Mail Order Anna (Brides 0f Sweet Creek Book 1)

by Sarah Banks

  “Not yet. I need to pick up some next time we do our shopping. We have coffee though. I do love a good cup of coffee as well.”

  Lucy grimaced. “I never could stand coffee. Now my husband was another matter entirely. He drank it by the bucketful,” she remembered fondly. “He’s been gone almost two years now. I’m still waiting for the day it gets easier.” She put down her cup with a sad smile.

  It made Anna think of her husband and his first wife. “I’m so sorry,” she said, taking Lucy’s hand. Lucy was so young and her husband had already been gone two years. “What happened?” Anna asked, before covering her mouth in horror. “I’m sorry, it’s none of my business.”

  “Don’t be sorry you silly thing. We’re friends now, more than just business acquaintances.”

  Anna’s eyes stung with tears at Lucy’s instant friendship. So far she had met three women in Sweet Creek and all of them had been so lovely to her. She had come here to get married, the immediate friendships were an unexpected bonus.

  “He passed a little over two years ago now. I answered an ad for a mail order bride myself. That’s how I ended up in the Colorado Territory. I lived back east like you, born and raised. I had a failed engagement and really no other prospects that I considered suitable, so I answered an ad and within a few weeks I was married.”

  Anna smiled.

  “He was lovely,” Lucy said wistfully as she continued her story. “His name was Robert. Rob,” she shortened affectionately. “He was so handsome, smart, kind and funny, really so much more than I ever hoped for. He was born and raised back east as well, on the coast, heir to the Spencer shipping fortune. Of course, I didn’t know any of this before we married. His parents were controlling and Rob disagreed with the path that they had set for him and he rebelled, moved out west and started a farm.”

  “They were horrified to say the least,” Lucy said with a laugh. “Rob had never worked a day of manual labor in his life before then. But he made friends easily, your husband for instance, and Jack’s brother James. They showed him the ropes so he didn’t starve. Rob was very determined and it wasn’t long before he was prospering on his own.”

  Anna’s eyes widened. She didn’t know that Jack had a brother living in Sweet Creek. She wondered where he lived and when she would get to meet him.

  Lucy continued. “But Rob was lonely for companionship that only a woman can provide,” Lucy said knowingly, her eyes twinkling.

  Anna blushed.

  “So he advertised for a wife, a young woman between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five, to share his life out west and be the future mother of his children. She must be hardworking, of sweet disposition and adventurous,” she recited. “I knew as soon as I read the ad that he was the one I wanted and I didn’t hesitate. My sister was horrified when she learned what I had done but I don’t regret a second of it. It was absolutely the right decision for me. He was a wonderful man and I couldn’t believe how well we got on with one another. I remember feeling so lucky,” she said, tears filling her eyes before blinking them away. “But he died, just a month before our first wedding anniversary. Bad heart, the doctor said.”

  Anna squeezed Lucy’s hand.

  “I still feel lucky for having known him, even the short amount of time we did have together. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. After he was gone, I couldn’t stay on the farm and run it by myself. Jack helped me sell it and I moved into town. It was only supposed to be a temporary move while I got a few final affairs in order before I returned back east. I’m not sure how long I’ll stay in Sweet Creek but I’m enjoying myself for now. It’s so very beautiful and peaceful here. My sister was absolutely furious with me when she found out that I wouldn’t be returning immediately. But I got the idea for running my own mail order bride business one night out of the blue. I don’t ever intend to marry again myself, but there are so many kind, hardworking, lonely men here without wives, and it just seemed like the right thing to do at the time. To be honest, the business saved me. I was in a really dark place.”

  Anna admired how strong Lucy had remained in the face of adversity. If she hadn’t started the agency Anna didn’t know where she would be right now.

  “Well enough about that,” Lucy said, pushing away her empty cup. “Tell me how married life has been treating you so far.”

  Anna wasn’t sure what to say. The church bell began to ring.

  Lucy stood, her hands on her hips. “Don’t think you’re getting out of that question so easily. Say you’ll join me in my suite after services. I can order lunch to be sent up. I want to hear about everything since the moment you stepped off the train.”

  Anna agreed.

  Lucy grinned. They walked arm-in-arm toward the church.

  Chapter Ten

  Jack was famished. It was nearly two hours past the time Harry usually met him in the fields with breakfast. He unhooked the horses from the plow and put them in the pasture to graze. Maybe he would eat with Anna and Harry today. It wasn’t an excuse to see Anna he assured himself.

  When he turned the corner of the house, he saw Harry on the porch, her back to him, as she bent over her dog. Jack the dog eyed him but stayed still under Harry’s ministrations.

  “Harry, what are you doing?” He asked his daughter curiously.

  Harry spun around, looking up at him guiltily, hiding something behind her back. He didn’t need to ask what it was because Jack the dog was now fully visible and half the hair on his body had been sheared short, puffy piles of fur collecting at his feet.

  “Harriet Tremaine!” Jack hollered, hands on hips.

  Harry looked at the ground.

  “Does Anna know you have her scissors?”

  She shook her head.

  “You march right inside and give them back to Anna immediately. And don’t forget to apologize for taking them without asking,” he scolded.

  Harry glanced at Jack the dog. “But what about the other side?” She asked.

  “Harriet!”

  She sighed and jumped up. “I’ll put them back,” she agreed. “But I can’t apologize to Anna until later.”

  “And why is that?”

  “Because she’s not here,” Harry said, disappearing inside.

  Jack followed. “What do you mean she’s not here? Where is she then?”

  “Anna said she was going to church and that she would be back this afternoon,” Harry answered from Anna’s bedroom as she put the scissors away.

  Jack saw the food pail sitting on the table. Crusts and crumbs from a sandwich, along with a canteen of milk sat on the table in front of Harry’s usual spot. He spied the folded note next to the pail. He reached for it and flipped it open.

  Jack,

  I’m attending Sunday services. I will be back this afternoon.

  Anna

  Jack sighed and crumpled the note.

  “Harry,” he called. “Come on, we’re going into town.”

  ∞∞∞

  Anna felt her shoulders begin to loosen throughout the service, as if a weight was physically being lifted from them. She enjoyed Reverend Brown’s sermon and singing the hymns.

  When services were over, Lucy introduced her to the owners of the hotel who shared their pew. Anna also said hello to Nathan and Jenny Martin in the pew behind them. At the door she thanked Reverend Brown for the wonderful service and hugged Molly.

  Anna spotted her husband as she descended the wooden stairs of the church. He sat in the wagon some yards away, his face dark and unreadable, while Harry waved happily from the bed of the wagon.

  Lucy had also noticed Jack and the none-too-pleased expression on his face. She turned to Anna with a look of confusion on her features. She opened her mouth to say something but Anna gently interrupted.

  “I didn’t realize Jack would be here so early. Can we perhaps have lunch another time?”

  “Of course. Is everything alright?” Lucy asked, concern etched on her features.

  “Yes of course,” Anna repl
ied, her voice light. “Thank you again for breakfast.”

  “My pleasure. Be sure to tell Jack and Harry I said hello,” Lucy said with a quick hug.

  “I will,” Anna promised before walking toward the wagon.

  Jack’s eyes watched her carefully as she approached. Only when she was steps away from the wagon did he jump down. She held out her hand and he easily lifted her into the wagon before jumping back in himself. He released the brake.

  Anna greeted Harry before turning to wave goodbye to Lucy.

  “I’m not the only stubborn one,” Jack ground out, urging the horses forward.

  Anna’s brow furrowed. She ignored her husband and instead watched the activity on the main street as the wagon rolled through. The town was much more alive now.

  As they neared the edge of town, Jack started to turn the wagon to the left and that’s when Anna saw him, standing in the shadows in between two buildings. Thomas?

  Her spine stiffened and she felt a white-hot sensation run through her body. She couldn’t look away, angling her body to keep her eyes upon him as the wagon started to turn in the opposite direction. No, no, no, it couldn’t be! Why would he be here? It didn’t make any sense. Anna had to be dreaming this. It had to be a bad dream.

  The shadowed man watched her too, his eyes shaded by his hat and just at the last moment, before they turned the corner, he lifted his hat slightly in communication. It wasn’t him. It wasn’t Thomas.

  Anna’s body sagged in relief, her breath whooshing out as they turned the corner. Jack turned to look at her curiously but she kept her head averted, her thoughts and heart racing. It wasn’t Thomas. The likeness was startling, he reminded her so much of Thomas. But when she had gotten a full look at his face she realized it wasn’t him. The size and shape of the men were similar but the faces were entirely different.

  The man who had been watching her had unkempt hair, was several weeks past a shave, tanned and his clothes were dusty and dirty. Thomas on the other hand always wore a suit. His skin was unnaturally pale from spending too much time indoors and he was always meticulously groomed. Still, for a moment, Anna could have sworn it was him. Thank God it wasn’t.

  And yet, the man seemed so familiar, especially his eyes. She felt like she knew him. Who was he?

  The ride home started out quiet and awkward until Harry started singing softly from the bed of the wagon. Anna turned in her seat and saw Harry lying on her back on a thin layer of hay, looking up at the sky, singing softly, a sweet love song about an Indian maiden and a soldier.

  Harry noticed Anna looking at her and smiled before continuing the next verse. Anna smiled back and faced forward again.

  She was so thankful for that little girl. Although Harry might be a little rough around the edges, no doubt from being raised mostly by a man in her formative years, she was as sweet as could be. She always managed to break the tension between Anna and Jack, whether intentional or not.

  Jack stopped the wagon in front of the house but before he could finish setting the brake, Anna jumped down unassisted, followed by Harry. They went into the house.

  Anna listened to the wagon roll away toward the barn. She hung her jacket and bonnet before noticing Jack the dog.

  “Oh my,” she said softly, observing Jack the dog’s new haircut.

  Harry followed her gaze. “I started to cut his hair just like you did mine,” she said proudly.

  “I can see that.”

  “I’m sorry for taking your scissors without permission.”

  “That’s alright but next time please ask first before taking something that doesn’t belong to you. Especially something like scissors, I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”

  Harry nodded solemnly.

  “Maybe we can do the other side tomorrow,” Anna ventured, referring to Jack the dog’s half haircut.

  Harry beamed.

  Anna wanted to talk to Jack and she figured she might as well get it over with. She bade Harry to stay behind and slowly walked to the barn. She was dreading their confrontation.

  She walked into the dim depths of the barn and saw Jack methodically unhooking the horses from their harnesses. He spared her a glance but didn’t say anything as he continued on with his work.

  Anna had not been around horses all that much and had heard many horror stories about people getting kicked or trampled. She walked a wide berth around the horses until she stood in front of them. She was unprepared when the black and white speckled horse nudged his head hard against her chest, knocking her backwards a few steps.

  “She’s always been the jealous type,” Jack said, before reprimanding the horse in a low voice. He looked at Anna. “Are you alright?”

  She nodded but kept her distance. She watched as Jack finished unhooking the harnesses, hanging them on a nearby wall. He turned back toward her.

  “Don’t be scared.”

  “I’m not,” she replied. Her voice didn’t even sound convincing to her own ears.

  “Haven’t been around horses much?”

  Anna shook her head.

  Jack slowly walked toward her and she didn’t know which she was more nervous about, being so close to the horses or him stalking toward her like a big cat. She was startled when he took her hand and turned it palm up near the horse’s muzzle.

  Anna scrunched her eyes shut. Jack laughed.

  “They’re not going to hurt you.”

  Her eyes popped open and she squealed when the horses took turns nuzzling her palm with their warm, moist noses.

  “They’re looking for treats,” he explained.

  Jack stood behind her and when she tilted her head back to smile at him, she rested her head against his shoulder for a brief moment.

  His eyes searched hers before dropping to her lips for a moment.

  She wanted him to kiss her but instead he abruptly released her and stepped away. He dug his hand in his pocket, retrieving a sugar cube for each horse before leading them out to pasture.

  Anna followed him outside, squinting against the bright sun as her eyes adjusted. She leaned against the fence and watched her husband as he closed the gate behind the horses.

  “I’m sorry for leaving without telling you. My intention wasn’t to be sneaky or dishonest. But church is very important to me Jack,” she explained in a soft voice.

  He leaned against the fence a few feet away from her, his fingers folded together. They watched the horses drift further and further away as they started to graze. Finally he nodded once and looked in her direction. His eyes squinted against the sun. He adjusted his hat. “Alright.”

  “Thank you Jack,” she said. Anna started to walk back toward the house but stopped when he spoke. She turned.

  “But no more walking to town by yourself. Can you ride a horse?” He asked.

  She shook her head.

  “How about drive a wagon?”

  “No.”

  “Shoot a gun?”

  She looked at him in horror.

  His lips twitched. “You need to learn how to do all of those things. But first we’ll start with driving a wagon. I’ll give you your first lesson on Tuesday, on the way home from the mercantile. That is if you think you’ll have more shopping to do.”

  Anna nodded. Her list wasn’t nearly as long as last time, but she still needed quite a few things including seeds for the vegetable garden she wanted to plant.

  “In the meantime, I’ll take you to and from church until you get used to driving the wagon on your own. But no more sneaking out before Harry’s awake to tattle on you,” he teased.

  “Deal,” she agreed with a laugh. She turned back toward the house. She wasn’t sure how she felt about driving a wagon or learning to ride a horse and especially shooting a gun. But if Jack thought they were important, then she would learn how to do them.

  Anna walked back to the house, resisting the urge to turn around to see if Jack was watching her as he often did. But she didn’t want to be caught looking if he was, or disap
pointed if he wasn’t.

  Chapter Eleven

  Anna woke with a start to see Jack leaning over her, his arms on either side of her head. His face was etched with concern and something else she couldn’t quite name. She lifted up onto her elbows, tilting her head to look up at him. The action brought their lips inches apart.

  “What is it?” She asked. “What’s wrong? Is it Harry?”

  “Who’s Thomas?” He asked in a low voice.

  Anna was momentarily stunned. She had no idea why he was asking. How could he possibly know about Thomas? She dropped her head back to her pillow. “My cousin’s husband. Why?”

  He leaned back with a scowl on his face.

  “You were having a nightmare. You were saying his name.”

  Anna closed her eyes. She hadn’t remembered the dream until Jack mentioned it.

  Anna was transported back to her little bedroom behind the kitchen in Chicago. She watched from the bed, covers pulled up to her chin, as the doorknob began to turn. She was scared but she knew she was safe because she had locked and barricaded the door as she always did. It wouldn’t budge, it never had before. Except, this time it did. Anna watched in horror as the door slowly started to open and the dark silhouette of Thomas started to push through, only the predatory whites of his eyes were visible.

  Anna opened her eyes and gasped for air, sitting straight up in bed. She could feel Jack watching her carefully. He gripped her arms.

  “Did he hurt you?” He asked, his voice hard.

  Anna shook her head immediately, squeezing her fists, her fingernails biting into the skin of her palms. She gasped for breath. “No,” she reaffirmed. “But he tried to.”

  All of the sudden the room seemed too small. Anna pushed past Jack, ran across the cold floor barefoot and tried to wrench the door open. The door stuck and Anna let out a sob of frustration. She tried again, yanking the door open she stumbled out into the main room where Harry was crouched down on the floor in the center of the room. She was wearing her father’s shirt and hugging her dog, her eyes wide and scared looking.