Mail Order Barbara

by Elissa Strati

  “Well those were finest pole beans I ever did enjoy,” Billy gravely praised her, to more laughter.

  Lessons

  Billy had arrived early, as he often did, to give Barbara her riding lesson. It gave him a chance to play with Emilene. But today she was napping, so he just sat quietly to wait.

  Barbara and Dorothy were busy working on a gown for Mrs. Swenson, the mayor’s wife. This was the first time Maybelle Swenson had agreed to have local hands touch her fabric.

  “I think we will have to insert ourselves prior to her purchasing fabric from now on,” commented Barbara. “This is actually a rather cheap silk, and I’ll bet she overpaid for it.”

  “So that’s why you decided to use the muslin backing in a double layer?”

  “Yes indeed! I certainly got to learn a great deal about fine—and not so fine—fabrics going through donations from the ladies of the parish.”

  While he couldn’t hear their words, he enjoyed listening to the ladies laughter. But as he was sitting there quietly, Melody came over with her slate and, propping her elbow on his knee and leaning her chin onto her propped hand, she gazed plaintively up at him and said, “Mr. Billy, can you help me with my school work?”

  “Miss Melody, I would love to but I really cannot read,” he admitted, blushing a bit.

  “I'm just a little girl, silly!” replied Melody. “You just call me ‘Melody.’ But you are an adult so I have to call you ‘Mr. Billy.’ And it is very sad that you cannot read. Let me teach you.”

  Then she proceeded to do so.

  Over the next several months, Billy always came over extra early for Barbara’s riding lessons and, after some play time with Emilene, he and Melody would disappear into the next room where she taught him his letters.

  Now that he was older and less anxious to be outside working with the horses instead of cooped up in a schoolroom, he was able to concentrate and learned quite quickly.

  Melody, the little minx, hadn’t really needed help with her homework. She was smart as a whip. However, she was bored and wanted a little masculine attention.

  When she was younger she had declared her intention to marry her ‘Unca Charles,’ but was thwarted of her desire when she discovered he was her cousin. Mr. Billy wasn’t as old as Unca Charles, so he might be a better choice, but he was sweet on Miss Barbara. Still, he was always very nice to her, so she decided it was alright if Miss Barbara married him.

  “I think you need to bring Miss Barbara some flowers,” she suggested one day.

  “Oh you do, do you,” he laughed. “Well I just might.”

  And on his next visit he was carrying not just one, but four posies of flowers. One for each of the ladies in the house. Dorothy and Barbara had accepted theirs with vocal pleasure and Harmony with a slight, shy “Thank you,” and blush.

  But, thanking him prettily as she curtsied and accepted the bouquet, Melody gave him one of her patented eye rolls.

  Billy laughed, and reached over and chucked her under the chin.

  “Princess, you and I need to talk about subtlety and tactics one of these days,” he said softly, so only she could hear him.

  She raised her eyebrow, a trick she had learned from watching her mother, and nodded slightly.

  ~~~

  When for one reason or another Billy was unable to visit, Barbara became aware of just how much she treasured her time with him. They had laughed together about the flowers, and he had commented that he hadn't want to put pressure on her nor be perceived to be a copycat, based on the advice she had given Sam.

  “That is something you never need worry about,” she said, “I love flowers as much as the next woman and will never feel slighted to receive them.”

  After that he frequently arrived with a bouquet of wildflowers and, to Melody's delight, he made a real show of bowing and presenting them to her, and she would drop a court curtsey back to him in honor of each occasion.

  ~~~

  Once Billy had caught up to where she was in reading and writing, Melody had enlisted her older sister Harmony to assist in lessons. Harmony had been delighted to be included. She liked Mr. Billy, too, but hadn’t wanted to embarrass him by letting him know she was aware of the lessons.

  A few weeks later, Harmony commented, “I think you are a bit of a humbug, Mr. Billy. You read at least as well as I do, now!”

  “Well, you know, I think you may be right,” he replied, and reached into his coat pocket, pulling out two wrapped packages, presenting one to each girl.

  Not noted for her patience, Melody ripped her package open to find a copy of The Little Duke, a popular children’s book by Charlotte Mary Yonge.

  “Oh,” she squealed, “it's my very own book!”

  She turned to Billy and flung her arms around him. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she exclaimed, and hustled herself into a chair to start reading.

  Laughing, Harmony much more carefully undid the paper wrapping on her package to uncover a copy of the newly published book, Alice in Wonderland. Her mouth dropped open in shock.

  “Oh, Mister Billy! How did you ever get this? It is a brand new book!”

  “I had my brother send for it for me. He was so amazed to get a letter written in my own hand that he was thrilled to help. I told him how special you two girls were and how very much I have appreciated the time you’ve spent teaching me to read and write. So this is by way of being a little thank you.”

  “Well, we will just have to sit down and start to read this together. And you will start.”

  “Yes,” he said, “I certainly will, but tonight with everybody present. Although they have not said a word to me, I am perfectly aware that your mother and Miss Barbara must have figured out just what we three have been up to. I think reading a chapter together after dinner can be my graduation ceremony.”

  Shyly, Harmony gave Billy her own hug.

  “I don't think we can wait till dinner time,” spoke Barbara from beyond the door as she and Dorothy came out from their work room. Her eyes shone with pleasure at finally being able to acknowledge the hard work Billy had been doing the past several months, overcoming his fear of the written word. She was as proud of him as she could be.

  So they all crowded around the settee to be able to see the illustrations as he opened the book and began reading.

  A Celebration

  In the end, Billy’s persistence won the day.

  After a riding lesson in which Barbara had successfully braved a small jump, he swooped her from her saddle and into his arms, giving her a big hug that she returned wholeheartedly, giddy with her accomplishment.

  Suddenly he dropped to one knee in the middle of the corral and, reaching over, he carefully unsnapped his shirt pocket and withdrew a small box which he prized open.

  Gently pulling her left hand into his and, looking up into her eyes, he gave her his heart and soul.

  And she said, “Yes.”

  ~~~

  Modestly, Barbara had just wanted a small wedding.

  Dorothy burst out laughing so hard that tears ran down her face.

  “My dear, you are the first of the Orphan Brides to say yes! You know the entire town is going to want to attend. Obviously you will want Father Francis to officiate, but you will have to come up with something to involve Pastor Joe, for he feels as responsible for all of you as Father Francis.”

  A spark lit in Barbara’s eye.

  “I wonder if he would consider escorting me down the aisle.”

  “Oh, how perfect, if he will do it!” Dorothy felt as giddy as if it were she getting married. “I think we can get the same ladies who arranged your welcoming tea party to handle arrangements for your wedding reception.”

  Suddenly a bit shy, she added, “I know you will want Judith for your Maid of Honor, but Mary and I are hoping you will have us as attendants?”

  “I had hoped you would consider standing up with me. I cannot quite imagine a wedding party consisting of all my fellow orphans—that w
ould be over the top even back east. And whom can I slight?”

  As predicted, the wedding guests included the entire town, and affair went off beautifully. The bride had designed her own gown which drew gasps of awe from all the women present, and dancing had gone on until midnight.

  The couple could not escape a shivaree, as they were escorted to their new home. Theirs was one of the first houses to have been finished for married Tri Brand hands.

  Billy carried her over the threshold to the cheers of the throng, which actually disbursed fairly rapidly—with a little persuasion from Pastor Joe and Father Francis as well as Charles Barnett, Tom Kenner, and a few of the other solid citizens, whispering in ears that paybacks at their own weddings might not be enjoyable. Since many of the rowdiest in the crowd we're busy courting as well, the advice was taken to heart, but not until a rousing rendition of some popular songs had been sung.

  Mary Barnett had requested the pleasure of Miss Emilene as a houseguest of Chrissy’s for the first few days of the couple's marriage, but Billy showed up after work on the second day to ask for the return of his little princess, whom he had missed.

  ~~~

  And they lived happily ever after!

  The End

  PLEASE POST A REVIEW

  https://www.Amazon.com/review/create-review?&asin=

  B0896ZKPBZ

  ~~~

  Why, you ask, are authors always asking for reviews? Well, mainly because it helps people find our books. You don’t have to say much. “I liked it because . . .” or even just “I liked it!”

  Of course I hope you liked it! But do feel free to share with me what I could have done better (you’ll find all sorts of links below), or if you’d like to see someone else get her (or his!) own story.

  And, thank you for reading!

  ABOUT THIS SERIES

  The Widows, Brides, and Secret Babies series presents Mail Order Brides with a twist—a secret baby, whose existence was not mentioned in any correspondence.

  My volumes are scattered through this multi-author project, each volume standing alone, but permit me, please, a moment to brag. My previous title in this series, Mail Order Megan (Widows, Brides, and Secret Babies, Book 11), was not only a runner-up in the AllAuthor Cover of the Month contest, but on its first day out actually garnered the coveted orange “#1 Best Seller” banner on Amazon!

  Here’s where you can find the rest of the series:

  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084WYL1QX

  NOTES ON MAIL ORDER BARBARA

  (Or, More Than You Ever Wanted To Know About My Upcoming Books)

  In my mind there is a map of the world which includes layers for various eras. It is gradually being populated in my imagination by the people about whom I write—and their ancestors and progeny! Everyone has a place in this world, but many may never cross paths with even one of the others. It is a big world, after all!

  On the other hand, a great many characters do appear in more than one story, a few in featured roles, many more in the background. This particular tale starts in the east with an entirely new cast of characters. But wait! It seems Sister Evangeline has a brother (and a great many other siblings, but for now they serve merely as background).

  Said brother, Father Francis, has a parish in Green River, Kansas, and his best friend is the Reverend Joe. Pastor Joe ran the Christmas pageant you may have attended in Rescuing Christmas (Christmas Rescue series). The story of the Tri Brands Ranch begins to unfold in that volume. Obviously, if you are reading this (unless you read from the back—many folks do!), you know that while the fact of that operation is critical to this story, its origin is merely “history.” But if you want to know more about Charles Barnett, Rescuing Christmas is his story.

  And what about Billy Stuart? My very first book, Love’s Odds (originally part of the First Street Church Kindle World and later with the First Street Church series from Sweet Promise Press), features a woman whose family tree stretches back to the Stuarts in Scotland. That story was told in Love’s Laird but awaits expansion and re-editing before being again available (that and another book, Love’s Sweet Memories, became unavailable when Amazon closed down its Kindle Worlds). And, yes, Billy is one of those Stuarts.

  Do you recall Charlie Sue from Rescuing Christmas? She’s a bit of a handful who enjoys life in a big way and we met her again here. But there is more to her than just a young hoyden who gives as good as she gets (and makes divine lace), she admitted to me one day. Her adventure will be the next one told, in Overwhelmed in Oklahoma (Yours Truly: The Lovelorn series). Now that tale is set almost fifteen years in the future from this one, but there will still be one or two people you know in it.

  And, isn’t Dorothy Cooper a lovely woman? A widow rearing two lively young girls, she not only does the bookkeeping for Tri Brand, but does special sewing for the town’s womenfolk. You will be able to learn more about her in Rescuing Barnabas (Christmas Rescue series), also coming soon.

  But wait, there’s more! At least three additional novels are on my schedule which will take place in Green River. (Just be sure to follow me on one of the links below.) And, no, unless you are hooked on Ancestry, none of these interrelationships are important except to the characters themselves. It helps them feel secure.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  (Including Contact Links)

  A few decades ago I “retired” from the corporate world and announced I was going to write a romance novel. I then spent the summer at the beach and the next year on the road visiting friends and relatives in some forty states and multiple Canadian provinces and Mexican estados. I chalk this—and the many intervening years before I finally actually published a book—all up to research. And I still love to travel!

  In the meantime I’ve honed my editorial skills, gotten a history degree, and learned a fair amount about antiques, running a business, and restoration of orphan buildings, the last several in conjunction with my charming spouse. And for us the adventure continues, although I seem to be writing a bit more (check out my Upcoming Books, above for a partial publishing schedule!).

  As my own inbox is filled with far too many newsletters, I’ve chosen not to write one and instead focus on social media to share my stories. Naturally I’d be tickled red, white, and blue were you to follow—or contact—me on any of the links below:

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElissaStratiAuthor

  Twitter: Betababe [@AvenueAntiques]

  Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Elissa-Strati/e/B077GLWD94

  Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17307510.Elissa_Strati

  BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/elissa-strati

  Sweet Promise Press: https://sweetpromisepress.com/authors/strati

  AllAuthor: https://allauthor.com/author/elissastrati

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  No man is an island. This makes my seventh published work of fiction and the list of folks who’ve helped me along the way continues to grow. I might never even have started this journey without the encouragement and support of author Melissa Storm, founder of Sweet Promise Press. At the time she had been invited by Amazon to create a Kindle World known as First Street Church. I wrote three books for that world, starting with Love’s Odds.

  It was among the First Street group of fellow authors that I met Jane Lebak and delved into the world of Gothic Romance—okay, maybe a little bit of Horror (but it shouldn’t keep you up at night!)—and together we wrote Hunger. I hadn’t realized collaboration could be such fun!

  ~~~

  In my earliest days as a published writer, another author, Barbara Goss, also reached out to me on Facebook and has guided me through some of the arcana of (shudder) publicity. You see, we “independent” authors are responsible for the entire process from writing, to editing, to proofreading, to publishing, and then to publicizing! That’s one of the reasons for the “review” plea above, and why we are all so grateful when you share books you like with others. And also why I am so thankful to B
arbara that I not only named my heroine after her but have dedicated this volume to her in thanks.

  ~~~

  Cheryl Wright, when she invited me to write for her Christmas Rescue series (set in the late 1800s in the west), became another major mentor. I also met Margaret Tanner and Angela Lain through this group, and they joined Cheryl in guiding me through the joys and pitfalls of pre-ordering, keeping me on track in numerous ways, and answering my myriad questions.

  Cheryl also introduced me to Virginia McKevitt of Black Widow Books who does all of Cheryl’s covers, and has now done most of mine. Virginia has an uncanny knack for finding exactly the right model to represent the heroine in each book. The sadness on Barbara’s face embodies her past.

  ~~~

  All of these incredibly talented people, and many others, have provided an amazing amount of backing, ideas, and assistance, helping out with all manner of tricks of the trade. This amazing camaraderie, I have come to find, is not unusual—authors just seem to be warm, creative, and generous folks. Each of you has my undying gratitude.

  ~~~

  Additionally, my friends and family, especially my husband, have continued to abet my desire to pour my thoughts out on paper and its modern substitutes. They have to put up with my everyday whims and requests, so deserve special recognition for their patience and love.

  ~~~

  But most of all, you, the reader, make it worthwhile to share my thoughts and dreams as expressed by the characters who whisper in my ear. Thank you.

  Elissa Strati

  June 2020

  AUTHOR’S HISTORICAL NOTE

  While generally similar to existing institutions, the orphanages and the religious orders running them are from my imagination. An orphanage is only as good as the people running it, and I chose to make mine a model rather than something out of Dickens.