Mail Order Bride: Ultimate Mail Order Bride Collection: 6-Book Bundle ~ Clean Historical Romance (Shades of Romance Series)

by Jill Maguire

  Elizabeth fastened the clasp and straightened the pendant in the hollow of her neck. She still loved how the vibrant blue-green glass looked against her tanned skin and how romantic she felt when she wore it.

  “I wonder if Henry Blackwood would buy his wife exquisite jewellery.” She felt a pang of guilt for even considering it, but for a moment, all alone in the darkness of her room, she wondered what it would be like to be the wife of a wealthy doctor. Fine furnishings, fancy clothes and perhaps children of her own some day. Or maybe a job as a nurse alongside her handsome husband or a teacher once her children were old enough to begin their schooling.

  Elizabeth let out a great long breath and collapsed on her bed. How could she even consider leaving her home, her father, or the ocean to move west and marry a complete stranger? What if he was ugly? Unkind? Or worse, what if they could never find it in their hearts to love each other? What kind of a life would that be?

  The questions began to swirl in Elizabeth’s tired mind as she pressed the sea glass pendant to her chest. Life and love were so much simpler when she was a girl.

  Before long, Elizabeth’s weary eyes drifted closed as the gurgling and bubbling of the ocean outside her window quieted her thoughts. Maybe things would be clearer in the morning.

  Chapter Two

  Noah 10 years later……….

  Tangle Creek, California 1889

  “Here Ma, I made you some nice warm tea.” Noah gently took his mother’s hand and helped her sit up in her bed. Her hair was tangled and unkempt and just the sight of it stabbed Noah with guilt. As a child, he remembered sitting in his mother’s lap, twirling the tip of her long braid between his fingers to help himself fall asleep. Now, it hung lifeless and knotted, framing her frail ashen face. He would have loved nothing more than to see his mother’s long greying hair freshly washed and braided like it used to be, but neither he nor his brother had any idea how to tend to a woman’s hair.

  Marion Cartwright coughed as she sat up and Noah rushed to help her lean forward. Her cough had seemingly worsened overnight and with every hack, she struggled to catch her breath. When the fit finally ended, Noah felt himself exhale, not realizing he had been holding his own breath alongside his ailing mother.

  “Here Ma, take a sip. Doc said it would help soothe your cough.” Noah tipped the tin cup to his mother’s lips as she took a tiny swallow.

  “Noah,” his mother started, her voice barely audible. “I don’t have much time left. Where’s your brother?”

  “I don’t know Ma. He said he had something to needed to look after. He shouldn’t be long.”

  Noah put his mother’s tea on the table beside her bed and adjusted the pillows behind her back, trying to make her as comfortable as he could. “And no more talk about how much time you have left,” Noah said in a firm but gentle tone. “You’re going to get better and then me and Jed will take you to the field of wildflowers you like so much and have us a fine picnic. How does that sound?”

  “That sounds lovely, dear.” Marion smiled at her son and Noah smiled back. They both knew that day would never come.

  “I best be getting back out to the riverbed, Ma. The gold is going to pan itself. Will you be alright for a few hours?”

  “I’ll be fine, just lower my pillows a little please. I’d like to get a bit more sleep.”

  Noah helped his mother get comfortable and tucked the heavy wool blanket over her shoulders. He thought it odd how the tables had turned. It seemed like only yesterday that his mother was tucking him into bed every night, singing sweetly or telling him a story, and now here he was taking care of her instead.

  “Wish me luck Ma. Maybe today will be the day we strike it rich.” Noah squeezed his mother’s bony hand and then laid it carefully at her side.

  “I’m already rich Noah. I have you,” she whispered as her eyes fell softly closed.

  Noah felt a huge lump catch in his throat and silently promised his mother he would find gold today. I’ll get you the medicine you need Ma. I promise. Noah left his mother’s bedroom, snatching his dirty brown hat from the hook on his way out the door.

  ****

  The water swished and swirled around the edge of the metal pan as Noah waited with baited breath. Maybe, just maybe, a glint of gold would appear from beneath the sand. He dragged his fingers through the silt, searching, hoping, praying. He needed there to be gold in this pan, and he needed it now more than ever.

  But there was nothing. Nothing but pebbles, sand and empty hopes.

  Noah hurled his panning dish against the muddy riverbed, slamming it into the tree roots and rocks jutting out from the water’s edge. He watched as it came to a rest, laying upside down and dented and cursed at his father under his breath. If it wasn’t for his delusions of riches and stubborn stupidity, they’d all still be living back east on the ocean where they belonged.

  Noah kicked the panning dish one more time before plucking it angrily from the shore and scooping up another helping of dirt. He hated panning for gold. He hated a treasure hunt that never ended with a treasure. Gone were the days when finding a tiny seashell along the beach was enough to bring a mile-wide smile to his face. The stakes were far too high for that now.

  In the distance, Noah could hear the sound of hoof beats along the gravel road. He knew it was Jed, he could tell by the speed of the horse. Jed was never one for a leisurely ride -- or a leisurely anything for that matter. Intensity was Jed’s middle name.

  Noah hoped Jed would go home and check in on their Ma, but wasn’t surprised when his older brother directed his horse toward the edge of the river. He also knew what was coming next – his brother would unleash an angry tirade about how panning for gold was an idiotic waste of time. Noah agreed for the most part, but Jed didn’t need to know that.

  “Well, well……” Jed smirked. “Looks like little pioneer boy is out panning for gold again.”

  “Hey Jed. Where ‘ya been?”

  “That, little brother is none of your concern,” Jed snorted as he climbed down from his horse and walked to the edge of the river. “I suppose you struck it rich today, huh?”

  “No luck yet,” Noah told him. “But that doesn’t mean I won’t find a big nugget in my very next pan.”

  Jed threw his head back and let out an explosively sarcastic laugh. “Is that right?”

  “You never know Jed. And it’s really our only shot at getting Ma the medicine she needs to get better.”

  Jed’s face turned sour at the mention of their mother’s health. “You listen here you little dimwit, I’m gonna get Ma what she needs, and I don’t need no gold to do it.”

  Noah wanted to ask how exactly Jed planned to do that, but quickly decided he was better off not knowing. Jed had been known to break the law from time to time and Noah knew better than to get involved.

  “I hope you can, Jed. Ma didn’t look so good this morning.”

  “Then maybe you should be over there taking care of her instead of wastin’ your time out here looking for gold.” The veins in Jed’s neck were bulging and blood-filled and his hands were clenched into fists. “I guess you’ve forgotten that Pa died trying to find the same invisible riches you’re searching for? And that you were supposed to be with him that night? Maybe if you had of been, he’d still be here.”

  Noah squinted at his brother. How dare Jed blame him for their father’s death? How was Noah to know that miners would accuse his father of panning on their claim and shoot him dead, right in his own backyard? Noah bit his lip to prevent saying anything and scampered out of the river. Jed stepped in his way, looking for a fight, but Noah darted around him and bolted to the cabin. He didn’t need another black eye from Jed, not today.

  Chapter Three

  A week had passed since Elizabeth’s father had approached her about the idea of marrying Henry Blackwood and while he hadn’t hounded her for an answer, or even mentioned the train or taffy again, Elizabeth knew he was anxious.

  “A beautiful sunset
tonight,” Elizabeth offered as her father swayed back and forth on the porch swing. “May I join you?”

  William Ridgeway patted the wooden slats on the swing and encouraged his daughter to join him. “You are always welcome at my side, Elizabeth.”

  Elizabeth nuzzled into her father and rested her head on his shoulder. The two sat silently for a few moments before Elizabeth finally spoke. “I know you’ve been waiting for my answer,” she told him. “And I’m sorry it has taken me so long to decide.”

  “I understand,” William nodded.

  Elizabeth paused, working up the courage to utter the words she knew her father was waiting to hear. “I’ve decided to go west and marry Henry Blackwood.”

  Her father didn’t say a word; he just kept swinging to the rhythm of the waves.

  Elizabeth slowly lifted her head from her father’s shoulder and turned to him. His pale brown eyes were filled with tears but the raised cheeks of his smile prevented them from spilling down his face. Elizabeth knew her answer had made her father very, very happy.

  “We’ll leave first thing in the morning,” he said, gently wrapping his arm around Elizabeth’s shoulder and pulling her close. It was a tender moment shared between father and daughter.

  ****

  “All aboard!” The train conductor’s holler echoed across the platform as the last of the bustling passengers rushed to their seats. Elizabeth watched out the smeared window as women kissed their husbands good-bye and wiped their tears with tiny white handkerchiefs. She wondered if her journey out west would bring her such love.

  “Tickets, please,” the man asked, suddenly appearing in the aisle beside her father. He was barely taller than the back of the seat and had the thickest mustache Elizabeth had ever seen. William handed the man their tickets, which he punched and quickly returned. “Where you folks headed?”

  “We’re going all the way west, to California,” William explained.

  “Seems like that’s where everyone’s headed these days,” the man said, rolling his eyes and lifting his pointed, upturned nose to the air.

  William nudged Elizabeth with his elbow and whispered, “I don’t think he liked our itinerary.” Elizabeth put her hand over her mouth to muffle her giggle and shrugged as they pulled away from the station.

  ****

  It wasn’t long before William Ridgeway was lost in a peaceful slumber, the repetitive clicking and clacking of the tracks had lulled him to sleep after only a few hours of travel. Elizabeth propped a small pillow behind her father’s head and took their hometown newspaper from his hand. As she tucked it in her bag, one headline caught her eye. Another Shipwreck at Sea. Elizabeth touched the turquoise pendant resting against her chest. She wondered if any childhood friends would be rushing to the beach in search of treasure, just like she and Noah had done so many years ago.

  Elizabeth leaned her head against the back of her seat and listened to the lullaby of the train, bumping rhythmically over the tracks. Within minutes, she too was fast asleep.

  Before long, the grumble in Elizabeth’s belly woke her from her sleep. It had been almost 4 hours since they left the station and even longer since she had had anything to eat. She opened her weary eyes and saw her father staring straight ahead down the aisle.

  “Did you sleep well, father?” she asked, her voice sounding hoarse from the dry air inside the train car.

  William turned to his daughter and nodded. “Like a baby. What about you?”

  “My neck feels a little kinked and my stomach is rumbling louder than the train, but otherwise I slept very well.”

  “Well, we can’t have that now, can we? Let’s go to the dining car and see what’s on the menu. What do you say?”

  “Sounds lovely. After you,” Elizabeth offered, pointing her father to the aisle and shuffling out of her seat to follow him.

  Elizabeth fought to keep her balance as the train shimmied from side to side along the tracks. She stumbled once and almost fell into the lap of a handsome young man reading the newspaper. She bashfully apologized and he told her it was his pleasure to have such a beautiful young woman bump into him.

  The dining car was beautifully set with crisp white linens that smelled like the ocean breeze and delicate yellow daffodils in the centre of each table. Elizabeth felt giddy as she and her father sat down at a corner table set for two.

  “I feel almost like a princess, father.”

  “As well you should my dear. A lovely young lady like you should always be treated like a princess -- something I will be sure to remind Dr. Henry Blackwood upon our arrival in Tangle Creek.” William gave his daughter a crooked smirk and ordered them both some lunch.

  The two nibbled on delectable sandwiches and enjoyed a hot cup of tea, passing the time away chatting, laughing and noshing as the train jerked and swayed its way toward their destination.

  Just as Elizabeth and her father were about to head back to their seats, they heard a ruckus coming from the front of the train. It sounded like men yelling and Elizabeth spun around in the aisle to investigate.

  Suddenly she saw a man charging toward her, a handkerchief raised over his face, his black cowboy hat pulled down over his eyes.

  The women seated alongside the aisle began screaming at the sight of the man’s shotgun raised high on his shoulder. Elizabeth saw it too and felt her heart thump hard against her chest as she stood paralyzed with fear. The man would be at her side within a few strides and Elizabeth felt frightened. Was this a train robbery? She had only ever read about them in the newspapers back home.

  Elizabeth stole a quick glance at her father over her shoulder but before she could say anything, William shoved her into her seat at the dining table and stood protectively in front of her.

  As the outlaw came closer, Elizabeth held her breath, hoping he would not do anything to harm her father. William, afraid for the safety of his daughter, stretched his arms to his sides, trying to shield Elizabeth from the outlaw’s menacing glare. William didn’t make eye contact as the man got closer, but his attempt to shelter his daughter did not go unnoticed by the masked man.

  “Move it old man,” the outlaw growled, pushing William to the ground, wanting to see what he was hiding.

  Elizabeth squealed as her father fell into the aisle, his glasses flying into the seat across from her. “Father!” She jumped to her feet and tried to go to him but the firm grip around her arm prevented her from moving. Elizabeth tried to pull away, but the man squeezed her arm even harder.

  “Come here you pretty young thing,” the man grunted, his breath reeking of whiskey, his face smeared with dirt. “Let me take a good look at you.” He pulled Elizabeth to him, releasing his grasp on her arm and replacing it with a firm hold around her waist.

  “You leave her alone!” William struggled to get back to his feet and save his daughter from the dangerous man.

  “Or what?” The outlaw lowered the barrel of his shotgun and pointed it square at William’s chest. “I think this little lady is going to come home with me tonight.”

  “Over my dead body,” Elizabeth yelled and spun herself out of the outlaw’s grasp.

  “That can definitely be arranged,” the man said, his handkerchief slipping down over his nose as he spoke. He laughed and put the shotgun back on his shoulder. Elizabeth could see more of his face now and noticed he was younger than she expected and even a little bit handsome. He had piercing blue eyes and dark lashes, a combination that any woman would find hard to resist.

  “Here, take this, it’s all the money I have.” William snatched his wallet from the pocket of his coat and offered it to the criminal. “I’m a doctor from the east so I’m sure that’ll be enough money to buy you a few drinks and a few women if that’s what you need.”

  The man crept toward William, lowering his tall frame until they were nose to nose. “Well, well, well,” he scoffed. “Today is my lucky day.” William stood his ground, staring the young outlaw in the eye. “You’re coming with me. Doctor
.”

  “He’s not going anywhere with you, you two-bit thug!” Elizabeth wedged herself between the two men, surprising all three of them with her bravery. “You let go of my father right now!”

  The outlaw stared at her for a few moments and then winked. His eyes sized her up from top to bottom, finally coming to rest on the heart shaped turquoise pendant still comfortably nestled against her chest. He reached for it, and Elizabeth jumped back, surprised by his sudden movement.

  “What’s that worth?”

  “Let my father go and you can have it.” Elizabeth started to unfasten the necklace hoping to trade the pendant for her father’s safety. But the outlaw had other plans.

  “He’s coming with me.” The man yanked at William’s arm and dragged him toward the front of the train.

  “Father! Father!” Elizabeth screamed as tears burst from her eyes. “Please someone stop him!” But nobody moved. No one from the train tried to stop the outlaw from taking her father. “Someone please. He’ll kill my father,” she cried, desperate for help.

  Elizabeth chased the two men down the aisle but before she could do anything more, the outlaw and her father disappeared down the steps and the train heaved forward sending her stumbling backward. “You can’t just leave,” she yelled. “My father is out there!”

  Elizabeth darted to the window, frantically trying to find her father. But he was gone. There was no sign of him, or the outlaw anywhere. “No……” she cried quietly as the train picked up speed and the scenery outside the window became a teary mess of trees and sky.

  Chapter Four

  Noah opened his eyes as the light of morning peeked in through the loft window in the barn. He swiped at the long string of drool that looped from his chin down onto the open pages of his book. He couldn’t believe he had fallen asleep in the barn again. If Jed found out that he hadn’t been in the house all night to care for Ma, he’d surely make him pay for it.