Henrietta was overjoyed to sleep in a bit longer on Sunday morning. The last few days working at the Angel Vale Eatery had taken a toll on her muscles and feet. When the morning sun tried to peek through the small window in the room at the old mill, she slipped the quilt over her head and fell back to sleep. An hour later she pulled herself out of bed and decided to dress in one of the new items she had bought. It was a good thing the mercantile had thought to provide some pre-made dresses with the new brides in town. She slipped a blue and white Calico dress over her head and smoothed it down. The fabric reminded her of the Blue Willow tea set her grandmother had owned. The dress would do for church on other Sundays, but today she wanted to look nice when she accompanied Benjamin to his claim.
The concept of mining was of no interest to her. Henrietta thought it sounded like hard, dull work for the small amount of money most of the men who visited the eatery had to show for all their work.
I wonder if Benjamin will ever give up mining and get a real job. I could use more help at the eatery, but it would be too embarrassing to offer my future husband a job?
Henrietta ran a brush through her long blonde hair and then sat on the cot and read from her Bible until it was time to meet Benjamin outside. At the time they agreed upon, she pulled her thin shawl off the back of an old cane chair and slipped it around her shoulders.
I hope it doesn’t start to snow for another month. Even if I did purchase a few things on Benjamin’s account, I can’t see spending his hard earned money on a winter coat. I’d like to purchase it myself with the money I earn.
She made her way down the stairs and out the front door. She was pleased to see Benjamin standing beside a wagon waiting for her.
“Good morning, Benjamin.” Her eyes lowered slightly.
“Good morning.” His eyes took in her lovely form beneath the fitted dress. “You look very nice. It’s fairly cold but I think it will warm up as we travel. I’ve got a warm brick for your feet and I brought along an extra quilt.”
Henrietta sighed. “Thank you for being so considerate. I wasn’t sure my shawl would be warm enough.”
Benjamin moved closer and placed his hand on the shawl’s fringe. “It’s lovely, but not practical. You need a winter coat. Monday morning we will order you one from the catalogue. I doubt they have many coats for women in stock at the general store. This town hasn’t had to cater to women much before you brides came to town.”
Henrietta hadn’t thought of that. At least if she ordered it, she wouldn’t have to pay until it arrived. She might have time to save enough money.
“Are you ready to go?” Benjamin interrupted her musings.
“Yes.”
“You’re sure you want to go see my claim? It isn’t much to look at and there’s only an old shanty there.”
“Will your father be there?”
“Yes.”
“Then, I would love to go. I’m anxious to meet him. Are you sure we shouldn’t just plan to live there once we’re married? I hate to cause any more expense than I already have.”
Henrietta noted Benjamin clench his fists. “Let’s not ruin the day by discussing money. If anything costs too much, I will let you know.”
Henrietta bowed her head in response and allowed Benjamin to lift her onto the wagon seat. She was grateful for the warm brick beneath her feet and the thick quilt.
*****
It was a pleasant drive to the claim. Henrietta enjoyed the crisp air, but Benjamin frowned when he noted her nose turning red.
“I‘m glad you found a few dresses but you need warmer clothes. Winter will be here before you know it.”
Henrietta huddled further down into the quilt. “I’m cozy and the hot brick is keeping my feet warm.”
“It will be much colder when we head back later.”
Henrietta tilted her head and gave a coy smile. “I’ll just have to snuggle closer to you.”
Benjamin enjoyed the thought her comment brought to his mind, but he shook the image away. It was his responsibility to take care of Henrietta now. “Tomorrow, we order you some winter things.”
As the wagon made it’s way around a bend, Benjamin began to slow the horse. Henrietta sat up straight, her eyes glancing from side to side. About five hundred feet ahead of them, jammed against the side of a hill, a small building stood. It wasn’t very large and looked to be in need of repairs. Any semblance of what might have at one time been a quaint, small building was gone. The whitewash was almost all chipped off and the small porch in front was crooked and had some obvious loose boards.
When Henrietta gasped, Benjamin sensed her shock. “Now you understand why we can’t live here. That is the shanty I’ve spent the last several years in. My father’s whole focus has been on mining. As you know, the Bible says that the love of money is the root of all evil.” Benjamin sighed heavily. “That evil overtook him about a year after we got to our claim. Finding gold is all he cares about, so don’t expect him to welcome you.”
*****
Henrietta could not believe her eyes. The building was slanted, had several holes in the roof and was in dire need of paint. She gulped. Although he said they would not live at the shanty, she had to wonder where he expected her to live. A man who was used to this type of environment might not understand the delicate nature and needs of a woman. She tried to push those thoughts aside. She focused on the lovely trees that surrounded the area.
Benjamin called out, “Whoa,” and the horses stopped. Henrietta waited for him to step down and come around to her side of the wagon. When he held out his hand, she placed her trembling one in his.
“We can turn around and go back to town,” Benjamin whispered. Henrietta shook her head.
“I want to meet my soon to be father-in-law.”
Chapter 10
Benjamin’s heart filled with pride. When faced with the reality of the kind of life he had lived, Henrietta had behaved graciously.
He patted her hand as he led her toward the shanty. He could feel her trembling. He was concerned.
“Are you very cold?”
“No.” She shook her head. “Just nervous.”
“Nothing to be nervous about.”
Benjamin stopped outside the shanty door and knocked and at the same time called out, “Pa, you here?” When he heard the mumbled response from inside, he turned back to Henrietta.
“I didn’t want to bring you here. I don’t want you to think I would ever let you live in a place like this. My father’s whole interest is in mining, not housekeeping.”
Henrietta tried to lift her lips in a smile.
“We will only stay a few minutes.” Benjamin pushed open the door and led her into a dark room.
*****
The smell that assaulted their nostrils when he opened the door was horrific. Henrietta’s feet didn’t want to move. She was afraid to step into the dark room that could house such a terrible odor.
Lord, what have I gotten myself into?
She moved slowly, clenching Benjamin’s hand.
When they were in the middle of the room, they both stood still, allowing their eyes time to adjust to the dark. Henrietta scanned the room, but with no windows, there was no light and she was unable to make out most of the room. The smell was much worse inside. She held her hand over her mouth and prayed she would not be ill.
“Pa?” Benjamin called again. Henrietta thought the tone of his voice had changed. He sounded concerned. A faint voice came from the back side of the building in answer.
“I’m here, son. In the bed.”
“Stay right here, Henrietta,” Benjamin insisted. He dropped her hand and moved away. She could hear him stumble a few times.
After several minutes, Benjamin reappeared with a small kerosene lamp in his hand. It was covered in soot and gave off very little light. Her eyes had adjusted somewhat so she could make out the look of concern on his face.
“Pa’s very sick.”
“Can we get him to a doctor?”<
br />
Benjamin shook his head. “There isn’t a real one in town. But, if I get him somewhere warm and clean, I’ll be able to nurse him. This place is too open to the weather.”
“Of course. What can I do to help?”
Benjamin ran a hand through his hair. “Go outside and wait for me. It will only take a few minutes for me to get him into the wagon. He’s pretty thin. Looks like he has been sick for a while.”
“I thought you lived here with him. Wouldn’t you have noticed if he were ill?”
Benjamin didn’t answer. He had already disappeared.
Henrietta moved toward the door. When she stepped outside, she took a huge gulp of clean air. She wondered if the stench in the shanty was what caused Benjamin’s pa to get sick, or was the smell from him being sick?
Seconds later, Benjamin swept by, carrying his father like a sack of potatoes over his shoulder. He placed the man gently in the back of the wagon.
Henrietta rushed over, grabbed the quilt from the seat and handed it to Benjamin. He tried to push it back saying, “You’ll be cold.”
“It doesn’t matter about me. We need to keep him warm.” She glanced over the edge of the wagon and nearly gasped. The man was emaciated. She glared at Benjamin.
“Your father doesn’t look like he has eaten in weeks.” Her voice was laced with accusations.
Benjamin’s shoulders dropped. “I haven’t been here in over a month.”
Henrietta could hear remorse in his voice.
“I thought you lived here.”
Benjamin shook his head, moved around the wagon and lifted her up onto the seat. He then clambered up on the driver’s side, picked up the reins and gave them a snap.
Henrietta waited for an explanation, but Benjamin was silent all the way to town.
*****
Benjamin pushed the horses as fast as he dared. He could feel Henrietta’s curious gaze, but he didn’t want to face her. He had hoped she would believe he lived in the shanty with his father, but now she was aware he didn’t. He was going to have to explain things to her sooner than he wanted.
He tried to come up with a plausible solution to tell her. Just for a while longer, until she got to know him better. He was so afraid once she knew about his money, everything would change and she would grasp onto him for the sake of the gold.
Several scenarios ran through his mind and he finally lit on one he felt he could speak, without actually telling a lie.
“Henrietta, I should have told you right off that I didn’t live with Pa anymore. His obsession with gold grew overbearing, I didn’t feel safe around him. He thought I was stealing nuggets from him. So I took rooms over the eatery and wanted it to be a surprise for you, after we were married. But now that pa is sick…”
Henrietta seemed mollified. “I’m sorry that surprise had to be ruined, but I’m glad to know where we will be living. It’s been a bit of a worry for me. Is that where we will take him?” Her head nodded in the direction of the old man in the wagon.
“Yes. The room above the kitchen of the eatery is the warmest place in town. It will be good for him.”
“If you can get him up the stairs, I will run into the eatery and heat up some soup. It won’t take long. Do you think he is well enough to eat anything more than that?”
“If he responds well to the soup, we can try some bread tomorrow.”
Henrietta stood beside the wagon and watched Benjamin lift the thin man over his shoulder again. He turned and moved toward the back of the building. She had seen the stairs back there, and had wondered about the rooms above the eatery.
“I’ll bring up the soup as soon as it’s ready.”
“Thank you. I’m sorry.”
She waved her head. “There is nothing to be sorry for. I’m sorry your father is so sick. We will get him well.”
Benjamin climbed the stairs slowly. His father moaned with each step. Benjamin could feel the heat radiating from the man’s body. He had seen many miners come down with fever before. Not many survived.
Chapter 11
The next few days kept Benjamin and Henrietta busy. She worked all day and Benjamin cared for his father. Whenever she could steal a few moments, she carried a bowl of soup or porridge up to tempt the older man with. It was slowly beginning to help.
When he first became aware of his surroundings, Benjamin almost had to tie him down. His eyes grew frantic searching the room for an escape. Benjamin knew it was the gold not the fever that caused this behavior. But after Henrietta stopped by and spoon fed him a bowl of broth one morning, the man calmed down and grew content. Now his eyes sought the door, hoping to see Henrietta.
On the fourth day, Mr. Capell was able to sit up. Although his hands shook, Henrietta exclaimed with happiness when he held his own utensil and lifted a spoonful of eggs to his mouth.
“I’m so happy to see you eating on your own. I just know you will grow strong quickly.”
Up until this day, the man had not spoken a word. But after several more hearty bites of food, he turned curious eyes toward her.
“Who are you, girl?”
“I’m Henrietta Myrick. I’m one of the mail order brides.”
The man cocked his head. “Mail order brides?”
“Surely Benjamin told you about me, Mr. Capell?”
“Perhaps, but I can’t seem to recollect anything. Just call me Ron. My given name is Ronald Capell, but I prefer Ron.”
“Alright, Ron. Several women from Merville, Maine, answered an advertisement sent to our church from men here in Angel Vale who were seeking wives. Benjamin and I began corresponding with one another and after a time, he sent a proposal.”
“A what?”
“A marriage proposal.”
Ron pushed up straight. “That doesn’t sound fittin’. A woman needs to be courted.”
Henrietta pushed back a loose strand of hair. “There wasn’t time to worry about that. My grandmother died, leaving me without a home or job. Benjamin’s proposal came at the most opportune time. I took it as a Godsend.”
“Humph. Don’t see what God has to do with that.”
Henrietta reached over and took the bowl and spoon off Ron’s lap and looked at his bearded face. Today she would suggest Benjamin help his father shave.
“God loves me. Just when I needed a new place to live, He sent the proposal from Benjamin. It was a true comfort to me, knowing I had a place to come to, a job, and a future.”
“Why have you been taking care of me? You don't even know me.”
“God tells me to. He tells us that He will comfort us during our times of affliction so we may be able to comfort others in theirs.”
Ron crossed his arms over his chest. “I'd have to see that in the Bible to believe it.”
Henrietta moved across the room and lifted Benjamin's Bible off a small table. She leafed through and with a nod, carried it to Ron.
“Here it is in Second Corinthians, Chapter One, verses three to five.”
Ron leaned close and read the words out loud. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
The man gulped and his eyes grew large in awe.
“W'al, I'll be. It does say that. It's been some time since I've read the Bible.” He slipped down in the bed and turned his head toward the wall.
Henrietta tucked a blanket around him and whispered, “It's never too late to start reading the Bible again. God has so much to share with you.”
“I don't see how He could. I've had my mind on nothing but gold for so long. I haven't been living the way I promised Benjamin's ma I would.”
“He'll forgive you.”
A tear slipped from Ron's eye. He squeezed them shut and lay very still until Henrietta left the room. Then slowly, he turned over, reached for the Bible and pulled it clo
se to search for the Comforter.
*****
Later that evening, Benjamin sat beside the bed. He no longer felt anxious about his father's health, but he feared for the man's mental state.
“Pa, why don't you plan to stay here for a while. There’s plenty of room.”
“No, I don't think I can do that, son.”
Benjamin's face grew pale. “Pa, please don’t go back to mining. We have enough gold to last a lifetime.”
“Yes, I know. I don’t plan to go back. I will hire a few workers to continue mining for us. I have plans for some of that money, but I will not tempt myself any longer.”
Relief flooded Benjamin's heart. He reached out and squeezed his father's hand. “I'm glad, but can I ask what brought on this change and what plans you have for the money?”
The man pushed up straight, a glow of true humility on his face. “I plan to become a comforter.”
“A comforter?” Benjamin's brows lifted.
“Yes.” He opened the Bible and pointed at the verse Henrietta had shared with him earlier. “God sent you and Henrietta to care for and comfort me and now I believe He wants me to be a comforter to others. There are many men who live alone, like I did. They need some of the basic comforts provided for them, to remind them of life before mining, before the love of money. I want to be the one to share these things with them and tell them about God.”
Benjamin closed his eyes and silently thanked God for the miraculous change in his father.
“Where will you stay, if not here and not at the shanty?”
“There’s a new boardinghouse. I'll stay there. You and Henrietta are going to need your space here.”
At her name, Benjamin's head shot up.
“Pa, Henrietta does not know about our money.”
Ron gave a questioning stare. “Why not? She would be mighty proud to be marrying one of the richest men in town.”
Benjamin ran a hand through his hair. “That's just it. I want her to care for me, not my money. I'll tell her, after we are married. Until then, I want to keep it quiet. Do you think you can do that?”
“Sure, son. I already planned to do the comforting things quietly. I don't want anyone to feel they owe me a thing. But, I think you aren't giving Henrietta enough credit. She's not the type to have her head turned by money. But if you are afraid of it, I think it would be better to tell her before you marry her, not after.”
Christmas Mail Order Angels: The complete 11 Volume Set Page 36