by Amy Field
She said, “I’m better than I’ve ever been.”
He grabbed a handful of popcorn and put some in his mouth. A group of yellow crumbs fell on his lap. He said, “That’s good. That’s real good.”
She leaned her head over to his shoulder while the move continued. She thought to herself, yes it is. Excellent indeed.
THE END
Historic Western Romances
Book I
Charity
Book One in the Bernstein Sisters Series
Chapter One: Seth
Seth Bernstein was a quiet man, and never more so than around women.
Many would say he loved his horses more than his own life. He came out west twenty years ago when at the time he was a twenty-three-year-old ex-confederate captain. Finding nothing left in his own state, his eyes looked west and dreamed of what was lost long ago. He worked at various jobs as he traveled but he always enjoyed working with horses. Seems he had a natural way with them. It was by chance he heard of a small ranch for sale in Wyoming, just outside of Cheyenne. It was here with a dream, and much sweat and plain hard work that Seth made the Bar S one of the biggest and finest horse ranches in the territory. Over the years, he purchased other parcels of land around him. Folks say that you can stand in the middle of Seth’s land, and as far as the eye can see it were all his land.
One could always find him at the end of the day watching the sun dip behind the hills in the distance, just waiting for it to sink beyond the horizon. He’d mostly be sitting on a horse, silhouetted against the orange skyline, a lone rider. Many would say Seth was the luckiest man around, having what he had. Seth would just smile a little smile, look away and change the subject.
With all that he had, Seth was still a lonely man.
All these years while he was creating his empire he was so busy he never thought of having someone to share all of it with. When he was younger, much younger, there was a pretty lady, a teacher, who found her way into his heart. Some say they were ready to be engaged. But she was the daughter of rich folks from Boston, and her parents saw her future where she came from, not on a farm in frontier country.
It took Seth a long, long time to get over that. Those close to him say he never quite trusted women again, nor would he ever. But through the years he remained a gentleman, even though he kept his distance and let few in on his deepest thoughts.
Oh, there were plenty of beautiful ladies he would see at services every Sunday, but none of them seemed to catch his eye. It wasn’t that every fine woman in town wasn’t trying their best to find a wife for Seth. While there were only so many Sundays in a month that he could be invited to Sunday suppers, there wasn’t a woman in town that didn’t have an unmarried sister, daughter, friend and all seemed to feel Seth was perfect for them. There wasn’t a day that a freshly baked pie or cake wouldn't show up at the front door for Seth.
Jonesy, Seth’s cook, was always happy to add the desert to the supper table. Jonesy had been with Seth since his first year at the ranch. He signed on as a ranch hand, but there wasn’t anyone who could cook as well as he, so he became the cook for the ranch, a job he seemed to enjoy.
As the years rolled by it seemed the number of girls was growing shorter, many of them had gone off and married, and there were others who just left town. At forty-three years old Seth still looked younger than his age, his light brown hair still had touches of blond where the sun had bleached it in the summer, his eyes were such a clear gray it was as though there was nothing there but a pupil no iris at all. He was still broad shouldered and well built. He still caused a few female heads to turn when he passed by. There wasn’t a woman in town that didn’t turn into a teenage schoolgirl when he smiled and tipped his hat. There was just something about Seth the women were attracted to.
As he pulled up to the front of Jacobs store he jumped off the wagon and greeted Sam Jacobs, who was as always at the front door.
“Morning, Sam.”
Sam smiled at Seth as he greeted him back.
Seth smiled at Rose Jacobs inside the store as he waited for Sam to walk in. Though it was early in the morning, a body just knew it was gonna be a hot day. Slowly both men walk in, and Seth tips his hat at Mrs. Jacobs.
“Morning Mz. Rose.”
“Morning, Seth. How are you this fine morning?”
“Doing good Mz Rose. I must say you’re looking fine. Sam, do you know you have about the prettiest lady in Cheyenne?”
Sam smiles and shakes his head, and Seth looks back at Rose.
“I’m telling you Mz. Rose, you surely are looking pretty today.”
Rose smiles, she knows why all the woman in the town like him, one just wonders how one hasn’t gotten him yet. Seth hands Sam list of supplies that he would like in the wagon when he gets back for running a few errands.
“I’m gonna be needing these supplies, it may take you some time to get it filled, there’s no hurry. I’ll be back when I’m done.”
Sam looks at the list.
“I’ll have it ready for ya when you get back, Seth.”
“Appreciate it Sam.”
He smiles at Sam and tips his hat to Rose as he walks out the door. Rose looks at her husband.
“He’s such a fine gentleman. I wish we could find him a fine lady.”
Sam looks at her.
“You know we go through this conversation every time Seth comes into town. You and every other lady in town have tried to find the perfect wife for Seth. This has been going on for ten years now, maybe it’s time Seth finds his bride. Trust me, Rose, when he finds the right lady, he will know, and he will be married before the year ends.”
“Has he found...”
“There ya go again. I said 'when he finds the right lady'.”
Chapter Two – The Letter
Seth made his way down to the post office. He tips his hat as some ladies are leaving the post office. They greeted him with a smile. As he returns the smile and then hears his name being caked out.
“Hi, Seth!”
The familiar voice of Clem Baker greeted him as he made his way to the window.
“Hiya Clem, I just thought I’d stop in for the mail if there is any.”
“Well, seems you have a letter here from Richmond. Seems like it’s a school of some sort.”
Seth looks on the envelope.
“A school?”
There was on the envelope:“MissLillian Steadford School for Girls.”
“Well, I really couldn’t tell ya anything about it, Clem. Heck, I haven’t seen Richmond in over twenty-five years.”
“Well, it’s addressed to you Seth, so somebody knows you.
“Well it does look that way doesn’t it?”
It was then that Seth noticed the line growing behind him and he puts the letter in his jacket pocket and moves off the line.
“I’ll let you know, Clem.”
He makes his way toward the door and across the street toward the bank. Still he was wondering about the letter in his pocket, from Richmond and a girl’s school no less. Cora and Nora, the Franklin sisters, watched Seth as he walked across the street and into the bank. Though both sisters were eighty–eight years old they were not immune to the charm of Seth Bernstein. Just a smile from him set these two sisters giddy as schoolgirls. Cora looks at her sister.
“Nora, you know if I were fifty years younger I would consider being courted by him.”
Nora looks at her twin sister.
“Why, sister, the thought had passed my head more than once.”
They both giggle as they head down the street to Jacobs’ store.
It was some time before Seth was back at the store. He was surprised that Sam had loaded the wagon without him.
“Seems you started without me, Sam.”
“Well, Seth, it was either load the wagon or stand in there with Rose and the Franklin sisters going over their newly made list of potential wives for you.”
Seth smiled and shook his head.
&nb
sp; “Bless their hearts, they’re still making mischief.”
“Oh yeah, I even heard Mz Cora say she wished she was fifty years younger just to have you court her.”
Seth laughed heartily at that one.
“You know Sam, bet she would have to fight with her sister for that.”
“Oh, you know it, Seth. I did hear they were fine looking ladies in their day and being as they are twins it was at times hard to tell them apart even though they are not identical.”
The sisters made their way out of the store and passed by Seth. He smiles and tips his hat to them.
“Morning ladies. “
They both smile and blush as they continued on their way. Sam looks at Seth and shakes his head. Seth walks up to the counter where Rose is placing the last of his order in a box. Sam hands Seth his bill.
“Here ya go Seth; I didn’t charge you for the ten penny nails since we still haven’t had them come in yet.”
Seth looks over his bill and takes his wallet out of his back pocket. He counts out the bills, then looks over to the jar of candy and pulls out two peppermint sticks.
“How much for these Rose?”
“ I didn’t know you had a sweet tooth, Seth.”
“I don’t, they’re for Jonesy. He had asked for them before I left this morning.”
Rose smiles.
“Well since it’s for Jonesy, they’re free.”
Seth smiles and takes his groceries and heads for the wagon outside. He gives a wave to both Rose and Sam and heads out of town. As they go back in the store, Rose looks over at Sam.
“ He’s such a nice man I just wish we could find him a girl he’s interested in, you know, one who would make him a fine wife. Every man deserves a woman, don’t you...?”
She sees Sam looking at her.
“Rose, I thought we decided we were going to stay out of this. I thought you learned your lesson from last time.”
“ But Sam...”
“ No buts, Rose.”
Chapter Three – Memories
Seth drove up to the ranch, and sees Jonesy on the porch. Ashe brings the wagon to a stop he smiles as Jonesy looks at him.
“Sure took you long enough to get back. Seems like those town ladies grab on to ya and don’t want to let you go.”
“Now Jonesy, you know I had a list of things to do. Oh, yea, Sam says he still hasn’t gotten those ten-penny nails you wanted. He jumps off the wagon and grabs the box of groceries. As he gets on the porch he stops and hands Jonesy the two peppermint sticks.
“Here you go Jonesy, bet you thought I’d forgotten.”
“Thanks Seth.”
It was later on in the afternoon while Seth was in his office he took out the letter from his pocket. He still had no idea who would be writing to him from a girl’s school. He carefully opened the envelope and unfolded the letter, then began to reading:
“Dear Mr. Bernstein,
I know you must be puzzled upon receiving this letter, but I was instructed that if my client should meet untimely demise, you are the only person he entrusts his child to. Perhaps I should start from the beginning, sixteen years ago a gentleman named Randall Carver brought his five-year-old daughter Charity to stay with us. A beautiful young girl but as I explained to Mr. Carver, she was too young to be placed at the school. It was then that he told me his sad story. It seems his wife had passed on, and he had no one to watch his young daughter. It was when he had told me his wife’s name I remembered I had known her when I was younger; we were schoolmates. I agreed to take Charity and when it was time enroll her in the school. He said that if anything was to happen to him to notify Seth Bernstein and he would care for Charity. Well, the time has come, Mr. Bernstein. Last month Charity turned twenty-one, and it is the time all our students are ready to leave the school and go out in the world. As her guardian I am writing to ask you when you would like to come to take her or would you rather she come out to you. I can make all the arrangements for her departure as soon as you like. I await your response.
Sincerely, Lilian Steadford.”
He placed the letter on the desk and leaned back in the chair. His mind travels back over the years and to the early days of the war. It was during that time two young men, Seth and Randall, both from Richmond, Virginia bonded together as they fought side-by-side trying to stay alive. It wasn’t long that, after a few battles, the bond was formed that would last all through the war. It was a bond that continued even after the war was over.
Afterwards Carver went back to Virginia; seems he wanted to restore what had been lost by the war, and for a few years he and Seth kept close. It was when Seth began his quest to move to the west is when the two men lost contact with each other. Which made him wonder how she had found him, but that was a question for another time. What was at issue now was, what was he to do with a twenty-one-year-old young girl? He spent the rest of the afternoon trying to compose a letter to reply back to Ms. Steadford, and was having a bit of a hard time. After all, what could he say? It was sometime that afternoon Jonesy came in and told him supper was ready. He knew something was on Seth’s mind but also knew if he wanted to tell him about it, he would. Seth looked up at Jonesy.
“Jonesy, I received and interesting letter from Virginia. Seems someone I served with in the army left me guardian over his young daughter. I ask you, what am I going to do with a twenty-one-year-old young lady?”
Jonesy looks at him and without blinking an eye says, “Marry her.”
Seth looked at him.
“Let’s be serious, Jonesy. She’s the daughter of a friend who left me her guardian in case anything happened to him. And yes his wife also has passed. She’s been living at some school for girls and since her father has passed and she just turned twenty–one she’s now my responsibility.”
“ Not for nothing but, what is wrong with my first idea, after all she’s a woman, not a child, and you’re single?”
Seth looked at him again with a raised eyebrow, and Jonesy walked out of the room. Seth took the letter in his hand again and looked it over again. He thought about Jonesy’s words and shook his head; the idea of him marrying such a young girl was ridiculous. A forty–three-year-old man marrying a twenty–one-year-old woman was just not accepted - well it was - but Seth knew it wouldn’t simply be acknowledged here with the ladies of the town. Besides, was he ready to court someone again? Had he worked through the embarrassment and shame from long ago, when he was left standing outside in the snow, barred from seeing his love?
He shook his head to get rid of the memories. This wasn’t about sentiment; this was he simply caring about the child of an old friend.
He began again to write the reply to Miss Steadford.
Three weeks later, a letter arrived at the Steadford School addressed to Lillian Steadford from Seth.
“Dear Miss Steadford,
I must say your letter took me by surprise. Mr. Carver and I served in the army during the war, he was a good friend and though we lost touch after the war I had always thought we would see each other one more time. I was sorry to hear that that was not going to happen now. I hope you can understand I had no idea that Randall had married or even had a daughter let alone naming me her guardian. I am prepared to honor his wishes and will care for her needs. You must understand I live in Wyoming on a ranch and not the sort of life I’m sure a young lady educated from your school would blend into our community. I am willing to have her visit, and we’ll see how it goes from there. I await your response.
Sincerely, Seth Bernstein.”
As Lillian puts down the letter she hears a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
Slowly the door opens, and Charity walks in the room. Lillian looks up at the girl and smiles.
“Miss Carver, do sit down.”
Charity sat down across from Miss Steadford.
“I have an answer from your guardian in Wyoming. He is interested in following your father’s wishes and would like you to visit his
ranch and see if you would be interested in staying there or something else can be worked out. I would like to know your thoughts on this matter.”
Charity thought about it and reviewed her options. If she decided to stay in here at Steadford, her only option would be that Miss Steadford found her some means of employment, something she didn’t want. She had been here since she was five years old and her dream had been for the past four years was to find a life outside of these walls. Though she loved Lilian deeply, as a daughter loved a mother, she knew a time would come when she’d have to move along and make her own life.
On the other hand, should she go to Wyoming and find that it was not to her liking what then? What type of man was this Seth Bernstein? Her father considered him to be the finest man alive but she had never met the man, and what would he think about having a young girl unexpectedly coming to live on his ranch?
She looked up at Lillian Steadford.
“Miss Steadford, I would like to visit Mr. Bernstein’s home in Wyoming.”
A smile came to the woman’s face, even though she felt sad. She cared deeply for Charity, and treated her as she would her own family. Her eyes grew misty, but then she regained her pose as the mistress.
“I’ll make the arrangements with Mr. Bernstein in the morning. Though it would take a few weeks to make the arrangements, I think it would be best to wait before telling the others.”
Charity looked at her and nodded understanding her point. “I’ll miss it here. You’ve always been so kind to me.” For a moment their hands touched.
Charity got up and left the office as Lillian began to write her reply to Seth. She picked up her pen and looked down at the blank paper. She begins to start her response to Seth stating that Charity does indeed want to leave and go out to Wyoming. After being here so many years Lillian had grown close to the girl, indeed, closer than to most. She will be sorry to see her leave. She begins to write.