by Jill Maguire
His Lavender Bride
Copyright 2015 © Jill Maguire & Kalyn Keyes
Prairie Wind Publishing
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Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Epilogue
Sneak Peek
A Note from Jill and Kalyn
Chapter One
“Class dismissed.” The words were barely out of her mouth before the chorus of cheers went up. “Have a good weekend all of you, and remember to go straight home. There’s a big storm brewing and you need to get home before it hits.”
In a hurried group the kids all made a beeline for the door, chattering and giggling about plans for the two days ahead of them without the responsibilities of school. Cassie knew that for many of them, the weekend would still be full of chores and work, but there would also be family time and fun.
She herself was dreading the next two days. Just the thought of being stuck inside while a storm raged outside was enough to make her want to cry. It wasn’t that the Gordon’s were bad people. They were just so sullen and strict. No one ever laughed, or teased. There was never any music or singing, not even hymns or gospel songs. Mr. Gordon only spoke when he had some criticism to make and all Mrs. Gordon ever did was bark out orders.
Their son, Walter was an angry and mean young boy. She often thanked her lucky stars that he wasn’t in her classroom. He had dropped out of school at the insistence of his father to help out on the farm. But she still saw him in town bullying the younger boys and teasing the girls. Even with the animals on the farm he was mean and impatient, swatting or kicking at the big old farm dog when the poor creature simply came looking for some attention.
Yes, the thought of spending an entire weekend confined to the cabin with the three of them was totally depressing. On most weekends since the warmer weather had arrived she preferred to spend her days outside. She would pack a blanket and a book and take what meager rations Mrs. Gordon would dole out and find a pretty spot in the meadow to spend the day.
She always brought Granny’s most recent letters too, and read them and reread them. It helped to make her feel a little less lonely. Then she would compose a reply that she was pretty sure would brighten up Granny’s day just as these letters brought comfort to her.
Quite often the old dog would accompany her and they passed the day pleasantly together. No one had ever given the dog a name, everyone just called him Dog, or worse. She had chosen to name him Bingley after a character in Pride and Prejudice, the book she was reading and he had responded quickly, hoping, she figured, that it would win him some extra affection.
Thoughts of Bingley inevitably started her thinking about Laddie, her Granny’s dog. He had been a sweet thing, as spoiled as a dog could be and loved like a real human. He had passed away last year, leaving Granny all alone and Cassie knew that she missed him terribly.
How often she longed to be back in Bent River, Montana with Granny, where she had grown up. Her Ma, Pa, and baby brother were killed in a wagon accident when she was four, and Granny had taken her in without hesitation. Grandpa had long since passed and so It had been just the two of them ever since.
When she turned five, it was time for Cassie to go off to school. She was terribly shy and the thought of going off on her own every day terrified her. She remembered begging Granny to let her stay home to do her learning, but Granny stood firm. She placed great emphasis on learning and eventually Cassie become an eager student.
By the age of fifteen she had earned her teaching certificate, and secured a very fortunate position at the local school. She taught there for two years before the regular teacher returned after a lengthy illness and took over the class. Cassie was left without a position for much longer than she had ever expected.
Money was getting tight and Cassie didn’t want Granny to lose the farm. By the time the position in Blakeford, Wyoming came along, she had to accept it despite the distance. So off she went where she needed to go. It wasn’t all that far, but at nearly a full day’s ride by stage, it was too expensive to make the trip very often. Her meager teacher’s salary barely paid the outrageous board that the Gordon’s demanded, and what little was left she kept for Granny.
Nevertheless, she was glad to at least have a position and be making a salary. It was more than some folks had, and she knew she should be grateful.
Stepping outside to clean the chalkboard brushes, Cassie glanced at the darkening sky. Thinking that she’d better heed her own advice and get home before the storm broke, she hurried to tidy the classroom. The school also served as the church, and every Friday she made sure to leave things as neat as possible for Sunday’s services.
With the last slate tucked away and her desk cleared, Cassie drew the curtains that hid the chalk board and gathered her things. She had only worn a shawl that morning so she dearly hoped that the rain would hold off.
Unhitching her wagon from the old oak tree, she climbed in and urged Bessie forward. The old nag responded quickly, sensing the coming storm and anxious to be safe in the shelter of the barn. The trip was second nature to the horse, and they made it to the cabin ahead of the rain. Mr. Gordon met her outside the barn grumbling that she get down so he could get the wagon unhitched and Bessie into the barn.
“Seems you took your time gettin’ home today. Thought you might have hurried with the storm comin’ and all.”
Cassie opened her mouth to defend herself and then snapped it shut. There was no use arguing with the man.
“I made it here as fast as I could.”
“Well you'd best get inside. Mrs. Gordon is holdin’ supper.”
Without so much as offering a hand to help her from the wagon, he turned and started unhitching Bessie. Cassie jumped down and turned her back to him wit
hout saying more. A huge crack of thunder made her jump and sent Bessie into a restless fit. Cassie watched as Charles Gordon scowled and yanked the old horse toward the barn.
She opened the door to the smell of rabbit stew simmering over the fire. It wasn’t one of her favorites, but she had to admit, Lita Gordon did her best with what she had. The aroma of fresh baked bread hovered in the background and that smell set Cassie’s stomach rumbling.
“Better get yourself outa those teachin’ clothes and into a work dress. There’s some canning to be done once supper is cleared away. Oh, and by the way, a letter came for you in the post. Charles picked it up in town this morning.”
Cassie couldn’t hold back her smile. A letter from Granny was the best possible way to end the day. It had been a few weeks since Granny had written and she was starting to get a bit concerned. As she went to pick up the envelope, her hand stopped in mid air. Cassie felt a knot form in the middle of her stomach and her smile faded. The letter was not from Granny, but some lawyer’s office in Bent River.
Her hands shaking, she took the envelope and went into the small curtained off alcove that served as her room. She tore the envelope open slowly, afraid of what news it might contain. She had only read the first few words when a flood of tears blurred her vision.
Dear Miss Edwards,
It is with deep regret that we must inform you of the passing of your Grandmother, Edith Edwards.
As the only next of kin to our knowledge, you will be the sole heir to her estate, which includes her farm and a small amount of cash that is in an account at the Savings and Loan.
We do hope you can find the means to make your way here as soon as possible to finalize all the details.
Again, our sympathies on your loss.
Sincerely,
Morgan Fitzgerald, Attorney at Law
She couldn’t believe that Granny was gone. For a long time she sat on the edge of her bed and let the tears come. Mrs. Gordon at least had the decency to allow her some privacy, and after a time she fell asleep.
Her dreams were fraught with images of Granny and the farm and Laddie. One moment she would see herself as a little girl laughing with Granny as they threw a stick for Laddie to fetch, then in the next vision she was saying goodbye to Granny as she headed to Wyoming. She woke up sobbing, her pillow soaked right through. The rest of the house was quiet as she lay awake planning her trip home.
Chapter Two
It took three days for the substitute teacher to arrive and by the time she did finally get there, Cassie was nearly at her wits end. Although she hated to wait any longer, she took an extra day to spend with Miss Coulson in the classroom to help her settle in. But the very next day she had Mr. Gordon drive her to the stage.
The day was exceptionally hot for the middle of May and the the road was dusty, making the inside of the stage quite stifling. Cassie and an older gentleman were the only passengers. They made introductions and engaged in a bit of small talk, but topics to discuss dwindled as they are so apt to do between strangers and the remainder of the ride was passed in silence. Cassie smiled to herself when the old man nodded off, his snores filling the coach. Cassie kept her nose buried in her book, pretending not to notice, should he wake up and be embarrassed.
After a couple hours riding, the coach stopped and Cassie eagerly got out to stretch her legs and brush off some of the dust while the driver watered the horses. The sunshine felt good on her face after the gloomy confines of the coach and the bit of breeze that stirred was at least somewhat refreshing. But within a few minutes she was in a hurry to get back on the road.
As much as she hated the thought of returning home with Granny gone, there was suddenly no place else on earth that she wanted to be. Her heart ached to step inside the old farm kitchen and fire up the woodstove and set the kettle on for tea. Just thinking about it warmed her heart. How she longed to be free of the constrictions and regiments of the Gordon household and have the freedom to do as she pleased.
But life was going to be different now. Suddenly it struck her how alone she really was. It had been just her and Granny for a very long time. On the final leg of the journey Cassie too, eventually nodded off. It wasn’t a peaceful rest by any means however, with every bump in the rode jostling her awake. She wondered how the old man managed to remain in such a deep sleep.
When the town finally popped into sight, Cassie’s impatience increased. She was home. The town itself seemed to reach out and embrace her. As the old man across from her started to shuffle his things together he smiled.
“You must be in a fair hurry to get here, Miss, judging by the way you’re perched there on the edge of the seat.”
Cassie felt her cheeks redden. “I am, indeed,” she replied sheepishly. Then she too, hurried to gather her hat and her bag, stuffing her book inside it. The coach slowly pulled to a stop on the main street and the tired and dusty looking driver was there offering a hand to help her down.
Standing beside the coach waiting for her bags, Cassie paused, drinking in all the sights and the sounds of the familiar place. The saloon was as noisy as ever, even this early in the evening, and wagons pulled up and drove off in a flow of hoof beats that was like music to her ears.
She also noticed that there were quite a few wagons hitched up in front of the church. She assumed it must be Prayer Meeting night, or maybe a school board meeting. Memories of teaching in that same classroom came flooding back and she stood for a few moments reminiscing.
Her daydream was interrupted by a sudden chorus of happy voices as the church doors opened wide. Men and women began emerging from the church and from the congratulatory shouts that she heard, Cassie deduced there had been a wedding. She watched for a moment longer then turned her attentions back to gathering her things and getting home to the farm.
On her way by the mercantile Cassie saw Mrs. Slater out sweeping the verandah. She waved Cassie over and leaning her broom against the wall, she hurried to fold Cassie into a warm hug.
“I am so sorry about your Granny, dear. We’re all going to miss her.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Slater. Granny always thought of you as a good friend.”
“Are you going to be staying on for a while?"
Cassie stammered, realizing just how uncertain her plans were for the future. “I’m really not sure how long I’ll be here, I guess it all depends. But I do know that I’d best be on my way now. I want to get to the farm and check on things there. Thank you for your sympathies, Mrs. Slater and thank you for being such a good friend to Granny.”
The older woman nodded. Picking her broom up once again, she added, “You let me know if you need anything at all while you’re in town.” And then almost as an afterthought she added, “Your Granny is resting right next to the old lilac bush by the far gate of the cemetery. You can’t miss it.” Struggling against a fresh onslaught of tears, Cassie nodded and headed on to the livery.
Sam Norwood was holding a red hot poker over a fire as Cassie entered the livery. “Hello, Sam,” she said softly.
Looking up from his work, a grin started to spread across his weathered and worn face.
“Well if it isn’t Cassie, my Lassie,” he said in his lilting Irish tone, using the nickname he had given Cassie when she was a girl. “I do declare you are a sight for these tired old eyes, but I wish you were here for happier reasons. Your Gran was a special lady.”
“Thank you, Sam. It’s good to be back among friends.”
“And it’s a horse and buggy that you’ll be needing while you’re here, I imagine?”
Cassie nodded. “For a few days at least. I’m really not sure how long I’ll be staying.”
“Well don’t you worry your pretty red head about it, Lassie. I’ll hitch up Blue over there, and you can have her for as long as you need.”
Cassie waited while Sam tended to Blue, trying to form a plan in her mind. If she took time now to stop by the cemetery, she would only be worried about the state of things at the far
m. Better to go there first, get settled in and visit the cemetery in the morning.
Chapter Three
Reverend Ethan Bradshaw scanned the crowded church that also served as the town’s schoolroom. Quite a crowd had turned out for this triple wedding. Not surprising, he supposed, since it wasn’t every day that three couples tied the knot at the same time in the same place. But these were crazy times and crazy things were happening. Men out on their farms and ranches were getting darn lonely without the care and comfort that a woman could bring, and women from the east were happy to come and answer the call. The mail order bride business was booming.
Most of those weddings took place without any fuss or ceremony, usually just by a judge in the home of the groom as soon as the bride arrived. But folks here in Bent River were a close knit group, almost all like family, and they wanted this to be a big affair. This wedding today was for three local farmers who had found themselves mail order brides to cook and clean and give them comfort.
He wondered for a bit if it wasn’t something he should consider for himself, and for some of the other men folk of the town. He glanced around the room seeking out those he considered the most likely prospects.
Tom Wheaton was the town banker and a confirmed bachelor. He was serious and stingy and completely married to his business. Ethan doubted that any woman would be able to live with him.
Then there was Johnnie Gavin. He was a widower with two young sons. He definitely needed a woman in his life. Finally, Ethan let his eyes fall on the very young and very handsome Mathew Goodall. He was the owner of the saw mill. He had relocated in Bent River after the war seeking a quieter, simpler life. Yes, he was definitely someone Ethan would approach about finding a wife.
Smiling, as he opened his bible to start the ceremony, he tucked the thought away in the back of his mind. He would talk to his friends for certain, right after he discussed it with the good Lord.