Aaron’s Annulment Bride (Sweethearts of Jubilee Springs #3)

by Zina Abbott

  Andrea looked off to the north. Over the quiet conversations and giggles of the waiting women, she could hear the river. There had been a creek near her pa’s ranch, and a couple of dams to create ponds to keep the cattle watered—that and the windmills. However, this was the first time she would live near a river. At least, she’d live near to the river until after the annulment and she had found a job she could work long enough to pay back the man she married plus enough to take her to another town to live.

  If Stanley asked her to marry him, would she agree to it simply because she didn’t know how to tell him no? Somehow she couldn’t picture herself with Stanley. However, she had to marry somebody. Then again, it didn’t matter, did it? Whoever she married, it would soon be over.

  Andrea heard a fiddle being tuned and guessed it would provide the dance music for the evening. Since she knew Lizett would never allow her to walk alone back to her room at Howard’s Boarding House, she hoped she could spend most of the evening in a dark corner of the veranda just listening to the dance tunes. That would be much better than stumbling around on a dance floor trying to remember some of the dance steps she had learned years earlier.

  As she feared, Stanley asked her to dance with him. Even though she warned him about not being able to dance well, he pulled her out in the middle of the dance floor where she made a fool of herself. After Stanley returned her to her chair next to Aurelia, she begged off the next dance. As if Catherine sensed her predicament, she slid into the chair on the other side of Andrea leaving Stanley with no room to sit next to her.

  Catherine looked up at him with a smile. “May I borrow Andrea for a few minutes, Mr. Turner? I have a matter to discuss with her while Harold is off somewhere trying to clear his head.”

  Stanley glanced between the two women then graciously excused himself. Andrea watched him as he walked over to another miner named Owen. She gasped as she watched Owen pull a flask from inside his waistcoat. The brides had been assured there would be no alcohol served at any of the events, the intent being to encourage the men to be on their best behavior. However, either Owen didn’t get the message or he didn’t care. Andrea watched as Stanley pushed the flask back against the man’s chest while he furtively looked around to see if anyone had witnessed Owen’s actions. Andrea dropped her eyes to her lap, hoping Stanley hadn’t realized she had seen the flask. When she looked back up, both Stanley and Owen were gone.

  Andrea watched at Harold talked up to Catherine with his hand held out to guide her out on the dance floor.

  On the other side of her, Aurelia said something, and Andrea realized the socialite was speaking to her. She turned to face her. “I’m sorry, Aurelia. You said something to me?”

  Aurelia shook her head and spoke with a voice dripping with impatience, “I said, you don’t dance much, do you?”

  “No. I never really had the chance to learn when I was home. I was kept too busy on my pa’s ranch to go to any socials.”

  “You should have said something. Maybe some of us could have taught you a few steps so you don’t make all us brides look incompetent on the dance floor.”

  “Miss Aurelia, your dancing outshines all of us, the men as well as several of the brides. Although we can’t all dance as well as you can, I’m sure the other brides have different talents that will be appreciated.”

  Aurelia smirked. “Do tell.”

  Andrea ignored Aurelia as she turned her head towards the sound of Aaron’s voice. He spoke to Aurelia, but he was looking at her. Andrea felt something melt inside her as the man offered her a smile.

  “Miss Dalton—Andrea—would you care to chance a dance with me?”

  “I…I really don’t dance very well, but I’ll try.”

  Aaron held out his hand and lifted her to her feet. “In spite of my mother’s efforts, I don’t dance at all, so you have the advantage on me. We’ll just shuffle our feet to the music a little. Maybe afterwards we can go sit out on the veranda for a few minutes, if that is agreeable.”

  “Thank you. I’d like that. It is quite warm in here.”

  Andrea followed Aaron onto the dance floor. She still didn’t dance well, but she enjoyed being held in his arms. Once the music ended, he took her by the elbow and guided her outside before another man could approach her and ask her to dance.

  Aaron found two chairs in a secluded section of the veranda that still could be seen through an open window. He helped lower Andrea to her seat before he sat next to her. The music floated out the window to them, but they were far enough away that the volume was low enough they could talk.

  “Before someone has a chance to interrupt us…”

  And before I lose my nerve…

  “…I wanted to ask if I may sit next to you in church tomorrow. I’ll be with my parents, so there won’t be anything inappropriate about it.”

  Andrea’s heart sank. She wondered why he couldn’t have asked her first. “I’m sorry, Mr. Brinks…”

  “Aaron. Please call me Aaron.”

  Embarrassed, Andrea smiled and nodded. “Yes. Aaron. And you may call me Andrea. I guess we had this conversation last night.”

  “We did. You were saying…”

  “I’m sorry, but I already accepted an invitation from Stanley to sit with him during church and to eat dinner with him at the park afterwards.”

  Aaron raised an eyebrow. The whole time he had been in Jubilee Springs he didn’t recall Stanley Turner ever darkening the door of the church on Sunday mornings. He looked away. “I see.”

  No, you don’t see. I would have rather you asked me first.

  “I’m sorry. He asked me first.”

  “That’s all right, Andrea. I was thinking of riding out to my favorite spot by the river to read for a few hours after church anyway.” He looked at her and smiled. “You see, even though I do most of my reading at home indoors, I do enjoy reading in a pretty spot out in the country now and then.”

  Andrea tipped her head as she looked at him. All she had seen of this country was what had been visible from the windows of the train coming into town. She would love to see more of the countryside up close. “Is it far away, this place where you like to go?”

  Aaron studied her eyes. “A couple of miles. It’s upstream from all the mining activity. It’s just a well-shaded grassy bank above the river near where the water splashes over several rocks scattered across the riverbed. It’s quiet and peaceful.”

  It sounds wonderful. We don’t have anything like that back where I come from.”

  Aaron took a deep breath. He would take the chance. “Andrea, would you like to come with me? I can wait until after you finish your meal with Stanley.”

  “Really? You’d let me come with you? I promise I won’t disturb you while you read. I can bring my embroidery to work on, and my Bible so I can read, too.”

  Aaron shook his head, a smile on his lips. “Andrea, you won’t bother me. I would love for you to come, whether I find time to read or not. I would enjoy showing you some of this beautiful country.”

  Andrea’s face clouded over. “I don’t know. Lizett may not approve. She wants us to stay chaperoned at all times until we’re married.”

  “I’m sure my mother would be happy to come along as a chaperone.” The words were out of his mouth before he knew he said them. Knowing how anxious his mother was for him to court a woman and get married, he had confidence she would agree to come. Aaron realized Andrea had no idea of the sacrifice he was making in order to convince her to join him. He had never taken anyone, not even his family, to his favorite spot along the river.

  “That should be all right then.”

  The pair both looked up as the sound of clicking heels hurriedly approached them. It was Lizett. “There you are, Andrea. We thought something happened to you.”

  “No, I’m fine, Lizett. I’m not used to being in such a large crowd, and with the heat and all, Mr. Brinks offered to escort me out here for a few minutes where it’s cooler. We’ve stayed where
we can be seen.”

  Lizett narrowed her eyes as she studied Aaron, then she turned back to Andrea with one of her pasted-on smiles. Her words were pleasant and inviting, but there was no mistaking her all-business tone behind them. “Come back inside, Andrea, dear. This dance is all about you brides getting to know your prospective grooms better so you can make a decision about who you’ll marry, hopefully by tomorrow. You need to mingle and be sociable.”

  Aaron rose and helped Andrea to her feet. He noted the reluctance written on her face. He suspected she wasn’t one to enjoy large crowds any more than he was. His attention was snatched away by Lizett’s next words. “You, too, Mr. Brinks. Go inside and socialize. You may not find your bride tonight, but don’t give up hope. We still have brides coming, including one I believe you are still writing to. We’ll get you married.”

  Realizing he had been dismissed, Aaron gave Andrea one last look, nodded to Lizett, and walked towards the door leading into the restaurant turned ballroom. He hoped the words spoken by the interfering woman had not discouraged Andrea from coming with him the next day.

  Lizett placed her hand on Andrea’s arm to hold her in place until Aaron stepped inside the building. Then she turned to her. “Andrea, dear, you shouldn’t set your sights on him. Based on my analysis of your handwriting and his, he is not the best match for you. I know Catherine and Harold have shown an interest in each other, and I don’t expect you to interfere with the preference of your friend. However, there is still Stanley Turner, and he seems rather attentive to you. Even Nathan Price who doesn’t seem to have developed an interest in any of you brides here this weekend would be a better match for you than Aaron Brinks. Keep that in mind, dear.”

  “I will, Lizett. Thank you for looking out for me.”

  The two entered the brightly lit ballroom. Andrea shuddered at once again being subjected to the noise and number of bodies milling around the room. She didn’t want to dance with Stanley or any other man again. She didn’t want to get to know Nathan Price. All she wanted to do was go back to her room at the boarding house.

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  CHAPTER 9

  ~o0o~

  Aaron and his parents were at the church before the brides arrived, which annoyed him since his mother had made a habit of sitting on the third pew from the front on the right side so that regular church-goers had pretty much accepted the pew as belonging to the Brinks. There would have been plenty of room for Andrea Dalton to join his family—there was enough room for Andrea and several children.

  Aaron shook his head. No sense letting his mind go there. Stanley had gotten to her first.

  Aaron kept glancing over his shoulder as people entered. Finally he saw the bridal group enter. Directly behind them were a few of the miners who were in the running for wives. As soon as he saw Stanley take his seat next to Andrea, he turned to face front, fighting a feeling of disgruntlement.

  Aaron had never had a problem with jealousy. He wondered if jealousy was what he was experiencing at the moment.

  The services over, Aaron waited under his father’s favorite shade tree for his parents to return from their walk back to the icebox at their home to pick up the picnic lunch his mother had prepared. The Bainbridges had contracted with some local businesses to provide food for the miners and bridal party, but he decided he would eat with his family. He soon saw them walking back to the park, his mother carrying the ratty old quilt they used for picnics and his father carrying the wicker basket that held their food and dishes.

  Desi glared at her son. “Aaron, why are you eating with your old ma and pa? I thought the Prosperity had some big picnic meal planned for you miners. Shouldn’t you be over with them?”

  “The brides are all busy. Catherine who I was writing to chose Harold and doesn’t know I exist. The other woman I’m writing to didn’t make it up. I’d just as soon eat with you.”

  Desi grunted, then focused on eating her drumstick.

  “Ma, you busy this afternoon? I need you to come with me for a few hours to be a chaperone.”

  Wide-eyed, Desi turned to her son. “Chaperone? Today? Why am I just now hearing about this?”

  “I didn’t know until later last evening that she wanted to come on a ride with me. But she said that Mrs. Millard who is in charge of the brides would probably want a chaperone, so I told her you’d come. You were busy getting ready this morning, and I was planning on how I could get the buggy instead of the horse I usually rent and I didn’t think about it until just now.”

  “Who is ‘she’?”

  “Her name is Andrea Dalton. You met her Friday night.”

  Desi leaned back and studied her son. She responded slowly. “I remember her. She’s the one who guessed you like to read. You like her, don’t you?”

  “They’re all very nice, Ma, although I can’t see myself with a few of them.”

  “Let’s get back to Andrea. Why didn’t you ask her if you could sit with her in church and invite her to have dinner with us?”

  “I did ask. Stanley beat me to it. Then Mrs. Millard all but ordered me to stay away from her since our handwriting doesn’t match up. But that was after I asked her to come for a ride and she said she’d like to come.”

  Desi looked away and sniffed. “I’m not so sure I believe in all that business of matching people up by looking at their handwriting.” She turned back and focused on her son. “What do you think about it?”

  Aaron shrugged. “I guess it’s fine. It’s supposed to be a scientific breakthrough.”

  Desi harrumphed. “Following the heart has been around a lot longer. I tend to put more stock in that. How do you feel about this young woman?”

  “I like her.” Aaron liked her a lot, but he knew that wasn’t something a man admitted to his mother, especially not at this stage of the game. “I’d like to take her out to show her some of my favorite country. She said she doesn’t mind if I read.”

  Desi exhaled a long-suffering sigh. “Aaron, you don’t court a young woman by taking her somewhere and then ignoring her by burying your nose in a book.”

  Simon, who now was lying flat on his back with his hat tipped over his eyes, offered his comment just before he bit into his slice of buttered bread. “Even I know that much, Son.”

  “But she says she likes to embroider. And she likes to read, too, Ma. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure she’s not bored. In fact, with you along, you’ll see she has plenty to talk about. So, will you come?”

  Desi looked at her son, then down at her husband who had just issued his first snore of the afternoon. “Certainly. I’ll chaperone as long as you need me. Considering how your father plans to spend the afternoon, he doesn’t need me around.”

  “Thanks, Ma. I better go find Johnny B. so I can get the buggy from the livery.” Aaron shoved the last of his cake into his mouth and handed his mother his empty plate as he stood and walked away.

  The horse and buddy rented, Aaron left it at the edge of the park close to where his parents had their picnic blanket. He walked over to where most of the bridal party with the miners milling about had congregated. He had no problem locating Andrea and Stanley. They were sitting under a tree on one of the benches that had been built for the occasion. Andrea pushed her fork through a piece of cake. She looked like she was breaking it into crumbs more than she was eating it. Stanley leaned over saying something close to her ear that Aaron couldn’t make out. Lunch looked like it was just about over for the two. Aaron walked over and leaned against the trunk of the tree they were sitting under so he was about four feet behind the couple.

  Stanley turned back to look at Aaron, an expression of annoyance on his face. “Something I can do for you, Aaron?”

  “Nope. I’m just waiting until you two finish your meal.”

  “Why should you care when we finish our meal?”

  “Miss Dalton and I are going for a ride after she finishes eating.”

  Indignant, St
anley rose to his feet. “What? She’s spending the day with me. I planned to walk her around town plus I had some things I wanted to talk to her about.” He turned to Andrea. “You were planning on spending the day with me, weren’t you?”

  Andrea squirmed in her seat, her lower lip quivering as she tried to figure out how to answer. “I…I said I would sit in church with you, Stanley, and would eat lunch with you. You didn’t say anything about spending the whole day together.”

  “She accepted my invitation to go for a drive with me this afternoon, Stanley. Perhaps you can meet with her later. Right now, I have a buggy waiting.”

  Stanley sputtered. “But…but, you can’t just take off anywhere you please. Mrs. Millard won’t like that. Besides, you aren’t one of the men she paired up with Andrea.”

  Aaron smiled. “We’re just going for a jaunt along the river. My mother is coming as a chaperone. You’ve had Miss Dalton with you all morning. It’s someone else’s turn.” Aaron pushed himself away from the tree and held out his hand. “Miss Dalton, if you’re ready?”

  “Yes. I am.”

  Aaron wondered, did she seem anxious to leave? He said nothing as she turned to Stanley. “Thank you, Stanley. I had a nice time.”

  Aaron hid his smile as he watched Stanley’s jaw drop at the site of Andrea walking away. With one hand she had picked up something she had wrapped in a cloth while she used the other to carry her used plate to a tub set on the table in which were stacked dirty dishes. Aaron walked over by her. As she turned towards him, he nodded towards the buggy at the edge of the park, the form of his mother standing next to it visible across the expanse. Aaron offered her the crook of his elbow. Without looking, she shifted her bundle to her other arm and slid her free hand onto his arm.

  As Aaron approached the buggy, his mother smiled her greeting at Andrea. Aaron felt grateful it looked like one of his mother’s genuinely welcoming smiles. Then again, if she didn’t like Andrea, all she would have had to do was offer her excuses and declined to come as a chaperone. Aaron had his book under the seat, but knew with his mother along there would be no reading. However, it was worth it to be able to have Andrea with him for the afternoon.