will love you. Your pretty, sweet, smart and kind. I can tell that much about you just after spending one afternoon with you. I'm sure that when he placed that ad he never dreamed he'd be so lucky as to get someone like you. And he is...well, I think you will be very happy, dear. Let me walk you down.”
She grabbed hold of Rose's arm and led her downstairs. Rose wondered if David was as nervous as she was. At the parlor door, Emma announced, “David, it is my joy and pleasure to introduce you to Miss Rose Greenlee.” She pulled Rose into the room and Rose stumbled a little at the unexpected pull. But then she stood there, face to face with David. Her jaw would have hung open if she hadn't mentally forced herself to keep her mouth closed. Any hopes she had of him being unattractive were dashed. He was tall with eyes the color of the summer sky. Working outside on the farm had given him healthy, tanned skin, sun-bleached hair and broad, strong shoulders. Even through his shirt, Rose could see how muscular and strong he was. His smile made her heart skip a beat. Not falling in love again might be harder than she thought with a man who looked like this.
He held out his hand to her. “The pleasure is all mine. Hello Rose.”
Rose held out her hand, struggling to find her tongue. “Um, hello David. It's nice to finally meet you.”
Emma backed slowly out of the room, smiling. “I'll leave you two on your own so you can get to know each other.”
Rose nodded and looked back at David, who gestured for her to be seated. She sat down and smoothed out the pleats of her dress, nervously.
“You are so beautiful, Rose. Even though I'd never seen you, I could just tell from your letter that you were going to be beautiful.”
“Thank you. I'm sure you wouldn't have said that about me if you'd seen what I looked like when I stepped off of the train,” Rose laughed. “I was not a pretty sight. I'm so thankful that you made arrangements for Emma to pick me up first.”
“You're very welcome, but I have to say, I don't know if it's possible for you to not look pretty.”
Rose smiled demurely and looked down into her lap, avoiding contact with those mesmerizing blue eyes of his.
“How was the ride from Illinois?”
“It was pleasant,” Rose lied. , trying to be polite. She'd been muddy, wet and tired the whole ride, but the last thing she wanted was for her new husband to think she was a complainer.
“Emma tells me that your parents weren't able to make it, that's too bad, I would have like to have met them, too. I'm sure it's hard leaving family behind. I know it was for me when I first came out here.”
Rose nodded, “Yes, I wish it could have worked out”. Boy did she ever wish it had worked out for her. But it hadn't and so here she was on a settee in a parlor in Iowa meeting her new, soon-to-be-husband. She thought she should change the subject from her family because she didn't want to have to start lying to a man she'd just met. She could already feel her cheeks flushing and knots forming in her stomach.
“So, you don't have any family around here?” she asked him.
“No, my family is still back in Michigan, though I've been trying to get my brother, Caleb, to buy a farm out here. It's great farming land.”
Rose nodded, not sure what to say next. This wasn't like her, usually she was a social butterfly, but with this handsome new husband sitting next to her, the only butterflies were the ones that were fluttering in her stomach.
“I hope you'll get accustomed to life on the farm. It's hard work, but it's honest work and I wouldn't trade it for any other life. You said you grew up in town, what does your father do for a living.”
“He's a judge.” As soon as she said it, Rose regretted it. The less information she gave him about her family, the better.
But she saw a light go off in David's eyes as he asked, “Judge Henry Greenlee? Is that your pa? I knew that name sounded familiar!”
Rose nodded uncomfortably. “Yes, do you... do you know him?”
“I've never met him, but I've heard of him.”
Rose tried to hide her surprise, but he must have caught it because he added, “Before deciding on the farming life, I studied law for a bit. It's always fascinated me. I've read a lot about your father, he's a well known and respected judge, known for being honest and fair-two qualities that can be hard to find with so many judges being paid off in this part of the country.”
Fair? Hah, Rose thought, not to me.
“At any rate, I feel honored to be marrying his daughter. Hopefully they can make it out here sometime soon.”
Hopefully not, Rose added silently.
“We'll eat supper here tonight, and then I need to get back to the farm for chores. Then tomorrow morning, we'll have our wedding at the church. Gus and Emma have agreed to stand up for us and are throwing us a party afterward here at the boarding house. Then I'll take you home after that. I can't wait for you to see your new home. I've tried to straighten it up for you the best I can, you'll have to forgive me if it's not up to your standards. You can
fix it up however you like.”
Rose smiled at him. “I can't wait to see it, I'm sure that I will love it.”
She met his blue eyes again, she could get lost in them. And his smile. He had the kind of smile that lit up his whole face and he was smiling at her.
Soon, they heard the dinner bell and so they joined a table full of boarders in the dining room. Gus and Andrew joined them as well, with Emma fluttering about, setting down platters and refilling water glasses and coffee mugs. It was a loud, busy dining room and there were many conversations going on at once. Rose and David did not get much of a chance to converse alone but every once in awhile she'd look up from her plate to see him smile or wink at her.
Once supper was over, it was time for David to leave. Rose walked with him out to the open, wrap-around porch of the boarding house to say goodbye to him. He held her hand as they walked and she could feel the pitter-patter of her heart beating rapidly in her chest. His hand felt strong, yet gentle. Rose wondered if he would want to kiss her goodnight.
He turned her to face him and looked down at her. The sun was beginning to set and it framed David in a beautiful pink light. It was a romantic setting and she found herself wishing that he would kiss her. “I will always remember this day, the first day that I met my bride-to-be.” He gave her hand a squeeze and left her standing on his porch as he made his way to his wagon. He was being a gentleman, Rose thought to herself. He probably is waiting until after their wedding tomorrow to take the liberty of a kiss. Rose cursed herself for wishing he would've kissed her. Don't let yourself fall in love. You wouldn't be able to survive another heartbreak. She went back inside, up to her room, and cried herself to sleep.
***
Today is my wedding day, Rose thought as she woke up. It was surreal to her. Just a short time ago she'd been dreaming of her wedding to Grant and here she was marrying a man she'd just met yesterday. She didn't have much time to dwell on her thoughts, though, as Emma came in to get her and help her get ready for the wedding. The boarding house was full and she knew it was hard for Emma to spare some time for her, but Emma was so jolly and kind to her, telling her it was no trouble at all and she wouldn't have it any other way. What a wonderful older sister she'd make, Rose thought. She wondered how different her life would have been with Emma for a sister instead of Isabel.